I smirk at the teasing note in his voice, a flush warming my face. “No, I’m having a bath. My muscles are a little sore.”
“From too much riding?” He sounds worried now, and my cheeks burn hotter. “I’ll talk to Zander about getting you a better saddle.”
“No, you don’t need to. The saddle is fine, really.” I bite my lip, but I can’t resist adding, “I’m just a little worn out from the other kind of frolicking.”
There’s a loaded silence for a moment before his breath leaves him in a whoosh of curses. “Oh, fuck my shitty fucking luck!” It takes him a while to calm down, and I can’t help giggling at his frustration. “And you’re in the tub right now? Which one?”
“Um. The big one. In the pack suite.”
“God, you’re killing me! And you’re all alone, with sore muscles that need rubbing?” I splash the water a little as proof, and he groans like he’s dying. “Lily, please think of me while you’re soaking out those aches. I wish I was there to do it for you, but I have to go and strangle a couple of lawyers.” He groans again, like he’s heaving himself back out of his chair. “I hope you feel better soon, sweetheart.”
I return the sentiment, but as I’m climbing out of the tub a few minutes later, he calls back, and it’s clear that his whole mood has changed. “Lily. Fuck, I don’t want to have to ask you this…”
The strain in his voice makes my heart drop and I grab a robe, pulling it over my wet body. “What is it? You can ask me anything, Ellis.”
“It’s my mom,” he says, his voice cracking. “A reporter found his way into her care facility and asked her a bunch of questions about Leo. She didn’t know what he meant, of course, and her carer said she’s in a real state. The staff kicked the guy out, but I need to move her to the ranch as quickly as possible.”
“Oh, Ellis. Your poor mom. Is she okay?”
“Shook up. Really confused.”
The pain in his voice brings furious tears to my eyes, but I blink them away. We can get angry later; right now, I have to help Ellis. “I’m so sorry that happened.” I hurry into the bedroom, grabbing my jeans off the floor and pulling them on. “What do you need me to do?”
“The facility will handle the transfer, but I need someone there who can act as a friendly face. Plus, it would be good if you can call me directly, just in case anything goes wrong.” He sighs, his voice raw. “I shouldn’t ask you to do this, Lily. I know you want to keep a low profile.”
“Stop, Ellis. Your mom is more important than any of that.”
“Just make sure you take one of the security guys with you. The facility has their own, but clearly, they're not doing their damn job.”
“Of course.” I grab a t-shirt, bra, and bandana, already planning the trip in my head. “If you text me the address, I’ll leave right away.”
He blows out a breath, clearly relieved. “Thanks so much. I’d ask Tris and Otley, but I’m not sure she can wait that long.”
“I want to do this Ellis.” If there’s one thing I’m good at, it’s surviving a crisis. “Leave it with me. I’ll look after her, I promise.”
“Okay. I’ll be in the air in an hour, and I should be at the ranch before dinner.”
“We’ve got this.”
“Thanks again, Lily. You don’t know how much it means.”
He texts me the care facility’s address as I hurry downstairs, looking for Cooper. He arrived yesterday with extra men to patrol the ranch, but instead of finding him, I run straight into Zander, who’s making a call in the living room. He takes one look at my face and hangs up. “What is it? What do you need?”
“Ellis’ mom. A reporter got to her at her care facility in Redstone, and Ellis wants us to bring her here.”
“Catherine?” There’s a surprisingly tender glint in his eyes before they narrow, and he strides towards the front door, steam practically coming out of his ears. “Come on, we’ll take one of those fancy SUVs.”
I nod, relieved I’m not going to have to navigate the mountain roads alone. Zander doesn’t hesitate to jump into the first available SUV, where Wyatt, a young beta with sunburn on the back of his neck, has just pulled up. He pushes his sunglasses up on his nose and looks at us in surprise. “We’re going to collect Mrs. Castle,” Zander says in his gruff way. “Do you need to call your boss?”
“I can do that from the road.”
Zander grunts his approval and I give Wyatt the care facilities’ address as I scramble into the passenger seat. It’s closer than I expect, but when we pull up twenty minutes later outside a sleek, well-maintained building, Catherine Castle is already out front. She’s sitting in a wheelchair, and looks small and fragile as they try to load her into a transport van. She’s shaking her head, her wispy blonde hair whipping into her face as she says something to a man in blue scrubs. I start in her direction when an alpha in a suit steps in front of me, cutting me off. He’s tall with thick white hair and a face that’s too smooth for his age. He alsosmells strongly of synthetic citrus, which isn’t my favorite scent. “Ms. Percy. Mr. Ellis said you were on your way. I’m Leonard Richland, the director of Serene Brook Care Home. We have Catherine’s transportation in hand, and I’ve arranged for her primary caregiver to get her settled at the other end.”
I’m only half listening to him, because Ellis’ mother is still arguing with the man in scrubs. “Thanks, but I need to speak with Catherine. Ellis wants an update as soon as possible.”
A muscle twitches in the director’s cheek, but I ignore it, my gaze still on the caregiver who is now forcing the wheelchair into brackets on a lifter. Catherine’s distress is obvious, and I frown at the director. “Does she need that wheelchair? Why can’t she just sit in the van?”
He gives me a condescending look. “It’s our policy to transfer patients this way…”
