by Melissa Haag
She turned her head and gave me a shy smile, her heart skipping a beat.
“You lied to me,” I said, trailing my fingers over the worst bruise. “You’re not fine. How much pain are you in?”
She glanced down at her stomach and slightly shook her head. “Emmitt, I’ll live. Don’t make a big deal out of this.”
A thread of embarrassment reached me. I didn’t understand how my concern would embarrass her. She pulled the robe around her, rolled to her side, and boosted herself up on one arm. Although I felt the pain through our link, she was careful to keep her expression bland, a clear sign she didn’t want my help. After a moment, she slid her legs off the bed and eased herself into a full sitting position.
She glanced at the alarm clock beside the bed.
“We need to get to the lawyer’s office. How long will it take from here? I don’t even know where we are,” she said.
Jim would love knowing he was right. Grey, too.
“About thirty minutes,” I said, answering her original question as I got out of bed and moved to help her stand.
“Really, Emmitt, I’m fine,” she said.
Determination hit me, and I knew what she was going to do as soon as she leaned forward. I quickly offered my hand, unwilling to watch her hurt herself more. Even with my help, she winced and leaned into me.
As I held her in my arms and waited for the pain to fade, she lightly bit my neck. The sensation of her teeth on my skin sent a jolt of need through me. Humor pushed pain aside as she tried to hide her grin.
To say I loved and needed this woman was an understatement. I existed because of her, for her. She was, and would remain, everything to me.
I helped her to the bathroom where she quietly retreated for the next five minutes. When she emerged, her hair was smoothed down, she wore her clean clothes, and she smelled slightly minty. She looked ready to meet the reporter.
She eyed my clean yet ripped shirt, and I knew I wasn’t.
“We’re going to need to get our things,” I said.
She wrinkled her nose at the idea.
“They dropped these off this morning,” I said, showing her the shoes before bending down to help her step into them. She lightly rested a hand on my shoulder as she lifted one foot then the next. It reminded me of the night I’d taken her to dinner, and my fingers itched to caress her calf.
“Ready?” I asked when both flats were on.
“Just a second.”
She walked back into the bedroom and stood there, looking around for a moment. A sense of awe washed over me, and I knew she was remembering last night. She was mine. Finally.
She glanced back at me and reached for my hand.
“I’m ready,” she said.
Love washed over me, and I kissed the back of her hand before we left the suite. She was silent as she walked beside me. I studied her, watching for any sign of discomfort. There was no hitch in her step today and no pain in our link. I knew better than to think it meant she was fine.
At the front desk, I asked for a cab. It didn’t take long for one to arrive. Michelle winced getting into the back seat and leaned her head on my shoulder once I slid in beside her. I held her hand, trying to comfort her.
When we pulled up before our hotel, I sent a message to Grey.
We’re here. I don’t want to leave her alone again, and I don’t want to take her inside.
Carlos will be right there.
Michelle nervously eyed the hotel.
“Stay here. I’ll be right back.”
She nodded, and I closed the door. Carlos was already in the lobby with a bag.
“Grey’s waiting in your room. We tried putting it back the way it was.”
I nodded and went to the room. The beds were separate again, but the bedding on Michelle’s bed was ripped. So were her clothes.
My bag was on a chair. I went to it and pulled out a clean shirt. The mutt had left my things alone.
“Why just her things?” I asked Grey, who was watching me.
“Not sure. Maybe to send her a message that Blake is angry?”
“I think the bloody head and bruised stomach conveyed that well enough.” I left the damaged clothes where they were and picked up what still looked okay. There wasn’t much. A bit of pink material caught my eye. I picked up what was left of her bikini.
“I think this is about things,” I said. “She took away Blake’s things. Her brothers. Her money. He’s trying to take away hers.” I tossed the material aside. “Let’s go finish taking away his things.”
After listening to Michelle on the phone two nights ago, I knew Blake was still trying to get at the money Richard had left her. Since I couldn’t get to Blake yet, I’d settle for making him hurt some other way.
The worry I’d been feeling from Michelle since I’d entered the hotel vanished when I left it. She didn’t comment as we climbed in. Carlos was careful not to press against her this time.
I gave the lawyer’s address to the driver and handed Michelle her nearly empty bag.
“There was nothing else worth taking,” I said.
The news crew was waiting outside the lawyer’s office when we pulled up. Carlos and Grey hung back while I stood near Michelle as she talked to the reporter. I paid less attention to the questions the woman asked and more attention to our surroundings. We were in a nicer part of town. People were walking by on the sidewalks. I kept scenting the air but didn’t catch anything that hinted Blake or his men were nearby.
When the reporter left, we filed inside the lawyer’s office. The receptionist sat behind a long, glossy counter and looked up at us with a welcoming expression.
“Can I help you?”
“I’m here to see Mr. Nolan,” Michelle said.
“Michelle?”
“Yes.”
The woman glanced at all of us. “Please have a seat.”
She picked up the phone and dialed. As she spoke, Grey winked at her. The woman paused mid-sentence, obviously having lost her train of thought. Michelle hid a smile behind her hand as the woman struggled to maintain her end of the conversation.
You’re going to get us kicked out, I sent Grey.
Nah, I’m just making a lasting impression.
A moment later, the woman led Michelle into Mr. Nolan’s office. I followed while Grey and Carlos stayed behind in the sitting area.
Overall, the lengthy meeting enlightened me on a few topics. Richard had been fighting Blake’s hold on his family by filtering money into hidden accounts without Blake’s awareness. If I were to guess, I would say it was even the reason behind Richard’s death.
Instead of naming his sons equal beneficiaries, he clearly stated he wanted them to receive nothing and left everything to Michelle, including guardianship of the boys. It had been the only protection he could give his children.
And, because Michelle stepped forward to claim Richard’s estate, Blake was completely cut off from any chance of touching the money he’d lost. It was a stunning amount.
Michelle and the lawyer talked about what to do with the money. She decided to set up two trusts. Creating one for her brothers didn’t surprise me. Creating one for the pack did. Yet, as I thought about it, I understood what she was doing. She was giving herself a layer of protection. Even if Blake was to take her again, he would never be able to reach all of the money.
When they finished, the lawyer stood and walked us to the lobby.
“If you have any questions, big or small, call me. I’ll be happy to help.”
“Thank you, Mr. Nolan,” Michelle said.
He nodded and went back to his office as the receptionist called us another cab.
While we waited outside, Michelle’s stomach growled.
“Hungry?” I asked.
“More homesick than hungry. Can we just go straight to the airport and see if we can get an earlier flight?”
“Of course.”
There was no reason for us to linger. Blake had played his hand.
And, Michelle had played hers.
The cab pulled up, and I opened the door for her. She took her time sliding in, but her care didn’t help. I still felt her pain and was glad she was ready to go home. She’d been through enough. Since the beginning I’d had the need to keep her safe, but the events of the last twenty-four hours were skyrocketing that need.
“What’s wrong?” she asked as we drove toward the airport.
Grey turned to look at me, a knowing glint in his eyes. I glanced at Michelle and shrugged, not wanting to lie to her or make her feel smothered.
She slipped her hand into mine and leaned against me.
“Is this something I have to figure out for myself? Because, if it is, I have to say it will be awhile. I’m fried. I just want to get home and be with you, my brothers, and...well, my family.”
Her family. Hearing her say it soothed me.
“Nothing’s wrong.” I kissed the top of her head, glad we were feeling the same need for home.
“Are you feeling neglected? Like it was a bite and run?”
I choked a bit, and Grey howled with laughter in the front seat.
“Turn around, Grey,” Carlos said. I appreciated his attempt at help but knew Grey wouldn’t listen. My discomfort was way too amusing for him.
“No,” I said, stroking my thumb over the back of her hand. “I’m just worried about you.”
“I’m here. I’m fine.” Love washed over our link a moment before she reached for me and pulled me down for a long kiss.
When she pulled back, her face was flushed and her scent sweet.
“Enough of that, I think,” she said.
I nodded reluctantly, flicking a glance at the driver and the quietly grinning Grey. There would be plenty of time later. We had a lifetime ahead of us.
It didn’t take much longer before the cab pulled up to the airport drop-off. Everything was relatively quiet as we took our bags and paid the driver. It took a while to find an earlier flight, but it was worth it when Michelle heard we would be taking off in an hour.
“Let’s find something to eat,” I said when we had our tickets.
It wasn’t hard to find a place to eat. We followed our noses to a restaurant that was emitting a mouthwatering, smoked meat smell. Grey was quick to lead us toward a back booth. He patted the seat next to him and looked at Carlos.
“Come here, honey,” he said with a laugh.
Carlos sighed and sat down. Grey would never give up on trying to lighten Carlos up.
Michelle slid into the opposite booth and picked up the menu as I sat beside her. When the server came to take our orders, I let him know our flight time and then asked if he could make me two half-pound burgers on the rare side. Grey and Carlos asked for the same while Michelle ordered a BLT. Once the server left, Michelle turned to me.
“So how did you find me?”
“Your blood.” The memory of seeing it smeared across the door would give me nightmares for the rest of my life. She squeezed my hand in comfort, and Grey took up the story.
“It was on your room’s door. We followed the scent trail out the side door. From there, we picked up the scent of the car. They had eyes watching the route, and we ran into a bit of trouble that slowed us down.”
“How many?” she asked.
“Enough,” Grey said. “But, not too much for Carlos here to handle.” Grey nudged Carlos with a grin. Carlos didn’t answer. Instead, he turned to look at the baseball game on the television.
“Thank you,” she said.
The server brought us our bill just in time for us to pay and walk back for boarding. Tension gripped Michelle. I understood and held her hand.
Home was calling.
Chapter 21
When we pulled up to the main house, Liam and Aden were waiting on the porch for us. I couldn’t open the door fast enough for Michelle. She jumped out and ran toward her brothers. I could feel the sudden burst of worry and fear over our connection and focused on returning as much calming love as I could.
“I missed you so much,” I heard her say as she bent to hug them.
Pain clouded her features as they wrapped their arms around her. I doubted it was from the boys hugging her. She’d moved too fast getting out of the car.
Mary, Gregory, Henry, and Paul stood just behind the boys. I nodded in greeting as I carried our bags to the porch.
“Mimi, it was so fun,” Liam said excitedly.
“We played till dark,” Aden added.
“How about you tell me what you all did when we’re inside,” Michelle said, standing. They clasped her hands and started talking as they led her through the door.
Mom and Dad were waiting for us.
“Emmitt,” Mom said, ambushing me with a hug. “I’m so happy for you.”
“I can smell the Claim on you,” Dad said. “Congratulations.”
Michelle glanced at me as she continued to listen to her brothers. I wondered if she’d heard Dad.
“Now, we just need to work on Jim,” Mom said under her breath.
Like Winifred, she was holding out hope that Jim would meet his Mate before he reached an age that the Elders would have to say yes to his request.
Mary and Gregory joined our conversation. “We heard you ran into trouble,” Gregory said, looking pointedly at Michelle.
“She can use some rest.”
“The cubs are welcome to sleep at our place if you think she’ll allow it.”
I glanced at Michelle. She was watching Liam with a smile as he recounted a water balloon fight. Yet, the smile lacked its normal shine. Her face was pale, and she leaned a little, favoring her right side.
“She needs to.”
“We’ll ask,” Paul said. They’d been quietly listening to our conversation and quickly moved to Michelle.
As soon as they asked if the boys could spend the night, I knew Michelle wouldn’t persevere against all the pleading looks.
Once she nodded, the boys raced down the hall, pulling Paul and Henry along. Michelle turned toward us.
“Welcome to the family,” Mom said, excitement lacing her voice.
“Thank you,” Michelle said. “Can we talk?”
She wanted to talk now? Just standing there she was starting to tremble. When I saw the goosebumps on her arms, I realized it was due to a chill and not necessarily exhaustion.
“Are you sure you don’t want to rest first?” Mom asked, echoing what I’d just thought.
“No, there’s a lot I need to share, and I don’t know how much time...” A thread of her worry wrapped around me.
“All right,” Dad said. “Nana Wini is already waiting.”
“I’m going to put these in our room,” I said, lifting the bags I carried. “I’ll meet you there.” She nodded and started walking with my parents.
I ran past them to our room and found Jim dozing on the couch.
“Have fun while I was gone?” I asked, not stopping. I put our bags on the bed and dug in the dresser for a warmer shirt. Mom always kept extra clothing handy. I found one and pulled it out.
“Yep. I kicked some mutt butt. Uncle Grey told me you almost got nutted again.”
I shook my head. “You should be less worried about my nuts and start thinking about your own. Mom’s gunning to find you a Mate now that I’m Claimed.”
Jim groaned as I walked out the door, grinning.
The group had just reached the soundproofed room when I caught up to them. Mom and Dad went inside as I handed Michelle the sweatshirt.
“Thank you,” she said a second before she started to put it on.
She flinched as she raised her arms over her head. I quickly helped pull the sweatshirt down but smelled blood when the neckline brushed over her head. The shirt must have rubbed against her gash. I quickly pressed my lips to hers then took her hand and led her into the room. I wanted this meeting done so I could get her into bed.
Mom and Dad were just taking their seats. Michelle made a face as she sat, which Winifred c
aught.
“What happened to you? I can smell blood,” she said, concerned.
“I ran into a door.”
Michelle’s humor needed work.
She cleared her throat and looked at Dad. “Thank you for keeping Liam and Aden safe. Frank admitted Blake attempted to get them back.” She glanced at Winifred. “I’m guessing Frank followed us here and called Blake. I think Blake was on his way here while we were going to him. Anyway, when we got to Wisconsin, I had a visit from Frank. He’s the reason I ran into a door. He took me to a motel and started saying some weird things, like I was just one piece of a huge puzzle and that they would start with me but get all of my sisters.”
I frowned, wishing she’d told me that when we were still standing over Frank. I was tired of not having any answers.
“You have sisters?” Winifred asked.
“No, I don’t. I think he means women like me—us.” Michelle looked at Mom. “I’ve been having visions of other women. So far, there seem to be five of us total. I’m guessing each of us has a unique ability. One of the women seemed to have a calming effect on the crowd around her. The other two were harder to tell. Does Gabby have any special abilities?”
“She’s told Sam about an unusual pull she has on human men. According to Sam, they appear to be very attracted to her. Yet, our men don’t seem any more or less attracted to her because of it,” Mom said.
“Hmm. My abilities changed when I met Emmitt and again when I met you. You said yours first changed when you Claimed Thomas. Maybe hers will manifest when she’s with her Mate?”
“She found her Mate,” Winifred said. “But, she isn’t acknowledging him. We’ll have to keep an eye on the situation.”
“What happened when you met me?” Mom asked, circling back to what Michelle had said.
“Well, it wasn’t exactly when we met but when we first touched. Before meeting any of you, my premonitions were only about the stock markets. When I met Emmitt, I started to see people. Women. But when I first touched you, I was transported to another place. It was like a white nothing filled with monitors. Each monitor had an image of one of us, women with power. Around us, there were always werewolves. Somehow, we were in the middle of them. I wasn’t able to study the images before I was pulled out of that place.”
