Chapter 20

Robert Montgomery

I never thought the day would come when I would be annoyed at being stuck in meetings. I've always been a workaholic. When you're always working, you don't have time to think about which parts of your life are lacking.

But now, these meetings simply seem like they're interrupting my time with Charlotte. She told me she'd be heading to the animal shelter tonight. I don't want her around that vet, Ricky. He's not human. I don't know what he is, but the day Charlotte was attacked, he realized that I had figured out he isn't a human.

I didn't even get the chance to confront him. As soon as I walked him out, he told me to give her my blood if I wanted her to heal. While I processed the abrupt instruction, he disappeared. I tried going to find him at the shelter, but once again, I couldn't find it.

I don't want Charlotte being someplace I can't access, but the darkly possessive side of me that always comes out when it concerns my woman might drive her away. Charlotte isn't foolish; she's quite level-headed. But despite how fragile she is, she will never let me cage her in order to protect her. That's why I gave her the gun.

The meeting is close to wrapping up when I see her name pop up on my phone. I decline the call, planning to call her back as soon as the meeting ends. But the text message that gets displayed next has me going still.

I'm already out the conference room door, dialing her number.

The call connects, but for a moment there's silence, and then she begins to speak.

Only it's not to me.

I've never moved faster in my life.

Charlotte's location tracking is always turned on, and at my request, she downloaded an app that helps me pinpoint where her phone is. But that's not the only thing sending me in her direction. My wolf also knows where she is. It's like a pulling sensation on my soul. She's not far, but she's not safe, either.

I don't bother with the car.

I run.

Close. She's so close, I can taste her.

The gasping sound, the crashing noise.

Something is wrong with Charlotte.

My wolf is seeing red.

She needs us. She's in pain.

This foreign sensation is like a presence within me that feels right, feels warm. It's like a flicker of light that I can't quite catch. I'm no longer making rational decisions, my wolf overtaking me.

I know where she is. Even the rain can't completely shroud her nearness.

The sound of her retching reaches my ears as I burst into the coffee shop. The vampire standing by the bathroom door tries to stop me, but I shove him aside without a thought. As he snarls, I put my hand on the door handle and yank it open, the smell of blood heavy in the air.

I don't hear the sound of the lock breaking or see the terrified look on Charlotte's face. All I see is the blood staining her mouth and hands, an unnatural color that frightens me to the core.

She takes one step toward me and I have her wrapped in my arms.

Her tense frame relaxes, and the panic of my wolf subsides for a moment. There are questions in my head, concerns about my wolf's reaction, but now is not the time. My eyes barely glance at the broken marble of the sink, but I absorb this information in the back of my mind for later perusal.

"Why are you bleeding? Are you hurt?"

Her affect has changed slightly, and when she looks at me, there's an amber tinge to her green eyes.

"I'm okay," she tries to reassure me, but the way her hands are shaking tells me she's lying. When I try to move her toward the doorway, she looks over her shoulder. "The bathroom…"

"I'll have someone fix the damage," I tell her comfortingly. "Let it be my problem."

Charlotte doesn't fight me on it. She just nods.

I help her out of the bathroom and close the door behind me, coming face to face with Terrence Balcom. My information about this man is limited. Since there is only one Terrence in the Nelo Clan, it wasn't hard to look him up. His father is one of Beruth's advisors. But aside from that and what Charlotte told me, I haven't been able to find out much about him.

However, right now, in my eyes, he is the biggest threat there is.

"Get away from her!" Terrence says coldly, his eyes flashing.

I bare my teeth at him in a vicious smile. "And hand her over to you? Why, so you can take her back to your clan? Like leading a lamb to the slaughter?"

"You're getting involved in things that have nothing to do with you," Terrence snarls. "This is the Nelo Clan's matter. If you get involved, we will not sit idly—"

"But Charlotte isn't part of the Nelo Clan anymore, now, is she?" I pull her closer to me in a deliberate act. "She is, and has been, under the Montgomery Pack's protection for months now. So if you try to stop her from leaving with me, I'll be using that as an excuse to wipe out your little clan once and for all."

"Charlotte!" Terrence suddenly seems to realize what is going on. "You've been—He's the enemy!"

"To the clan, perhaps." Charlotte pulls away from me, facing Terrence. "To me, Robert is someone who has protected me. He saved me when Arabella was about to kill me. I didn't see you or anyone else from the clan coming to my rescue that night. My loyalties are no longer with the Nelo Clan."

"So you're siding against us?" Terrence says, hurt in his voice.

"No." Her answer surprises me. "I'm siding with the person who's protecting the life I've built. The clan wants me dead. I'd be a fool to return to them. I'm not going with you." She takes a step forward. "You've been gone a long time, Terrence. We're both different people. I'm sorry, but things have changed. I don't belong in the Nelo Clan anymore, and I will never go back, no matter what you put on the table. I don't know why I'm being stalked by them, but they clearly want to harm me. So, if you want to do anything for me, get them to leave me alone. Come on, Robert."

Grabbing my hand, Charlotte pulls me out of the coffee shop before freezing in the doorway and glancing up at me, her voice a whisper. "My bag. All my stuff is in it. The gun!"

I want to laugh. "So much for your dramatic exit, huh?"

She gives me a sheepish grin.

I look at the trench coat and hold out my hand. "Give me that and wait here."

Walking back inside, I see the barista, who is looking shocked from the sight of all the blood. "I'm sending someone to clean up and fix the damage in the bathroom. My girlfriend was sick."

Terrence is sitting now, his eyes dark as I approach his table. Picking up Charlotte's belongings, I toss his coat onto the seat across from him. Meeting his gaze, and unable to stop myself, I tell him, "She's never going to be yours. Keep that in mind. I've already claimed her."

Fury fills his eyes, and I smile, satisfied.

******

We're both drenched from walking back to the office to pick up my car. Charlotte is quiet throughout the walk and as we start to drive.

I have questions, but I'll save them for later.

I've already contacted Harry to send a cleanup crew. I also asked him to take a sample of the blood that Charlotte threw up. Something about it doesn't sit right with me.

Charlotte finally speaks, looking at me curiously. "This isn't the way to your house."

I keep my eyes on the road. "I'm bringing you to the shelter so Ricky can take a look at you."

"Why?" Her voice is tense. "There's no reason to. I'm fine."

"I know you think you're fine, but your scent has changed," I confess.

"What's that supposed to mean?" She sniffs herself as if that will provide the answer. "Do I stink?"

"No." I chuckle lightly, unable to help myself at her amusing reaction. "You could never stink."

The way she gags at my words makes me chortle.

I'm not worried about her. She seems fine, and I don't want to frighten her. It's better to pretend everything is okay. Charlotte has enough on her plate without adding more problems. However, it is true that her scent has changed. There's something sweeter and wilder about it. I can't put my finger on it, but my wolf likes it. He's been nudging me ever since she got in my car.

As we pull onto the street where the animal shelter is, I slow down. I can't see the place. It's as if my brain is scrambling.

"What are you doing?" Charlotte suddenly touches my arm. "You're driving right past it."

"Sorry," I mutter. I still can't see it.

After parking the car, I open my umbrella and rush to meet Charlotte as she is getting out. Shielding her from the rain, I let her walk slightly in front of me. She gives me a strange look that I ignore. As she puts her hand on the glass door, I suddenly recognize the shelter.

My suspicions are growing.

"Ricky?" Charlotte calls out. As she sets down her bag, she gives me an irritable look. "I don't know what you think he can do for me. We should have gone home first so I could change into something dry. I look like a drowned rat."

"A very pretty, drowned rat," I supplement helpfully, already knowing I'm going to pay dearly for the wiseass comment.

She stomps on my foot, and the strength behind the stomp has me gasping.

"Holy—"

"Charlotte?" Ricky walks out of the back room, and his eyes widen in shock at the sight of us, or mostly her. "What happened?! Are you hurt?!"

"She vomited," I tell him. "A lot. Something that smelled like rotten blood."

Ricky's eyes sharpen. "What did you say?"

"Rotten blood?" Charlotte tilts her head at me in surprise. "Is that really what it smelled like?"

However, my focus is on Ricky, and the troubled expression on his face doesn't escape me.

"How're you feeling right now?" Ricky asks her.

"Fresh. Better than I have in ages," Charlotte replies warily.

"Good. There's a spare set of clothes in the back room. Go change into them and leave what you have on there. I want to take a sample of the blood."

As she nods and walks away, I say, "I'm already getting a sample collected and delivered to you, but with all the hocus pocus you've got around this place, I don't know if my guy is going to be able to find it."

Charlotte is already gone when I say the last part, and the way Ricky reacts to the phrase "hocus-pocus" confirms my suspicions.

He crosses his arms over his chest and studies me for a couple of long minutes. "It's a necessary precaution. I don't need people finding out what I am. But you seem to know."

"Initially, I thought you were a warlock, but I've been studying up on the history of your kind, and now my guess is that you're a witch. You are, aren't you? Warlocks manifest their power from the dead while witches use nature."

"Smart." Ricky smiles coolly. "You are in my home, though, so if you plan to kill me, I can kill you in a hundred ways first, before you can even take a step."

"I'm not looking to kill you," I say flatly. "But I do want to know if you are allied with the vampires."

"I'm not allied with anyone," Ricky scoffs.

"But you have a vampire staff," I point out.

Ricky gives me a disdainful look. "You can hardly call Charlotte a vampire. She's not ruthless like them, or like your kind. She's a gentle soul. Your kind and vampires consider those who are soft and gentle to be weak. Witches consider those to be powerful character traits. After everything Charlotte has suffered, there is still room in her heart for forgiveness. She is still capable of love. She's a strong person."

"How do you know what she's been through?" I demand, on guard now.

Ricky merely smiles at me. "I have my ways. I have kept Charlotte safe for two years. I didn't just appear in Portland on a whim. I came here for Charlotte."

"What does that mean?" My brows knit together. "What do you want from Charlotte?"

"Nothing. I just came here to protect her."

"From what?"

Ricky shrugs. "Anyone and everyone, Mr. Montgomery. Charlotte is very special. She is the anchor."

"The what?"

His smile broadens. "You wouldn't understand."

"Then explain it to me." I take a step forward, my voice threatening.

"I'm not obliged to explain anything to you," Ricky replies, giving me a cool look. "I'm not answerable to you. You should focus on Charlotte. If you say the blood had a rotten smell to it, that can only mean one thing."

My jaw hardens. "Poison?"

"Maybe." Ricky's expression has turned grim. "Until I have a sample to work with, I can't know for sure, but it sounds more like her body rejected something. Check her blood supply."

"What blood supply?" I blink.

The witch's eyes narrow. "The blood bags. Charlotte may not be like the others, but she is still a vampire who needs blood to survive. She must be consuming at least one bag a week."

"I've never seen her—"

"She won't drink blood in front of you!" Ricky gives me a look filled with disbelief. "Go find the blood and smell it. If it's tainted with something, you'll be able to tell, and we'll be able to figure out the source of this incident."

I can hear a door opening, so I lower my voice, pretty sure Charlotte isn't aware of Ricky's true nature. "What if it isn't the blood?"

The witch is silent for a moment, pondering my words. When he speaks, he's wearing a strained look. "Then it's as I suspect, and her body has rejected something. She doesn't seem sick now, which means that this reaction was her body's way of protecting her. Whatever it is, I'll find it in the sample."

Footsteps are approaching us as I say, hastily, "My assistant will drop off the one he is collecting. How long do you need?"

"Two days?" Ricky replies.

I take out my wallet and hand him my card. "Call me when you have the results."

"You're not going to tell Charlotte about me?" Ricky looks apprehensive.

"Whatever your reasons, you're trying to keep her safe, just as I am." I slide my wallet back into my pocket. "That's all I care about. Your secrets are yours to keep."

The vet looks relieved.

Charlotte chooses this moment to walk in. She's wearing a pair of sweatpants and a sweater that is two sizes too big.

"I can still work tonight, Ricky."

"No." The vet shakes his head. "I'd rather you rest. But come by tomorrow after work, if you can. I have a surgery scheduled, and I need an assistant."

"But—"

"I want to give you a checkup, if that's okay, and do some blood work." He pulls out his stethoscope from one of the drawers. "At this point, I'm basically your GP, so have a seat, and let's get this over with."

Charlotte sits down on the table while Ricky does her physical. It's a fairly standard procedure, but when he tries to draw her blood, I see the tiny flicker across his face. He hides it almost immediately, but he discards the needle. When he presses a new one against her skin, before he punctures it, his eyes lift to hers.

Whatever he sees there has him agitated, although he does a good show of covering it up.

"All good." He smiles, but the smile doesn't reach his eyes. "Go home and rest."

"If you insist." Charlotte gives him an unsatisfied look. "You haven't let me come in for so long. Are you sure you're not trying to get rid of me?"

Ricky grins. "And lose my favorite volunteer? Not a chance."

Appeased, Charlotte grabs her things, and I hand her the car keys. "I'll be with you in a minute."

She doesn't question me, and as she passes by, I see the fatigue in her eyes. Charlotte may be feeling better, but she's also tired from the whole ordeal.

"Don't forget the umbrella!" I order, and she shoots me an annoyed look.

"I wasn't going to."

Tired and cranky.

That's not going to be a fun combination when we get home.

Once the door closes behind her, Ricky meets my gaze. "Did you feel that?"

"Feel what?"

"The change in her when I pierced her with the needle?"

"No." I frown. "She looked normal, and her scent…Well, it's become sweeter since she threw up, but it didn't change just now."

Ricky's expression is troubled. "Something is off. I'm sure of it. Keep an eye on her tonight. I'll check this blood and the samples, both your guy's and whatever I can get off her clothes."

"What do you think you'll find?"

"I don't know." Ricky's voice is cautious. "But in the meantime, monitor her and tell me if her behavior changes."

"Alright."

I'm about to head outside to Charlotte when I pause, recalling something. "The sink. It was cracked."

"What sink?"

I turn to face him again. "The one in the bathroom where she was throwing up. It was cracked."

As I speak the words out loud, I realize how ridiculous I sound. "Never mind. It must have been like that before."

Ricky is silent, and I leave.

The scene I found in the bathroom eats at me as we drive home. Charlotte is leaning her head against the window and is fast asleep. She's so drained that when I pick her up and carry her inside, she doesn't even stir. I don't like seeing her in another man's clothes, but as my fingers itch to remove them, I force myself to stop. I don't want her to wake up and feel violated in any way.

"Suck it up," I mutter to myself as I tuck the blanket around her. I get settled on the other side of the bed, on top of the sheets. I don't want to leave her alone tonight. But I also don't think getting into bed beside her while she's out like a light is a good idea. Sitting there, propped up against the headboard, I find myself stroking Charlotte's hair as she sleeps.

My heart is heavy as I finally let the events of this evening come over me.

Terrence's words, the conversation they had, the things he offered her are making me anxious.

He wasn't wrong. He can give her everything she wants. If she decides she wants the type of stability only her own kind can give her…

My lips press together into a thin line. But, I remind myself, she doesn't want him.

I don't think Terrence is going to give up, though. From everything Charlotte told me about him and what he said tonight, he does want her.

I rub my hands over my face, feeling agitated.

Charlotte's only resistance is about going back to her clan. What if Terrence removes that obstacle? What if he decides to leave the clan for her? He can give her so much that I can't.

A conflict-free relationship.

Children.

A family.

I'm sure he'll support her dreams to be a vet, too. He seems to be willing to do anything to get Charlotte back. I don't know if she's realized that the proposal wasn't just a half-assed attempt to get her to go back to the clan. I could hear the emotion in his voice. His feelings are obvious to me.

Thus far, I haven't had competition for Charlotte's heart, but the rival who has suddenly popped up is a far better candidate than I am, and I don't know how to deal with it.

How can I win against someone who can give Charlotte everything she could ever dream of?

What if she decides to go with Terrence?

My wolf is raging inside me, upset and angry at this intruder who is taking our woman away from us. But I can't handle this situation with brute force. I need to be smart. If I want to hold on to Charlotte, I'll have to play the long game.

I just have to figure out how far I'm willing to go to keep Charlotte by my side.

After all, I'm madly in love with this woman.