"So, Bug," he said, using his childhood nickname for her. "You seem to have a lot on your mind. What's going on?"
Cady was looking at her lap when he spoke, and her head shot up so fast it made her head spin. "How did you know?"
"How could I not?" her father's eyes twinkled. "You're my daughter, of course I know."
She took a deep breath. "Dad, I've had an offer to stay in Paris. Working at Le Claire Industries as a marketing associate." She looked her dad straight on, their matching indigo blue eyes meeting.
Luther's face broke into a wide smile. "Le Claire? They're the biggest conglomerate in Europe! That's wonderful, Cady!" He reached over, grabbed her hand and gave it a squeeze.
Her breathe caught in her throat in shock, and she promptly burst into tears. Her father frowned, stood up, walked around to her side of the table, and put an arm around her shoulders. "Bug, what's wrong?"
Cady dried her tears with the back of her hand and looked at him. "I thought....I thought you'd be mad...because I wasn't going to come back and...and work for Fenrir."
"What?" Luther sounded shocked. "Why would you think that? I mean, of course I'd love for you to move back to New York, Bug, I miss you. But this job sounds like it would be amazing for your career! You could be AVP in 5 years and maybe VP in a decade!" He frowned. "Unless you wanted to come back? You know Grant will find a place for you anywhere in Fenrir."
"No! I mean..." she bit her lip. "I just...I guess I know how important your position is to our family and to the Anderson family. We're the last of the Grays. Growing up, I've always heard that I would be taking your place when you retire. And you're almost 60, so I thought..."
Luther shook his head. "Come, let's go and sit on the couch." He tugged her towards the living room and sat down with her on the comfy leather couch, much like they did when she was growing up. "You know, one thing I've learned...sometimes the more you try to hold on to something, the more it will want to leave you." There was a sadness in his eyes, and Cady knew what he was thinking when he said those words. Or rather, who he was thinking of. "Cady, I would never stop you from pursuing what you want. Of course, Grant will be disappointed - he's missed you all these years you lived in Paris and London. He'll also be disappointed to be losing you to the competition," he laughed. "But I would never want you to fill my shoes as his executive assistant or Human Liaison, not if that's not what you want."
Cady sighed with relief. "Really?"
"Really."
"Thank you, dad," Cady embraced her father tightly.
"Of course," Luther said. "Besides, me, retire? What would the clan do without me?"
Cady laughed. "They'd fall apart in an instant!"
The two of them continued to talk long into the night, finishing a bottle of red wine Cady had brought from France. They talked about Cady's plans, including when she'd be back (Luther's birthday, Thanksgiving, and Christmas through New Year) and when Luther would visit her (her birthday and sometime in the spring when the weather was nice) and where they would go on vacation (Portugal and maybe Spain). Finally, Luther declared he was tired and went to bed.
The next day, Cady got up early, prepared eggs, toast and a fresh pot of coffee to surprise her dad with breakfast in bed.
"Dad?" she called softly as she padded into his room, tray in hand. "I have breakfast for you!"
She froze in her steps as she looked at Luther laying very still in bed, the sunlight from the window streaming down over the sheets. Her mouth went dry and she dropped the tray, sending the dishes and coffee pot crashing to the floor.
Dr. Faulkner said it was an aneurysm in his brain and that he went peacefully in his sleep. Cady wasn't sure what happened next. In fact, the next days were a blur to her. But she remembered hardly eating, sleeping, or even getting out of bed. The Lycans and Fenrir staff took care of all the funeral arrangements and all she had to do was show up for the funeral and shake hands with everyone, then get into the limo for the drive up to the cemetery. She remembered watching numbly as they lowered Luther's coffin into the earth.
The support came even after the funeral. Food, supplies, and even a cleaning lady came to her door regularly. Grant would come to her after work, beg her to get out of bed, have a bite of food, or even take a shower, when all she wanted to do was lie in bed the whole day. Dr. Faulkner and his wife came by to talk to her, and countless Lycans and Fenrir employees would knock on her door, asking how she was or if there was anything they could do for her. Condolences from all over the country and the world came, and she read notes and letters from old friends and colleagues of her father, offering all kinds of support. Cady was overwhelmed - she knew her father was loyal to the New York clan and the Lycans, but she never thought of their loyalty to Luther. Her father was well-loved in the Lycan community and Fenrir, and part of her had always resented that she had to share him with them. But when he died, she truly felt he was part of the community.
A month later, she made her decision. She called up the recruiter at Le Claire and told them she was turning down their job offer. She moved into one of the apartments in The Enclave (she couldn't bear to live in Luther's place, even though she grew up there) and began to learn the ropes of being Grant's Executive Personal Assistant and Human Liaison for the Lycans.
Present day...
"Goodbye dad," Cady rubbed the top of the cold, gray stone one last time. "I'll be by again soon." From here, she'd do the same thing she did every year for 8 years - go home, have a glass or two of red wine (the same kind she had with her dad that last night) and then go to bed. The next day, she'd wake up fresh and ready to face the day.
With one last sigh, she turned to walk back to her car. Suddenly, she felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up, and she froze when she heard a voice call to her.
"Hello, Cady."
Chapter Four
Cady slowly turned around. I'm dreaming. This isn't happening. It can't be.
"How are you, Cady?"
The woman who stood by her father's grave was wrapped in a long red coat, almost as red as her hair. Pale skin, green eyes, and only a little bit taller than her - she was almost Cady's doppelgänger, though years older.
"Mother?" Cady could hardly believe the word that came out of her mouth, much less the fact that after leaving 25 years ago, Victoria Chatraine was standing in front of her.
"Yes, dear, it's me," the older woman smiled. "How are you?"
Cady was frozen on the spot. "What? How am I? What are you doing here?" Her voice was tense and nervous.
"That's all you have to say to your mother?" She came close to her and envelope her in a hug.
"What would you have me say?" Cady pulled away, anger bubbling inside her. "You leave, don't make contact for almost 3 decades and then expect me to welcome you back with open arms?"
"Cady, please," Victoria walked closer to her . "You don't understand. You were too young."
"I was 7 when you left," Cady said bitterly. "Yes, I was too young."
The older woman flinched at her words. "It was...complicated. I need to explain to you-"
"Dad explained it when I was older," she interrupted.
"What lies did he tell you?" Victoria's tone became angry. "That I ran away with another man? That I didn't want to be your mother?"
Cady shook her head. "When you left, he said that you were unhappy and he was sorry he couldn't give you what you wanted so you would stay." She paused, thinking back. Luther had been needlessly kind to her mother, never saying a bad word about her. Luther had loved Victoria immensely, and her father never really got over her. It was Cady who was angry and bitter towards Victoria. Growing up without a mom was incredibly difficult, not to mention awkward during her teen years when she was surrounded by males. One day when she was 15, they had a terrible fight and she blamed Luther for Victoria leaving. Luther was visibly hurt, but he sat her down and explained everything to her, revealing the one secret she could never say aloud.
"He...he..
.told me the truth. You were a witch. And you couldn't live surrounded by Lycans." Witches and Lycans simply didn't mix. They had a long-standing rivalry, which had turned into an intense war, and necessitated a truce a few decades back. However, it was no secret that both factions still hated each other. Cady had asked her father how he could have fallen in love with a witch and he confessed that he simply didn't know until it was too late and Victoria had gotten pregnant. They decided to keep it a secret, but Victoria just couldn't stand living in The Enclave.
Victoria's face remained stoic. "That's partly true. I am a witch," she corrected. "And my blood runs through yours, as much as your father's."
"I'm not a witch," Cady declared. "You knew that when you left us."
"That's not why I left, Cady, please know that," she touched Cady on the shoulder, and the younger woman visibly flinched. "Yes, you didn't manifest any powers or talent growing up, but I loved you - love you - just the same. But you're still the blood of my blood."
"What do you want?" she asked.
"I want you back," Victoria declared.
"What, a couple of lunches, maybe some shopping and we're all good?" Cady replied bitterly.
"What was I supposed to do?" Victoria protested. "Even after your father's death, you surrounded yourself with Lycans! Ingrained yourself in their world! I thought I had lost you to these--" Victoria stopped short. "To them. I couldn't approach you, but I know you come here every year by yourself."
"And now what?"
"Now, you must join us. Take your true place with our coven and leave the wolves."
"What?" Cady asked incredulously. "Why would I do that?"
"Because it's your destiny!" Victoria proclaimed. "You're not one of them. You will never be one of them."
Victoria's words were like a knife stabbing through Cady's heart. Yes, she knew that. Although she was one of the highest ranking humans in the New York clan, she would never be a Lycan or accepted fully as one of them. Maybe she would grow to become as respected as her father after a few decades, but she would always be on the outside looking in. That was the truth of her position.
"But our coven will accept you fully, powers or none. Your blood alone makes you one of us, our lineage traces back to the most powerful witch and warlock families from the olden times."
"You're joking, right? I won't be part of any coven!" Cady turned to walk away, but Victoria grabbed her arm, pulling her back.
"You will be one of us. One way or another," Victoria threatened.
Real fear shot through her, chilling her blood. "What do you mean?"
"When they find out, when the Alpha finds out who - and what - you are, do you think your precious Lycans will tolerate you?" Victoria's eyes blazed. "They'll toss you away like yesterday's garbage."
"You wouldn't dare!" Cady tugged her arm away. She squared her shoulders and looked her mother straight in the eyes, but a pit was growing in her stomach. "Besides, the witches and Lycans have had peace for decades." It was more of a tenuous truce, both parties having decided that with the world modernizing, neither side had anything to gain by continuing their war. However, the witch and Lycan world remained separate.
"I'll do anything to have you back, Cady, by any means possible," the older woman stated. "And you'll understand - when you join us, you'll find your real family."
"You will leave me alone and never come near me or the clan!" Cady turned away, and walked towards her car. She could feel Victoria's gaze following her, and she took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. Dear lord, what was Victoria planning to do?
Chapter Five
Cady couldn't sleep a wink that night. Victoria's words haunted her, and the fear of her secret coming out to Grant, to the rest of the clan, hung over her head. When she went to work that morning, she was unfocused, flighty, and even her assistant was flustered that the normally organized Cady couldn't concentrate on her work.
Finally, the day was over and while Cady normally worked late, she had enough of this day and all she wanted to do was go home.
"Suzanne," she buzzed her assistant. "Who's available to drive me back to The Enclave?"
"Let me check, Ms. Gray." There was a pause and then Suzanne's voice piped back in. "Greg will be waiting for you at the lobby, Ms. Gray."
"Great, tell him I'll be down in 5 minutes," Cady grabbed her briefcase and purse, then shut down her computer.
She rode the private elevator down to the lobby, where the Lycan driver was waiting for her. "Good evening Ms. Gray, leaving early tonight?" The young man was 20 years old and had only been with Fenrir for 6 months, but he was bright and friendly, and Cady liked him. He was enthusiastic and was not shy about his aspirations to become part of Grant's elite security team, training with the more senior members whenever he had the chance.
"Yeah, just feeling a little under the weather today, Greg."
"Sorry to hear that Ms. Gray. You are looking a little pale. You know, whenever I was sick, my mom..."
Cady smiled and nodded as they walked to the car, not really paying attention to what he was saying, but let him ramble on anyway. Greg opened the door of the black town car to let her in and then walked to the driver's side.
"And so, now when I'm sick, I make sure I always get myself some chicken soup! Of course, now that I live alone, it's not the same my mom used to make, but just the smell of it makes me feel better, you know?" Greg looked at her through the rearview mirror.
"Sounds like a great idea, Greg," she replied.
"Want me to stop by a deli and get you some soup?" the young Lycan asked brightly.
"I think I have some soup at home, but thank you," Cady smiled.
"No problem, Ms. Gray," Greg nodded. "I'll have you home in no time."
As Greg kept his eyes on the road, Cady settled back into her seat. She closed her eyes, hoping to get a quick nap before they reached The Enclave. She felt herself drifting off to sleep, but the car suddenly swerved and her eyes flew open. "Greg?" she called out, before a pain shot through her arm and the world went black.
***
"And how was tea with Vasili?" Grant Anderson asked his Beta as he leaned back into this chair. They had just finished their usual end of day meeting, wrapping up whatever business (Lycan and Fenrir) they had for the day.
Nick frowned.
"Now that's not a good sign," Grant grimaced. "What is it this time? More begging for you to get married and have a pup?"
"You know me so well," Nick replied glumly. Aside from being his Beta and right-hand man, Nick was also Grant's best friend, and they'd been inseparable since they met in college. Despite both of them being from prominent New York Lycan families, the two had never met before then, Nick having grown up in the Vrost mansion on the Hudson, then boarding school in Connecticut and Europe, and Grant remaining Stateside. The two had actually met in Harvard, of all places, and became fast friends when they discovered their connection. Nick was the natural choice for Beta when Dr. Faulkner announced that he wanted to step down from the position once Grant had finished his MBA.
Grant let out a laugh and stood up. He walked over to his bar and poured some amber liquid from a decanter into two glasses, then handed one to his friend. In front of other Lycans and Fenrir employees, they of course always projected a pure business-like relationship. But when they were alone, they were more casual and friendly.
"Thanks." Nick took the glass and downed it in one go.
The Alpha was taken aback. "It's that bad?"
"This time, yes." Nick relayed the story of what had happened during his tea with Vasili.
"Wow," the dark-haired Lycan sat back down in his chair. "He really threatened to cut you off?"
Nick nodded. "I don't need the money or the businesses, you know that. But the mansion..."
Grant took a sip of his drink. "You love that place."
"Dmitri might let me buy it off of him."
"For the right price."
Nick scowled. "Yes."
&
nbsp; Grant sighed. "You know if it comes to that and you really wanted it-"
"Don't even say it," Nick interrupted his friend. "You probably could buy the mansion 10 times over, but even if I could afford it on my own, that would be like...cheating."
Grant understood. The Hudson mansion was Nick's legacy, the place where he grew up and made happy memories after the tragedy of losing his parents. To have to buy it off of another relative would be an insult and for Vasili to threaten such a thing meant he was deadly serious.
"Then what do you want to do?"
Nick stood up and poured himself a second drink. "Get married. Have a child, to appease the old man."
"Better make that one a double, then," Grant laughed. Nick was even more averse to marriage and commitment than he was. He wasn't quite sure why and thought it was strange that his friend never mentioned dating or even sleeping with women in the past years.
At Harvard, Nick had his choice of girls and he took full advantage of it, bedding some of the most gorgeous women in the Ivy League school and around Boston. But when he took on the position of Beta, he never even glanced at all the beautiful, rich and eligible women throwing themselves at him. Grant himself had no time for serious dating, but that didn't mean he didn't take advantage of the female company (both human and Lycan) his position afforded him. He wined and dined various women, took most them to bed, but never had a dalliance lasted more than a few weeks. Usually, his "relationships" ended with Jared or Nick letting the young woman down easy, maybe soothing hurt feelings with a nice shopping spree on Fifth Avenue, or even Rome, Paris, or London if needed. Few women could understand what his life was like and the tremendous responsibility of being a CEO and Alpha to one of the most powerful Lycan clans in the world. But usually, Betas had more free reign and time. If Nick did date or sleep with various women, he was very discreet about it.
Blood Moon: Book 2 of the True Mates Series: A Werewolf Shifter Paranormal Romance Page 3