Grant put the phone down, shaking his head.
"What's wrong?" Nick asked as he entered the Alpha's office.
"Sit down," Grant motioned to the chair in front of him. "Who on your team is free to go on a trip this Friday?"
The Beta took out his phone and scrolled through the screen. "Well as it stands...nobody."
"Absolutely no one?" Grant asked incredulously.
"Well, you know what this week is, right?" Nick answered. "It's Blood Moon on Saturday, in case you forgot."
"Oh fuck me, that's right," Grant slapped his forehead. Blood Moon was the one night Lycans could not control their shift nor what happened while they were in wolf form. All Lycans all over the world were required to go into special safe houses and safe rooms, ones built to withstand their strength. "Right. I'll have to tell Cady there's no way we can have her go up to Albany without a security detail."
"Wait," Nick said. "Cady is going to Albany?"
"We were supposed to go to this event for this women's shelter Fenrir is supporting. It was her pet project, and they're going to give her an award for her work," Grant explained.
"Well, I could go," Nick volunteered.
"That's not necessary," Grant said. "Cady'll be disappointed, but she'll understand. You don't have to go."
"It's not a big deal," the blonde Lycan shrugged. "Albany's what, 4 hours away? We could drive up on Friday and be back by Saturday before noon if we leave early. Or take the jet back in case something happens."
"Hmmm..." Grant scratched his chin. "I suppose that could work. I'll have Jared compile a list of the nearest safe houses just in case."
"Well, it shouldn't have to come to that, but it'll be good to be prepared."
Chapter Eleven
"Is the temperature ok? Are you comfortable?" Nick asked. He kept his eyes on the road, but glanced over at the redhead in the front passenger seat.
"I'm fine," she replied. "I could have driven myself, you know."
"With your injuries?" Nick retorted. "I don't think so."
Cady grumbled and sank bank in her seat. Damn you, Grant, she cursed the Alpha silently. She knew they were spread thin, so she thought he might send a junior driver or trainee. To her surprise, on Friday at noon, Nick Vrost was waiting for her outside The Enclave, his black Mercedes already fueled up and ready to go.
She had a mind to cancel right then and there, but she couldn't do that to Claire and Arch Manor. It was about a 4 hour trip with stops, plus it would only be overnight. The plan was to drive up on Friday, accept the award that evening and be on their way back by Saturday. Surely, she could stand to be in his company for a little over 24 hours.
"I have to stop for gas," Nick slowed the car down and maneuvered it into the rest stop. They were about halfway there. Cady said nothing as he left the car to pay for the gas.
After a few minutes Nick slipped into the driver's seat. When he turned on the engine, the radio began blasting.
"And in other news, some weather stations are reporting we might actually see some snow this weekend!" the male anchor on the radio news program announced.
"Wow, James, this early?" the female replied.
"Uh-huh. No one knows yet-"
Nick turned turned the volume down from the controls on his steering wheel. "Sorry, too loud?"
Cady massaged her temple with her fingers. "It's fine. I'm fine."
"Usually, when a woman says, 'fine' it means trouble for the man," he quipped.
She shrugged and leaned her head against the cool window.
There was more uncomfortable silence that followed, which suited Cady just fine. It was already driving her slightly mad, sitting next to him, his spicy fir-scented aftershave filling her nostrils. Nick also took off his jacket and rolled up his sleeves for the long drive, exposing his forearms. The muscles underneath shifted and flexed as he drove the car expertly, and she couldn't help glance over once in a while. It was distractingly sexy. She just hoped the next 24 hours would pass quickly.
Finally, Nick cleared his throat. "You've never met my grandfather before, have you?"
"No, I haven't," she said curtly.
"He's...very traditional," Nick began. "My grandmother was definitely more forward-thinking and she knew how to best manage him."
There was a warmth and softness in his voice that made Cady's frozen resolve melt a little bit. "How long has it been since she died?"
"About 12 years."
"I'm sorry." She truly meant it.
"It was hard on him. They'd been together for more than 50 years," Nick explained. "And in the last couple of years, he's been thinking a lot about family and legacy."
"That's normal," Cady shifted in her seat to face him. "She...they both raised you, you mentioned?"
He nodded. "Yes, after my parents were killed."
"Was it an accident?" Curiosity got the better of her.
"No, they were murdered."
She let out a soft cry and covered her mouth. "Oh my lord, I'm sorry Nick." Not knowing what else to do, she put a hand on his arm. "Did they find out who it was?"
"Yes, they did. Three rogue witches chased them down while they were on vacation. I was left at home with my grandparents."
Cady's blood froze in her veins. Witches. Nick's parents were killed by witches. The words rang in her head over and over again, blocking out everything else.
"...And so I lived with my grandmother and grandfather."
"Uhm, what happened to the witches?" Did she really want to know?
"The Lycan High Council wanted justice, of course," he said. "But they weren't going to risk war, so they let the Witch Assembly deal with them. They were executed. My grandfather was there and Michael Anderson was one of the witnesses."
Cady's vision swam in front of her, imagining what type of execution they used. "I'm so sorry. I'm glad you got justice." Why was Nick telling her this?
"I was very young. I don't remember them," his voice was even but had an edge. "My grandparents raised me, and I owe them...everything."
"Of course," she nodded.
"That's why..." he hesitated. "Well, my grandfather's getting older. He's been clamoring for me to settle down."
"Ah, I see." A strange pain ached in her chest at the thought of Nick settled down and married. "That's probably normal, right?"
"And well, he's gotten more insistent. He gave me an ultimatum a few weeks ago. Find a mate and have a pup or else he'll give away his fortune and the only home I ever knew."
Cady's jaw dropped. "He can't do that, can he?"
Nick nodded. "Of course he can. He owns everything, from the businesses to the Hudson house. I'm not strapped for cash, my parents made sure, but since he never passed it on to my father, the house is his to give away."
She didn't know what to say, so many thoughts processing through her mind. Witches. His parents. Vasili. And then something clicked. "I'm sure Madison would make a great wife."
He chuckled. "My grandfather thought so too. Except she's not interested in me."
Cady huffed. Of course. "Well, she can keep trying, but no one's tying Grant down anytime soon." She'd seen it a dozens of times in the past decade. All these Lycan women fawning over the Alpha of New York, hoping they'd be selected and become his Lupa, as one who was wife to the leader was called. They all failed, of course.
"Actually, she was interested in you."
The redhead looked at him, astonished. "Me?"
"Yes," he glanced at her. "You made an impression, apparently and she's been meaning to look you up."
Cady blinked at his words. She thought back to that meeting at the lobby, the way Madison leaned towards her, touching her on the arm and hair.
"Should I give her your number?" Nick teased, noting the way Cady's cheeks turned pink.
She turned away, trying to hide her blush. "You're joking."
"Madison is a gorgeous girl. Educated, smart, and funny," he recalled.
Cady rolled her eyes. "I'm
flattered, but no. Besides I don't think Senator Crawford would approve of me as an in-law. Do you think he knows?" she asked.
Nick nodded. "Sounded like it, but still expects her to do her duty to the clan."
Cady felt sad for the lovely Lycan. "I hope he changes his mind and she finds someone..."
"Not you then?" he teased again.
She laughed, and the tension around them seemed to ease. "She and I could share clothes and bags, but other than that, I don't see any other benefits!"
***
The rest of the trip passed by in more comfortable silence, though they got by on some small talk. They arrived at the Albany Spa and Resort, where the event was taking place and where they were also checked in for the night. After settling into their individual rooms, Cady freshened up and changed into her outfit, which was a simple dark blue gown and pearl earrings. She didn't want to look ostentatious; after all, this was a charity event to benefit a women's shelter and most of the people in attendance were also CEOs and business owners. Nick dutifully escorted her to the event, dressed in one of his gorgeous tuxes and was as charming as he could be.
Her speech was a smashing success, and many of the people in the audience came to her to congratulate her on the award. She could have sworn Nick beamed at her in pride, though she was too busy chatting with other guests (and encouraging them to donate more for the next fiscal year) to focus her attention on him.
There was some dancing and music afterwards and though she danced with a couple of CEOs (and fended off some advances, which she was used to), she never got a chance to dance with Nick. For one thing, he never asked, and he seemed busy networking in Grant's stead.
Finally, when she had stayed an acceptable amount of time, she headed up to her room and got ready for bed.
Chapter Twelve
"Good morning, Cady," Nick greeted as she stepped out of her hotel room. It seemed like he had been standing there, waiting for her.
The redhead checked her watch. It was 8 am on the dot. "Good morning," she greeted back. Before she could protest, Nick grabbed her wheeled bag.
When they reached the lobby, Cady's eyes widened in surprise at the sight of about 30 people at the reception area. People were angry, pleading, and a woman was sitting in one of the chaise lounges, speaking frantically into her cellphone.
"What's happening?" Cady asked.
"Let me find out," Nick placed their bags to the side. "Stay here."
Cady stood in a corner, watching Nick make his way to the reception desk. When he got to the front, he spoke with the ragged-looking receptionist. After a few minutes, he made his way back to her. His face was dour and shoulders tense.
"It's a freak snowstorm."
"What?" Cady finally looked outside (she didn't get a chance this morning as her blackout curtains had been closed). Snowflakes whipped in the air, sticking to the windows, the trees - everything. It was a winter wonderland out there, but it seemed everyone inside the hotel was trapped in hell. "What are they saying?"
"All the main roads are out. No one's driving out of Albany or even flying out today. Airports are closed too," Nick's voice was edgy and strained.
Shit, Cady cursed. She was stuck in Albany for at least one more night. With Nick Vrost. Squaring her shoulders, she decided to take matters into her own hand and whipped out her best weapon - her phone - and began to dial.
Cady, being efficient and well-connected, exhausted all her connections - a luxury car rental place, a private jet company, even the local Albany government. But no dice. Snow was over 6 feet in some areas and since no one was expecting this freak storm, the plows weren't prepared. They had only just began clearing the roads but only for emergency services and routes to hospitals. Plus, the snow continued to fall. No one was getting out of Albany, at least not for another few hours.
"Any luck?" Nick's face was pained.
The redhead shook her head. "The best I can do is get us an empty suite here, since they've already begun giving out the rooms to guests who are stuck. It'll be ready in a few hours. It's a one bedroom, but there's a pull-out couch. I can sleep there."
"We'll figure it out later, ok?" Nick took their bags. "Let's eat some breakfast and go get settled in."
***
As soon as they entered the suite, Nick went straight to the bathroom inside the lone bedroom, leaving a puzzled Cady in the main room.
His hands were shaking as he turned the tap on. Rolling up his sleeves, he splashed his face with cold water. "Fuck!" he cursed, wanting to punch the mirror. "Motherfucker!" he pounded on the marble sink with his fists. Taking a few deep breaths, he fished his phone out of his pocket. Hopefully Cady was not on the phone with Grant yet.
"Nick," Grant greeted as he answered. "How's the drive? Are you on your way?"
"No," Nick gritted his teeth. "Did you see the news? There's a freak snowstorm. All the roads are snowed in, and so are all the nearby airports."
"Fuck! Nick, you can't possibly be stuck there today of all days!"
"I know," Nick rubbed his temples. "I know. Can you do anything?"
There was a pause. "Hold on. I'll call you back."
It felt like he waited an eternity before his phone rang back. "Anything?"
"Sorry Nick, all runways are closed. There's snow everywhere. I can't even send a chopper over."
"Goddamnit!"
"Nick..." Grant hesitated. "You need to put Cady on the phone."
"No!" Nick wanted to smash his cellphone. He knew what Grant would say. "We have a few hours. If we can leave here by 3 pm, we'll make it to New York by evening. And if not, well...there has to be another way. Swear to me, on your father's grave, you won't call her until you find another way!"
There was silence from the other end. For Nick to invoke such a vow meant he was serious. As his friend and as a member of the New York clan, Grant could not deny such a request. "I'll talk to Dr. Faulkner. But for now, stay away from her, ok?" the Alpha ordered.
"Yes, Primul," Nick complied and put the phone down. "Motherfucker!" he cursed again, and this time, he smashed his fist into the mirror. Blood ran down his knuckles, but he didn't care. Of all the times to get stuck in a freak snowstorm with Cady Gray, it had to be during a Blood Moon.
***
Cady watched Nick retreat into the bedroom when they entered the suite. Well, I thought it was going to be a big fight over who was going to stay on the couch, but apparently, Nick Vrost liked his comforts. She shrugged and settled down into the couch, unpacking a few of her things. At least it was a nice living room, plush and well-appointed. As she turned on the TV, she tuned in to the local news channel, which of course featured only the snowstorm.
After an hour, Nick hadn't left the bedroom. Maybe he was tired? She realized she hadn't seen him last night after the party. Did Nick stay up all night with some female company? The thought brought a sharp pain in her gut. No, can't think about that.
Cady had made a decision. From this point on, her relationship with Nick would remain 100% professional. She would not joke with him, tease him, and avoid any contact outside work. It was bad enough that witches had killed his parents, but even if she was fully human, it wouldn't have worked out. Nick obviously was determined to keep his legacy and fantasizing that anything would happen between them would only lead to heartbreak. And when he did find his Lycan wife and have his pup, she would smile and give her congratulations, never giving away any hint of any emotions. The lump in her throat grew, but she pushed it down. Yes, she would harden her heart against Nick Vrost and move on with her life.
An hour turned into a few hours and she clicked off the TV. Her stomach grumbled and she realized she hadn't eaten anything since breakfast. Outside, it had grown dark, though the snow had slowed down to light flurries. Walking to the bedroom, she knocked on the door. "Nick" she called. "I'm going to order some food. Do you want anything?"
"No," came the reply. "I'm not hungry."
His voice sounded shaky and Cady kn
ew something was wrong. "Nick, what's going on? Are you sick? Should I call a doctor?"
"Don't!" came the anguished cry.
When Cady heard his voice, she began to panic. She grabbed the doorknob, but it was locked. "Nick, open this door now!" She rapped her knuckles hard on the wood.
"Stay away, Cady. For god's sake, leave me alone. And find another room!"
"What in the world is going on? Open this door now or..." There was a some rustling coming from the inside and then she heard silence.
"I'm calling Grant!" she threatened. When he didn't answer, she picked up her cellphone from the coffee table.
"Cady, finally!" Grant sounded frantic. "What did Nick tell you?"
"Nick? Nothing! What's going on?"
There was a short pause. "Oh fuck. He made me swear an oath I wouldn't call you, so I was hoping you would call me. Cady, tonight's the Blood Moon."
"What?!" Cady's knees buckled and she sank down onto the couch. Why didn't she remember? Oh lord, her pad and her phone were destroyed in the car crash, she must have forgotten to update all her apps and alerts when she got her replacement devices! Suzanne wouldn't have warned her as her assistant was unaware of Lycans. Her hands began to shake. In a few hours, there would be a fully-formed wild animal in the room next to hers, one with giant teeth and claws. "Grant, what do we do? The hotel is full of guests and staff right now."
"Jesus. I know, I know," Grant said in a frustrated voice. "Cady, we're about to head into the safe rooms and well, you won't have any contact with any of us. I'm making sure everyone goes in first and Dr. Faulkner and I will be the last ones in."
"Grant, we have to do something! Nick could go on a rampage..." Her mouth went dry. She had never seen Nick's wolf form (in fact, she'd only seen Lycans shift a handful of times), but she knew it wouldn't be pretty. They were risking lives, and their secret, if Nick were to get out or hurt anyone in the hotel. Wooden doors and locks couldn't stop a Lycan. "What can I do, Grant? Are there any safe houses nearby?" The only thing that could contain a rampaging Lycan were safe house and safe rooms that were built to withstand their razor sharp teeth and gigantic claws. Otherwise, they would shred through wood, glass, and event drywall.
Blood Moon: Book 2 of the True Mates Series: A Werewolf Shifter Paranormal Romance Page 7