The Wolf In The White House

by Bonnie Burrows

  Maci’s brow furrowed and she looked at Chad, really looked at him and her stomach sank. She stood, rushing to his side as he began to slide down the iron fence, his face pallid.

  “Medic!” she yelled into the crowd. “Someone call a medic!”

  She was crouched down in front of him, pulling at his black sport jacket, revealing the large red stain beneath.

  “Chad, when did you get shot?” she asked.

  “In the Oval Office. His shot went wild.”

  “Why didn’t you say anything?” she demanded, trying to keep him talking as the blood pooled beneath him.

  “The president was in danger.”

  The paramedics were there faster than Maci thought was possible, but she realized that they were part of the military force that was summoned. Maci moved aside, letting them work on Chad as she stood beside Archer and Logan, watching. A third medic checked on the clone who had pulled a gun on Archer, looking at the clone, then Archer with shock, then checking for a pulse. He found none, calling for a body bag and hurriedly removing the body before the reporters shifted their focus to the man who looked exactly like the president.

  The sirens broke through her thoughts, and she turned to see the crowd parting to let the ambulance in. She was numb as she watched Chad being loaded into the ambulance, then the doors closed, and the ambulance drove away.

  Archer led her to the truck with Logan by her side, still in wolf form. She opened the door, greeting Sara and Sam quietly and handing Logan his clothes when he shifted back to human form.

  “What’s going on?” Sara demanded, looking at the sullen looks on the three faces in front of her and knowing something was wrong.

  Maci looked at Sara with eyes filled with tears.

  “Chad’s been shot. Sara, it doesn’t look good.”

  “Where are they taking him?” Sam asked, flipping on the lights and putting the truck in gear before Logan even had the chance to close the door behind himself.

  Archer rattled off the address, and Sam punched the gas, racing against time to get to the hospital to see his son.

  CHAPTER 16

  Logan stood in the waiting room with Maci, watching her quietly as she paced the floor.

  “Why haven’t they come out yet?”

  “They need to stabilize him,” Logan said. “They’ll come out and update us when they can.”

  “It’s been an hour,” she said.

  “It might be even longer than that,” Logan said.

  “Where did your parents go?”

  “They went with Archer to check the mental health facility, to make sure that there was no one left behind, friend or foe. They’re also staying around because Archer has big plans tomorrow, and as the Alpha, my father has to be there for ceremonial signings.”

  “That makes sense. I know they would rather be here.”

  “They know that we have it under control.”

  “I don’t feel in control. He was shot in the Oval Office, and I didn’t even notice. Now that I look back, he was breathing funny, and he wasn’t moving very fast. I thought it was because they both had been through so much. It didn’t even cross my mind—Logan, what if he dies because he didn’t get care fast enough?”

  “Stop,” he said, pulling her into his arms and holding her tight. “Don’t blame yourself for the actions of a madman. You did your job. You protected Archer, and you got him to safety. No one expects you do anything more than that. You got Chad to safety, too. You went above and beyond. If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have known that the original Archers were not the real Archer. I never would have guessed that there were two clones.”

  “We know each other better than anyone,” she said, shrugging it off. “It really wasn’t a big deal, but I knew that he would remember when he had the surgery, and he would remember what I had brought him. He teased me about it mercilessly for years. Everyone else was bringing him get well cards, and I brought him homework.”

  Maci laughed despite her anxiety.

  “I’ll tell you, I think I was just as shocked as the second clone when you shot him, too.”

  She ducked her head.

  “I was just doing my job.”

  “You say that a lot, but I think that it’s more. You’re not just doing your job, you’re doing a fantastic job, and I’m glad that Archer appreciates you. He’s lucky to have someone who values his life so highly. Most people wouldn’t put another life above their own.”

  He was swaying gently now, rocking her while they stood there on their feet.

  “I just wish I’d had a moment to talk to Chad. He had something he wanted to tell me. I guess now that I’ll never know.”

  “You will,” Logan said.

  Before he could say more, the doctor walked in, his face grim and his steps hurried.

  “We’ve got him stabilized, but he’ll need surgery. I need to have next of kin sign off. I also need to have any blood relatives tested for a match for a kidney. Mr. Hardwick may lose one or both, and I need to know that someone is available. Are either one of you related to M/r. Hardwick by blood?”

  “She is,” Logan said, pointing to Maci.

  Maci looked at Logan, her expression incredulous.

  “What?” she said.

  “That is what he was trying to tell you. The reason your stories are so similar is because he’s your older brother.”

  “Logan, I can’t be-”

  “I hate to break this up, but time is of the essence here. Can you sign this, and are you willing to get tested for compatibility in case he needs a kidney donation?”

  “Of course,” she said, signing the paper quickly.

  “Good. See Nurse Sharpe over there at the desk, and she’ll get you set up with a quick match test. They aren’t infallible, but it will do for now. I’ll update you when surgery is done.”

  Maci nodded, that numb feeling back as she went to the nurses’ station and requested that she be tested. The nurse hurried her to a room, where they drew blood and asked her not to eat until Chad was out of surgery, just in case. She nodded, then wandered back to where Logan was, sitting down in a chair and patting the seat beside her.

  He sat down, putting his arms around her and kissing her on the cheek.

  “Tell me everything. Don’t stop until the story is finished.”

  “I’ll start with what I know,” he said, recounting the story of his parents finding Chad in the woods when Sara was pregnant with Logan.

  “So, that would mean that our mother got pregnant with me just a year after abandoning Chad in the woods to die?”

  “From what we know, that is accurate.”

  “Everything makes so much sense. Chad was always trying to get my attention, breaking protocol to talk to me. I thought he was trying to get me to go on a date with him. It never occurred to me that he was my brother.”

  “He was over the moon when he found out he had a little sister. My parents only have boys, and we all always wanted a little sister.”

  “Why didn’t your family come for me? I could have had a better childhood than the one I was saddled with.”

  “That is where Fate comes in.”

  “We make our own Fate,” she countered, bitter that her horrible childhood would come down to something as simple as her dumb luck.

  “We do, to an extent. But Fated dreams aren’t just about soulmates. When we found out about you, you were already five years old.”

  “Why did it take so long?”

  “We are cut off from the world where we are. It wasn’t until we found out they had died that Chad wanted to find out what he could about them. He was almost twelve, and I was just seven. My mom went to find you, and when she did, you were with Archer, and you were happy. You were thriving, and she knew in her heart that you were where you were meant to be.”

  “My life was hell for a very long time.”

  “I know that, and I’m so sorry. No one should have to go through that, but Fate stepped in that day and tied o
ur hands. We had no idea that you lived with that other family. You were playing outside with Archer, and a lovely woman came outside and called you both in for dinner. She scooped you up and hugged you, kissing you on the cheek. My mom saw how much she loved you and knew you were in good hands.”

  “I always wished that Mrs. Johnson was my mom. She is so wonderful.”

  “If we had known, we would have taken you with us. But then-”

  “Then I would have missed Archer, and I wouldn’t be the woman I am today.”

  “I know it’s hard to see how sometimes we have to go through things in order to live up to our full potential, but Fate didn’t want my mother to see the truth that day, and I have to believe that there is a good reason why.”

  “I understand. I’m not upset. I’ve felt cheated about my childhood since I turned eighteen. I guess I need to look at it from a different angle and understand that I wouldn’t be me without my foster parents.”

  “Or without Archer’s parents.”

  “You’re right. It’s the entire package. As hard as it is to accept, things went the way they were supposed to.”

  “I’m glad you can see that. Fate is wise. We have freewill, but when Fate steps in, there’s always a good reason.”

  “Are we talking about my childhood now, or something else?”

  “I’m talking about us now.”

  “I’m not sure I’m ready for there to be an us.”

  “It doesn’t have to happen now.”

  “What if it never happens?”

  “I’m willing to take whatever you’re willing to give. If this is it, I’ll take that, too.”

  “I don’t know how you can be so patient about things. I’m telling you that I don’t know if I can commit to something so big, and you’re telling me that you’ll wait.” She laughed softly. “I just don’t know how you do it.”

  “I’ve been waiting for you for most of my life. Another few months won’t hurt me,” he said, pulling her closer and cupping her cheek. “You can take your time, and I’ll savor each moment.”

  Footsteps in the hall interrupted them before Maci could say anything back to him. The nurse that came down the hall was smiling, and Maci’s anxiety eased somewhat while they waited for the woman to reach them and share her news.

  Maci reached out and grabbed Logan’s hand, preparing herself for anything.

  “Are you Chad’s sister and brother-in-law?” the woman asked.

  Maci nodded, ignoring the woman’s assumption about her and Logan.

  “He’s out of surgery now, and it went better than expected. He’s asleep, and he won’t be able to talk, but you can see him now for a few minutes. After that, you should go on home and rest. I saw you both on television tonight; you were both amazing. You can’t do anything more for him tonight, and you’ve had a long day. Rest, and come back tomorrow.”

  “I don’t want to leave,” Maci said.

  “Child, don’t be scared,” the older woman said. “Your brother is going to be just fine. You saved his life.”

  It took a moment for the words to set in, and when they did, Maci felt the relief wash over her in one massive wave. Chad was going to be alright, and he was going to live to talk to her about everything she didn’t know about their family. He was going to live to catch up on her life and to share his story with her. All the sadness of her childhood, and that lost, empty feeling she’d had for so long, would fade and be replaced with love.

  Logan took her hand, and together, they walked down to the recovery room. Chad was there, laying on the hospital bed, resting peacefully. Maci touched his hand, smiling when he reflexively squeezed back, even though she knew that he probably wasn’t aware of their presence. It didn’t matter. He was alive and well, and he would live another day.

  That was more than she had thought possible, and so much more than she could have asked for.

  THE FINAL CHAPTER

  Two months later

  Sam carefully guided the truck over the last mile of the dirt road while an anxious Maci looked ahead.

  “I’m so glad that you could come with me,” Chad said to Maci. “I was surprised that you took a leave of absence to help take care of me while I recover.”

  Maci waved him off.

  “We are family,” she said, loving the feel of that word on her tongue. “Archer understands, and I needed a break. I’m exhausted all the time, and things are just a little overwhelming.”

  “His security team is almost triple what it was,” Chad said. “I’m sure that he’ll survive without you there.”

  “I know he will,” she said. “He went through hell and still managed to keep his head on straight. Archer is fine. I’m fine. I’m excited to spend some time away from the constant barrage of news stories about Grant and the clones. It has been two months. I wish that they would just let it go already.”

  Chad laughed.

  “I don’t see that happening any time soon.”

  “I know,” Maci sighed. “But at least I don’t have to deal with it for a few months.”

  “We are so glad to have you both here,” Sara said from her seat beside Sam. “It’s almost like having all our kids home for the holidays. I know that Logan will be happy to see you, Maci.”

  Maci’s heart skipped a beat at the mere mention of Logan’s name. She hadn’t seen him in nearly a month after he had left to return home and share the news of the sweeping legislative changes to the laws that bound shifters to the woods. According to Sam, most of the wolves had stayed in the village, but a few young wolves had ventured out into the world, happy to be allowed to roam completely free. The registry was abolished, and the imaginary line between shifters and humans was erased with a stroke of Archer’s pen.

  Sure, there were some humans that still bristled at the idea of being on the same level as werewolves, but they were in the minority. The rest of the country welcomed the heroes with open arms.

  “He’s been in that cabin day in and day out, and I hardly see him,” Sam said, his voice gruff. “I’m hoping that he’ll perk up with you here.”

  “I don’t know about that,” Maci said. “I’m going to be with Chad most of the time, so-”

  “I don’t need that much help, Maci. Besides, the pack is my family. There’s no reason for one person to shoulder so much of the load.”

  “I don’t mind,” Maci said quickly.

  “I do,” Chad said. “I’m feeling a lot better. I don’t need you coddling me, I promise. It will be nice to have you here to share meals with and spend some time catching up on all the family time we missed. But that doesn’t mean that you have to be by my side all day, every day. You have your own life. Live it. I’ll still be here.”

  Maci nodded, but inside, she was panicking. Logan had left to come back home after she had told him that no matter what she felt for him, she refused to believe in Fate. He had kissed her goodbye and told her that he would wait for her, and she had gone home.

  Even after replacing her security system, she still was plagued by vivid dreams, many of them dreams that she knew in her heart were Fated Mate dreams, but still, she fought it. She didn’t want Fate to choose her destiny. She wanted to choose her own destiny.

  Still, the sleepless nights were taking a toll on her, and when Chad had finally been released from the hospital and said that he wanted to go home, Maci had been eager to join him.

  Now that she was here and they were pulling up to the end of the road, she wasn’t so sure that this was the best idea. It was one thing to deny Fate when it was almost one hundred miles away. But when he was right there, Maci wasn’t sure that she could resist temptation.

  “It’s going to be alright,” Sara said. Sam and Chad piled out of the truck, but Sara held up a hand, signaling that Maci should hang back with her. “I want to tell you a story.”

  “Okay,” Maci said, not sure where this was going.

  “When Sam came to me and said that he had seen me in a dream, I was skeptical, to
o. I wasn’t raised among my own kind like Sam was, and I hadn’t grown up accepting of the ideas of a Fated Mate.”

  “Why weren’t you with your own kind?”

  “My parents lived in secret among the humans, and they saw no reason to change. We didn’t move during their lifetime, but once they were gone, I felt very alone and moved to this village. When I showed up, Sam greeted me at the entrance, telling me in no uncertain terms that I had been chosen just for him by Fate.”

  “And that didn’t go well,” Maci said, sure that she knew how Sara was going to answer.

  “Worse than that. I was appalled by his arrogance, and I was afraid. It was such a foreign custom to me, and I fought it for a long time.”

  “What happened?” Maci asked.

  “The sky didn’t come crashing around my ears or anything like that, but I was miserable.”

  “Why?”

  “Because I did love him, but I was scared. Living here is different than the life I always knew, and the unknown and the isolation of this place were just terrifying. It’s so much easier to just sit back and live our boring, simple, safe lives.”

  “I don’t really understand your point. I’m not scared.”

  Sara smiled.

  “I think you do understand. I can see it in your eyes; you haven’t slept well since Logan came back here.”

  “How do you know that?”

  “Fate can be a pushy thing, and I would lay money that your dreams have been plagued by vivid events that all have the same theme: if you stay with Logan, you’re safe.”

  Maci shook her head and sighed.

  “My entire life has been a series of choices that were made for me,” she said, looking down at her hands and trying to keep her voice steady. “The only choice I ever really made was to become Archer’s campaign manager and then his security. Everything else has been someone else’s choice or someone else’s failure. I don’t want Fate to choose my destiny.”

  “Fate isn’t choosing your destiny,” Sara said. “Fate is showing you the one heart in this world that beats the same as yours. Fate is showing you the man who will support your choices and who will love you through the good times and the bad. Do you love Logan?”