The Werewolf Meets His Match (Nocturne Falls Book 2) (29 page)

“She’s going to stuff that boy full of sweets to make herself feel better,” Titus said, looking at Bridget and Hank. “Remember after Uncle John died?”

Bridget’s gaze was distant but her smile was warm with the memory of their late uncle’s passing. “She baked non-stop. Cakes, pies, cookies, you name it. The Shop & Save ran out of sugar.”

Ivy was still staring at the paperwork. Hank gently took the file out of her hands and closed it. “This is all going to be over very soon.”

Ivy nodded, silent and pensive. He hurt for her. To find out that her father had paid someone to sabotage her life…he couldn’t imagine what that felt like.

He leaned in. “Why don’t you go see Charlie? We’re almost done.”

“I think I will.” She stood, her fingertips still touching the table as she looked at Titus and Bridget. “Thank you for helping us with this.”

Titus smiled. “We’re family now. That’s what we do.”

Ivy returned his smile, then glanced at Sam, but said nothing more as she left.

Hank looked at Sam. “You should go check on your sister.”

He leaned back in his chair. “I take it you have more to talk about but you don’t want me here.”

Hank gave him points for being perceptive. “I don’t trust you yet.”

“I’m on your side in this. A hundred percent. Give me a chance. Let me earn that trust.”

“This is Charlie’s life. And your sister’s sense of well-being.”

Sam nodded. “Those are my priorities too.”

Hank checked with his siblings. Both of them gave him a little nod. Hank proceeded. “We need to find a way to remove Clemens from power.”

“Good luck with that,” Sam said.

Titus snorted softly. “We could call Van. See if he’d like to do a drive-by scorching.”

Ivan Tsvetkov was a dragon shifter, and technically still a resident of Nocturne Falls, although he lived here only part time since he’d joined the MMA fight circuit.

Hank barked out a laugh. “If only it was that easy. No, we’ll figure something out. I’ll discuss it with Dad, see if he has any ideas.”

Bridget blew her hair out of her eyes. “In the meantime, what are we going to do about the challenge tonight? Are you sure you can take this guy?”

Hank nodded. “Yes. But on the slim chance things don’t go my way…” He glanced at the door. “Prescott doesn’t leave here with Charlie under any circumstances.”

Sam nodded. “That’s for damn sure.”

Bridget and Titus both leaned in. Titus spoke first. “What do you want us to do?”

Hank frowned. “This goes against my oath of office, but this isn’t something governed by human law. Charlie is a Merrow now, and we protect our own.”

“Damn straight.” Titus pounded his fist on the table.

“Are you saying what I think you are?” Bridget asked.

Hank looked at her, then Titus, then Sam. “I’m saying Prescott does not leave with Charlie. Stop him by whatever means you think necessary. Including lethal force.”

A large chalk circle marked the clearing where the decision about Charlie’s future would be made. With Bridget at her side, Ivy tipped her head back to look at the moon. It had begun its waning cycle, but was still very bright and full. Moonlight usually gave her peace.

But tonight was not a usual night. Tonight was the night that the life of her child had suddenly become a prize to be won. The night when the man she loved was putting his own life at risk to make sure her son remained
her
son. She tried to take comfort in the fact that Hank was strong and tough and trained beyond the average shifter. She also knew that he thought of Charlie as his son too now, whereas Eric just saw Charlie as a paycheck.

But that also meant Eric was willing to do anything for money. And to Ivy, that made him unpredictable. What else would he be willing to do? She’d stopped trusting him the day he’d told her he couldn’t be tied down to a kid and had systematically removed her from his life.

She’d never hated Eric exactly. Felt betrayed by him. Considered him a loser. And a jerk. She wasn’t the first woman to get pregnant and have a guy ditch her. It happened. And she’d gotten Charlie out of it, so clearly she’d come out ahead. But after Birdie had shared the financial information she’d uncovered, Ivy’s feelings toward Eric had hit a solid level of contempt. A man who’d try to take an innocent child away from his mother just to get paid? Eric and her father were a match made in hell.

Delaney Ellingham walked up to her and Bridget. Her eyes held sympathy. “I hope you don’t mind me being here. You know I am completely on your side.”

Ivy nodded but couldn’t muster a smile. “I appreciate the support.”

Concern bracketed Delaney’s mouth. “How are you doing?”

Ivy took a deep breath and told the truth. “Not great.”

“I bet not. I wish there was something I could do to help. I’m sure Hank’s going to beat this guy easily.”

“Thanks. It was nice of you to come.” She didn’t know Delaney that well yet, but the fact that the woman had shown up for moral support meant a lot to Ivy. Granted, her husband was here, but that didn’t mean Delaney was required to come.

Delaney didn’t leave. “Can I stand with you guys?”

“Of course.” Ivy took some comfort in that. Friends were good. “The wedding cake was really great. So were all the extra sweets. Thanks again for that.”

“Anytime,” Delaney said. Then she laughed. “I mean for regular cake. Not wedding cake. Because there’s no reason you’d be getting married again.” She cringed as if questioning her own words. “I mean…did you know the Tootsie Roll was the first penny candy that was sold in a wrapper?”

Ivy’s brows lifted slightly. “Can’t say that I did.”

Delaney sighed. “Sorry. I blurt random facts about candy when I’m nervous.”

Ivy smiled despite her mood. “It’s okay. I really do appreciate you being here. I don’t know a lot of people in town.”

Delaney’s smile brightened. “We’ll fix that. Just as soon as we get past this.”

Sam walked into the clearing. He gave Ivy a little wave. She waved back. He came toward her, glancing once or twice at her, then Bridget, but stopped several feet away. Like he wasn’t sure if he’d be interrupting.

She looked at him, then nodded at the space beside Bridget. He just shrugged and kept his distance.

Bridget nudged Ivy with her elbow. “You want us to leave you alone? So you can talk to your brother?”

“No, he’ll come over when he wants to.” She threw Sam another look.

He started walking toward them again, looking a little sheepish. Ivy got the distinct feeling it had everything to do with Bridget and nothing to do with any kind of remaining strain between them as siblings.

“Men are such strange creatures.” Bridget bent forward to see Delaney. “Didn’t happen to bring any candy, did you?”

Delaney shook her head. “Not this time.”

“Worth a shot.” Bridget straightened.

Delaney lifted her chin toward the clearing. “Did someone come out here today and flatten this all down?”

“No,” Bridget answered. “But Nick Hardwin came out and did the chalk circle.”

Delaney looked around. “Where is Nick? I thought he’d be here.”

Sam finally joined them, standing a few steps away on Bridget’s side. “Hey, Ivy. Hi, Bridget.”

Bridget smiled. “Hi, Sam.”

Ivy introduced Delaney, then answered her question about Nick by pointing skyward. “He’s patrolling. Making sure Eric doesn’t have any backup we don’t know about or that Hank doesn’t get ambushed in some way.”

Delaney glanced up. “Cool. I’m always amazed that a creature made of stone even exists, but add to that his ability to fly and it’s just plain impressive.”

“Agreed.” And Ivy felt better knowing they had that much extra coverage in case something did happen. There was no way Eric would get away with Charlie. Didn’t mean she was looking forward to the challenge, though. She glanced at Bridget. “Have there been a lot of challenges out here?”

“No, this is the first one in years. But the pack members do use this area for sparring sometimes.”

Ivy found some peace in that. Hank had the home field advantage. That was something, right?

“Look,” Delaney whispered as she pointed toward the center of the clearing. “That’s Sebastian, my husband’s cranky older brother.”

He was a sternly handsome man. A real Mr. Darcy. “Why is he cranky?” Ivy asked.

“Wife troubles. Ex-wife. Or something like that. Long story.”

Ivy nodded. Exes never made things easy. “I get the picture.”

Sam snorted like he understood.

If Sebastian was in the arena, the start of the challenge couldn’t be far behind. Ivy knew Hank was on the north side of the field, which meant Eric was probably on the south. She found him at the edge of the tree line. “I’ll be right back.”

Before anyone could stop her, she took off toward Eric. He watched her coming, smiling like he’d known she couldn’t stay away. “Come to beg me to spare your husband? Just turn the kid over and I won’t lay a hand on him.”

“Not why I’m here. I’ve come to give you a chance to walk away from all this. I know about my father paying you. For
everything
. Just leave and you might be able to maintain some dignity.”

Eric’s eyes narrowed. “You don’t know anything.”

“My husband’s the sheriff. Digging into your financial records wasn’t hard. I know about the gambling too. Seriously, this is your last chance to leave and put all this behind you. For once in your life, do what’s best for Charlie.”

“Ivy?”

She turned around. Hank was standing behind her and the eyes of the crowd were on them.

Hank looked at Eric. “She’s right. This is your last chance to end this peacefully.”

“Scared?” Eric asked.

Hank’s jaw tensed.

Sebastian’s voice rang out over the clearing. “Tonight we are here to witness the challenge between Hank Merrow and Eric Prescott.”

“Too late now.” Hank looked at Ivy. “I’ll see you when it’s over.” He looked at Eric. “When we’re taking Charlie home.”

Ivy nodded and walked back toward her brother and her friends, giving Hank’s hand a little squeeze as she went past him.

Sebastian raised his hand to quiet the small crowd that had gathered at the edges of the arena. He waited until Ivy had rejoined her group before doing anything further.

Then Sebastian pointed his hand toward Hank and Eric and beckoned them into the circle. The men walked to the center of the space, stopping a few feet away from each other. Sebastian held his hand out toward Eric. “Eric Prescott, you enter the ring as challenger. State your challenge.”

Eric kept his eyes on Hank. “I challenge in the name of my son, Charlie Kincaid, and I challenge you, Hank Merrow, for his final custody. I’d also like to know where Charlie is. He’s supposed to be here.”

Hugh Ellingham stepped forward. “He’s here. He’s asleep in a car at the head of the trail in. I can vouch for that.”

Sebastian looked at Eric. “Do you accept the word of the adjudicator?”

Eric hesitated. “I don’t know.”

Ivy’s blood boiled. She jabbed a finger toward him, even though he was at least twenty feet away. “Don’t you dare drag Charlie into this any more than you already have. He doesn’t need to see this.”

“Ivy,” Sam hissed. “Don’t.”

Bridget put her hand on Ivy’s arm like she thought Ivy might take off again and attack Eric this time. Which certainly felt like a good idea.

Eric frowned. “Fine. I accept the word of the adjudicator.” Then he pointed at Ivy. “He’d better be there.”

She glared at him, but held her tongue. Sam was right. Making Eric angrier wasn’t going to help Hank.

Sebastian turned to Hank. “Hank Merrow, you enter the ring as the challenged. Do you wish to add to this dispute?”

Hank nodded and spoke, his voice steady and determined. “I want this to be about Charlie Merrow’s final custody as well, but also, when I win, I want Eric Prescott to disappear from Charlie’s life permanently.”

“So be it,” Sebastian said. “A winner will be declared when one combatant surrenders or is physically unable to continue.”