Duncan slowly swirled the liquid in the glass, first one way, then the other. “I have legitimate reasons to believe Charlie will feel a mating bond with Chelsea when she’s born.”
Badger’s scowl deepened. “Ye what?”
“You heard me.”
The grizzled shifter slowly shook his head. “Ye finally went daft, did ye?”
“I’m serious.”
“I know ye are, because ye sound like ye just received bad news. But yer not givin’ me enough information to convince me yer not daft. How could ye possibly know such a thing?”
“You’re leaving next month for Texas, right?” Duncan asked. “To spend time there with Charlie, helping him?”
Badger nodded. “Aye.”
“Don’t leave here until after she’s born. I’ll send something of hers with you. If he reacts to the scent, let me know immediately. Do not under any circumstances tell him who or where she is.”
He cocked his head at Duncan. “Yer really serious. Why do ye think that?”
“I have my reasons and I’m not at liberty to explain.” He stared at the liquor. “Pack Alpha business.”
Badger sighed. “Well, what am I supposed to do wi’ him if he reacts?”
“Move him to Florida.” Duncan met Badger’s gaze. “Immediately. He’ll remain stationed there indefinitely.”
“Yer banishing him?”
Duncan sharply shook his head. “On the contrary. If he reacts it means it cements his position as my successor as Pack Alpha.”
Three weeks later, with their healthy baby girl now a week old, Duncan had been unable to sleep and instead sat in his office nursing a drink while pretending to go over mining and mineral rights paperwork. Meaning when the phone on his desk rang a little after 1:00 a.m., he snatched the receiver up just as the first notes sounded.
“Yeah.”
Badger. “Well, yer a spooky feckin’ bastard.” He sighed. “And tomorrow we’ll be starting preparations to move Charlie to Florida.”
Duncan simultaneously felt relieved and stunned. It wasn’t that he didn’t want Charlie Bleacke as his son-in-law. On the contrary, he couldn’t have picked a better mate for his baby girl if he tried.
As long as she felt a mutual attraction.
But confirmation meant this, too, was truth.
That the washerwoman was right.
Meaning there were other things she’d prove correct about—good and bad.
“How’d he take it?” Duncan asked.
“Well, I got a bit tricky. I wrapped a kerchief in the blanket and kept it there all the way back to Texas. Took the kerchief into the office with me today, and he got a whiff of it, damned near snatched it out of my hand. Outright lied to him and said it’d been in my dresser for months and couldn’t remember where it was laundered, only that it happened while out of town at one of my short visits to an office.”
“He couldn’t tell you were lying?”
“Not in the condition he’s in, no. He’s damned near close to chasin’ his own tail, he’s so out of his mind. I do believe he’s ready to start retracin’ all my steps for the past year.”
“I’ll call him right now.”
“I wouldn’t. I made sure to slip him a little somethin’ in his drink to calm him. Wait until morning, if ye please. I’ll call ye and put him on the phone.”
“Thank you.” Duncan sat back in his chair. “Is there anything you can do with your Prime to help?”
