Chapter 4

Chapter

Four

J ean-Edouard was not surprised that his mother wasn't at breakfast. She hadn't been in her room either, when he'd gone to say good morning. At nineteen and at this time of the year he should be in London. His mother had insisted he continue his studies at the London School of Economics and Political Science after his father had been killed.

Ramon DeMoncada—the man thought to be dead and who had brought so much destruction to wolfen society—had been spotted in Europe a decade earlier and then disappeared. It took years of searching to find him again. Two years earlier, DeMoncada had been located far from the sunny climate of Spain, in the Steppes of Russia. By then he had amassed an army and those in the Coalition—his parents' greatest friends and allies—rose up to battle him once more.

Jean-Michel had deemed Jean-Edouard too young to fight and had charged him with taking care of his mother, his siblings, and his pack. He had been with them when word reached him that his father had led the final assault on the stronghold. Jean-Michel had died heroically, saving the women that had been kidnapped and taken to the fortress, and many of the lives of those who fought alongside him.

Cameron Nichols, the Alpha of Galveston and Wolf Meadow, came to the plantation. The breakfast room went still when Cameron and his mate, Riley, entered. His mother stood and faced them, unshed tears glistening in her eyes.

"He's gone, isn't he?"

The gasps of horror and grief from the rest of the pack were audible.

"I'm so sorry, Darby. He gave his life for those who followed him and to save the she-wolves DeMoncada sacrificed to make his escape."

"Mistress," said JD, the pack's beta, "Perhaps you should sit down."

In any other circumstances, JD would have been at his father's side, but Jean-Michel had insisted he remain behind to ensure the safety of his family and his mate.

"No, JD, I'll stand."

"Mother?" Skylar said, tears streaming down her beautiful face. "It can't be true. Papa wouldn't leave us. He wouldn't. He promised me he'd come back."

"I know, sweetheart," his mother said, turning to take her daughter's hands into hers. "But Cameron wouldn't be here if he wasn't sure. Your father believed he had no choice but to join the fight to put down that cur." She turned to Cameron. "Tell me he's dead. Tell me DeMoncada is dead."

"I wish I could, but we think he escaped."

His mother looked as if she had been struck. Jean-Edouard had never been as proud of his sister as he was at that moment. He watched as she shed the cocoon of her childhood and the awkward caterpillar became the butterfly. She wrapped her arm around their mother's waist.

"Jean-Edouard," said Skylar, "See that our guests are given something to eat. I'll take mother upstairs."

He felt a presence beside him. It was Brianna, and he wondered why it surprised him. He had long ago recognized it was her scent that he'd been born with in his nostrils. Brianna was such a quiet girl—always watching. Yet, when she slipped her hand in his, he'd never been as reassured by anything as he was by that small, intimate gesture.

Cameron started toward Darby, Jean-Edouard assumed to help her, but it was his son, Travis that reached her first.

"I'm so sorry," said Travis to Skylar, before putting his arm around Darby.

"No," said his mother quietly. "We don't have time to grieve…"

"Mistress?" questioned JD.

"Cameron, inform those bastards at the Ruling Council that my son is declared Alpha of New Orleans and that his pack will defend his claim."

"He's not yet of age, Darby. They may well fight you."

Darby smiled as she lifted her head. "Then let them come. We could use the exercise."

The pack roared and howled in approval and support, recognizing the challenge Jean-Michel had once issued to the governing body of wolfen society.

A year later and his mother was still mourning. There were times when grief almost drove her to her knees, and he knew their bonding anniversary would be among them.

The Ruling Council had objected to one of the most powerful packs in the world being handed over to an eighteen-year-old wolf. They had sent representatives to tell his mother that they would appoint someone else to rule in his father's stead. His mother had driven them out of her home at knifepoint and the pack, with the backing of the Coalition, had made it clear that the Mistress of New Orleans would rule until Jean-Edouard came of age.

"I saw her head for the bluff," said JD quietly.

"Thank you. I'll go see to her."

JD laid his hand on Jean-Edouard's shoulder. "Leave her be. She keeps so much of her grief bottled up, sometimes she needs to let go. She can't, or won't do that, in front of you or your siblings. Besides, Rémy is much better at shadowing someone without their knowledge and he is with her."

Jean-Edouard smiled. "I swear he spends far too much time with the Welsh Wolf."

"Perhaps. But he needs to find his place in the world."

"His place is here at Rivière Du Loup."

"No, he is an alpha and will find his own pack to rule. I worry that he remains behind while you're in London, waiting for you to return. Once you're back, I fear he will search for DeMoncada."

"There's been no word of him since the battle that claimed my father's life."

JD nodded. "But no one will believe him gone until there's a body."

"I should come back home. Tulane has an excellent economics department."

"We're fine, Alpha. The pack and your family are in no danger. You finish your studies in London. Then you can come home, take Brianna to mate, and claim your rightful place."

"Brianna Owen? The Welsh Wolf's daughter? I don't think she'd do at all. I know all of you have this romantic notion of a fated mate, but I don't. Maybe in the past, it was possible for a man, such as my father, to believe in some foolish legend. But I am not my father, I am far more practical. I need to look to someone who would bring a strategic alliance to our pack."

"Jean-Edouard your father followed his heart…"

"Yes and look where that got him—dead. He believed himself to be immortal…"

"No. Your father knew the risks he took and thought them necessary in order to protect your mother, your sister and your little brothers. He always said an alpha needed the intense connection of a fated mate—someone he knew had always been destined to be his."

Jean-Edouard snorted. "Besides, Briana's awfully quiet and a bit odd, don't you think? Her books are not exactly great literature or even proper. I need a different kind of mate, one whose pack would benefit our own. One who is respectable and schooled to be mistress of a great pack. I have been introduced to the daughter of the Alpha of London, Camilla. She's a lovely girl—I think she would be far better suited as mistress here. I would be fortunate to be allowed to court her."

JD shook his head. "She isn't your fated mate and you know it."

"Perhaps, but that isn't important. Besides, I have no intention of asking Griffin Owen if I can pay court to his daughter. Why not go to the other extreme and recommend I consider Piper Nichols? That hellion is as bad as Skylar. You have no idea what the two of them get up to."

"Don't I? Do you really think I would allow your father's only daughter to be doing something I'm not aware of? The two of them are thick as thieves with Abriana DeMedici, whose father owns one of the most exclusive BDSM clubs in the world."

"But if you know…"

"Your mother has forbidden me to do anything other than ensure they are safe and treated with respect. I suggest you do the same. Now come and have breakfast. Your mother isn't inclined to be overly self-indulgent. She will spend some time alone at your father's grave, weeping, and then return to us."

For a moment, Jean-Edouard lost his iron grip on his own grief. His father had been taken far too soon. No one knew, but Rémy had already spoken of finding DeMoncada and making him pay. His other two brothers, Lucien and Octavio, were far too young. And Skylar was a girl. Jean-Edouard meant to ensure that Rémy did not face the devil alone.

"Why did he have to die? He should've died of old age in bed with my mother," he said, holding back the emotion that he feared if he let loose would destroy him.

"He should have. I miss him too. He was my best friend from the time we were boys. You know he and your mother used to always wonder how they had created such a serious child as you. But I know you, Jean-Edouard. You are your father's son in so many ways. He knew it too. He trained you to lead this pack and died knowing the pack was in good hands."

"Good to see you, big brother," Rémy said.

Jean-Edouard tried to hide the way he almost jumped out of his skin at the surprise of his brother's voice right behind him. "You have got to quit doing that."

Rémy moved with an inborn stealth and grace, entering a room without anyone noticing. He had appeared only a few moments before his mother could be seen coming across the patio to enter the house. Even at twelve, Rémy could move like a wraith—slipping in and out unseen by anyone. It was kind of spooky.

Rémy gave him a wolfish grin. "Why? If I keep practicing, someday I might be able to sneak up on Uncle Griffin. I could teach you if you want. That way maybe you can sneak up on Brianna."

"Why would I want to sneak up on Brianna?"

"Because she's your fated mate. Besides, the girl is gaga over you even though you ignore her every chance you get."

JD chuckled, Rémy laughed, and Jean-Edouard paid no attention to either of them in favor of going to greet his mother, who was entering the dining room.

"Mother, let me get your chair," said Jean-Edouard, pulling one out to make room at her place at the table.

"Thank you, sweetheart. But what are you doing home? Shouldn't you be in London?"

Rémy joined them, leaning down to kiss his mother's cheek.

"I took my exams early. I wanted to be with you," said Jean-Edouard.

She smiled at him. "My sweet boy. JD?"

"Yes, Mistress?"

"After breakfast, I'd like a little bit of time alone before our guests arrive."

"Yes, Mistress. I will ensure all is ready."

They finished breakfast and Jean-Edouard went with JD to go over the pack's finances. When the door to the study closed behind them, he turned to JD "She seems fine. A bit more subdued, but much better than I thought she'd be."

"Your mother is good at hiding her feelings. I rather suspect she won't be fine for a very long time, if she ever recovers at all. She and your father were fated mates. They breathed the same air, shared one heart, and lived in each other's thoughts and emotions. She puts on a good front, but Megan and Summer worry that she has so internalized her grief that it has festered and may never heal. You should know the others from Bae Diogel are on their way here with the DeMedicis."

"Are we prepared to host a houseful of guests?"

"Guests that are like family. And yes, we are. They want to surprise her and didn't want her to be alone."

Jean-Edouard chuckled. "My mother couldn't be alone if her life depended on it. Rémy following her out to Father's grave is proof of that."

"Indeed," said JD with a smile.

A few hours later, the sound of a plane coming up the Mississippi and landing on their private airstrip disturbed the household. Darby came out of the library.

"JD are we expecting anyone? See that the men are armed and let's go meet our guests," she growled, heading out the door. "If it's those bastards from the Ruling Council again, I say we give them a greeting they never forget."

"Don't you think we should tell her?"

" Non . I haven't seen her this animated since the last fight she had with your father about his leaving." JD's eyes filled with tears. "God, those two could fight. She was the only one who could truly stand up to him."

"But they loved each other."

JD nodded. "And they did so with their hearts wide open. They never held anything back—in the way they loved or in the way they fought."

Geoff, the pack's omega, joined them. "I saw Darby. She said to arm the men. Why are you standing here? She's going out to face those bastards alone."

"Take it easy Geoff," said Jean-Edouard. "My mother is perfectly safe. It isn't the Ruling Council, it's her origin pack—Bae Diogel."

The tension left the omega's body. "Of course. I should have known. They would never let her face this anniversary alone. Of course, alone is a relative term when one is the pack's beloved mistress."

D arby grabbed one of the golf carts they kept available for running around the estate and drove to the landing strip. How dare those bastards show their faces! It was because of them and their predecessors' ineffective and corrupt leadership that her Jean-Michel was dead. She had forgiven him for leaving her to go into battle. His honor would have allowed him to do nothing less, but she had no intention of forgiving those who had caused the situation.

She arrived just as the gangway descended from the large jet. The first person through the door was Catherine DeMedici.

" Ciao , Darby. I was in the neighborhood and thought I'd drop in," she called, waving.

Darby's breath caught in her throat. Following behind her were her daughter's namesake, Roz, Ava, Maddie, Riley and Shea, with their respective mates and children bringing up the rear. They hadn't forgotten. They'd known how very much she would need them on this day more than any other. The last time they had all gathered had been for Jean-Michel's celebration of life. Darby ran to her friends and was immediately engulfed in their embrace.

Approaching vehicles made her raise her head. Seeing her son's and JD's smiling faces, she shook her finger ruefully at them.

" J'accuse !" she called.

"Guilty as charged," answered the pack's beta. "Gentlemen, leave your luggage. Our people will be up to get it and have it taken to your rooms. And your timing is perfect—Claudine has lunch prepared. You'll have just enough time to freshen up first if you'd like."

Their guests divided up amongst the various modes of transportation. Skylar Grainger, Roz Halsey, and Catherine DeMedici joined her in the golf cart.

"I didn't see Marco or Griffin. Are they not joining us?"

Catherine growled. "When we got to North Carolina, Griffin pulled Marco aside and the next thing I knew, he was telling me they had urgent business and would join us as soon as possible. Naturally, Maddie took it all in stride and was the perfect mate. If I'd had something to smash over his arrogant head, I would have."

Darby laughed. "I remember when Marco told Jean-Michel he should get me to use pottery instead of knives." There was an awkward silence. "Come on. It was funny… true, but funny. He would have hated if we all remembered him with sadness. Do you know the first French phrase I ever learned? Laissez le bon temps rouler . Let the good times roll. He told me our pack celebrated every chance we got so that when the hard times came, as they always would, that we'd have those happy memories to sustain us. I'm declaring our time of mourning over. I wonder if we have any fireworks on hand. I'm going to ask JD and see if we can't put on one helluva display tonight."

"Now that sounds like a plan worthy of your pirate king!" said Roz with a grin. "I say we put Oliver in charge of margaritas and tell him to keep 'em coming."