The Girl Who Cried War

by Heather Hildenbrand

  “My mother has the calligraphy skills of an angel, you simpleton,” Lynch calls back, making his way to the house.

  Kash chuckles. “Quick! Let’s get out of here before he puts us to work. Trust me. You do not want to be a part of Lynch’s party mob,” he whispers, dragging me behind him.

  “Lynch has a party mob?” I ask.

  Kash groans, urging me to hurry. I grab Talia’s hand as we pass her bike, making her the caboose of our little train as we skirt around the side of the house.

  “That’s what he calls the crew of people who help execute his party plans,” Kash says, grimacing at me over his shoulder. “If we slip in the back door, he’ll never even notice.”

  “That’s what she said,” I whisper.

  Kash turns back and winks at me in a way that makes my skin heat.

  Talia mutters something about keeping it in his pants.

  “What about Anna?” I ask. “Surely she’s gonna notice us coming in the back door.”

  Kash shrugs. “Then we’ll see if she needs any help.”

  “I don’t know why he thinks she will be any better than Lynch is,” Talia mutters from behind me. “Has he met her since we destroyed her dessert truck?” she whispers, and I giggle my agreement.

  “Trust me. She’s the lesser of two evils right now,” Kash insists. “There’s a zero percent chance that sign is getting hung until Lynch redesigns it to his exact specifications. Which means, he’s going to be stomping around muttering about being late and claiming we’re all trying to destroy his party.”

  “Except it’s not his party. The party is for the girls,” I say. “And their babies.”

  Kash laughs again. “Listen, Pepper, one thing you’re going to have to accept as a member of this family is that no party is ever for anyone but Lynch.”

  “Your wedding should be fun then,” I say to Talia.

  “Shut up,” she mutters, ripping her hand from mine and storming into the house.

  I laugh, following her through the back door, but I come up short as I take in how the house has been transformed.

  “Whoa. Damn, that smells good,” Kash says, stopping just behind me to inhale the aromas.

  “Come on.” I tug him along with me and follow Talia into the kitchen.

  Then we all stop short and stare.

  Food lines every available space in the kitchen with people moving chaotically in and out. Anna stands in the middle of it all, calmly directing people to their next task. Girlfriend is strapped to her chest in a baby carrier, doing her best to lick the icing as Anna artfully arranges pink and blue cupcakes on tiered trays.

  Sweets line the bartop that separates the open concept kitchen from the living area. The ends are flanked by giant glass vases that are filled with pink and blue cotton candy. Pink macaroons with blue filling and their opposites are stacked on long glass dishes. Her famous banana pudding has been individually portioned into dozens of parfait cups that are flanked by two trays of her granny’s lemon sugar cookies. One tray has been decorated with blue mustaches, and the other holds bright-pink eyelashes.

  Cute! That must be Lynch’s theme! Lashes and Staches.

  On the far side of the room, the buffet is loaded down with bacon roses, bite-sized chicken and waffles, ham and cheese rollups, veggie and dip cups, and pink and blue deviled eggs. Even though it’s just after lunchtime, I’m sure the wolves will make quick work of it. My stomach growls just looking at it all.

  “I was thinking the same thing,” Kash says, leaning down to place a kiss on my neck.

  I let out a little moan, arching my back against him.

  “You do know that is how this happens,” Anna says, motioning around to the party decorations.

  I squeak, jumping out of Kash’s arms. Ignoring Kash’s answering chuckle, I cross over to the kitchen. I am not ready for pups yet!

  “Do you need any help, Anna-Banana?” I ask, my voice shakey.

  “I s’pose it’s the least you can do,” she says with a dramatic sigh.

  I groan, and she grins before instructing me to help Talia finish icing the sugar cookies.

  Talia arches a brow at me as we’re left to our task.

  “You team boy or team girl?”

  I shrug. “Girl, I guess.”

  “Then this tray is for you,” she says, handing me the eyelash shaped cookies.

  “All right. Hand me that sparkly pink icing, and let’s get it done,” I say, falling into the routine we’ve done a thousand times before.

  “Let’s take a selfie,” I say an hour later.

  My friends gather around me and smile at the camera. When I’ve taken the photo, I click on my gallery, glance down at my phone, and smile. Kash and Talia are sporting fuzzy, blue mustaches. While Lynch, Anna, and I rock pink eyeglasses with massive, black eyelashes. Justice wears both, claiming there are enough pregnant girls around for both genders to prevail. Even Girlfriend is decked out in a bright pink tutu and matching bow.

  Heaven help Talia if she and Lynch ever have an actual baby of their own.

  “Aww, we look so cute, y’all,” Anna gushes.

  “Yeah, yeah,” Talia says. “Let’s go check in on all the girls.”

  I blow Kash a kiss as we leave him behind with Lynch and make our way over to Reagan. Beside her, Bellamy, one of Kash’s pack members, leans in whispering something in her ear. She giggles as he steps back. Then she looks up just as we get close.

  “Hey,” she says, blushing.

  “Hey, Reagan,” I say. “Are you having fun?”

  “Oh, yeah,” she says with a little too much enthusiasm. “The party is amazing, and the food is so delicious. I can’t thank you guys enough. You’ve already given us so much,” she says, tears welling in her hazel eyes as she rests a hand on her swollen belly.

  “Oh, you don’t have to thank us, honey,” Anna says with a smile. “It’s our pleasure. Besides, y’all deserve a little happiness after all you’ve been through. It’s the least we could do, really.”

  Bellamy steps to Reagan’s side, rubbing small circles on her back, and Reagan smiles up at him.

  “We’re just gonna make the rounds,” I say, grinning at Talia before turning my attention back to Reagan. “But you be sure to let us know if you need anything. Okay?”

  She nods, and we hug. I turn to make our way to the next girl but freeze as I take in the room. All around, the men of Kash’s pack are fawning over the rescued girls.

  “You’d think these poor bastards have never seen a pair of boobs before,” Talia mutters under her breath.

  Justice laughs. “Look at that one!”

  I look in the direction he points and do a double-take as I see Doyle perched next to Jade. His eyes wander over her sleek, black hair and full curves.

  “I’m not the father, but you can call me daddy,” he says.

  I groan, but to my surprise, Jade laughs, her straight hair swinging as she shakes her head.

  “You didn’t honestly think that would work did you?” she asks him.

  He grimaces, rubbing his hands over the back of his neck. “Kinda,” he answers truthfully, causing Jade to erupt into another fit of giggles.

  “That was a brutal rejection,” Justice says with a grin.

  I shake my head, confident that Jade can handle herself when it comes to Doyle and his terrible game. My eyes land on Danielle where she stands next to Birdie, enraptured by the old witch.

  Today, Birdie’s long gray hair is pulled up in a ponytail, and chic circular glasses sit perched on her face.

  Talia chuckles as the words on her t-shirt peek out of her furry pink jacket. The white tee reads Old is the new black.

  “Well, don’t just stand there staring. Get over here and say hello,” Birdie scolds when she sees me.

  “Hi, Birdie,” I say, giving her a hug. “I didn’t know that you knew Danielle.”

  “This pack finally gets someone worthy enough to be their doctor, and you think I’m not gonna know about it?”
she scoffs before embracing Anna. “You bet your tits I made it my business to get to know the new pack doc.”

  My gaze darts to Danielle, who grins. “Pack doc, huh?”

  She laughs. “I guess so,” she says, shrugging her shoulders. “I thought any chance I had of being a doctor was over after what Nick and Conner did to me, but Birdie is going to teach me about supernatural medicine.”

  “I finally got myself an apprentice,” Birdie says, patting Danielle on the cheek. “Once she’s all trained up and can handle these needy dogs, I’m finally gonna get to take that trip to Burning Man with my friend Mirabelle.”

  “My queen,” Justice says, bending into a low bow. “I hope I’m as fabulous as you always.”

  Birdie shakes her head, a small grin on her face. “Come on, boy. I’ve got someone you should meet.”

  Justice’s smile falls from his face as Birdie tugs him away. “Help me,” Justice mouths over his shoulder.

  I shake my head, waving my fingers at him as he’s dragged away to where Levi is settled leaning against the wall. Levi straightens when he notices them approaching, his hands brushing away imaginary wrinkles, and I smile at his nervousness.

  “So how are you doing?” I say, turning my attention back to Danielle. “The girls seem to be keeping you busy.”

  “They are, but I love it. I took that doula class just so my parents would pay for me to go to California,” she says with a grin. “I just wanted to lay on the beach for the summer and hit on wannabe actors. I never thought I’d actually use the knowledge I gained there to help deliver a baby, much less a dozen of them.” She bites her lip. “I’m kinda nervous,” she admits.

  “You’ll do great,” Talia says.

  “Yeah,” Anna agrees. “Everyone can see how much you care about those girls.”

  I nod my head in agreement. “After everything they’ve been through, having someone they feel safe with in the room is going to make everything so much less scary for them.”

  “Ladies.” Kash’s low timber sounds from just behind me before a hand lands on my lower back. “Would you mind if I steal Romy for a bit?” he asks. “There’s someone I’d like to introduce her to.”

  The girls murmur their consent, and Kash guides me away. We cross through the room and step out into the attached sunroom.

  “Ah, the old ‘I have someone I need to introduce her to’ trick, huh,” I say when we step into the empty room.

  I turn, reaching up on my toes to pull him in for a kiss. Kash chuckles and starts to speak, but I silence him with another, and he quickly gives into the kiss as I press myself closer to him. Kash growls low in his throat as he kisses me soundly but quickly before stepping back. I frown up at him in confusion.

  He reaches for me, his hands slipping down my sides before spinning me around.

  “Pepper, I’d like you to meet my mother, Lina Montgomery.”

  I gasp.

  There, in the corner of the room, his mother sits wrapped in blankets in a comfy looking chaise. With her slight frame, I didn’t notice her in the bundle of blankets when we first walked in. She smiles kindly, and I feel even weirder as I remember the show I just gave her.

  “Oh-em-gee. I’m so sorry. I didn’t see you there.” My face flames as I continue rambling. “I’m sorry for mauling your son.” Oh, God! Shut up, Romy!

  Kash laughs a deep belly laugh, and I elbow him in the stomach, too embarrassed to meet anyone’s eyes. Kash steps closer, his arms wrapping around my waist. “My mom understands that you can’t keep your hands off of me, Pepper. It’s not your fault.”

  “It’s in the genes,” says a soft voice.

  My eyes snap up to meet kind eyes so much like the ones belonging to the man I love. Every time I’ve asked to meet her, Kash tells me she’s been sort of checked out ever since her husband died. But today, her eyes are clear, leaving no doubt that she’s here in the moment with us. A small smile flits across her face.

  “That’s what my Otto always used to say,” she says, her voice sounding stronger. “Come, chat with me,” she says, patting the cushion next to her.

  You can do this, Romy. You’re just meeting your boyfriend’s mom. After you just propositioned said son right in front of her. No big deal.

  I step out of Kash’s embrace and cross the room, Kash trailing behind me.

  “Not you. Go bother someone else, son. This is girl talk,” his mother says, rolling her eyes. The gesture brings her even more to life, and I hide a smile.

  Kash hesitates as I sit down next to his mother’s legs at the end of the chaise. His eyes dart to me with uncertainty.

  “I’m not gonna bite her. For heaven’s sake,” she says. “Get out of here before I have to take my shoe off and whip your behind.”

  Kash chuckles, bending down to kiss his mother on the cheek. “Be nice to my mate, Ma,” he says sternly before turning to me. He kisses the tip of my nose. “I’ll be just inside if you need me.”

  I watch him go with a wistful smile.

  “He’s a good man,” she says, drawing my attention back to her. “I’m glad that he found you. I haven’t been the best mother since...you know,” she says, breaking off like she can’t bear to say the words aloud.

  “Yeah, I know,” I say thickly.

  A silence settles over us as we study each other. I don’t bother to tell her I know exactly how crushing those kinds of losses can be. I don’t have to. From the look in her eyes, I can tell she sees her pain mirrored in my own. The loss of my parents doesn’t weigh on me now like the loss of her husband does, but once upon a time, we weren’t so different.

  And now that we’re face to face, I understand why Kash had been so hesitant to tell her about Brody being the one who killed her husband.

  “That’s going to change though,” she says suddenly, sitting up a little straighter–like whatever she saw in my eyes was the final straw. “I’ve been lost in the fog of grief for too long. My Otto, if he were here, wouldn’t recognize the woman I’ve become. I still have so much to live for. My baby has found a mate, and the pack is about to be overrun with little ones. It’s time to pull myself together. Lina Montgomery doesn’t wallow.” She winks at me. “Well, not for long anyway.”

  We both laugh.

  “So, Romy, tell me more about yourself.”

  I blow out a breath, unsure where to start, and I say as much.

  “Why don’t you start at the beginning,” she suggests. “How did you first meet my son?”

  I startle. “Kash didn’t tell you?” I don’t want to be the one to tell her I witnessed her son commit murder.

  She chuckles. “Oh, he told me all right–though he probably didn’t think I was listening. But I’d like to hear it from your perspective.”

  “Okay,” I say, rolling my shoulders. I tell her all about the night I first saw Kash, and I don’t stop until I fill her in on what happened earlier when we met Xan. I don’t leave anything out. Not even our newest revelation that Brody is responsible for her husband’s death.

  “I’m just not sure how smart it is to trust Xan. I mean, we’ve kind of been burned once already by someone we thought was harmless,” I finish.

  Fire simmers in her blue eyes at the mention of the man who killed her mate, but she doesn’t ask for more information about him. Kash already told her everything we know earlier. Instead, she does her best to assure me. “Xan and Otto have been stirring up trouble together since they were in college, but he’s a loyal friend. If Otto was ever in trouble, Xan was the first person he’d call. You don’t have anything to worry about with him.”

  I sigh in relief. I didn’t realize how much I needed to hear that we could trust Professor Higgins until now.

  “So, what will you do to keep your school project going?” Lina asks. “Xan wasn’t kidding when he said he wouldn’t give you an extension. He’s a stickler for the rules. Must be a huntsman thing.”

  “I’m not sure,” I answer honestly. “Everything else just seems so mu
ch more important. Right now, I’m just kinda having fun by claiming jerks around campus are different supes. It’s boosted my numbers a little bit, but not enough. I’ll have to think of something else. I just keep hoping we can handle this situation with Brody first.”

  “Hmm. Since everyone thinks you’re just playing around, why don’t you just start outing the celebrities in our ranks?”

  “What?” I screech before lowering my voice so Kash doesn’t come running. “There are celebrities who are werewolves?”

  Lina chuckles. “Oh honey, you didn’t think the perfection that is Jason Momoa comes from human DNA, did you?”

  My mouth falls open. Jason Momoa is a werewolf?! Actually, scratch that. That makes total sense.

  “There are supernaturals everywhere you look. You just have to know what you’re looking for,” Lina says. “The things I could tell you,” she adds with a gleam in her eye.

  And tell me, she does.

  When Kash comes back to get me, Lina and I are giggling so hard we’re crying.

  “Looks like you ladies are having fun,” Kash says, his smile wide. “I hate to break up your party out here, but some of the girls are asking where Romy is.”

  I frown, not ready to leave Lina.

  “Oh, go on. I should probably take a nap anyway. Moping around for months doesn’t exactly help one’s stamina,” she says, but despite the exhaustion, I can see a spark in her that’s glowing brighter than before. “We’ll talk again soon.”

  I nod, standing and smoothing down my dress. “I’m so glad I finally got the chance to meet you. I’ve been dying to meet the woman capable of making and raising someone as amazing as Kash.”

  Kash steps closer to me, his hand reaching down to grab my own. His eyes burn with the promise of later, and my stomach flips.

  “Best DIY project ever,” Lina says, breaking the tension, and we all laugh.

  Kash kisses his mother on the cheek, promising to send Levi and someone named Bev out to help her to her room. She waves him away, telling him not to fuss over her, and shoots me a wink. I wave my fingers at her as Kash pulls me from the room and back into the madness that is the baby shower. It’s only then that I realize I spent the whole time talking to Kash’s mom wearing pink glasses with giant, fake eyelashes on them.