Lone Wolf Rising (Paranormal Romantic Thriller) (The Winters Series)

by Jami Brumfield

  She focused her attention back to Gabriel. Somehow Rebecca knew the conversation would wrap around to the subject of the other rogues again. She had to admit he was loyal. And he cared about the rest of his kind. The more time she spent with him the more she began to like him. He may come across as being cocky and irritating but he had more layers than she first believed.

  Lucky parked the vehicle in front of the Rufuge's front entrance. The street was oddly quiet during the day, nothing like the crowds that visit at night. There were no bouncers manning the doors, but customers were slowly coming in and out because the club owners offered meals until about five o’clock in the evening. Gabriel and Lucky both got to her door at the same time. She simply rolled her eyes and opened the door for herself.

  "I can take care of myself, boys." She pushed them both aside and led them into the club/restaurant. She didn't know what she was expecting but it wasn’t this. From the outside it looked like a run down biker bar, but inside it was more like a rustic ski lodge; which was slightly out of place in the hot Phoenix climate. There was a stone fireplace that took up one corner of the club. The stage where a country-western band was performing a sound check took up another wall and a bar ran the length of the wall on the opposite side. The rest of the bar was full of tables and chairs which circled the dance floor. She had to admit it was larger than it looked from the outside.

  Gabriel made a quick beeline to a beautiful exotic woman who was behind the bar. Her jet black hair was long, straight, and whipping around her olive colored face from the air conditioner's breeze. The smile that graced her face upon seeing him reached her dark eyes and Rebecca felt something twist inside her.

  Chapter Fifteen

  ~ "In all secrets there is a kind of guilt, however beautiful or joyful they may be, or for what good end they may be set to serve. Secrecy means evasion, and evasion means a problem to the moral mind."

  ~Gilbert Parker

  Rebecca

  "Angelique, my sweet, how are you?" Gabriel's voice held genuine affection and Rebecca bit her tongue. She made it perfectly clear that she wasn’t interested in anything more than friendship with Gabriel, so she had no right to feel jealous. She decided to push the emotional burst off on the wolf.

  "Gabe!" Angelique jumped over the bar and flew into his strong arms. He chuckled when she planted a kiss on his cheek. It was obvious that the two of them were very close.

  ‘You need to claim him as he has made his claim on you, otherwise you risk losing him.’ The wolf advised.

  ‘For the last time, this isn’t your business.’ Rebecca chided the wolf in her mind.

  Angelique locked eyes with Lucky and her smile got wider, if that was possible. "Lucian, too? Wow I must be a lucky woman to have you two strong men in my restaurant this afternoon."

  "Hey Angel, this is Rebecca, my..."

  Angelique’s voice held a heavy Spanish accent as she turned to Rebecca and said. "Are you the new alpha I’ve been hearing so much about?" Her eyes got wider. The girl’s face was extremely expressive. Her excitement was almost too much to handle. She reminded Rebecca of her twin only there was a darkness in her eyes that told Rebecca she could be dangerous if needed. And while her body was sexy, she was also muscular which said a lot about what she was capable of.

  Angelique looked to be in her early twenties which told Rebecca she probably wouldn't be much help, but she might know someone who would be.

  "All good I hope?" Despite the fact that Angelique was overly affectionate to the two men in Rebecca’s life she could see how easily she could like this woman. Angelique was genuine and sweet, while harboring just enough darkness to be dangerous.

  "Well, you’re a new player so no one really knows what to think of you yet." She smiled sweetly. "But you come from a well respected family so that counts for a lot. Many supernatural beings count on your grandmother for help. And two of the most honorable men I’ve ever met have allied themselves with you so that tells me you’re probably a good person."

  "Did they also count on my mother and father?" The words escaped Rebecca’s lips before she could hold them back. She had wanted to have this conversation for three days and her excitement was overwhelming. The silence that followed was uncomfortable and confirmed that her line of questioning wasn’t appropriate, but now that the cat was out of the bag, there really was no reason to stop. "I’m sorry, it’s actually the reason I came here. My family history and how that relates to my parents and their deaths."

  "Your parents, from what I hear, were revered by many, including my father. Unfortunately, I’m too young to really remember them well." Angelique led us to a table.

  "But your father? Is he here? Would he know more about the day my parents were killed?" Rebecca couldn’t stop her line of questioning; it was like she was possessed by a nosy detective, one who had been sitting on a lead for far too long.

  "Possibly, but I thought their deaths were confirmed as a tragic human crime. From my understanding, the protectors did not see any supernatural involvement." Angelique said.

  Rebecca found it odd that Angelique would be so familiar with the death of two people from ten years ago. She decided to keep that concern to herself for the moment. "I know. I was told the same thing, but I’m having a hard time believing it." Rebecca, Lucky and Gabriel sat down at the one of the tables.

  Angelique gave Rebecca a small smile. There was a level of compassion in her dark eyes. "I can understand. Let me get papa and we can see if he can shed some light on the situation." Before anyone could say another word she was rushing back towards what Rebecca assumed was the kitchen.

  The place was cluttered with people running around working on various things obviously getting the building situated for when the club opened later that night. The ruckus only reassured Rebecca that coming during the day was a smart choice. Had she gone at night gaining entry into the club would have been difficult thanks to her age, but if she requested sanctuary they would have granted access because she is a supernatural.

  Angelique came out of the kitchen with a big burly teddy bear of a man trailing behind her wiping his hands on a clean white towel. His jeans and button down red flannel shirt were protected from food by a pristine white apron; hinting that he was the chef of the establishment.

  When he caught sight of Rebecca a smile spread across his face and brightened his eyes. "Well you are a blast from the past, little one. You’re the mirror image of your mother. For a moment I thought I was seeing a ghost." His accent was Americanized but it was obvious he was also from Spain, his dark hair, olive skin and dark eyes were common identifiers, proving the family relationship between himself and Angelique.

  "I’ve heard that before. Thank you." It was a nice compliment. Her mother was a beautiful woman.

  He stared quietly at her for an uncomfortable moment; his eyes took on a dreamy quality.

  Lucky cleared his throat, "um, Ricky, this is Rebecca Winters. She’s here to ask..."

  "Yes, yes." He sat down. "Angel told me, you have some questions about the day your parents died. I’m afraid I won't be much help. That was a long time ago and your mother was a regular patron."

  "Anything you can tell me would be beneficial. I fear I’ve very few leads in their deaths. I can't explain it but I feel like their deaths were suspicious." Rebecca prayed his seeing her would jar some lost memory.

  "She thinks they were murdered by supernatural means." Gabriel elaborated.

  Ricky ran a hand through his black hair. Rebecca could’ve sworn the hand shook a little. "You’re not alone in that assumption. However, the protectors looked into the situation and decided that their deaths were tragic accidents; that the supernaturals had nothing to do with it." He looked at Lucky warily. "Once they turn it over to the human police we have very little to do with it."

  Lucky shrugged, "Regardless of what we have on file, she needs to do her own investigating to set her mind at ease. Anything you can tell her; on or off the record, would be apprec
iated."

  Rebecca was beginning to think having Lucky there was a mistake. While she trusted him, he was a protector. She wondered if Ricky would be more forthcoming if she didn’t have the police with her. It made logical sense. Silently she chided herself for not thinking that might be a problem.

  ‘Your carelessness is a problem. You need to be more strategic in making decisions.’ The wolf added her opinion. Rebecca really hated her wolf’s know-it-all attitude.

  ‘Quit judging me. You and I are stuck with each other. Get over it and help me or shut up!’ Rebecca had it with the wolf’s condescending attitude. If she could, she would have slapped her already.

  The wolf simply chuckled in her mind, ‘you will learn, young one.’

  Ricky looked completely uncomfortable as he eyed everyone at the table one by one; Lucky, Gabriel, and Angel, before he settled his eyes on Rebecca. "They were laid to rest a decade ago, perhaps it’s just better to leave them resting."

  "Perhaps that’s best for other people, but not the family. Our family needs closure and we’ve not gotten it yet. I promise you, Ricky, that until I do, I’ll not rest." It’s the reason why she became a wolf, why she’s now an alpha. She kept that morsel of knowledge to herself. No one else needed to know about her personal demons.

  Ricky sighed. "I remember she was here to meet someone. Who? I’m not sure. Your mother always met clients at the Refuge. A smart move for someone that works on both sides of the war."

  "The war between vampires and werewolves?" Rebecca nodded her understanding.

  "It would be more appropriate to call it the war between the Convent and the Authority since all supernaturals have been caught up in the crossfire." Angel smiled softly. There was a sadness in her eyes and something amazingly genuine about her, something that Rebecca couldn't quite place but that she really liked about her. “We’ve all lost people in our lives, taken from us too soon.”

  "I think Gabriel and I can sympathize with you on loss." Rebecca felt that familiar recognition of connection.

  "We all can. But believe me, if the war was over there would still be loss because the lines between light and dark will always exist as long as free will exists. The war simply gives people an excuse to do what they want." Lucky locked eyes with Rebecca and she realized his statement of loss was very real. She found herself wondering who he lost. But this wasn’t the place to ask.

  "So does my grandmother do the same thing?" Rebecca changed the solemn subject. So much death, so much destruction.

  "It’s the duty of all witches to maintain balance. Without balance there’s no earth, no life, nothing." Angel offered up, it sounded like a programmed response, but seemed sincere.

  "Yes and she’s very good at it. As good as your mother, who seemed to have a natural affinity for it." Ricky's eyes glazed over again as he went back to a past moment that he shared only with himself.

  "And my father?" Rebecca wasn’t sure if this was the right place to ask. She wasn’t too impressed with what she has learned about him since she started digging. She found she was a little afraid of what else she might learn.

  No one thought Rebecca noticed as all eyes lowered to the scarred wood table. There were multiple couple's initials carved into the wood and circled by hearts. "And my father?" She raised her voice, unwilling to let them avoid her further. She may have been afraid of what she would learn, but their reaction told her she needed to know.

  "Your father; your father fell on the side of darkness, your mother, the light. He was very clear of his intentions of making the Convent laws a priority in your family, she was happy with the strict rules of the Authority." Ricky offered with sympathy in his eyes. “It was a matter of great contention in your family. Some believe that is why she bound your powers, to protect you.”

  "You mean to say my father was a bad person?" Rebecca knew he was a wizard and she knew he chose the Convent but that wasn't enough to make him a bad person. In truth, there were many points the Convent had that she agreed with.

  "Your father loved your mother; that was obvious. Your mother thought she was changing him, and he thought he was changing her. Her lineage required her to be neutral, his gave him free will and he chose the darkness. Making that choice is not necessarily bad, it is simply a choice." Ricky tried to explain.

  “I thought it was both of my parents that bound us?” Rebecca felt confusion flood her mind as she tried to put the pieces together.

  “No one really knows, but your grandmother has searched high and low for a removal spell, which is why many people in the supernatural community know about your predicament.” Ricky answered.

  Rebecca found herself nodding as she digested the information. It wasn't what she wanted to hear but it helped her understand him more. "I know he chose to be a wizard, I know he believed in the right to choose."

  "Yes." Ricky smiled weakly, his eyes veiled.

  "So that choice made him unable to help my mother with her charges? They basically lived different lives when it came to the world of magic." Everyone nodded.

  Rebecca rubbed the back of her neck, it ached. The more she dug into her parents’ life and death, the more her world seemed to fall apart. But one question still seemed to weigh heavily on her mind. Who killed them? One thing she felt certain of now is that this wasn't a random accident. Deep down she knew that should make her feel a little better, knowing it probably wasn't her plea to be rescued that night that aided in their deaths. But still it was the not knowing that made it worse. The guilt may be less but the rage at their untimely murders made her feel things she wasn’t familiar with and did not like. At least as an alpha she could do something about it.

  ‘It’s about time you realize my worth.’ The wolf chimed in. ‘We’ll find their killer and avenge their deaths.’

  The wolf’s promise brought tears to the back of her eyes. ‘Thank you.’

  "Do you think the Protectors were right in assuming this was a human crime?" Rebecca asked when her emotions were back to normal.

  Ricky's eyes slid nervously towards Lucky. Lucky remained stoic. Everyone else lowered their eyes.

  "Honestly, I really don't know." Ricky said softly.

  "And you’re sure you don’t remember who she met with that night?" Rebecca found herself wishing Lucky would excuse himself from the table so Ricky would feel more comfortable answering her questions, but she knew he wouldn’t.

  Ricky shook his head and lowered his eyes.

  "Well, thank you for your help. Can I use the restrooms?" Rebecca knew she was getting nowhere at this point; instinct told her he was lying. Lies held a certain scent. It didn’t matter what or who you were, lies carried a nervous scent. He had that scent, and his heartbeat quickened every time he lied.

  She knew there was more to the story. She also knew he wanted to tell her, but every time he was about to say more he looked over at Lucky. Rebecca knew Lucky wasn't trying to keep the truth from her, but his group, the Protectors might be. She thought maybe getting away from Lucky for a few minutes might give Ricky or Angel the opportunity to talk to her freely.

  "Oh, I’ll take you." Angel jumped up and grabbed her hand. The protective instinct had her wanting to pull away. She was not a touchy-feely kind of gal, but etiquette kept her hand where it was and she allowed Angelique to pull her towards the bathroom.

  Behind them Rebecca heard Ricky excuse himself from the table offering the boys a soda and some snacks, which they wholeheartedly accepted. Rebecca had to admit both sounded really good at the moment. As if on cue, her stomach grumbled in agreement.

  "So have you thought much about how you are going to rebuild the pack?" Angel asked; curiosity clear in her eyes as they entered the restroom. She jumped up and sat on the sink counter, her slim legs swinging back and forth.

  Rebecca shrugged, "I figured I would start with the rogues." She closed the bathroom stall behind her fully expecting Angelique to stop talking for a moment while she did her business; but she was wrong.

&
nbsp; "Can I give you some unsolicited advice?" Angelique asked.

  Rebecca rolled her eyes; she hated it when people began a statement with that question. It wasn't until she was out of the stall and washing her hands before she shrugged and answered "sure."

  Angelique moved in closer, her voice barely above a whisper. With the music blasting in the background a human would have a hard time hearing her, but not a wolf. "Be careful with the rogues. Test them well. Some can’t be trusted."

  "And Gabriel?" Rebecca turned towards her as she dried her hands.

  "Gabe is a wonderful guy who was messed up emotionally by his father. He refused to marry someone that his father wanted him to for the sake of politics. His father exiled and disowned him in an ancient ceremony where his entire pack was required to beat him within an inch of his life. Wolves are a rough breed. It’s one of the reasons I’m thankful to be a Spanish elf, one of the farthest warrior classes from wolves as possible." As if to reinforce her lineage she pulled her hair back behind her pointed ears. "But he is loyal, if my opinion helps anyways. You can trust him."

  "I’m new to this whole business so any genuine, honest opinion given my way is appreciated. I can tell you’re that. Thank you." Before Rebecca knew what was happening she was pulled into a surprisingly fierce hug and a friendship that she knew would be a strong one.

  "But one thing’s for sure, you’re a definite upgrade from Tomas. He made many enemies and many believe he endangered his pack with his mood swings. The rumor is that his alpha and his own humanity were constantly at war within"