Return to Kadenburg

by T. E. Ridener

  She bypassed the bathroom and stopped briefly, taking in the energy of the ursithrope who’d taken refuge in there nearly an hour ago. She did not know Arnold Goult personally, but she was smart enough to put two and two together. He and Natalie had a history, and more than likely it was not a history he was ready to deal with. She would ask Natalie later, perhaps, or maybe not. It wasn’t her business, was it?

  She and Beau had come here for one purpose. It was not to get acquainted with their ancestors; it was to kill Breslin Connor. But then what? What would happen after he was dead and gone? They could not return to China. They had no home to go back to. They were orphans now and the remaining members of their family that had survived disbanded and went their own ways. Louisa and Beau only had one another. What was keeping them from starting over in Kadenburg?

  Beau will not stay here for long, she told herself as she moved back into the kitchen and grabbed for her glass of water. It was warm. Oh well. She took a sip anyway, licking at her lips before sighing. What a stressful day, and it wasn’t even three o’clock yet.

  She turned her attention to the blond ursithrope as she entered the kitchen, moving towards the fridge to rummage through it.

  “Hi again,” Presley said as she pulled out the gallon of milk and moved to the counter. “A lot of excitement, huh?” She laughed.

  “More than I am used to,” Louisa admitted. “Is it always so exciting?”

  “Not really,” Presley shook her head, pouring a glass of milk for herself before putting the gallon back into the fridge. She turned around to face Louisa, releasing a low breath. “Things have just gotten crazy lately….really crazy.”

  “I can see that,” Louisa tried to offer a smile, but she felt incredibly awkward. She was feeling so many emotions coming from the other female as they stood there. She was happy, but sad. She was calm, but worried. Was there an emotion she wasn’t feeling at the moment?

  “So, do you like Kadenburg so far?” Presley asked after taking another drink.

  “It is more than I ever imagined,” Louisa nodded. “I have heard many stories about this place, but I never knew that it could possess such beauty. It is very nice. Have you lived here your entire life?”

  “I have,” Presley put her glass on the counter before turning to rummage through the cabinets. “I moved away for a little while, but I came back a few weeks ago. It seems like I just couldn’t stay away.”

  Louisa frowned. “Why would you leave your home?”

  “Eh, I did it because of this guy,” Presley shook her head, turning around with a jar of honey between her hands. “It was stupid, really. It was the dumbest mistake I’ve ever made.”

  Louisa watched as she opened the jar of honey and squeezed a generous amount onto her fingertip. Tilting her head to the side, she asked the question that was burning a hole in her mind. “And how did your mate feel about that?”

  “Lorcan?” Presley blinked. “Oh, we weren’t mates back then,” She laughed, sucking the honey between her lips. “That just happened……really recently.”

  “I do not understand,” Louisa blinked, taking a step closer to her. “The cub in your womb is more than a day old. Were you not mated when it was conceived?”

  She watched as Presley’s face paled, and she realized she’d said too much. She had a tendency to do that.

  “How did you know I’m pregnant?” Presley asked skeptically.

  “I…Oh, I didn’t mean to intrude,” Louisa stumbled over her words as she tugged at the bracelet on her left wrist. “I am very sorry if I’ve offended you.”

  “You didn’t offend me,” Presley bit her lower lip. “I just…don’t know how both you and Natalie were able to detect it so soon.”

  “All female ursithropes are highly perceptive,” Louisa eased into a chair and lifted a hand to rub the back of her neck. “We can sense many things our male counterparts cannot. Natalie and I can hear the tiny heartbeat of your baby where your mate does not hear anything just yet. He will in a few weeks, just as human doctors will be able to detect it with a machine….but I can hear it loud and clear right now.”

  “That’s amazing,” Presley said softly. “What does it sound like?”

  “It is very fast. Just try to clear your mind and concentrate. You will hear it, too.”

  She was silent as she observed the golden haired female, watching as Presley closed her eyes and released a soft breath. The seconds ticked by, but they were no match for the quick thump thump of the small being residing in the girl’s stomach. Louisa smiled gently, resting her chin against her fist as she took comfort in the sound. She had been looking forward to starting her own family…..

  “I can hear it,” Presley broke the silence after a moment. Louisa lifted her eyes to gaze at the girl, noting the tears glistening in front of her bright green irises. “I can hear its heartbeat.”

  “See? I told you,” Louisa beamed.

  “Told her what?” Mrs. Bamey asked as she entered the kitchen. She was wiping her hands off on a rag, her tired, bloodshot eyes moving back and forth between the two of them as she made her way to the sink.

  “Nothing,” Presley said quickly as she dropped her gaze to the floor. “We’re just talking about girl stuff.”

  “Ohh, girl stuff,” Mrs. Bamey repeated with an exhausted laugh. “Well, I don’t suppose I’d know anything about that, now would I?”

  Louisa wondered why the girl was hiding her baby from Mrs. Bamey. Was her son not the baby’s father?

  It is not your business, Louisa reminded herself as she stood from the table. “I’m going to go check on Beau,” She announced. “I’ll talk to you later, Presley.”

  “Later,” Presley called after her.

  Upon entering the bedroom in which the injured wolf was resting somewhat comfortably, Louisa leaned against the doorframe and watched as her cousin rinsed the blood away from his hands.

  “I was wondering where you went,” Beau said without looking up at her. “Making friends?”

  “Sort of, I think,” Louisa replied softly. “Do you think he will be all right?”

  “He’s going to make it,” Beau responded as he finally glanced at her. “He won’t be very happy about the pain for a while, but it’s going to take some time for the silver to exit his system. He’s very fortunate that I was here.”

  “I think he would beg to differ,” Louisa countered as she stepped further into the room. “But perhaps he will see you in a different light now that you’ve saved his life.”

  “Perhaps,” Beau replied nonchalantly. “He is the mate of an ursithrope, Cousin. We honor the code of blood and family, no matter who that family is,” He turned to face her, his chest rising and falling with a large breath. “What have they done with the hunter?”

  “I do not know,” Louisa shook her head. “The boy Rutley seems to be very upset with the situation. He betrayed his father. Did you know he was a hunter as well?”

  “Well I had my suspicions,” Beau turned back to the dresser and grabbed for the bottle of whiskey. He tilted his head back, taking a hearty gulp before wiping at his mouth with the back of his hand. “We cannot lose sight of why we are here, Cousin. Do you understand?”

  “I do,” Louisa bowed her head. “I have not lost sight of our purpose, Bo,” She whispered his given name as her eyes closed. “I will make you proud of me again.”

  Silence surrounded them, and Louisa knew he was staring at her. She was terrified to see the expression on his face, so she kept her eyes shut.

  “It is not a matter of making me proud, Cousin. It is a matter of seeking justice for the wrong doing against our clan. We will find him and we will kill him, together.”

  She finally lifted her head, staring at him with thinned lips as she nodded. “Together,” She repeated quietly.

  “Exactly,” Beau suddenly smiled, and she was taken aback by it. It was very rare to see such an emotion from him, but it didn’t take long to realize he’d consumed more whiskey than what
was used on the wolf’s wound. “Now, let us go listen in on the discussion between the others, shall we?”

  Twenty

  Presley was a mess of nerves as the discussion ended and everyone decided to call it a night. Mrs. Bamey was acting strange towards her, and she got the feeling it was because she didn’t tell her what she and Louisa had been talking about earlier. It did make her feel sort of guilty. If anyone had a right to know about the baby, it was Mrs. Bamey.

  And Lorcan, she thought. Lorcan deserves to know, too. Soon.

  And on top of that, her uncle Arnold had been on edge ever since her aunt Natalie showed up. They wouldn’t even look at one another or acknowledge each other’s existence. She knew that her uncle had harsh feelings towards Natalie, but they were acting like children over everything. It bothered her.

  The icing on the cake, though, was how Lorcan was behaving. Ever since Beau arrived, he’d been nervous and fidgety. He wasn’t acting like his usual self and that worried her most of all. What had gotten into him exactly? Every time he gazed at her, she could see some sort of torment in his eyes. There was a storm brewing in his chocolate hues and it made her nervous.

  Pregnancy hormones, she concluded as she made her way down the hallway and entered Lorcan’s bedroom. She was slightly disappointed that he wasn’t waiting for her, but perhaps it was for the best. Maybe some time apart would give him the opportunity to sort everything out, but it didn’t make her miss him any less.

  Was this the sort of thing she had to look forward to in the future? They were connected now, right? Did that mean that being apart from him would be agonizing and unbearable? Perfect.

  She eased down onto the mattress, snuggling against the pillow as her eyes closed. Maybe everything would be better in the morning. Maybe her uncle would finally pull his head out of his ass and stop being cold towards Natalie. Maybe Natalie would realize it wasn’t the end of the world and Presley really did want the aunt/niece relationship she’d been deprived of for so long. Maybe she would muster up the courage to tell Mrs. Bamey about the baby…..

  Knock knock knock.

  Perfect. Timing.

  Presley rolled over, her eyes opening to see Mrs. Bamey standing in the doorway. She still looked so tired, and Presley couldn’t understand why the woman wouldn’t go to bed and sleep throughout the night. She needed it.

  “Do you have a minute, dear?” The older female asked as she smoothed a hand through her wavy hair.

  “Sure,” Presley nodded, pushing herself up into a sitting position as she smiled warmly. “Is everything okay?”

  “Oh, things are fine,” Mrs. Bamey nodded, easing down onto the bed beside of Presley before turning her head to gaze at her. “Dimitri’s still asleep so I think we should enjoy the peace and quiet while we can. He’s going to be very irritated when he wakes up.”

  “Yeah, Beau said something about that earlier. The silver is going to torment him until it exits his body, huh?”

  “That’s how I understand it,” She shook her head slowly. “I had no idea that Owen Holter was connected with werewolves. It just goes to show you never really know anybody,” She sighed. “And you can’t know things unless they tell you.”

  Presley blinked, meeting her gaze with a small frown. Why did it feel like Mrs. Bamey was directing that last statement at her?

  “I know, Presley,” She affirmed after a moment. “I knew it the moment Louisa left the room. Forgive me if I broke your trust or invaded your privacy…..sometimes the urges are beyond our control, and I just…..I wish you would’ve told me sooner.”

  Dropping her gaze to her lap, Presley immediately sucked her bottom lip between her teeth. She chewed at it vigorously as her brain tried to come up with a decent apology. Were there any words that would truly suffice for the situation? ‘I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about your grand cub and you had to use your super bear hearing to find out?’ No, that wouldn’t work.

  “Presley,” Mrs. Bamey’s hand found hers, curling her warm fingers around Presley’s in a gentle manner as she smiled again. “I know you’ve been through a lot in the past few days, sweetheart, and I know this can’t be easy for you…..but I wish you would trust me more. I have always adored you, sweet girl. I consider you to be the daughter I always wanted, and yes….” She sucked in another breath. “…there’s a part of me that always hoped one of my boys would be worthy of your love. I’m sorry things have played out in such a violent manner, and I’m sorry that you were thrust into our world without any guidance, but I promise you,” She sniffled softly. “I promise that you’re not alone. No matter what happens, I am here for you. I’m here for that baby.”

  Presley’s lower lip began to quiver as she dropped her gaze to their hands. Mrs. Bamey really was like a mother to her, and Presley was so envious of Lorcan and Liam when they were younger because they got to have her and she didn’t. She never imagined that something like this would ever happen. Never in her wildest dreams could she have dreamed up a scenario quite like this.

  “Mrs. Bamey, I-”

  “What are you doing in here, Mom?”

  Lorcan’s sudden presence startled the both of them, and Presley quickly wiped at her eyes before gazing towards him.

  “Oh, Lorcan,” Mrs. Bamey sighed. “I was just coming to say goodnight to Presley. It’s been a long day for all of us.”

  “Oh,” He nodded, seemingly satisfied with her answer as he scratched the back of his head. “Yeah…crazily eventful,” He smirked. “I just checked on Dimitri. He’s still sleeping like a baby. Davey Berdine took Sheriff Holter back home and Rutley’s going to crash on the couch. I told him you’d be okay with that.”

  “Of course I’m okay with it,” Mrs. Bamey insisted as she stood from the bed and approached her son. He towered over her like David and Goliath, but it didn’t keep her from wrapping her arms around his torso and hugging him. “I’m sure you two have a lot to talk about,” She glanced at Presley. “Goodnight.”

  “Night,” Lorcan called after her before easing the door shut. He stood there for a moment, shaking his head before turning to glance at Presley. “That was weird. She’s acting weird. Have you noticed that?”

  Presley moved beneath the sheets, staring up at him. “A lot of people have been acting weird today,” She replied. “It must be the weather or something.”

  “Must be,” Lorcan agreed as he pulled his shirt over his head and tossed it onto the dresser. He kicked off his boots and yawned. “It’s been a long day.”

  “That it has,” She agreed in a soft whisper, nestling against the pillow as she became comfortable. “I’m glad it’s over.”

  The room went dark as he turned off the light, and then the mattress groaned beneath Lorcan’s weight. It wasn’t long before she felt his arm wrapping around her waist. He pulled her closer as he buried his face into her curls. “It’s not over yet,” He mumbled.

  “It will be when I go to sleep,” Presley yawned and closed her eyes, resting her hand against the heated skin of his forearm. “Goodnight.”

  A good five minutes passed by before Lorcan broke the silence.

  “Are you really asleep?” He asked in a loud whisper.

  Presley’s eyes snapped open and she frowned, rolling over carefully to face him. She shook her head.

  “Good,” He replied as his hand fell to rest against her hip. “I want to talk about something.”

  Uh oh, she thought as anticipation gripped her lungs. What did he want to talk about, exactly? Paranoia was eating away at her mind as she waited for him to continue.

  “Do you get a weird feeling when you’re around those Xiong kids?” He asked.

  Presley’s brows knitted together as she shifted on the bed, propping her head against her palm. “Louisa and Beau? Not really. Why?”

  “Because they give me the creeps,” Lorcan muttered.

  “That’s rude, Lorcan. They seem like really nice people and they just lost their entire clan. How can you say such a thing?”
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  “I know it’s rude, but it’s the truth. He gives me the stink eye and she just weirds me out. She’s always staring-very intensely.”

  “I think she’s just observant,” Presley argued. She couldn’t necessarily tell him about what happened in the kitchen, but she did believe there was something more to Louisa than the girl was telling them. Was it good or bad? Presley wanted to believe that Louisa was good. She definitely didn’t sense any bad vibes surrounding her…..

  “Observant or not, she did something to me when she touched me.”

  “What?”

  “I shook her hand in the kitchen before everything got crazy. I don’t know what happened, Pretz, but I’ve been losing my temper ever since. I think she hexed me,” Lorcan kept his voice low as he gazed at her in the moonlight.

  “Hexed you?” Presley bit back a small laugh as she stared at him quizzically. “Lorcan, she’s not a witch. She’s an ursithrope. We’re highly perceptive, you know?”

  “I know that,” He huffed. “And a little clairvoyant, too…..but I’m telling you. She’s done something to me, Presley and I don’t like it.”

  As he rolled onto his back and hid his eyes beneath his forearm, Presley instantly felt bad for making him feel ridiculous. He was trying to confide in her and she’d reactive in a negative manner.

  “I’m sorry,” She pouted, moving closer to him and pressing a kiss against his chin. “How can I help?”

  “I don’t think you can,” Lorcan mumbled. He made no effort to gaze at her, keeping his forearm firmly over the upper part of his face as he sighed. “I just know there’s something more to her than she’s telling us. She’s different.”

  Presley chewed at her bottom lip as she traced her fingertips over his strong jawline. She wanted to help him, to comfort him somehow, but she didn’t know how to do that. He was tense and plagued with worries; how was she supposed to fix it?

  Pushing her body closer to his, Presley’s lips closed over his in a tender, light kiss. It only took a millisecond for him to respond, and then he was kissing her back. It was sweet and gentle, but fierce and strong; just like him. She pulled away after a moment to gaze down at him. She was pleased to see his brown eyes staring back.