Four Days (Seven Series #4) (17 page)

When he finally looked up, his eyes were dead. “Well, that changes the game.”

“Don’t do anything stupid, Cole. Your pack can’t afford to lose their Packmaster because you went chasing after him on your own. I’ve known you many years, and I remember the impulsive boy you once were. The one who couldn’t hold his temper and who looked for any reason to start a fight. Control your anger before it controls you.”

Austin shook his head. “Maybe I’m not like you, Church. Maybe hearing about a young girl being raped—one I care about—isn’t something I can talk about with such indifference.”

Lorenzo lunged and almost knocked him down. Austin shoved back and thrust out his chest, daring Lorenzo to take a swing. Lorenzo’s face tightened. “Don’t mistake my words for apathy. There are bigger matters at hand that need your focus. Ivy won’t go to battle with Fox. She just might surrender willingly.”

“Bullshit.”

“They had a child.”

Austin blanched.

“She was forced to give up the baby. Fox didn’t say it in so many words, but he threatened to kill him if she doesn’t heed his command.”

Lorenzo watched apprehensively while Austin rubbed his jaw, his eyes downcast. “Are you going to turn your back on that woman?”

Austin lifted his resolute eyes. “I don’t turn my back on family. And I sure as hell won’t let her walk into the arms of a man who violated her. Is that all the good news you have to share?”

“You can pass along the word to William that he’ll stay indefinitely until I give him further orders. But I want you to do me a favor, and this is something I’ll be in your debt for.”

Austin rubbed his hand across a few whiskers on his chin. “And what’s that?”

“Reno has connections. See if he can trace Ivy’s son. It’s your choice whether you tell Ivy or not, but we need to track him down before Fox does.”

“Yeah, I can do that. I’ll put that favor in my pocket and call on it another time. Jesus, I can’t process this.” Austin shook his head, collecting his thoughts. “But if the kid lives far away, that poses a problem. I can’t afford to send one of my men after him; that’s the kind of job that would require at least two. If Fox is smart, he’ll order his pack to weaken our defenses and continue with their attack. Tell me one thing.”

“Yes, I’m still more handsome than you,” Lorenzo said, completely deadpan.

“Did Ivan tell you about the assault, or Ivy? Ivan isn’t the kind of man who warms up to strangers easily, and I can’t see Ivy trusting a man like you enough to tell that kind of thing.”

“That woman single-handedly speared a wolf who was one second away from locking its jaws on a woman in my pack. I wouldn’t underestimate what Ivy is capable of doing. She’s steadfast and the kind of Shifter who’ll do anything to protect her family. Consider that, Cole. Keep a close eye on her and open your ears to what she has to say. She’ll fight by your side, but Fox is a sly one. He’s taking advantage of her weaknesses, and a man like him knows what they are: her devotion to those she loves.”

Lorenzo’s voice almost broke. A fierce pain gripped him—as if his wolf was calling for blood.

Before he left, he placed his hand on Austin’s shoulder as he passed by him. “If anything happens to Ivy because you were careless and didn’t protect her, I’ll end your life.”

Most of the men stayed out of the kitchen while I sat with Lynn and Lexi, drinking a cup of hot tea.
I told them everything about my stay with Lorenzo. Well, almost everything. True to my word, I kept our relationship a secret, although, could I even call it that?

I lifted the white cup to my lips, blowing on the hot steam and gazing out the row of windows behind the wooden table. The sun reflected brightly off the glass, and a shower of rainbows glittered on the walls from a prism little Maizy had hung on the window.

I wouldn’t regret a single moment I’d spent with Lorenzo as his lover. He’d shown me that sex could be a beautiful experience. Maybe it didn’t have to incorporate love, but it felt good to know that maybe I had something to look forward to in my life.

I glanced at the wolf’s head on top of my cane, which I’d propped against the table. The polished silver gave off a luster that made me want to smooth my thumb over it.

“Can I see?” Maizy asked. “Is it magical?”

Her hair was the color of golden wheat and fell softly past her shoulders. She touched the tips of the wolf’s fangs, and I placed the cane in her hand.

“What’s it for?” She held it like a sword and pointed it at Denver, who appeared in the doorway.

“It’s to help me walk, honey. I hurt my leg, and that wolf will give me the strength that I need to keep up with the pack.”

Maizy tapped the end on the floor and tried hopping with it, but the cane was too tall for her to use properly.

“Come on, Peanut. Give that back to Miss Ivy and let’s go play a game.” Denver had his arms folded, avoiding eye contact with me.

“I’m tired of games. I want to play outside.”

Lynn leaned around, coaxing Maizy over with her outstretched arm. “Come here, sweetie. You need to do as you’re told and stay inside. It’s too chilly to play out there anyway; you’ll catch a cold. I think what we girls need to do is work on a project together. Would you like to help?”

“Like what?”

“There’s a big dresser upstairs that I want to sand down and paint. I don’t think I can do it by myself and you are
so
good with painting.”

“What color?”

“White,” Lynn said. “I’m thinking about putting flowers on it. What do you think?”

“That better not be
my
dresser you’re talking about,” Denver grumbled.

I smirked when I noticed the red stain on Denver’s upper lip from one of those sugary drinks that Maizy liked so much. Lynn tried to keep Maizy away from sugar because it made her hyperactive. Denver didn’t seem to care.

“Do you have to work tonight?” I asked Denver.

“Not under these circumstances. Because of your friend, I can’t even sit around my own house and get tanked.”

“Don’t do that, Denver,” Lexi said in a sharp voice. “They were in a pack together, but this isn’t Ivy’s fault. We all have baggage and crazy people in our lives, so drop it.”

Lynn kissed Maizy’s forehead and held her in a motherly embrace. “Go with Denver and then we’ll do some painting. Maybe your sister will bake some snickerdoodle cookies tonight. Sound good?”

Lexi smiled and played with a strand of her hair. “Yeah, Maze, and you’re going to help me. Your big sis is going to show you a secret recipe.”

Maizy strolled toward Denver and he took her hand in his, leading her out of the room.

“Reno stays on the porch most of the time,” Lexi said offhandedly. “April’s not happy about it, and she hasn’t been sleeping well. You’re the only woman in this house who grew up in a pack, so we really don’t know what to expect with these men circling our property. Austin keeps telling me it’s normal for packs to face opposition like this sometimes. The human side of my brain just wants to call the police, but I know we can’t risk them getting mixed up in our business. Dammit, it’s like we live in the Stone Ages. I asked why Prince can’t help us out, and Austin said it doesn’t work that way. It’ll make their pack vulnerable if they get involved in our business.”

“Well, it’s
my
business,” William said, entering the room. He was the opposite of Caleb—dark curls of hair instead of blond. They were big and messy all over his head, and he had a scruff of whiskers on his jaw.

I rose to my feet and approached him. His brows popped up when I stood on my tiptoes and kissed his cheek. “Thank you for staying here and taking care of my family. Lorenzo said you’ll be here a while longer.”

He smiled with closed lips and scratched his jaw. “Did he now? Say, is he still on the property?”

“Afraid not,” Austin said from the door.

William turned on his heel and I noticed his trousers. Maybe that’s why he reminded me of someone like Robin Hood. His white undershirt had small laces that tied in the middle, like something men had worn long ago. The black jacket was thin with lapels, like a blazer, but not a modern style at all. It seemed a striking contrast for a man who drove a BMW to shop at the thrift store. I’d noticed the silver car out front as not belonging to the Weston pack. He had a mature air about him—not as playful as Denver or some of the men in the house, but still friendly.

“So I’m to join your merry men for a short while?” William asked, his fists resting against his hips.

“Lorenzo wanted me to pass along the message.” The reproach in Austin’s tone was evident. “Your temporary stay is compensation. I’d say that’s fair, wouldn’t you?”

A few people at the table looked up at them with inquisitive eyes.

“Indeed, I would. Whatever you require of me, you’ll have my full support.” William bowed respectfully and gave him a furtive glance.

I returned to my seat and faced the windows, Lexi across from me, and Lynn at the head where Austin normally sat. Most pack members knew better than to sit in the Packmaster’s chair, but Lynn didn’t know all the ways of Shifters, and half the time she didn’t care.

Austin sat on my right. “I’m ready to talk about your past, and it’s your decision if you want to have this conversation in private or in front of the pack.”

He knew. Lorenzo had told him, and an unexpected slice of embarrassment sank into my chest like a dagger. I should have been honest with Austin from the beginning, but it’s not the kind of story a girl is eager to share.

“Anyone who wants to listen can stay,” I said.

“Boys!” Austin boomed. “Denver, keep Maizy upstairs. We’ll fill you in later.”

Someone yelled back at Denver and the men drifted into the kitchen. All but Wheeler. He remained in the open doorway with his tatted arms folded. Ben twirled a saltshaker, Trevor and Jericho sat together on my side of the bench, and Reno placed his rifle against the wall and took a seat across the table next to Ben.

“Where’s Izzy?” Austin asked.

“I’m coming. Hell’s bells, a girl can only move so fast!” she complained. “April’s asleep. Do you want me to wake her?”

“No,” Reno said, sounding exhausted. “Let her sleep.”

Izzy was still a couple of months from delivering, but she didn’t move as fast as she used to. Jericho scooted over for her to sit beside him, but she walked around the table across from me and sat next to Lexi. “What’s going on?”

Austin flattened his hands on the table and scanned his eyes around the room. “As you know, we have a rogue band of Shifters targeting our pack. Lorenzo offered up William to stay temporarily and help out as payment.”

“Payment for what?” Ben asked, rubbing his smooth jaw.

“He was the one who struck Ivy with his car.”

Wheeler crossed the room, targeting William with his malevolent eyes. Before he reached him, I stood up and held my cane between them. They stared each other down, neither backing away.

“No one lays a hand on William,” I said, letting my gaze travel around the room. “He could have left me to die, but he took me to his Packmaster, knowing that an alpha could make me shift and heal. He’s offering his life to defend our pack, and I think that’s payment enough.”

When I lowered my cane, Wheeler backed away and returned to the doorway. William strolled behind the cabinets in the kitchen, keeping his distance.

Austin rapped his knuckles on the table and waited for me to sit down. “As I was saying, Ivy knows their leader, Fox, and has some information to share.”

I turned my white teacup around in a circle, feeling the residual warmth at the base. “Fox was my father’s second-in-command. Recently, my father banished him from the pack after discovering Fox was going through his personal things in order to find me. When I left my father’s pack, it was quick. No one was supposed to know where I was going. It’s…”

Complicated was what I wanted to say, but even that word was inadequate. I was getting cold feet while searching for an explanation that wouldn’t cast me in a bad light.

“We’re listening,” Jericho said.

I took a deep breath and pushed the teacup away. “My father didn’t entirely trust his pack. He knew that years ago one of the men had taken my virginity.”

“Years ago?” Izzy said in horror. “But you just came here last year and went through the change. You would have been—”

“Sixteen,” I finished. “My father found out and went on a rampage, but I couldn’t tell him it was Fox.”

“Are you fucking kidding me?” Wheeler said gruffly from the door. “That animal—”

“Yes,” I quickly said, before things escalated. “And he forced himself on me.”

There was a thunderstruck silence.

“Say again?” Reno growled, icy rage tightening his face and narrowing his eyes.

Lynn held my left hand and gripped it tight.

“Why, Ivy? Why didn’t you tell him it was Fox?” Lexi asked, not understanding.

I shook my head. “I can’t say what I’d do now, but that sixteen-year-old girl was terrified. She trusted and loved Fox as she would family, and she believed she’d done something to deserve it. She knew her father would torture and murder Fox, and maybe part of her was also scared of what Fox might be capable of doing if his name were cast into the fire. He might have retaliated against my father, my mother, and my pack. There’s more to the story, but the only thing you all need to know is that Fox is here for me. He found me, but with a band of rogues, he’s also in need of land. I’m sorry that I brought this to you, but I couldn’t have known he’d come after me. We avoided each other for years and never spoke, even living within the same house. Fox sees me as a way to secure respect and loyalty from his new pack, and he thinks he has claim on me. He’s not an alpha, but is trying to make himself out to be a Packmaster.”

“He’s made himself out to be an ass is what he did,” William said, still lurking behind the kitchen counter.

I met Austin’s eyes. “Whatever you need from me, I’ll give. Anything I can do to help. But something you should know is that I’m considering his offer to join his pack. Not because I want to, but because I might not have a choice.”

“You always have a choice,” Trevor said, brushing the ends of his hair away from his eyes. His long legs stretched toward William, and he leaned on the table with his right arm.

Wheeler stalked toward the right end of the table and spread his fingers on it, leaning forward. “You’re gonna sit there and tell me you want to go back and cuddle up with a rapist?” The tight muscles in his arms locked, making the shadows of his tattoos come to life.

“He threatened Lakota.”

“That all? Threatened some guy and—”

“My
son
, Lakota. That’s right. I had a baby, and my father forced me to give him up. That’s how he knew one of his men had gotten to me—because while I could hide the assault, I couldn’t hide the pregnancy. When I disappeared the other night, I met with Fox and he gave me his conditions. He’s using my baby against me. I have no idea where he is, but Fox is threatening to kill him if I don’t comply. Maybe he’s bluffing, but what if… I can’t take that chance.”

Austin clenched his fists and leaned forward. “Ben should have been watching the property that night, and just so you know, he’s been reprimanded.”

Ben tapped his hand on the table. “I don’t mind putting double my pay in the pack account, but a man shouldn’t have his car keys taken away like a child.”

Reno tilted his body in Ben’s direction. “Really? You wanna go there? A pack member almost died because you decided to tail off and do
what
exactly? Your Packmaster gave you a direct order to guard the property, and you disobeyed that order.”

Ben raised his hands in the air. “And I’ll take that responsibility. All I’m sayin’ is that you only had to
tell
me not to drive.”

“That’s exactly what he told you to do the night you took off.” Wheeler’s words were sharp, cutting to the quick. “Suck it up, princess.”

“You need to reel it back in,” Ben said.

“You wanna start shit?”

“Boys…” Austin’s gaze snapped around the room and made everyone settle down.

“Do you want to find your son?” Reno asked, voice neutral. It wasn’t a question; it was an offer.

“I’m not part of his life anymore. I’m not sure how I feel about that idea. Part of me wants him back, but what right do I have?”

“The right of a mother,” Lynn said. “That’s what you have.”

“But a mother is more than someone who delivers you into this world. They’re the person who loves you and tucks you in at night to keep the bad spirits away. Someone else is doing that now.”

“What if they’re not?” Wheeler suggested, standing up straight with his arms at his sides. “What if he’s lying in some stinkhole of an orphanage and—”

“Wheeler,” Austin cut in, giving him a warning with a shake of his head.

Reno got out of his seat, his gun strapped to the outside of his tight shirt. “If he’s using the boy as leverage, then we need to find him before Fox does. We’ll figure out what to do from there, but I can put a few guys on him. I know good bounty hunters who owe me favors—that way none of us will have to leave the house and you’ll have peace of mind. Anything else I should know?”

He waited in the doorway for my answer.

I shook my head. “The Relic who delivered him was called Mary. I’m not sure about her last name—something that sounded like McPhee, McFaron… maybe McPherson. Is that enough?”