by Bethany Shaw
His phone buzzed, vibrating on the wooden end table. Looking at the caller ID before answering, he sighed.
“What did you find out?” He asked, skipping all formalities. His grip tightened on the phone, apprehension rolling through him as he waited for an answer.
“Daniel’s the one that’s been spying on us,” Devon answered shortly.
“You’re sure? You’re not letting your emotions get in the way of your judgment?” Gene asked hesitantly.
“I have phone records showing Daniel’s been calling Juarez. He didn’t exactly deny it either,” Devon said quietly.
Gene ran a hand through his hair. “I’m sorry. This is my fault. You told me not to trust him.” Balling his fist, he sat down on the bed and punched his pillows.
“It’s fine. It’s over. I don’t blame you for wanting to believe in him. We should be able to trust family,” Devon reminded.
“So where is he?” Gene asked.
“My mom heard I pulled him into the office and came in. He used my distraction to get away,” Devon sighed into the phone, causing it to crackle loudly. “I have two teams out searching for him now.”
“You weren’t able to find him?” Gene asked, scrubbing a hand over his face. This was getting more complicated every day.
“No.”
“Things are getting out of control.” Closing his eyes, he sagged back onto the pillows. His head throbbed as he tried to sort out what he needed to do to regain control.
“I agree. What’s going on in New York? Do you have any good news?”
“I have seventeen men coming from Clive’s pack alone. We were supposed to meet with the other alphas today but—”
“I have it under control,” Devon interrupted. “Stay! We need you to get those men.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“If something happens, I’m a long way from home,” Gene grumbled. Worry filled him at the thought. He needed to be there to protect his homestead. Even if they took the first flight out, they wouldn’t reach the ranch for hours.
“If we don’t get more men, we’re screwed anyway,” Devon reminded him.
“Be careful, Dev,” Gene said.
“You too.”
Gene hung up the phone and set it back on the end table. It seemed like every step they took forward, they had to take three more back. Things needed to turn around in their favor. Opening his eyes, he attempted to clear his head as he massaged his temples. He needed to stay optimistic. Returning to his dresser, he gathered his clothes and headed to the bathroom for a shower.
***
Gene ran a hand through his hair as he finished explaining the attacks to Ramona, Clive, and Natalia. It had been a few hours since he’d learned of it, and his heart still pounded in his chest.
“Thank heavens no one else was hurt,” Ramona grimaced, placing a hand to her chest as she shook her head. “It could’ve been so much worse. And poor Claire. No mother should ever be in that predicament.”
“We were lucky, and Daniel made his choices,” Gene agreed. Shifting his gaze to Natalia, he tried to gauge her reaction.
Natalia’s chestnut eyes met his for a moment before flicking away.
“I can speak with the alphas to see if they can get here any sooner. Perhaps we could do a telephone conference with some of them. I am sure you’re anxious to get home,” Clive offered as he poured a cup of coffee.
“I am. Devon says he has it under control but…” he trailed off. He did trust Devon, but if there were another attack—a larger attack—he feared there would be a much greater loss of life.
“The situation seems to be escalating quickly,” Clive replied. He pulled out his cell phone and began typing into it. “I am asking if everyone can meet here at ten instead of noon. If they can’t, we will do a conference call instead. That way, you can take a plane out tonight.”
“Thank you!” Gene said, relieved. “I’ll see about getting us a flight back to Texas.” He turned to Natalia, hesitating for a moment before asking, “Unless you would feel safer staying behind?”
Natalia’s head snapped up. She shuffled in her seat as she adjusted Adrian against her shoulder. “Stay?”
Ramona smiled. Placing a hand over Natalia’s, she said, “I’ve already told Gene we would be happy to have you.”
“I um, I have not really given it much thought.”
Gene let out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. She hadn’t agreed to come to Texas, but she hadn’t committed to staying either. Perhaps she would choose Abilene after all—he could only hope. He needed to be near her, see her, touch her.
“I will check with the guys and see if any of them can accompany you on your flight this evening,” Clive said.
“Thank you,” Gene repeated.
***
Natalia brushed her long coffee hair back, pulling it up into a messy bun. Sighing she appraised herself in the mirror. Sweat glistened on her brow as she wiped her clammy hands on her dark wash jeans. Her grey v-neck stuck to her skin, and she inhaled deeply, trying to calm her frazzled nerves. The idea of meeting with all the alphas terrified her. So much was riding on her—the fate of Gene’s pack rested on her.
Natalia jumped at a loud rap on the door. Closing her eyes and giving herself a mental shake, she turned to the door and opened it.
“Are you ready?” Gene asked.
Her face flushed as his eyes met hers. “Yes.”
Brushing past him, she ignored the jolt that sparked through her as their arms touched. His masculine pine-and-moss scent invaded her senses, arousing and putting her at ease at the same time.
“Where’s Adrian?” Gene questioned.
“Ramona came and got him a few minutes ago. She offered to watch him while we speak with the others. She seems to have really taken a liking to him,” Natalia said as she thought of the older redhead.
“That was nice of her,” Gene smiled.
Natalia returned the gesture before turning to walk down the hall. Gene fell into step beside her. “She has my mother’s personality.”
“Does that mean you have decided to stay here then?” Gene asked, his voice low and huskier than normal.
Gene stopped, his hand lightly gripping her arm, causing her to come to a halt. Pursing her lips, she gazed into his eyes.
“I…”
“It would be safer for you to stay,” Gene acknowledged quietly.
Natalia nodded. “I know.” She studied him for a long moment, realizing he was intent on keeping his word about letting her go. “You did not have to take me in. If you had not, your pack would not be in the predicament they are now.”
“Yes, we would. Juarez is the reason my father is dead. He wants you, yes, but he wants Emily, Lark, and Sarah too. We angered him when we took Emily and Lark back. This isn’t your fault, Talia. You’re as much a victim as the rest of us. Nobody should have to live that life, and I would never knowingly allow it to happen.”
“Family is important to Juarez. As evil as he is, family matters. That man and his son, Luis, spent two decades looking for my mother and me. If he searched that long, I have no doubt he will continue to come for me. I cannot endanger this pack or others in the area,” Natalia whispered as she clasped her hands together. “I do not wish to be responsible for any more deaths.”
“Juarez is responsible, not you. I’ll keep you safe,” Gene assured. “You and Adrian.”
Heat crept across her face as she inhaled sharply. She glanced at the floor, clenching her hands so tight that her fingernails dug into her skin. “Thank you for showing me how a true alpha should be. I know that you will keep us safe. I am very grateful for that as well as everything else you have done for me.”
Her breath caught as his finger touched her chin, gently tilting it up. “You don’t need to thank me.”
“I do.” Licking her dry lips, she cleared her throat. His face was mere inches from hers, and she wanted nothing more than to close the gap and ta
ste his soft lips again. “I owe you so much, Gene. I have not been shown a lot of kindness this past year. I thought we were monsters. I realize now that we are not. So thank you—for helping me to see what we truly are.”
Gene leaned in, his hand trailing up her jaw to her cheek, gently brushing a loose strand of hair from her face. Her pulse spiked as his breath puffed against her face. Closing her eyes, she leaned in as he began to close the small distance between them.
“Gene,” Clive called up the stairs.
Natalia’s eyes flew open, and she jumped backwards, stumbling over her own feet. Gene’s hand caught and righted her as he gently pulled her to him.
“Yeah, we’re on our way,” Gene yelled back. Extending his free hand toward the stairs, he said, “Shall we?”
***
Natalia’s heart clenched tightly in her chest as she finished explaining her experiences with Juarez and McKinley. Letting out a long breath, she glanced around the room at the alphas who were taking in her horrifying story. All the men were muscular and tall, regardless of their age. The older alphas sat perfectly poised with their shoulders and backs straight. What caught her eye, though, were the six alpha females who sat with their husbands. The women held just as powerful a gait as their husbands, and their interest in the discussion was clear. There were only two younger wolves, three if she counted Gene. They seemed more at ease and relaxed, leaning into their respective chairs. Some of the men scribbled on paper while others just shook their heads.
The chestnut-haired alpha female shifted on the leather couch, her face burning. Clasping her hands together, she chewed on her lip and stared at her entwined fingers. Goosebumps rose on her flesh as she felt prying eyes examine her. No one had been rude or said anything, but she’d never been the subject of discussion before. At least not like this.
Gene cleared his throat and stood. He placed a hand on her shoulder as he begun speaking. “About two months ago, we rescued Natalia from Emmett McKinley’s pack. McKinley had kidnapped my cousin Devon’s mate, Lark. McKinley had also abducted his daughter, Emily, with the intention of forcing both women to go with Fernando Juarez to become breeders. During the rescue, we helped Natalia, who was being held against her will, and two other girls. Emmett McKinley was killed during the attack, but Fernando Juarez is alive and well, and he is intent on revenge.”
Gene paused, his hand lifting from her shoulder as he took a step forward. “Intruders have tried to abduct Natalia once, and we were attacked just last night. I am asking for your help. My pack is in danger, and I fear what Juarez will do if he is allowed to become even more powerful. I am requesting assistance and would be most appreciative of any that you can offer.”
Gene cleared his throat. His chocolate eyes met Natalia’s as he passed her to take his seat.
“It is quite obvious that Juarez is breaking many laws,” one of the aging alphas said, placing his finger to his lips. “Every three to four generations, there is a war amongst our species; it is one of the reasons our kind is on the decline. It appears that our generation is the one that must handle this war. We can only hope that the losses won’t be too great. I, myself, have been blessed with two daughters. I could not imagine these atrocities being inflicted upon them. I will speak with my men and ask for volunteers. I can pledge about twenty men to your packs. I think it is important that we stop Juarez before he is allowed to grow stronger,” The elderly alpha finished as he rubbed his graying beard.
“Furthermore, I believe that the Gulf packs intend to continue their pursuit across our country,” another alpha piped up. “I have heard rumors that there is a dispute with Juarez in some of the other southern states. These rumors suggest that he is winning this battle. I also believe it best we put a stop to him before he becomes even more powerful. If we do nothing now, we will soon wish we had. I can pledge at least five of my men.”
Natalia sucked in a deep breath as her stomach twisted with apprehension. Her eyes darted around the room, taking in the alphas as each of them began to offer support for their cause. Tears pricked her eyes as hope flooded her. This might work!
“I believe we have come to a consensus. It is getting late. Ramona has made a wonderful late lunch for us. Due to attacks, Gene and Natalia must return to Texas earlier than expected. We can resume our discussion after lunch,” Clive said as he stood up from his desk.
The alphas rumbled in agreement, quickly flocking to the office door and filing out one by one.
“I think the meeting went quite well,” Clive said, approaching them.
“I agree. I can’t thank you enough for helping put this together,” Gene said, pulling out his phone.
“It’s no problem, son. Will you two join us for lunch?”
“Yeah. I was just going to purchase out tickets real fast,” Gene said as he tapped on the touch screen of his cell.
“Of course. I spoke with my men, but none of them are able to leave with you today. They have some business they must finish first. I assure you, they will be on their way by Friday as originally planned,” Clive replied as he headed to the door.
“I understand. This is very last minute.”
Clive inclined his head and headed out of the room. Natalia shifted on the couch, unsure what their plans were. Gene pulled out his phone before turning to her.
“Are you sure about coming back to Texas?” Gene asked as he slid his finger down the phone.
No!
“Yes.”
Gene growled as his fingers roamed over the Smartphone. “It doesn’t look good.”
“What’s wrong?”
“The flight I booked already has a slight delay on it. There is a series of storms with high winds making their way through the area,” Gene explained as he showed her the phone.
“Oh.”
“I prefer to return home sooner rather than later. I hope it isn’t delayed further,” Gene said.
“I understand. You must be anxious to get home.”
“I am. How long will it take you to get ready?”
Natalia considered his question for a moment, ticking off all the things she would have to pack before they left. Thankfully, she’d kept Adrian’s things in his bag until she needed them. “Fifteen to thirty minutes.”
“Alright. We have about an hour or so before we will have to pack and leave.” He tapped his phone one last time before looking up at her. “Lunch?”
***
Gene settled into his seat as the plane captain finished speaking over the loud speakers. It had been a good choice to book first class tickets. Other than an elderly couple at the very front of the section, they were alone. He hoped the plush leather seats and more private setting would put Natalia a little more at ease.
“Will we still fly in this weather?” Natalia asked, her eyes fixated on the small porthole window. Her hands wandered to her seat belt, pulling it tighter against her slender frame.
“Unless the storm is severe, we will take off on time. It’s just rain. We’ll be fine,” Gene assured her.
Natalia turned, giving him a tight-lipped smile before leaning over to adjust the blue blanket covering Adrian. Gene watched as she continued to fuss over the sleeping infant. Her coffee-colored hair fell forward partially concealing her face.
A gasp escaped her lips as the plane jolted and began to creep down the tarmac. Her hand jutted out from the carrier, clasping the armrest so tightly, her knuckles turned white.
Gene placed his hand atop hers, gently squeezing it. Her warmth invaded him, sending a bolt of heat up his arm. “It really is fine. I promise.”
Her wide eyes snapped to his, her breath shallow as she panicked. “There are plane accidents all the time on the news,” Natalia whispered. Resting her head against the headrest, she closed her eyes and inhaled sharply.
“When you compare them to the number of car accidents that happen daily, the numbers aren’t that large,” he tried to reason. Entwining his fingers with her slender ones, he trailed his thumb up and
down the back of her hand.
“But they still happen,” Natalia said. Her hands tightened beneath his as the plane picked up speed.
Gene relaxed in his seat, his eyes still focused on the frightened brunette next to him. The front wheels of the plane lifted off the ground as the plane angled up. She scrunched up her face as she bit her lip and squirmed in her seat. His ears popped, and he sighed as the pressure in the cabin began to stabilize.
“See? That wasn’t so bad was it?” Gene asked.
Natalia’s eyes fluttered open, her right brow quirking up. “I will feel better when we are back on the ground.”
He chuckled, causing her to squint her eyes at him and frown. Gene couldn’t help but notice how adorable she looked when she was angry. Knowing that talking would help take her mind off the flight, he asked, “Tell me about Cabo San Lucas.”
Her mouth popped open in surprise as a small smile slid across her face. “It is on the coast of the Baja California peninsula. The ocean is beautiful. The air is filled with the smell of salt and you can hear the waves crashing against the piers. I miss the ocean. Every morning, my mother and I would go for a swim in the sea.”
“Cabo? That’s a big tourist area, right?”
Natalia closed her eyes, nodding. She imagined hearing the waves cascade against the shore and the calm sea breeze ghost against her cheeks. “It is. My mother chose Cabo for that reason. It is easier to hide in a sea of people than to hide in the middle of nowhere. She was an assistant manager at one of the resorts. We had a good life there. We had friends and people we considered family.”
The smile faded from her face, and tears pricked her eyes. Bottom lip trembling, her heart clenched painfully in her chest. “I am a fool to think I can go home. Tourists are everywhere, but the community of locals is small and tight knit. They would have questions about my mother…Antonio and where I’ve been all this time. What would I tell them?” she whispered as she imagined explaining the situation to Antonio’s family.
A single tear rolled down her face, trickling down to her nose and pooling at her cupids bow. Biting her lip, she blinked rapidly in an attempt to stop the tears. She didn’t want to think about what had happened—didn’t want to remember the pain.
