by Selena Blake
His mate.
Even now he had a hard time believing that she was back in his life. After two hundred miserable years, she finally knew the truth. This past week, enjoying her incredible body, seemed like a dream. He kept expecting to wake up. He wanted more. Much more. He missed their conversations, their debates. He missed seeing her mind in action. And lately, he’d had everything. Her.
But for how long?
He still wasn't prepared to believe...to hope they had a chance. The past had taught him how finicky his mate could be. She'd lost her family, was alone in the world. What if she got tired of gracing his bed?
Jules rocketed the ball at André's chest. He caught it easily and raised an eyebrow at his younger brother. Head back in the game, he dribbled and then made his shot.
“So what's the deal with you and Juliette?” Jules asked.
André had known this question was coming, was surprised it hadn't been asked sooner. He'd given his brother's the details of his trip, well, most of them, once he'd gotten back to town. Jules and Sebastian were obviously curious about his mate and understandably so.
“There's no deal,” he lied. “She's here. I'm here.”
Jules rolled his eyes, stole the ball and dunked it. “Don't give me that shit.”
“What's your problem, mon frere?” André asked, his irritation rising.
“You! You have a mate. A true mate who will live as long as you will, and you're sitting on your hands, waiting for her to do God knows what, when you should be claiming her as yours and thanking your lucky stars.” He paused, taking a deep breath. “Do you know how lucky you are, brother? Sebastian and I will lose our soul mates before the end of the century. We will have to watch them die. And we will live on. You can have forever and you don't even want it.”
“What makes you think I don't want it?” he shot back.
“You sure have a funny way of showing it.” Jules dropped the ball and stalked off the court.
Laurent picked up the basketball and spun it on the end of his finger.
“Do you agree with him?” André asked, hands on his hips.
“I believe you're still in love with her.”
“I can't be. Not until I know she'll stay with me.”
“She killed her brother for you, cousin. That should say plenty.” Laurent was right of course. But it didn't erase his need to hear her say the words. It didn’t ease his worry over her company and her position within it. Her work was in France. Would she move the company for him?
After dinner that night, Sebastian called him into the study.
“Have a seat,” his brother said.
André remained standing. “Why do I get the feeling this isn't a friendly chat?”
“Because it's not. You have a decision to make, mon frere.” André raised an eyebrow in question. “Her or us. She's a Vassar, she can never be a part of our pack.”
André collapsed into the chair, not believing his eyes. He searched his brother's face, saw the man who'd saved his life half a dozen times, who'd shared meals, triumphs, pain. He was serious. His gaze didn't waver.
“You never had anything against the Vassars. None of us did.”
“I do now that I know what they're capable of.”
How had he found out? Oh. Juliette. Damn, women were so chatty. “That's my business. It was a long time ago.”
“Have you forgotten how she broke your heart? Twice! Do you remember how miserable you were after that? For years, André. It took you years to heal.” He cocked his head to the left. “I'm not sure you've ever healed. I can’t watch that happen to you again.”
“I have to go.” Andre was out of the chair and down the hall before Sebastian could call him back.
“Let's go,” he said to Juliette, pulling her up from the couch. “Thanks for dinner, ladies,” he called over his shoulder.
“What's wrong?” Juliette asked as he drug her along behind him.
“Nothing,” he said. Everything.
* * * * *
Twenty four hours later, Juliette was convinced that it was not nothing. She'd begged and pleaded with him to tell her what was wrong, but he'd remained silent as they’d driven back into New Orleans. He’d ridden the elevator up to their room, his mouth set in a pensive line. She’d fallen silent at that point.
When he set his mind on something is was nearly impossible to change it. He hadn’t changed that much in the last two centuries. He’d spent all of five minutes in the office before announcing that he was going out to think. Think about what?
He hadn’t returned.
And Juliette hadn’t been able to get a minute of sleep.
Between worrying about him, she worried how her life would be without him. Would she ever be able to sleep without him beside her?
Frustrated, tired of calling room service and being alone with her thoughts, she pulled the complimentary notepad from the bedside table. If he wouldn't talk to her, perhaps his brothers would. She left a note on the bar and headed downstairs. An hour later the cab let her out in front of the house the Deverauxs were renting until their home was rebuilt. The massive brick structure overlooked Lake Pontchartrain and she felt the blessed breeze as she marched up to the front door.
Angelica let her in with a bright smile.
“Is Sebastian here?” Juliette asked.
“He and Jules are at the lawyers' office going over some paperwork.”
Juliette nibbled her bottom lip.
“What's wrong?” Angelica asked, leading her to the back porch and easing her into a patio chair.
“André’s missing. He left last night right after we got back to the hotel and I haven’t been able to reach him since then.” She rubbed her hand back and forth across her lips, racking her brain for an explanation. “I thought maybe his brothers knew what was going on.”
“We'll ask them as soon as they get back.”
Juliette nodded.
“Tea?”
“Yes, please.” Angelica stepped over to the tea cart and poured two glasses.
“Lemon?”
Juliette shook her head. “Why are you being so nice to me?”
“Why wouldn't I be?” Angelica frowned.
“I'm a Vassar. Vassars and Deverauxs don't get along.”
Angelica smiled, her strawberry blonde hair catching the afternoon sunlight. “That's all in the past. What matters now is if you love André or not. He's a good man, and he deserves to be happy. If you can make him happy, then you've got my vote.”
Juliette took the drink the other woman offered and felt peace wash over her. Inside, a telephone rang and Angelica excused herself and went to answer it. Juliette took a sip of her tea and looked out at the manicured yard and the blue lake beyond. From the corner of her eye she saw someone doing laps in the pool. Looking closer she recognized Burke, André's cousin.
Maybe he knew what was going on. Or where André had disappeared to.
She set her glass down and headed across the yard. The powerful man reached the end of the pool, dove under the water, pushed off the side and started another lap. Juliette sat down and let her legs dangle over the edge.
At the end of his lap, he stopped and waved, pushing the goggles up his forehead.
“What brings you here?” he asked, swimming over to her.
“Do you know what's going on with André? He's been gone since last night. I don’t know where he is.”
“Sorry, cheri. My cousin is a complicated man.”
“You're not kidding.”
“You love him, right?”
“Completely.”
“Have you told him that?”
She hadn't said it out loud, afraid she might spook him. Or worse. What if he'd meant what he said? What if he really didn't love her anymore?
“He knows it.” She watched a boat glide by on the lake.
“How do you figure that?” Burke pushed up out of the water and sat next to her. His huge body glistened with water droplets. He looked like
two hundred fifty pounds of solid muscle.
“He just does. I've always loved him. I don't think I've ever stopped loving him. He just won't come to his senses.”
“You could always try to make him jealous,” Burke suggested, crossing his arms over his massive chest.
A harsh laugh escaped her throat. “And what would that accomplish?”
“There's nothing like the threat of losing your woman to snap you out of being a dumb ass.”
Burke's deep quiet voice was reassuring.
“And just how do you suggest I do that?”
“I could kiss you,” he teased.
“You're likely to end up dead,” she warned him. She'd seen André in action, knew him to be one lethal wolf. God help whoever stood in his way.
“Somehow I doubt that.” He leaned in close, bracing an arm behind her. “Don't look now, but here comes your mate. And he does not look pleased.”
“Get the hell away from her, Burke.” André's voice cut through the quiet afternoon and Juliette scrambled to her feet. Burke slid back into the pool and swam away.
“André—”
“Why did you come here? Don't you know you're not welcome?” André asked and Juliette felt like he'd stabbed a knife through her heart.
“What—what do you mean?”
Angelica came out of the house with Amanda hot on her heels. Juliette glanced from the two women to André and back. His lips were set in a thin line and tension flowed off of him. “Angelica said—”
“It doesn't matter what she said. She's not the Alpha of this pack. She's not even the Luna.” Juliette swallowed hard, a sinking feeling in her heart. “Sebastian gave me a choice, Juliette. My Pack or you.”
“So that's what you were thinking about...”
“Yes.”
She'd thought all her tears were gone, cried out, but she was wrong. “Was it really that hard to decide?” she asked, her voice cracking.
“Give me some credit, Juliette, at least I took longer than thirty seconds to think it over.”
“That's not fair.”
“Isn't it? Why are you cuddled up with my cousin?” André shot Burke a thunderous look.
“What's going on here?” Juliette glanced past André to see Sebastian and Jules heading their way.
“I've made my decision,” André called over his shoulder. Juliette felt like she was in a movie, with music reaching a crescendo just as a life or death decision was about to be made. She was sick to her stomach. But she wasn't going to let him go without a fight. She'd made that mistake the last time.
She finally knew what to say, how to tell him of the horrible secret that had kept them apart for so long. And she knew that now was the time to tell him. To make him understand, once and for all.
“You know why it took me thirty seconds, André? Because your father told me that if we stayed together he would kill us both. My only option was to push you away, whether I believed you killed my brother or not.” She took his hand and held it over her heart. “Feel that and tell me I don't want you, that my heart doesn't beat for you. I don't think I've ever stopped loving you. But it was easier to tell myself over and over that you’d killed Leon, to trick myself in believing your were an awful person so I didn’t miss you so damn much. You have to know that.” Her voice was pleading, husky, even to her own ears. She didn't care that they had an audience. Her pride wasn't important anymore.
He stood there for endless seconds, his mind obviously racing. “If you've never stopped loving me then why did you send me away that day in Savannah?”
The words were unspoken between them…but she knew what day he spoke of. He meant the day he’d met her on the dock right after her family had arrived in America. She’d been so cruel to him. The memory made her nauseous. “I made a mistake, André. I was angry. Angry that you'd never come for me. My pride was bruised. I thought with time the hate between us, between our families would die down. After you left France I thought we had a chance. I sent you letters. I thought you'd sneak away, come back for me. We could get away from your father and he could never hurt us.
“But you never came for me. I shouldn't have expected it, after what I—“
He cut her off. “I got my finances in order today. We won’t have a pack, but we’ll be together. And we can buy a house wherever you want. Savannah. France. Here. It’s your call, mon amour.”
So that’s what he’d been up to. His words, the tenderness and love in his eyes made her melt against him.
“Will you two kiss and make up already? We've gotta get dinner started,” Sebastian said.
André glared at his brother then he turned and pegged her with a look that made her breath catch. “I choose Juliette.”
Sweeter words were never spoken. Juliette's knees gave out completely and André pulled her against him.
“Forgive me, my love. I was still brooding. I never opened your letters. I didn’t know about my father. Please forgive me.” He rained kisses across her face. To hear him, her Alpha mate, apologizing, begging her forgiveness, it hurt to see, to hear. “For the things I said, for the pain I've caused you.”
“Shut up and kiss me, wolf.” He did just that. It was a long, sweet, thorough kiss, filled with hope, love, and promises of a future together.
Laurent's voice cut through the moment. “Man, I'm glad we got that sorted out.”
They separated just long enough to look over at the crowd that had gathered. Angelica snapped a photo. Amanda had tears in her eyes. Jules and Sebastian were smiling. Burke grinned at them from the edge of the pool.
“Why do you look like you've eatin’ a canary?” André asked his cousin. Burke pushed out of the pool and swiped a towel off the nearby lounge.
“Let's just say we were all in on it.”
“In on what?”
“Getting the two of you to come to your senses of course,” Sebastian said, his dark eyes full of mischief. “I can't believe you fell for that ultimatum, little brother.”
“What ultimatum?” Amanda asked, pegging her husband with a glance that said he'd better spill all.
“I told André he had to pick between the Pack and Juliette.”
“You did what?” Angelica cried.
Juliette was starting to put the puzzle pieces together. Pack mentality. They hunted together. They match-made together. Why wasn't she surprised?
“You really are a pack of wolves,” she teased and tightened her arms around André's waist.
“I had to make him act on his love for Juliette. I've always known his love for the Pack is strong, but his love for Juliette was stronger. Do you remember what you said to me that morning Amanda came back into our lives?” Sebastian asked André.
André nodded.
“What did you say?” Juliette and Amanda asked at the same time.
“I told him if he loved her, he should go after her. Let nothing stand in their way,” her mate said.
Oh, André.
“What was your plan?” Amanda asked Jules, her hands on her hips.
André's younger brother had the dignity to look sheepish for a moment. “I played the mate card.”
“And you?” Juliette asked Laurent.
“I just asked if he loved you.”
“And you,” she said to Burke. “You suggested I make him jealous.”
“I think my plan worked the best,” the big wolf said proudly.
“You Deverauxs are too much,” she said, her heart full.
“I hope you're not really planning on leaving the Pack,” Sebastian said, his tone serious.
“We'll have to talk it over,” André said, giving her a squeeze.
“I love happy endings,” Angelica said. Amanda and Violet, who stood in the shade of the porch, agreed.
“Now we just need to find your true love,” André told Burke. The big man backed away.
“Not gonna happen, cuz. Not gonna happen.” He tossed the towel over a broad shoulder and headed inside.
“Le
t's get dinner started. I'm starving,” Sebastian said, taking Amanda's hand. The other couples followed.
“We’ll catch up with you in a while,” André called. Then he looked down at her as he had so many years ago. Love and hope eased the lines that so much pain had caused. “Any other secrets to share, petite?”
“None. It won’t be a secret much longer that I asked my lawyer to start making inquiries about selling Vassar Enterprises.”
“When did you do that?” He turned toward the lake and laced his fingers with hers.
“A few days ago. Right before I got into the shower with you.”
He smiled down at her and her insides went soft and supple. He really didn’t have the best smile in the world. She wanted to see it every day. Wanted to hear his laughter.
“We need to enjoy that shower again, before we check out.”
She laughed. “Anytime, my handsome mate.”
His gaze zeroed on her lips. “Perhaps we should try putting that pregnancy test to good use.”
His voice was teasing, yet quiet and unsure. So unlike the calm, collected man she’d always known. But she knew what he was asking and her heart squeezed with love for him.
“You’re going to make a terrific father, Andre Deveraux.” She cupped his jaw in her hand.
“I feel like we’ve wasted so much time. We have so much to make up for. I hate what all those secrets and lies cost us.”
“I should have told you the truth back then but I thought I was—“
“Protecting me,” he finished for her.
“Yes.” Her family had been very close. And at the time she couldn’t fathom a father threatening his children the way that Andre’s father had threatened him. She hadn’t wanted Andre to know. But she realized now, his family was different.
No, not his family. His parents were different. They didn’t treat their children the way her parents had treated her.
It hurt to think of the pain they must have caused Andre when he was younger, before he’d escaped that life.
“We both made mistakes. I wish like hell I could change them,” he said.