Chapter 90: A Nasty Surprise

Evie’s POV

We have been back at Dark Marsh for a little over two weeks now. I arrived here just a month ago and I cannot believe how much my life has changed. Helen, my foster mother was now out of the hospital, and we had moved her into the packhouse last week. She didn’t know anything about werewolves. She also wasn't aware that she was in a pack. She just thought that we lived in some sort of a secure commune. She couldn't leave the packhouse, so we weren't worried about her seeing anything. Everyone was told if they were in their wolf form, to stay in the woods. She was so happy for me to have found Jake. She was even helping me plan a wedding with him, as that was what she wanted for us. She was not aware that our bond was enough for Jake and I.

My mother, and Jake’s mother, Debra, were both immediately on board with making this happen. Sarah was excited and making plans, as well. We are making it a double wedding. As soon as we returned from my parents pack we found out that Beau and Sarah were mates, she had just turned 18 less than a week before. He was just as excited as she was. I already knew that she had a little crush on him, so it worked out for the best for all of us. Helen enjoys coming down and helping them with them choosing the decorations for us.

Today we are going to a bridal store in New Orleans to buy our wedding dresses. We are having our wedding in a little over months’ time. Five weeks from now to be exact, and that is most likely going to be a problem getting a dress. Sarah is also bouncing in her excitement to get there. Beau and Tyler did not want us to go alone, but we didn’t want them to see our dresses. So my parents, and hers are coming with us, for us to try on dresses. We will also be hitting the florist up on the way back home in the town near us.

We are currently riding with my parents with two other SUVs in our convoy. One in front of us and one behind us each carrying 6 warriors from Dark Marsh, and 6 warriors from Moss Point. It was too much in my opinion, but I knew that we were going to be downtown, and it made Jake and Beau calm down about us going without them. They were going to knock out some paperwork and get caught back up while we were gone. That way we can all have dinner together once we return. We will be eating lunch first in New Orleans, as our dress appointments are at 1230. We were too excited to eat breakfast this morning because we wanting to get on the road. So we were having an early lunch.

My parents were the most excited about being involved in this this special lifetime event. It was something that they never thought that they would get to do. Coming with me buying a wedding dress. Jake was going to buy it, but my parents insisted on getting it for me. My mother was almost giddy with excitment. They missed out on so much with me, and I was really excited about them being here to give me their opinions as well. I have always wanted to have this kind of experience with them too. My dream has actually come true. I have parents that love and care for me, and it is all that I have ever wanted. When I think about how things have changed in just one month’s time, it is just staggering to me. I have a mate, and I am a wolf which still blows my mind. Having found my parents after all this time, was the cherry on top.

My father had made a reservation near the dress shop that we were going to. He was treating all of us to lunch, and I hated that Helen didn’t feel up to making the trip. She got tired easily, and Helen had been assigned a nurse who takes such good care of her. She normally works in the pack hospital, and she has just been the sweetest with her new charge. She loves the hours, and is only need occasionally. She takes very good care of Helen while we are not there. I could not ask for more for her. My parents could not thank Helen enough when they met her for the first time. They know that she took great care of me, and had offered her to come to their “commune” if she wanted to. But she refused, because she wanted to stay with me, and they were happy to let her.

We will actually be very close to where the company that Rhett’s father, James, runs. I am still a little nervous about being that close to it. The odds of running into any part of that family are very low? I planned to totally avoid them at all costs for the rest of my life. The reasons that she wanted me, were all now null and void. I have a family, and I was no longer a virgin. I was worried that she had moved on with her plan, but Jake still has a patrol that checks her land every night. He is not going to allow her to be just leaving dead bodies behind like that. She is going to need a new area to do her dirty work in from now on.

We were escorted to our table, and I was excited about eating here. I had always wanted to, but couldn’t afford to do it before. Dad was treating us all. Things had turned around quickly with him back in charge. The pack’s businesses were all rising back up with him at the helm. After selling Lyell’s car, they were able to put the money back into the businesses, and back into the pack. Things were looking up for Moss Point now, and my parents were happier than ever for it.

Sarah and I went to the restroom after ordering our food. I was shocked to run into Victoria as she exited the restroom right as we were about to enter. I cannot believe my bad luck. I quickly stepped back away from her, and Sarah stepped in front of me, sensing my emotions. I was more trained than she was right now. But she could tell that I was upset, and she wanted to protect me. I glanced back at our table and I can see my mother getting up, and heading our way right now. She could see my face, and knew that there was a problem. I should have told them how close we were to her husband’s business.

She was less shocked than I was, or at least she covered her surprise well. She gave me a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes and said, “How are you dear? I heard your foster mother was let out of the hospital recently. Are you back in your home again?”

“This not my home anymore. Thank you for your concern, Mrs. Coleman, but it is not needed. You do not need to worry about anything involving me ever again. I hope that you have given up on what you were planning to do. I might still go to the police with what I know if you haven’t. But you don’t need to know where I am living. We are nothing to each other,” I told her. Before stepped forward to step in front of Sarah to protect her. I got over being scared because I knew that I was stronger now. I was not the same pushover that they knew before. I was not going to allow her to feel superior to me, or scare me again. If we meet again at night, the outcome for her and her group would be a lot different than it was the last time.

My mother had heard what she said as she came over to us, because our hearing is excellent. As soon as she arrived next to me she stretched her hand out and said, “Savannah Benton, I am Evie’s mother, and you are?” My mother let it trail off, but it was more than asking who she was. When mom introduced herself it was more of a threat, than an introduction from the tone she used. I could see Victoria grimace in pain as she shook my mother’s hand, and I knew that mom was squeezing her hand. I can see surprise and then fear showing in Victoria's eyes. My mother and I almost looked like twins, there was no doubt who she was to me. Victoria is worried about payback for what she did to me and quickly pulled her hand back from my mother.

“I am so glad that she finally found you. From what we knew, we all thought that she was an orphan. I am glad that she has you in her corner now. I am Victoria Coleman, my son Rhett went to high school with Evie. They just graduated together last month,” I saw my mother stiffen up, as she now knew who Victoria was. She knew she didn;t like her, she just didn;tknowwhy until she found out her name. I see her look down to hide the fact that she was mindlinking. I didn’t have to wonder who she was talking to, as my father’s head snapped up before he looked over at us. He had fury written all over his face, and he picked up his phone to stealthly take a picture of Victoria.

I already knew that he was going to send it to the warriors outside. I already know that he is going to have them follow her when she leaves here. He likes to know as much about his enemies as he can. They had an extra key to dad’s SUV, as he had driven us here, so they would be able to follow her without being noticed. The dress shop was just 2 blocks away from us. We can easily walk there, despite the hot summer month. I already knew that dad was making up some not nice plans for her, as he was staring a hole through her.

“We were indeed blessed to have found her. It had been so long since she was taken from us. Her father and I couldn’t believe our luck. Evie’s future mother-in-law was the one who had actually found her and called us to tell us. After so many years we still could not believe it. It was with the Goddess’s protection that she was saved over the years that she was lost to us,” my mother said.

I saw Victoria’s eyes flicker at the word Goddess. I wonder if she knows about werewolves, or if she was just reacting to it from a Voodoo standpoint. I can see Rhett heading over to us, and he seems surprised to see me too. His expression then immediately went to being worried. I just don’t know if he was worried for his mother, or me. Rhett stopped a few feet away from us and watched the interaction. I know that he had sent me a warning, so I don’t think he was in on her plan for me. I just know that he should have gave me a better warning, although I don’t know how I could have prevented what happened to me that night.