A childhood photo on the wall greeted him as he pushed the old, wooden door open. The scents that would otherwise make his stomach churn did not make him feel as bad as they had. Gasoline, grease and metal smelled like home again. Putting his hands on his waist, he sauntered towards the picture. He smiled to himself, as he took it off the wall. With his thumb, he swiped the dust off. The brothers’ faces became clearer, but he had no interest in looking at himself or Dean. He stared at the brother he had already started missing badly: Ray. But, Raul’s trip down memory lane was brought to a sudden halt. The hurried, yet light, footsteps outside compelled him to hang the picture back on the wall. Monica stormed into the workshop, with a thin pack of paper in her right hand, as he turned around. For some reason he could not fathom, she had a broad smile on her face.
“Doc, what are you doing here?” He asked, curiosity sending his voice two octaves up, as she stopped right in front of him. “Why are you smiling?”
“I just got back from the hospital,” she gasped, her eyes glinting with a mix of joy and relief. “The coroner concurs. The cause of death is exsanguination. But, I ran some blood tests. The person we cremated today…” she paused. “He wasn’t Ray. He’s got human blood.”
“What?” Raul squinted down at her, unable to keep his voice down. “What are you talking about?”
“It’s true.” Monica’s voice picked up volume as she gave an emphatic nod. “Analyzing genes and DNA sequences would take weeks. I did something much simpler. I took a sample of his blood yesterday, and infected it with the syphilis virus. Shifters are immune to sexually transmitted diseases by nature. The blood tested positive for syphilis this afternoon. Also, lab results showed that you share no genetic markers with him. You are not related to him.”
Raul lifted his hand up and banged his palm against his forehead, his mouth partially open, as he tried to comprehend what he had just heard. He wasn’t a doctor, he couldn’t understand technicalities, but the big, bold letters on the top page of the packet left him with no doubt. It read “NO MATCH.” His heart went into a flurry of wild beats, as he realized that his brother was still alive. Ray Bradford, his flesh and blood, still drew breath somewhere in the wilderness.
“Oh, doc…” he gasped, as a glorious smile formed on his face. “I can’t believe it.”
“It is undeniable,” she tried to say stiffly, but her own grin stayed on. “You have to.”
“Where the hell is he, then?” Raul wondered, thrusting his arms out to either side. “And who the fuck would have us believe Ray was dead?”
“Someone who’s out to hurt you,” Helena interjected her opinion, as she walked into the workshop. “I heard everything,” she said in her usual feathery voice, a blissful smile adorning her face, as she wrapped her right arm around Monica’s shoulders to pull her into a side hug. “Thank you so much,” she whispered, laying a tender kiss on the doctor’s cheek. “This is the best news I’ve heard in a long time.”
“I can’t think of anybody,” the Alpha stated, still struggling to recover from the shockwaves that the revelation had sent coursing through him.
“I take it you’ve been to the scene,” Helena speculated, turning to the left to face him. “Tell me, Raul. What did you see?”
“It happened a few yards away from ‘Joe’s’ diner. Julia didn’t hear any commotion. There was some blood, and a lot of flattened grass: there were no signs of a struggle: there was nothing to indicate that there’d been a fight there. It seemed like the body had fallen out of the sky. It got me curious, but what was I supposed to do? He looked exactly like Ray. He even had the same clothes my brother had on that night.” Raul’s reply was as quick as it was thorough.
“I saw the body last night. The resemblance is uncanny,” Helena admitted, as her smile was wiped off of her face. “But, you’ve been dealing with witches for a while now, Raul. You should be able to tell when witchcraft is involved. You didn’t. The signs were all there, and you missed them.” She reprimanded, her face hardening, her tone stiff, as she cast a nasty glare up at him. “Number one: Ray was in human form. Do you really think he wouldn’t have shifted, had he sensed danger? Number two: the lack of Noise. You know very well that your brother wouldn’t go down without a fight. If he had fought against anybody, the noise would have been heard for miles away. Number three: the lack of any physical evidence, other than blood. The claw marks on the body indicate the presence of a grizzly bear in the area. A fight between Ray and an animal of that size would tear up half the forest.”
“What the hell would you do?” Raul cried, pointing down at her, his eyes smoldering with unmasked anger. “He looked exactly like my brother!” He added, jerking his head in a spasm of frustration. “What should I do, pretend it’s not him, because there’s no evidence of a fight? And what’s all that crap about ‘witchcraft’? You think Donna’s behind this? Why?”
Breathing in pants, he felt his blood boiling in his veins and pounding in his temples. He couldn’t believe the witch’s judgmental tone, or her accusations, either. For a moment, he considered storming out of his workshop. Still, the immediate effect that his emotional outburst had on Helena, made him think twice. She ran her gaze down his face, pressing her lips together, as her face fell.
“I’m sorry, Raul,” she said, her voice but a whisper. “This must have been very hard for you. I don’t know why she would try to hurt you like that, but she’s the only witch in the area. That we know of, at least.”
“It was impossible for me,” he corrected her, using an emphatic tone, as he leaned closer to her, “to see my brother, my blood, butchered like that.”
“Listen to me,” Helena urged, as her gaze shot up to meet his. “What’s done is done. You are free to share the good news with your family, but, all of you must act like Ray is dead. This is important. You can’t tell anybody else that you know. Now, I’m going to your grandpa’s sanctuary. I have a few things to do. I’ll be back later.”
“Let’s go find Julia,” Monica suggested, as her eyes sparkled with excitement.
“After you,” Raul gave a satisfied nod, as Helena’s words swirled in his mind. He was somewhat curious about the secrecy she desired to maintain, but this was no time to guess on her intentions. Just like him, Ray’s mate had been through a world of pain in the past two days. Now, it was time for Julia to know of the biggest, happiest truth of her entire life.
Chapter Eighteen
Accompanied by his mate, Raul made his way through the bystanders, feeling his impatience rising more and more by the second. His gaze didn’t bother seeking Julia in the crowd. She didn’t socialize much with the pack, and her acquaintances in Paxton were few in number. Ray’s mate had to be somewhere much more private than the Bradford’s front yard.
The Alpha swept the ground floor of his brother’s cabin in haste, firmly believing that she would not be there, either. The thirty or so shifters gathered in the kitchen and the living room compelled him to do so. His hunch was correct. There was no sign of Julia. Raul climbed up the stairs that led to Ray’s bedroom, still gazing down at the kitchen, just in case Julia walked in the cabin. Still, such a thing never happened. Just when Monica reached the top landing, he reached down and grabbed the door handle.
“Shhhh!” Kate hissed, rocking baby Helena in her arms, on the right of the door. “She just fell back asleep.”
A snort of amusement escaped him as he noticed Julia stuffing her clothes into a large, brown bag on the bed. Apparently, she had no intention of staying in Paxton another minute.
“Doc, tell her,” he urged, as Monica strode through the door.
“Stop packing, Jules.” She commanded while pacing towards her, her lips curled into the same, happy smile that had intrigued him earlier.
“I’m not going to do this with you, Mon,” Julia grumbled, rapidly fastening the zipper of her suitcase. “The love of my life is gone. This place is full of memories. I’m going back to New York.”
“No, he�
��s not,” Monica lightly shook her head sideways, softening her voice. “According to his blood work, the man we cremated today was human. His blood was vulnerable to STD’s, and his DNA showed he’s not related to Raul.”
“Hum…” A gasp of utter bewilderment fled her lips, as she thrust her arm up to cover her mouth. Julia glanced at Monica, and then up at the Alpha, Raul, blinked slowly once, a moment before she returned her attention to her friend. Dragging her fingers down her chin, she inquired, “Are you sure?”
“I ran each test three times,” the doctor replied, as her smile broadened to a grin. A massive wave of joy washed over Julia’s face, shattering tension in its wake, curving her lips into a huge smile of bliss. Monica’s brows popped up, as Julia leaped onto her, reaching both arms towards her. Kate and Raul burst into a roar of laugher, as the doctor landed flat and hard on her back. Still, she didn’t complain. Instead, she embraced Julia, giggling as well, as Ray’s mate gazed deep into her eyes.
“Oh, my God…” she whispered, shaking her head in amazement, as tears of joy pooled in her eyes.
“Put those clothes back in the closet, Jules,” Monica murmured, caressing her friend’s hair. “You’re not going anywhere.”
“I beg to differ,” Helena interjected, as a thick plume of smoke sprang from the floor of the bedroom. “I’m really happy for you,” she went on, as Julia looked up at her. “But, as I’ve told Raul and Monica, it is imperative that you act as if you believe Ray is dead. Leaving town is totally understandable. You have lost your mate. It’s what most people would do, under these dreadful circumstances.”
“I’m at a loss here, Helena.” Julia confessed, as she leaned back. “Why would anyone want us to believe Ray is dead? And where is Ray? Who took him?”
“A few days ago, some witch showed up at the house,” Raul groaned, as the recollection of his encounter with Donna relit the fire of anger within him. “She said her name was Donna. She claimed to be Helena’s niece. I didn’t believe her. I sent her away.”
“And she wants to punish you by abducting Ray?” Julia’s voice turned into a high-pitched squeal, as she rose from the floor. “Does that make any sense to you? Was she even telling the truth? Is she really Helena’s niece?”
“I have no reason to believe she’s lying. Her motives are unclear, though,” Helena spoke, her tone calm, as she padded towards Julia. “You may want to take a good, hard look at this.” She continued, pulling her crystal orb out of her inside pocket. A red glow spread over it, as she tapped her staff on the glass. Raul watched the sphere spin, as its surface flashed white and silver. Its frequency quickened, bringing a view of a well-lit living room, with a clear view of the building across the street. The lights in every apartment were on, apart from the one on the same level as Julia’s. She was standing in front of the window, reading a book. All of a sudden, a red laser beam, originating from the dark apartment was pointed at the back of her neck. Julia flipped the page, as something shattered the glass of her window, sending hundreds of tiny shards of glass into her living room. She let out a low cry of agony, as a blue dart was lodged into the skin of her neck. Her eyelids rolled shut, as her body swayed forward. Before she knew it, Julia tumbled hard onto the floor, banging her head against the wooden surface. Seconds afterwards, a loud, banging noise rocked her apartment. Two men in black uniforms sprinted across her living room, and then picked her up. The image in Helena’s sphere faded to black, leaving a stunned Raul staring into the void.
“The use of a tranquilizing dart indicates that they want her alive,” Monica concluded, her voice strained with tension, as she cast a frightened, sideways look up at him. “These people are professionals. They know what they’re doing.”
“I thought we were dealing with a witch here,” Raul spoke his thoughts out loud, confusion written all over his face. “Where the hell did those goons come from? Who put them up to this? Donna?”
“You can ask them yourself when you see them.” Helena winked at him, as she put her orb back in her pocket. “What you all saw, is meant to happen at 1:25am. That’s five hours from now. Find Dean. Tell him you’re going to New York. Be careful out there.”
Raul exhaled hard, as the witch disappeared from the room. He wasn’t worried about the outcome of their rescue operation. What really concerned him though, was the fact that he agreed with Monica. He and Dean would be up against professionals, and professionals do not tend to give away the name of their employer so easily. In any case however, the two of them had to stop Julia’s aspiring kidnappers. His questions had to wait until he could get his hands on them.
The Alpha turned around, and walked out of his brother’s bedroom, as Julia followed right behind him. This time, he had to search for Dean in the ground floor, but, the outcome was the same as before. Much to his relief, he was at least fifty feet away from the cabin entrance. He agreed with Helena; nobody could learn the truth about Ray just yet, and announcing it to Dean so close to his fellow shifters would only draw unwanted attention. But, he was much too happy to hide his emotions. He gave a glorious smile to his brother, as he closed the distance between them.
“There are more than two hundred people around here. Where are you going?” Dean asked with a hint of discomfort in his tone.
“It’s nothing the girls can’t handle,” Raul smirked, slowing his strides, as Julia headed left, towards her car. “Get in my truck. There’s something you need to know.”
“Ok,” Dean said with a quick nod, as his brother moved around his vehicle. At first, he thought it would be best if he tried to prepare him for this revelation. Still, he had to reject that notion. Julia had already started the engine of her car, and he didn’t want to let her out of his sights. Bluntness was Raul’s only option. The door hinges creaked, as he swung the driver door open.
“You might find this is a little too hard to believe, but…” He paused and drew in a sharp breath, as he seated himself. “Ray’s alive. Somebody played a trick on us. That same somebody is going to kidnap Julia tonight. We’re going with her to New York.”
“I don’t have time for this.” Dean grumbled, reaching for the door handle. Raul thrust his arm towards him, and grabbed him by the wrist, forcing him to return his attention to him.
“This is not a joke.” Raul said, his tone stiff, as he furrowed his brow. “We saw it in Helena’s orb. I’ll give you more details on the way there.”
“R-Ray is…” Dean stuttered.
“Alive,” Raul affirmed, putting the key into the ignition. “Like I said, I’ll tell you more, later. We’re out of here.”
Chapter Nineteen
The Alpha knew what his brother’s attitude was going to be. Dean was never easy to convince, especially about things that seemed impossible to him. If he had any chance of doing so, Raul would have to exhibit quite a lot of patience. However, it appeared that, this night, Dean wanted to believe. The truth about his brother’s fate seemed to satisfy an inner desire, a will to deny the obvious and horrible, and trust in the unbelievable. Only thirty minutes into their trip to New York, Raul was relieved to realize that Dean did not doubt his story anymore. Nevertheless, he couldn’t afford to relax. Julia’s life was at stake. Ray would never forgive him, should anything bad happen to his mate. Yes, Raul and Dean were no much for any human rivals in hand-to-hand combat, but that didn’t mean he could let his guard down. He had to focus on the task at hand, and also come up with a plan of action.
Alas, it was that last part that concerned him the most. Why? Because, whatever he and his brother had to do – in order to keep Julia out of harm’s way – had to take place indoors, very close to other humans. Raul’s battles had always been in open-air environments, far away from any inquisitive humans. So, as he parked his car on 43rd Street, he made a vital decision: his wolf, as well as Dean’s, had to be contained. Shifting could potentially betray their identity to Julia’s neighbors, leading to an unprecedented disaster. His only hope was that neither of them would need th
eir alternate nature.
It was almost 1a.m., when Julia crossed the street. Traffic was low; in fact, there were just two cars on the road, heading in opposite directions. Fishing into her purse for her keys, she turned to them, as she halted in front of her apartment building entry door. Understanding her confusion, Raul picked up his cell phone from the dashboard, and called her.
“I thought you guys were supposed to protect me!” Her voice, though just a little more than a whisper, was filled with tension and fear.
“We are,” Raul assured her. “But, chances are your apartment is being watched as we speak. If we come with, we’ll give away our presence. We’re staying put. We’re going to wait for those morons to show up.”
“You’re using me as bait?” She asked, her nervousness sending her tone two octaves up.
“I’m sorry, Julia,” Raul sighed, pursing his lips. “The shooter has to believe he’s accomplished his objective. It’s the only way for him to give the green light to those goons. That’s when we’ll step in.”
Silence lingered over the line, as Julia pulled her phone away from her ear. Of course, Raul knew that his plan would not appeal to her. She would be exposed; they wouldn’t be anywhere near her. Still, in his mind, there was no other option. Secrecy was crucial, and they would have none, by joining her in her apartment.
“Ok.” Julia whispered once more, putting her phone back on her ear. “Just get those bastards, alright?”
“That’s the idea,” Raul said with a smile. “I’ll see you later.”
“Bye.”
“Ok, when were you going to tell me?” Frustration was lingering in Dean’s voice, as he leaned over his brother.
“I just thought of that,” the Alpha declared, turning his head to the right to face him. “What should we do? We can’t break into the shooter’s building, and we sure as hell can’t be in her apartment. He’ll cancel the whole damn operation, if he sees us. If you have any better suggestions, I’m all ears.”
A Wolf's Love (Wolf Mountain Peak Book 5) Page 9