Chapter 48

The twenty-six werewolves including Gary, made it back to Moose Creek just before dawn to rest, refresh and recuperate. About eight of them were injured but only two of them were serious injuries.

Mirabel, Janice, and Aubrey had their hands full, tending to the wounded, while a few others volunteered to prepare and serve refreshments to the resting clan members. It was like a family get-together with everyone eating, laughing, and having lighthearted conversations. By unspoken agreement, none of them said anything about the battle that they had just fought with Luke Thompson and his men. For now, they focused on celebrating their victory and winning the fight to stay alive, and not be treated like hopeless specimens for Luke and his associates to toy around with.

While the merriment continued, Andrew excused himself and went to the basement to check on Eric. He was pleased to see that his son was awake and alert.

“Hey son,” he said when he got Eric’s bedside. “You look like a pile of shit landed on you and knocked you out.”

Eric laughed. “Hey, old man. I actually feel like shit, but in a good way. Whatever Mirabel has me on is working wonders and I love it.”

Andrew laughed. “I love that your sense of humor always remains intact, no matter what. I’m so happy to see that you’re ok. Your mom has called a billion times already to ask if you were awake, and your sister has been sulking because I didn’t let her join the march to Chatanika.”

“Erin would have ruined everything with her hot-headedness.”

“That’s exactly what I said.”

“Must have pissed her off.”

“Big time.”

Eric chuckled. After a moment’s pause, he asked the question that had been burning in his mind since he regained consciousness. “How did it go?”

“We took them all down. Caught them by surprise.”

“And Luke?”

“I ripped him apart, limb by limb. Antoine was very pleased.”

Eric was surprised. “I never knew you to be…violent.”

“I’m not,” Andrew admitted. “But anyone who messes with my boy will not get a lick on the muzzle from me. He was going to kill you and the rest of us just to get to Gary. Such cruel people do not deserve a place in this world.”

“I understand, Dad,” Eric sighed. “But I think you should have caught him alive and handed him over to the police. Now, we’ll never know the people he was working with. They could start up this crazy quest all over again.”

Andrew thought for a moment. “You may be right, but from what I learned, he was working with the CIA.”

“What if he was lying?” Eric countered.

“What if he wasn’t?”

“Well, now we’ll never know for sure. I am grateful that you fought for me and avenged me as many fathers would, but I still think Luke Thompson should have been captured alive and made to face the law and pay for his crimes. That was the only way we could have found out the people financing his project.”

Andrew chuckled. “You’re such an upright fellow. Still fighting for justice for the man who hurt you badly. I admire that quality in you, son. You inspire me.”

Eric smiled. “Thank you for saying that, Dad. And you inspire me too.”

“How so?”

“Your belief in justice and fairness. That was one of the reasons I chose my career path. And you’d never deliberately hurt a soul.”

“Yeah, well, I’m a murderer now, so…”

“That’s manslaughter, and I could even argue self-defense if it came right down to it. That crazy man was going to kill us all, and you took him out to protect yourself and the ones you love.”

“You’re good,” Andrew laughed and tapped his son softly on the shoulder.

“You’re awake?” Aubrey asked happily, coming to join the men who were having a tender father and son moment. “How are you feeling?”

“Not great, but much better than I felt yesterday,” Eric replied sincerely. “And you? How are you?”

Andrew cleared his throat and stood from his seat beside the bed. “I’ll go join the others outside. It’s a party out there and I don’t want to miss it. See you later, son.”

He paused briefly to speak to Aubrey. “Thank you for helping my son. Mirabel told me it was you who carried him here and you also helped out with taking care of him. I am very grateful to you for that, Aubrey. Thank you.”

Aubrey felt a little embarrassed by Andrew’s expression of gratitude because she knew Eric would have done the same for her under similar circumstances. Nevertheless, she accepted his thanks graciously.

“You’re welcome, Andrew. We’re all family in the clan. If one of us is under attack, then all of us are under attack. I did what needed to be done at the time.”

“That’s true,” Andrew agreed. “I’ll see you around then.”

“Sure,” Aubrey said with a warm smile.

“Is that true?” Eric asked, once his dad had left the basement. “Did you actually carry me here?”

Aubrey shrugged. “Someone had to do it,” she said.

“Thank you, Aubrey.”

“You all need to stop with the thank you’s. I was just doing what you guys would have done for me if I was the one in danger.”

“I would never have guessed that you would do that for me,” Eric said softly. “I thought you didn’t want me.”

“I didn’t,” she admitted quietly. “But then I realized that I was being childish by holding on to a childhood fairytale that didn’t match up with reality. It took me losing you to realize how much I needed you in my life. You made an effort to have a relationship with me, but I kept pushing you away because I thought you didn’t fit the narrative that I had created for myself, and now I know better.”

“What are you saying?” Eric asked. He wanted to be sure that he understood what she was saying to him. He didn’t want to make any assumptions.

Aubrey looked into his eyes and said, “I’m saying that I am ready to be one with you, Eric. I think I’m falling in love with you. You are my mate and I want to share my life with you, if you will have me.”

Eric didn’t know if it was the drugs running through his veins that caused it, but he felt his eyes getting misty. He couldn’t remember the last time he shed a tear, but right now, in this very moment, he wanted to weep for joy hearing that his affection for Aubrey was not in vain.

“I don’t have to guess, Aubrey. I know I love you,” he said with certainty. “I have loved you from that day when you waylaid me in your daddy’s bar and took me to paradise and back in a matter of minutes.”

Aubrey giggled. “That was insane.”

“It was and I loved it. I have never been with a woman or a werewolf with such guts. You knew what you wanted, and you went for it. That was hot as fuck.”

She laughed. “That was probably the wildest thing I’d ever done in my life!”

“I’m not surprised, Ice Princess,” he teased her.

“Not anymore. You’ve melted all the ice in me, and I can tell you this, it feels good to be warm inside.”

Eric grinned. “I’m feeling warm right now myself.”

Aubrey spied his growing erection under the covers and let out a delighted gasp. “You devil. Ready for action already?”

“I don’t know what it is about you, but I’m always ready for action when you’re near me.”

She laughed. “I’ll take that as a compliment. Now stop talking and rest up. I need you to recover quickly and show me how thankful you are that I carried you here on my back like a warrior princess riding back from battle with her wounded prince.”

“Now that’s what I like to hear, mate,” he said with a wink.