by Krysta Fox
"Yes, she is that. And the other thing I asked you to do? Were you able to take care of that as well?"
He nods. "Absolutely, sir. Exactly as you asked."
Satisfaction settles over me. I button my shirt, rolling the cuffs of the sleeves up so they fit comfortably. I've got work to do tonight if I want to win the prize at the end.
"And the car? Where did it take my guest?"
Jonathan hands me a sheet of paper, the address written in his clear, precise hand. I examine it and give him a questioning look.
"The driver said she was greeted by the ghoul, Graves."
I ponder that. "The attorney? I've heard he's good. I wonder why she needed to see him today?"
Jonathan shrugs. "She didn't say. But it seemed very important. She was in a bit of a hurry."
"As am I, my friend." I grab my jacket and slide into it. "I'm on my way out."
As we make our way out, I give him a questioning look. "By the way, do you have any idea why one of my shirts is missing from the closet?"
He grins and bobs his head. "She looked lovely in it, sir."
A happy feeling settles into my gut at the idea of Devon in my shirt. "I'm sure she did. Now, to work."
9
DEVON
The drive from Starlight to the pack lands was longer than it had ever been before. I stared out the window, the hills flying by. Gradually, the trees grew thicker, the light turning from golden to green as we crossed the boundary into the forest. I closed my eyes against the pain in my chest. It had grown with every mile that stretched further until it was truly hard to breathe. Not even the fresh air of home made me feel better when the car rolled to a stop and I got out. The driver wished me a good day and I waved, the payment for the trip already transferred to his account. We may be pack, but we like our tech. Makes life easier.
I carry my bag to the small house I share with my uncle and brother. The door opens as I step up onto the porch. Alec waits there, leaning against the jamb. His eyes assess me quickly and then his arms open wide. I move into his embrace, and he holds me tight for a few precious seconds. I should've known he'd recognize immediately what I carried with me.
"You promised you'd call," he mutters into my hair. "Uncle was ready to send the whole pack looking for you. It took all my negotiation skills to keep them from hunting you down."
I laugh, erasing some of the sadness from me and I swipe at my eyes before he releases me.
"You look… different."
"Of course I do, silly." I reach into my bag and pull out the documents Graves had given me earlier. "Here they are. All official and such."
Alec glances at the packet in my hand and then disregarded it, shaking his head. "No. It's not that. It's you. Something happened while you were gone. Something big."
He leans in, his nostrils flaring just above the collar of the shirt I'd borrowed from Carver's closet. "Why do you smell like a man?"
I try to turn away, but the hot flush in my cheeks tells him all he needs to know.
"You're kidding. You, Devon?" He laughs, tugging my hair as I swat at him. "I would never have guessed. Well, it must've been a good night."
My stomach flips over as I thought of exactly how good it had been. "It was. Really. Exactly what I needed."
My brother hugs me again. "I'm glad. Anything that makes you happy."
The reality of what tomorrow will bring looms suddenly in my mind. "I should go put these things in my room."
Alec stops me. "You don't have to do this, Devon. I promise you, we can find a different way."
"I've signed the papers. They're being entered into public record tonight. Graves is going to bring the final documents to me when it's done."
"I thought we'd talk about it a little more before you made the decision." There's no disguising the hurt in his voice. "I thought I'd have time to change your mind."
Tears sting my eyes, my throat closing up at his words. I grab his hand and meet his gaze. "I'm sorry. Don't think I'm doing this because I want to leave you or the pack. I promise you that. I'm doing this because it's the best thing for you and everyone else."
He nods, his shoulders slumping as he realizes there's nothing else to say, nothing he can use to convince me. He won't admit that I'm right, but he's done arguing with me. I kiss him on the cheek and then leave him behind as I go to my room. I need to pack.
10
CARVER
I'm waiting on the courthouse steps when the ghoul makes his way through the front doors. He's talking with another attorney, and their excited voices drift to me. The court holds special night sessions for the supernatural citizens, but it's much less busy here than it would be during the day. Easy to listen in on their conversation as they discuss their cases.
When they're just a few steps above my position, I step away from my car and give a wave. "Mr. Graves, I believe. I'm Carver Montero. I need a few minutes of your time."
His deep black eyes rove over me quickly before he gives a sharp nod, saying a quick goodbye to his colleague. "I do have somewhere I need to be. We can talk on the way to my office."
"Actually, I thought we could talk while I drive you to your destination." My offer pulls him up short, suspicion and apprehension running across his leathery face. I give him a friendly smile, keeping my fangs tucked politely away. I open the passenger side for him and gesture to the seat. "You will be well paid for your time."
"Family business?" he asks, his gravelly voice indicating a new level of interest.
"Family business." I confirm.
He folds his long frame into the front seat and I shut the door, making my way to the driver's side. As I get in, he holds out his phone, an app displayed on the screen. "I'll be recording our conversation unless you have any objections."
"No objections." To prove my sincerity, I reach out and tap the green button, starting the recorder. "Let's begin."
I hand him the documents from my Dominar, Amelia, leader of the Montero Clan. As her Second, I'm used to doing jobs for the family. He opens the envelope and I pull away from the curb, sliding smoothly into traffic and heading out of Starlight.
A grunt from the seat beside me draws my attention. "You seem to know exactly where I need to go."
"Public record, Graves. As soon as you entered that formal waiver and release into the Archives, anyone who was paying attention would know what your plans for the night were going to be."
He cocks an eyebrow at me, waving the printed pages at me. "And this is why you were paying attention?"
"It is."
"You're serious about this?" His voice has taken on a heavy formality, as if we were arguing a case before the bench. "I won't consider this is if it's some kind of cruel joke."
"Why would I be contacting the best attorney in Starlight City if it was anything other than serious?"
"She's a good woman. I don't want to see her hurt. She's already sacrificing a great deal."
Warmth spreads through me, appreciating his protective intentions. "I agree. But I'm hoping this will give her exactly what she needs. Maybe even what she wants."
"I'll be reading the fine print thoroughly. No surprises or misunderstandings."
"I expect nothing less." I give him a grin, then return my eyes to the road. "We can work out the details on the way."
Graves grunts and returns to reading as the miles fly beneath us. He questions me constantly and I answer honestly every time, the scent of his displeasure and concern growing lights as my words reassure him.
The gentle slopes surrounding Starlight fade into the night behind us and the dark shapes of the trees marking the border of the pack lands are directly ahead. I know that soon after we pass their outer reaches, we'll be in new territory. One where I'd be lucky to be considered a guest. And more likely to be considered an enemy.
"Stop here," Graves demands. "In the open. I want you to look this over and make sure we have everything finalized before we enter."
I do as instructed,
easing my car to a stop along the shoulder of the road. Graves hands me his tablet, the new document he'd prepared during the drive ready for me to review on the lit screen. The ghoul's cool, papery skin brushes against my fingers. I'd heard stories about his kind. When they first revealed themselves, many made the mistake of assuming they were weak scavengers. That had quickly and definitively been proven wrong. They'd fought their way to positions of prominence, earning respect and allies along the way.
The details laid out on the screen are exactly as we'd discussed. To formally approve the offer, I sign my initials as indicated at the bottom of every page and then add my full signature at the end with a flourish. Graves takes the tablet from me, checking it over, then raises his stylus to sign it as well. He gives me one last questioning look. "Once I sign this, it's a formal offer. You won't be able to rescind it."
I nod. "The only way out is for the offer to be declined." He frowns and I add, "But I'm not looking for a way out."
His eyes narrow but I can see the tension melt away as his jaw unclenches slightly. He bares his teeth, a gesture I assume is meant to be a friendly smile rather than an attempt at intimidation. He enters his passcode and presses send. The tablet flashes once, twice, and then a third time before the screen goes green to confirm the document has been uploaded to the Legal Court and submitted to the Archives.
"That's it then. Drive on. And let me do the talking."
11
DEVON
It was surprising how quickly I was able to pack up my things. It felt like I should have more, but looking at the room I'd grown up in, it was shocking to see how little I needed to take with me. The bigger question was where exactly I'd be going. I reviewed the documents from Graves again. There were a few lines I'd highlighted, places where I'd most likely be safe and unbothered by the established packs. If Alpha females were rare, loner females were even more so. Once I left Orman territory, I'd truly be on my own. A heavy weight settles over me and I sit on the bed to catch my breath.
"There's a ghoul standing in the yard." My Uncle Nick's voice breaks into the quiet of my room, pulling my head up. His nose is wrinkled in distaste, as if he smells something gone bad. "He says he's here to see you. That you're expecting him."
I give a last look around my room as I get to my feet. I square my shoulders and look my uncle in the eye. "You know I'm doing the right thing."
It's my uncle who looks away first, resignation on his face. "I do. I wish it wasn't like this, but I'm not the type of leader who wants to watch his family fight to the death either. This solves that matter."
"It does. No one else has near the Alpha potential Alec has. And no pack will worry about a mating alliance now. He'll have his pick of eligible bachelorettes." I tease him with the last bit, knowing his secret love for the reality matchmaking show.
My uncle grins and the tension between us dissipates. I cross the room, wrapping my arms around his waist and resting my head against his chest. He holds me there, just like he did when we first came here, after our parents died. "You're an amazing person, Devon," he whispers against my hair. "Make sure you call. Regularly. Or I'll come looking for you."
I nod, and step away, his arms releasing me reluctantly. Grabbing my bag from the top of my dresser, I leave my room behind. Alec is standing on the porch, arms crossed, scowling. Graves waits and when his sees me, a fond smile curves across his face.
"Nice to see you again, Ms. Orman."
"Is it done?" I ask, ignoring the pleasantries. There's a crowd of pack gathering, drawn by the distinctive scent of ghoul in our territory. The faster we can finish this, the better.
"It is. Your waiver and release of pack rights has been formally reviewed by the Court, accepted and entered into the Archive. You are no longer part of the Orman Pack."
Even though I'd known what he would say, his words still hit me hard, like a punch to the gut. Angry voices begin to rise from those listening and Alec stirs from his place on the porch, my uncle following him as they march down the steps to the yard. Alec raises his hands and immediately, everyone quiets. Their innate respect for him is obvious.
"Devon, is this what you truly want?" My brother's voice is pitched so all can hear him easily. This is a performance for the sake of the pack now.
I take a deep breath and make my way to his side. "It is. For the good of the pack, for the benefit of my family, I release my right to challenge for the position of Alpha. I waive my rights as pack member and will leave the Orman lands tonight."
There are gasps of shock and surprise. This has never been done before. My uncle joins us in the center of the widening group. He takes my hand and raises it high. "As current Alpha, I accept your decision to remove yourself from the pack. There will be no retribution."
My brother joins in. "As future Alpha, I will accept your decision to go your own way. I refuse to be happy about it, but I will accept it."
No one argues and the voices have faded into whispers. I bow my head. It's time to go.
The sound of a car door opening behind me is clear, but I don't turn. I need to gather my things to load them up, before returning to Starlight with Graves. I'll book my passage from there.
Hisses erupt from the group. My uncle and brother tense as they turn and both of them growl, the sound a strange harmonious blend as they prepare to defend their territory.
I twist around, ready to fight if need be, only to be frozen in shock. Carver stands beside the car, a small grin on his face. "Hello, Devon."
I can feel Alec's eyes on me, hear him sniff the air and then chuckle as he makes the connection. Graves clears his throat, drawing everyone's attention. "A final bit of business, if you don't mind."
"What is this?"
Graves approaches and hands me his tablet, a document lit up on the screen. "I've looked it over, negotiated the terms with him myself. It's all very fair and reasonable, no tricks that I can see."
Understanding eludes me. I scan the document but the words run together. "I don't understand. What exactly is this?"
"It's an offer of marriage. Not very romantic, of course," he grumbles. "Not the way my kind would do it. But it is the vampire way. And he wanted you to know how serious the offer is."
"So, if I agree to this ..." I look up at Graves. "If I accept this, I become a vampire?"
My uncle growls and Graves throws him a quelling look, then answers my question. "No. You become a member of their family, the Montero Clan. Nothing requires you to be turned. If that is even possible."
Hope swells in my chest and I risk a glance at Carver. He leans against his car, seemingly relaxed, but I can see the fine signs of tension running through him. I step away from my uncle and brother, trusting them to protect Graves from the milling crowd.
Standing in front of Carver, the hint of nervousness I'd registered before is even more clear to me. "One night, Carver? One night and you want to marry me?"
"It was a good night." He gives me a crooked grin, his warm eyes fixed on me. "A very good night."
I laugh and his face lights up at the sound. Already I want to kiss him, to have him wrap those arms around me again and hold me tight. "So, what happens if I say yes? We leave here and are suddenly married?"
"We could do that. Not very romantic, as Graves said. I had hoped to take some time and court you. Properly. And my family would like to meet you as well."
I consider my options. Leave my family, my home and my pack. Strike out on my own and try to build a life for myself as a lone wolf. Or, accept what's offered by the man in front of me. My wolf stretches under my skin, her low vibrating growl getting my attention. "Mine. Mate," she tells me firmly. And with that, my decision is made.
I step forward and brush my lips across his, a fleeting touch of our lips that sends sparks racing across my skin. When I try to move away, Carver's hand is suddenly cradling the back of my head as he deepens the kiss. I lose all sense of where I am and who's watching until I hear a polite cough behind me. Carver
releases me, reluctantly, and we turn to face my family, hand in hand.
My uncle glowers, his arms crossed across his broad chest. Alec is next to him, so similar in the way they stand, but there's a smile on his face. "Well, big sister, looks to me like you've made your decision."
I nod. "I have."
"Wait." Uncle Nick's gruff voice interrupts us. "They have ways of doing things. So do we. He hasn't followed those. Where is his gift?"
My heart falls. I open my mouth to argue, but Carver stops me with a gentle squeeze of my hand. "The gift has been given, sir. It's in her bag." He turns to me and grins. "All she has to do is look."
My brother grabs my bag from where I’d dropped it on the porch and digs into it. He pulls out a gold box, a silky black ribbon tied around it. Alec brings me the box and steps back as I stare at it.
"How did you do this?" I ask Carver. "When did you do this?"
He shrugs. "Jonathan. I sent him a message with instructions while you slept, just before dawn. He prepared it and slipped it into your bag before you left. He told me it was very easily done."
I untie the ribbon and lift the lid of the box to reveal the gift he'd given me. Nestled inside on a bed of black satin is the compass rose necklace Carver had been wearing last night. I gasp at the sight of it, the true importance of this gift stealing my breath.
Carver wraps his arm around my waist and whispers to me. "I told you. It's always helped me find my way home."
Epilogue
CARVER - 2 months later
The restaurant has been transformed for this special event, closed to the public, reserved for our use tonight. The music swells as couples dance across the floor and the sound of laughter surrounds me. I watch my beautiful wife as she dances with her uncle. The happiness on her face is precious and I hope to see her smile like that forever.