by Delta James
“Yes, they are willing to meet with you. I’m wondering if you can find out through your contacts if deMoncada has left Canada.”
“Already done. He is currently on the no-fly list for both Canada and the United States. If he wants to try and rabbit for Spain, he’s not going to be able to fly commercially.”
“That won’t stop him from getting a private plane.”
“No, but the bribes I put in place with any of the private carriers with a plane big enough to go from North America to Spain will make it very, very difficult and very, very expensive.”
Griffin laughed. “Well done. Do you have any idea where he might be?”
“He was in Montreal but is headed west toward Toronto. My guess is he has information that my mate might be there.”
“She was. The Coalition males have found out that much. And you should know, she is well armed—has an M4 and a Glock 9mm.”
“Good girl,” whispered James. “Then ask them if I may join them in Toronto.”
“I’ll make the call and let you know what they say and if it’s a go, where they will meet you.”
James turned to Will. “It seems we’re headed to Toronto. That’s a long drive...”
“Yes, but barely a hop, skip, and a jump by plane,” Will said, smiling at him. “I took the liberty of lifting your credit card and booking us a small plane. It will be fueled and ready to go by the time we get there.”
They checked out of the Ritz. James was able to get the desk clerk to confirm that deMoncada had already checked out, but she did not know where he was headed to. They took a cab to the private airstrip and boarded the small jet headed for Toronto.
They landed and picked up the rental vehicle that Will had arranged for them. As they were headed into the city, James’ phone rang.
“What the fuck, boy?” came his father’s angry voice.
“Nice to hear from you too. And I’m fine, thanks for asking. I did escape the fiery inferno that was meant to kill everyone. And your buddy deMoncada made sure he got away, but left those of us who did manage to get out, and there weren’t many, trying to figure out what to do next.”
“But you got her bought?”
James sighed. Apparently, his sarcasm had missed its mark. “Bought and paid for. And I have since had a chance to speak with deMoncada and let him know that he is to give my mate a wide berth.”
“He’s not a man to be trifled with,” said his father.
“Nor am I. She is mine and no one will have her except me.”
“Then I will lodge your claim with the Council. Find that girl and get her bred. If you can make our claim to her with your baby in her belly, so much the better.”
The phone disconnected.
“You know, James,” said Will, “yours may be the bigger bastard between our two fathers.”
James laughed. “Yeah, he’s a prize. I can’t wait to see the look on his face when I challenge him to Ravenscar.”
Will studied his friend’s face. “You truly hate him.”
“I do. I always have. When I was a boy, my mother disappeared. I was told she had left him and died. But knowing what I know now, I believe he killed her for failing to produce more heirs.”
“I think I’m going to enjoy this being a ranking member of the Ravenscar pack.”
James smiled at him. “I think it suits you. Fact is, I think it suits us both.”
Chapter Fifteen
Griffin had called back and James and Will were set to meet with the alpha representatives of the Coalition at a small deserted warehouse down at the Port of Toronto. Knowing who the men involved were, James opted to let them arrive first. He knew his reputation as the shallow playboy would have preceded him. He was certain that both Griffin and Jean-Michel would have done what he could to help dispel that, but knew he had cemented that image in the mind of many of their kind.
They pulled into the area agreed upon. James stopped the SUV in the middle of the dock and he and Will got out. He wanted the other alphas to see they were unarmed and hiding nothing.
“James,” called the familiar voice of Jean-Michel Gautier.
Seeing Jean-Michel made James feel much more at ease. The alpha of New Orleans carried great weight with their kind and Jean-Michel knew him better than any of the others.
James approached him, offering his hand.
“Jean-Michel. It’s good to see you again. I only wish it were under less stressful circumstances.”
“We had expected you to come alone,” Jean-Michel admonished.
“Will is an old friend and will be my omega when I claim Ravenscar for my own.”
“I take it you mean to make that a priority?”
“Once I have my mate safe, that will become my top priority.”
“You did yourself no favors in attending that auction.”
James smiled. “I figured it was the easiest way to get in there.”
Jean-Michel chuckled. “I thought that might be the case when I heard you’d gone. The others are inside. Let’s get your vehicle inside with ours where we can talk.”
“Griffin tells me I have no friends in there.”
“I think Halsey might be considered friendly and the others are not your enemy.”
“I hear DeMedici is not keen on my claiming my mate.”
“Marco is a big believer in fated mates as is every man with us. But Shannon is the younger sister to his beloved mate and he means to see her happy.”
Will stepped forward. “Come now, Jean-Michel, other than you, what wolf can you think of with more charm and more ability at keeping a woman happy than James?”
Jean-Michel laughed, clapped both men on the shoulders, and turned to James. “I think you have chosen your omega well. He could be of great help in the next few hours.”
They joined the others in the warehouse. Jean-Michel made introductions all around.
“Gentlemen, let me tell you what Will and I have been able to put together,” said James. “DeMoncada is here in Canada. We are fairly certain he is headed back to Toronto. I assume since all of you are here that Shannon is in the area.”
James ignored Marco’s low growl before continuing. “I pulled some strings with friends still at NATO; deMoncada is on the no-fly list for both the US and Canada. He will also find hiring a private jet that can take him to Spain next to impossible. The only option he has open to him is to fly out of the airport by Niagara Falls on a private plane. It’ll cost him, but the plane owner is no friend of law enforcement and routinely flies contraband in and out of that airport.”
“You think to enforce your claim as mate to my Catherine’s sister?”
“I do. I understand your misgivings considering how I was able to lay claim to her, but as I look around not one of you had a mate who came to you willingly. I originally ensured that my father got wind of the auction and that he made the decision to buy me a mate as I seemed disinclined to find one for myself.”
“And why is that?” asked Mason.
“It is only recently I walked away from NATO and began putting my own plans in place to claim my inheritance. I had thought it best to put my own house in order so to speak before finding a mate. Until I saw my Shannon, I did not believe in fated mates. I thought they were a kind of placebo for the women of our kind.” James shook his head, smiling ruefully at the memory. “Imagine my surprise when I realized that not only did they exist, but that mine was right before me and had been brutalized by that bastard deMoncada. That’s a feeling I will never forget. That absolute certainty that the one woman who can make your life complete is right in front of your eyes.”
“And yet you did nothing,” said Marco.
James turned to face the Italian wolf. “I paid a half million dollars to ensure that no other bidder got to put his hands on her. And then I paid an outrageous amount to secure the winning bid... and would have paid ten times over that to see her freed and persuaded her to be by my side. I know your Catherine must hate me, but I swear to you, Shannon is m
y fated mate in the same way she is yours. I don’t want to have to fight you, Marco, but I will if I must.”
“I could easily kill you,” said Marco quietly.
The whole room had gone absolutely still.
James never took his eyes off Marco. “You might, but it wouldn’t be easily. But if my choices are death or to give her up? I will choose death.”
Marco searched the younger man’s face and then looked beyond him to Jean-Michel and then back again. Slowly a smile began to form around the eyes and then the mouth of the alpha of the DeMedici pack.
“I think you and I might do well as brothers. But you will need to spend some time with us in Italy to assure my Catherine and your Shannon of your honorable intent.”
“It would be my pleasure. I would welcome your input on timing as I also intend to challenge my father for the leadership of the Ravenscar pack. I mean to see my family’s name and honor restored to them. While the pack thrived financially under my father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, I fear they discarded nobility, integrity, and character along the way.”
Marco’s smile broadened and his body lost the tense posture it had taken when meeting James.
“So, you meant to get those women out?” asked Oliver.
“That was my plan. I had hoped to enlist Griffin’s help in finding them a safe harbor to allow them to recover from all that bastard put them through. And by the way, gentlemen, deMoncada is mine.”
Jean-Michel surprised the group by laughing. “That may prove to be an entertaining argument to be had. From this group, you and Marco have the best claim to kill him. What worries me is if our beloved mates get to him first. And that’s only if any of us get to him before your Shannon.”
“I won’t have his blood on her hands,” said James vehemently.
Marco smiled. “On that we are agreed. Nor will I have it on my Catherine’s.” He shook his head. “But if we get there behind them, it may not be up to us. Catherine means to kill him.”
“And as neither of them has killed before, it may well not be either of them that does the deed,” said Dylan. “Skylar talked about wanting to spare Catherine or Shannon that burden.”
Both Oliver and Jean-Michel nodded, indicating they had heard similar sentiments from their own mates.
* * *
Ramon deMoncada was feeling out of sorts. He was used to being able to control all of the proverbial chess pieces around him. He didn’t like the fact that things had gone horribly awry. Those women had been able to not only interrupt his business plans but set explosives that killed many of the alphas who had been in attendance and had put a severe crimp in his plans. Not that he cared about any of them, but many had been supporters in various Ruling Councils. If his plans to ascend to the supreme leadership of their wolf society were to succeed, he would have to take a step back and build strategic alliances elsewhere.
And now it seemed someone had managed to put him on the no-fly lists for both the United States and Canada. He had no commercial planes available to fly him home. He began to look for private airlines that might be able to provide him with transport home. Finally, after an exhaustive search he found a company operating out of the airport outside of Niagara Falls that could accommodate him.
* * *
The SUV carrying the women who were the mates to the alphas of the Coalition now in Toronto pulled into the driveway of the bed and breakfast. There were five bedrooms plus the owners’ suite. Each of the women picked a room and then gathered in the sitting room to discuss their next move.
As Roz was coming down the stairs, the cell phone they had activated rang and she picked up.
“Bess?” she guessed.
“Yes, Mistress. I know, don’t call you that. Old habits are hard to break.”
Roz laughed. “And how fares your own mistress?”
“I fear not so well. Declan was furious...”
“So I gathered when I spoke with him,” Roz said.
“Yes, he wasn’t at all happy with you when you disconnected.”
“I’ll bet. Do you have information for us?”
“I do. I’m sending you what Ava believes are the GPS coordinates for Shannon’s current position. She says she’s been there for a few hours. That may be where she’s gone to ground. She found a way to trace it back to deMoncada. The signal has been moving away from Montreal and back in the direction of Toronto. She had to give that position to Declan, but I’m to give that to you as well. She’s hopeful you can get Shannon away from there before any of the men show up. You all know that, with the exception of that monster deMoncada, that none of them would hurt Catherine’s sister, don’t you?”
“Of course we do, Bess. The problem is Shannon isn’t convinced of that. We’re afraid if the boys get their first, she’ll bolt again. Catherine is insistent that if she can get to her that she can calm her down enough to trust us to get her to safety.” Roz waited as Bess transmitted both sets of coordinates. “Any chance you know where the boys are?”
“They are in Toronto close to the port.”
“Good. We’ll avoid that area if possible. Thanks, Bess. Give our best to Ava.”
She rang off and looked up to see the others looking at her.
“We think we have both Shannon and deMoncada’s position. Ava had to give one of them up to the boys so gave them deMoncada. She says Shannon is south and west of here. We could leave now but we’d have to make our approach in the dark.”
“I don’t think that would be best. Shannon is already spooked. If we try to use the cover of darkness to our advantage, it may well send her the wrong message,” stated Catherine.
“What are you thinking, Catherine? That we go in openly where she can see us?” asked Darby.
“I think so. Let her know we’re not there with any men and that we’re unarmed. Try and convince her we mean to help.”
The women all nodded in agreement.
“Then I suggest we fix dinner. Damn, why didn’t we bring Riley?” There was laughter all around. “Anyway, we eat then we turn in. How far do you think she is?” asked Skylar.
“Looks to be two to two and a half hours from here.”
“Shannon is normally an early riser. Let’s shoot to arrive about eight. So maybe leave here about five-thirty?”
They nodded and then went about preparing an evening meal and enjoying one another’s company. There were several jokes made that it would be a long, long time before any of them would be able to sit and talk with one or more of the others in privacy.
* * *
Shannon sat and watched the little cottage from a secluded spot for over an hour before she drove up to it. She checked all the small traps she had laid that would indicate anyone had found her, for lack of a better term, hideout.
Once inside, she barricaded the doors and then set out what she would eat for supper. As she had done before, she took a shower behind a locked door with the M4 in easy reach. Drying her hair, she wondered if she’d ever feel normal again. Would she ever feel safe enough to just live and enjoy the small things in life—a hot shower, a warm meal shared with friends, a walk along the shoreline? Shaking her head to dispel such thoughts, she set up the alarms she had prepared to let her know if anyone violated her sanctuary. Her plan was to start trying to track down deMoncada tomorrow. Shannon turned off the light, curled up on the bed with both handgun and rifle close at hand, and went to sleep.
She was already awake and dressed when she heard a vehicle pulling up in front of the cottage. She glanced out the window and recognized three of the women who had come to get her and the two others from deMoncada getting out. The last one she recognized all too well... it was her sister, Catherine. They all moved to stand in front of their vehicle and were taking great pains to show her they weren’t armed.
Opening the door, she stepped out onto the porch, rifle at the ready. She heard Catherine gasp and watched as one of the women standing beside her reached out to keep her from falling as her knees b
egan to buckle.
“Shannon,” Catherine started.
“What do you want?” she said in a tone that held only ice.
“We think somehow you got the wrong idea back at the warehouse,” stated the blonde who had freed her from captivity.
“No, I was pretty clear. For whatever reason, you and your friends raided that house and got those other two girls and me out. Far as I’m concerned that cancelled the debt that Riley owed me. I owed none of you anything. I’m not sure what you thought would happen after you got me out but I damn sure wasn’t going to stick around and fall in with whatever your great plans were. Now get away from me.”
“Shannon, don’t you recognize me?” asked Catherine.
“Of course I do, sister mine. You’re the bitch, it’s funny how appropriate that term is now, who abandoned me to rot while you started a new life.”
Catherine shook off Skylar’s supportive arm. “What? What are you talking about?”
“DeMoncada told me all about it. That rich, sexy Italian wolf swept you off your feet and you chose to become one of them. You were far too busy with your new lover to be bothered with trying to find me. I hear he bred you repeatedly until you conceived and bore him a female shifter. Do you know how much more that made me worth to these bastards? That my turned sister had borne a girl and that our family line hadn’t seen a male child born in generations?”
“Shannon, how can you believe that?”
“I’ve seen the way you look at him,” she retorted.
“Do I love Marco? Of course I do. Do you know one of the reasons why? Because he never asked me to stop looking for you; never once asked me to give up the search. He poured I don’t even want to know how much money into trying to find out what had happened to you. Anyone he found that had a hand in what happened to you was either beaten to a pulp and told never to cross our pack’s path again or outright killed.”
“How could you be happy knowing what was happening to me?” Shannon cried, her icy resolve starting to crack.
“We didn’t know. At first, we didn’t even know you were alive. Once we knew that... once we knew where to look, Marco and I had every available pack member out looking for you as well as a lot of hired men. Never did either of us abandon you.”