This time the cracking up from my mates couldn’t be contained. They each laughed but kept their eyes trained on me.
“Wendi, look at me,” Moss said, leaning against the windowsill. I did as he asked and couldn’t help but remember the night before. Worth the wait. “If…and when you get pregnant, it will be a blessing to us all. We will have started a family, and how lucky will the child be to have so many caring parents in their life? My parents could’ve used the extra help, for sure. There is no jealousy here, and certainly not about the children we will have.”
He got some grunts of agreement from the others, and my heart slowed a little more.
“What if I’m pregnant now?”
“We would know, female. Your scent would change. Your wolf will also let you know.” Escher’s reply was swift and rock steady, like him.
“Come on, mate, let’s get it all out on the table. I can tell those aren’t your only stresses, though I will say it’s about time you asked those questions. We were waiting for them. Remember, this is new territory for us all.”
I was finally able to let go of the grip on the sheets and sat up straight, the deep breaths coming easily now. “What if we lose this war, and it’s all my fault? What if I never should’ve come here and caused all this trouble?”
I heard my voice on the brink of a whine, but I couldn’t help it. They asked me to vent and be honest, and there it was.
“First of all,” Moss said, “we will not lose to those Rattlecreek wimps. Second of all, if we do, defending you and this pack is the most honorable way I can think of to die, and it will be worth it to spend a single second with you.”
Escher’s face had devolved into anger.
“Are you angry with me, mate?” I said, moving my leg to break him from his aggravated spell.
“No, female. Never with you. I hate that pack. I will shred them all to pieces. Losing to them isn’t an option. Not even close. We will fight with every fiber of our souls.”
I smiled at his resolve and trusted it wholly.
There was nothing more to be upset about. Yes, I would still worry about the war and fret over the wedding, but I had to focus on the good. There was no other option.
“One more thing,” I said and stood in front of my mates, naked and feeling their eyes on me. “I’m starving.”
Brandon stood. “We all are, mate. We all are.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
After our big talk about babies and war, the wedding barreled down on us like a twister in tornado alley. We had very little time left, and while Christie and I were fully outfitted, the guys were in a tizzy over what to wear.
I never saw it coming, but it was the best ever! I came down one morning to find the warriors with their heads together, staring at a laptop screen and arguing. Since they almost never argued about anything, I had to know what the heck was going on!
To my shock, they were looking at a display of very fancy evening wear.
“You guys don’t have to do this. It’s so expensive, and when would you wear them again?” Not that I didn’t think they’d look amazing. “Maybe wear jeans and a button-down shirt?”
“For our wedding?” Brandon looked appalled. “Are you wearing jeans?”
I flushed. “You know I’m not, but…”
“But what? You get to dress up and we have to look unworthy of you in all your finery? Like wolves you found sitting in the dust along the road?” Cash was on his feet. “Is that what you think of us? We’d shame you?”
Moss stared at me, a look full of shock. “You don’t want us to look nice?”
Escher didn’t say anything, but I could feel his emotions pulsing. How would I ever get through the years with the four of them without making big mistakes and upsetting anyone. I’d have to take it a day at a time. This time, though, we were talking clothes, and the four most handsome men I’d seen ever were asking if I thought they might not look nice?
Their outrage was so over-the-top, I had to fight back laughter. “You can’t possibly believe that. No matter where I go with any of you, I get the most jealous glares from women along the street. The waitresses speak to you as if I’m not even present. And at school…Moss, did you know I was getting a D from Professor Elisse? I was getting an A until she saw you pick me up after class and kiss me.”
“Well, that’s not right.” Moss stood and planted his hands on his hips. “Let’s go to the dean.”
“It’s okay.” I grinned at him. “I dropped the class. If she isn’t going to behave professionally, I’m not interested in her lectures anyway. Besides, I’ll be starting my new track next semester. Pre-med. Can you believe it?”
As I’d hoped, my quick change of subject distracted them long enough to at least lighten the mood. They’d been so supportive about my plan though as word got out—because a pack could also be called a grapevine—not everyone thought it was a good idea. Not that we’d discussed it with anyone outside the family with the exception of the alpha.
Come to think of it, he was Brandon’s brother, so family anyway. But we weren’t hiding it either, and were no doubt overheard just enough to cause confusion. A big part of the reason I’d heard criticism was the rumors had me going away to medical school in countries far, far away instead of my plan to apply to a commutable school.
And even that was a few years out since I had to complete my undergrad work first.
“I knew you were smart the first time I saw you,” Moss said. “But we’re smart, too, and we know you’re trying to keep us from discussing whether to wear powder-blue or crimson tuxedos. This is an important decision. Maybe we could each wear a different color?”
“I like that,” Brandon chimed in. “But maybe we could each wear a tie matching one other guy’s suit.”
“I hate you all,” I told them as they roared with laughter. But though they had sort of seen through my plan, they also had missed the most important factor. Tension was gone. “But if you really want to dress up, how about nice tailored suits. Something you could wear out to a nice dinner on another occasion or something. Really, I don’t think you need to go the tux route. For sure not to make me happy.”
“There is a nice shop in town,” Cash pointed out. “Menswear and they have a tailor on the premises. I was a little worried about online tuxes fitting properly.”
“Deal.” I gave them all brightest smile. “We can all go, and it had better be today because this event is coming soon.” I still wasn’t sure even a smaller version of our plans was the best idea, but as I looked at these men who loved me, I would do anything that made them happy.
Or would make it harder for someone else to take me away from them. Mating, marriage, every connection showed a tighter front to the rest of the world.
I took advantage of our trip to the menswear store to also make some other stops. Even a small wedding seemed to require so much stuff! The florist and I had been going back and forth on Christie’s and my bouquets and the boutonnieres for my mates, and we were able to finalize that. Also the cake order. The bakery known for the very best cakes in town was right next to the florist, and I’d called ahead to schedule a tasting.
Four mates, me, and five different preferences in the cake department led to a multi-tiered confection where we each had our choice. Despite the “small” event, there were still a lot of people in our pack who liked cake. So chocolate, spice, carrot, red velvet, and for my sweet Moss, marble cake. But not ordinary marble like way back in the last century. This one was a ginger beer citrus swirl they were known for.
It was amazing!
We really needed this time away from the intensity of the pack life. Just to be together and do a little shopping, eat lunch on top of the cake tastings, and complain about how full we were. To laugh and argue a little more about the suit choices.
It was great.
It was normal.
It was us.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Four suits now hung in the front closet, in
pristine zip-up bags. They had decided on matching, but each one had a unique feature, or so they claimed. Those unique features were hidden from me, and I had to swear not to look, like they had sworn not to look at my dress.
Christie kept taunting me to take a peek. I taunted her back to try and kiss Tris, but neither of us caved. I actually looked forward to the surprise of my mates in their suits.
I sat in an armchair, reading one of my favorite romances and trying to relax amongst the chaos with my favorite cup of salted caramel tea beside me.
It was short-lived.
The back door swung open, and I placed my book pages-down on the table beside me. I knew from scent alone the door-flinger was Moss.
“I found one of them, mate. I found one.”
“What?” I stood and shot the question at him. “One of them?”
He bent over, out of breath. Beads of sweat glistened along his shirtless body as he braced his hands on his knees. I crossed the distance between us, the only sounds in the house the ones from my mate huffing and my footsteps.
He finally looked up at me and kissed my temple. “One of the Rattlecreek pack. One of their spies was at the border. I lay low until I saw him test the line. His pompous ass crossed over the border. He wasn’t paying attention, wasn’t using his shifter senses. And I snapped him up. He’s at the alpha’s house being questioned.”
“He is? Is he answering? What is he saying?” My voice rose to a fever pitch as I pummeled my mate for answers.
“He’s not saying anything. They sent me to get you so you might…inspire him to answer.”
I shuddered. I knew what he meant.
“Moss, I only did that to get out of there when they kidnapped me. I don’t—”
“I know,” he said, putting his hands on my arms, instantly calming me. “You don’t have to. We have other methods, believe me. But I’m hoping if you just walk into the room, it would scare him. I’m sure what you did to the others has spread throughout the pack. He probably already knows the damage you can do.”
“Oh…” I thought it over while Moss pulled a shirt from the laundry basket. I was pretty sure it was Cash’s shirt, but laundry was bound to get mixed up in this place. At least, their laundry. “Okay, let’s go. Maybe I can help.”
We made our way to the alpha’s house then down some steep stairs to a basement. The tangy almost foul scent of the Rattlecreek pack member filled my nose before I saw him.
“Take off the blindfold,” Samson ordered Brandon as my feet touched the bottom step.
Brandon looked at me then stepped toward the man, who was zip-tied to the chair. He pulled down the black cloth covering the man’s eyes and kicked at his legs.
“You know who this is, I’m assuming?” Samson asked him, nodding toward me.
The male shook his head and blinked several times, adjusting to the difference between darkness and light. His eyes zeroed in on me, and all the blood rushed from his face. Oh, yeah, my reputation preceded me, and, honestly, I didn’t know how I felt about that.
As a healer, I wanted people to feel like they could approach me, but the growing warrior within me puffed her chest out. That’s right, Rattlecreek, fear me.
“Answer the alpha,” Brandon said, punching the man, causing blood to leak from his nostrils.
“Yes. This is the Taker. The Healer. Wendi. The one who started this whole war.”
Ouch.
Not exactly a glowing review. Not that I cared. But if they were so afraid of me, then why keep coming after me?
Probably to use us as a weapon.
“That’s where you’re wrong. It’s your alpha who started this war. A little bitch fit over something he couldn’t have,” Samson told him, his voice low, even, but tight.
The man spat blood at him, marring his white button-down shirt with droplets of faint red. “She belongs to all of us.”
“How many other spies are there? When does your alpha intend to attack?” Samson ignored his statement and asked the question with a blow to the man’s abdomen.
“Maybe you should ask your brother, Tris,” he replied.
“Bullshit!” Samson cried out, backhanding the man across the face. His head whipped in Brandon’s direction.
After recovering and coughing, the man laughed, redness marred his teeth and flowed down from his nose to his chin. “So many spies. Always watching. Always trying to test and distract.” His smile grew wider as he looked me up and down. “And they say Rattlecreek is weak.”
The last word sent shivers spindling down my spine.
“Wendi!” I heard Christie’s voice as she pounded down the stairs. “It’s Mirella!”
Chapter Twenty-Five
“Gram!” I screamed, entering her house from the back door. The door was splintered around the deadbolt like someone had slammed their way in.
“I’m here.” I heard her voice, a faint echo of what it once was, and rushed to the couch where she lay.
“When I came in, she was over there.” Christie pointed toward the kitchen. “I put her on the couch and came straight for you, Wendi. I called your phone, but it went straight to voicemail,”
Brandon and Moss came in behind me. Moss crouched beside the pool of blood on Mirella’s otherwise pristine kitchen floor.
“No service in the alpha’s basement,” Brandon answered in a clipped tone. He was already on the investigation, but my attention was on my great-grandmother.
“Gram, who was it?”
She smiled, but the slight motion caused her to cough and sputter. “I got him, my girl. Follow the blood trail, boys. Half of that isn’t mine, I guarantee.”
Brandon and Moss both looked at me, clearly torn on how to proceed.
Christie kneeled next to me by Gram’s side. “I’m staying with Wendi. Go!”
They looked at one another and took off, shifting in the house to catch the scent then sprinting out of the back door, already on the trail.
“Where are you hurt? I’m going to heal you.” I pushed up my sleeves, ready to take on whatever that rat bastard had done to her. The man in the alpha’s basement was right. He was simply a distraction. A way to get to one of the people most precious to me.
“Not this time, dear.” She patted my arm, but her other hand pressed firmly to her stomach.
“Let me see,” I demanded and knew it was only because she was injured that I would be able to get away with such sass.
She moved her arm and pulled up her shirt to reveal four gashes in her abdomen. Blood bubbled from each wound. They were deep. So deep.
“I’m going to heal you,” I said and reached out to put my hands on her stomach.
She put her hands over mine. “You must save your strength. This is my time.”
“Your time my ass, Mirella!” I yelled, tears flooding my eyes. “I’m going to heal you, and that’s the end of it. You’re going to be at my wedding and see my kids and—” My voice was cut off by the stone of hurt in my throat.
“I’ve already seen all of that, child,” she said, turning her head and placing her hand on my cheek. “I’ve seen your beautiful wedding and all of your children, right up here.” She tapped her fingertip against her temple. “It is a gift I alone have, and, honestly, I’m grateful you didn’t inherit that as well. It is a curse above the Taking. To be able to see what lies ahead is a blessing in some ways, but always a curse. You have to let me go.”
I slapped my bloody hands on my thighs. “No. I don’t. You’re all the family I have left.”
She smiled at me. “You have a family of your own now. Go to my desk and open the large drawer at the bottom. Hurry, before my time ends.”
I rushed to the antique desk and wrenched open the drawer. Inside was a large book and some handwritten journals along with a folder stuffed full of all kinds of papers.
“Okay, what is this?” I asked, not really giving up on healing her yet, but listening to what she had to say.
“I’m a smart woman,” she said, her
voice getting fainter by the second.
“I know. But what is this? Just let me heal you. I don’t care what you’ve seen.”
She patted my hand. “This isn’t your choice, Wendi. It is mine. In your hands is everything I own. Stocks, bonds, investments. Seeing the future has a few advantages.”
“What? I don’t…” Yes, I did understand. Mirella had seen the future and planned for it, and those plans included me.
“Live a beautiful life, my great-granddaughter. Enjoy those mates and your children and everything life will offer you.”
“Gram, I love you. Let me heal you,” I begged, sobs wracking my chest and making my body pulse.
“Oh, my dear, I love you more than anything this world holds. I will see you one day again. Believe it.”
She closed her eyes but kept muttering something. I got on my knees and leaned in to put my ear next to her mouth. “Our sword is in the bastard’s back.”
I held her hands while her breathing slowed and her eyes became glassy. She looked at the ceiling and, with one small smile, she took her last breath and, along with it, the last of my blood relatives.
“Wendi, I know this isn’t the time, but…” Christie murmured.
“What?” I asked, still holding Mirella’s hands, not ready to let go, still in shock.
“I know I’m not the best at mathing but…Mirella was a millionaire.”
Even if she was, in this moment, I felt like a pauper without her in my life.
Chapter Twenty-Six
The wedding was still coming soon, but Mirella’s murder and the intruders on our lands pushed all the remaining preparations from my mind. Christie and I sat with Mirella’s body all night, but my mates did not return, and, as the sun rose, I moved to the windows, watching anxiously for them. “I hope they’re all right.”
Christie joined me. “You know they are. If anything were wrong, you’d feel it.”
“Yeah…” But would I? What if I didn’t? “I’m sure you’re right. I think.” I turned away from the window to face my great-grandmother’s body. “But they killed Mirella.” My throat was swollen with the effort not to cry anymore. I was afraid I’d be dehydrated with the number of tears I’d shed while she died, and since. “But why is it taking so long?”
Dominion: A Shifter of Consequence Tale (Shifters of Consequence Book 4) Page 9