by Gwen Knight
She sighed and brushed her thumb against the gold band. Reagan had loved her mother dearly—it didn’t surprise me that Gabriel had given it to her. It did surprise me that he’d approved of the engagement, though. The Gabriel I knew never would have allowed a wolf stronger than him into our pack. But a lot had changed in the past few months.
Not only had he gotten a taste of his own mortality, but Reagan’s, too. In order to flush out Benjamin and prove him guilty of conspiracy to murder, she’d faked her own death. A ploy she hadn’t included Gabriel in. The whole pack had witnessed his devastation when he’d thought her dead. Not only had he demolished his house in a fit of rage, but he’d also nearly died at Benjamin’s hands, too distraught to fight back.
“I always loved this ring,” she said with a soft sigh. “But wearing it…”
“Hey.” I took her hand and squeezed. “It’s a beautiful ring, and it means a lot to both you and Gabriel. Besides, this is a happy occasion!”
The corners of her mouth tipped upward. “You’re right.”
“So…?” I wiggled my eyebrows.
She frowned. “So, what?”
“Come on, spill! When’s the wedding? Are we having another bachelorette party? Does the pack know?”
A deep laugh rose from her throat. “Oh, God. I don’t think I could survive another bachelorette party. Besides…” She looked up with a wicked gleam in her eye. “We have something far more important to plan.”
“We do?”
“Oh, yes.” She wrenched me forward, then cupped my cheeks. “A baby shower.”
The smile slipped from my face. “No.”
“Yup!”
“Reagan, no.”
“Lucy, yes!”
An angry growl tore free of my throat. “No.”
“You can keep saying no all you’d like.” She leaned in and kissed my forehead. “But this is happening. Oh! The games we’ll play!”
“Games?” I squeaked.
“Haven’t you attended a baby shower before?”
“No!” I backpedaled across the kitchen. “And for good reason. Babies, and baby talk, and—”
“Baby games!” Excitement danced across her face. “I’m going to plan you the best shower.”
This was the absolute worst. “Reagan, I don’t want a shower.”
“Well, too bad, kiddo. Because you’re gonna need one. Or do you intend to buy everything yourself? That shit’s crazy expensive. Cribs, strollers, playpens, swings, toys, clothes, diapers, food… The list goes on and on, my dear.”
“I can handle it.”
“Really?” She lifted a brow. “I know how much you make for a living. Freelance data entry sure doesn’t pay a lot.”
“Well, it would if I could find the time to build my business up. But stupid politics keep getting in the way.”
Reagan chuckled. “If you think having a child will be any easier…”
I closed my eyes and drew in a deep breath. “This is insane. I can’t afford a kid, can I?”
“Hell, no one can afford kids,” Reagan teased. “But don’t worry. Everyone else seems to make it work.”
Not everyone. Panic pressed against my chest. What about the countless homeless mothers? Those who lived on the streets because they couldn’t afford housing, let alone food.
“Lucy?”
My breath hissed past my lips. “I can’t do this.”
“Yes, you can. I’ve never met anyone stronger than you.”
My eyes flashed open. “How about everyone? Shit, Reagan. Look at you. A walking warrior goddess, heir to the pack, with a damn Viking as your fiancé. I survive. But not like you.”
She laughed. “Sweetheart, you don’t need to be physically strong to be strong. You are the strongest, most resilient woman I know. And you’re gonna be a kick-ass mom.”
Mom. Holy shit. I hadn’t once thought of that word.
I was going to be a mother.
Suddenly weak in the knees, I sank onto the nearest chair and stared straight ahead.
“You okay?” Reagan asked.
I shook my head. I was so far beyond okay.
Reagan’s warm hands cupped mine. “No matter what happens, you’ve got this. And you’ve got me. No way in hell I would let you do this alone.”
The weight on my chest eased a little.
“You and I have been friends since what feels like the dawn of time.”
A shaky smile fluttered across my lips. “We are old as balls.”
My humor smoothed her worry lines. “Exactly. Two old-as-balls ladies who can handle anything. Including your demon spawn.”
“Hey!” I snapped.
Reagan winked. “See? There’s your maternal instinct kicking in.”
Huh. My brows drew together, and I stared down at my stomach, stunned by that sudden protectiveness.
“Give yourself a few days to adjust to this information. But believe me when I tell you, you’ve got this.”
“And Leif?”
Reagan considered me, her mouth pursed. “What do you want from him? Whatever it is, I’ll support you. Even if that means you don’t want anything from him.”
“I want…” My thoughts started spinning. What did I want? “He needs to know. But beyond that, I’m going to leave the decision up to him. I won’t force him to be a part of the kid’s life. That sounds like a stressful situation. But if he wants to, I’ll work with him to come up with some sort of agreement.”
Reagan flashed me a brilliant smile. “There’s my girl. See? You can do anything. I’m not the only warrior goddess here.”
I exhaled, then glanced at the clock. “Four o’clock.”
“Three hours to go. Why don’t you go for a shower or something before he arrives? I’ll make us some dinner. And don’t forget to call the doctor before the office closes.”
I chuckled. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard you offer to make food before.”
Amusement sparkled in her eyes. “And I doubt I’ll ever offer again.”
“When’s Jerrik coming back?”
She glanced at her phone. “He’s already on his way back with weapons in hand.”
“I don’t like the idea of you two being armed.”
“Let’s just say we need to be prepared for the worst-case scenario. What if he tries to hurt you?”
I scoffed. “Leif won’t hurt me.”
Reagan considered my words, then nodded. “Maybe he won’t hurt you, but he might try and hurt Jerrik and me.”
I cocked my head. “You’re really worried about this, aren’t you?”
“I didn’t tell you Jerrik’s whole story earlier because it isn’t my story to tell. He’s carried around this guilt for ages. Leif was his best friend, his brother. While Jerrik might want to reconnect, there’s no telling what Leif wants. What if it’s revenge?”
“Well, here’s hoping no one gets hurt tonight.”
“But if a fight does break out, promise me you’ll get out of here.”
My gaze snapped back to Reagan. “What?”
“Lucy. You can’t get involved. What if you get hurt?” Her gaze dropped to my belly. “You have someone much more important to take care of now. Jerrik and I can handle ourselves.”
I hated this. My best friend and her future husband were preparing for battle, and there wasn’t anything I could do to help.
“Promise me,” Reagan growled, her wolf lighting up her eyes. “If you so much as endanger one hair on your head…”
“Fine. Geez. If a fight breaks out, I’ll run.”
Reagan wanted to press the matter further. I knew all of her expressions, and the one she wore right now, the narrowed eyes and pursed mouth, meant she didn’t believe me. But before she could annoy me further, her phone rang.
She dug it out of her pocket and frowned. “It’s Gabriel.”
“You’re not going to tell him, are you?”
She shook her head. “I promised I wouldn’t. But I need to take this.” She rose and an
swered the call. I watched as she retreated toward my bedroom, far enough away that I couldn’t hear his half of the conversation.
After a few moments, Reagan froze in the middle of the hallway. The wolf in me sensed a sudden spike in anxiety, and I pushed to my own feet. From the tightening of her shoulders, I knew something had happened. Something bad.
“What?” she hissed into the phone. “That’s not possible.”
My pulse sped up.
“Gabriel, no. That isn’t possible. Are you sure?” A pause. “No, I’m not questioning you. It’s just…here? Now?”
What the hell was going on?
“No. Of course, I’ll check it out. When?” Another long pause. “Tonight? That late?” Yet another pause. “No, no. I completely understand. We’ll check it out as soon as possible.”
She hung up but didn’t turn back to me. I caught the slightest movement, a fluttering of her hands as she pocketed her phone.
“Reagan?” I braved a step toward her.
Something had her riled. Something dangerous, if Gabriel was calling. She didn’t respond or even turn toward me. After a few moments, she jogged toward the front door and opened it right before Jerrik entered.
“Did you talk to Gabriel?”
Jerrik nodded as he handed Reagan her favorite sword. A blade she’d long ago named Rory. “Just got off the phone with him.”
“Is this possible?”
“Anything’s possible,” he grunted. “But this? I never would have imagined it.”
“Guys!”
They snapped to attention at the sound of my voice, then turned as one, their faces identically grim.
“What’s wrong?”
A flicker of unease shadowed Reagan’s face. “Vampires.”
I must have misheard her. There weren’t any vampires in North America. Hadn’t been since Gabriel had single-handedly wiped them out when he’d first arrived with the pack. The brutal attack he’d unleashed upon the bloodsuckers had sent them running for the hills, back across the pond to Europe. And in the five centuries since, not a single vampire had ever returned.
“You’re kidding, right?” I shot them each a glance. There was something more—there had to be. Both looked as though the world had come to an end. Which could only mean one thing. “Did they hurt someone?”
“Marie,” Reagan announced, her voice hoarse.
My lungs compressed, and I fished behind me for the counter, something to hold me steady. Marie was one of our youngest members of the pack, and the sweetest. “Oh, God. Is she all right?”
“No,” Reagan whispered.
My vision hazed. I gripped the countertop and waited for my head to clear. “She’s dead?”
Their silence was answer enough.
“Gabriel wants me and Jerrik to check it out.”
I nodded. “When?”
“Later tonight. We need to wait until the cops are done processing the scene.”
The scene. As in, the murder scene. Sweet Jesus.
“We can stay until Leif arrives. But afterward…”
I nodded. “Of course. I completely understand.” When my vision finally cleared, I lifted my head and glanced at Reagan. “Make them pay. Make them hurt.”
Resolve hardened her gaze. “I promise.”
Chapter 7
I’d managed to book an appointment with my doctor, shower, and eat a meal with time to spare. Now, I sat at the dining room table watching the damn seconds tick down. The past few hours had crawled by as I listened to Reagan’s and Gabriel’s many conversations. From what Gabriel had learned, the police were withholding the vampiric connection from the press. Understandably, they didn’t want to upset the public. But I could tell from Jerrik’s and Reagan’s shared glances that this was a monumental issue.
I should have been mourning Marie’s death, but right now, I couldn’t think of anything other than my upcoming conversation with Leif. I knew he’d ask why I never called. How could I tell him that I never called a guy after getting sweaty with him? A personal rule of mine after watching my mother’s endless parade of failed relationships.
Five minutes to eight, I began to pace through the kitchen. Every inch of me buzzed. Would he arrive on time? Come a bit late? And why did that even matter? My damn head kept spinning with questions. I hadn’t even had a chance to absorb this whole situation myself, and every time I started focusing on my own issues, guilt swept over me. There were far more important matters to handle right now, and here I was, latching onto Reagan for support when she clearly had a million other things on her mind.
Like vampires.
I still couldn’t believe it. After centuries, why return now? And what the hell were they doing here? Why target our pack? A power play, perhaps? To make Gabriel aware of their presence? To challenge him?
On my sixth lap around the kitchen, the doorbell rang.
My heart practically burst from my chest. I sucked in a rickety breath and wiped my slick palms on my jeans. Holy hell. This was happening. Right now.
“Shh. Take a deep breath.” Reagan cupped my shoulders and held my gaze, slowly nodding her head. “Good. Now, let it out. You’ve done nothing wrong. Accidents happen. And he’s just as responsible for this one as you are. Like you said earlier—he can either be a part of this or not. You aren’t going to pressure him into doing something he doesn’t want to do.”
When she said it like that, it almost sounded logical. “What are you and Jerrik going to do?”
“We’ll wait in here to give you guys a few minutes,” she said. “And remember, you did nothing wrong. Be upfront and honest with him.”
“Everything is so easy for you…”
She chuckled, then leaned in and brushed a light kiss against my cheek. “Only because I’m not the one in this situation.”
The doorbell chimed again.
With a nod, I straightened my top, then marched through the entryway. This wouldn’t be a pleasant conversation, but Leif had every right to know about his child. I reached for the doorknob, then hesitated the moment my fingers grazed the polished brass. What if he demanded I terminate the pregnancy? A chill shivered down my spine and lifted the hairs on the back of my neck. No. I shook my head and sucked in another deep breath. He couldn’t make that demand of me. And if he suggested it, I’d kick him square in the balls. It was that simple.
More determined than ever, I swung open the door.
There he stood, all six-four of him, and more gorgeous than I remembered—if that was possible. Over the past few months, I’d convinced myself that no one could look that good. But he proved me wrong. My gaze climbed every inch of him, taking the time to remind me of his massive chest, rigid jaw, and dark gaze.
Seemed I wasn’t the only one taking a moment to refresh my memory. Leif leaned against the porch wall, his denim-clad legs crossed at the ankles, perusing me as openly as I had him. I hadn’t dressed up for this, but from the smoldering heat in his eyes, it appeared my faded jeans and hoodie didn’t bother him.
“Hi,” I murmured.
“Hi, back,” he teased. With a light chuckle, he pushed off the wall, then leaned in and brushed his lips against mine. It was little more than a soft caress, and yet I melted into him, my legs suddenly incapable of holding my weight. Somehow, I’d forgotten how potent his kisses were, how intoxicating his scent, how thrilling his touch…
He cocked his head and regarded me with a curious light in his eyes. Reagan’s words came back to me, reminding me that I smelled different. I only hoped he didn’t notice until I had a chance to explain.
“You gonna invite me inside, elskan mín?” he whispered against my mouth.
Inside. Where Jerrik and Reagan awaited us. Maybe it was stupid, but I wanted a few minutes to ourselves before turning his world upside down. So, I lifted my chin and shook my head. “Let’s talk outside. It’s a beautiful night.”
Curiosity widened his eyes. “It’s freezing out.”
We were werewolves—we could h
andle it. A few minutes wouldn’t kill us. I gestured toward a pair of snow-covered patio chairs. “Have a seat.”
Laughter rumbled deep in Leif’s chest. “All right. I’ll play along.”
I grabbed the broom leaning haphazardly against the railing and swept the chairs clean, then sat. Honestly, I had no idea where to start. I couldn’t just blurt it out. I needed to work up to it.
“You look good,” I offered.
Good didn’t begin to describe him. If I ever thought Jerrik looked great in a leather jacket, it was nothing compared to Leif. The man filled out the supple material so spectacularly, it made my damn mouth water.
“Small talk? Really?”
I blew out a frosty breath and stared over my front yard. Shit. This was quite a bit harder than I’d expected. The words hovered on the tip of my tongue, but I froze whenever I tried to tell him. A few more minutes—that was all I needed. A different topic of conversation.
And I knew just the one.
“I didn’t invite you inside because I have guests,” I told him.
Leif leaned back in his chair, the chilled leather crinkling as he folded his arms over his chest. “All right. Why call me over then?”
“Because I think you might know these guests of mine.”
His brows furrowed.
“Jerrik and Reagan,” I finally admitted.
Leif sat stone still. If I hadn’t been watching for it, I might have missed the flash of anger that lit up his eyes or the sudden tightening of his muscles. He shot up from the chair and reached for the door, but didn’t enter. Instead, he balled his hands into fists and turned back to me with an accusatory glare. “You planned this?”
I shook my head. “Before today, I had no idea who you actually were. We met, we clicked, we had our fun—I never expected anything more. Then something happened today. Something changed. I mentioned your name to Jerrik and Reagan, and when I did…”
“What?” he demanded in a hoarse voice.
“Jerrik put everything together.”
“Do you have any idea what you’ve done?”
I shot him a deadly glare. “Excuse me? What I’ve done? The only reason you attended that event was to see him. Don’t deny it. But when he didn’t show, you settled for me. The girl who could get you close to him. I didn’t know who you were, but you sure knew who I was, so don’t play the injured party card with me, pal.”