SHADOWS OF A WOLF MOON Book 5: RISE OF THE ARKANSAS WEREWOLVES (20 page)

She took a sip of coffee and steeled herself for Mrs. Sauvage.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

“I’m afraid Lucien has forgotten his manners.” The woman stepped closer to the bed and smiled.

Catty looked up from her coffee.

“He’s forgotten to properly introduce us.” She held out her hand. “My name is Marie Sauvage.”

Catty shook the woman’s hand. “Nice to meet you, Mrs. Sauvage. I’m Catty Steele.”

“No, dear, call me Marie.”

“All right.” She nodded and reached for her fork. She cut into her pancake and looked up at the woman. “I want to thank you again for letting me stay here last night and for taking care of me.”

“Oh, I didn’t really do anything. Just bandaged you up.” Marie walked over to the chair near the window and pulled it closer to the bed and took a seat. “It was Lucien who took care of you. He refused to leave your side.” She cocked her head and studied her. “It’s been a while since I’ve seen my son. And ironically, last night both of them showed up.”

Catty swallowed her food and cut her gaze at the woman. “Lucien saw his brother? How did it go? I can’t imagine it went well.”

“So you know about Lucien’s back.” A knowing looked passed through the older woman’s eyes.

Catty blushed.

Marie looked away and sighed. “Their reunion didn’t go well. Not at all like I imagined.”

“Did he hurt Lucien?” Catty stilled.

“Actually, they hurt each other. But Lorcan was the one with a broken nose.”

“Good,” Catty said.

Marie’s eyes widened.

“I’m sorry. I know they are both your sons, but what he did to Lucien is unforgivable.”

Marie took a deep breath and slowly blew it out. “Sibling rivalry goes back to the Bible, you know. The ones closest to us are the ones who hurt us more deeply than anyone else.”

“Not like that.” Her appetite was gone and she leaned back against the pillow. “I’m sorry. It’s none of my business.”

“I think you made it your business when you got involved with my son,” Marie murmured.

Catty jerked her head toward the woman as irritation flared in her chest.

“What do you want with Lucien, Catty?”

“No offense, but I don’t think it is any of your business.”

“Well, I make it my business when I see he’s falling for someone who has the capacity to hurt him. I don’t want to see him get hurt. He’s been through enough as it is.” Marie held her gaze.

Nausea rose up in Catty’s stomach at the woman’s harsh words. Was she planning on sticking around for Lucien? She wanted to. She very much wanted to.

“I would never hurt Lucien. Ever.”

“Good.” Marie smiled and stood from the chair. “Then I hope you and Lucien can stay for a few days. I’d like to get caught up with my son. And I would like to get to know you better.”

Catty frowned. She wanted to get to know her?

“You’ll have to ask Lucien. I think he has business back in New Orleans.” She eyed the woman. “But maybe later. After his business is done.”

Marie smiled. The joy reached her eyes. “I would love that.” She headed for the door and then turned. “And Catty, it was a pleasure to meet you.”

***

Lucien stopped his mother as she came out of Catty’s room. He leveled a stare at her.

“What was that about, Mother?” He’d heard part of the conversation. He’d been tempted to interrupt but had been curious to hear Catty’s answers to his mother’s interrogation.

She patted his arm and smiled. “That was a mother testing the girl my son loves. And I’m glad to say she passed the test. I like her, Lucien. I like her a whole lot.”

Lucien opened his mouth and sighed. His mother kept up appearances. It was how she was raised and what she’d instilled in her sons. “Would you like her even if you knew her history? Would you be so accepting then?”

His mother stared at him for a long time before she answered. “Everyone has history, son. It’s what you do with the history that determines your future. The greatest of men have walked through the fires of hell.” She nodded at the bedroom. “That girl of yours is a survivor. My advice to you is don’t let her go.”

He watched her walk down the stairs toward the kitchen.

He didn’t hide the smile that settled on his lips. A new respect grew and blossomed in his heart for the woman who gave birth to him.

He walked over to the room and peered inside. Catty popped a piece of pancake into her mouth and sighed. She needed all the nutrition she could get to help her heal.

He quietly stepped back and walked the opposite way down the long hallway, letting her have some peace and quiet while she ate. He stopped at a door and opened it. The small sitting area with a French country desk and overstuffed chairs faced the gardens in the back yard. The room was a favorite of his mother’s, and she often came here to have some quiet time to herself when he was younger.

He pulled out his phone and punched in Barrett’s number. This was one phone call he dreaded making.

“Hello?” Barrett’s voice echoed on the other end of the line.

“It’s me.”

“I know. Why the fuck are you just now calling me? You were supposed to call last night after you met with the witch. Did she not tell you anything?”

“She came through. She said the Guardians were being held underground near the shipyard of New Orleans. She said the owner of the Triple X is behind this.”

“And you’re just now telling me, Lucien?” The hard tone in Barrett’s voice made his gut twist. He’d let Barrett down.

“Something happened last night. I had to take care of a situation and couldn’t call.”

“What situation? And don’t you think about lying to me.” Barrett growled and he could swear the phone vibrated in his hand.

“Catty Steele got stabbed by the witch. I was busy trying to take care of her and get her somewhere safe.”

“Shit. Is she okay? Was it silver?”

“It wasn’t silver, thank God. She’s okay. She’s sitting up in bed and eating right now. She’s going to be fine.”

“I’m not even going to ask why she was with you.” Barrett’s tone revealed he suspected he knew how close Lucien had gotten to her. “I’m going to let Zane handle that when he sees you.”

Fuck.

“Why did the witch stab Catty?”

Lucien cleared his throat. “She needed her blood.”

“What the fuck for?”

“So she could escape the cemetery.” He grimaced and waited for the wrath of Barrett to come through the phone.

“Please tell me you are shitting me,” Barrett thundered.

“I wish I were.”

Lucien stayed quiet while Barrett hurled a string of curses. Lucien barely flinched.

“Well, I guess it means I’ve got to make a phone call to Jack Welbourn. I’m sure he’s not going to be pleased his witch has escaped and is running willy-nilly through the fucking state.”

“Barrett, I’m sorry. I truly am. But at least we got the information.”

He sighed. “Yeah, there is that.”

“What do you want me to do now?”

“I want you to stay wherever you are. I’m sending some Guardians down there tonight. I want to get this taken care of ASAP.”

“I can meet you guys there. You’re not going to know where the club is…”

“I can find it. You’ve done your job, Lucien. Take a few days off. You’ve earned it. I’ll see you back in Little Rock.” Barrett hung up.

“Damnit!” He slammed his hand on the desk. After all this, he was now told to wait.

He turned and strode out of the room. When he reached Catty’s room, he stopped and took a deep breath to get his anger under control.

He took a step inside the room. Catty looked up from sipping on her cup of coffee.

“Hey.” She smiled and set her cup down.

“Hey yourself.” He walked over and sat on the edge of the bed. “How are you feeling? Did you get enough to eat?” His gaze landed on her half-eaten tray of food.

“I’m beyond full.” She sighed and then touched her fingertips to her chest. “The wound is healing pretty quick now. It should be completely healed in a few more hours.”

He nodded. “That’s good.”

“What’s wrong?” Her gaze narrowed. “Is it your brother?”

“What?” His eyes widened slightly.

“Your mom told me he dropped by last night.”

“What else did my mother tell you?”

“Not much.” She smirked. “Just that you two got into a fight. And you broke his nose.” She threaded her fingers through his. “Good for you.”

“She shouldn’t have told you about that.”

“I’m glad she did.” She held his gaze and touched his arm. “Really, Lucien, what is it? I know something is bothering you.”

“Barrett wants me to wait here while he sends some Guardians to New Orleans.” He looked away. This did not sit well with him at all. He wasn’t sure why. Barrett was giving him time off, time where he could go looking for Lorcan and finish what they’d started last night.

But now, with his Guardian brothers headed toward danger, he had an overwhelming urge to go with them, fight alongside them, even if it meant death.

“But they won’t know where to look.” The urgency in her tone made his heart tumble in his chest. She was concerned for them as well.

“That’s what I tried to tell him, but he wouldn’t listen.”

“Then we need to leave now.” She pulled back the covers and held a pillow over her naked breasts. She swung her legs over the side of the bed. “Where are my clothes?”

“Wait, you’re not going anywhere.” He placed his hand on her arm to keep her from standing.

“Lucien, I need to go back. After what happened last night, I decided I’m leaving New Orleans.” She lifted her chin. “I’m not going to wait any longer until I have enough money to start over. As soon as we get back, I’m packing my stuff and leaving.”

His heart raced and his throat thickened. He leaned forward, needing to touch her, to make sure she was real and he wasn’t dreaming. Gathering her in his arms, he nuzzled the crook of her neck.

“Good.”

She pulled away and looked him in the eyes. “I’m not sure where this thing with us is going. But I’m willing to try if you are. Even if it means facing everyone back in Arkansas.”

He grinned like an idiot. It was too good to believe. She was coming home. With him.

Picking her up, he placed her on his lap. Cupping her cheek, he gently placed a kiss on her lips. She sighed and leaned in.

“I take it you two are getting ready to leave,” his mother called from the doorway.

Catty squeaked and covered her breasts with her hands. Lucien scowled and wrapped his arms around her to hide her nakedness.

“We are.”

“Catty, you’re going to need a shirt since I cut yours off last night. I don’t have any T-shirts, but I have something that will work.” She headed off in the direction of her room.

“Oh my god. Your mom must think…”

“My mom must think I’m the luckiest guy in the world to have a female like you.” He looked down at her and smiled.

She pulled him in for a kiss. “So let’s go finish this thing so we can start living.”

Chapter Thirty

“Is everyone here?” Barrett looked around his office at all his Guardians.

“Yes, except Braxton. He’s back in Eureka Springs,” Damon said and he leaned against the wall next to Jayden.

“That’s fine. You guys are the ones I need to talk to.”

“Is this about Lucien being in New Orleans?” Jayden blurted out.

“Lucien is in New Orleans? How the hell do you know that?” Jaxon glared.

“Because Haley and Granny saw him while they were there shopping for wedding stuff.” Jayden shrugged and looked back at Barrett. “Is that what this is about?”

Barrett closed his eyes and counted to ten.

Granny.

She was going to be the end of him. She had a bigger mouth than Jaws and was more crafty than any private investigator he’d ever seen. Maybe he should offer her a position.

“I need to tell you something. I’ve got some news you all need to know about.” He looked around the room at Damon, Jayden, Jaxon, Ryker and Zane. He’d never betrayed one of his men before. They were, after all, his brothers. But now was no time to keep secrets.

“I sent Lucien on a mission to New Orleans. Something has been going on with the Arkansas Guardians and I needed him to go alone and see if he could find something out.”

“Like what? Like Guardians going rogue?” Zane cocked his head.

“Like Guardians going missing.” He kept the emotion out of his voice. He had a lot to tell them and he didn’t need emotions getting in the way.

The room grew silent.

“Maybe they can’t contact you, Barrett. I know I’ve been working a case where either I don’t have reception or calling would put me in danger.” Damon shrugged.

“There’s more.”

He stood from his desk. “I got a package in the mail with no return address. When I opened it, it was Heimy’s Guardian tattoo. They’d skinned him.”

“Are you fucking serious?” Damon pushed off the wall and fisted his hands. The other Guardians let out low growls and curses under their breath. He could feel their anger rolling off them in waves.

“DNA tests confirmed it was Heimy’s. And then a few days later I got his middle finger mailed to me.”

“Why the hell didn’t you tell us sooner?” Jaxon narrowed his eyes.

“Because I knew if I did you all would go off halfcocked and get yourselves killed.” He glared at Jaxon. “Just like I knew you were back in your room packing to go find Lucien. That’s why I sent Ryker to stall you.

“I wasn’t even sure who was behind this or where it was taking place,” Barrett continued. “The only thing I had to go on was that Heimy guarded the lower part of the state and he was from Louisiana. So that’s where I sent Lucien.”

“He needed backup. Why would you send him alone?” Jaxon thundered.

“I couldn’t send any of you with him because if they caught you realized you were a Guardian, you’d end up like Heimy.”

“Dude, and what do you think they’ll do if they catch Lucien?” Zane frowned.

“Lucien is different.” He looked at the ceiling and then back at his men. “If they caught Lucien, they wouldn’t find the identifying Guardian tattoo on him.”

“I don’t understand.” Damon shoved off the wall. “He’s one of us, he’s got the tatt like the rest of us.”

“No he doesn’t.” Barrett stated.

Silence filled the room.

“Why not?” Jaxon asked.

“I’ve already told you too much. It’s Lucien’s secret to keep. Let’s just say the ink won’t take on his back.”

“So you sent the only one of us who couldn’t be traced back as an Arkansas Guardian.” Zane nodded. “I can understand that.”

“I heard from Lucien. He’s found out the location where the Guardians are being held.”

“Damn, it’s more than Heimy?”

“Mitchell is missing too. Heimy, I believe to be dead.” His throat hurt as he spat the words out.

“I can’t imagine him to be alive after being skinned and cutting off his finger,” Jayden snarled.

“Are any of the other states missing Guardians?” Jayden asked.

“No. I’ve asked the other surrounding states. Even met with Mississippi’s Pack Master. He seemed shocked to hear about such a thing.”

“And you trust him?” Damon asked.

“I could tell he wasn’t lying.”

“So what’s the plan?” Zane flexed his fingers as he waited orders.

“The info Lucien gathered indicates the Guardians are underground near the shipyard. We believe the owner of the Triple X strip club is involved. It makes me think the Pack Master of Louisiana knows about it. Maybe turning a blind eye.”

“What the fuck?” Jayden spat on the floor. “I knew that motherfucker was nothing but a punk ass, shit face…”

“Easy, brother.” Damon placed his hand in the middle of Jayden’s chest. “We need to concentrate on what Barrett needs us to do first.”

Barrett applauded Damon’s restraint. He knew the werewolf wanted to avenge his fellow Guardians as much as the rest, but he also had developed the patience to know how the order of things worked. Damon was becoming a better leader with each passing day.

“Right now I want you all ready to ride. We’re headed to New Orleans and I want you all weaponed up. Let me make myself clear. It is my belief we are going into a hostile territory. Keep your weapons on you at all times and keep your tattoo covered. Once we are inside where the Guardians are being held, you can shift. Don’t fucking hold back.” He walked around to the map on the wall of the United States. “I don’t know how this is going to play out. All I know is I believe the Guardians are being targeted because of me and what went down with the Louisiana Assassins.”

“That’s bullshit, Barrett,” Zane growled. “Boudier was the one who broke the law by sending the Assassins into this state without letting you know what was going on.”

“Boudier holds a grudge. That’s for sure,” Barrett agreed.

“We’ve got this Barrett. Whatever we need to do, we’re ready.” Damon stepped up. “Isn’t that right, boys?”

“Hell, yeah.” A chorus of curses and shouts went up in the room.

Barrett nodded. “We all leave in half an hour.”

As the last Guardian left out of the room, Barrett was left alone with his thoughts.

Had he brought this on his own men? Was he the one to blame for Heimy’s— and possibly Mitchell’s— death?

He’d find out soon enough.