by A. C. Katt
“I packed medium weight jackets, Beta. I’ve been told it’s cold in New Mexico at night.” Alphonse waited and appeared to want René to tell him he did the right thing. René complied.
“You did well, it can be cold, and Beta Mate isn’t used to the weather.” The doorbell rang. “That must be Pierre.” René put his arm around Frankie, and they walked down the steps. René stroked the muscles of his Mate’s back as he climbed into the limousine. René loved the feel of him. Alphonse and Annie shuffled over to the Navigator behind them carrying the baggage. The Enforcers picked up the garment bags, and his new housekeeper and manservant were settled in minutes.
Edward and Martin sat on the seat that curved behind Pierre. The Alpha sat close to Martin, next to the window, The Alpha Mate sat practically in The Alpha’s lap. Frankie was next to The Alpha Mate, and René sat behind Meg. He looked over at The Alpha. “I see we took the stretch limousine, Alpha.”
“Yes, Elena and Miss Beaumont will be joining us for the trip back.” The Alpha Mate answered for his husband, sounding merry despite their troubles with the Russians.
“Is that wise, Alpha, with the Russians about to arrive?” René narrowed his eyes.
Again, The Alpha Mate spoke for The Alpha. “With Frankie’s information, we should be able to take them at the airport, so I convinced Armand that Elena will be perfectly safe.”
Meg handed Sean a ham and cheese sandwich who then handed it to Frankie with a bag of chips and a bottle of ice tea. René’s Mate didn’t even bother protesting that he had just eaten; he hungrily dove into the food.
“Frankie hasn’t had the pleasure of meeting Elena yet. Elena is The Alpha and The Alpha Mate’s seven-year-old daughter.” René put his arm around Frankie’s shoulder.
Frankie glanced over to The Alpha Mate in mid-chew. He quickly closed his mouth, swallowed, then said, “I didn’t realize you and The Alpha were married long enough to have a seven-year-old.”
“Elena was an orphan and living with her aunt and uncle. Adele and Bernard ignored her and didn’t care for her properly. The Alpha Mate rescued her,” René said, proud of his charge.
Sean bristled. “René had to lend her his jacket so she could take a walk outside. All she had was a thin sweater even though they received a stipend for her and half of her deceased parents’ stipend for as long as she lived with them. The Alpha and I refused the extra money when we took her. Then we adopted her, so it was a moot point. Her own stipend now goes straight to a trust in her name at the bank. Her uncle spent it on the tables. Bernard was a gambler, and her aunt Adele had no backbone. It was Adele who lured me into the bathroom in the museum the day I was kidnapped.”
Frankie observed René discomfort and gently squeezed his knee. “So, Elena’s aunt and uncle were the cause of your problem. I wouldn’t want to believe that the child’s aunt would harm her either.” He attempted to provide comfort to his Mate.
“The loup garou are good as a people, but not all individuals live up to the standard of the species.” Sean sighed, then brightened. “But Elena is doing well now. Armand and I spoil her. Rather less now that Kane’s gotten on our case, but she still has more than she should.”
“Kane would be Alpha Maa…te?” Frankie hesitantly asked.
“Kane Brady mated Alpha Martin. Alpha Gabriel Martin holds the Fourth position on the Council. He is the Chief Technology Officer for Garou.”
Frankie sent to René, “Wasn’t Kane Brady the teacher at Cleveland who was raped by the basketball team?”
René silently nodded, and Frankie let it drop, figuring correctly that Sean would be very protective of his friend.
The Alpha Mate sighed. “I try to stop Armand’s excesses, but…”
“Baby, who was the one who bought her two new dolls in the American Girl line, Tenney, and Logan plus their accessories,” The Alpha chided. The Alpha Mate blushed.
Frankie decided to bail him out. “I can understand why you spoil her, Alpha Mate. Right after Dad died, Dante was the only friend of Dad’s who was helping us out. He tried to shower me with gifts to make up for the fact my father had died. Dante stopped after they got married because he knew he would get them back, perhaps as projectiles. I did not give him an easy time. Thinking back on it, I thought they both betrayed my father by marrying. I couldn’t blame my mother because I loved her so much, so I flung all my rage at Dante. Despite what he does for a living, he has always been good to me, even when I gave him fits.”
“This is a recent revelation?” The Alpha asked with a bit of silk in his voice.
“Very recent. I know how I feel about René after such a short time. I’m beginning to understand what Dante felt for Mom. Today, when Dante realized that I was born gay, rather than being gay because I chose to be, he apologized. Mom searched the internet and showed him the research. If only I hadn’t been so stubborn and showed him myself, maybe I could have persuaded him to go legit.” Frankie shook his head, “But those are fantasies best left alone. Dante is committed to his business, and I’m staunch in my position that I want no part of it.”
“At least you realized he cared for you,” The Alpha Mate commented. “My stepfather never liked me, but that’s a long story for another day. Perhaps when you come to lunch.”
§ § §
Frankie recognized the expression of dismay The Alpha directed toward his Mate. René had told him about lunch, and he knew, just as he knew The Alpha would tell his Mate when they got some privacy that Frankie had no place there. Having taken care of some of his stepfather’s security, Frankie knew that you couldn’t become pals with your bodyguard, because when the time came to listen to him, you’d argue. The men who guarded Dante didn’t play cards with him.
The Alpha smiled at him.
René used the Mate Link. “The Alpha is pleased you instinctively knew not to accept The Alpha Mate’s invitation. It’s not that they don’t like us or want to socialize with us, it’s because they can’t. If they did, especially The Alpha Mate who tends to try to cajole his friends, they wouldn’t listen when they had to pay attention.”
Frankie changed the subject. He turned to The Alpha. “Speaking of Dante, I don’t think you should count on his cooperation at the airport with Kuznetsov. Kuznetsov does a lot of business with Dante. He may not want to jeopardize that relationship.” The Alpha listened intently. Frankie continued, “He can be capricious. He had decided to be insulted that you canceled tomorrow’s meeting. When we told him you were taking me to meet the family, he relented and let it go.” Frankie stared at his hands. He would feel responsible if Don Ferone decided not to cooperate.
“Don’t worry, he’ll cooperate, I intend to make sure that he does.”
“How would you do that, Alpha?” Frankie asked with trepidation.
“To quote an apropos movie, by Making him an offer he can’t refuse.”
The ride to LaGuardia felt like it was longer than the fifteen minutes it took to get there. Watching The Alpha and The Alpha Mate cuddling made Frankie wish that he and René had never left their bed this morning. The only compensation for this mad rush was that they were going to be able to make love tonight.
The Alpha seemed to relax with René in the limousine in his accustomed place. Frankie could see that The Alpha worried when both his Betas weren’t on the job in times of crises. He decided to suggest to René later that they get another Beta so that he and Martin could have some time off without their absence being a constant worry for The Alpha.
Pierre showed some paperwork to the guard at the gateway to the private jet hangers. The limousine and the two cars that accompanied them drove onto the tarmac. When Frankie inquired about the cars, René told him that the Enforcers, Annie, and Alphonse rode in the other vehicles. Most of the Enforcers would accompany them for flying visits to their families. Two would stay and watch the house.
“But we have two cars and the limousine. How do they get the vehicles home?” he asked René. Dante had money, but he didn’t
own a private jet. They traveled first class but not in their own plane. Frankie was beginning to see why Dante both feared and admired The Alpha.
“They take one Navigator home and leave the other vehicles in the private hanger for when we get home. We also have a Boeing 747 for when we travel with the Council. With their entire households, the passenger count is one hundred and one,” René explained. “Even without bringing the households, each Alpha at least travels with their Mates, Betas, and factotums who double as manservants. That’s forty-one without Beta Mates.”
“Don’t forget the cats,” The Alpha Mate interrupted.
“Yes,” René continued. “In addition to the households, the Mates travel with their cats so that we must seat eight cats. The Alpha is considering having Garou purchase an Airbus A380. Although larger than the747, it is more fuel efficient.”
Martin joined the conversation. “When we go to the ranch, it’s easier with the small plane because we can land on the ranch’s airstrip. The ride from the Albuquerque Sunport to the ranch is about an hour, some of it over poorly paved roads. They have to bring the cars to us at the airport and caravan home. Frankly, it’s a pain in the ass.”
“I second that thought. The first time I came out, I thought we’d never get there. Armand and I were just about to mate and anxious to be with one another, just as you are. It’s frustrating to wait.” Sean cocked his head. “We’ve all been through it.”
“Well, for them it’s over soon, baby. Let’s board the plane.” The Alpha and Alpha Mate boarded the plane followed by Martin and Edward.
René put his arm around Frankie’s shoulder. “Ma Vie, after you.” Frankie climbed the stairs to the small jet, smiling. How would Frankie feel about the mating ceremony once he was given the details?
Chapter Thirteen
The Cabin of Armand’s Small Jet
They boarded the jet with the help of pull away steps. René told him that this model carried sixty passengers but was configured to hold only twenty-five, so there was plenty of room to stretch out during the four-and-a-half-hour flight. Frankie walked onto the plane, his eyes widening. Every seat was configured for first class, and there was a small bar area with four tables down by the entrance and another by the galley in the rear.
They sat in the seating near the galley with two drink tables and four swivel chairs. After checking on The Alpha and Alpha Mate, the steward walked down the aisle and into the galley, coming out with a tray of huge deli sandwiches. He set them down in front of Frankie. He was grateful because as usual since he met René, he needed to eat. Frankie offered a sandwich to everyone else and was refused. Relieved that he had no takers, he began to eat. Martin and Edward sat down with them after takeoff. Frankie noticed a gentleman he didn’t know speaking with The Alpha.
“Who’s that with The Alpha?” He motioned toward The Alpha and The Alpha Mate.
Martin raised his head. “That’s Dr. Artis. The doctor is from the Sandoval Pack. That is The Alpha and our home pack. Artis serves as the Council doctor. He cares for the Council, their households, and their household’s families. You, Annie, and Alphonse will now be patients on Dr. Artis’s list. He’s recognized as one of the best doctors in New York.”
Frankie blew out a whistle between bites. “That’s some accolade. New York is known for both great doctors and great hospitals.”
“Dr. Artis is considered to have a concierge practice. He has a small number of patients but is on call to them twenty-four seven. Dr. Artis is loup garou but treats both loup garou and humans. He and another loup garou doctor, Dr. Ballard, saved Julio’s life after he was stabbed and his gut was ripped open under his navel from one side of his lower abdomen to the other. They managed to stitch him up and close without giving him a colostomy bag, but it was a close call. Sean used his Voice to help Julio get over the infection and to heal his injuries quickly so he and Alpha Daurensbourg could mate. If we lost Julio, we would have lost Alpha Daurensbourg, one of the downsides of being loup garou.” René flagged the steward and asked for a plate of loaded nachos for Frankie.
Frankie had followed the conversation with interest. “A gut wound is one of the least survivable wounds you can receive with a knife. A knife in the heart will kill you outright, but a gut wound kills you slowly. What’s worse, is that you begin to think you’ll recover and then the infection sets in, you get sepsis, and it’s all over. It’s a miracle Alpha Mate Daurensbourg survived, a testament to both doctors’ skill and The Alpha Mate’s voice.”
Frankie noticed that Edward possessed a taciturn nature. He had been in his soon-to-be brother-in-law’s company twice now, and he doubted Edward had spoken any more than a few words. Frankie thought lawyers were supposed to be garrulous. It would be hard work getting to know Edward. He seemed like a perfect match for Martin who obviously had learned to be quiet standing at The Alpha’s shoulder. René spoke more often. He suited the Alpha Mate, who, from what Frankie could see, never shut up.
“How did you meet Martin?” Frankie wanted to know if the quiet Edward had fallen as fast as Frankie had for his wolf.
Martin grinned at Edward. Edward gave him a soft smile in return. “I graduated from Columbia Law and was downtown sitting in Washington Square Park feeling glum, after another unsuccessful job interview. It seemed to me at the time that you needed connections with the movers and the shakers in the city to work at one of the prestigious law firms. I was at the top of my class and still couldn’t find work. Then again, I was also gay which, I suspect, wouldn’t do me any favors in court. I was wondering if I should go home to Indiana. As I sat on a bench in front of, what I learned later was The Alpha’s house, Martin came outside to check on me, see if I was a threat. Of course, he recognized me instantly as his Mate.”
“Since he was seeking work,” Martin said, “I begged The Alpha to offer him a job. The Alpha was glad to do it. We were all becoming positively maudlin over being unable to find our Mates that cycle. The Alpha gave Edward a couple of contracts to read. He planned on offering Edward busy work if he wasn’t qualified to do anything else, and as The Alpha always says, I’ll do anything to facilitate a mating.”
“I knew Martin was attracted to me and I was hot for him.” Edward squeezed his Mate’s hand. “I wasn’t a virgin. I did the clubs in college and law school, but by that time I was all clubbed out. I was searching for a relationship. Martin definitely appeared to be relationship material.” He got up and asked around, “Cognac?”
The three men at the tables nodded. Edward came back with the cognac and set the snifters down in the drink holder indentations in the two tables. He sat and took a sip of his. Frankie had to ask, “What happened next?”
Edward picked up the story. “I examined the contracts and found two clauses that could potentially harm Garou Industries, increasing their liability for nonperformance of subcontractors and vendors. It was lost in the standard language of a normal contract in what seemed like boilerplate terms and conditions.”
“Our lawyers had made the mistake of not reading the section thinking it was the usual language. That’s how they described it—the usual language.” Martin shook his head.
“In law school, I was taught to read everything, and this was an opportunity to work for a firm cloaked in a mystery surrounded by legend. Everyone wanted to work for Garou Industries, and no one ever got as far as an interview. There I was, sitting on a park bench licking my wounds, and I was handed the chance of a lifetime by the most interesting and attractive man I had ever met. You can damn well bet I read the entire contract.” Edward grabbed Martin’s hand and kissed his wrist.
“When he found the offending clause, he brought it over to me. I was surprised, as we had hired one of the best law firms in the country. I ran to The Alpha and told him about it. Fortunately, he called in time, and Alpha Thierry didn’t sign. The Alpha immediately hired Edward but demanded I tell him about us right away. I was scared to death that I’d lose him.” Martin shuddered. “But, the Alpha
wanted to hire him and couldn’t unless he knew, so…”
Edward smiled, his eyes glimmering with a faraway light. “I had already decided that I wanted Martin and was about to go after him, no holds barred. He fell into my hand like a ripe peach. We made out for a little, then he said he had something to show me. He took me over to his house from The Alpha’s and started to undress. I was so with the program. I started pulling off my clothes.”
“I stopped him from undressing. It was one of the hardest things I ever did, but at least I knew he liked me. I sat him down on the sofa and…”
“…Made him promise not to move.” Frankie grinned. “They must teach that in loup garou college because that’s exactly what René told me. I was totally prepared, I had read Alpha Mate Thierry’s book.”
“When I met Martin,” Edward continued, “Jason Jones was writing books, but he didn’t know what he wrote about was real. I hadn’t read many paranormal romances, but I did read his. I wanted it to be true. I’d had too many bad men in my life and longed for a good man I could love, who loved me back, wouldn’t cheat, and would treat me right. When he changed, I went down on my knees in front of him and cried.”
“Edward became so upset that I panicked and changed back. I went to him without dressing and almost disgraced The Alpha and became a lone wolf.” Martin stood and approached the back of Edward’s seat and kissed his neck. Grabbing Edward’s glass, he asked, “Another, Mamour?” Edward nodded. Martin touched his cheek, “Je t’aime.”
“Je t’aime beaucoup.” Edward kissed his husband’s fingers, then turned his chair toward Frankie and continued, “Martin dressed me and took me back to The Alpha. I was still in shock. The Alpha explained what Mates were to each other and made the arrangement to go to New Mexico the next evening. It was a Monday. We were mated by Wednesday night and married on Saturday. Meg catered the wedding. I’ve been The Alpha and the Council’s personal legal counsel ever since. Occasionally, I do consultant work for Garou Industries, but the Council keeps me busy with their private affairs.” Edward chuckled.