Page 23 of Crimson Heart

11

Charlotte splashed cold water on her face and dried off. She knew she had to face the music now: Jude’s we need to talk still echoed in her mind. She couldn’t stall any longer. With a fortifying breath, she left Austin’s bedroom and turned toward the stairs when she heard Danielle’s voice coming from the other end of the corridor. Well, perhaps she could delay for a little while longer. After all, it would be rude not to greet her sister-in-law, the alpha female of the pack.

The door to the master suite was open, but she knocked nevertheless.

“Danielle? May I come in?”

“Charlotte? Is that you?” came the reply. “Come in.”

Charlotte entered the room and saw Danielle stretched out on a chaise lounge, with a man leaning over her.

“Jude didn’t tell me you were coming.”

“He didn’t know.”

The man leaning over Danielle looked over his shoulder. She recognized him.

“Hey, Vince!”

“Nice to see you, Charlotte,” he said with a smile.

His visit could only mean one thing.

“Oh my God, you’re getting the tattoo?” Charlotte asked and stepped closer, until she could see the tattoo-needle in Vince’s hand.

“Yes, it’s about time,” Danielle said.

When she saw the spot where Vince had started, a few inches north of Danielle’s right breast, she felt compelled to ask, “Are you sure you want it on such a prominent place? I mean, if you wear a low-cut top or dress, it’ll show.”

She turned to Vince. “Didn’t you tell her that women are allowed to choose the spot?”

“He did,” Danielle said with a shake of her head. “That’s where I chose it. I’m Jude’s mate, and I want everybody at the Alliance to understand that I’ll always be loyal to him and the Alliance.”

Charlotte heard the pride in her voice and felt like a traitor herself. Right now, she was happy that she didn’t have the symbol that tied her to the Werewolf Alliance for good, because she didn’t agree with what the Alliance had in store for her. It was different for Danielle. She’d found true love with Jude, and the Alliance had to accept their union, even though they had first objected to it.

“Of course,” Charlotte said quickly and bent down to Danielle to give her a kiss on the cheek. “Jude is so lucky to have you.”

“I’m lucky to have him.”

Charlotte turned her gaze to Vince. “You’d better not hurt my sister-in-law too much.”

Vince chuckled. “Are you getting squeamish, Charlie?”

“’Course not! Anyway, gotta find Jude. See you both later.”

She swept out of the room. She found Jude’s office on the first floor, the door of which was open. He wasn’t alone. Figured that Jude would want Austin present for this talk. Two against one wasn’t exactly fair, but she’d take those odds any time over having to face her parents instead.

“Close the door,” Jude ordered.

She complied. When the door was closed, there was silence for a second, and only the sound of their breathing could be heard.

“I got a call from Dad,” Jude started.

It wasn’t a surprise. The fact that Jude had greeted her with a we need to talk had tipped her off that her parents had already spoken to him to give their side of the story. She couldn’t change that, and complaining about it wouldn’t help either.

“So you already know that they arranged a match for me,” she said, trying to remain calm, because she knew Jude well enough to know that he didn’t respond well to a hysterical outburst.

Both her brothers nodded.