Chapter 9 - The Family History
“What is happening?” Stone demanded. “What is this all about?”
“They are coming for her!” Abby answered, looking at Gracey.
“Coming for Gracey? Who is coming for Gracey?” Stone called out, alarmed pulling Gracey closer to him.
Stone’s father rushed into the room. “Is it true?” Rudy asked with a look of horror on his face.
Abby still sitting and wringing her hands looked at Rudy in desolation. “It’s my fault. They followed me here.”
Stone and Gracey looked around the room, Jim and Stone's parents knew something, but no one was saying what. “You have to tell us what is going on. Why are they coming for Gracey?” Stone demanded.
“We should sit,” Rudy suggested. Rudy glanced at Jim, who immediately excused himself.
Abby looked at Rudy and then to Stone and Gracey. “This could take a while,” Abby stated and with a deep breath composed herself enough to begin.
“Gracey, what do you know about your family history?” Abby asked as a preface to the rest of the story.
“Not much. I know my folks are from around here, but I have no aunts or uncles, and both of my grandparents are dead,” Gracey answered. “My mother is dead, and with my father in prison, it is just me.”
“What do you know about our family history, Gracey?” Abby continued.
“Your family history?” Gracey asked. “Why would I know anything about your family history?” She was completely bewildered and by the look on Stone’s face, so was he.
Then Gracey and Stone called out, almost at the same time, “The Henrikson Family Tree!”
“What Henrikson Family Tree?” Rudy called out in panic.
Gracey looked at Stone and answered. “We were at Molly’s last week. And when we were looking for some photos she kept in a box, I saw a folded piece of paper with the words Henrikson Family Tree written on it.”
“Did you look at it?” Rudy asked.
“No, at the time I did not recognize the name, so I ignored it,” Gracey replied. Then Gracey looked at Abby. “That is your family, right? Stone told me you changed your name.”
“Stone?” Abby asked, looking at her son.
“We were at the library, and I saw a book in Gracey’s bag. It was one of yours. It is the one with the emerald green eyes on it. I told her you had written it, and you had changed your name.”
“Where did you get the book, Gracey?” Abby inquired suspiciously.
“From Molly.”
“What has Molly told you about our family?” Abby asked nervously, afraid of what Gracey’s response would be.
“Nothing, she never talked about you or your family,” Gracey answered.
Rudy stood and closed the great room doors and returned to his chair. “We have a lot to talk about,” he told the group. “I am not sure how much and or even if you will believe us but know what we are about to say is real.”
Abby then asked Gracey, “Have you read the entire book?”
Gracey shook her head to imply no.
“The book is the story of my childhood. I grew up out west with my pack,” Abby advised.
“With your pack?” Gracey queried.
Stone called out, “Whoa, are you telling me you are a werewolf? A Lycan?”
If this conversation had been happening under happier circumstances, Abby might have laughed, but with the impending danger, she did not. “No sweetie, we are wolves. There is a difference.”
Stone looked at his father, “You too?”
“No son, I have never been turned,” Rudy answered. “But we can talk about that later. Right now, we need talk about why Gracey is in danger.”
Abby moved closer to Gracey and took her hands. “What do you know about the night your mother was attacked before you were born?”
“Only what my father told me when I visited last weekend, but I don’t think he told me everything. He was holding something back. As if he was trying to protect me,” Gracey told Abby. “Stone and I got some photos from the police department.” Gracey left out how they had procured them. “Stone showed me a few of them, but they were…” Gracey could feel herself becoming nauseated again and started to shake uncontrollably.
“Gracey, I was trying to protect you as well,” Stone told Gracey. “I didn’t show you the worse ones. Your mother was raped.”
Gracey nearly fainted. “Breathe, Gracey, breathe,” Stone called out in a panic. “I am so sorry!”
“Gracey, darling, I wish we could finish this story later but now you are in danger, and you need to know why,” Abby told her.
“You know who raped my mother?” Gracey asked.
“Yes,” Abby told Gracey and took any deep breath to steady herself for the rest of the answer. “He is my cousin.”
“Omigod, are you telling me we are related?” Gracey called out as she and Stone released their hands and almost jumped away from each other. “We are cousins?” Gracey asked Abby. “Are you saying I am a wolf, too?”
“One thing at a time,” Abby told Gracey trying to comfort her. “Yes, we are related. But your father…your wolf father Rafer is my cousin two times removed. His grandfather is my great-great-grandfather. It would make you and Stone second cousins; two times removed or something like that. There are too many generations to count or to matter. In packs, almost everyone is related in some way.”
“But we are cousins!” Gracey repeated, looking at Stone.
Abby held back a laugh. “Sweetie, we are in Tennessee, there is a fair chance my Rudy is related to your momma way back. Now, take Stone’s hand. All of us being related has no bearing on your relationship.” Then Abby became serious again.
“Now, yes, you are a wolf too. Actually both you and Stone are. You both carry the wolf gene, but Gracey, your mother and I have taken every effort to keep both of you from knowing and from turning. You know the shots you take every month? Ever notice they are on the first day of the full moon? It stops the change. It keeps the gene dormant. Males usually change when they hit puberty, around their thirteenth birthday. Females wait until they are old enough to breed; when they start their monthly cycle. That is when you both starting getting your shots.”
“Okay, so we are both wolves! But that does not explain why Gracey is in danger?” Stone demanded more concerned with Gracey's safety than the fact he might be a wolf.
“Probably one of a couple of reasons; the first reason goes back to that night in 1987. Rafer’s pack did not have many females, natural born females at least. Every birth was resulting in males. Regardless if the pack mated with human females or females they had turned, only males were born. Rafer needed a female born with the wolf gene. The gene pool was saturated, and inbreeding was resulting in infighting. Rafer needed a female progeny. Rafer and the three of us are the only four naturally born Henriksons left. His male wolf line has died out,” Abby explained.
“But Rafer didn’t want the responsibility of raising another child. His pack had been nomadic for a while, and children just slowed them down. So, when Rafer encountered your mother, he…well you now know what happened,” Abby finished.
“But why is he coming after me now?” Gracey asked, still confused.
“Actually, he has tried before, but Rudy and I put protection in place for your once you turned eighteen and of age for mating. We had to. They had already killed your mother. And then they set your father up to get him out of the way,” Abby continued.
“You knew my father was innocent?” Gracey screamed out in anger. “And you did nothing!”
“Gracey, I know you are upset, but please let us explain. Once you hear the entire story, you will understand. You may not forgive us, but you will understand,” Rudy said with reservation.
“Rudy made sure you had a job, and you were put in Jim’s department so Jim could watch over you while at work,” Abby added.
“Jim is a wolf?” Grace
y asked as she felt herself fall further and further down the rabbit hole.
“And we had Elmer move into Ms. Maple’s to protect you at night,” Abby continued.
“Elmer is a wolf?” Gracey asked, on the verge of collapsing. She fought the urge to pinch herself to ensure she was really awake.
“Gracey, do we need to stop?” Rudy asked Gracey, seeing her in total distress. “Maybe a bite to eat would be in order. We can take a break and reconvene.”
“Mr. Rudolph, I could not eat right now even if I wanted to. And if I did, I do not think it would stay down long. We continue. Seems you have been secretly running my life and I need to know why,” Gracey demanded.
Stone almost smiled at Gracey's resolution. He put his arm around her and pulled her closer. He inhaled Gracey’s scent and found it intoxicating; no longer a hint of spice. Gracey's anger had intensified her scent.
“Why now?” Gracey asked again.
“Your twenty-fourth birthday was less than two weeks ago. If you do not turn before your twenty-fifth birthday, you will not turn naturally. Plus, I guess Rafer is hoping to mate you with a member of his pack; probably his Beta. And the bloodline will be stronger if you turn naturally. And then he can grow the Henrikson line.”
“Mate her? Now, wait a minute! What are you saying?” Stone called out.
“We will not let it happen. We will protect Gracey,” Rudy declared. “She is family, in more ways than one, I suspect.”
“I have so many questions; I do not know where to start,” Gracey said confusedly.
“We can explain everything Gracey, no more secrets,” Rudy affirmed. Silence fell over the room as they heard someone knocking on the door to the great room. Elmer and Charles had arrived with Gracey’s bags and other belongings and with Ms. Maple in tow. Jim was standing behind them.
Rudy instructed Charles to take Gracey’s belongings to the guest suite. Elmer was to escort Ms. Maple to the rooms in the basement until dinner. Elmer had his Army duffle bag slung over his shoulder. Jim was carrying his luggage, as well. It was evident everyone was moving into the mansion.
“Gracey, this is hard on all of us. I can see my Abby needs a break. Let’s have dinner, and we will continue the discussion,” Rudy decided. “Stone, please escort Gracey upstairs. Dinner is casual tonight.”
Stone led Gracey out of the room and up the stairs to the suite she had stayed in just a few days before. It was a comfort to Gracey she was not staying in a new room. The staff was already unpacking her things and trying to make the room Gracey’s. No one knew how long Gracey would be staying.
Noticing the lack of privacy, Stone took Gracey by the hand and led her to his suite. Gracey had not been inside his suite before. The suite was similar to hers but bigger and more masculine. The furnishings were manly and appropriately sized for a man of Stone’s stature. Stone was over six foot tall and with a muscular build. The color scheme confirmed his fondness for the color green, specifically emerald green. His scent permeated the room, sweet and musky. The smell made Gracey feel safe, at least for the moment.
Gracey moved to one of the picture windows and looked out. She looked towards the path towards their favorite spot by the creek and silently wished they were there lying on a blanket, without a care in the world. Stone walked up behind her and wrapped his arms her waist. Leaning in to take in her scent, he whispered into her ear, “This journey has a happy ending.”
Gracey was overcome with emotion; fear of her biological father and the comfort in Stone's words. Everything she had just learned was surreal. Fighting the urge to cry, Gracey asked Stone, “Do you always get your way?”
With no hesitation and complete resolve, Stone answered, “Yes.” And then he kissed her softly on the neck.
Walking back to her suite, Gracey asked, “What did your father mean by dinner is casual?”
“With all of the traveling due to company business, we don’t always get to eat dinner together. Dad is out of town more than usual lately, and Mom often accompanies him. So when all three of us are here, we make it memorable and dress for dinner and make it a celebration. But I guess we will have guests for dinner, and Dad would never put on airs or make anyone feel uncomfortable.”
Stone and Gracey freshened up and joined everyone in the formal dining room. At the table were Abby and Rudy, along with Jim, Elmer, and Ms. Maple. Gracey and Stone sat at the empty place settings, next to each other. While everyone was dressed casually for dinner, the table was still formally set. The china, crystal, and silver were impressive. “We will serve ourselves tonight,” Abby announced and motioned to the side-hutch.
In turn, everyone served themselves and returned to their assigned seats. Everyone sat in silence, barely eating, mostly pushing food around the plate. Finally, Rudy broke the silence, “Gracey, we are all here to answer any of your questions. Ms. Maple needs to hear the story too. She is too involved and is equally in danger. No more secrets.”
“Mr. Rudolph,” Gracey started and paused trying to determine what to ask first.
“Rudy, call me Rudy. Now is not the time for being formal plus technically you are family,” he insisted.
“May I be blunt?” Gracey inquired.
“Yes,” Rudy answered.
“I am not happy. Everyone has lied to me and apparently to Stone, as well. But now I have to trust you. So, I am going to ask a lot of questions, and no one better lie to me!”
Stone looked around the table and declared, “That’s my girl.”
Shocked by Gracey’s tenacity, everyone agreed in unison, no more lies.
“Of course, I have a ton of questions about my father. And when I say my father, I am not talking about Rafer. But that can wait. I assume Elmer and Jim are here because they were in on all the deception.” Gracey was not holding back. She was letting them know she did not appreciate being lied to. No excuses were offered. Everyone, except Ms. Maple, was guilty of the ruse, and their faces confirmed it.
“Jim, let’s start with you. What is your story?” Gracey demanded.
Jim took a deep breath and looked at Abby as if asking for advice. “From the beginning, Jim,” Abby told Jim.
Jim took another deep breath and started. “I was born human. Rafer is my sire.”
“Your sire?” Gracey replied, asking for clarification.
“Rafe, Rafer turned me almost forty years ago when I was about twenty-two years old.”
“But you look about forty-five, not sixty-something,” Gracey interrupted.
Abby interjected, “I will fill you in on the wolf lore later. Continue, Jim.”
“I lived with the pack out west. It was a hard life; there was so much fighting for power amongst the wolves. Rafe was the oldest and claimed his place in the pack as Alpha. After being turned, I stayed with him not knowing I could live human. I knew about Mrs. Rudolph as Rafe had told us all about his famous cousin, the author.” Jim paused for another deep breath.
“We were traveling through Tennessee posing as a biker gang. Rafe had wanted to visit his cousin, Abigail, I mean Mrs. Rudolph, and try to convince her to come back to the pack. Rafe needed Mrs. Rudolph for her money. Of course, Mrs. Rudolph would not have even considered it, being married to Mr. Rudolph and having a young son. Rafe had sent me ahead to request an appointment with Mrs. Rudolph. But then I saw how happy she was. I saw it was possible to live as a human.” Jim stopped to smile at the Rudolphs in admiration and then continued.
“Before I had a chance to decide whether to fulfill Rafe’s request or abandon the pack, Rafe attacked your mother. It instantly resolved my dilemma. I abandoned the pack. I tracked down the other two men who were involved in the attack and killed them. But I could not kill Rafe without the pack’s retribution. The Rudolphs gave me refuge and a job. I still turn each month, but I have learned to assimilate myself back into society. When you came to work at Rudolph, Inc., it was a natural decision for me
to look after you. I could protect you.”
“You killed the two men found in the woods after my mother’s attack?”
“Yes,” Jim replied with remorse.
Gracey turned to Elmer, “Elmer, what is your story?” Gracey inquired.
“Jim is my sire,” Elmer began. Gracey looked at Jim in shock.
“It was an accident. I am sorry Elmer,” Jim stated.
Elmer continued. “No need to be sorry Jim. Like you said it was an accident. Technically, you saved my life.” Elmer turned to Gracey. “Jim and I were in the Army together. We were best friends; battle buddies. During a tour in the Middle East, our convoy drove over an IED. Everyone, but Jim and I, was killed instantly. While wolves heal quickly, Jim was still bleeding and so was I. Jim was holding me while I lay on the ground dying from my injuries. Apparently, some of his blood dripped onto my wounds, and while we waiting for help to arrive or for me to die, I started healing. It was the wolf blood. So technically, Jim saved my life.
“Jim taught me how to live wolf and human. Jim got me the security job at Rudolph, Inc. When Mr. Rudolph approached me to move into Ms. Maple and told me your story, I could not refuse. It was easy to get you to move in after having to sell your family home. I told Molly about the room, and she told you. And the rest is history. I am sorry I kept this from you.”
Gracey looked at Ms. Maple, who was in shock hearing the stories. “So he was our personal security guard,” Gracey mused sardonically.
“Gracey, we had hoped this day would never come. We had hoped Rafer would die or be killed, with all the pack infighting. We were hoping once you turned twenty-five, and the wolf gene died, this would be a mute point,” Abby explained.
“Mrs. Rudolph, what about Stone? He is twenty-eight. Has his wolf gene died?” Gracey asked.
“Please, call me Abby, we are family. And no, it has not died yet. It will die during the first full moon after his thirtieth birthday if he has not turned yet. Wolf physiology for males and females are different. We have a lot to teach both of you.”
“This is wearing me out,” Gracey exclaimed. “But I need to ask about my father; my daddy. If he is innocent why is he in prison?” Gracey demanded.
“It was for his protection,” Rudy explained.
“He is in prison for his protection? My daddy is an innocent man in prison with immoral people. With people who have actually murdered people. How could this be for his protection?” Gracey screamed out in horror and disbelief.
Rudy continued, “Your father was set up by Rafer’s men to get him out of the way so you could be claimed by Rafer. John knew about Rafer, and he knew he could not protect you and himself and still lead a semi-normal life. So when John was arrested for murder, I went and talked to him. We agreed we could protect you with the help of Jim and Elmer. Then when you turned twenty-five years old and no longer in danger, we would get John released. Your father agreed to this; it was his choice. I am friends with the warden. No one can get close to your father. A wolf would never enter the prison, any prison. There is no safer place for your father than where he is.”
“All this is too much for me to wrap my head around. I need a hot bath and some sleep,” Gracey announced and pushed her chair back to leave. She had not eaten a solitary bite of food.
“I will call to have a bath drawn for you, but before you go, I just need to say again how sorry we are Gracey. Everything we did, we did to protect you. Maybe we should not have kept it all a secret, but we thought, why worry you if we did not have to. We saw how the attack affected your mother, and we wanted you to have a full and happy life. We didn’t want you to be a prisoner in your own home,” Rudy stated with intense remorse.
Gracey stood to leave. While she did not like the answers, she understood and reluctantly said thank you. “One more question,” Gracey insisted. “Were Stone and me a set up as well?” Gracey asked, looking at Stone, who was surprised but needed to know also.
“This, my darling, was a coincidence, and a happy one at that. We could not be more thrilled,” Abby replied with a compassionate smile, then walked over and hugged Gracey. “Welcome to the family.”
Releasing Gracey from the hug, Abby turned to Stone. “I have put some books in Gracey’s room for the two of you to read. I wrote some of them, and some of them are by other wolf authors. While partly fiction, most of the folklore is true. You both need to read them. We will talk later and separate fact from fiction. Not everything about being a wolf is bad and nightmarish. There are good wolves too. You both need to know this. Not all wolves are feral; it's not all sex and fighting.”
Rudy turned to Ms. Maple. “Ms. Maple, we are truly sorry you were brought into this fight. But staying at the boarding house is no longer safe. We have rooms downstairs for the staff. You will find the accommodations more than adequate. We will protect you, as well. I ask only one thing from you, Ms. Maple. Only the people standing here know our secret, and I am asking you to keep a secret. Can you do that?”
Ms. Maple nodded in agreement. She was still speechless. Deep down she was hoping to wake up and find she was in the middle of a bad dream.
Stone walked Gracey back to her suite. A stack of books was on the table. They both frowned. “That is a lot of reading,” they agreed.
“Which half do you want?” Gracey asked, feigning a nervous laugh.
“I read a part of one of my mother’s books when I was about fifteen, but since it was a romance novel, I never finished it. In the light of recent revelations, I may want to know more about my family. Let's each take half of hers and then when we finish we can start on the remainder. Since you bath is ready, why don’t you try to relax for a few minutes? I will be back in a bit, to say goodnight.”
Gracey entered the bathroom. A hot bath had been drawn complete with bubbles and scented candles. Under other circumstances, the bubble bath would have been a retreat, like a day at the spa. But it would take more than a day at the spa to undo the knotted muscles in her back and shoulders. It would take a miracle. And based on Gracey's life so far, she did not believe in miracles. She was still trying to find credence in the science fiction saga unraveling before her eyes.
It had been a long and stressful day. First the ride back from St. Louis, a thwarted kidnapping, and the news she was a wolf or at least the daughter of a wolf. Feeling overwhelmed, Gracey stripped, allowed her clothes to fall to the floor and stepped into the soaking tub. Laying back and immersing herself in the bubbles and steaming hot water, she tried to think of nothing. The shock had abated, and the adrenaline had diminished, and her emotions took over. Shaking, as if she was in a tub of ice water, she repeated over and over, I am not going to cry, I am not going to cry. A crazy wolf is coming after me, and I have to be strong. I have to fight. I am not going to cry. Yet, the tears never subsided.
Gracey dressed for bed, after drying herself and her tears. She waited for Stone to return. Entering the room, Stone saw the sheer emotional and physical exhaustion on her face. He picked Gracey up from the chair and gently placed her on the bed and covered her. Leaning over, he kissed Gracey on the forehead soothingly and told her, “Good night.”
As Stone turned to exit the room, he heard Gracey’s plea, “Sleep with me, Stone.”
Stone looked back in utter surprise. This was a woman who just weeks before panicked on the plane about sleeping in the same room.
“Just lay here next to me and sleep with me. I am really scared.”
Stone lay on the bed beside Gracey, staying on top of the blanket. He held her and comforted her until Gracey finally fell asleep. Afraid Gracey would have nightmares; Stone stayed beside her all night.
Stone arranged for their coffee and toast to be delivered to Gracey’s suite each morning so they could enjoy breakfast together, just the two of them. Then they would spend the mornings walking around the property together. However, whenever they went outsi
de, Jim or Elmer accompanied them.
As they strolled through the gardens, they would talk about the gardens in St. Louis. They discussed the additions they would make if the garden were theirs; a bench over here, a fountain there, maybe a garden statue, and, of course, more flowers. The gardens at Emerald Knoll were not formal. Stone and Gracey agreed they both liked the English Cottage style gardens, overgrown with lots of color and fragrance; a cutting garden; and roses, every rose imaginable. Naturally, Stone preferred the lavender roses because of their scent, but for color, they both agreed they liked pink, yellow, peach and orange roses the best; and especially antique roses for their scent.
Gracey asked about the other buildings on the property, besides the home office and stable, there was a large garage with quarters above it where Charles lived. The apartment was large enough for a family with children; having three bedrooms. Also on the property, there was an old potting shed the gardener used for storage. Gracey remembered the conservatory at the botanical garden and suggested a new shed, and maybe even a small greenhouse would be nice.
Each day around lunchtime, Gracey would visit Ms. Maple in the kitchen. Ms. Maple had totally assimilated herself into the household staff and had even taught their cooks a thing or two about the proper use of fresh herbs. While the Rudolph garden had a few herbs, Ms. Maple sent Elmer back to the boarding house for some of her varieties to be transplanted in the Rudolph garden. And, of course, she gave him a list of her personal things she needed to feel at home; both in the kitchen and her new bedroom.
During the second morning, Ms. Maple took Gracey on a tour of the staff quarters. Just as Rudy had stated, they are more than adequate. Every member of the staff had their own bedroom and private bath. The rooms were larger than Gracey’s room at the boarding house. There was a fully functional kitchen for the staff to use, a common area with TV, sound system, gaming system, computer area and even a pool table and dart board.
There was an exit to the outside with an electronic lock. Ms. Maple explained it was operated by swipe cards that the staff kept in their pockets. But Mr. Rudolph had directed the staff, not to use the door until further notice unless it was an emergency. They were to use the service door at the rear of the mansion and park there, as well.
Dinner was now casual as the family was spending more time together and not wanting to embarrass Gracey by her having to wear the same four or five dresses. Of course, Stone had suggested a delivery from Merriman’s Boutique, knowing they could trust Alfred’s selections would be perfect, but, of course, Gracey declined. Naturally, Abby would never suggest Gracey pick a dress out her massive collection. Abby would never embarrass Gracey even though they wore the same size.
Gracey and Stone would spend the evening, after dinner with his parents, in Gracey’s room reading. While Stone’s suite was bigger, Gracey's was more comfortable in more feminine surroundings. They would prop up all the pillows on her bed and settle in for a night of educational reading.
Stone was intrigued with his mother’s story. He now understood the hardships she had endured growing up and how crucial it was to her to live human. Stone also understood the danger he and Gracey were in, especially Gracey if she was a single wolf. Stone never spoke aloud about it, waiting for Gracey to broach the topics she was more concerned about first. Then he would weave his concerns into the conversation.
“This says wolves hunt every month during the full moon,” Gracey stated. “Where would we hunt?”
“Well, Emerald Knoll is about a hundred squares miles,” Stone replied.
“What?” Gracey exclaimed.
“I know it sounds immense, but it is just about ten miles by ten miles. There is a lot of the property I have never seen. I have never gone beyond the creek, so I am not sure what is out there for hunting. We could always buy some cows. We do like our steaks rare,” Stone suggested and laughed.
“And it seems wolves age slower than humans. I wonder how old your mother is. She looks so young. When is the last time she turned?” Gracey wondered aloud.
“I am not asking a lady her age,” Stone replied. “That is a question you will have to ask her.”
“And clothes, what about clothes, some stories say the clothes shred off if you turn without removing them and some stories talk about them reappearing after returning to a human state. Which is true?”
“Another question for my mother,” Stone replied.
“There is so much about mating and bonding. And there’s nothing about marriage?” Gracey advised. “Call me old-fashioned, but I was raised to be a proper lady. I could not mate or bond until I was married. I am not sure I am ready for that,” Gracey continued.
Each night Gracey and Stone read and discuss the wolf lore until they fell asleep; together in Gracey’s bed with Gracey under the covers and Stone atop of them. Each morning they awoke in each other’s arms.
Emerald Eyes Page 10
