When it was over and she was limp and sated in his arms, he pulled the covers over them, holding her tightly as though he never wanted to let her go.
Chapter Sixteen
In the morning, the dining room at the lodge was filled with hungry werewolves lining up at the buffet table, grumbling and growling. The mood was tense; there had been too many attacks, too many unanswered questions.
Most of them would be staying there for about another week to finish up the database, and then heading back to their packs until after the full moon.
The Bronson pack and Celeste and Mandy were sitting together at one of the tables and finishing up their breakfast when Reynaldo walked up to their table with an unhappy look on his face.
“Really?” Celeste said, wincing. “Can we just have one twenty-four-hour period that’s disaster free? Sorry. I mean, hi, Reynaldo, did you sleep well last night?”
“You obviously didn’t,” Mandy said to her with a wink.
Truman, who was sitting next to her, looked down at the table in front of him. “I didn’t either,” he said glumly. He shot a glance at Mandy. Mandy shifted slightly in her seat, moving a little further away.
“It’s not a complete disaster,” Reynaldo said. “But my office just got a call from the judge. The CPS case worker complained that you weren’t at your house. She’s trying to claim that you fled the area, and she wants you arrested for kidnapping. I’ve already talked to the judge’s office and notified my pack. You need to return to Somerville today. I already have the helicopter ready. You need to stay there for two more drop-in home inspections from the CPS office over the next ten days, and one more meeting at the courthouse with the judge, and if the reports are satisfactory, the judge will give you full custody as of the fifth of next month. Me and Pete will stay there for the rest of the month, and if you need any more of our pack there, you just let us know.”
“The fifth? That’s two days after the full moon,” Grant protested. He shook his head in dismay. “Not that we can exactly point that out to the judge.”
Cliff scowled. “You can’t go back to Somerville. Someone there knows way too much about you guys. We still have no idea who tried to kidnap your son, or why.”
“What if you just ditched the whole court case?” Chantelle suggested.
“That’s a last resort,” Grant said. “I’m too public a figure to just disappear, and if I take my son and run, then CPS will be keeping an eye on the rest of my family. We don’t want that kind of supervision. It’s hard to drop off the radar these days anyway. We’d have to take Jeffrey and leave the country. It would be much better if we could resolve this legally. We’re almost there.”
“But Celeste will be alone in the house during the full moon,” Taylor protested. “Unless you’re going to turn before then?” she added, looking at her hopefully.
Grant shook his head. “No. Too risky. She needs a full month of preparation. Meditation exercises, training…we don’t have enough time. We’ll lock ourselves in the basement, and I’ll hire a firm that we work with, human security guards, to guard her.”
A thought occurred to Celeste. “Jeffrey,” she said. “What did… I’m trying to remember what we do with you during a full moon.”
He looked at her in exasperation. “You lock me in my room and go stay somewhere else. Sometimes you don’t come back for a few days.” He stared at the ground. “I don’t like that.”
Everyone at the table went quiet. They all knew the truth – that Jeffrey believed Celeste was his mother, and that she couldn’t convince him otherwise. Celeste saw the looks of disgust and anger on their faces, and she shared in their fury. The life that Jeffrey had lived because of Jennifer…
Jennifer, you vile, selfish bitch.
“It’ll never happen again,” Celeste said.
“I know,” Jeffrey said with utter confidence. “You’re better now. And I’ll be with my dad when I turn into a wolf, and then next month, he can make you into a wolf so you’ll be just like me.” He waved at the people at the table. “You’ll be like all of us. Like my pack.”
Taylor coughed and hid her face, dabbing at her eyes with a napkin.
“Let me guess, allergies?” Celeste said, but she was shiny-eyed too.
“They’re terrible at this time of year.” Truman was blinking hard. Then he looked at Mandy. “What? I’m sensitive and in touch with my feelings. That’s a good thing, right?”
“Sure,” Mandy muttered. “I’ll go pack so we can get ready to leave.” She grabbed her coffee mug and got up from the table. “I’m coming too,” Taylor said. She glanced at Celeste and made “follow me” gesture. “Me too,” Celeste added, and hurried after them.
“What’s up with you and Truman?” Taylor asked Mandy as Mandy picked up the pace and walked faster.
“Nothing,” Mandy said. “Nothing at all, nosey parker.”
“Hey, you meddled in my relationship with Grant, so I get to meddle with yours, right?” Celeste said.
Mandy shook her head. “That is not how this works.”
“So you don’t like Truman?” Celeste persisted.
