How to Tame a Werewolf: Seven Brides for Seven Shifters, Book 3 (13 page)

Rue shook her head to clear away the image of her father and imagined Ian with a small brown baby with ocelot markings around her eyes. To erase that fantasy she grabbed a glass of wine off a tray. Ian appeared out of nowhere, took the wine glass and replaced it with a tumbler of sweet peach iced tea, then disappeared again.

Rue drank the danged tea, but she did it with an attitude.

Jules tapped Daz on the arm. She peered right and left, looking into a couple of the other rooms around the den. “Oh, here comes Lennox with Edison.”

Lennox’s tawny golden skin and caramel curls couldn’t be lovelier. She wore a black and white checked gingham halter dress straight out of the 1960s and she carried a baby boy with so much dark hair mixed with honey golden strands that it formed a halo around his tiny head. Rue felt an immediate affinity for the twins with their mixture of Filipino, Persian and Native American heritages. She’d grown up as a
mixie
too, and she’d loved all the ways her parents blended their Egyptian and Brazilian cultures—both Sham El-Nessim, in the spring, and Carnival, in late winter, had been equal causes for celebration in her home.

Rue wondered if the same held true for Garrett and Lennox due to their mélange of cultures. Although Lennox’s black American heritage sang in her tawny-gold complexion she and her husband each carried bloodlines so varied the only term that accurately described them was cosmopolitan. Did the same go for Daz, whose blend of two browns came together to form a truly spectacular-looking man? When Rue got to know them better she’d ask all three about their upbringings and how LuPines became such a multicultural and multispecies haven.

A thought occurred to Rue regarding the baby wolverines. “Are their names cities in Jersey?”

Daz burst out laughing and Jules grimaced, tapping her left foot in the process. “Yeah,” she said. “I’m kind of obsessed with Jersey since I was accidentally born there,” she cleared her throat, “at a Springsteen concert.”

“Blue, didn’t you tell me your
Nanay
nearly passed out from the beer stink?” Daz asked.

“Yup, pregnant lady nose is serious. Some smells might as well be tear gas.” When everyone gave her incredulous looks, Jules said, “Maybe my parents were born to run.”

The laughter that followed relaxed whatever tensions each person had going on in his or her personal lives. Rue searched for Ian and found him standing at the entryway to the room, watching her. She liked that.

Ian felt good about the way his friends welcomed Rue into their circle. And Jules’s comment had given him an idea on how to take Garrett down and take back the alpha position in the pack.

While Ian plotted, he watched Lennox come over and give Rue a one-handed hug. Rue returned the embrace but her eyes widened at the end of it, as though something shocked her. Despite that reaction, Rue talked to Lennox for a while, and during the course of their conversation they took turns holding baby Edison. Rue looked nervous the entire time but she seemed to enjoy the little guy.

“You guys are kinda cute together,” Jules said, catching them when their gazes met over the baby’s head. Rue blushed and handed Edison back to Lennox but Ian looked affronted.

“Kinda? I’ve never been kinda anything in my life. I look good,” Ian said. He nodded in Rue’s direction. “And Rue is totally adorable.”

Jules giggled. “Your mom called the Peach Pit and asked us to cater a backyard fête for your mating ceremony,” she said. “Lennox is so excited she’s already planned six different menu options and she’s working on a new pecan, bourbon and cinnamon dessert for the day.”

Lennox grumbled from beside Rue. “Must you tell everything you know?”

Jules shrugged. “I like honesty.”

Several shouts of things like “you greedy cheater” and “you landed on my property, you crone” drifted in from the porch, followed by the distinctive clatter of Monopoly pieces hitting the floor. After about thirty seconds, Gran said, “Pick those up. It’s your turn.”

Wide-eyed, Jules said, “Ian, I was wondering about something. When you mark and mate Rue, what happens to Lennox’s standing in the pack? I mean, Lennox still has your mark.”

Ian dropped his head and rubbed the back of his neck. He hadn’t thought about the mark Lennox still bore or the way learning about it would make Rue feel.

Other than Garrett who stood and carried Brielle to the window and didn’t turn back, every other person in the room turned to stare at Rue.

Jules groaned. “I didn’t think about how that sounded before I said it.”

“I don’t understand,” Rue said. She looked to him for an answer. He moved toward her but Lennox spoke up first.

“Rue, when we were kids, Ian’s wolf got the best of him. We’d always been close and puberty hit us both pretty hard, so it’s understandable. But when I was out running in the woods one day, he marked me as his future mate.” Lennox squeezed Rue’s shoulder. “That’s what our Lady of the Flapping Lips is talking about.”

“I’m sorry,” Jules offered meekly.

Ian intertwined his fingers with Rue’s, tugging a bit so she’d know he stood at her side.

Another silence followed. Finally, Rue said, “If you’re all waiting for my response, I’m not bothered. The life Ian lived before he met me has nothing to do with his feelings for me now.” She looked at him. They both knew her words could just as easily explain their con, but she spoke with unmistakable sincerity. “I can’t judge anyone’s mistakes. My life has been a series of them.”

“Aw, Kitty, as far as I can tell you’ve only done your best to survive.” He folded their joined hands behind her back to pull her closer. “What I did to Lennox was dead wrong.”

“No,” Lennox said.

Ian took a turn to squeeze her shoulder. “Yes, Leni, it was. I stalked you down and scarred you both physically and mentally. Dillon told me what happened between you and Garrett. A lot of that is my fault.”

“What happened?” Rue whispered.

He turned his kitty so she faced only him. “When I bit her she developed a fear of dogs. A bad one. So bad she hasn’t been able to fully mate with her husband because of it.”

Garrett’s deep turbulent voice sliced through the room. “Which is why my wife can’t be my mate. She can’t accept me as both man and wolf.”

“No,” Lennox said. She glanced at Garrett, the longing on her face so intense Ian felt badly for being in the room. Like he spied on an intimate moment no one else should see.

“I’ve been hiding from the truth for too long,” Lennox said. “I’m the one who should’ve gotten counseling.” The flat of one of her fists tapped her breastbone. “I’m the one who lied to her husband and took birth control rather than getting pregnant because I was terrified of having a wolf grow inside me.” Lennox scowled. “Which is so stupid because I now know my biggest fear is losing Garrett. I messed up. No one but me.”

Rue turned and hugged Lennox. “But it’s okay now. I don’t sense any fear in you. You’re not scared at all anymore. You’re happy you and Garrett are having a baby.”

Ian took her by both shoulders. Where the hell had she gotten that idea? “What? Rue, no,” he said. Before Rue could answer him, Ian caught a movement out of the corner of his eye. Garrett turned from the window and crossed the room so tenderly it amazed Ian. He placed the baby in her mother’s arms then, with a controlled rage Ian knew too well, Garrett stalked over to his wife and clasped both her upper arms.

“Are you pregnant?” he asked her, his typically liquid brown eyes going amber, the irises dwarfing the whites.

Lennox nodded painfully slow. “I guess it’s possible.”

Garrett’s face crumpled. “I know you’re scared, Elle, but how could you…with someone else?”

“No,” Rue touched Garrett’s arm and Ian moved in, ready to go to war if the Wolfman touched his kitty out of anger. Rue went on. “No, Garrett, the baby isn’t technically a shifter but she’s definitely part wolf.”

Lennox exhaled as her body collapsed against Garrett’s. “Am I really pregnant?” she asked herself.

“You sure are, Leni,” Gran said, from the open front door. “And she’s gonna be a beaut.” The elder Averdeen snapped her fingers.

Rue nodded and whispered to Ian, “She really is. And so powerful, I can already feel her abilities growing.” She turned her attention to Garrett. “See, this is a good thing,” Rue said. “She’s ready to accept your wolf.”

“It all worked out, Garrett,” Gran added. “Your baby girl is on her way.”

Garrett folded his wife in his arms and kissed the top of her head. But something wasn’t right. His expression reflected heartbreak not joy. After pressing his mouth to Lennox’s curls for a second time, Garrett took her by the arms and firmly set her away from him. His tired dark eyes lifted to Gran.

“The problem is,” Garrett said, “she’s not my baby.”

Lennox gasped. She wasn’t the only one. When she reached for her husband, Garrett pulled away.

Dillon ran into the room. “I just got a text,” he said. Then all around the room notifications went off. Garrett took out his phone at the same time Ian did. As they read the words, Dillon said them aloud, “There’s been a bottle explosion down at The Grape Escape. A couple of pack members are pretty badly hurt.”

Without a word, the members of the LuPines pack ran out onto the front porch, shifted and ran in the direction of the wine bar. And Ian led the pack.

Chapter Sixteen

The red wolf instinctually knew the fastest route to take. He ran around trees, dodging rocks and fallen branches. His brother wolf kept pace with him, despite the pack of medical supplies strapped to his back. His brother knew the workings of medicine; he understood what their pack mates would need for injuries and pain.

The old blood ran just behind them, big and powerful. He was faster than them all but he stayed with the pack out of respect. The red wolf snorted, tossing his head. The old blood got the message. He burst forward, disappearing through the trees. If the old blood, who the red wolf recognized as both pack and not pack got there ahead of them perhaps he could help.

The red wolf kept his speed but stretched his senses, searching for the other two who mattered to him. His ancestor, the ancient jackal ran better as animal than human. The human used a cane, the jackal ran good and strong, for short spans. Alongside his ancestor his mate loped slower because she was a cat. Yet the red wolf needed to have his mate near him, to keep her safe. He did not worry for his dam, his mother, she was not in the same place as the danger.

The red wolf and his brother wolf broke through the line of trees on the left of the danger place and shifted.

Dillon rushed in first with Ian behind him. Heavy green shards of glass impaled the walls and furniture in every direction. They both scanned the room. The remains of a case of sparkling white wine sat on a table. The tattered label was addressed to the attention of Rue Gray-Sayf. Several bottles had blown. Ian had seen this before. Sparkling wine continued to ferment producing more and more CO2. That’s why the bottles and corks were much thicker, to account for the accretion. But in some cases the winemakers miscalculated and bottles could explode without warning. These particular bottles seemed to have gone off in a chain reaction, sending green glass shrapnel everywhere.

Two of the pack members were there. The male, Henry, had a cut across his cheek and a deeper gash across one arm. He bled profusely, one side of his body slickened with blood. Henry’s head lolled as he slipped in and out of consciousness. Gayle lay slumped at the base of the bar on the other side of the dining floor. One glass shard was embedded in her neck. It trembled with each labored hissing breath. Garrett held her hand. When she saw Ian she tried to speak but couldn’t.

“We’ve got you, Gayle,” Ian said.

Dillon fell down beside her and examined the wound. “We’re okay here, Gayle,” he said soothingly. “The shrapnel missed your arteries and is sealed enough to allow you to breathe without oxygen seeping out. I’ll need to stabilize Henry’s bleeding first.”

Gayle’s eyes were wild. She grabbed at Dillon. Ian took her hand to allow the pack doctor to do his work. Gayle squeezed Ian’s hand hard enough to break a mortal’s bones.

“I think she’s trying to tell us something,” Garrett said.

Ian nodded. “I think so too, but what?” He glanced over his shoulders to see Rue had gone directly to Henry. Once Dillon came over she rose and joined them at Gayle’s side.

“After Dillon removes the shard I can help a little,” she said. “I don’t have much control of my ability but I can heal small things.”

“A shift will help as well,” Garrett said.

True. The act of shifting carried a spark of magic. In the process the shifters broke down and rebuilt their bodies, healing themselves in small doses.

“Where’s Cora?” Rue asked.

“She went to see a friend,” Ian answered, still pondering what Gayle wanted them to know. Gayle gripped frantically at him, her eyes darting. Ian sniffed and the scents were right. He couldn’t smell an intruder. Although, many of the scents were muted, the smell of blood permeated the air.

“Isn’t Gayle the friend she went to see?” Rue said.

Dillon dropped back down beside them and Garrett moved out of the way.

“I’ll look around,” the Wolfman said.

Ian nodded, grateful. He needed to check on Henry and then keep watch over Gayle. He also wanted to make sure the EMTs were on the way. He figured Henry had called the emergency units in when he’d sent out the pack alert, but the beta wolf wasn’t conscious to ask.

Dillon began to remove the shard in Gayle’s throat. “Hold the gauze ready, Rue,” he said. “When I extract the glass I’ll take a quick look to make sure no slivers remain. Then you cover it and we’ll seal her up.”

Rue nodded. Ian studied his kitty for a moment. She looked queasy but she stood strong.

Dillon used a pair of forceps to remove the shard and cleared Rue to cover Gayle’s wound. The blue glow of Rue’s magic filled in the shape of the puncture. The sudden flare of power startled Dillon.

Ian would’ve grinned but Gayle screamed, “Cora!” At that same moment Garrett lifted Ian’s mother’s limp body from behind the far end of the bar. Her chest was covered in blood.

Gayle stuttered, “She said she was fine. She went behind the bar to call for an ambulance and send out the pack alert. An- and she collapsed.”

Ian raced to his mother’s side. Dillon ran alongside him. Ian tried to find his calm but there was too much blood for him to fool himself into believing his mother had simply fainted.

Dillon examined Cora. “Her pulse is faint. I need to find the wound and close it up.” With deft fingers the doctor cut her blouse off to scrutinize her chest. There was a slit that ran parallel to Cora’s ribcage. “Garrett, help me carefully lift her so I can check for an exit wound,” Dillon said.

“I’ll do it.” Ian reached for his mother but Dillon stayed his hand.

“No,” Dillon said. “Your hands are shaking.”

Ian looked down at his trembling fingers. Dillon was right. Garrett would be steadier, less of a risk. But Ian needed to do something. His mother could die and she and Pop-pop were his world. He’d been an idiot to lose two long years with them. What happened if those years were his mother’s last? What if he’d wasted his time with her?

Rue covered his shaking hands with hers. Having her there helped. Her presence meant everything and she gave Ian strength even though her hands shook as violently as his.

Garrett lifted Cora on a slight angle and Dillon flashed a light beneath her. “There’s no exit wound. Shit,” Dillon hissed through clenched teeth.

They finally heard the wail of sirens. Cora jerked off the table, seizing with a chest-rattling wheeze. Dillon braced her and she slumped.

“The EMTs won’t get here in time.” Dillon balled his hand into a fist. “And I can’t get to the shard. I think it migrated deeper into her chest as she moved. Once she realized she’d already begun to bleed.”

“Think,” Ian said. Panic overtook him. There had to be something the four of them could do. They were powerful and skilled. Rue could… Yes, Rue could heal his mother. He looked at the woman who stood by his side, but she’d frozen. Her eyes were filled with horror.

“Did you see the label on the case?” she whispered. “It’s one of mine, Ian. She got hurt because of me. Because bad luck follows me.”

“No,” Ian growled. He shook her. “This isn’t your fault. Your brother’s fall wasn’t your fault.” Her eyes were dull as if she’d given up the fight. Ian shook her again. “Wake up, Kitty. You can do this.”

“No,” Rue said. “She’ll die if I touch her. She’ll die. Then what will you do, Ian?”

What would he do? The woman who’d brought him into the world lay bleeding out in the middle of building a dream he’d never known she had. And the woman he loved was melting down in the middle of making that same dream come true. If his mother died it would fuck both him and Rue up for life.

“No,” Ian said. “You’re going to save her.” He pressed her cheeks between his palms to force her to focus on him. “Look at me, Kitty.”

“She’ll die if I touch her. I know she will.” Rue crumpled against him.

He shook her again, as gently as the situation allowed. “Rue Gray-Sayf. What’s rule number two?” Rue’s expression went blank, her face slack. “Dammit, Rue. What’s rule number two?”

She mumbled something incomprehensible.

Ian searched his mind for the right thing to tell her to save all three of their lives. He wanted her to see what he saw in her. But he didn’t know what she needed to hear in order to believe in herself. An idea came to him, something generated from desperation and need and a sudden vibrant realization. “What’s rule number three, Kitty?” he asked. “Tell me that.”

She didn’t answer. Ian pressed anxious kisses all over her face hoping to snap her out of her state of self-loathing. “Tell me rule number three, Kitty.”

Rue’s claws dug into his arms, her cat’s eyes huge and fearful. “Don’t fall in love.”

“That’s right, baby,” Ian breathed. “You’ve already broke rule number three. Don’t even think about breaking Rule #2. You can’t give up.”

She trembled in his grasp. “I can’t,” she nearly screeched.

“Yes, you can, because you’re my mate. You were born a badass alpha bitch because you have to be one to stand at my side.” He grabbed her face again. “You’re my mate, Rue. I trust you to save my mother. I only trust
you
.”

Her heart thudded rabbit fast, but the rise and fall of her chest slowed. Ian felt the tension leave her body as her claws retracted. His kitty stood up straight. She squared her shoulders and moved to his mother’s side.

She placed one hand on Cora’s forehead and the other over the slice in her chest. The EMTs’ boots pounded on the polished concrete floors and Garrett moved to intercept them. He led them to Gayle and Henry, using his broad body to keep them back from where Rue had begun her work.

Ian saw the blue glow reflected in Dillon’s eyes. Then the glow stretched out from Rue, weaving silken strands of her power all over Cora. The thickest strands were at the head and heart. Sighing, his kitty slipped into a trance. Her eyes glowed so brightly blue the glare obscured the upper half of her face.

With alien grace Rue began to move her fingers in a cross between sewing and playing the piano. Threads responded, floating on the air and vibrating with the pulse of life. The hand hovering over Cora’s chest played and pulled, played and pulled. Rue’s fingers danced across the air. With each pull a bit more of the shard buried in his mother’s chest lifted to the surface. Once the glass cleared the chest cavity, Dillon grabbed it with his forceps and quickly withdrew.

Rue continued to play her silent song of healing. And Ian fell a little more in love with her. He had no idea how he ever believed he loved Lennox. He’d wanted Lennox because she was special, not for the woman herself. But his love for Rue was a voracious hunger that could only be fed by loving her, and he’d never be satiated. As her fingers danced, blood bubbled up from his mother’s chest. Dillon used gauze and forceps to swipe it away. And Ian watched over the two women.

The movements of Rue’s fingers slowed. She swayed but didn’t fall. The slice in Cora’s chest blazed with a starburst of blue before the flesh knitted fully together, leaving only a pale pink scar.

Ian released the breath he’d been holding in a jarring bark. Rue fell back against him, unconscious. A beautiful sleeping angel he’d been gifted with as mate.

“Ian?” Cora said, as her eyelids fluttered.

“Mother,” he cried out before he crushed both women to his chest. In those moments, as he shook in relief, the EMTs tried to get him to let them go and failed. Dillon reasoned with him but Ian held on. Pop-pop, who’d had to stop for a rest before he arrived, fussed at Ian to let go but he remained obstinate. Finally, Garrett picked all three of them up and placed them on a gurney as one mass.

In the ambulance, with his great granddad at his side, Ian vowed to never leave any one of the three of them behind again. And he didn’t let them go.