“This was my mother’s; she gave it to me before she died, and she’d want you to have it,” he said.
Natalie looked down at the ring, tears in her eyes. “I’ll cherish it always,” she said, then threw herself into his arms and kissed him.
There was absolute silence in the room, but then Jessie said, “Well, I guess that settles it; welcome to the family, Dillion.”
He rose to shake Dillion’s hand, and suddenly the room was alive with conversation. Dillion saw that David was still standing in the back of the room, looking just as unhappy as he had before, and knew that it was going to take some time for his old friend to forgive him.
But there would be time; he wasn’t going anywhere until Millie’s house was finished, so there would be plenty of time to prove to him how much he loved Natalie. He smiled at his old friend, then said, “I hate to ruin the celebrations, but my father’s going to send someone looking for us.”
David gave him a small smile, then said, “Well, lucky for you, we have a plan in place, and just so you know, they’ve already been here looking for you.”
***Natalie***
Natalie was standing at the window of the apartment in the barn at her cousin’s Jessie’s farm. Everyone called the farm Swensen’s Mountain, and it had a storied past, but she had always just thought of it as Jessie’s.
It had been three days since they moved up on the mountain, and she was getting tired of waiting for Dillion’s father to make a move. They were more than ready for him, had a plan in place to show him that Dillion and Bethany weren’t alone, that there was a group of shifters willing to protect them.
When the shifter community around Gypsum Creek discovered their situation, they’d all willingly come to their aid, and thanks to Michelle, there was a coven of witches protecting them with spells. Gordon Mathews had no idea what he was walking into, and Natalie wondered why she’d ever wanted to leave.
Now all she wanted to do was marry Dillion and settle down in a little house and have his children. She no longer craved the excitement and glamour she’d sought for so long, and truly understood that sometimes simple is best. Gypsum Creek was growing, and there would be plenty to keep her happy right here; she just hoped that Dillion felt the same way.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of his footsteps crossing the room. When he put his hands on her shoulders, she leaned back against him and closed her eyes. “What are you doing up here all alone?” he asked, kissing her on the top of the head.
“I came up to get a jacket,” she said.
“You looked like you were deep in thought,” he said, turning her around so he could look into her eyes.
Natalie shrugged. “I was just thinking how much I’ve changed. I don’t want the same things I wanted only a week ago,” she said.
“Is that a bad thing?”
She was silent for a minute, then said, “No, it’s just a bit shocking, but not in a bad way.”
Dillion nodded. “You know, before I met you, I stayed away from women; it was easier. But when I met you, something happened, and I couldn’t stay away. I don’t know if it was fate or our destiny, but I think we were meant to be together.”
Natalie felt the tears in her eyes, knew that Dillion spoke the truth, but then the fear welled up. “Dillion, I’m scared. What if something happens to you or my family?”
He pulled her into his arms. “It’s going to be fine, Natalie; we’re strong and so is your family.”
“Promise?” she asked, needing to hear him say it.
“I promise,” he said, then he got a silly grin on his face. “And if brute force and magic don’t work, we’ll all just stick pepper up our noses and gross him out.”
Natalie laughed, feeling instantly better. When Dillion’s mouth came down on hers, she let all her worries slip from her mind. Gordon would show up eventually, and in the meantime, she wasn’t going to let him ruin the time she had with Dillion.
***Dillion***
As the days turned to weeks, the waiting began to take its toll on everyone on Swensen’s Mountain. Constantly being on guard was beginning to get old, and tempers were short. The sparkle had gone out of Natalie’s eyes, and he knew that she was feeling the strain as well.
He and Jessie had had a long talk that afternoon, trying to decide what the silence from his father meant. Dillion was convinced that his father knew where they were and was just waiting for his chance to strike, but Jessie wasn’t so sure.
“You don’t know my father the way I do; he’s not going to give up,” he said when Jessie introduced the possibility. “He announced Bethany’s engagement in front of everyone; he’s not just going to let her get away.”
“But when, Dillion? You can’t keep living your life in limbo; none of us can. We’re going to have to figure out a way to keep you all safe but get on with life,” Jessie said.
Dillion knew that he was right, but it was hard to think of leaving the protected mountain top. “I know, Jessie, I’m just scared,” he admitted, feeling relieved to let it out finally. “I know we’re safe here.”
“Well, Bethany can stay up here; she won’t like it, but then we can keep an eye on her. You and Natalie can go to Millie’s during the day and come back here at night,” Jessie said. “That will give everyone a little break.”
Dillion hadn’t been wild about the idea then, but that night, he found Natalie sitting on a chair out behind the barn, staring at the stars. When he pulled up a chair and sat down next to her, she looked at him a vacant look in her eyes, and he changed his mind.
“Let’s go back to work,” he said, shocking her out of her melancholy mood.
“What?” she asked, suddenly excited.
“I have no idea how long my father’s going to wait to come for Bethany, and all this waiting is driving everyone crazy,” he said. “We can still stay here at night, but during the day, we’ll go down and work on the house.”
Natalie jumped up from her chair and sat down in his lap and kissed him. “I’m so glad. I’ve been going crazy,” she said.
The next morning, they headed for town, down the path instead of driving, with an entourage of bodyguards. Jessie wasn’t taking any chances, so the strange little group made their way down the path into town with he and Natalie in the center.
When they got to Millie’s, there were several new workers that he knew he hadn’t hired, but when he tried to put them to work, he realized that they were there for another purpose. It was a strange feeling to be surrounded by so many people willing to protect him with their lives, and it occurred to him that for the first time in his life, he felt like he was home.
Chapter Twenty
***Natalie***
Natalie was knee deep in the cucumber patch hunting for the first ripe ones of the season when she thought she heard Bethany calling her from the forest around the garden. She stood up and stretched, listening a little more intently, but the forest was silent.
Looking around, she wondered what was taking Dillion so long to bring back the basket from the barn. He’d been gone for a long time, and she was beginning to think that he wasn’t coming back when she heard Bethany’s voice again.
“Natalie, I’m over here,” she said, but her voice sounded strange.
“Bethany, are you okay?” Natalie called fighting her way out of the cucumber patch.
“I’m fine, but come here,” Bethany said, her words coming out clipped.
Natalie was sure that something was wrong but knew that she shouldn’t go into the woods alone. Looking across the huge garden at the barn, she hoped to see Dillion coming around the corner, but he wasn’t there.
She briefly considered running back up to the house, but then Bethany called her name again. Torn, she finally headed into the woods, following the sound of Bethany calling her name. When she emerged from the trees into a little clearing, it wasn’t Bethany standing there like she’d expected: it was Dillion’s father. He was holding his phone up in the air, a triump
hant grin on his face.
“I knew that bugging Bethany’s room would come in handy someday,” he said, advancing on her.
She started to back away, but then she heard the crunch of leaves behind her; she whirled around just as two men came out of the forest. “It won’t do you any good to run,” Gordon said.
Turning back to face him, she tried to think of a way out but knew that she was trapped. Shifting wouldn’t do her any good; the two men were clearly shifters, more than ready for an opportunity to show their other sides.
“It would be best if you came with me quietly; it’s not you I really want after all. I came for my daughter; you’re just a way to get to her. Clearly you and my son weren’t exactly honest with me about the nature of your relationship,” he said, closing the distance between them.
“Our relationship has nothing to do with you,” Natalie spat at him.
Gordon reached out and grabbed her chin in his hand and squeezed, making her cry out in pain. “What my son does is my concern, especially when he decides to throw his life away with a little slut like you and drags his sister along with him,” he said, pushing her away from him and walking away.
“They’re both grown adults; they can decide what they want to do with their lives,” Natalie countered, thinking the man might be slightly mad.
Gordon turned on her. “They belong to me, they owe me their lives, and they’d do as I tell them,” he shouted at her, and she was sure she detected a hint of desperation. “I will get Bethany back, and then Dillion will follow.”
“You think Dillion is going to exchange me for Bethany? That’s crazy; he’ll never do that,” Natalie said, the truth of her words sinking in as she said them.
“We’ll see. I’ve been watching you two, and I think he’ll give her up,” Gordon said, then gestured to the men. “Tie her hands behind her back, and let’s go.”
***Dillion***
When he got back to the cucumber patch, Dillion was surprised to find it empty. Then he saw a little pile of cucumbers next to the path and a dark feeling washed over him.
Trying to stay calm, he looked around him and noticed places where the leaves of the heavy vines had been disturbed, and his heart sank. The path led straight into the woods, where it disappeared into the trees.
He called Natalie’s name several times, but got no response, so he started into the trees, hoping to catch her scent. At first, he could smell her unique scent, but the further into the trees he went, the fainter the scent became, and he began to panic.
All the terrible things his father could do went flashing through his mind, and the urge to shift and kill his father almost took him under. But he took a deep breath and tried to stop and think logically; then he knew what he had to do and shifted into the wolf that was his other and stronger half.
Almost instantly, he could smell Natalie again, and when he detected the fear in her scent, he lifted his head and howled out the alarm, knowing that Jessie would respond. He followed her scent into a clearing and then caught a whiff of the one person he’d hoped he wouldn’t.
His father had been there with Natalie, and had done nothing to cover his tracks, so he wanted him to know he had her. His father’s plan became clear to him then, and he howled his frustration into the sky, calling out to the universe for the help he needed.
At just that moment, Jessie came bounding into the clearing, the biggest black wolf he’d ever seen, followed by Sophie and the rest of them. When he turned to face them, they howled in unison, lifting their heads to the sky and calling the rest of the shifters.
Dillion shifted back to his human form, as the others did the same. “My father has Natalie. I’m sure he’s going to want to trade her for Bethany,” he said, then looked around. “Where is Bethany?”
“Don’t worry; she’s locked up tight in the farmhouse,” Jessie said, taking charge. “Some of us should follow them; I don’t think we’ll catch them, but it’s worth a try.
Dillion nodded. “I’ll go. I know Natalie’s scent better than anyone,” he said. “Someone needs to call David, and I’d like that person not to be me.”
Jessie slapped him on the back. “We were prepared for something like this; your father won’t get far before we find him.”
Just then, Dillion’s phone began to chirp in his pocket; he pulled it out and answered it, knowing that Natalie was one of the few people who had his number. “Nice of you to answer so quickly,” his father said. “I hope you know that I’m very annoyed that you forced me to come all the way up here. I have better things to do, you know.”
“Where’s Natalie? You better not have hurt her,” Dillion growled.
“That’s another thing I’m annoyed about; you really shouldn’t lie to me you know. Someone is going to have to be punished for that, and since Natalie is here, I think it should be her,” he said.
Dillion heard a loud thud, and then Natalie scream. “I’m going to kill you for this,” Dillion said, between clenched teeth.
“I very much doubt that. But here’s what you are going to do: you’re going to bring your sister to me, and you’re going to do it quickly. If I’m feeling generous, I’ll let you have your little slut back.”
Dillion’s vision turned red; anger surged through him and the need to kill his father intensified. “You know I’m not going to do that,” Dillion said.
“That’s too bad; I’ll let Natalie know how you feel. I think she’s going to be very disappointed,” his father said, then hung up.
***Natalie***
Natalie’s heart fell; she’d known that Dillion would never trade her for his sister, but that didn’t mean that it didn’t hurt. But she took a deep breath and squared her shoulders the best she could tied to the chair as she was.
“Too bad; it looks like Bethany means more to my son than you do, but I guess that’s not surprising,” Gordon said, “I hate to do this, but I guess I’ll just have to take her by force; too bad, the other way would have been so much easier. As for you, well, I still haven’t decided what to do with you.”
“Dillion isn’t the only one who cares about me; my brother will come looking for me,” Natalie said, more to remind herself than to warn Gordon.
“Ha, that should be fun. Do you really think I’m afraid of your little ragtag band of shifters? They’re nothing against my men who’ve been trained to use their gifts in the deadliest ways,” Gordon said, crossing the room to stand in front of her.
Natalie shivered, but stuck her chin out and stared him down. “You’re brave now, but just you wait until you see what I have planned for you, although I think since you’re so brave, I’ll have a little sample of you first,” he said, reaching down and unbuttoning her shirt.
His hand was just about to close over her breast when his phone rang, and he backed away to answer it. He listened for a few minutes, then grinned. “I’m glad you’ve come to your senses, son,” he said, then hung up.
“Well, it turns out that my son cares more about you than I thought; he’s agreed to bring Bethany to me,” he said, rubbing his hands together. “Looks like you and I aren’t going to be having our fun after all.”
He untied her and pulled her to her feet, then brought his mouth down on hers in a hard kiss. “Just wanted you to know what you were missing,” he said.
Natalie wanted to spit at him but restrained herself. Gordon pushed her out of the old barn they’d been hiding in and into a car. “No reason not to drive; my men already have the farm surrounded, so this should be easy.”
***Dillion***
Dillion didn’t like their plan at all, but Bethany had made it clear that she wasn’t going to be left out. Jessie had promised him that it would work, that his father wouldn’t get far from Gypsum Creek with Bethany before he was stopped in a very dramatic fashion.
“We’ll make it abundantly clear to him that he’s not going to invade our home and take what he wants,” Jessie said. “We’ve gone up against worse, Dillion, and together we’re a
pretty dangerous group.”
Michelle made her fingers spark with light, just to make a point, then let the light go dim. “The coven is out there with the shifters, Dillion; they’re already in place, and since this is a rescue, we’ve decided to bend the rules just a bit,” she said with a grin. “Have you ever seen a storm created by an angry witch?”
One by one, everyone told him what their contribution to Bethany’s rescue would be and when they were finished, he had to admit that his father stood little chance against them. “I just hate to turn you over to him, Bethany,” he said, his voice pleading with her not to go.
“I have to go, Dillion; it’s the only way both of us can be free. It’s time we we’re both free of him and his plans for our lives,” Bethany said, then stroked his face. “I have to do this, Dillion, and you know it’s the only way.”
Dillion nodded. “Okay then, let’s go.”
***Natalie***
Natalie’s heart fell when she saw Bethany and Dillion standing in the road waiting for them. She’d hoped that Dillion would change his mind at the last minute and call the exchange off, but clearly, he wasn’t going to do that.
She hoped that this was just part of a bigger plan, that her brother and cousin had something planned to get Bethany away from her father once she was safe. As they walked down the dark road, she took deep breaths, ready for someone to spring out of the forest and save them, but nothing happened.
When they got close enough to be heard, Gordon shoved her forward but kept his hand firmly clamped around her arm. “Bethany, get over here,” he ordered.
Restoration (Wolves 0f Gypsum Creek Book 4) Page 12