Kadenburg Revealed (The Kadenburg Shifters Series, Book 4)

by T. E. Ridener

  “Don’t be sorry,” Greg chuckled quietly. He leaned down to kiss her forehead and wrapped his arms around her. “We’ve got plenty of time to enjoy one another, Lou.” Though he had to admit he was a little disappointed to get so close and have the honey pot snatched away like that. Though he’d never know it, Beau Xiong had just earned the nickname cock block.

  “But....” Louisa huffed in frustration as she pulled back. He knew she was looking at him. He could feel her eyes on him as his heart fluttered. “I need you,” she confessed in a softer voice. “My body aches because of you.”

  Oh Urseth. She didn’t need to say things like that. He wanted nothing more than to make the ache go away and there were a hundred different ways he could do it. His body was still at the ready for her and hearing those words made it more painful than ever before. His jeans were uncomfortably tight as he pulled her against his chest once more.

  “Soon, Baby,” he promised as he kissed the tip of her nose. “Maybe we can go to the movies again later this week, huh?”

  “The movies?” Louisa echoed. “Why would we go to the mov—-ohhhhh.”

  Greg kissed her before he thought about it. She was too damn adorable sometimes and kissing her lips was a natural reflex for him now. Was she disgusted by tasting herself on his tongue?

  “Mmm.” She sighed and wrapped her arms around his neck. He was going to take that as a no. His hands slid down her side and gripped her waist as he backed them up towards the bed. He knew that Beau and Sammy were just down the hallway and that if Beau came in he’d be a dead man, but he couldn’t stop himself from pinning Louisa’s tiny delectable body to the mattress and showing her what she did to him as his erection pressed into her thigh.

  Take her. She is ours. His bear demanded excitedly. She will be our mate.

  I can’t take her right now. Greg argued as Louisa’s tongue slid into his mouth. He swallowed down the groan trying to escape as their tongues touched together and her small hips undulated against his. Urseth she was trying to kill him.

  Mate with her! The wolf decided to join the conversation. She is ready for you. Claim her.

  Why don’t you both shut the hell up and let me kiss my girl? Greg asked as Louisa’s nails bit into the flesh of his upper back. The ability to keep their make out session NC-17 was going to be really frigging difficult.

  “Lou, we can’t,” he panted as he pulled back to gaze down at her. “Your cousin is right down the hallway. You know how good our hearing is.”

  “I can be quiet.” Louisa whispered back to him.

  Oh hell.

  Twenty

  He was really getting tired of the restlessness. Ever since the fiasco of nightmare-fuckery Breslin Connor had placed upon Dimitri’s brain, Rutley found that he couldn’t sleep very well either. It was weird how that if his alpha suffered he was made to suffer too. They were connected a lot deeper than he’d originally anticipated.

  Miss Fancy Britches Amber, on the other hand, didn’t seem to be plagued with nightmares like them. She was snoring rather loudly from the bedroom down the hall-his bedroom to be precise. She was still recovering from being-left-for-dead-suddenly-turned-into-a-werewolf, so he was trying to give her a chance, but he did not like her attitude.

  Dimitri had tossed and turned ever since they decided to lie down and Rutley couldn’t fall asleep because of it. He stayed on his side of the bed, but it wasn’t easy to drift off when Dimitri’s foot or hand brushed against him in some form or fashion. In fact, nothing was helping since their encounter in the kitchen.

  “You are now the single most important person in my life, Rutley Holter. No one comes before you.”

  Dimitri’s words played on repeat in his mind ever since. Rutley couldn’t shake his voice or the feelings those words caused in his chest. It was so wrong.

  I cannot be in love with my dead best friend’s mate. He told himself. It’s not right. I can’t love him and care about Kia at the same time, either. Why are emotions even necessary in life?

  He had quickly learned that werewolves were capable of feeling things up to ten times stronger than humans ever would. The attraction he’d felt for Dimitri while human had been amplified after he’d received the bite. He was so fucked.

  He rolled onto his back and covered his eyes with his forearm as he willed his mind to shut down. If he could have two solid minutes of silence he would surely fall asleep, right? God, he needed some sleep.

  “Mama....”

  His eyes snapped open and he quickly turned his head as he lifted his arm away from his face. Rutley held his breath and stared at Dimitri’s sleeping form as the alpha rolled onto his side and sighed.

  “Mama.” Dimitri groaned.

  Rutley’s tongue swiped over his lips quickly as he leaned in and dared to push the dark auburn locks away from his alpha’s face. His fingers trembled as they sank into the silken strands. Dimitri was the most beautiful man he’d ever seen in his life.

  “Mama.” Dimitri called out a little louder as his breathing became heavier. The sound of his voice was laced with distress as his legs moved beneath the blankets. What was he dreaming about?

  I probably shouldn’t. Rutley told himself as his eyes scanned the older wolf’s face in the darkness of the room. It’s not right to invade his mind while he’s sleeping.

  But he had to know what was going on in there. The overpowering desire to comfort Dimitri was growing stronger by the second and Rutley knew he needed to do something.

  Just a few seconds won’t hurt.....

  He closed his eyes and concentrated on Dimitri’s thoughts. His alpha’s dreams were blurred and it felt like a whirlwind surrounded him as he carefully sank into the deep abyss of Dimitri’s mind. It was almost like falling through a rabbit hole and he quickly found himself standing in a dimly lit room.

  Rutley didn’t recognize the place, or the time, of Dimitri’s dream. He could tell it was a house because of the wallpaper and dull yellow curtains hanging above the windows. But who did this house belong to? A loud crack of thunder rumbled the floor beneath his feet and the wail of a frightened baby had him looking every which way for the source.

  “Shhh. Shhh. It’s all right, Dimitri. Don’t cry, my darling.” A tall, beautiful woman said softly as she appeared out of nowhere and bent down to pick the newborn up from its crib. That tuft of red hair was undeniable. Rutley was staring at the baby version of his alpha.

  The woman had similar red hair and Rutley knew he was staring at his alpha’s mother. Was this a memory rather than a dream? Curiosity was getting the best of him.

  “Now, now,” his mother cooed as she held him close to her bosom and rocked him back and forth. “You are a brave boy, aren’t you? The storms cannot hurt you, sweetheart. You are a great warrior in the making. Warriors fear nothing.”

  Warrior? Rutley stepped closer to the female and watched as Dimitri’s tiny fingers curled around one of hers. His big eyes lifted and Rutley’s heart stopped. Was Dimitri looking at him? That was impossible.

  A knock on the door distracted him from his current speculation and he turned as Dimitri’s mother did. She seemed cautious about approaching the door as another loud thump thump sounded against the wood.

  “Here, sweetheart. You wait here,” she instructed in that gentle motherly voice. She placed Dimitri back in his crib and reached atop the bookshelf to grab for a rifle. Holy shit. She was a gun-wielding mama!

  The knocking grew louder and more consistent as she carefully stepped towards the door and Rutley became nervous. Who did she expect to see on the other side of the door?

  “Who is it?” She asked in a braver voice. “Speak or I will shoot you.”

  “It’s me, Gnomey. Let me in.”

  Dimitri’s mother made quick work of unlocking the deadbolt and she pulled the door open to reveal the massive man standing in the doorway. He was huge in comparison to some of the men Rutley had met in his life, but he was built like an ursithrope. Was he an ursithrope? He
was young too. He looked to be around Greg’s age.

  “You scared me. What are you doing here? You should be with your mate-to-be.” Dimitri’s mother said as she turned away from him and hurried back to the crib. She peered in to check on Dimitri and touched his cheek lovingly.

  “I am sorry, Gnomey. I need to make sure you’re all right. I wanted to see him.” The man replied as he stepped inside and shut the door. He was drenched from head to toe. He pushed his damp black hair away from his face and light green eyes saw right through Rutley as the man frowned.

  “I would never keep you away from him, Pierce,” Dimitri’s mother, or Gnomey, replied. “He is fine.”

  Pierce. Where did Rutley know that name from? He’d heard it before.....

  “I am relieved,” Pierce nodded as he joined her by the crib and peered down at the small boy. “Danger is coming. I want to move you to a safer location.”

  “Danger is always coming,” Gnomey responded as she turned to peer up at him. “We have known this for many years, Pierce. You cannot keep me safe.”

  “But I’ll damn sure try,” he growled as he glanced down at the little boy. “He is my son. You are his mother. I must do what I can to protect you both.”

  “No,” she stated firmly. “Your mate-to-be is your concern now. You have done all you can do for us, Pierce. He will be protected just as Urseth promised. Do you not trust your god?”

  “Do you trust yours?” He challenged.

  What the hell was going on? Why couldn’t they just say what they wanted to say instead of being so cryptic?

  “Do not bring my god into this,” Gnomey whispered. “He is doing his part in helping and you know that. He cannot be held responsible for Breslin’s actions.”

  Finally. A name he recognized! Rutley licked his lips and watched as the man gently plucked Dimitri up from his crib. So that was Dimitri’s father, huh? At least he could give his alpha some good news when they awoke. Dimitri had worried for far too long over the possibility of Breslin being his dad. Rutley wouldn’t have cared either way, but he knew it bothered his alpha.

  “I am sorry I will not be here to watch you grow up,” Pierce whispered as he blinked back tears. “But I promise that I am doing this for you. It has been promised you will do many great things when you are older, Dimitri. I know it is true.”

  Rutley didn’t know the entire story, but he knew a father’s love when he saw it. His dad had looked at him like that once upon a time. He could tell that this Pierce character loved Dimitri and it made sadness cloud his heart at the thought of Dimitri having no recollection of his parents. Why did he have to lose them?

  Pierce kissed Dimitri’s forehead and stroked his fingers over his red hair before he placed him back in the crib. He turned to gaze at Gnomey again and bowed his head.

  “Please stay out of harm’s way,” he murmured. “He is coming and I don’t want him to find either of you.”

  “Do not worry about me, Pierce. Protect your mate-to-be and your family. I will protect our boy.”

  Everything blurred on him and the scenery changed again. Rutley found himself in the same room, but something was different. What was different?

  “Mama,” a toddler version of Dimitri cried from the floor. “Mama! Mama!”

  Rutley turned in a full circle as he searched for Dimitri’s mother. Where was she?

  “Mama! Mama! Mama!” Dimitri’s eyes were full of tears as he crawled across the floor in search of the woman. “Mama....”

  “Damn it, Mama. Where are you?” Rutley said aloud as the front door suddenly flew open and Dimitri’s mother entered. She flung herself against the heavy wooden door and gazed at her son. She looked scared.

  “We must go, Dimitri.” She said breathlessly as she quickly scooped him up from the floor and hurried down the hallway. Rutley followed after them as he heard a gunshot from outside. Jesus H. Christ. That didn’t sound good.

  The front door came off the hinges and slammed against the floor just as Dimitri’s mother slipped out the back one and Rutley stayed hot on her trail as she sped off into the night. She was fast, but the dream version of Rutley managed to keep up with her as she carried her son through the woods. He didn’t recognize these woods....where were they?

  “Stop, beast!”

  Rutley’s blood turned cold as he realized he recognized the voice calling out behind them. His father.

  “Aw, shit,” Rutley turned his head to see his father in hot pursuit. He was carrying his trusty rifle and there was someone following right behind him......Oh God no.

  Rutley’s mother.

  No! His mind screamed as he looked ahead of himself and watched Dimitri’s mother disappear in a blur. She was a wolf. She would escape, right? She had to escape. The sound of Dimitri’s choked cries reached his ears and his heart was torn. He then understood exactly where they were and what was about to happen.

  “Fuckin’ Foxley, Kentucky!” Rutley growled as he dodged around a tree and caught up to Dimitri’s mother with ease. She was breathing heavily and he knew it was because she was frightened. Hell, he was frightened too and there wasn’t a damn thing he could do to change how history played out.

  Dimitri’s mother’s feet barely touched the ground as she leapt across fallen trees and small streams in an attempt to get her son to safety. She clutched the toddler to herself like a prized possession-and he was. Rutley glanced behind them and could see the occasional beam of light from his father’s flashlight. Why were his parents hunting her anyway? What did Dimitri’s mother ever do to deserve this?

  They only have to exist. He reminded himself as he ran side by side with the protective mother. She was sobbing loudly as she buried her face against her son’s red hair.

  “I’m so sorry.” She repeated over and over again.

  It happened way too fast then. Another gunshot rang through the air and Dimitri’s mother screamed out in pain before hitting the ground. Rutley felt so damn helpless as he skidded to a halt and hurried to her side. She was covering Dimitri with her body and weeping uncontrollably as his parents approached. They stalked her like prey with their guns at the ready.

  “God damn, she’s fast,” his father muttered. “Almost lost her.”

  “Be careful,” his mother said softly as she pushed some hair away from her face. “She’s dangerous.”

  Dangerous? Rutley hadn’t seen anything dangerous about Dimitri’s mother. She was simply trying to protect her child! His anger was nearing the boiling point as he watched the fallen wolf roll onto her back and lift a hand into the air.

  “Please don’t,” she pleaded. “I have to protect my son. I have to get him away from here. Please don’t kill me.”

  Rutley’s mother gasped and immediately dropped her gun to her side as she stared at the small boy in the wolf’s arms. Tears stained his cheeks and his little nose was red from crying. Rutley wanted nothing more than to scoop him up in his arms and comfort him. This wasn’t fair.

  “We can’t....” His mother started.

  “We have to,” his father growled. “They are werewolves. Baby wolves grow up to be massive, man-killin’ wolves. Don’t get soft on me now, sweetheart.”

  What. The. Hell? Rutley bit back the deep growl that was growing stronger in his throat as he watched his father take a step towards Dimitri and his mother. No! This couldn’t be the way it happened! Was his father the reason Dimitri became an orphan? Oh God. What if Dimitri found out the truth.....

  “No!” Rutley’s mother cried as she ran forward and placed herself between her husband and the fallen wolf. “I can’t let you do this. It’s not right. He’s only a child!”

  “And our son is only a child. What if he grows up to kill our boy, Renee? What then?”

  His mother turned her head to peer down at the woman and her baby and Rutley could see the distress written all over her face. She really didn’t want to do it and he didn’t want her to.

  “Move and let me get this over with. She’s been te
rrorizing this town for months and I’ve been paid to take care of the problem.”

  “No....” Rutley knew he was helpless to do anything, but there was a part of him that prayed his mother wouldn’t let his father do anything to hurt Dimitri’s. It wasn’t right.

  “Please.” His mother sobbed as she stepped towards her husband and held a hand out in front of herself.

  For the briefest of moments Rutley was certain his father would come around, but the sound of howling in the distance made his dad’s face harden as he lifted his rifle and aimed it towards the woods.

  “Get behind me, Renee. There’s more! I knew this was a damn trap!”

  “W-what?” Dimitri’s mother quickly stood, holding her son as tightly as possible as she shook her head. “That cannot be possible. I am the only one here,” she promised. “There’s no one else.”

  “You’re a damned liar,” Rutley’s father muttered. “I should’ve killed you five minutes ago.”

  “There’s too many of them,” Renee Holter said in a quivering voice as she fumbled to lift her gun. “We can’t shoot them all.”

  “We’ll damn sure try.” Her husband replied as he fired at the first werewolf that leapt towards him. The beast whined and collapsed to the ground as Dimitri’s mother turned to run.

  They were everywhere. At least fifteen or twenty werewolves surrounded his parents and Rutley wished he could do something to help them as his father tried to fight them off.

  Pow pow pow! The sound of his father’s gun going off echoed in the night air as one by one the wolves fell. Even though his dad was a hell of aim, there was no way he could get all of them.

  “Get out of here, Renee!” His father shouted as a werewolf pounced on him from behind. His gun slid across the ground and Mrs. Holter cried out.

  “I’m not leaving you!” She shrieked as she lifted her gun and fired. Another wolf went silent and the odds seemed to be in the hunters’ favor. Almost.

  “NO!” His father screamed as a large black wolf shoved his wife to the ground. Renee Holter sobbed as its fangs sank into her shoulder and Rutley knew....he knew then exactly what had happened to his mother. “RENEE!”