Nature of the Beast Page 17

  “That’s her, that’s got to be her.” Bodil commented eagerly down the line.

  “Do you know Conall’s address?” He asked.

  “No, have you got it? Give it to me.” Bodil said anxiously, looking at Booker who was asking her if she had something to write it down with in a hushed tone of voice. Bodil pointed to her head, tapping it a few times.

  Boden recited the address to Bodil who said it out loud so Booker would also hear it. “Got it, I know where that is.” He said as Boden wished them well. “Do you want me to have an ambulance on stand-by like make the call in five minutes or so?” Boden asked her.

  Bodil debated internally what to do as she sucked in a breath. “And tell them what exactly? We’d be wasting their time if it turns out to be nothing, if they’ve moved on. And how would we explain whatever Conall might look like? The guy was wrapped in thick silver chains for two days. These chains, you should have seen them, I mean, they’re like 5 inches thick, easily and they look heavy, real heavy. We don’t know what the effect of them on him during lunar time, might have done and even if we did, how do you tell a paramedic that, without arousing suspicion on yourself or him?” Bodil replied back at him.

  “And that’s why you’re an alpha and I’m not. Didn’t think of that. So no Ambulance on standby then?”

  “No.”

  “Okay, happy hunting.” Boden replied signing off the call. Bodil closed the flip-top cellular and looked out at the street ahead of them.

  “I really hope we don’t need an ambulance.” Bodil said softly as they turned into Conall Wakely’s street with Paris’s Porsche close behind them. Bodil looked out over at the hastily parked suv that looked like it had been driven right across the lawn and up to the front door. “We’re here.” She said letting out a heavy breath.

  Booker parked the El Comino close to the curb and looked across at the suv which effectively blocked the entrance to Conall Wakely’s home. They couldn’t see the front door from it. “Bo,” Booker said speaking softly and turning around in his seat to face her. “Maybe you should just let me handle this one okay? We don’t know what we’re going to find in there and if it’s already over and it’s bad. I’d rather shoulder that burden than let you cope the full force of it going to your memory banks.”

  Bodil looked down at her hands, which he held softly together as the sound of Paris’s Porsche pulled up behind them and the car doors opened. “I think…I want to say yes to your proposal. But I’m giving you three minutes maximum before I come charging through that thing.” She said nervously, pointing at the suv.

  “It’s a deal. Wait here for three minutes.” He said getting out of the car and signaling both Paris and Addison over as they stepped out of their car.

  Booker was surprised to see Paris walk over towards them. He had expected the other alpha male to go straight towards the Wakely place, regardless of Booker and Bodil’s intended entrance.

  “I don’t think it’s a wise move that four of us, go charging through that front door like we’re expecting a blood bath on the other side. Bodil is going to wait her for three minutes before coming in. Addison and Paris, I think you should hang back for now too. I can signal if there’s a need for extra help or back-up.”

  “I’m going in with you.” Paris replied determinedly grabbing Booker’s arm suddenly. Booker looked down at his hand on him and back up at Paris who let go.

  “You don’t have that right over here. Remember? What you agreed to in coming over here. Breukelen territory, Breukelen pack. I get to call the shots first. I’ll assess the situation and let you know what’s what.” Booker said walking off on Paris and heading towards the house.

  Paris leaned back against the El Comino standing beside Bodil Sommers who had her arms crossed tightly over her chest. “He’s a good guy Booker.” Bodil replied glancing at Paris as they watched the man in question walk around the angle parked suv and out of sight.

  “Yeah, but he’s a pain in the butt too.” Paris replied watching him leave their eye sight completely.

  “You still harboring a grudge of sorts against him for assisting my sister with her shape shifting problem?” Bodil asked nervously starting to move one of her legs up and down. “Because if you are, you need to get the shit out of your system now, before I let you anywhere into that house, with both of them in there. Do you understand me?” Bodil asked turning to him. Paris looked back at her, alpha to alpha. “I didn’t say you had to like it.” Bodil replied to his silent glare at her.

  “Glad we understand then, that I don’t.” Paris replied back at her coolly.

  26

  Booker, like his three companions didn’t know what to expect when he opened the door to Conall Wakely’s house. But he was doing, the same thing each one of them was doing. Thinking of the worst scenario but hoping for the best. He had to. He didn’t want to believe any more than Bodil Sommers did, that her sister was capable of taking a life, a Breukelen life.

  But he knew in his heart, that if she had decided to kill Conall Wakely, that she would be justified in his eyes in doing so. He just wasn’t sure how he was going to handle it. Booker had strong feelings for Bg, he just didn’t want anything bad for her, ever.

  Booker put his hand on the closed front door and took a deep breath. He need to brace himself for whatever was on the inside. He twisted the door handle down and opened the door part of the way. He really wasn’t ready for the sight that greeted him.

  “You have no power over me.” Bg said angrily, leaning over Conall Wakely’s battered figure on the hallway floor. She sat behind him with an object at first,

  Booker couldn’t make out in her hands, it was pointed at the base of Conall’s neck, which was still covered in thick silver chains.

  “Because bitch, now I own you.” She said to him straightening up in time to see Booker who started to reach forwards to her as she pressed down on the red handles in her hands.

  “Bg no!” Booker called out as she pressed down completely with all her weight, and the chains tightened, even more constrictively around Conall’s neck.

  The sound of a metal snap could be heard. Booker pulled himself up short, so he didn’t land on Conall’s battered and bruised body and any bit of the silver chains. Bg fell backwards and let go of the object as the padlock holding the chains around Conall’s neck snapped open. She looked over at Booker who finally saw what the object in her hand had been.

  Bg looked down at the red handles on the floor and back up at Booker. “Bolt cutters, he works construction, I figured he’d have some here in his tool box.” She replied simply with a shrug of her shoulders.

  Booker let out a heavy sigh of relief, as footsteps were heard thundering across the front stoop and the door was yanked open violently. They both looked up at Bodil, Paris and Addison crammed inside the doorway. Bg watched her sister, visibly relax, and let out a sigh of relief. She smiled at her. “What exactly did you guys think I was going to do to him? He’s covered in silver.” She said looking from Bodil to Paris who began to step forward.

  “I knew you wouldn’t do anything.” He said softly walking around Conall carefully towards her as Bg put the bolt cutters back down and stood up, taking the hand he offered her to pull her up. “You’re a better person than me.” He said holding her hand up and looking into her eyes as Bg brushed the back of her skirt down automatically.

  “Believe me, I’m no saint.” She replied looking from him back down to Conall. The all looked at Conall still crumpled up and breathing shallowly on the ground.

  Booker pulled off his leather jacket and put his hand underneath, grabbing the chains. “Addison, give me a hand, lift his head up, so we can go around him, get these things off him.”

  “I’m just glad you’re okay.” Bodil said walking over to her sister who let go of Paris’s hand and hugged her big sister back. Booker and Addison worked to unwind the chain off of Conall’s neck and moved it off to the side, out of everyone’s way.

  Conall Wak
ely rolled over onto his back and gasped for air desperately. His eyes fluttering and opening and focusing on the faces in the room with him. “He’s gonna need medical help.” Bg replied pointing to the burn marks around his neck and along his arms and wrist where the chains had scared him with their silver. “There might be residue left behind, so don’t touch him.”

  Bodil pulled out her phone and dialed a number. “Hey, we’re gonna need a friendly at the Wakely address. Yes, everything’s okay, as could be, so to speak.” Bodil replied into the phone flashing a smile over at her sister.

  “I’ll get him some water.” Addison replied walking off further into the house. Booker crouched down beside him.

  “We’re done here guys, you’re good to go. I got this one.” Booker replied looking over at Paris and Bg before back at Conall. They walked around him and back out into the open air together.

  “I want to apologize, grandly if need be, for being such a complete jack-ass earlier on.”

  Paris started. “I was so angry about the injustice of that guy getting to freely live and go about his business when you’ve been suffering all manner of disruptions and repercussions because of what he did to you. I got lost in the rage. I lost site of the bigger picture, which has you and me in it together. Working through everything, and overcoming anything. Of mornings in that room in Tribecca. Nights, under the moon. I was just so angry, I didn’t hear what you were saying to me.” Bg glanced at him as they walked around the suv. “It was like I blocked it out because how could you be so fair and compassionate to someone I saw as so undeserving as the man that beat you?”

  “So what was I saying to you back in Manhattan that you don’t think you heard Paris? Tell me, because I need to know that you understand me.” Bg said as they walked slowly up the front lawn.

  “You told me, you could look after yourself, that you would look after yourself and that you don’t condone violence as a means to ending things.” He said looking at her.

  “I don’t, I think they just start things or enflame things, making it worse.”

  “Takes a real smart person to be the cooler head and take the higher road. I’m so used to having the power as an alpha to vent my anger when it’s called for in the most logical ways, I just don’t think like that. I haven’t had to. I’ve never been in a serious relationship with anyone so worthwhile as you. I’ve never had the whole,” he waved his hand about back at the house and them “inter-pack politics and stuff to consider either.”

  She smiled shyly at him. “Well duh, neither have I. But There’s more to it than that, I need to know you’re not going to hide things from me, and hold out on me. I mean, I had to push real hard to the point of threatening to get information on Conall from you.” She paused watching him closely.

  “And I get the hesitation and the feeling of indignity, believe me I get it. But I’ve told you I want to know you and things like talking about the pack leadership, you can’t hold out on me. If I’m going to be with you, then I’m going to be with you no matter what. I don’t want to go out with the werewolf you think I want to go out with.”

  His eyes widened then and she heard the increase in his heart beat. It was from panic. “I want to go out with the wolf you are. That’s the wolf I met in Seattle.” She flicked her hair over her shoulder and Paris caught a glimpse of the bruising on her neck, from their night together.

  “That, looks kind of painful.” he said running his finger over it lightly.

  “It’s really not, and getting it was a lot of fun.” Bg said smiling up at him.

  “A lot of fun huh?” he repeated as they reached his car.

  “Like you wouldn’t believe. It’s kind of like when this Breukelen and this Manhattan Maen loups-garou walk into a strip club…” She trailed off laughing at him as he pulled her into him quickly.

  “I would like to give you lots of fun, opnieuw.” he said with a smile, looking at her mouth. Bg’s eyes widened at him, Paris had just said the word, again, in Dutch.

  “Since when do you speak Dutch?” Bg asked him wrapping her arms around his neck.

  “Since this morning when I got my cell phone back from the hospital and had to sit at the police station for two hours waiting to be spoken to and had to pass the boredom along. I bought an app.” He explained. He kissed her with need that let her know, he could not do without her. That made her feel their connection again. That reminded her of all they had shared was a strong grounds for them to be together.

  “Okay, so the medic is on his way and…whoa!” Bodil replied walking up to Paris and Bg. “Dude, that is something I just do not need to see, you doing my baby sister in public, please.” Bodil said as Paris and Bg parted for air and slipped apart.

  “Bodil!” Bg hissed at her sister blushing.

  “Hey, I’m just calling it like I see it and you were making out like a pair of crazy hormonally, unbalanced teenagers.” Bodil taunted her further.

  “Oh my god!” Bg squealed at her slapping her arm several times fast.

  “Hey!” Bodil cried out moving away from her arm flailing sister.

  “You hit like a girl.” Bodil threw back at her and winking at Paris.

  “Yeah, hard.” Bg commented slipping her hand into Paris’s.

  “So anyway, between them, Addison and Booker have got this sorted out which means,” Bodil said looking at the time on her phone. “I have to break up the party, but you and I have a farewell to go to kiddo.” She said looking at her sister sadly. “And the old man would hate if we were late.”

  Bg nodded her head and turned to face Paris. “Book, said we could take his car, and he’ll meet us there soon as he’s done here.” Bodil said to her. They all looked at the beat up El Comino as Paris walked over to his car.

  “Oh, Porsche, nice ride.” Bodil commented as Paris stood beside his car. “Why don’t you go with Paris?” Bodil said to her sister. “I’ll meet you at home.”

  “Can I drive?” Bg asked him, causing Paris to stiffen up and look at her like she was crazy.

  “Are you serious?” He asked her.

  “Yes, sure, why not?”

  Paris pointed to the suv on the front law. “Have you seen how you parked that thing?” He said walking around to the driver side of the car, as Bodil moved the seat forward and crawled into the back of the Porsche.

  “Oh come on, there were circumstances.” Bg whined as she slid into the leather, bucket seats.

  “I think maybe we’ll have to work up to letting you drive the Porsche. But don’t get your hopes up, Addison was only allowed behind the wheel the night we had to get you home and that was an rather unique, emergency type of circumstance and I’ve known him for all my life.”

  27

  Was there every a good time to say goodbye?

  The word itself seemed to signify an ending to something good. No matter how you dressed, Bg thought to herself as she brushed her hair and pulled it back into a neat pony tail. Why was it good to let the good things go? How was that good? When it sure didn’t feel that way. She clipped the black birdcage veil into place in her hair and ran the bright red lipstick around her full lips. She checked the rest of her make up in the mirror.

  Her father had been a good man, and if she had any choice in the matter, she’d never let him go. Especially considering in the final few days of his life, she had been going through all manner of violent hell, that seemed to occupy her time, mind and body until she missed what little time she could’ve had with him. So she didn’t get to say goodbye like the others had as he lay in the hospital bed. She hadn’t got to lay across his chest one last time and feel like a five year old again, weeping, begging him to take the pain away. Where was her sense of goodbye like that?

  She stood up and pulled up the black straps of her satin black evening dress and reached around behind herself to do it up when there was a knock at her bedroom door.

  “Yeah,” She called out turning around so her back was away from the door, as

  Booker
walked in to her room. He wore a dark black suit and black shirt with jacket buttoned up. His face was shaven, his hear brushed. He looked dashing. But Bg still preferred him when he was a little scruffy around the edges.

  “Hey,” he greeted her with shyly. “I just wanted to see if you were okay, needed anything.” He said softly. Bg shook her head from side to side softly, feeling words get stuck in her throat like a lump.

  Booker nodded his head. “You’re not going through this alone, I know it might feel like it, but this loss, it’s happening to all of us.” He said walking towards her. He reached for her hands which she placed in his gently.

  Booker knelt down before her on one knee his head bowed. Bg recognised the act of submission, but couldn’t figure out why he would be paying her that much respect as an alpha bowing down to her beta. “I can’t express enough, how sorry I am I wasn’t there for you.” He said as he choked on the words. “That night. I know when I found out the news I felt like the world had somehow shattered and couldn’t be put right.”

  Bg squeezed his hands, tears glistening in her eyes. Booker looked up at her. “I think, we both have to realise, that you can’t always be where you want to be. Just doesn’t work that way, sometimes. But we can be here for each other, we have that.” Bg said as her bedroom door opened further and Paris appeared in the doorway, looking bewildered at Booker and Bg.

  A large frown building on his forehead. “Please, tell me I’m interrupting something.” He said in all seriousness.

  Booker looked over at his friend and cracked a smile, standing back up, he placed a kiss on Bg’s forehead. “Too late, she’s already said yes to me.” He replied watching Paris visibly pale.

  Bg whacked his bicep in return. “He’s kidding.” They both watched Paris visibly relax again.

  “I’ll see you out there.” Booker said letting go of her hands and walking towards Paris.

  “Oh.” Paris muttered as Booker waked past him and slapped him on the shoulder heartily. Bg dabbed at her eyes, under her veil giving Paris a soft smile.