Graham’s POV
That fucking bitch. How dare she? Cheryl was supposed to fall apart. I knew I had her almost ready to break because she was near the end. She was supposed to be the one to waste away over Blake, that was what I wanted to happen, I was almost there too. As we speed to get to where they are, I already know that when we get there, I am going to kill Cheryl. I don’t care if Blake tries to stop me or not. I am going to kill her for taking my Cassandra away from me. I felt it the moment it happened and I howled out in pain as I collapsed to the ground. It almost killed me, and I drove myself to the front of the packhouse, as I couldn't walk. I could barely drive, let alone stand due to the pain of losing my mate.
I knew Cheryl was close to the end, I could tell it clearly, even with her pretending to be OK. I have never seen her looking so bad before. All the years of lying to Blake. The hints at her infidelity and betrayal. All my implying about her love for Brandon has been breaking Blake down all these years. I put in all this work for the last 7 years, and now it was completely ruined. She killed the love of my life. I swear to the Goddess herself that I will be hunting Cheryl and her son down if they manage to get away. I will tear them both apart. She deserved it for taking Cassandra away from me, my life is over as I no longer wanted to live anymore. I am willing to pay someone to find her and bring her to me so I can kill her with my bare hands. Nothing will ever be OK again. I don’t know how she could have even done it. Cassandra was her friend, how could she have done something so terrible? Cassandra was the most innocent of us all.
The worst part was that Cheryl had clearly planned this whole thing out. I remember that cold smile she gave me last night when Cassandra begged to go with them. That bitch had Cassandra actually begging to be allowed to leave the pack with them, only for Cheryl to kill her. I knew she was mad, no change that, I knew that Cheryl was furious at me. She knew it was me pushing Blake all these years. That I was the one slowly tearing them apart. She has known for years, so why didn’t she expose me, or tell Blake? I have no idea. But she didn’t and that was her own fault. I knew he would never listen to her, even if she did. I had him so immersed in my allegations, that he wouldn’t have listened to anyone. I am going to have to do some damage control after I take care of my Cassandra. Luckily, Blake is upset at losing Kara, and Cheryl has killed her too. I will be bringing this up, and wanting some payback for his mate losing her mind.
Maybe I can get Reagan and her kids brought back here to Black Moon to keep me from getting the pack fired up at what his mate did. I could build her a home right next door to mine, so I won’t be quite as lonely. Maybe find a new chosen mate, or at least a girlfriend. Some of Blake’s girlfriends are quite lovely, I will have to speak to them at dinner tonight. I am still in very good shape, and quite rich. I am sure one or more of them would be interested in me. I quickly let that thought go, Blake will need them for comfort. I will wait until I have mourned the loss of my perfect Luna. She supported me no matter what I did, and I am so hurt at losing her.
Cheryl could have stopped me, and my plans. I actually wanted to see her try to do just that. I knew that Cheryl was the one who had the idea of Reagan becoming a breeder. What a fucking slap in the face, and there is no worse punishment for a woman in a pack. I knew it, and so did Cassandra, but we could not stop it. The only other option was death, and that was not actually an option. I honestly thought that Blake would let her come back sooner or later after he had a chance to calm down. But no amount of money I offered, made him change his mind. Reagan was scarred up now and damaged. That should have never happened, and it was all because of Blake and Cheryl sending her there to have to live as a breeder for the rest of her life. I still have my payback for Garrett and Marc coming. Just because I have been focused on Blake and Cheryl right now, didn’t mean that they were dodging their punishment.
Their lies were the reason that Reagan had been raped, and assaulted at Blood Tracker. I was just waiting for the best time to put that plan into play. No one is going to get away with messing with a Sullivan. We pulled to a sudden stop and I jumped out to run up to where Billie was standing. I can tell that she is in shock. And I started looking around for Chery and Kevin, I was hoping that they were still here, as punishment needs to be swift in this. I look down and see my beautiful mate, and I cannot get to her fast enough. All my plans to replace her are gone in an instant as I look at her. She is still beautiful in death. I hold her to me and cried as I rock her back and forth as if she was a baby. My beautiful Luna was killed for no reason. She had nothing to do with this. I was the one who was punishing Blake and her, Cassandra had nothing to do with it, why would she kill her?
It made no sense at all to me, and I struggled to get her up the slope. Some of the warriors off to help, after they carried the other two up, but I needed to do this. I got her into this, and I need to get her out of it too. My tears kept falling, and I have no idea how I am going to tell Reagan about this. Reagan knew what I was doing. Even though Reagan didn’t encourage me to do it, she also didn’t tell me not to do it. It would have been pointless anyway, just like me trying to stop her from carrying out her own agenda would be too. She is going to know that this is my fault at the root of it. She knew what I was doing, and she warned me about crossing Blake. She cautioned me that she was in a good place now, and I am glad she had Clive, but I felt that I had to do this. I had to let them know that their vicious plans for Reagan, brought this punishment down on their heads. That they cannot do whatever the hell they want to.
I sat on the ground for a few minutes and see that they are ready to leave. We have two dead bodies in the back of Blake’s truck, but I cannot put my beautiful Luna in there like she was trash. I know that Billie is still freaked out by what happened and I needed answers, like where in the hell Cheryl was. I will never allow her to get away with this. I need to know if she knows where Cheryl was headed, but I doubt she knows. Anyone that knows Billie knows that she can’t hold water. I can tell that Billie was freaked out about losing her best friend. She and Cassandra were as thick as thieves. She loved Cassandra and that was the only reason that I am not screaming at her right now. We will find out tonight, together, as I want to sit in on her being questioned too. I will tell Blake that when we get back. I will not allow them to make plans for Cheryl unless I am involved too. I will be making my own plans, especially if she can be located. I will make sure that she and Kevin never return here if I have any say at all in it.
I can see the warrior driving keep glancing back at me. My grief is heavy on me, and I am still in shock at this sudden change of events. I mean I just kissed her goodbye less than 30 minutes ago. How could this have happened? It just doesn’t seem real. This is not right and I refuse to accept it. I know the reason for Cheryl’s smile now. She wanted me to know that not only was she paying me back by doing this, but that she got Cassandra to beg to come on her very last trip. I never thought that Cheryl had it in her. If I had, and knew what was going to happen, I really would have left it alone like Reagan asked me to.
We arrive back at Black Moon and I asked for them to drive me to the pack hospital. I have built onto the original hospital, and we have a state-of-the-art hospital now. It isn’t massive, but it is a good size to take care of our pack. I want to bury Cassandra, and I wanted to ask Blake if Reagan could come for a small service. I will strike while the iron is hot, and play on his guilt as soon as I can. I would like for her to be able to come and pay her respects to her mom. With all the security and safety measures that Blake has put in place throughout the last 15 years, we have never been attacked. It has been a safe place to live and I have appreciated how well we have been treated here. The only exception was with what had happened with Reagan here at Black Moon, but she freely admitted her fault in that.
We didn’t have a morgue, but we had a cold room where she could be stored for now. Some of the medicine needed to be refrigerated and I wanted her to be put in a bag and rolled on a gurney into the cold storage for now. Some of the nurses had looked horrified at my request, but after I growled they ended up helping me get it done. I knew that they were going to tell Blake, and I didn’t care, his mate killed mine, for no reason. I needed them to give me a little leeway here. Blake had no defense in it, and he was going to have to go along with whatever I wanted. I have the upper hand here, as my mate hadn’t killed anyone. I may have started the ball rolling, but Cheryl really didn’t have to kill anyone. That was uncalled for and violent. It is best that she is gone because Goddess knows what she would do to me if she wasn’t.
I need to go ahead and speak to Blake right now. I would like Reagan here, it would help me to start the healing process, and I have never in my life felt this bad before. I went straight to his office and got there as he was buzzing his ranked men into the room. I guess I got here just in time. He frowned when he saw me, and I am sure that they are about to have a meeting. I just need to go ahead and step in here and make my requests. That way all of his men know, and there will be no confusion. Blake doesn’t say anything, and I know that means he is OK with me staying in here with them. I have done it a hundred times over the years, and I needed a minute of his time.
I watch as Garrett put’s Blake’s phone down on the desk and said, “I found it, it was in your truck, laying in the floorboard.” Blake nodded in appreciation to him, and Garrett sat in the chair next to me. I guess Blake had lost his phone. I was not surprised at his leaving it sitting on the desk. I am drained as well and would love to be alone, in my home. Preferably hugging Cassandra’s pillow to let her scent calm me down. I am instantly regretful of my callous disregard for Cassandra on the way there. I didn’t want to be alone so my first thought was who I could get to keep my company, as I was sure that Blake will not let Reagan come back. But I am still going to ask. After seeing her face, frozen in death, it is all I can see now. I can feel my eyes burn as the pain I am in makes me want to cry. I cannot remember the last time I wanted to cry. I honestly thought that Cassandra and I would be here at Black Moon until we died. As much money as I have sunk into this pack though, and our home being Cassandra's dream home, things were perfect here. She loved living here, so at least she was happy these last 15 years.
“What can I do for you, Graham?” Blake asked me, and I can hear the exhaustion in his voice. I agree, this has been a horrible and draining day and it is barely half over.
“I put Cassandra in cold storage at the hospital, as I am sure you have already heard, Blake. I would like to have a small service for her and bury her on my property. I would also like it if you would allow Reagan to come back onto Black Moon land for her to pay her respects to her mother” I told him. Blake’s eyes are shut, and I know that he is thinking right now. He didn’t immediately shut me down, so that is a good sign. Maybe he realizes that his mate is the whole reason that we have to do this, so I don’t have to cause any waves. Plus, I can keep the guilt trip to use later. Like me asking to move Reagan back to Black Moon. She doesn’t cause problems anymore and has been a model pack member, for the last 15 years. Plus Clive would come with her, and he is a valuable member of Blood Tracker. Aaron might kick up a fuss about his pups coming here, but we are so close to him, that it should be fine. It would be perfect for me if Blake was willing to allow it.
“Reagan is banished, Graham. I am sure that you remember why” Blake responds dryly to me, and I tried not to flush. We all do, and it was shameful that she even tried it. I was so disappointed in her doing it. I guess I might have to lay it on thick then.
“Blake, Reagan has been a model pack member ever since then. She learned her lesson, and I was hoping that you would allow me to let her move back to Black Moon to live out her days” I asked him, with pain in my voice. I need to make this work for me, and I was going to lay it on as thick as I needed to, just to get what I wanted. I just needed to get her here first, then all bets were off. I will be doing what I wanted to do, just like I usually do.
Blake said nothing to me, so I decided to sweeten the pot a little. “I would be willing to spend the same amount that I was going to spend building her home, as a donation to the pack. Do not forget that I gave you a great deal of money to not kill Reagan, from that terrible mistake that she made. I can guarantee you that she will never make such a mistake again Blake. She is my only child and I would like her to be near me. It is just me and her now that her mother has been murdered by your mate” I told him in a mournful voice.
I hated having to remind him that his mate murdered mine in cold blood. I actually wanted to save it for later, but this was a huge request, so I was going to have to use it now. I needed to be able to get my daughter back here with me. I was willing to use every single arrow in my quiver to do just that. I see Blake’s eyes open back up and he looks at me, but I cannot read his face.
“OK, How big of a home did you want for her?” Blake asked looking me directly in the eye. I cannot read his expression, but I have worked with Blake for the last 15 years. He trusts me, and he enjoys the perks of having me in his pack. Especially with his children now going shopping so often, as well as his girlfriends. He is always in need of funds.
I see him glance at Marc, for him to pay attention to this information, as it depends on the trim and how many upgrades they will need to do it. I turned in my chair to look at Marc, and see him getting his phone out to text his men. Marc is in charge of all new builds on the packland. The team they use, are men who are both part of this pack and are the same ones who built my home for me and Cassandra. They also have a business in the city, and that is why they can create such nice houses. They can get deals in both the human and werewolf business world. I try to keep the excitement off my face, as I can see that Blake is entertaining the idea, well, at least he hasn’t shut it down yet.
“She will need 7 bedrooms, for her and the children. They can double up, but I would like them to have large rooms. I do not mind spending $500,000 to build it. We do not have to do high-grade fixtures, mid-grade is good. I know the home will have to be very large to accommodate them all. She will need about 5000 sq feet in total. Two of the rooms can be smaller, as the two oldest boys will be needing their own rooms. Will $500,000 be enough, Marc?” I asked him as he continued to type into his phone.
I know he was asking his men, but I thought my number would be close. “The price of lumber has skyrocketed lately, but it should be pretty close. I know that we will have to get it drawn out and designed before we will have a real number for the project. I know that 3 of the bedrooms can go downstairs. She likes to keep the girls near her, and her youngest baby, Sara Beth, is just five, and won’t need a huge room. We will need three bathrooms upstairs, and 2 and a half downstairs” I continued to speak as I worked it all out in my head out loud for them. Marc nods at me and said, “Looks like what you want will be around $520,000 for all of it, so you were close.” I am happy with this outcome, and I wish I had brought my laptop with me to transfer the money to Blake.
I can come in the morning, to transfer the money to you Blake, I do not have my laptop with me, frankly, I didn’t think you would even consider it” I told him and I saw that he was looking at his phone with a frown.
“It is OK, you can use my computer to log in and do it,” Blake said as he got up and moved to the far side of the room, still on his phone. I am not going to be rude, it is not a problem and we have all had a stressful day. I won’t balk at them wanting their money before the work can start. They have never done me wrong before, and I have no reason to think that they would start now.
“Get some warriors and see if they can use the locator on Cheryl’s phone to find her” I heard Blake say in a hard tone as Travis slipped out of the room. Today is looking up for me. If I could get Reagan, and my grandchildren back here at Black Moon here, and Cheryl can be found, then today will end on a far better note than it started.
I logged in and then Marc stepped up next to me and said this is the total amount needed to be transferred. I looked at the screen and it showed $1,050,000, and I nodded, he had said about $520,000 another $5,000 on both ends is usually right for unexpected problems to come up. They know that they can always come back to me if they need more anyway. I completed the transaction, and the next thing I know everything goes black.
Out of Graham's own Mouth