AGThanksgiving_JCSmith (5 page)

“That would be nice. I think
I’m content right now though.”

“Gabriel mentioned something
about writing. Are you an author?”

Autumn nodded. “I write
romances.”

“Wait. Autumn O’Roarke. Are
you Autumn LeFey? I didn’t make the connection before, with your family
background…”

Autumn nodded.

Marin smiled. “I love your
books. I think I have everything you’ve written.”

Autumn felt her cheeks warm.
She never knew how to handle enthusiastic fans. It just felt so odd to have her
work praised. She wrote because she loved to tell stories, but it still amazed
her that people actually enjoyed reading them.

“Thanks.”

“Wait until I tell Chloe!
She’s read a few of yours too.”

“I have a new one coming out
in two months. If you’d like, I could give you both an advance reader copy. I
should receive them next month.”

“That would be awesome.” Marin
smiled widely. “Wait until I tell Cole I not only met my favorite author, but
she’s part of the family.”

“It’s odd having family
again.”

“It was just your mom and you?”

Autumn nodded. “My dad came to
see me when he could, but it wasn’t often. Maybe once a year, usually around my
birthday. Then one year he didn’t show up. My grandfather came and told me my
father had died and that it was imperative I seek refuse with a wolf pack. He
worried about my safety.”

Marin frowned. “Kiera’s mom
didn’t seem worried about her. Did your grandfather say why he worried about
you?”

“No, but I often wondered if
it had to do with the way my father died. He was still young by fairy
standards. I believe he was killed, but I don’t know why someone would want to
harm him.”

“No one has heard from Kiera’s
mother since before Kiera’s death. We’ve wondered if something happened to her.
Do you think someone could be assassinating the royal line?”

A shiver raked Autumn. “I hope
not. As far as I know, I’m the last. Unless Grandfather had other children I
don’t know about. My father never mentioned a sister or that I had a Halfling
cousin so it’s possible I have other aunts and uncles.”

“But you don’t think so?”

Autumn shrugged. “I’d like to
think my family would have come to my rescue when Perry had me in his clutches.
I know Grandfather stays busy as the fae king so he couldn’t have been expected
to keep an eye on me. I’m sure he thought I was safe with the wolves.”

“I think we need to find a way
to reach your family. I don’t like the idea that there could be possible danger
out there that we know nothing about. How are we supposed to protect you if we
don’t know what we’re protecting you from?”

“I don’t know how to reach my
Grandfather.”

“Then we need to find another
Halfling. There have to be more of you in the world.”

Autumn knew she was right, but
she had no idea how to go about finding another Halfling. And to find one in
Ashton Grove? She didn’t think that was likely. Would she even recognize
another Halfling if she saw one? Maybe she’d met one before and just never knew
it.

Their food arrived, along with
their cheese dip. Autumn wasn’t sure what to attack first as it all looked
wonderful. She dipped a chip and took a bite, moaning as the taste exploded on
her tongue.

“This is amazing,” she said
after she’d swallowed.

Marin smiled. “Best Mexican
restaurant in town.”

“I don’t know about you, but I
have no clue how to find another Halfling.”

“We’ll ask the sorcerer. He’s
friends with Aislinn so I’m sure he would be willing to help us out. And if
there’s danger in your future, maybe he knows that too.”

Autumn grimaced. “I met him,
when he delivered Aislinn’s message. I don’t think he liked me very much.”

“It wasn’t you. He didn’t like
being Aislinn’s errand boy. I believe that’s how he worded it.” Marin smiled.
“Don’t worry, he’s on our side.”

“I’m willing to try anything
to find out more about my fae family. If there are still living relatives,
other than my grandfather, I’d like to know. And if I’m the last, as I fear,
I’d like to know that too.”

Marin nodded. “I’ll give
Aislinn a call on our way to the mall. Now eat up! We have some shopping to
do!”

Autumn dug into her food and
contemplated her life. Maybe she’d come to Ashton Grove for a reason. Maybe
fate had stepped in and guided her. She couldn’t think of any other reason she
would be here now. It was just too crazy that she was now part of her cousin’s
pack and that she had people she could trust with the knowledge of her fae
heritage. Autumn believed everything happened for a reason, even the abuse
she’d lived through. If things hadn’t been so miserable with Perry, if she
hadn’t worried the alpha would force her to mate with someone else of his
choosing, she may have never ended up in Ashton Grove. And she firmly believed
it was the best thing that had ever happened to her.

Chapter Six

Gabriel folded his arms over
his chest as he faced off with the sorcerer. He’d placed himself between the
man and Autumn, a feeling of unease creeping up his spine at the unexpected
visit. Autumn hadn’t mentioned anything about knowing the sorcerer, yet he’d
greeted her with a familiarity that Gabriel found set his teeth on edge. The sorcerer
might have helped the pack, might be close to Aislinn, but that didn’t mean
Gabriel trusted him completely.

“I’m not here to hurt her.”
The sorcerer scowled. “Can we sit down so we can talk? Or are you going to
stand there like a guard dog all night?”

“Fine,” Gabriel bit out,
motioning to the living room. “Make yourself at home.”

After the sorcerer settled into
a chair, Gabriel ushered Autumn into the room, settling her onto the sofa next
to him. He didn’t like being blindsided by this visit and wondered if Autumn
knew anything about it. She hadn’t seemed surprised when the sorcerer had rung
the bell. That alone was surprising, as the man usually just popped up wherever
he pleased.

“Has Autumn told you why I’m
here?” Eric asked.

Gabriel cast a glance at
Autumn. “No, she hasn’t.”

“Marin asked Aislinn to
contact me earlier today after a conversation that took place during lunch. I’m
assuming you’re aware of Autumn’s fae heritage? That she’s the granddaughter of
the king, like your mate was?”

Gabriel nodded.

“What you don’t know is that
all of the king’s children have been murdered in the past two years. The light
fae
are in control of the fairy kingdom right now, but
there was a time that wasn’t so. There are dark fae, outcasts who lives in the
shadows of their world. These outcasts have staged an uprising and have been
taking out one royal after another.”

“Am I the last Halfling of my
line?” Autumn asked.

“I spoke with a few Halflings
and while they knew about the king’s family, they weren’t aware of your existence.
They thought the line was going to die out with the king.”

“So it’s possible there are
others?” Gabriel asked.

“My sources tell me that
Autumn is the last of her line.”

Gabriel had a bad feeling. “Do
the outcasts know about her? Is she in danger?”

Eric looked at Autumn before
returning his gaze to Gabriel. “If they kill the king and their leader is
unable to claim the crown, they’ll know there’s one last heir. It will only be
a matter of time before they track her down.”

“First demons now fairies,”
Gabriel muttered. “How hard could it be to kill a pixie?”

Eric lifted an eyebrow. “You’d
be surprised how hard they are to kill. Remember those spelled blades you
needed for the demons? You’ll need more, but this time angels won’t be able to
help you. You’ll need the blades blessed by a high mage.”

“And where the hell am I
supposed to find one of those?”

“I know of one,” Eric said,
“but getting him to help may not be so easy. He’s hidden himself away in the
Himalayas, refusing to see anyone who comes to visit. Because of my status, I
may be able to gain an audience with him, but getting him to come here and
bless a bunch of weapons? That’s another matter.”

“What do we do in the
meantime?” Gabriel asked.

Eric looked at Autumn. “Are
you mated?”

She shook her head.

Eric didn’t look pleased with
her answer. “That’s not a good thing right now.”

“Why?” Gabriel asked.

“If she’s not mated, the
leader of the outcasts could gain control of the throne by marrying her. With
her people, her consent is not necessary. They could kidnap her and do a ritual
that would bind her to the new king.” Eric frowned. “That’s not even the worst
of it. Once crowned, the king would no longer need her. She isn’t necessary for
him to hold his position once he’s in possession of the throne.”

“So he could kill her.” A
growl rumbled in Gabriel’s chest and up through his throat.

“Yes.”

“And if I’m mated?” Autumn
asked.

“It’s possible they would come
after your mate first. Marrying you would be far easier for them than killing
you. As a royal descendent, you aren’t exactly easy to kill. Not even with your
Halfling status.”

“But all the other royals…”
She looked perplexed.

“It takes a long time to kill
a royal,” Eric said. “It’s a long, slow process, but it can be done. You don’t
want them to capture you. I know about your past. That was a cake walk compared
to what they would do to you.”

“So even if she’s mated she
isn’t safe?” Gabriel asked.

“Not unless she’s expecting.
The fae love babies, any babies. Even an outcast wouldn’t think of harming a
child. For as long as the child needed her, she would be safe.”

“Giving us time to defeat
them, but only if they come to our territory. We can’t exactly enter their
realm to wipe them out.” Gabriel frowned. “So the trick would be to lure them
here, without them knowing she was expecting?”

Autumn cleared her throat.
“I’m not mated, much less carrying a baby. Aren’t we putting the cart before
the horse? These things take time.”

“I guess after your past
experience you would be opposed to an arranged mating,” Eric said.

“It wouldn’t be my first
choice.” Autumn frowned. “Not to mention, I’m not about to jump into bed with
someone I don’t know, whether they’re my mate or not.”

“We’ll go with the first plan
for now. I’ll contact the high mage and seek his help.” Eric rose. “I’ll try to
return in a few days, but it may take longer.”

The sorcerer disappeared
without another word, leaving Gabriel and Autumn alone.

“You need a mate,” he said.

“Why don’t we wait and see
what he says when he returns? I’d rather fight than end up in another loveless
relationship.”

“Fine. We’ll wait. But you’re
not leaving this house on your own anymore. It isn’t safe. If I’m not with you,
I want one of my brothers or cousins around.”

“Gabriel, I…”

He held up a hand. “It isn’t
negotiable, Autumn. Your safety is my priority. You heard him. They could come
for you at any time. Even without a blessed blade, a wolf would have a better
time fighting one off than you would.”

“You’re right. Until I fall in
love, I won’t receive my powers.”

“We’re going to assume the
outcasts know you don’t have a way to defend yourself. I don’t like this,
Autumn. You’re vulnerable.”

“I won’t mate someone I’m not
in love with, Gabriel. I want what
Kiera
and you had.
Please understand that. I don’t want to go my whole life wondering what it
would be like to find the kind of love I write about in my books. I’m tired of
dreaming about it. Is it so wrong that I want to experience that?”

He sighed. “No, it isn’t. But
if your mate isn’t in this pack, I don’t know what we’ll do. What if you’re
meant to be paired with another fae? Or another Halfling?”

“I don’t think Grandfather
would have sent me to live with wolves if that were the case. He must have
believed my mate was part of a pack. I just chose the wrong one before.”

“Then I guess you’ll have to
meet the males in the pack.” For some reason, Gabriel didn’t like that idea too
much. He’d only met Autumn yesterday, but he already liked having her in the
house and spending time with her. He’d found her to be funny and entertaining,
two things that had been lacking in his life lately.

“I don’t know that I’m ready
for that.”

“I’ll be beside you every step
of the way,” he assured her. “You have nothing to fear from my pack. I doubt
that Connor would let just anyone join the pack. Ramsey would have done
research into their backgrounds before they were allowed to move here and would
have reported those details to Connor.”

“But what if their packs lied?
I’m scared to ask what mine said.”

“Would talking to Connor make
you feel better?”

“You said Ramsey did the
research. I think I’d prefer to speak with him, if that’s okay?”

Gabriel nodded. “I’ll call
Ramsey and order some pizza while I’m at it. He can stay for dinner if he
wants, although he may prefer to return to his mate, who is expecting their
first child soon, I believe. I’m a little out of the loop though.”

“Thank you, Gabriel.”

He rose and walked into the
kitchen, pulling the pizza delivery number out of the drawer. He placed an
order for three larges, just in case Ramsey decided to stick around. He figured
they could always put the leftovers away for lunch tomorrow if they didn’t eat
everything. Then he called Ramsey. The wolf was only too happy to help and said
he was on his way. When Gabriel returned to the living room, Autumn was curled
into the corner of the sofa watching TV.

“Anything good on?” he asked.

She wrinkled her nose. “Not
really.”

“Ramsey is on his way and
should be here in about five or ten minutes.”

Gabriel pulled the afghan off
the back of the sofa and spread it over her legs before claiming the seat next
to her. Taking care of Autumn felt natural and he wondered what he’d do when
she moved out with her mate. Assuming they could find her one. For her sake, he
hoped her mate was part of the pack. It would buy them some much needed time to
find the outcasts and put an end to the rebellion. But with Autumn being the
only living heir, he wasn’t sure what that meant for her children. Would one of
them be called to rule over the fairies one day? Would Autumn herself be
called? He couldn’t imagine a wolf giving up his life in this realm to live
amongst fairies, but he supposed anything was possible.

When the doorbell rang, he
went to answer it, welcoming Ramsey.

“You have some questions for
me, alpha?” Ramsey asked.

He motioned toward the living
room. “Autumn does.”

“I don’t know a lot about her.
She’s new to the pack and hasn’t really joined many of the get togethers. I’ll
tell you what I know.”

Gabriel reclaimed his seat
next to Autumn and motioned for Ramsey to take the chair nearby.

“Hello, Autumn,” Ramsey said.

“Hi,” she said, sounding
bashful. Gabriel hadn’t seen this side of her before and wondered if she
reacted to all men that way.

“I hear you have some
questions for me?” Ramsey smiled. “I don’t know much, but I’m willing to tell
you anything I can.”

“I just wondered what my pack
said about me when I requested to join you.” She fiddled with the fringe on the
blanket.

Ramsey leaned forward, bracing
his arms on his knees. “Your case was an unusual one. When I called to speak
with your alpha, he was surprised you had asked to join us. In fact, he didn’t
want to let you go. He claimed there was a mate lined up for you, but the way
he said it, made it sound like an arranged mating.”

“It would have been,” she said
softly. “He forced me to mate Perry and I had no doubts he would do it again.”

“I take it that it wasn’t a
happy mating?” Ramsey asked.

She shook her head and glanced
at Gabriel.

“You can tell him,” Gabriel
said. “Ramsey is our pack enforcer. You’re as safe with him as you are with the
family.”

She took a breath and
explained about her relationship with Perry and the abuse she’d suffered at his
hands. Told him about the pack’s dynamics and the alpha’s reaction when she’d
tried to get help. Ramsey’s countenance grew darker and darker with every word
that fell from her lips. Gabriel found himself fisting his hands, his anger
rising as well. Hearing the tale the first time had been bad enough.

“I’m glad I went with my gut
and suggested Connor accept you into the pack,” Ramsey said. “Something didn’t
feel right with the alpha I spoke with.”

“I’m glad you did too,” Autumn
said.

“Did you do a more in-depth
background check on the males we accepted?” Gabriel asked, worried about
Autumn’s selection of a possible mate.

“With the exception of Autumn,
everyone was thoroughly vetted. We checked with their alphas, their families,
spoke with close friends. We even asked employers about their character. I’d
gladly stand beside anyone in this pack. After the incident with Harper, I wasn’t
taking any chances. I’m not about to let a bad apple slip through the cracks,
not if I can help it.” Ramsey’s lips thinned. “And if someone screws up, heaven
help them because I’m going to come up with the most creative, horrifying
punishment I can think of.”

Gabriel nodded, satisfied for
the moment. How he’d feel when faced with all of those single males was another
story. He knew how horny single wolves could be. If he even thought they were
eyeing Autumn like a prime slab of meat, he’d knock their heads off. She
deserved someone who would respect her, listen to her, watch over her.

“What’s this about?” Ramsey
asked. “You’ve been in seclusion for months and now I hear that Autumn is
living with you and you’re suddenly asking about the new pack members. Are you
back with us again?”