by Jade White
That should keep anyone from discovering the secrets of Wolfhaven. But, if not, there were always alternative measures. It was Night’s policy that any human who discovered the werewolves could not be allowed to leave. It was too much of a risk they might tell others what was really out here; a risk he could not afford to take. Thankfully, only four people had ever had to be detained, including Mr. Dane, his security chief. Of the other three, two still survived as members of the pack, and the third, at least as Mr. Dane’s story went, had run off a cliff trying to get away and fallen to his demise.
CHAPTER 13
When Night walked into the meeting room, only Mr. Dane, Rick and Carl awaited him there. He nodded at his most trusted men and asked, “You unhooked everything just in case?”
“Of course we did, sir,” said Carl with a nod. “The back-up generators will keep the treehouses going for a few hours at least, and this meeting should hardly take that long. Besides, I doubt Fiske has any interest in inspecting our existing property, since that wasn’t what he was sent out here for. The main issue is going to be driving home the benefits of creating an established set of paths to the mountain in favor of the guests simply trampling anywhere they please and upsetting the delicate balance we’re hoping to maintain.”
“Hm, well said,” Night commented dryly. “Perhaps I should have you do this presentation.”
“You know very well you’re much more eloquent than I am, sir,” he scoffed.
“Even if I wasn’t, I’m sure the man is expecting to hear it from me,” Night replied with a grimace. “I’m all for doing it, it’s the waiting three more hours for this damned meeting that’s going to rack my nerves.”
“Well, you know that he’s a busy man,” Rick said. “But at least, from what I’ve heard of him, we won’t have to figure out how to bribe him. In fact, it would be a really bad idea, is that not correct, Mr. Dane?”
A naturalized Brit, Mr. Dane looked up at the rest of the party with a calculated nod. “Yes, I have done an extensive background check on the activities and behaviors of our Mr. Fiske. The man seems almost too good, really. It leads me to wonder if he’s actually on the straight and narrow, or the bugger’s just really good at covering his tracks. However, knowing human nature as I do, I tend to believe it is the latter.”
“And so it would be best not to attempt a bribe unless he brings it up first,” said Rick with a nod. “We’ll leave it up to you to decide, of course, Night, but I hope you will exercise precaution. It should only be used as a last resort.”
“I agree,” said Night, nodding back. “I just wish this whole day was over with. Chastity wasn’t feeling well last night, so I’d really like it if she could get a little more rest. She won’t be getting much rest at all once the baby comes.”
“You know what we ought to do? We should go have another look at the land we’re wanting so badly,” said Rick then. “Maybe brainstorm a few innovative ideas to pitch. I thought we could make a nature trail and plant different things all along the way they could read about as they went.”
“That’s a really great idea,” said Night. “Is everyone up for it?”
“I can’t,” Carl said. “Grindelle is going to surprise me with lunch soon.”
“How do you know that?”
“Grindelle told Sally, and Sally told three other friends, and eventually Em whispered it in my ear about forty-five minutes ago,” he chuckled. “I’d hate to disappoint her.”
“Yeah, considering that if you did, she’d talk about it for the next week incessantly,” Rick smirked. “Better you than me.”
“She’ll shut up just fine when her mouth is full,” Carl smirked suggestively.
“Ew, shut up!” said Rick with a shudder. “Reina is much more tolerable. Unless she’s got her mouth full, she barely gets in the way at all.”
“Will you two give it a rest?” said Night. “Come on, Rick, let’s go do something more useful than gossiping about our wives, shall we? We’ll see you in a while, Carl. Have fun looking for the ear plugs.”
***
The forest seemed pretty active as they walked through, but that was no surprise on such a warm spring day. The birds seemed to be mating, or at least having a very noisy party in the trees. Several deer peeked out at them as if they were well aware the three men were not on the hunt.
Mr. Dane was the first to speak once they had topped the rise. “Absolutely breathtaking, sir,” he said to Night. “I’m grateful every day that you allowed me to remain here to view it.”
“I’m amazed you still haven’t chosen a wife in the last five years, Dane,” Night commented.
“After listening to Grindelle and the others gossip all day long, I really didn’t feel the need to tolerate one of my own at bedtime,” he replied.
“They can be rather fun at bedtime,” Night mentioned.
“Oh, I don’t doubt that,” he said. “It’s just that I don’t want the screaming kids as a payment for such activities. Could you really see me in the role of father? I’d be completely out of my element.”
“I don’t know, Dane, you seem to get along with Hope and Julie well enough.”
“That, sir, is because I can give them back,” he explained.
“Maybe we should pair him up with Em?” Night suggested. “She doesn’t really want kids either.”
“Em isn’t exactly pretty, but the lights are off at bedtime,” Rick chuckled.
“Not necessarily,” said Night, smirking innocently.
“If I had someone as pretty as your wife, I wouldn’t need to turn out the lights either,” Dane pointed out.
The three men laughed. They’d been walking this whole time, and now they reached the edge of the water. Night said, “This looks nice enough to stay and play. I think we should not linger here today, though. We’ve got bigger fish to fry, and if he gives us the okay, we could just as easily play when we own the place.”
“Very true, sir,” Dane agreed.
The three of them headed back the way they had come, enjoying just as much conversation as they’d had on the way in, and soon made it back to the resort. They could easily see that a car was awaiting entry at the gatehouse, and they hurried back to the main building so they’d be available when their guest arrived.
Night was a bit nervous. This was the biggest deal he’d ever done in his entire life, which was well over a hundred years. If things went according to plan, the final nail would be hammered into the building that was his dream. Julian’s dream, as well, since it was Julian who had manufactured Night and Chastity and the other super-wolves in the first place. He couldn’t help but be a little excited at such a thought.
“Good afternoon, Mr. Fiske,” said Night as he stepped into the waiting area. “So sorry that we’ve only just arrived. But if you’ll follow me, I’m sure we can get started right away. No need to make you wait for me to step into my office first. Hi, Reina, you’re secretary this afternoon?”
“When did this happen?” asked Rick curiously as he kissed his wife on the cheek.
“That dumb flu going around,” she explained. “Candace came down with it today.”
“I see,” he said speculatively.
“Good luck with your meeting,” she added as he walked away along with the others. He smiled his thanks as he went, and soon they were all in the meeting room taking their seats.
*
“Well, gentlemen, now that I’ve got my coffee and we’re all settled in, what do you say you tell me a bit more about your proposal?” said Fiske with an enigmatic smile. “I must say the concept is a very good one. It would help maintain the integrity of the preserved lands at the same time it provided a pathway out to the lake. However, I would have to ask that your path would be made available for public use, and not just the patrons of your resort.”
“Yes, sir, I wondered if you would,” Night agreed with a nod. “I see no reason to deny access to the path if that’s what is needed.”
Rick and Carl ex
changed a brief glance that Night saw out of the corner of his eye.
“However, I did wonder if outsiders might be allowed to make donations to the project as well. It’s meant to assist in buying plants for our hothouse as well as the path itself. Or, if not donations maybe we could sell starter plants for a dollar each or something. It’s not that we’re broke or anything, of course, but the reason we’re not broke is that we always create self-sustainment wherever possible.”
“That makes perfect sense, of course,” Fiske agreed. “Now, before we go much farther in this talk, I’d really like to see what you’re hoping to do. Could we possibly walk through the area together while you show me what you’ve got planned out? It’s one thing to see it on paper, and quite another to get a real feel for it out in the field.”
“Certainly, sir,” Night agreed. “We’ve actually just returned from there ourselves, so the newest ideas are still fresh in our minds. And we would, of course, love any input you might like to offer as well. Carl, I assume you’re coming along this time?”
“Yes, sir,” he said, following the rest of them as they all headed out the door.
“Hold my calls, Reina, if you weren’t doing so already,” said Night as he headed for the exit.
“Yes, sir,” she called after him.
Not too many minutes later, the five men were walking through the clearing between the rows of trees in the spot where they wanted the path.
Night said, “It’s not our intention to remove any of the trees, of course. The old growth is a vital part of the forest. See here, though, we could remove some of these bushes and shrubs and set in some gravel. Mr. Dawson, the supervisor over at the mines, said we could use leftover rocks from their efforts to make it, so nothing new would have to be introduced into the region. And, as you can see, it would be fairly easy to span this distance with a path in just five minutes, whereas it will probably take us far longer to get there through all this growth.”
“Yes, I understand that, but I’d still love to visit the lake again,” he said. “It’s so beautiful up there, I welcome the opportunity to see it again.”
“Well, we could continue some of the meeting there, if you’d like,” Night replied. “The words will be said the same in either setting, to be sure.”
“I agree, they will be,” he said with a nod. “That sounds like a wonderful idea.”
“Now, remember I was saying we could make some plant starts to sell?” said Night as they reached the top of the rise. “I thought that spot there would be excellent to make into a picnic area, with some tables and such, and put in a hothouse right there where the sun actually hits.”
“Yes, I see that,” Fiske nodded pleasantly.
They continued on till they’d reached the lake.
“And a few more tables up here, I think?” said Fiske then. “This is where I would eat personally.”
“Do you intend to visit the place, sir?” asked Night with a smile.
“Yes, probably as often as I can,” he replied.
“Then can we count on your support, sir?”
“Oh, yes, you can, but—” he hesitated, casting them all a shrewd glance. “One thing. I want in.”
“In, sir?”
“I want to become a werewolf, like the rest of you,” he clarified.
“Sir?”
“Don’t pretend not to know what I’m talking about,” he said, rolling his eyes. “That’s as simple as it gets. I want to be turned, or whatever you call it.”
“I only ever turn people who remain here afterwards, sir,” Night told him. “How would that work?”
“Because I would not be remaining here,” he said. “My job takes me all over the Adirondacks, so if I wanted to keep doing it, I could only be here upon occasion. I realize my request is somewhat selfish, but someday I do intend to retire, and at that point I’d come here. Until then, your people need somebody to keep this place in its undiscovered state. I can make sure it happens for you, but turning me is the price of this service.”
“Sir, what good is being a werewolf going to do you out there?” Night wanted to know. “You don’t know the first thing about being a made wolf. You’ll need proper training to make certain you prosper. You’ll need to know what to eat, and what not to. If you were to be turned, I would insist you learn how to be a werewolf before I could simply set you loose. And, I would need your word on it that you would tell no one of this place on pain of death. Mr. Dane is perhaps more acquainted with that particular side of things than I’d ever care to be.”
“Mr. Dane?” said Fiske as he cast the man a look.
“Trust me when I say, I would not hesitate, sir, should the need arise,” said Dane in a calm but very direct manner that left no one in doubt of the sincerity of his words.
“You won’t need to,” Fiske replied, just as calmly. “But, if you’re wanting me to remain here for any length of time then the deed will have to be done three months from now. I’ve got a one month vacation coming up. I’ll come and stay at the resort, and we will see to it then.”
“It sounds like you’ve given this a great deal of thought,” said Mr. Dane. “However, I’ve got just one question, if I may ask it?”
His eyes shot over to Night, and his Alpha nodded consent.
“How did you know?”
“To tell the truth, Katie Dawson told me,” he smirked. “She thought she was getting you lot into trouble. She has no idea that I never told another soul.”
“Katie Dawson could use a babysitter, it seems,” said Dane through gritted teeth. “Boss, I do believe the person who will fit the bill for the earlier discussion has just been determined.”
“You can’t be serious,” said Night with a shudder. “You really don’t have to take that one for the team.”
“No, no, I insist,” he said with a deliciously evil little smile. “And, I’ll even make a kid or two with her. That ought to keep her out of mischief, don’t you think?”
“She won’t go willingly, I don’t think,” Night replied. “You may even have to resort to whips and chains.”
“More’s the pity,” Dane said, and grinned even more.
“And just think,” added Rick. “You won’t even have to turn out the lights.”
CHAPTER 14
Not long after Mr. Fiske had hammered out a contract with them and left, Night had a sudden feeling that he should go to his wife. He simply told Reina he would be home the rest of the day and headed for the door, intent on getting to the trees.
He entered his door, and found Tess and Grindelle sitting with Chastity in the living room. “What’s going on in here?” he asked as he stepped over to kiss the top of his wife’s head.
“Her water just broke,” Tess supplied.
“Did anyone tell Boris?” Night asked.
“He should be here shortly.”
“This hurts, Night,” Chastity told him. “The girls didn’t hurt like this.”
“Don’t worry, love, Boris will get it figured out,” said Night. Then he sat next to her and began to rub her belly.
“My back could use a bit of that,” she told him, and he switched for her.
Boris stepped in soon after. “Okay, off to bed with you, at least while we check you out,” he said briskly to Chastity. She cast him a disgruntled look. “Especially if your water broke and you’re glaring at me like that. It’s probably not going to take long before you’ll have to just stay in the bed and have done with it.”
“I’m way ahead of you,” she complained. “My back is killing me.”
“Night, you get one arm and I’ll get the other,” Boris said. “Why don’t you ladies do everyone a favor and make some coffee? We’re probably going to need it.”
Boris examined Chastity once they had her on the bed, and cast Night a worried frown. “The baby hasn’t turned correctly, Night. I hope we’re not going to have a problem.”
“You can’t help it turn?”
“There are ways, of course,�
� he said. “But you never know. I’ve been telling you we need a surgical room for some time now. I just hope it’s not something we could have used right now.”
As Boris tried various techniques to turn the baby, Night stood at Chastity’s side, holding her hand or rubbing her wherever she needed. He was very attentive throughout the process. In the end, Boris managed to turn the baby so Chastity would be able to push normally.
“I could really use some of that coffee,” said Boris as he sat down for a rest.
“I’ll have them make more,” Night said. “I think I just had the last cup in this batch. Tess? More coffee?”
“I’ve just finished a batch, actually,” she said. She brought in a cup and Night pointed to Boris. He took it gratefully.
“It’ll probably be a while before the main event,” he said. “I’ll leave you two alone and get in a nap on the couch.”
Night came to his side of the bed and climbed in beside Chastity, wrapping her into his arms. “Get some rest, love,” he whispered into her hair. “It won’t be long now.”
“My back feels a little better with you curled against it,” she told him with a smile. “I love you so much, Night.”
“I love you too, sweetheart,” he told her softly.
They drifted off to sleep for a time. Chastity woke Night with a particularly painful contraction as she rolled onto her back. “Go get Boris, Night, I think these contractions are back to back, and I feel like I want to start pushing.”
“Okay, sweetheart, just hold tight, we’ll be right back.”
Less than an hour later, baby Jaimie was brought into the world. He already knew how to smile.
***
“Sir, I know that you’re busy being a new daddy and all that,” said Mr. Dane through the phone.
“What is it, Dane?” Night asked tiredly.
“It’s about the little matter of Katie Dawson, sir,” he said. He sounded slightly nervous. “I’d like it very much if you‘d come along and tell her father what she has done. It might make it much easier to convince him to let me have her if you help.”
