“That was insane,” Orson said, kneeling by Jillian. “I called the cops and got a license plate. The Alpha’s not going to be happy.”
“You let him know?”
“Of course. I am sure he felt your pain again.”
“Yes, I suppose he would have,” she frowned.
“Thank you for saving my mate,” Kimberly told Jillian hugging her tightly. “Thank you so much,” she began to cry.
“It’s okay Kim, I am just glad I could.”
Wes was shaking his head. “Unbelievable. You are something special, Luna, saving all the people that you have.”
Cop cars pulled in then, along with a limo.
Edric leaped from the limo and raced to Jillian's side, Emerson, Warren, Zack, and Travis on his heels.
"Jillian," Edric said, kneeling down by her.
"I'm okay," she whispered. "The car hit me and broke my leg, but I am okay now."
Edric shook his head. "What happened? I heard your scream and felt your pain, again."
"Someone was trying to hit and kill Ruben, I pushed him out of the way," Jillian said.
"Did you get a plate?" Edric asked the three of them just as four officers approached them.
"What happened Alpha?" one of the officers asked him.
"Someone just tried to hit and kill Ruben," Edric frowned.
“I called in the plate,” Orson said.
“I did also,” a guy said, approaching them. "My wife and I were taking a walk through the park when that guy came barreling through. We barely jumped out of the way in time.”
The man knelt down by Jillian. He was a handsome man, and human, Jillian could tell.
"I saw your heroics, young lady. You move pretty fast, how did you know to push him out of the way?"
"I saw that the car wasn't going to swerve, it seemed he was headed right for us," Jillian told him.
"I'm a paramedic, I saw that car hit you, can I see if you are okay?"
"Just a few bruises," Jillian assured him.
"I think you should be checked out anyway," his wife said.
"That car hit you pretty hard."
"I'll be okay," Jillian insisted.
"I'll take her to the hospital," Edric told them.
"Are you related to her?" the man asked, eyeing Edric up and down with distrust.
"She is my fiancée," Edric stated.
"Don't you know who that is honey?" his wife hissed. "That's Edric Ventin, he owns over half the town, you know the one who owns the huge mansion on the hill?"
The man flushed. "Sorry sir, I didn't recognize you. You said this young lady is your fiancée? She looks a bit young."
Warren chuckled, earning a look from Edric to be quiet.
"He is my fiancé," Jillian said, trying to stand, but her leg gave out, it was still weak from healing.
Edric caught her before she fell, and tucked her into his arms. "I'm okay," she whispered.
"No, you are not, let's get you back home."
"I have school," she said.
"I knew she was too young for you," the man frowned. "You are engaged to a high school student? That's just not right sir."
Kimberly and Ruben chuckled. This was going to get interesting.
"I am 18 sir," Jillian said from Edric's arms. She felt at a disadvantage being held.
"Still too young," the man shook his head.
"Now Frank, we were 18 when we got engaged," the woman said, putting a hand on the man's arm.
"I know, but we are the same age, he looks to be at least 10 years older," he was frowning at Edric.
"I assure you, sir, I am not that much older, and it is a consensual relationship.”
Jillian coughed with laughter at his use of consensual. He squeezed her sides, trying to hush her.
"Edric, can you put me down now?" Jillian asked him. "I never did get to finish my picnic."
"You want to finish your picnic after what happened?" Edric looked at her incredulously.
"Maybe she hit her head too," the man muttered.
"Alpha, the plate came back stolen," one of the officer's said approaching him.
"No surprise," Edric frowned.
"Alpha?" the man had gone absolutely pale. "I have heard of you. King of the Werewolves. I have heard of your weird cult, or whatever it is. You have mates as you call them. Well, listen here bud, I don't believe in all that wolf business. They don't exist."
"Prove to him we do exist," Raul growled at Edric.
"No, we don't need to make a scene in front of the humans," Edric replied.
More people had gathered around them, curious as to what was going on. Some had witnessed the car racing through, others were wondering why there were so many cops in the park.
Jillian pushed Edric's arms away and hopped down, her leg totally healed.
"I assure you, sir, whatever you have heard is false. Edric is a good man.”
“Is that so? Then why is he engaged to such a young girl like you? He might have a sex trade going on in that big mansion of his.”
“That is enough!” Jillian shouted, her anger and power spilling out again. The few wolves that were in the park all whimpered in pain and fell to their knees.
“You need to apologize, now,” Jillian said, glaring at the man.
The man could tell there was something different about this girl. He nodded. “I apologize, to both of you. I am sorry I jumped to conclusions.”
“Very well then,” Jillian said, her power withdrawing. Edric hid a smile. His Luna was really something.
"Now, if you would like to discuss with the police what you witnessed, then by all means, but leave our relationship alone," Jillian said.
She then looked at Ruben and Kimberly. "I'm hungry, let's go eat."
Ruben chuckled, getting off the ground where he, Kimberly, Orson, Wes, Warren, Zack, and Travis had ended up.
“Sorry,” Jillian apologized. “I did it again.”
Edric chuckled. “Maybe you need an anger management class love.”
Jillian frowned at him. “Edric.”
“Okay, okay, no anger management classes.” He leaned down and whispered, “maybe just more lovemaking, that will tame you.”
The wolves snickered. Jillian just shook her head at him. “Want to join us for lunch?”
"No, but I am not leaving your side either. I cannot keep you out of trouble."
"It wasn't me they wanted this time," Jillian said, as she walked to the picnic tables, Ruben, Kimberly, Edric, Warren, Emerson, and the guards right behind her.
The cops stayed where they were to get witness statements.
Ruben pulled out a sandwich and handed it to Jillian. She smiled and sitting down, she bit into it.
"I can't believe you are hungry after that," Ruben shook his head. "I am still scared spitless."
"I'm getting used to it I guess," Jillian shrugged. "Besides, when I am stressed I get hungry."
Kimberly sat down by her friend and grabbed a sandwich.
"So, you are sure the car was headed for Ruben?" Edric asked Jillian sitting down by her and putting his hand on her leg.
"No, not positive, but when I had a vision a few minutes ago, the car was aimed for him, so I pushed him out of the way."
"You are a seer too?" Kimberly squeaked.
"Wow," Ruben said. "You are one special Luna. A healer, and a seer. No wonder someone wants to get to you."
"No one knows but those of you right here," Jillian pointed out. "I don't think the people are after me for my gifts, they don't know I have them. They are after me because I am a Luna, and to get revenge on the Alpha."
"Do you think that was a rogue?" Orson asked Edric.
"I would not be surprised. What I want to know though is how the person who was in that car knew where my Luna was today."
“But how? We checked everything for bugs.”
Edric shook his head. "This is getting to be ridiculous."
"Are you sure the car was after the Luna or Ruben
for that matter?" Wes asked all of them. "It could have been just some crazy drunk barreling through the park."
Emerson nodded. "He does have a point, it could have just been a drunk."
"But why aim directly at Ruben?" Edric frowned.
"He could have just been in the wrong place," Kimberly said. "We were visiting and not paying attention to anything. Everyone else jumped out of the way when the car came barreling through, Jillian is the only one who noticed it heading for us."
Edric turned to Jillian, "Love, do you think that is what it was? A drunk?"
Jillian shrugged. "I don't know Edric, it seemed to me that the person aimed directly for Ruben, but he didn't care who he hit on his way to get to him."
Edric frowned. "If that is true, then none of your friends are safe either."
Kimberly shuddered. "Why would someone come after us?"
"Because you are associated with me," Jillian said sadly. "Maybe it would be a good idea to just stay home and not go to school.”
She then walked away, feeling defeated.
Edric took off after her, and stopping her, he pulled her into his arms.
"Love, none of this is your fault," he said, wiping at her tears. "But I think it is a good idea for you to stay home from now on, it would be safer."
"Do you believe me that the car was headed for Ruben?" Jillian asked him. "I could see the doubt in the others' eyes like they didn't believe me."
"I will always believe you," he said, kissing her forehead. "Come on, let's get you home before something else happens."
Jillian sighed. “Maybe I should just go into hiding until whoever is after us, gives up."
Edric looked down at Jillian. "I think that is a brilliant plan. I heard you wanted to go to Florida. I suggest you go now before something else happens."
He took her over to where the others were standing around visiting.
"Kimberly, you wanted to go on vacation next week?" Edric asked her.
"Yes Alpha, Jillian and I wanted to go to Florida."
"Leave tomorrow, both of you. I will inform the school you will be gone for a while. I want you to go and be with Jillian for a few weeks until this whole thing calms down."
Kimberly looked at Ruben. "Is that okay?"
"I don't know," he said, "after what happened today, I am afraid that something might happen to them in Florida."
“I will make sure she is safe,” Edric said, then looked around at everyone. "I trust all of you, but if I find out that one of you is leaking our whereabouts to whoever is after us, I will personally kill you, do you understand?" Everyone nodded, baring their necks to him, but Jillian. She still didn't feel the need to obey like the others.
"Good. Jillian you are going, Kimberly or no Kimberly. I want you safe. I will tell your parents that you are taking a much-needed vacation. I need to stay here to see if I can figure out things from my end."
The officer that had talked to them a few minutes before, about the car being stolen, came back to them.
"Alpha, can I have a word?" he said.
Edric nodded and headed away with the man.
Jillian looked at Edric, he was frowning deeply, and she noticed her friends were also frowning. She knew they could hear what the officer was saying.
"What's going on?" Jillian whispered to Emerson.
"The car that almost killed Ruben? They found it, the driver was dead, shot in the heart."
Jillian gasped. “He had to have been shot after he went through the park.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Because as soon as he hit me, the car went roaring away. The guy didn’t crash like he would have if he had been shot beforehand.”
Edric headed back to Jillian and took her by the arm. "You are leaving tonight."
"But," she protested.
"That man, if he was alive before he tried to run over Ruben and was shot afterward or if he was shot before and that is why he came sailing through the park like that, doesn’t matter, you are going.” He frowned then. “Detective Campbell just informed me that the man was shot after he tried to hit Ruben. The gunshot is fresh.”
“See, I knew he hadn’t been shot before,” Jillian told him.
“Dang,” Kimberly went pale.
"Am I even going to be safe if I leave?” Jillian asked.
"I will make sure you are. I will send Wes with you, he will keep you safe."
Jillian nodded. "Okay.”
"Good, let's go home and pack your stuff. Kimberly let us know within the hour if you are going with her," Edric told her.
"Yes, Alpha," Kimberly nodded.
Edric put his arm about Jillian and helped her into the limo.
He climbed in beside her, the guards and Warren following, Emerson up front to drive.
Jillian wiped at her tears as she looked out the window on the way back to the palace.
"This is for the best love," Edric told her softly. "I want you safe until we can catch these wolves, or whoever it is after us."
"I will miss you," she whispered.
"I will miss you also love," he replied, kissing her cheek, "but I want you alive and well. We are to get married in a few weeks. I want to be able to marry you, and in order for that to happen, you need to go into hiding."
She finally looked at him. "I understand."
"I love you Jillian, my Luna, I would die if I lost you, you know that."
She nodded. "I know, and I would feel the same if something were to happen to you.”
"Then go, be safe, let me handle this, then send for you when they have been apprehended, okay?"
"And if they follow me?"
"Then there will be hell to pay," he growled.
Chapter 27
Jillian headed to her studio as soon as they got home. She wanted to be alone. She was feeling horribly guilty about everything. She couldn’t believe that her friend had been almost hit and killed.
Edric sighed as he watched Jillian walk outside. He turned to Warren. "I am sick of what is going on. I can't believe that someone is still after us, how the hell are they finding Jillian? Everywhere she goes someone is after her."
"It might be the mind connection within the pack, Alpha. There is always someone with Jillian, and everyone has a mind link but her. So if someone is thinking about her, then whoever is doing this knows exactly where she is."
Edric's wolf growled in anger. "She will never be safe then," Raul said.
"Warren, I trust you with my life, do you think someone in my pack is the one who is trying to kill us?"
Warren shrugged. "I can't be positive Alpha, but I think it is a great possibility."
"Then how do I get Jillian to safety without anyone knowing. If anyone knows where she is because of a mind link, we are all screwed."
"I have a suggestion Alpha."
“Go ahead.”
"Send Jillian away with her parents, somewhere where no one will know. They are all human, so no one could try and mind link with them. Leave her friend here, since she is a wolf, and don’t send her to Florida, everyone knows they are going there, and don't tell me or anyone else. Give her a phone to keep in touch, but make sure it is encrypted so no one can find out where she is."
"I like your thinking Warren. I will call Jillian's parents now."
Warren left Edric to call Jillian's parents as he headed to the kitchen to eat lunch.
Out in her studio, Jillian sighed heavily. She was working on another painting, but it was dark. It represented her pain and loss. The colors were dark and swirling like an angry storm, but right in the middle was a little speck of silver. The light in the storm. She hoped that the light would grow and that things could get back to normal, but she knew the only way for that to happen would be to leave and to let Edric find out who was behind everything going on.
A little while later Edric found Jillian on the couch in the studio. She had been crying.
He sat down by her and pulled her onto his lap.
"M
y sweet Luna, I am so sorry that all of this is happening," he murmured. "I have a solution though," he said, wiping at her tears.
"Oh?" she asked, hope in her eyes.
He smiled softly.
"I called your parents. I told them to pack clothes for a few weeks. I am sending the three of you away while we deal with us."
"Where to?"
"I won't say. I don't know who is listening," he replied. "I don't want to take chances of anyone finding you. Detective Campbell is encrypting a new cell phone for you so you can stay in touch with me without giving out your location."
"You are sending my parents with me because we are all human, and letting Kimberly stay home because she is a wolf.”
"Yes. No one can read your minds, or mind link, I think you will be safer that way."
“I take it you won’t be sending any guards with me then.”
"I want to, believe me, I do, but I won't. I don't know who I can trust right now, and with everyone mind linking but you, I trust no one."
“How long do you think I will need to be gone?”
“I am not sure, but hopefully not too long.”
He then looked around the room. “Did you notice that you had a camera out here?”
She nodded. “Yes, I was assuming it was for my safety.”
“Yes. I have the monitors in my office so someone can watch the palace and grounds. That way we will know if anyone tries to come onto the property. I hope you are okay with that.”
“As long as there isn’t one in the bedroom.”
He laughed. “Do you want there to be one?”
“No,” she blushed. “We don’t need your guards getting an eyeful.”
He kissed her. “No, but I am sure whoever planted the bugs in our room got an earful.”
She blushed again. “I didn’t think of that, how embarrassing.”
He smiled. “My sweet innocent Luna, how I love you.”
“Innocent, huh?”
“Well, maybe not so much now,” he teased.
“Good thing my dad doesn’t know.”
“I am sure he suspects though. But it’s kind of hard not getting it on when I have such an incredible looking Luna,” he said, kissing her. He laid her on the couch and laid on top of her.
“You know, Alpha, if any of your guards are in the office, they are going to get an eyeful,” she grinned at him.
The Alpha King and his Human Mate Page 22