Wolves, Witches and Bears...Oh My!

by Nicky Charles

  “Yes.” He felt his mouth widen into a grin. “She sent me a picture a while ago.”

  “He was born today?”

  “Yes.” He paused. “At least, I think so.”

  “You think so? You mean you don’t know?”

  “I assumed it was today though she didn’t specifically say.” He took the phone back and reread the message.

  “Well what about his weight and how long he is?”

  He blinked. “These are important? Things I should know?”

  “Yes, of course!” She stopped, considered her statement and then qualified it. “Well, I guess men don’t care about those things, as much. Ryne didn’t, but women like details. I’m surprised she didn’t include them in the message.”

  “Perhaps she intended to. Our conversation was cut short; my phone died.”

  “Well when you talk to her next, ask her and then let me know.”

  “I will.” He set the phone down, trying not to appear impatient for her to leave. “Did you need something?”

  “No. I’m just dropping off your copy of the Gazette.” She handed him the paper.

  “Thank you.”

  “The advertisement Jenna made for The Broken Antler looks really good. It’s on page two.”

  “I’ll look at it later.” He didn’t open the paper, merely setting it aside.

  “Um…does Jenna know about, you know.” She nodded towards his phone.

  “No.”

  “Oh.” She made no move to leave.

  He sighed. Sometimes Melody was annoyingly tenacious. It must be the reporter in her.

  “I did tell her I was otherwise committed.”

  “Oh.” Her expression changed to a beam of approval. “I knew you’d do the right thing. Not that I have anything against Jenna, but you and Lucy are meant to be together.”

  He wasn’t quite as optimistic, yet didn’t say so in case Melody stayed to debate the topic. Thankfully, she soon left to finish delivering her papers and he locked the door behind her, not wanting further interruptions.

  Finally alone, he sat down to send a message to Lucy.

  “Caleb is a fine name. When was he born? How much did he weigh and how long?”

  Reading the message over, he considered a point Melody had said. If women loved details, why hadn’t Lucy sent them? After some consideration, he deleted the questions and left just the first sentence. It showed he was interested but could not be construed as too pushy. He didn’t want to scare her off. If she replied back, he’d ask then.

  He pushed send. When there was no immediate reply, he set the phone down telling himself she was likely resting or busy with the baby. A lack of response was not to be interpreted as coolness on her part. At least not yet.

  The spring cleaning he’d started with such zeal was still half done. He might as well continue with the chore, staring at the phone would not make her reply any faster.

  A pinging sound had Daniel looking up from his keyboard where he was working on a piece of music. The sound indicated someone was at the front gate wanting onto the pack’s land. He slid over to his desk and flipped to the security screen he had interfaced with his computer.

  “Hello?”

  “Hi? Is this Daniel? It’s Jenna here. I have your posters.”

  He did a visual confirmation with the security camera and then pressed the button that controlled the entrance. The security system Ryne had installed was annoying at times, but the privacy was worth the inconvenience. There was the gate and an electric fence along the road, laser beam triggers scattered throughout the woods and alarms on all access points to the house.

  He was sure the locals wondered about their obsession over privacy and speculated wildly, but the humans that came on the property never had any juicy tales to carry home. Jenna, like others before her, would report there was a large house at the end of a long driveway and a few smaller houses scattered throughout the acres of surrounding forest. The inhabitants went about their daily lives, going to work, attending school…nothing exciting. Yep, Lycans appeared pretty ‘normal’ to the uninformed observer.

  He loped down the stairs so he could greet Jenna at the door. She had some promotional posters for him and he hoped they’d help the band get some gigs at other local bars. More money and more exposure were important. The band was itching to spread out, maybe even try a professional recording session. Music wasn’t his passion, at least not like his computers were, but it was an outlet, a way to break free from pack life for a while and just be one of the gang.

  The thing was, Stump River was quiet. There was no excitement, no challenge. Patrols were pathetically boring and the equipment in the exercise room only worked off so much energy. He might be considered a nerdy Lycan, but his inner wolf wanted a chance to prove itself. When he’d joined up with Ryne and Bryan to start the pack, he’d envisioned something more adventuresome. It had been interesting enough at first, travelling across the country to Canada, fixing up the house, getting to know the area, but now…not so much.

  The sound of tires on gravel signalled Jenna’s arrival and he sped up his descent down the stairs, opening the door just as her car came to a stop. She waved at him through her open window.

  “Hey Jenna.”

  “Hi.” She climbed out of the car, her gaze taking in the massive building before her. “I’d heard this place was big, but I didn’t imagine this.”

  He laughed. “Yeah, it’s pretty massive.”

  “But well maintained.” She climbed the steps of the porch and seemed drawn to the window casings. “Just look at the rosettes in the corners and the sunburst pediment. I love these kinds of architectural detail. Are they original?”

  “Some are. Others were beyond saving and Ryne made replicas.”

  “Has he been working on it long?”

  “Ever since he bought the place. Most of the house is done but a few areas are still a work in progress.”

  “Speaking of works in progress...” She held out the package she had tucked under her arm. “Here are those promotional posters for your band.”

  “Awesome. Come on inside while I check them out.”

  She followed him as he led the way up the stairs to his place. He’d taken over the attic, erecting walls to create a bedroom, an ensuite bath and office/sitting room. There was even a trap door that led to the widow’s walk on the roof, which served as his own private balcony. It wasn’t quite as good as having his own apartment, but it was close.

  “Welcome to my lair.” He opened the door and ushered her inside.

  “Wow.” She stopped inside the doorway and looked around. “Is there any piece of electronic equipment you don’t own?”

  “Not many. I’m a geek at heart.”

  “When you’re not being a musician.”

  “Right.” He cleared off a spot on his desk and spread the posters out so he could study them. “Hey, these are good. I like the lettering you chose.”

  “Thanks. The right font, the right colour combinations; it can make a big difference.”

  “And these pictures of the band—”

  “I convinced Ryne to take some while you were performing the other night. I’d heard he was quite the photographer in his day. Seems the rumours were correct.”

  “Ryne took these? I didn’t realize. He never mentioned it. We look good.”

  “You look damned good. The right lighting and a bit of sweat and voila, you’re heartthrobs.”

  “Heartthrobs?” He rolled his eyes.

  “Just look at your expression in this picture.” Her finger pointed to his image on the poster. “And the muscle definition on your arms as you wield those drum sticks. And the other guys as well.” She outlined the attributes of each member of the band, explaining why they’d have female fans swooning.

  “Yeah, well…” He dragged his hand through his hair, not sure he wanted to be a sex symbol, at least not to random girls. The only one he cared about was Tessa and she barely acknowledged him despite
the fact everyone said she was besotted with him.

  “Trust me, Daniel. Start spreading these posters around along with some vocal samples and the band will be snapped up. You’ll have more bookings than you can handle.”

  “Great.” He nodded, thinking the other guys would be happy with the results. “How much do I owe you for these?”

  “Nothing. I had fun doing it.”

  “No way. You spent your own time on this and that’s worth something.”

  “It gave me a chance to keep my skills fresh. And, to tell you the truth, I’ve never promoted a band before, so this was a learning experience.”

  “Yeah, well I’m still going to pay you, at least for the printing costs. How much was that?”

  She sighed and named an amount.

  “Great. I’ll be right back. I have some cash in my bedroom.” He went next door and soon returned with some bills. “Here you go.”

  She looked up from where she was studying a piece of sheet music on his desk. “Is this a new song?”

  “Yeah, we’re hoping to debut it soon.”

  “Well I hope I’m around to hear it.”

  “I’ll make sure to tell you so you can be there even if it isn’t your night to work.”

  They began to head downstairs, Jenna murmuring about how nice the house was in between discussing promotional ideas.

  “When are you going to show the posters to your band mates?”

  “Actually, we’re meeting at the Broken Antler later today to practise. I’ll take one along with me and we can decide which towns in the area we want to target.”

  “Well, don’t sit on them too long. Get out there and spread the news. There’s a big world beyond the borders of this town. It’s time you started taking it by storm.” She gave him the advice as they made their way back to her car.

  “Thanks. I‘ll keep that in mind.”

  He stepped back as she climbed into her vehicle and started the car. “Don’t worry about the front gate. It opens automatically when you approach it from this side so you’ll have no trouble getting out.”

  “Thanks, I was wondering about that.” She drove off with a wave.

  He watched until she was out of sight and then headed back upstairs to check the posters again. The other guys in the band would be really impressed.

  Chapter 31

  Lou slowly woke up from a deep sleep, the kind that came from complete exhaustion and left you feeling muzzy-headed and too pleasantly relaxed to move. Her thoughts were drifting in a sea of nothingness, a soft murmuring in the background oddly comforting, the weight and warmth of the blankets seeming to urge her to succumb to sleep yet again. But something was niggling at her brain, something important and she blinked slowly, allowing the world around her to come into focus.

  Roxi was sitting a few feet away, her features highlighted by the late afternoon sun streaming through the blinds.

  Blinds? She frowned. There were no blinds in her room.

  And why was Roxi cooing away with a blue teddy bear in her lap and an uncharacteristically soft expression on her face?

  Like an electric jolt it hit her. She’d had the baby! She was a mother and she’d fallen asleep, completely forgetting her own child!

  She gasped and began to fight against the covers that cocooned her, needing to get up and check on Caleb.

  Her struggles had Roxi looking her way and laughing. “Calm down. The baby is fine. Auntie Roxi has everything under control.”

  “Oh.” She peered over into the bassinet and sure enough, Caleb was sleeping. It was a relief and yet uncertainty still filled her. “How could I have fallen asleep like that? What if he’d needed something? What if he was hurt or sick? Oh my gosh, I’m going to be a terrible mother! Roxi, I’m not ready for this!” Her hands were shaking and she clasped them together, the enormity of motherhood hitting her.

  “Lulu, you can’t stay awake around the clock for the next eighteen years. You have to sleep. Even I know that.” Roxi looked up at the ceiling and shook her head. “I can’t believe I’m being the sensible one here. Talk about role reversal!” She set down the teddy bear and stood up, steering Lou back towards the bed. “You just had a baby. You’re in the hospital and the nurse poked her head in to check a few minutes ago. Chill.”

  She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. “Right. I guess I’m just nervous about doing everything right.”

  “You’ll be a great mom, I’m positive of it.”

  She hoped Roxi was right. “Have you been here long?” She hitched herself up against the pillows.

  “Maybe half an hour. You know, this baby makes the most adorable faces. I’ve been taking videos of him so you wouldn’t miss anything.” Roxi handed over the phone.

  “Thanks.” She watched the screen, smiling as Caleb’s face scrunched before settling into a peaceful expression.

  “Oh, and Armand texted back. He likes the name Caleb.”

  Her head shot up at the news. Armand had texted back! She tried to hide her excitement by scolding Roxi. “You were reading my messages again?”

  Roxi shrugged. “I can’t help myself. Besides, I was the one that sent that text so technically—”

  “Technically, it’s my phone. I know you were texting for me while I held the baby but it’s still my message.”

  “Sorry.”

  “It’s okay.” She flipped to the message thread and read what Armand had said. It wasn’t much and didn’t show any kind of interest. “I wonder why he didn’t add anything else.”

  “I guess he’s a man of few words. Guys are like that, aren’t they?”

  “I suppose.” She worried her lip. “But Caleb is his son. You’d think he’d have more to say.”

  “Maybe he doesn’t want to get too involved? Now don’t take this wrong or anything but,” Roxi took a deep breath before continuing. “You sent him packing and then out of the blue, you drop the baby bombshell on him.”

  “Correction. You dropped the bombshell by asking Ryne to tell him.”

  “Okay, I’ll give you that. But the point is, he could be thinking you’re only reaching out to him because of the baby. That you’re wanting his money for child support and not because you care about him.”

  “Oh.” She leaned back against the pillows. “I hadn’t thought about it that way.”

  “And are you?”

  “Am I what?”

  “Contacting him because of the baby or because you’re interested in him?”

  “I…” What was she doing? She wanted Armand to know about the baby, of course, and not because she was looking for support payments. But as for Armand himself, did she want him back in her life? Yes, of course! She’d never really wanted him gone. She missed him but…her thoughts slowed...even if she did, circumstances hadn’t changed. It was still Stump River versus Chicago.

  Caleb began to fuss and she eased out of bed to pick him up and feed him. Roxi took a few more pictures and then headed down to the cafeteria for a snack, declaring if Caleb got to eat then she did too.

  Lou stroked the baby’s cheek with one finger and sighed. “What’s your momma going to do, Caleb?”

  Whatever she did had to be right for all of them, not just the baby or just her or Armand. She didn’t want anyone to end up hurt or resentful but in circumstances like this, was it even possible? The last thing she wanted was to make a decision they’d all live to regret.

  Caleb made a snuffling noise and she smiled at him. How could someone so small and adorable be at the centre of something so complicated?

  Lycan Link Headquarters…

  Captain Fielding picked up his cell phone and checked the number that had just called him, rang twice and then hung up. It was a prearranged signal. He pushed his chair back from his desk and proceeded to exit the complex that housed Lycan Link in favour of the expansive grounds that surrounded it. While not completely private, there was less chance of being overheard.

  Locating a solitary bench, he sat down and placed the
call to the operative who had contacted him.

  “You have a report?” There was no time for social niceties to precede the conversation, just straight facts. Neither knew how long they had to talk.

  “The Ursa has remained consistent over the past four months. With the exception of disappearing for a while in February there’s nothing to indicate he’s anything but a bartender.”

  “What do the locals say about him?”

  “He arrived in town about fifteen years ago, bought the bar and has been slowly making improvements. He’s well-liked, always willing to help. The disappearing trick happens at irregular intervals ranging from a few days to a week. The only thing I found of interest is that he doesn’t seem to have any history before coming to Stump River.”

  “No history? So he’s hiding something, probably living under an alias. I’ll have to check that out.” He nodded thoughtfully. “Anything else?”

  “With regards to the bear? No. But I was at the local pack house. It’s protected by layers of security from the obvious to the subtle. It makes you wonder exactly what they could be hiding.”

  “Can you breach it?”

  “It’s not my area of expertise but there’s almost always a weak point in a system if you look hard enough.”

  Fielding stroked his lip, considering work-arounds for the situation. “Send me anything you know about the security and I’ll see what I can come up with. In the meantime, what about the hacker?”

  “I didn’t have enough time to look at his computer system, but he seems your typical computer nerd; smart, quiet, the kind that isn’t noticed.”

  “Which is exactly the kind of profile that raises red flags.”

  “Agreed. I sense a restlessness about him, too. He could do something with those codes just for the thrill of it.”

  “Hmph. The codes have all been changed. However, if he did it once he could do it again.”

  “Right.”

  “In your opinion, should we bring him in?”

  “Perhaps. I’m going to do some more checking. If he’s as good as he seems to be, and he’s not crossed any lines, we want him on our side.”