THE MATING CLAIM: Werewolves of Montana Book 14

by Vanak, Bonnie

  Tell him the truth. Lacey tugged at his hand as he went to go outside.

  “Wait.”

  He turned, looked at her.

  “Drust, I think… this is my fault. Remember what I said a couple of days ago?”

  Lacey’s heart thudded hard against her chest. “I said I wish I’d never see my foster mother again and I wished she’d find another kid, the wrong kid whose real parents cared and would exact revenge for her sick kind of mothering. But I was thinking about Tristan – and wondered what would happen if Melanie picked on the wrong kind of kid, a kid like Tristan’s.”

  If this was her fault, how could she ever forgive herself? One thing to wish for a mythical hydra to appear in the sea and then watch it vanish. Another to bring a child to harm, even though she would never wish it. Yet again she saw the grim wisdom of Drust’s warning about the Book of Shadows and the consequences of using it.

  “Lacey, perhaps your wish did trigger something, but I suspect there is far more here than simply wishing your foster mother would happen upon a child whose parents could deliver punishment. If that were the case, you would wish for a child with teeth and fangs to bite Melanie.”

  His reassuring smile did little to comfort her, but it was so nice to see, to know he was on her side. “Thanks. Let’s go find these cowboys and question them. You’re right about someone on the inside providing information on Niki and Tristan’s twins being here.”

  They dematerialized and then appeared down by the barn, where the tall, bearded Lupine questioned a cowboy sitting outside on a bale of hay. Another Lupine, wearing a cowboy hat, stood nearby.

  The bearded Lupine glanced at her as Drust introduced her. He gave a brusque nod. “I’m Aiden Mitchell, alpha of the pack. This is Jackson.”

  Jackson tipped his hat. “Howdy, miss.”

  Aiden pushed up his cowboy hat. “I’ve questioned all three. Jackson’s been with me, doing the roundup. Dennis has been holed up, more or less, in his office. Only Patrick here was unaccounted for during a portion of the last four days at night. We searched his bunk and found $50,000. In gold. And he’s not talking about how he got it.”

  “Leave him to me, Aiden.” Drust’s hand suddenly felt ice cold. Pain seared her, and she cried out, dropping his palm.

  The Coldfire Wizard suddenly glowed ice blue, pulsing with power. Lacey became afraid, not of Drust, but for the one targeted by Drust’s fury.

  The Lupine cowhand sensed mortal danger, for he turned to flee. Drust flicked a palm, and Patrick flew through the air toward him. Drust wrapped a hand around the Lupine’s throat and lifted him skyward.

  “Where is the son of the Silver Wizard?”

  His low, deadly tone was more ominous than if he’d shouted. Dread snaked down her spine. She pitied the cowhand, but worried for Drust, and the damage such intense emotions would wrack upon his soul if he killed the Lupine.

  He would break his oath to be fair and impartial, and breaking such a sacred vow would shatter him inside. Drust lived with a strict moral code that guided him. It was bred into his blood and bones as a living, breathing mortal, and remained with him as the Coldfire Wizard.

  “Drop him. Let me handle him, wizard. You always overkill,” Lacey said.

  Scowling Drust shook his head.

  “Drop him, and let me at him. I am a dragon, you know. Maybe he needs to know that dragons aren’t just into paying money.”

  Finally Drust dropped the cowhand. Gasping, Patrick rubbed his throat.

  “I’d tear you apart if I thought it’d make you talk,” Aiden growled.

  “Me too,” said Jackson, opening his mouth and showing sharp fangs.

  Lacey gave a small smile. “Impressive, boys. However, mine are… better.”

  Drust motioned to them. “Better stand back, Aiden, Jackson.”

  When they did, she shifted into her dragon form, making herself as large as a horse. Lacey stretched out her wings, feeling the impulse to fly, maybe hover above the terrified cowhand. Better to just show some heat.

  She blew fire in the direction of the cowhand. Before it reached Patrick, Drust extinguished it with a wave of his hand.

  Again, she told Drust telepathically. Let’s make him really sweat.

  As you wish.

  She blew another line of fire toward Patrick. This time Drust did not extinguish it until the flames were within a few feet of the frightened cowboy.

  Grinning, Lacey opened her mouth, the snapping and crackling indicating someone was about to become tasty, or not so tasty, barbecued wolf.

  The cowhand’s eyes widened. “I didn’t know she’d do it! Don’t kill me! Ain’t my fault!”

  “Who did?” Drust roared.

  A wet patch formed on the man’s groin. He shielded his face. “Don’t know her name. Met her in a bar downtown yesterday, said she was looking for revenge on the Silver Wizard. Knew his mate’s twin came here at times. She offered me a sack of gold coins to spy on Nikita, and tell her when Nikita was here with the twins.”

  “What is her name?!” Drust cradled a softball sized globe of blue energy in his palm. “Tell me or you will face worse than burning by dragonfire.”

  “Melanie,” he screamed. “All I know was her name was Melanie and she was a dragon who wanted one of Tristan’s kids. I met her in town and brought her here to the ranch and showed her the main lodge. She said she would never hurt a kid, never! She shifted into this monster, this dragon without wings…crawled the outside wall while I distracted Tom and Hank from looking… I gave her a blanket to hide the baby and got her downstairs while everyone was busy… she drove away, promised she wouldn’t hurt him! She just wanted to take him away for a few hours. Said she was his auntie!”

  A loud curse rumbled from Aiden, who removed his hat and threw it on the ground. “That’s it,” he growled. “Thanks Drust, Lacey, but I’ll take it from here and deal out the discipline. When I’m finished, everyone in the pack will learn you don’t mess with me and mine. Tristan and Niki are family, and those sweet twins are my nephews and nieces, you bastard.”

  Lacey didn’t shift back, but soared upward, not wanting to see Aiden’s discipline doled out. Beatings, or worse, still triggered severe anxiety.

  But not as much anxiety as learning her foster mother had kidnapped Tristan and Niki’s little boy.

  A shadow blocked out the sun. She glanced up and saw Drust soaring above her.

  Land on that patch over there, Lacey. Tristan needs to speak with you.

  Her stomach churned, and it wasn’t a pleasant feeling. But she knew she could not fly away from this problem.

  When she landed and shifted back to her human form, clad in blue jeans and a Western shirt, she steeled herself as the Silver Wizard and Drust materialized in front of her. To her shock, Tristan didn’t look furious. Yet this was her fault for reading that spell from the book and for the consequences of her wish magick.

  The Silver Wizard looked weary, his dark gaze haunted, his proud shoulders stooped. Lacey braced herself. Perhaps he would send her to the Shadow Lands himself.

  Drust put a hand on Tristan’s shoulder. “Tell her, my friend. The truth. The truth you erased from her life’s history. Even her life file we keep in Tir Na-nog , so I did not know.”

  A long exhale of breath. Tristan reached up and traced runes in the air. They sparkled silver, glittering, and she felt the power rush through the air.

  “Melanie took your son. I am sorry, Tristan.” She had to break this silence. “I wished… my foster mother had…”

  “She is not your foster mother, Lacey.”

  Blinking, she felt her jaw open and close. “What, I think…what?”

  A warm arm slid around her waist as Drust went to her side, encased her in a bracing hug.

  “Melanie is your real mother.” Tristan heaved another weary sigh. “None of this was your fault, Lacey. It is mine for keeping the truth from you, and not dealing properly with Melanie.”

  Had Drust’s arm not sup
ported her, she would have collapsed. As it was, her knees were knocking and leg muscles trembling.

  The Silver Wizard continued. “I thought my actions justified. You were so young, such a strong, spirited dragon and all you wanted was to be loved by your mother. Your real mother. I kept hoping Melanie’s mother instinct would overcome her hatred of what your father was.”

  “A dragon shifter with more warlock blood than dragon,” Drust spoke low into her ear, his deep voice soothing. “A warlock who led a coven of witches in Scotland. A warlock who tried to harness dragon magick to empower himself, and instead, fell in love with the dragon the coven captured, as she fell in love with him and conceived a very unique child.”

  “My father,” she whispered, her voice sounding cracked and uneven. “The book was his, that’s where I got my witch magick from.”

  “The coven threw him out when they realized he loved Melanie, and for a while Melanie and your father lived together. But her love for the skies and his desire for power clashed. Shortly after you were born, she took you and fled to the States. But the coven found her anyway, and cut off her wings to use in a potion.”

  Lacey gasped. Her poor mother… how she had suffered.

  “Your father did nothing, and your mother blamed all witches for what happened, for her being grounded. I granted a boon from Danu to restore her wings, but she was too proud and angry, and did not wish them again. All she wanted was proof the coven was punished, which Caderyn provided.”

  Understanding, bittersweet but clear, filled her. She saw now the incidents where her mother punished her for displaying witch magick, a painful reminder of what Melanie hated the most.

  “You began to fantasize she was not your real mother and dreamed of a real mother who loved you unconditionally. I removed you from Melanie, placed you with a dragon mother who loved you, and Evie, as her own. As much as she could. And then to make it less painful, I eradicated your memories and made the dream a reality for you.”

  Lacey bent over, bracing her hands on her knees. “I feel sick.”

  Drust placed a hand on the small of her back, rubbing circles there. Warmth filled her, chasing away the nausea.

  Finally she was able to straighten.

  “What, what happened to Melanie after you removed me and Evie?”

  “She was placed in a care colony for dragons who have mental issues. I always check on her, but only today I realized she had left two days ago.”

  Tristan looked at her, his expression contrite, his mouth a grim slash. “I am sorry, Lacey. I should have foreseen this would have happened. She took my child as revenge on me. You had nothing to do with it.”

  Maybe once she would have cursed Tristan, or considered a way to tweak this tragedy to her advantage. But time with Drust had changed her, making her realize how precious every moment of life was, and sometimes even the best intentions got screwed up through no one’s fault.

  She felt older than her years. “I forgive you. You did the right thing, Tristan.” Lacey felt for Drust’s hand, squeezed it to loan herself strength. “I fear that if I had remained with her, she… would have eventually killed me.”

  Lacey stepped back. “And now? What do we do about getting your son back, Tristan?”

  The Silver Wizard’s gaze darkened to onyx. “We must lure her here. And I am afraid you, my dear, will be the bait.”

  Chapter 20

  It did not take long to set everything up. The wizards of the Brehon had easily located Melanie. Keegan, to her great relief, was unharmed.

  Tristan, with all his tremendous powers, could easily materialize by Melanie and take his son back. But it would not bring closure Lacey desperately needed. The confrontation with her real mother, and acknowledgement of what happened in the past.

  They set everything up at the Mitchell Ranch. Aiden insisted. He cleared the grounds around the barn, set out patrols, and Tristan warded the area to ensure no one would interfere. Right now Keegan was vulnerable while he was with Melanie. If Lacey’s mother took him out in public, shifters would see the glow of immortality about him.

  Tristan had enemies who would love to capture his son. So she appreciated the wizard doing this for her.

  Hiding in the barn behind bales of hay, she looked around. The tight confines were necessary. Even though Melanie was no longer capable of flying, she was still a dangerous dragon. If the plan went askew, Drust and Tristan needed to act quickly to contain her and protect the baby.

  “You ready?” Drust searched her face. “I’ll be in the loft, invisible, but if you need me, I’m here.”

  “I’m ready. I’ll be okay.”

  Drust nodded at Tristan. “Do it. Call her here.”

  Closing his eyes, Tristan murmured a chant. The ancient words rippled through the air, filling it with magick so intense, her eyes watered. This was the true power of the Brehon, to call forth a reluctant shifter to their side, no matter where in the world they were.

  Melanie materialized, Keegan in her arms. She looked confused for a moment, and then saw Tristan.

  “You bastard! Come any closer and I’ll hurt your son the way you hurt my baby!” she yelled.

  Tristan said nothing. Did nothing. If he felt panicked, angered or alarmed, he showed none of it. He did not even look at Keegan.

  Not even when Keegan saw his father and whimpered, “Dada!”

  A muscle jumped in his clenched jaw. It was as if the Silver Wizard would shatter.

  Drust jumped down from the hayloft. “It’s over now, Melanie. As the wizard who is your guardian and judge, I order you to return Keegan to his father.”

  “He took my child from me! My only child, my daughter,” Melanie yelled. “It was only just that I take Tristan’s child in return!”

  Keegan screamed as Melanie squeezed him tighter. If they agitated Melanie further, she might hurt the toddler or suffocate him.

  “Do it, Melanie,” Drust said softly.

  Knowing that tone of voice, knowing this situation deteriorated rapidly and only she could amend it, Lacey took a step from the shadows. “No he did not… mother. I am here.”

  Melanie stared, her tight grip loosening on Keegan. “Lacey? Lacey… you left me.”

  “Yes. I left you, Mother. But I am here now.”

  “No.” Melanie shook her head. “You hate me. You hate me for what I did to you, for everything bad I did… I can’t bear it. With this baby I can start over again. I can have a fresh beginning. You’ll never forgive me.”

  Then her mother looked at her with such hope and despair, Lacey’s heart almost broke. “Can you forgive me?”

  Swallowing hard she held out her arms. “Please, give the baby back to his mother. She misses him so very much, just like you missed me. I want to hug you, mom, but to do that you need to put Keegan down.”

  “No. He’s mine.”

  Lacey sucked in a breath. “Just for a minute, mom. Please. Come here and let me hug you. I forgive you.”

  “You do?”

  Nodding, her throat too tight to speak, she watched. Took a step forward. “Come here to me, mom.”

  Melanie set Keegan down. In a heartbeat, Drust swooped up the child and returned him to Tristan, who held him tight, showering him with kisses. When her mother engulfed her in a hug, Lacey hugged her back, tears pouring from her eyes as Melanie sobbed.

  For a few moments they stood, embracing each other. Then Melanie stepped back, offered a smile. “You’ve grown into such a young lady. A dragon. Do you have wings?”

  To reassure her mother, she shifted into her dragon form, making it small enough to fit into the barn, and stretched out her wings.

  “Green. Forest green, like your eyes. Like my dragon.” Melanie’s smile wobbled. “I miss my wings.”

  Lacey shifted back to her human form. “I know mom.”

  “It’s time to go, Melanie.” Drust’s voice was kind. “Tell your daughter what you need to say.”

  “I’m sorry, Lacey. I’m so sorry I did all t
hose things to you. Thank you for coming here to me.”

  She gently kissed her mother’s cheek. “Good bye mom.”

  Drust put a hand on Melanie’s shoulder and they vanished.

  Tristan, still holding his son, regarded her.

  “Where did Drust take her?”

  “She will spend her days in confinement in the dragon colony I created, but living in a peaceful illusion where she will no longer be haunted by memories of how she tormented you, Lacey. She will not remember taking my son, nor your meeting and forgiving her. If this is what you wish. Unless you wish her to suffer as payment for what she did to you.” Tristan kissed his son’s head.

  All those years she’d thought of Melanie as someone who needed to be found and punished. A woman who was cruel and deserved only cruelty in return. But Melanie was her real mother and a troubled one who had suffered herself. All the emotion fled her, leaving Lacey empty and drained.

  “No. The violence done to her made her hate above everything else. I think she didn’t want to hurt me, but took everything out on me because I’m part witch. I can see… she’s quite… mad.” A new worry filled her. “Will I be the same? Am I destined to turn as nutty as bad fruitcake like Melanie is? Or a power mad asshole like my father?”

  Tristan’s mouth quirked slightly. “No, Lacey. Your father lost sight of what is truly most important in life, after he found a love that fulfilled him. That is not you. Your mother lost control of her mind when she lost her wings and your father abandoned her. She allowed her hatred to overcome the love she had for you. You are nothing like either of them, my dear.”

  She hesitated. “If she was happy where she was before, what caused her to leave and seek revenge? It was my wish, wasn’t it? The power of wishing brought on by the book.”

  Tristan nodded.

  That damn book. It wrecked everyone. Everything.

  She had to ask Tristan something. “Why couldn’t my father love my mother? Why didn’t he protect her from the coven?”

  Tristan adjusted Keegan in his arms. “A dragon’s love burns hot and fierce. Your father tried to love your mother. He did the best he could. But it was not enough for her.”