Graham

by M. Jayne

  The driver’s side door opened, and a blond male exited. He walked until he was in front of us. “I am Conal MacGregor, Second to Raider Black, the Leader of Novus. I welcome you on his and our Queen’s behalf.” He tilted his head slightly. “They are Asher and Wale, respected members of our guard.”

  Graham surprised me by answering properly as if he had spent his years dealing with Pack politics, “Thank you, Conal MacGregor. My mate Olivia and I are grateful to be on Novus land.”

  Conal then stepped forward and extended his hand in the way humans greeted. “Graham.” He shook and then turned to me. He slowly extended his hand, and I understood he was waiting to see if Graham was okay with his touching me.

  When no growl came, I extended my hand to meet his.

  Conal’s grip was light. “I’m glad that you called. As Asher stated, we have been worried.” He released my hand.

  “Thank you.” I lowered my chin and gaze, as was proper.

  “Wolfsbane is a two-hour drive. You will be staying in the Packhouse,” Conal instructed.

  “We will follow your lead SUV,” Graham responded.

  “Very good.” The Second returned to his SUV, and we did the same.

  Once we were on the highway, I slouched down in the seat. “That was tense.” I pulled my shirt from my sweat-dampened chest.

  He gave a one-shouldered shrug. “Hey, they could have yanked us out and tossed us on the ground.”

  “I didn’t expect that we’d be treated like honored guests. With the Burkes, only the most important dignitaries were invited to stay at the Packhouse.”

  “I believe they are grateful to you for your actions in helping the Seer.”

  I bugged out my eyes. “It was just a phone call.”

  “Liv, I figure that if the higher ups in this Pack and their Queen want to think of your kind act as a big deal, we should let them.” He glanced at me.

  “I don’t know what it means. With the Burkes, you did everything, so they didn’t notice you. I don’t know what they expect of me,” I said softly, sharing my frustration.

  “Then we are in the same boat.” The muscle at the side of his jaw pulsed. “I don’t understand the politics, nor do I know the players.”

  I hadn’t considered that. “I have the feeling Novus is very different from what I’m used to.”

  “I suggest that we wait and watch for their cues to learn what is expected of us. Since we are basically unknown to them, I doubt we will have much freedom. We’ll cooperate and keep our eyes open.”

  “That’s smart.” Graham was intelligent. He had to be to have survived this long.

  “We are in this together. We’ll figure it out.”

  I wasn’t sure if he was saying it for himself or for me.

  * * *

  As we approached the town of Wolfsbane, I pulled on my seatbelt and moved in my seat.

  “It looks like a nice place,” Graham observed.

  The main street had businesses that appeared to be prosperous. I saw a drug store, a clothing store, a toy store, and several restaurants. Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad.

  “Families are out shopping.” He nodded to his left.

  I saw a female pushing a stroller and another couple with two boys window-shopping. “They look happy,” I muttered. “I mean, in Texas, we were always uneasy.”

  We passed an elementary school and then a two-story high school.

  Graham studied the facilities. “That looks normal.”

  “It all looks more than normal.” The town was very clean, the vehicles were newish, and the homes we passed were well-maintained.

  The SUV in front of us indicated with their turn signal, and we followed it onto a long drive that led to a three-story mansion.

  “Wow,” Graham exhaled.

  I agreed. This made the Burke Packhouse look small. “They must be wealthy.”

  He sighed. “Yeah.”

  13

  Graham Vincent

  I stopped behind the lead SUV and didn’t bother to check the one behind us. I turned off the engine and unlocked the doors. “Wait for them.”

  The guard with the name that sounded like, Wall-aye, walked directly to Olivia’s door, and the other male opened mine.

  The Second stood on the front steps, facing us. “Welcome. Your room is prepared. Staff will deliver your bags.” He turned on his heel and started up the steps.

  Olivia gripped my hand tightly as we followed the male. We crossed the porch and entered a huge foyer with a shimmering chandelier. A sweeping marble stairway stretched out before us.

  “Your room is to the left,” the Second instructed.

  We turned to the left, and although I knew little about art, I could see that the house was decorated with expensive pieces. I wanted to snicker. The Second wore jeans, motorcycle boots, and a black, Jack Daniels thermal. The guards were dressed much the same way. We all seemed out of place amongst the luxury.

  At the end of the hall, a male and female waited outside a set of double doors. “This is Chet and Simone,” Conal told us. “They will be seeing to your needs during your stay.”

  I nodded my greeting to them.

  “If you wish to leave your room, the guard on the door will arrange an escort.” Conal paused and looked directly at me. “I’m sure you will respect our wish that our guests have escorts.”

  Olivia answered, “Of course.”

  The Second flashed a grin. “Then I will leave you with the staff. Please be ready at seven. There will be drinks, followed by dinner tonight.”

  Olivia’s body stiffened. “I…ah, I am not prepared. I only have…” She stammered and leaned into my side.

  I took over. “She had to leave her home in a rush. Because the assassins knew of her location, I decided that we could not return to recover her belongings.” I knew she’d had little in the way of a wardrobe to begin with. She hadn’t had the opportunity to own more.

  “You will find us to be very casual, no matter what this house portrays. I will communicate with Black and Theo that dinner will be casual, and I can assure you,” he paused to wait until Olivia met his gaze, “they will be relieved. We all will be.”

  Olivia chewed on her bottom lip, perhaps overwhelmed by his understanding and kindness.

  “Thank you, Second. We will be ready before seven.” I understood that this was not his usual responsibility, but because of Olivia’s actions, he was honoring us with seeing to our welcome.

  He glanced over our shoulders. “Here are your bags. I will leave you to unpack and perhaps get some rest.”

  The male, Chet, opened the door. “If you would follow me.”

  We had been given a sizeable two-room suite. The living room had a three-cushion sofa and two love seats, a huge TV that seemed to have every channel if Chet was correct. There was a desk in the corner, and against the opposite wall, a small bar that held a refrigerator filled with drinks and another with food, along with a microwave.

  Simone led us to the bedroom that held a huge bed and had ample closet space. Another loveseat had been placed in front of a bay window that overlooked a wooded area. The attached bathroom had dual sinks, a closeted toilet, and a massive shower with a bench that ran along the back wall.

  I glanced at Olivia as she investigated the shower, and for a second, I thought she might bolt. Clearly, she wasn’t used to this level of luxury.

  “Chet and I can assist you with your unpacking if you wish, or we can leave in case you wish to rest…?” Simone spoke in a soft voice.

  Chet pointed to the phone in the corner of the vanity area. “You will note that there are phones in each room. You can reach us at any time by simply touching four.”

  Olivia was still staring at the shower.

  I gave Chet a small smile. “I believe we would like to rest. It was a long drive.”

  The staff was well-trained. They left us quickly with only one more reminder to call for service.

  I walked them to the door and noted that
a female guard was sitting to the right of our door.

  She gave me a cheeky grin.

  I closed the door and met Olivia at the bar. She was looking inside the fridge that held the drinks. “Want something? I think they have every water, juice, and soft drink here.”

  “I’ll take a juice, any kind.” I sat on the provided bar stool.

  She selected an apple juice for me and sparkling water for herself. She rested her elbows on the bar. “This is way more than I expected.”

  “Yeah, me, too.” I opened the bottle and took a drink.

  ‘I’ve never been any place like this. I’m not sure what to do.”

  “I’ve seen places like this on tv and in the movies,” I murmured.

  “Does it bother you…about the guard?” She looked at the door.

  “It’s what I would do. They probably searched our bags before they delivered them.” I made a mental note to ask about my weapons. “But it doesn’t really upset me.” I thought about it a minute longer. “So far, they seem nice.”

  “I don’t know if I should be suspicious or simply appreciative.” Her eyes had gone big.

  My wolf was not agitated, and I trusted him. “I think we should appreciate their hospitality until something happens that concerns us or changes our minds.”

  She leaned on the bar. “I’m glad you are here with me.”

  “I am, too.” I ran my hand up her forearm. “Let’s check out that bed.”

  “And maybe later, the shower?” She blushed and looked even cuter.

  Oh yeah, I had plans for that shower.

  * * *

  I was perched on the arm of the sofa, my attention split between watching Olivia pace and listening for our escort’s approach.

  She paused in front of me. “Are you sure I look all right?”

  We’d had a two-hour rest and then broke in the shower before dressing. “You look beautiful.” I held out my hand. “Come here.”

  She did with a shy smile. “You have to say that.”

  I positioned her so that she stood between my thighs. Resting my hands on her jean-clad hips, I studied her make-up. “I like your eyes tonight.”

  She shrugged. “I outlined them with a black pencil and used some mascara.”

  She’d also added a braid to pull her hair back from her face.

  “Males are lucky. You add a button-down shirt, and you look like you’re dressed up.” She frowned at my deep green shirt. I had it tucked into my dark jeans because we were to meet the Leader.

  Her black long-sleeved top was plain, yet the outline of her breasts was evident, which I greatly enjoyed. “It will be fine.”

  “I’m not sure what to do.” She shook her head. “Is there a special protocol or etiquette that we should follow?”

  I lightly squeezed her. “No clue.” I’d never envisioned having an audience with a Packleader, and I’d done my best to avoid them.

  “Conal seems nice enough.”

  “You saved their Queen. I have to imagine that they want to show their appreciation.”

  Her gaze met mine. “We’ll be there together, right? We can lean on each other?”

  I think she was saying that more for her own benefit than mine. “Right.”

  A knock sounded on the door.

  I walked to the heavy wooden double door. I opened it and saw before me a petite Asian female with bright blue hair.

  “I am Issa, a member of the Queen’s Guard.” She studied me openly and then took a step to the left to see around me. “Ah, you must be Olivia, the one who saved Theo.” She walked into the room.

  Olivia was still standing by the sofa. “I’m Olivia.”

  The guard stopped five steps before my mate and bowed at the waist. “I thank you for your service.”

  Olivia did nothing to mask her discomfort. “Is Theo…. your Queen, well?”

  I followed slowly, not wanting to threaten the female but also needing to be close to protect my mate, if needed.

  “You can see for yourself. Please come with me.” Issa motioned for us to follow her. “I’m glad you didn’t dress up. Here at Novus, we tend to be very casual,” she spoke softly to Olivia.

  “That’s good because I only have a small duffle bag.” Olivia gave a nervous smile at the end of her admission.

  “I love to shop,” the blue-haired female shared. “I will help you with your wardrobe.”

  Olivia glanced at me with panic-filled eyes before responding, “I’m sure that you have many claims on your time. I couldn’t ask that of you.”

  “It will be enjoyable,” the guard told her.

  “Then accept her generous offer, Olivia.” I smiled, hoping to relieve some of Liv’s nervousness. “I’m sure that Issa will be able to tell you what you need for this new life.”

  Issa glanced at me, but I felt like she was sizing me up. “Your male is right.” She nodded at me once. “I’m sure that Solle and Theo will want to help. Perhaps, Basil, too, if he has the time. He is Black’s admin.”

  “The Leader’s assistant might provide assistance to me?” Olivia sounded like she was so alarmed she might turn around and run back to our suite.

  Issa stopped and fully turned to face Olivia. “Novus owes you so much. Without your help, Theo would have perished. I’m not sure what Black would have done.” She glanced at me to see if I was listening and then continued, “You and I know what it means when the Leader is not happy. It affects all.”

  I stopped breathing as I watched something pass between the two females. The petite guard was letting Olivia and I know that she was an ally.

  Olivia dipped her chin. “I do know. Thank you, guard.”

  “Issa.” She flashed a mischievous grin. “Many dismiss me because of my size, but I am very good at my job. Take note, Graham Vincent. Novus females should never be underestimated.”

  I also dipped my chin. “Noted.”

  “Let us proceed. If we are late, Asher will eat all the cheese-filled puffs, and they are my favorite.” Issa led us past the grand staircase, where we turned to the right and soon entered a medium-sized room with a large fireplace burning brightly with several deep sofas and seemed to be filled with people.

  The dark-haired male standing behind the bar stopped pouring. “Ah, there you are. What would you like to drink?”

  14

  Olivia Stern

  My body would not take another step. I was frozen in place. Although I had never met him, I could feel his power from across the room. Was the Leader of Novus tending bar?

  Graham pressed his palm against the center of my back, forcing me to move deeper into the room. “Olivia would like white wine, and I’ll take a beer.” His tone was so casual that he sounded like he did this all the time.

  “Coming right up.” Raider Black opened a bottle of wine while whispering to the female who was leaning against the bar.

  The brunette smiled warmly at me. “He’s telling me not to rush you, but I really want to hug you.” She walked toward me then held out her arms. “If you will allow?”

  I stopped. Was this The Queen? She looked amazing. Strong, vibrant, smiling. “Theodora?” I asked cautiously.

  She nodded, and her brown hair swung around her shoulders. “I look a helluva lot better now, don’t I?”

  Yes. Yes, she did. I ran to her and hugged her tightly. “I cannot believe it.”

  “You thought I’d be dead. Admit it.” Her voice was a little rough.

  I slowly pulled away so that I could study her. “You had so many injuries.” I was having problems reconciling the female before me with the patient who’d been fighting to stay alive in that hospital bed.

  “We were fortunate.” A blonde female approached Theo’s side.

  “It is nice to see you again, doctor.” I smiled shyly at the woman who’d taken over Theo’s care.

  “We all are very happy to see you, and please, call me Solle.” She turned her attention the Graham.

  I drew a breath. “Where are my manner
s?” I glanced at the females and then took Graham’s arm, bringing him closer to my side. “May I present, my Intended Mate, Graham Vincent?” I then looked at him. “Graham, this is Solle, who I called from Texas.”

  “I am pleased to make your acquaintance.” He did not try to take her hand, which was proper unless she extended it toward him.

  Theo gave him a blinding smile. “I’m Theo. Olivia and I met when she was my nurse…but I imagine you’ve heard the story.”

  Solle grinned as Theodora spoke.

  “I am honored.” Graham did not attach a title. Perhaps, he didn’t know which to use? He then dipped his chin and did not raise it.

  Theo wrinkled her nose. “Let’s get this straight: call me Theo. I know some stick to the formalities, but I’m just Theo.”

  Shock had to have shown on my face. We were not to refer to her as Queen or Seer?

  Graham again proved that he could handle any situation. “Thank you, Theo. I have never been affiliated with a Pack, so I will admit my ignorance regarding the formalities.” He glanced around the room. “I hope you’ll be willing to work with me and forgive my ignorance.”

  Raider Black walked around the bar, joining his mate. “Clifton, who runs this place, is a stickler, so watch out.” He gave us our drinks.

  Theodora leaned into his side as his arm encircled her waist. “Yes, when in doubt, ask Clifton.”

  The Leader continued, “Olivia, I am sorry to hear about your troubles, but I promise that no harm will come to you on Novus land.” His deep voice seemed to echo off the walls.

  “Thank you, sire,” I said timidly, then bowed at the waist.

  “No bowing,” Theo barked, then laughed to take away the sting.

  The male then turned his gray-colored eyes upon my mate. “Graham, I understand that you’ve had some run-ins with those sent by the Burkes. I’m glad that Olivia had back-up.”