Authors: Gigi Moore
The lieutenant riding shotgun, Gaetan, hit the power button to ease into place the dark-tinted Plexiglas that separated the passengers from the front seat.
Immediately after, Desiree heard the power locks engage, effectively locking her and Sam in the backseat.
She knew the routine. They remained “guests” of the pack until someone in charge decided otherwise.
By all rights, that someone should have been Carson.
Desiree wondered now how the transfer of power worked in the pack, especially once the alpha died. Was there some sort of lame-duck period? Did Carson have to go through some type of bureaucratic processing before he could be recognized as the pack alpha? Or worse, had Remy just shined them all on, leading them to believe he meant what he said and said what he meant when nothing could have been further from the truth?
Why else would Raul and Gaetan feel the need to manhandle her and Sam? Why else would that elder waylay Carson?
Desiree had hoped that Remy would play fair, but he seemed the master manipulator from beyond the grave, wielding his control over the Guidry family and her, even after death.
She leaned into Sam, trying to absorb his strength, failing miserably when she closed her eyes and saw Carson on the ground again, gasping for breath and covered in blood.
True, he’d recovered and had been standing, if a little unsteadily, by the time she and Sam had been taken away, but just the idea that he had been injured left Desiree sick with fear.
“Where do you think they’re taking us?”
“From the turns they’re making, it feels like back to the hotel.”
“Do you think Carson’s okay?” She had promised herself she wouldn’t ask, but she couldn’t help it. She needed reassurance after that scene back at the clearing.
Sam squeezed her shoulder. “Carson’s like you. He’s strong and he’s a fighter. He’s not going to let them defeat him.”
“But what if they decide not to honor Remy’s wishes? What if they go back on their word?” Everything she saw at the circle certainly pointed that way so far.
What
was
all that discussion about between Carson and the elder? Carson certainly hadn’t looked happy hearing what the elder had to tell him. He’d looked like an innocent man on death row who’d just had his last chance at a stay of execution revoked. He’d looked like a man betrayed—pretty much how Desiree felt now.
What were their options, however, except to go along for the ride and see where it took them?
Desiree hoped it wasn’t to the end of a road.
The Plexiglas slid down and Gaetan looked at them from the front passenger seat, showing a bit of fang as he grinned. “We’re here.”
Desiree’s heart thudded to her stomach with the implications.
“Showtime,” Sam said and took her hand as they exited the limo.
* * * *
Carson slowly regained consciousness to the familiar and comforting scents of the people he cared about and loved most in the world.
He blinked his eyes, trying to bring his surroundings into focus, still unsure of the time or his location. The scents, however—Desiree’s sweet vanilla, his mama’s warm, baked-apple-and-cinnamon smell, and Sam’s clean citrus scent—remained distinguishable beneath the more dominant aromas of Arnoux, Gaetan, and Raul.
“Where…” His voice proved raspy and low, as if it had been out of commission for more than just the few hours he was sure he’d been unconscious.
What had been in that shot?
Arnoux sat beside him on what Carson could make out as a large hotel bed and helped him sit up against the pillows stacked behind him. The prime elder then stuck a straw in his mouth and Carson instinctively took several sips of the cool water offered to him. “Thank you.” He leaned back against the pillows, squinting his eyes against the bright lights of the room.
“They shouldn’t have handled you so harshly.” Arnoux threw Remy’s two lieutenants a glare over his shoulder before turning back to Carson.
“He didn’t give them a choice,” Raul spoke up, defending his comrades.
“There is always a choice.”
Duly chastised, Raul averted his eyes, staring at the carpeted floor as he stood at ease with his hands folded behind his back.
Arnoux’s attitude confused Carson. He would have thought the prime elder condoned the harsh treatment, but evidently this wasn’t the case.
“You have not been brought here to be penalized,” Arnoux said.
“Why have I been brought here, then? And where is my family?” He scented them but did not see them anywhere in the room, which meant that they had to be nearby somewhere. Carson needed to see them, though.
“There are some official matters we must go over with you before we can transfer power. If that is what you want, of course.”
Did he want the official matters or the transfer of power? Carson remained confused.
“I
want
to see my family.”
“Very well.” Arnoux turned to the two lieutenants and nodded his head.
Gaetan and Raul left the room and returned a moment later leading Mama, Sam, and Desiree into the room from an adjoining suite.
Carson sat up in bed so suddenly he became light-headed and plopped back against the pillows.
Arnoux patted his shoulder. “Do not rush, young one. The drugs are still in your system. That along with the blood loss has left you weak.”
“You drugged him?” Helena asked, her voice cold and stern, as if she spoke to a young subordinate and not the prime elder.
Carson wanted to warn her but didn’t have the energy to fight anymore. He’d used it all up in the ring, his spirit exhausted with his containment.
Arnoux, however, seemed more amused than affronted by Mama’s tone. He stood, proffering a hand to her, indicating the place he’d just vacated. “Please, sit.”
Mama crossed the room and took her place beside Carson as her due.
Arnoux indicated the other two seats in the room beside the bed, silently inviting Sam and Desiree to sit.
Tentatively, the pair took the seats right before Arnoux directed Gaetan and Raul to wait outside.
Once the two lieutenants left, the prime elder took the seat adjacent the bed and facing Carson and his mama. “I must apologize for the fanfare at the circle and your rough treatment. We meant no harm. It was just necessary to get you all out of the area as expediently as possible.”
“Did you expect trouble because of the outcome?”
“Not necessarily, but one can never be too careful.” Arnoux sat forward in his seat, producing a sheaf of papers from a worn leather satchel that Carson hadn’t earlier seen. “Now, down to the business at hand.”
“Business?”
“Yes, Remy’s bequests to your family.”
“He recognized us in his will?” Helena asked.
“Yes, in addition to provisions he’d made for your alpha rights should you defeat him in battle, he left you considerable shares of the various companies in which he has interest, in effect controlling interest of the pack’s fortunes.”
“Oh…my,” Mama said.
“Why would he do that?” Sam asked.
“In his words, he said that should the elder Guidry son defeat him in battle, he has more than earned the right to be alpha and inherit what Duane Bastien would have inherited had he lived.”
“What if I don’t want it?”
“Carson, don’t be hasty,” Desiree said, and he looked at her before glaring at Arnoux.
“It’s blood money.”
“You might want to discuss this with your family before you make any decisions, as well as how you wish to handle your position as alpha, that is to say if you wish to return to Louisiana to take your position or not. You should know that your acceptance has nothing to do with the bequest. The shares are yours no matter where you decide to live or if you accept alpha rights.”
Carson’s head spun from all that the prime elder said, and still it wasn’t enough. “Did Remy say anything in his will about how my father died?”
Did he confess?
“I’m afraid not, no.”
Carson nodded, not surprised. The bequest and other statements proved telling, but not enough vindication. However, since he had killed Remy, he had no choice but to accept things as they were. He knew the truth, and that had to be enough for him, Mama and Sam.
Arnoux stood and gathered his papers before heading for the door. “I’ll give you some time to make an initial decision. We will go over this in more detail at the lawyer’s office tomorrow, where he’ll tell you exactly to what the family is entitled.”
“Okay.”
The prime elder nodded and left, quietly closing the door behind him.
No one said anything for a long time after his departure, as if they didn’t want to speak for fear of bringing forth a jinx.
Carson gave everyone a meaningful look, his glance landing on Desiree and Sam in turn before staying on his mother. “What do you think?”
“I think we deserve the freedom and peace of mind Remy’s money will bring us.”
“Will it, Mama? Bring us peace of mind?”
“I don’t know about all of you, but it brings me peace of mind that he’s finally dead.”
“Samson…”
“I mean it, Mama, and I don’t care who knows it.” Sam raised his voice just enough for Arnoux and Remy’s lieutenants to hear in the hallway if they remained outside the door.
“I think Helena’s right, Carson.” Desiree stood and walked over to the bed opposite where Helena sat. She looked at Carson for a long moment then sat down and placed her hand on his. “Nothing and no one can bring back your father, but the money could go a long way to healing your family, depending on how you use it.”
Carson stared down at her hand and turned his hand over so that he could feel her warm palm against his as he held her hand in his. “What about you? Will you be staying with us to help us spend it?”
“Carson!”
“I didn’t mean it that way, Mama.” He turned to Sam, realizing he messed this all up with his clumsy delivery. “Help me out here, Sam.”
His brother stood and made his way over to the bed where everyone now congregated. “What Carson means is will you stay with us as our mate?”
Desiree grinned. “It was my understanding that wolves mated for life.”
“They do,” Carson rasped.
“Then unless something has changed since the other night, I believe you boys are stuck with me for the duration.”
Carson wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close for a deep kiss on the lips.
When he was through, Sam took his turn and did the same.
Once they all finally pulled away from each other, Mama cleared her throat to get their attention.
Carson saw the smile on her face and thought it was one of the first genuine ones he had seen on his mother’s face since before his and Sam’s father died.
“Now all we have to decide is where we’re all going to live. I’m partial to Colorado.”
Carson knew how partial his mama was to Jesse and Jax Reynolds’ father Jeremiah, too. He’d known about her infatuation for a while now. He couldn’t blame her for being ready to reach out for a little happiness of her own, especially now that he and Sam had found theirs.