Wolf Tales 12 (18 page)

Beth felt herself beginning to relax. They’d been through so much together. Somehow they’d weather this as well. “I was already in love with you.” She leaned close and kissed him, amazed, as she always was, that this beautiful and caring man loved her. “Anyway, the doctors were impressed when a second scan showed that all the shrapnel was gone. I think they wanted to see you shift even more than they wanted to stitch up all your injuries. The entire operating room was filled.”

“Well, I guess our secret’s definitely out, then. Did you talk to Anton?”

She shook her head. “No. Adam took the call. Anton’s gone into the astral in search of Lily. Eve’s helping him, so Adam and Stefan are holding down the fort. It sounds like everyone’s preparing to move back to Montana because of the new info about the kids shifting way ahead of what we expected. Even Jake’s pack is planning to move.”

“What’s going to happen now? Now that our secret is out?”

Beth shook her head. “I don’t know.” She leaned close and kissed him again. “And do you want to know the honest truth? I don’t really care. You’re alive. That’s all that matters.”

“Actually, that’s not all that matters.”

Beth whirled around. The president stood in the doorway, flanked by two burly members of the Secret Service.

He stepped into the room and stood beside the bed. “I can never thank you enough, Nick. You and Beth have been there for us for the past five years without any thought to your own safety. My wife and I don’t want to lose your service, which could happen if public opinion were to go against you. We’ve got people working on a campaign to out you, so to speak, in an entirely positive manner.”

Beth stared at the closed door long after the president was gone. Finally she sighed and turned to face Nick. “Do you think it’ll work? Putting a spin on things so people will accept us?”

Nick brushed her dark hair back from her eyes. “It can’t hurt. We all know the power of a good marketing campaign. What time is it?”

Beth glanced at her watch. “Time for the news.”

Nick scooted to one side and Beth snuggled up beside him on the bed. She flipped the controls and found one of the major networks.

Today’s attack wasn’t the lead story. No, it was only a small part of the coverage. The main story was the film of Nick throwing off his clothing and turning into a wolf on camera—that was what had obviously caught the world’s attention. It was Beth racing across the grass with the press on her heels, the torn and bleeding wolf lying near a huge crater in the otherwise pristine lawn.

And then it was the president’s press secretary, standing at the familiar podium in the East Room of the White House, explaining that Nick and Beth were both part of an ancient race of shapeshifters, long known to certain members of government, their identity kept secret in order to make their protection of the president and his family more effective.

A secret Nick had bravely given up to the world to keep a room filled with innocent young people safe from a terrorist’s bomb. He painted Nick as a hero, which made Nick feel like squirming under the covers and going into hiding. “I wish he’d just shut up.”

Beth laughed. “Be quiet. I want to hear the rest of this.”

“I don’t. Crap. I can’t believe we made the nightly news, not after being so careful for so many years. I wish there’d been a better way to handle it.”

Beth patted his hand. “Don’t worry. The White House is working on it, plus I’m sure Anton will think of something.”

“I don’t even want to go there. Besides, Anton’s not going to be thinking about anything but his daughter.” He leaned his head against Beth’s. “Any word of Lily?”

“No. Nothing. Luc and the rest of the pack from San Francisco are on their way to Montana. They’re probably there by now. Ric and his group arrived last night. I told you Bay and Manda and their kids are coming here to get Sunny and then flying directly to Montana with her. Stefan’s arranged for a private plane that can handle her wheelchair. Jake and Shannon and their three kids left this afternoon.”

“What about Sunny? You said she’s Chanku.” Nick thought of the beautiful young girl trapped in such a horribly disabled body. “Is there anything Adam or Logan can do for her?”

Beth shook her head. “I don’t know. She’s been paralyzed since she was a toddler. She came from an abusive home, but I don’t know exactly what happened to her.”

“Her mind is sharp as a tack. She didn’t even hesitate when I contacted her telepathically. She’s what . . . twelve? Thirteen?”

“Nineteen. Her growth was stunted by her injury.”

Nick stared at Beth for a moment. She tried to reach him, but his thoughts were blocked. Then he reached for the buzzer to call the nurse.

“What are you doing?”

“Getting out of here. Beth, there’s too much going on right now. I imagine we can take some time off. Get in touch with the White House, tell them I need time to recover. Anton needs us. Sunny will, too. I keep thinking of what her life has been like. What hell she’s gone through.” He took a deep breath, replaying those last seconds when he was sure he wasn’t going to live.

At that moment, all his priorities had made a major shift.

His first thoughts when he’d raced away with that damned bomb between his jaws had been about his job and nothing more—he had to get it away from the innocent kids, away from that little girl in the wheelchair—away from Beth. But when he dropped the backpack and ran, he wasn’t thinking like a hero—he was thinking like a man who finally realized what was really important in his life.

Then, in those final seconds after the damned thing blew, when he knew he was too close, all he’d thought of was Beth. That he wouldn’t hold her in his arms again, wouldn’t watch the laughter in her eyes, wouldn’t run with her in the deep woods.

Wouldn’t see their child in her arms.

Those were the things that counted. The only things. Not the job, not their careers in Washington. Only Beth and the life they should have together. He wrapped an arm around her and held her close. Resting his chin atop her dark hair, he realized he was blinking back tears. He never cried. Not ever.

“Beth? I learned something important today. You know I love you, but I don’t think I’ve ever thought of not being here with you. Not holding you. I know now how very much I need you.”

He took a deep breath and rubbed his chin against her dark hair. “I want to take some time for the two of us. Just you and me, without any responsibilities other than to each other and our pack. It’s time to go home to Montana. Time to get out of Washington for a while. This place can be toxic. Let’s just go. We can wait for all the publicity to die down and then figure out what comes next.”

Beth tilted her head and kissed his chin, then his lips. After a long moment, she pulled away and smiled. “I know what I’d like to come next. How and with whom . . .”

Just then the door swung open and a nurse entered the room. Both Nick and Beth broke into laughter.

She glanced their way and began unhooking the IVs and monitors. “I take it you’re feeling well enough to go home.”

Nick grinned. “How’d you know?”

She flashed him a knowing smile. “I’ve been watching the heart rate monitor at the nurse’s station. I knew your wife was in here with you.” She raised an eyebrow. “Do you really want me to spell it out?”

Laughing, Beth jumped off the bed so the nurse could unhook her husband.

Chapter 13

Montana

Stefan clicked off the power and the big screen TV went dark. He shot a quick glance at Adam and then faced the room filled with so many of their friends and family.

Doc Logan and Jazzy Blue sat with Oliver and Mei on one of the sofas, AJ, Mik, and Tala filled up one half of the sectional couch with Luc and Tia, Lisa and Tinker on the other end. Liana, looking uncomfortably pregnant, rocked slowly in the bentwood rocker. Jake sat in one of the recliners with Shannon in his lap, both of them exhausted from the quick flight across the country with triplets, and the whole group from Colorado took up a cluster of chairs by the window.

Keisha and Xandi had offered to stay with the children so the parents could all be here. One member was conspicuously absent—Anton was still somewhere on the astral, searching for Lily. Stefan couldn’t let himself think about that. Not now—not with so many other things to worry about.

Like the fact Nick, Beth, Manda, and Baylor weren’t here, for good reason. Of course, they’d all just gotten a better view of Nick—on national news—than any of them could have imagined. Stefan sighed. They’d worked so hard at keeping their existence secret, but poor Nick hadn’t had a choice. He’d done what he had to do. All of them knew this day was coming, but Stefan never expected they’d be outed in such a spectacular manner.

At least the White House press secretary was on top of things. “They’re being proactive,” he said. “They’re calling Nick a hero, which he is. The country always needs more heroes.” Stef glanced at Adam. He trusted the man’s judgment and the sense of calm he always managed to project.

Adam casually leaned against the wall behind Liana with his arms crossed over his chest. “The fact they’re talking as if the government has been aware of our existence for years is good. It makes us less threatening to people. They didn’t mention our numbers or any of our locations. . . .”

Oliver laughed. “I’m glad they didn’t mention we’re aliens. I can see all of us packed up and herded off to Area 51.”

Jazzy shook her head. “Takes immigration policies to a whole new level, doesn’t it?” There wasn’t much humor in her laugh. “Don’t even go there. Personally, I’m glad they didn’t mention the mindtalking. The fact we can read each other’s minds and sometimes even people who aren’t Chanku.”

“Jazzy’s right.” Stefan sat on the arm of the sofa. “If they only know about the shapeshifting, we’re not quite as threatening. We can’t let them know anything about Anton’s abilities, the fact he’s currently trotting around the astral with a goddess.”

“Try putting a spin on that one.” Mik glanced at Stefan. He was smiling, but Stef could feel the big man’s concern. “How is Anton? Any word?”

Stef shook his head. “No. I’ve thought of trying to contact him, but he’s only been gone for a few hours. On the astral, that could feel like minutes or days. I’m not going to worry about Anton. He’ll find Lily. He’s got Eve helping him, and his little girl’s too sharp to let anything bad happen. Right now we need to think about ourselves and our kids—how we’re going to deal with this news getting out, with our location becoming public. You know it will. There are no secrets anymore.”

“I’m amazed we’ve stayed under the radar as long as we have.” Logan glanced at his mate. Jazzy smiled sadly and rested her head on his shoulder. She was pregnant with their first child, and Stefan knew exactly what she was thinking without even looking into her thoughts.

She was worried for their daughter’s future. Wondering if any of their children would ever know safety, would ever have a chance at even remotely normal lives.

As if a shapeshifting child’s life could ever be considered normal.

Adam grinned at him. “It’s the new normal, Stef.” When Stefan raised his eyebrows, Adam merely shrugged. “You’re broadcasting, but I can assure you, our children will be safe. Each and every one of us here will ensure that they are.”

Ric stood up and stretched. He still carried an air of authority about him, even though Luc had been managing Pack Dynamics for years.

“Before Lily went missing,” he said, “Anton issued an invitation to everyone to move to Montana. Millie and I had already decided it was time to leave Colorado. Daci and her boys”—he shot a teasing grin at Matt and Deacon—“have decided to move here, and Millie and I intend to do the same. There’s strength in numbers. Whatever’s coming, I think we can handle it better if we’re together.”

Luc nodded. He glanced at Tia and then looked directly at Stefan. “We’ve talked about it as well. San Francisco is a better, more centralized location for Pack Dynamics, but the reality is, we can work from anywhere. Now that Tinker’s flying the chopper, we’ve got a mobility we lacked before. Anton’s got terrific facilities here. The landing pad is great and the hangar he’s planning to build will be plenty big enough for both the helicopter and any other aircraft he might want to add.”

“Weather’s an issue in winter,” Mik added, “but it can be just as bad in the Bay Area due to the fog and winds. It’s a trade-off we’re willing to make to have our kids grow up with a forest around them instead of high-rises and concrete.”

Tala nodded. “A forest, and others like them. We all know what it was like growing up, feeling so different and not knowing why. I want it better for our kids. I want the chance to do it right for them. We can do that here.”

Shannon raised her hand. “I’m a credentialed teacher. So is Tia, and Mei’s just waiting on the paperwork, though how she managed to get her degree with Leo and Emeline I’ll never understand.” She grinned at Mei, who’d worked her tail off for the college education she’d always wanted. “I imagine there are others here as well who can teach, and definitely more than enough kids to start our own school.”

Jake patted her flat stomach. “Goddess knows, we’ve done our part.”

Laughing, she swatted his hand away. “You’ll notice we stopped at three,” she said.

Jake rolled his eyes and drawled, “But didja have ta do them all at once?”

Laughter followed, and soon ideas were flowing, along with talk about where so many new families would live. Stefan glanced at Adam and tuned out the noise.
Baylor and Manda decided to go to DC today instead of waiting until morning. They’ve already got Sunny’s paperwork squared away. Nick’s out of the hospital, but everyone’s exhausted. Bay says they’ll get a hotel room tonight, pick up Sunny tomorrow as soon as she’s ready, and fly out in the morning.

They’ve already got her paperwork? How’d that happen?

Folks at the White House expedited everything. They agreed that, given the fact she’s probably Chanku, it’s a good idea to get her far from Washington before anyone figures it out. Poor kid . . . Manda said all her belongings fit in a single bag. I hope you and Logan can help her.