Branches of the Willow 3 Read online

  “They what?” I questioned.

  “They are seeking asylum, apparently.” My dad said as he handed Mikael a bottle of beer. “Thought you could use this.”

  “Thanks.” Mikael still looked slightly shocked, but I noted the disbelief in his eyes. He wasn’t buying the bid for asylum.

  “I’m going to assume that Malachai was not with them?”

  “No, he wasn’t.” My father answered.

  “Jameson,” Mikael started firmly, “have they mentioned where he was last seen at least?”

  “I was waiting on the two of you to get here before we started questioning them. Jessica should be here because of who she is, and I wanted you to be here, because you know them best out of everyone here. Hopefully, you’ll be able to pick up on any deception.”

  Mikael nodded his head in agreement, put the beer bottle to his lips, and tipped it back taking a long pull of the cold brew. I wished I could tip one, or twelve, back with him. Suddenly, our plans seemed further and further beyond our reach.

  REUNIONS

  When we returned to the living room, Annabelle’s head was in her hands, and Leanna’s eyes were pleading with me silently. She didn’t wait for us to speak first, instead jumping right in. “I didn’t know he was trying to destroy you, Jessica. I thought he was trying to see that you were mated to one of his sons in the hopes of swaying your decisions, if not controlling them through whichever son you chose.”

  “Mmm, I see. Then, why high tail it out of here?”

  “What would you think? I knew everyone would assume we were in on Antoine’s plans, especially after we realized he hadn’t been working alone.” Leanna motioned between herself and Annabelle.

  “Now that you bring it up, what of Malachai?” Mikael asked, watching both women like a hawk.

  Annabelle actually started crying again, but she looked up towards Mikael as she spoke. “We found him.” She sobbed the words out, and became speechless as the room descended in an onslaught of questions. The noise of everyone trying to speak at once put my nerves on edge.

  “STOP!” I shouted over everyone’s questions and the women’s hysterical attempts at explaining themselves. We will do this in an orderly fashion, because I am running thin on patience, and I can’t focus with everyone trying to out shout each other. Annabelle and Leanna, you will shut your damn mouths. Not another word from either of you unless you are asked a direct question.” I turned to look around the room. “There are only three people in this room asking questions. Myself, my father, and Mikael. The rest of you are in the background and watchful.” I scanned the faces around me, noting that some of my father’s guards weren’t too happy about being ordered around by the pack leader’s daughter, but they were going to have to get with the program sooner or later.

  “Leanna, you were saying something about Malachai?” I began.

  “Yes. He denounced Annabelle as his mate when she couldn’t understand his actions.” Leanna reached over and patted Annabelle’s knee when the woman broke down into a disgusting, snot-laden, ugly crying fit.

  My father leaned over and whispered into my ear. “We need to know where they’ve been, why, and with whom, from the time they last saw Antoine and Malachai.” I nodded in agreement, and stepped aside so that my father could question the women.

  “Leanna, I need to know…” my father started to say, but Anna’s blubbering only increased in volume. Dad tossed an impatient look across the room at my mother, and she simply shrugged and shook her head no. She was apparently trying to subtly calm the women so they could speak coherently. It didn’t seem to be having an effect on Anna. That was something of note, because I knew my mom’s strength, and I doubted Anna could ignore her influence. My mom’s magic had, after all, saved Sierra from her grief after Jack died.

  “When was the last time you saw Antoine?” My dad asked, voice growing more stern as Anna’s wails increased.

  “He and Malachai left the house the day of the sending off for your man.” She concentrated, obviously trying to remember Jack’s name. “I’m sorry, I don’t recall his name.” A huge part of me wanted to jump across the room and rip that bitch’s throat out. It was her mate who had killed Jack. Jack, who had been a good man, a brother to me, and did not deserve his fate. I felt a hand placed firmly upon my shoulders, and realized I had been moving forward without thought. When the weight of that hand caused the rage to subside some I noticed the startled look in Leanna’s eyes. I had been growling as I moved.

  “Jess…” my father warned.

  “My apologies, Jessica. I know he was something special to you, and what my mate did... It was awful. I’m so sorry.”

  “Just answer his damned questions.” I seethed through clenched teeth. Then I turned to Mikael as Leanna continued to explain how that morning had gone, as any other morning did. “You need to call Evan.” I whispered to Mikael. He glanced at me, questioningly. “This is his mother. I want his input, in the end, as to what we should do with her.”

  Mikael nodded in understanding. “I’m going to step away from all the ears in the room. Will you be okay?” Concern mixed with the beautiful green of his eyes, etching tiny lines into the corners as he looked down at me. I inclined my head once and stepped to the side a bit. Mikael turned and left the room to make the call.

  “…we didn’t see them again after that.” I tuned back into Leanna’s story. “Where is Mikael going?”

  “That’s none of your business.” I stated simply.

  “I would feel better if he were here.” Leanna pleaded.

  “Let’s make this clear, right now. Your feelings mean absolutely nothing to me. If you’re scared, I’m happy. If you’re worried, that’s smart, because you should be. If you think for a minute that you are going to get out of here one second before we know everything we want to know, you are delusional. So,” I gestured back to my father, “pay attention, and answer the next damn question.” Something flashed across Leanna’s face in that moment that I was sure she didn’t want me, or anyone else, to see. There was a little defiance in there, but it was blanketed with a heavy dusting of hatred.

  My father must have caught a glimpse of it too, because he growled at Leanna, bringing her attention fully back to him then. The mask went up, her face crumpled over again, into the pained look she wanted everyone to see. Pain would get her sympathy, hatred would get her locked away, or worse. She understood how to play the game. Thankfully, so did my father. “Let me also get something straight,” my father started. “You will look at me. You will address me. If I catch even the slightest hint that you are more concerned with anyone else in this room, or out of it, I will end these talks and have you taken straight to the locks.” Leanna’s eyes flew up in a very sincere showing of shocking surprise.

  “Y-y-yes, Jameson.” Her answer came on the heels of her slight head bow, acknowledging that my father held position over her.

  “Why did you and Annabelle leave the area? If you knew nothing about Malachai and Antoine’s plans, how did you know to leave?”

  “We were already packed to go. Antoine was frustrated with the lack of progress between Mikael and Jessica. Clearly, he had been fooled, because they had already been mated. Had he known, we would have left days before. Well, at least I would have thought so. I didn’t know he had other plans brewing.” Her haughty tone as she spoke worked my nerves, and it took a lot to keep my place in the room. I was suddenly hoping Mikael would hurry up and get back inside, just in case.

  “That morning, Antoine told Anna and I that he had already booked us a flight back home. He was going to send us ahead of time.” She sniffed, and flinched as she got ready to look in my direction, before she remembered my father’s orders. “I argued with him, because I didn’t want to miss the bonding ceremony during the solstice. I liked the idea of Jessica with Mikael. He may not be a son from my own womb, but he is family to me as if he were. I didn’t want to miss it. Antoine said I was being silly, and then he ordered us to go, sa
ying that he would make sure Jess and Mikael came home shortly after so Jess could see the Ancients territory.”

  My father didn’t really get any solid details out of her about what took place before they took off for Romania, so I stepped in.

  “When you got to Romania, what did you do?”

  “I’m not sure I understand your question.” Leanna fidgeted as she looked up at me.

  “You left here, you went to Romania, and then what?”

  “We didn’t go there first. We found out what happened to Antoine, and about Malachai going missing and we travelled to Paris instead. We stayed there a short time, trying to figure out what to do. We’re well aware of what guilt by association can do.”

  “So, you hid out in Paris. What made you think that it was okay to go to Romania?”

  “Quite frankly, I was tired of hiding. I figured we’d just get it over with. No one bothered us while we were there though.” She sighed.

  “Malachai was there at some point?” I questioned.

  Mikael came back in the house and stood there next to me with the phone in his hand. He had Evan on a video chat, and held the phone so Evan could see Leanna as she answered.

  Leanna took her time, watching Mikael, trying to figure out what he was up to. “Malachai showed up, and told us to gather our things, that he had a place for us to go.” She continued to fidget with her dress. “Annabelle was screaming at him, begging for answers. She accused him of ruining our lives by going along with his father.”

  I was growing impatient with her slow story-telling. “And?”

  “And, I was packing while they yelled. I wanted nothing to do with Malachai’s plan to get away. That wasn’t why I was packing. I already had a plan to come here.” She looked up beseechingly. “I couldn’t make Anna come with me though. For better or worse, she’s mated to Malachai.” Leanna huffed then. “When I told him I wouldn’t be coming with him, he got angry. Anna screaming at him continuously didn’t help matters, and finally he yelled that he was done with the both of us, and told Anna that he would find a way to break their bond.” With those words, the now calm Annabelle started up her simpering again. It wasn’t long after Malachai left that a young wolf who worked in the house found us, and helped us pack some things for our travels.”

  “So, you packed, but I see there are only a couple bags sitting in the room. Where’s the rest of it?”

  Leanna looked confused for a moment. “What do you mean?”

  “I mean you packed up most of the contents of an entire house. Where’s the rest of it?”

  “We only grabbed some clothes and a few trinkets.” Her eyes were large and Annabelle was now paying attention again.

  “Is that so?” I huffed, and then turned to look at Mikael. He knew what I was thinking. We’d already had confirmation from a wolf who said he helped them pack, that they weren’t packing light. “I will have zero mercy on you if you can’t be honest with me.”

  “Jessica, we…” Annabelle cut off whatever Leanna had been about to say. “We put it all in a storage facility. Leanna and I are left with nothing considering what happened with our mates. The remaining boys were going to inherit everything, and we weren’t sure if we were going to have to keep running for our lives. Do you blame us for wanting a little security?”

  I didn’t bother to answer. I just turned to Mikael, and held my hand out for the phone he held. “Evan, Leanna is your blood. And I trust you know her best…” I looked over the phone at Mikael who nodded his approval and smiled. “What would you have us do with your mother?”

  “Keep her there. Treat her well, but maintain watch on her.” Leanna flinched at her son’s words. Evan continued, “She’s my mother, but it was my father who caused all this chaos to begin with, so I’m not in the mood to take unnecessary chances. As for Annabelle, keep an even closer watch on her.” Annabelle shot him a reproachful look through her tear stained face. “I don’t trust her at all. She’s Malachai’s mate thru and thru, whether he’s shunned her or not. Mikael?”

  “Yeah, brother?”

  “We need to talk as soon as you’re alone.” Evan looked beyond the camera again. “I’ve got to go for now. I’ll call later though.”

  With that Mikael hung up the phone and put it back in his pocket. I turned towards my father. “I’ll leave their arrangements to you. We haven’t learned everything from them yet, though. I can see that they are both holding something back. Can you try to find out what it is?”

  “You know I will, Jess.” My father answered.

  “Good. Be kind if you can, but if they don’t cooperate, do what needs to be done.”

  My dad inclined his head to me, but I noticed how his eyebrow quirked up in surprise. My father’s men seemed to regard me differently as I said that too. They all stood, looking at me reverently, and then they each inclined their heads as my father had done. It was a sign of respect.

  Mikael and I left the house and headed for my Jeep that was parked outside. “They didn’t think you’d sanction force on females.”

  “I’ll sanction force on anyone if it seems necessary. Trying to save my people doesn’t mean I’m not willing to get my hands dirty when we have to take the laundry out.” Mikael laughed, and raised his hands in surrender.

  “I’m fully on your side, babe.”

  “I know you are. I’m hungry, and cranky, and a little bit tired though. Let’s hurry home before someone else needs us, please!”

  “You got it.”

  “I’m going to call Angelique’s and have them deliver something.”

  “They don’t deliver out to my house, Jess.”

  I stuck my lip out in a pout. “I guess we have to stop by on the way then. I’ll go ahead and call it in. What do you want?”

  “I just want you!” The grin that broke out across Mikael’s face seemed to light him up from the inside out. It was contagious.

  “I’m already here, do you want anything that’s actually on their menu?” I laughed.

  Mikael gave me his order, and I called in the food. Everything was ready by the time we got to Angelique’s, and I had to salivate the whole way home smelling the yummy goodness of the southern cuisine.

  SWEET DREAMS

  Mikael and I sat down to eat our dinner in peace. The best part about his house being so far from the pack was that when we were there, it was just us. We didn’t have to worry about the constant interruptions. I wasn’t sure how my father managed being a pack leader, or how I was going to manage somehow governing over all the wolves in the world. Ideally, Antoine and I could have worked together. Had he not been so power hungry, and depraved, anyway. Now, I was on my own, and there were definitely packs out there that didn’t like it one damn bit.

  “You know, now that I’ve been acknowledged as the white wolf, we should probably live within a pack, not apart from them.” I expressed my thoughts out loud so Mikael could weigh in too.

  “Actually, that’s something I wanted to talk to you about. I spoke with Jameson about building a place out there. As soon as Ash & Asi’s house is done, we’ll get it started.”

  “The pack lands are a perpetual construction zone.” I blurted out before taking another bite.

  “Yeah, well, I expect it’s only going to get worse for Jameson’s pack, and all the ones near it before all is said and done.”

  “What do you mean? Why?”

  “My father ruled from Eastern Europe. Those that want to be near the leadership congregate around it. We had our own little city there. I imagine that most will flock to be near the new regime, especially if they want to attempt to blend in with your Immersion Program.”

  “This is why I keep you around.” I mused.

  Mikael grinned. “That’s why?” He leaned over the table and nipped the tip of my nose. I thought for sure there were better reasons than the random thoughts and ideas I spit out once in a while.”

  “Oh, there are, but once in a while your randomness is genius when I’m too tired
to think.” I winked at him, and he laughed.

  “Don’t worry, your dad is already preparing for the influx.”

  When all the food was gone he followed me up the stairs, and started the shower for me so the water had a chance to get hot before I jumped in. I thought, maybe he was going to join me, but he never came back in. When I was done, I found Mikael already fast asleep on the bed. Apparently, I wasn’t the only who was exhausted lately.

  I climbed in bed, and tucked myself as close to his body as I could get, letting his natural, woodsy, masculine scent wash over me until my eyelids were too heavy to stay open any longer. My life had changed in crazy ways over the course of the past year, and the best of those changes was having this man by my side. I went to sleep with a smile on my face, content just to be close after another long day.

  ~*~

  The warm glow from the flames bounced across the cave with a shimmery effect, adding to the magic of the dream place where the previous white wolves spoke to me. The air, which normally smelled strongly of lavender, also had an undercurrent of freshly turned earth. I looked around again, taking everything in as each aspect of the cave slid in and out of my view. There, right in front of the dais in the middle of the cave there was a patch of earth amidst the smooth rocks that usually adorned the area. This was the first time I had been sucked into the dream realm with the white wolves to find the scenery had changed. I wondered why just before they started speaking to me.

  They were going on and on about planting, harvesting, and continuing cycles. The magic of love came up as well, but I honestly didn’t understand a damn bit of it. This was, by far, my most confusing visit with the white wolves to date.

  “It is time for you to share in the magic, Jessica.” The voices of the wolves echoed through the cave, melodious, and drawing me in deeper to the dream. Everything warmed, my skin tingled, and I listened as their voices once again sang in a chorus throughout the cave. “It is time. The magic is yours. So the cycle begins anew.”