Enola had been duped!
Phoenix or not, Auriette’s enemies had nothing to do with her. So, Enola made the decision to return to her life. She decided to tell her family that she was leaving at breakfast. There was nothing in New Orleans for her; nothing but monsters and magic that she hadn’t asked for. Enola just wanted to go back to her very simple life.
She hopped out of bed and began to toss everything she’d unpacked into her suitcase. After showering, she dressed and put her suitcases by her bedroom door. Without an ounce of guilt, Enola was getting the hell out of New Orleans, Louisiana.
‘You can’t run from who you are.’
‘Get out of my head, Gran!’
‘I’ll see you at breakfast.’
* * * *
Gideon parked behind the small BMW and hopped out of his Cadillac SUV. He clutched the small purse a little tighter than he should have as he walked up to Madame Roux’s house. The task ahead was not for the weak. The woman possessed a power that no one had seen since the existence of his brother’s lover. Now, Gideon was there to tell the old woman that her granddaughter was to be his mate.
Marie Roux was not going to be happy. Since he and his twin had not saved their most powerful ancestor from the fire, the Moreau line was forbidden to enter into a courtship with shifters. Unfortunately for them, the woman was his mate, and they would not stand in the way of a wolf and his mate.
Gideon rang the bell and waited. Seconds later, a young man opened the door.
“Good morning, Monsieur Toussaint. Madame Roux is just sitting down for breakfast. May I schedule an appointment for you?”
“No, I’ll see her now,” Gideon said, pushing past the young human. He wouldn’t waste time playing games. “You and I both know that she already knew I was coming.”
Gideon walked through the large house. Since he’d been to the plantation countless times, he knew his way around. He continued walking until he found himself on the lanai. It was a mild morning, so he figured that was where Marie would be.
“Bonjour, Gideon. Please join us,” she offered, waving at an empty seat at the table.
Gideon walked around the table, but froze when he made eye contact with Marie’s granddaughter. She was staring at him with big, hazel eyes. Unlike the night before, her wild, curly, auburn hair had been straightened. The woman was so beautiful up close that Gideon could hardly breathe. As he stared unabashedly, the fact that her eyes never left him didn’t go unnoticed.
“Oh my God, Gideon,” Marie breathed. “It’s forbidden.”
“That’s too bad,” Gideon responded, without looking away.
“Aw… hell,” Ruby added.
Gideon walked over to the woman that he would be spending his life with and kneeled next to her. He discreetly inhaled her sweet, heavenly scent. Their eyes locked. She didn’t dare look away. In that moment, no one, other than his future mate, existed.
Gideon licked his lips before he could stop himself. He was tempted to suck her plump lips into his mouth…both sets. He narrowed his eyes as he studied her features. Gideon smiled and in return, she blessed him with a sweet smile that made him long to hold her.
“I believe this is yours,” Gideon said, placing her handbag in her lap.
She looked down at her purse. The excitement in her eyes was pleasing to Gideon. Something deep within him gained a strange sense of satisfaction from making her happy.
“Thank you so much, umm…”
“Gideon. Gideon Toussaint.”
“Thank you, Gideon,” she said as she fiddled through her purse.
“I figured you might need it.”
“Yes, I–wait.” Her arched brows furrowed. “How did you know where to bring this?”
“Roux. Your I.D. says, ‘Roux’. I know your grandmother,” Gideon lied.
He’d recognized Marie’s other granddaughter, Marguerite. She was under his pack’s protection whenever she partied in the Quarter. In fact, the entire family was under his protection.
“Oh. Well, thanks again,” she said with a smile.
