“Yeah, we just finished watching It’s a Wonderful Life, while we ate dinner. We’re just chilling now.” I settled back in the chair, scritching Gem behind the ears. Silver had jumped down and headed into the kitchen the moment he heard dishes rattling, hoping to cadge a nibble from the leftovers. “So, what’s up?”
Bree was a puma shifter, and she usually held her cards close to her chest. But tonight, her emotions blasted through the phone. I could feel the hesitation as she paused, then said, “I found out something and I’m not sure whether you want me to tell you.”
That piqued my curiosity. “What’s going on? Are you all right?”
“I’m fine,” she said quickly. “But…I was at my hair dresser’s today. You know how Mimi talks?”
Mimi Welsh was the town hair stylist—well, the most requested. She could do wonders with color and style. But she was also a massive blabbermouth and no secret was safe if it reached her ears. She had the natural talent for ferreting out news that she probably was better off not knowing.
“Uh oh. What did she have to say?” The gossip could be about anybody, but one thing was guaranteed—if it came out of Mimi’s mouth, it was mostly likely the truth. The woman had a nose for accuracy.
“It’s about Faron,” Bree said. “I wouldn’t bother you with it, but I have the feeling you’ll hear it from somebody and it’s probably better coming from me.”
I held my breath. Faron had been seriously wounded while helping Bree and me, and while he recovered, I always wondered if there had been long-term damage. Or, it might be some new injury.
“Okay, tell me.”
“He’s losing his crown.”
I froze, letting the news settle in. “What? How? What happened?”
“That’s the sad part. His wife isn’t pregnant yet, and the Pack forced him to get fertility testing. Faron can’t father children. His wife decided to leave him, and he has to step down because the king must have an heir.” Bree sounded both irritated and sad. Faron had helped save her life, and she’d grown fond of the man she used to dislike.
Hell, I’d found Faron too arrogant and too obnoxious at first, but after I got to know him, that had done a major 180. I felt dizzy.
“He can’t have children? What’s going to happen to the crown?”
Bree let out a long sigh. “His brother Kyle will take the throne on an interim basis. I’m not sure how they’ll determine who becomes king next, but Faron is out.” She paused, then said, “So, did I do right in telling you?”
A whirl of emotions racing through me, I cleared my throat. “Yeah. But…I have to process this. I need to think.”
“There’s another thing I haven’t mentioned yet. I told you his wife was leaving him. But there’s more.”
“More?” Crap. My heart and my mind were both racing. I had so many feels, and so many thoughts, that I could barely hear above the whirring in my head.
“Tonight I was driving home when I saw Daisy Parker on the road. She was near a car that had run into a tree. I stopped to see if I could lend a hand until the medics got there. She asked me to help divert traffic so nobody looky-loos could cause an accident by slowing down to watch.”
“Not Faron?” My voice quivered as my heart jumped into my throat.
“No, not Faron,” Bree said. “But…it was his wife. From what I gather, Lucretia drove off the road, headlong into a tree. She’s dead.”
As the news settled in my heart, I could only stand at the center of the whirlwind that was raging around me. Faron was no longer king. His wife was dead. And as sad as that made me—she’d been a lovely woman—I found myself heading down a direction that I wasn’t sure I wanted to go. I desperately tried to push away the hope rising in my heart.
CHAPTER TWO
After Bree hung up, I sat there, staring at the tree.
Faron was single. His wife was dead.
I had no clue what to do next. Should I tell Bran? He’d hear, eventually. Should I wait and pretend like I didn’t know? But I didn’t lie. Bran and I had agreed on honesty, and it was important to me to honor my oath.
I was still staring at the tree when Grams said, “What’s wrong?”
I glanced over to where she was finishing up wrapping the gifts at the craft table. Slowly, I rose and headed over to sit beside her. I leaned close. “That was Bree. She has news.”
“Oh?” Grams kept her gaze steady and her voice low. “Do you need to talk privately?”
I nodded. “I need your advice. Can we go for a short walk? I know it’s snowing, but I could really use your advice. I’m…all flummoxed.”
