Big Bad Billionaire (The Woolven Secret Book 1) (13 page)

She hated epiphanies.

She hated how they struck her in the back of the head like a baseball bat at the most inopportune times and she really hated it when it was because she realized she was wrong.

But she’d already come too far to turn back.

No, that wasn’t true either. There was a part of her that didn’t want to turn back. Since she’d been with Blake, she’d been afraid, that was true. But a secret part of her felt right too, right in a way she’d never felt with anything or anyone else.

That feeling was part of why he made her so angry. She was afraid it was all a lie, afraid it was going to go away. She was most of afraid of that. More than corporate espionage, more than werewolves.

She leaned into him, hoping to offer him the same comfort she found in the circle of his arms.

“It’s going to be okay, Randi.”

“It’ll be okay for you too.” She tightened her grip, as if it offered some kind of binding seal. “I promise.”

Chapter Thirteen

He’d agreed to meet Marchessa at an outdoor café near the Sistine Chapel.

However, getting Randi settled at the hotel was a Herculean task. It was almost impossible to ensure a creature’s safety if you couldn’t stand to be around said creature. He had a constant fang-on. His teeth were elongated in his mouth one-hundred percent of the time and his wolf hovered just below the veneer of his human skin, ready to make a savage and terrible appearance.

Keeping control hadn’t been so hard even when he was a pup with his first simultaneous boner and fang-on for a local girl in Den Hollow. All it had taken was one cuff to the back of his head from Warner’s massive paws and he’d got his shit straight back then. This was something different. If Warner were to do that now, Blake didn’t know if he’d turn on his uncle or not.

He hated feeling this way.

Most of all, he hated that Randi didn’t want him. Not the real him. She wanted the billionaire, the jet-setting playboy who could fuck her all night long and then throw her away like she didn’t matter.

The real man, the wolf… the one who would protect her, love her, honor her above all others—she didn’t want because of the wrapping it came in.

And he hated most of all how her rejection of him endangered his family, his pack, his company, and her very life.

It went against everything in him to leave her with Drew. Blake knew logically that his brother would do anything to protect her, even give up his life, but it wasn’t enough for his wolf.

Leaving her took all of his strength.

He walked to the chapel, it wasn’t far, taking in the sights, sounds, and scents of the city. Warner followed, a ghost, moving stealthily toward their destination on rooftops, through alleyways, and secret tunnels. He’d be in position before Blake arrived.

When he saw Marchessa taking in the glory of the chapel, and it was beautiful to be sure, he sensed something about her had changed.

“Your message said it was important,” he said. When she turned to face him, his whole body bristled. She’d come into her Alpha power.

Blake fought for control. He didn’t need to fight her for dominance, or power. She wasn’t trying to take anything from him. She wasn’t there to fight. He knew she was there to help. He drew deep on his years of training with Warner and found the peace that eluded him with Randi. His iron will clamped down on his wolf and, the wolf, for his part, lay quietly.

“Yes, it’s dire. It’s why Antony called the Council.” Her eyes were haunted.

Blake eased into a seat. When a waiter stopped by the table, he ordered an espresso for himself and one for Marchessa in Italian. “What’s happened?”

“First, thank you for coming. I didn’t know if you would.” She steepled her gloved fingers, but then tucked her hair behind one ear, fidgeting. 

Even unsure of herself as she was, her charisma was off the charts. He wondered if she knew how much power she radiated.

“Marchessa, I know you’ve never been one to want this war. But I won’t tell you Warner isn’t somewhere in one of these buildings with a sniper rifle waiting to pull the trigger.”

“That’s fair. Armand is here, too.” She nodded. “Not that I need his protection, but he insisted.” She smiled carefully, as if she knew he wouldn’t like what she had to say next. “I know my father stole some tech from you.”

Blake nodded. “Go on.” This was just what he needed. He knew Randi believed him now, but he wanted to show her proof. He wanted to put it in her hand, not only to clear his own name, but for her peace of mind.

“I think there’s proof that the de la Lunas murdered your scientist to get it.”

He felt like he’d been kicked in the chest. “I planned on presenting that theory at the Council.”

“I’m so sorry. I hear that’s your mate’s father.” She squeezed his hand in a platonic show of sympathy and support.

“Yes.”

“I didn’t know.”

“It took some doing to convince her that I didn’t kill him.”

“Oh God.”

“Is that all you have for me?” He’d really hoped for more. He could present supposition all he liked, but he needed hard proof.

“No.” She shook her head. “He sold what he stole to Ardennes.”

“Do you have proof?” Hope surged, hot and hungry.

“Only that I overhead him talking about it.” She exhaled heavily. “I didn’t know what it was at the time. I asked, but you know how my father is. Luc Ardennes is in business with Breslin.”

“The
hunter
Breslin? Are you fucking with me?” Vittorio de la Luna was out of his mind to deal with Ardennes, especially if he knew Ardennes was in business with a hunter. Ardennes was a rabid mutt on a good day.

“No. You didn’t know what a nihilist fucker he was? He tried to kill me and Antony twice. Antony is going to challenge Ardennes to single combat before the Council. He will win. And he’s going to install Armand as the Ardennes Alpha. His mother was an Ardennes.”

Of course he knew that Ardennes was mad, but he hadn’t thought Vittorio would be part of it. He couldn’t help but feel a surge of pity for Marchessa, not that she needed it. She seemed to be holding her own, playing the game. She’d be a good ally when the dust settled and the blood dried. “What do you want me to do?”

“We want your support. Both to second the single combat challenge and to support Armand. We want you to bring your claim that my father stole the tech and de la Lunas killed the human.”

Blake gave her a long look, and she couldn’t read the expression on his face. “Are you sure that’s what you want me to do? Vittorio is your father. You are de la Luna. His punishment, I don’t know what the other packs will decide. We bring it to the table, it’s out of our hands.” He couldn’t imagine being faced with the prospect of something like this with his pack—his family.

“I know.” She nodded. “I’m no de la Luna. Not anymore, Blake. I’m Rommulus.”

“I’d heard you were engaged to him, but you’ve already mated him?” That would explain the surge in her power.

She nodded. “I hope you can be happy for me.”

“Most assuredly, little Marchessa. I’m glad to see you happy. I’m sorry that we’re both here under these circumstances.” He was. He never wished ill on her. What they’d shared together had been a rebellion of sorts for them both.

“Will you do it? With the Council, I mean?” She took a sip of her espresso.

“I will.”

“When this is over, I’ll meet with your scientists and give them DNA samples and samples of my venom. You’ll want them.”

He cocked his head to the side and he realized she smelled different, more than just a change in power, or the wolves she associated with. It was on a cellular level. Her chemistry had changed. “Marchessa, did you get hit with the weapon?”

“I did, with an Alpha’s venom in my blood,” she admitted.

The weapon worked, as did the other applications. “Let me guess, you’ve got an immunity to silver?”

“More than that.” She pulled off one of her black gloves and showed him her fingernails. “My teeth too.”

He peered closer at the changes. “That’s fascinating.”

“Yes, I’m sure it is, but the key to silver immunity might be in my blood. I know Woolven always has the best and brightest on their research teams. Going forward, if we can work together, maybe it will be a better example for all the wolf nations.”

“You don’t want anything for this gift?” Now that he found hard to believe. Marchessa was all about the pay to play. Or she had been.

“No. Just that you’ll share it with everyone free and clear.”

“On my word, my honor.” He held his hand up to his heart. It wasn’t a difficult promise to make. Silver poisoning had been a bane to his people for centuries.

“Everything is as it should be, then.” She held out her hand. “Shake on it.”

He took her hand and gave it a firm shake as he would an equal, because she was his equal.

“Thank you. You know how I despise a weak handshake.”

Blake laughed. “That I do. I know how you despise weak anything.”

“Before I forget, there’s another one like me running around. Silver-tipped claws, mouth full of razors and working for Ardennes and Breslin. I think her name is Carolina.”

“I’ll be on the lookout.” He took another sip of his espresso. “Why don’t we kill Breslin again?” That was simplest answer to the equation, the shortest distance from problem A to solution was a dead hunter.

“Because if we know what the head of the snake looks like, we can see where he strikes. If we kill him, they’ll go to ground and six more will pop up in his place.”

He smiled, seeing the logic, even though it irritated him. “Are you going to see your father while he’s here?”

“No.” She sighed. “At least not from anywhere that isn’t across the table at the Council.”

Blake laughed again. “I bet he didn’t see that coming.”

“He probably should’ve.”

“If the power radiating off of you is any clue, yeah, he should’ve. Antony and Rommulus seem to agree with you. You’re thriving.”

“Or I will be once people stop trying to kill me and members of my pack.”

“I don’t know if that’s something that we ever get a break from.” He thought about his current situation.

“We will. We can choose to. All of us.” She nodded emphatically.

“I hope I see it in my lifetime.” He did. Peace between the nations was something that would be prosperous for all of them. A time to thrive.

“With you and I on board, and once Luc is removed, Armand will be Alpha. That’s three of the six. It will happen.”

“I’ll count on it then.” Blake stood and dropped some bills on the table. He held out his hand again. “Another shake for old time’s sake?”

She grabbed his hand and shook it. “For old time’s sake.”

He turned, his senses prickling with awareness and strolled down the way he’d come. Warner pulled him into an alley, the scarred wolf seeming to wear some heavy mantle.

“Is this the choice you’ve made? We’re going to war?”

Blake scrubbed a hand over his jaw. “I don’t see any other option. Not if everything Marchessa said is true.” He looked up at his uncle. “What would you do?”

“I’d have killed Breslin and every other hunter in his bed. Make them fear our might. Instead, they’re forming alliances, stealing from us.” Warner growled low in his throat. “And that mad dog, Ardennes. Someone needs to put him down.”

“Someone will. But he has allies. Which means a fight.”

“You’re a good Alpha, Blake. Strong and just. Don’t doubt yourself now. I’ve taught you the wages of war, the pain, the suffering. Now you will see it for yourself, but in that seeing, you will know you had no other choice. Not to do what’s best for the pack, but for the nations. Ardennes is a cancer. If Rommulus thinks his son can take him…” Warner shrugged. “Backing him is the best choice.”

“If Remus stands with him. What if he doesn’t?”

“If he doesn’t, we’ll tear him apart the same as any other threat. Don’t let his age intimidate you. Grigori Remus is no god. He is fallible.” Warner studied him for a long moment before speaking. “About the girl.”

“Uncle…”

“No. Listen to me. I know she is your mate. But if you don’t bite her and do it soon, you’re endangering everyone’s life, including hers. Fix. Your. Shit. Got me? Either bite her, or tranq her and ship her ass to some uncharted island where our enemies can’t find her.”

“You don’t understand.” Everything was always black and white for Warner. Sometimes Blake found himself wishing he was more like his steadfast uncle.

Warner looked down at him, amber eyes as haunted as he’d ever seen them. “Yes, I do. I understand it more than you could ever know.”

“Then tell me.”

Warner looked up at the wide expanse of blue sky then back down to Blake’s face.

“You were in love with her,” he exclaimed. “My mother…”

“Always, lad. From the day I set eyes on Arianna Montpelier, I loved her. I loved her in the way of young men and even younger wolves.”