Chapter 4

Chaos of thought and passion, all confused; Still by himself abused or disabused - Alexander Pope, An Essay on Man

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Drying off my sweat covered face, the smell of lavender tickling my nose, I looked at the dry erase board. In the top left corner, I had Ian’s personnel file. Next to it were a couple of others I thought could be Caius. He was once a commander of armies and I started second-guessing my idea of him being a bootlicker. He was probably among the enforcers. If the praetor’s chief enforcer wasn’t a woman that’s where I would’ve looked first.

*Caius, shouldn’t be our priority. Not when we have Ian so close. I don’t care if Caius gets away in this lifetime as long as we get Ian.*

I frowned. *Really? But he's the one that agreed and let Ian kill your son?*

*Yes, his brother was dying. Ian was the one who had no personal investment but put forth the idea. He’s the more dangerous of the two.*

“Hm, all right, Jefe. So forget Caius,” I said and tapped my finger on the Fredrick Willow’s Manor picture. “The praetor and his people are staying here. We’ll need to find out what the routine’s looking like and what room he’s staying in.”

*And without raising suspicion.*

“I suppose we could fabricate some kind of evidence to take to Ian,” I said, still tapping the picture.

*Or you could go to the expert.*

“Have you lost your mind?” He couldn’t be serious.

*It’s the quickest way and she’ll probably give us more accurate information.*

“Yes, but the risk is ten times greater. Do I need to remind you what happened when I asked about the liaison?” I scowled as Balric had the gall to start laughing.

*Well, you could use your evidence excuse on her, and that way you don’t seem too interested.*

“Yeah right, like that worked last time,” I complained then sighed. “Well at least this time, the guy doesn’t want to get into my pants. Alright, I’ll call her.” With the speed and cheer of the condemned, I went into the living room and picked up my phone.

“Desi, qué pasa, Chica?” my sister answered with a tone that would more associate with a fifteen-year-old girl rather than a twenty-five-year-old woman. The only thing missing was the wet smack of gum.

“Hey, Tina. I was wondering if you could help me.”

The line was silent for a breath. “Who is he?” Tina’s voice had gone from cheery teen to a sultry purr.

*See, I told you so.* “It’s not like that.”

“But it’s a guy, right? You want information on a guy,” Tina insisted.

*Just wait. She might come through.*

*Doubt it,* I told him. “Yes, it’s a guy, but no, I’m not asking because I’m interested in him.”

Tina broke down into snickering giggles. “Who is it? One of the men who came with the praetor?” she asked then gasped. “Is it Praetor Noah? Sam said you got a little weird around him yesterday.”

“No it’s not him and I did not get weird!”

Another fit of giggles erupted from my sister. “Oh my God, wait till Mom hears about this. My little sister finally has a crush.”

The plastic of the phone squeaked as my hand tightened. “You will not say a word to Mom about this,” I said, forcing my grip to loosen. “I heard about the dinner fiasco yesterday. That woman is lucky I don’t disown her and if you don’t want to be disowned too then you better not breathe a word of this in her direction.”

“Venga ya! You’re twenty-two. There is no need to be embarrassed because you’re attracted to the praetor. In fact, I’d be worried if you weren’t,” Tina told me.

“I am not attracted to Praetor Noah.” My voice was slow and over-enunciating each word. Thankfully, it was basically true. That feeling I felt around the praetor went way beyond simple attraction. “Besides I don’t want to ask about him but his blade, Ian Renner.”

“Oh, the blade? Got a bad boy thing going on, huh? He’s cute too but isn’t he kind of old for you? Besides the rumor is he’s got a little somethin, somethin with one of the women that came with the praetor.”

With a sigh, I lifted my eyes to the ceiling searching for some kind of divine intervention. When it didn’t come I told her, “Tina, can’t a person ask about another person of the opposite sex without being attracted to them?”

“No.” Tina’s voice was such a deadpan, it left no doubt to its certainty.

“You know what, forget it. Forget I ever said anything since you’d rather make fun of me than actually help me,” I said, laying on the exasperation for maximum effect.

3...2...1…

“No! Wait! I’m sorry! Desi! Desi, don’t hang up! I’ll help.”

I grinned, preening with victory. “All right, I suppose I can give you another chance. So tell me what do you know about Ian Renner?”

Tina made a disgruntled sound. “Oh no, we can’t do this over the phone. It just so happens I’m going to meet Mia, the praetor’s secretary or is it personal assistant. Whatever, I’m meeting her for brunch in about ten minutes. How about I swing by and pick you up?”

I would rather do the tango with a honey badger in mating season, but eavesdropping on a meeting between the two women might prove useful. One social bee could give you something sweet, two or more held the promise of honey. “Alright. Fine. I’ll go.”

“Great, I’ll see you in five,” Tina said, sounding genuinely excited.

“Woohoo,” I said in a dead tone as I set down the phone and went to jump into the shower to at least rinse off all the sweat from my work out that morning.

###

Willows Manor was the home of Alpha Frederick Willows. He not only founded the pack here but Willow Creek too. There used to be a little creek which gave the town its second part of the name. It was said to have run through the northeast side of town, but it had dried up a long time ago.

His home now was a guesthouse for those visiting and were too important to stay at the Claymont’s’ B&B like normal people. Though seeing as the praetor’s liaison had been murdered there, I really couldn’t really blame the praetor if he stayed the hell away from it. In fact, that was a shadow that probably was going to haunt the B&B for a long time. I tried to push away the guilt as I got out of my sister’s Kia and looked at the historical manor.

“I still can’t believe you decided to wear that,” Tina complained as she shut her door. “You look like a terrorist for Greenpeace or something.”

I smiled at her. Tina was dressed in an elegant black and white dress that stopped at her knees with matching heels. A classy black jacket that stopped at her hips. While I dressed in a light brown tunic top, jeans, and heavy combat boots. “What’s wrong with the way I’m dressed?”

Tina gave me the look. It said I should know exactly what’s wrong, it was so obvious that even a baboon would know what’s wrong. “We’re going to have brunch with Mia Reynolds, the praetor’s personal assistant. You should’ve put in some effort. You know, he’s never going to notice you dressed like that.” I started to tell her I didn’t want to be noticed when Tina waved a dismissive hand at me. “Come on, let’s not keep her waiting.”

We walked up the gray, stone steps onto the porch, made from the same stone. Tina knocked on the door and an older woman opened the door giving Tina a friendly smile and let us in. She must have been the caretaker because I’d seen her before. The caretaker stopped in front of a large square archway that opened up to a cozy parlor.

The muted red walls, floral patterned furniture, and antique candle holders that decorated the fireplace gave the room a feeling as if time had stopped in the eighteen hundreds and refused to go on. The potpourri and incense made my nose itch.

“Tina, lovely that you made it,” Mia said from an overstuffed chair, the floral pattern an aged gold on a dark olive backdrop. Steam slowly lifted up from the cup she held.

“Of course, I wouldn’t miss this for the world,” Tina replied, taking off her jacket and leaving it on a coat rack just outside the room. “I hope you don’t mind, I invited my sister along. Mia, this is Desirée, Desi this is Mia, Praetor Noah’s personal assistant.”

“Oh yes, the girl working on finding the Betrayer,” Mia replied with a kind smile, but I could tell the woman already deemed me as unimportant which suited me just fine.

Tina sat in a chair identical to Mia’s that was a few feet across from her. I took a seat on the silver floral, pearl white love seat to the left of the twin chairs. Noticing a tray of cookies and finger cakes on the glass and wood coffee table I picked up a cookie and listened in as the two women began to talk.

I had my fill of tea and cookies a half-hour later, yet hadn’t learned anything from Mia and Tina’s conversation. They talked mostly about what people were wearing and if it was a good fashion decision or not and it bored me to tears after the first five minutes. Tired of waiting, I decided to jump into the conversation. “So are all the praetor’s people staying here? It doesn’t seem like there would be enough room.”

Tina smiled at me, still confident that all of this was because I was infatuated with a man, but Mia looked a little stunned. I was willing to wager it had more to do with the fact she forgot that I was even there than the question itself. “Yes,” she said finally. “All of the praetor’s people are staying here. Praetor Noah, his brother, and I are on the top floor while the others have the rooms here on the first floor.”

A sudden surge of jealousy hit me so hard it stole my breath. It was immediately followed by an irrational hate for Mia, her appearance, and the several college degrees I knew she had. I forced a smile on my face, pushing away the unfamiliar emotions, and dipped my head as if I found the answer interesting.

“What about the blade? I’m surprised that Ian isn’t staying up there too,” Tina asked.

A wave of gratitude replaced the previous jealousy and I could have kissed my sister.

“The Praetor and his brother are both skilled fighters. They could be the blade themselves if they weren’t in the positions they are in now. So there is no need for Ian’s protection,” Mia explained, sounding proud which did nothing to calm my irrational hate for her.

In turn, it made me hate myself. I wasn’t the jealous or envious type. It wasn’t me; at all. *Does this ever go away?*

*I’ve never had a mate so I can’t be completely sure, but I do believe it’s supposed to decrease in intensity over time. We are always a little possessive of our mates, Desi. It’s just how we are.*

“Really,” said Tina, catching my attention again. “That’s impressive.”

“They are impressive men,” Mia told her and the conversation turned to the praetor and his brother.

I tried to hold in a sigh as I glanced around the room for a clock. The only one I saw was an ornamental piece on a bookcase set into the wall and it didn’t appear to be working. My sister and Mia showed no signs of slowing or talking about something I could use against Ian.

I was about to excuse myself when someone barked for Mia and a second later the praetor marched into the room but paused when he saw Tina then me. The incense and potpourri must have drowned out his scent because I had no idea he was there until he spoke. “Sorry, I didn’t realize you had guests.” The apology sounded odd to me. He didn’t seem like a man who apologized often or perhaps even easily.

Tina jumped up from the chair and held her hand out to Praetor Noah. “Hello Sir, it’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Tina de Léon,” she said then added as he shook her hand, “I believe you already met my sister, Desi.”

I could almost feel the weight of his gaze, but I didn’t look up from my lap to see if it was true or my imagination. “That I have. It seems that I’m in luck. I was going to ask Mia to get in contact with her.”

“What for?” I asked, looking over my shoulder at him. There didn’t seem to be any reason for him to talk to me again. When he gave me a steely, questioning look I realized my mistake. Darting my eyes back to my lap, I mumbled, “I mean yes, Sir.”

“Mia and Ms. de Léon would you mind giving us some privacy, and Mia tell, my brother and Carl to join us,” the praetor told them. I nearly cringed at what Tina must think of such a request.

Mia seemed as stunned as I was. It took her a second to get up from her chair and leave the parlor.

“Hey Desi, want me to wait for you?” Tina asked with a twinkle in her eyes, promising an interrogation would soon follow.

“No, you go ahead. I’ll call you later.”

“I can’t wait,” Tina said, sounding like the devil’s advocate that she was.

I rolled my eyes before I lowered them back to my lap. I played with the button of a pocket on my pants as the praetor sat across from me, sending his scent washing over me. Just like before, I felt a wave of a vertigo-like sensation. This time I noted it wasn’t as bad as it was yesterday. I could at least still think somewhat.

“You look different,” Praetor Noah said after a moment.

“I’m not trying to impress anyone today,” I replied before I could fully process the words. “Not that I was trying to impress anyone yesterday. It was more of not wanting to embarrass my parents.” And that didn’t make it sound any better. *Bal, shoot me and put me out of my misery, please.*

“I’m not sure if I should be upset by that or not,” the Praetor said, with an almost smile at the corner of his mouth.

*I stand corrected, this idea of going to your sister was a bad idea. You need to get out of here Desi.*

*No kidding! Can I say I told you so, now?* I shrugged in response to the praetor’s comment as I drummed my fingers on my knee. “Why would the praetor care about the intentions of one submissive wolf,” I said then took a sharp breath as Praetor Noah leaned forward towards me, resting his elbows, his eyes meeting mine.

“Every Intention and opinion of every member of the pack is important to the alpha and you’re not just some submissive wolf, Desirée. You have exposed Balric far more than he’s ever been,” he said.

My heart pounded so loud I was sure the praetor had to hear it. It wasn’t helping that my chest seemed to tighten, making it harder for me to breathe. Once again I felt as if he could see right through all my masks. “That’s nothing, I just looked at the right places,” I told him, hoping others would show up soon.

Praetor Noah started to say something, but Carl joined us, taking the seat Mia had been sitting in. Before relief could settle in, a new scent, similar to the praetor’s, but more earthy, hit me. My whole body seized as my vision darkened for a second then all I could seem to focus on was the man who joined us, taking the chair my sister had taken.

He wasn’t as tall or as broad as the praetor, his hair darker and his features softer, but they were so similar to the praetor’s that he could be none other than his brother. Unlike Praetor Noah, this man wore a hoodie, jeans, and a lazy smile, but like the praetor, power flowed off him.

A stab of pain shot through my temple as Balric pushed on my mind. I dropped my eyes again, curling my hands into fists as I tried to get my body under control. *What’s going on? Why am I feeling this again?*

*I…I don’t know. It’s like he’s your mate as well.* Balric sounded as confused as I felt.

*How is that even possible? How can two men be my mate?* And brothers for God’s sake.

*I’ve heard of having more than one mate before but never at the same time…unless…*

Realizing the world was still moving on without me, I cleared my throat. “Excuse me I have to use the restroom.”

“Of course, it’s just down the hall,” Praetor Noah said. His eyes watching me with curiosity.

I stood up quickly and rushed around the love seat only to trip over a rug. Sharp pain sliced through my knee as it hit the hardwood floor, vibrating through me.

“Whoa. Hey, you alright?” the man said, and before I could stop him, his hand wrapped around my arm, helping me up. I gasped as heat flamed from where he touched me and spread throughout my body.

“Thank you,” I said, my voice was a tight, airy sound. “Excuse me.” I pulled from his grip and ran into the bathroom.