“That’s a bunch of hooey. Me and my family will take our chances. Fill in that damned hole and get off my property, missy.”
“I will do just that and when the time comes, you and your family will die. I’m sorry to hear that you are so small minded that you can’t even consider that the human race is destroying the earth. It is complete ignorance not to think that the end may come a lot sooner than anyone cares to admit. Have a nice day,
old man
.”
Ever turned to walk back to her car and heard a wolf’s growl. She was already changing as she turned to look back at the porch. The wolf was large and brown, but she was already angry and her wolf mind retained that emotion as the creature skulked down the stairs.
Ever bared her teeth and snarled, the sound loud and menacing. As a human she had been prepared to walk away, but as a wolf, she would defend her ground and fight. A younger man ran down the stairs. “Grandfather, what are you doing? You are threatening the alpha’s mate and from the looks of her, she is going to tear you apart.”
Willis stopped, turning to snarl at his grandson. A second later a slightly older man raced down the stairs, throwing a rope around the old man’s neck. He reined it in, and Willis spun on him, turning back into a human. “What the fuck do you think you are doing?”
“I think that I’m stopping you from getting yourself killed. Not including what Kris will do to us if you hurt her. She is his mate and she may be a half-breed, but her were blood is strong and it is also said that her human side is part witch. Use your brain, Father. What the hell are you thinking?”
Ever stormed to her car and was forced to turn back into a woman to open the door. She grabbed the blanket from the backseat, furious with herself for destroying her favorite pair of jean shorts. She had reacted to the threat of the violence without giving her clothing even a second’s thought. Now she was going to have to drive home wrapped in a blanket. Her nostrils were still flared with anger as she turned back to look at the men on the porch. “Either you keep him under wraps or start planning to find somewhere else to live. I will not have my life threatened because of a bigoted, narrow-minded old man. We will not build on your property, but if you need help, you had better hope that you have someone else to ask, because you won’t get it from me.”
Ever got into the car and backed out of the driveway. She had a gut feeling that in the near future, this family was going to desperately need her help and she needed to decide if she would give it or not.
She was going to have to explain to Kris what happened and at the same time keep him calm about the situation. He would be looking for blood when he found out that Willis had turned on Ever. Of course, as alpha, he couldn’t really let it ride. It would make him appear weak. The problem was that he also couldn’t kill one of the oldest living weres on the property. This would have to be handled very tactfully. She shouldn’t have allowed herself to become angry over Willis’s irritating words.
With a heavy sigh, she turned the car around and headed toward home.
Ever was sitting in the living room watching
The Lion King
with the children when Kris stormed into the house. He glared at her. “Do you have any idea how embarrassing it was when Nothan Parth walked into a finance meeting and told me that my mate had turned and threatened the founder of their surname? What the fuck are you doing, Ever?”
“And you believed him?”
He dumped the contents of the bag in his hands on the floor. “I didn’t have much fucking choice, did I? I believe these are yours. Not many people here wear designer shorts with bling on the pockets.”
“I really liked those jeans. I did not, however, attack him. He attacked me and I only turned when I heard him growling at me from the porch. Sorry, I guess I must be a female were who isn’t going to stand around and let some…” She became mindful of the children listening and curbed her tongue. Ever got to her feet, walking across the room and into the kitchen.
Kris followed her. “Well?”
“I’m sorry that I got angry when he called me a stupid little
,
half-breed bitch. Then he started calling me missy as if I was a child who was too big for her britches. I was going to get in my car and leave, but then he was growling at me and there was threat in the sound. I reacted. I should have just run the stupid old fuck over with my car.”
“Really, Ever?” a voice asked from the other side of the room. She turned and saw that Demetri had come in and was going over the store’s books at the kitchen table.
“Yes, really. I could have healed him and then he would have owed me his life. Nice of you to come say hello.”
“I didn’t want to interrupt your time with the children. Now what happened?”
She turned back to Kris, seeing the extremely perturbed expression on his face. “He called you a half-breed bitch?”
“Yes.”
“Show me.”
“Me, too,” said Demetri.
Ever gestured to the table with her hand. Quite by accident, it had been discovered that Ever had the ability to relay events and images directly from her mind into any of the three men’s minds. She could also see things in their minds if they wanted to show her something. She sat between them at the table, putting a palm to each man’s face. Ever closed her eyes and focused on the conversation with Gear, allowing the full scene to flow through her memory into theirs. She could feel the fury bubbling in both their minds and accompanied the thoughts with a rush of soothing energy.
When she pulled back, Kris was glaring at her.
“How would they be stupid enough to think that Ever wouldn’t tell you the truth?” asked Demetri.
“They knew she would tell me, they just didn’t think that I would believe her.”
“Why not? She is your mate.”
“The Parth family still lives by ancient traditions. The women serve the role of housekeeper and baby maker. If the child is a male, he is revered, but if it is female, then it is an outcast of the family males. They used to kill the female children until the clan put a stop to it. There is suspicion that they still kill them, but we haven’t been able to prove it.”
“Maybe this information would have been useful
beforehand
, considering that we are building on their land,” said Ever.
Kris nodded, his lips fluttering as he exhaled. “I should have told you, but I didn’t foresee this happening. You have
visions of the
futur
e
, I don’t. I’m sorry.”
“I’m actually more upset that you would drive all the way home believing that I had done something that stupid. What made you believe them?”
Holding up his hands in an age-old gesture of frustration, he let them fall back to his lap. “Stupidity? I have no idea, Ever. I know you better than that. It has just been a very long week. The council is upset about the cost of the shelters. It’s not that they don’t have the money. They just don’t want to dish it out. You’re going to have to stop with the food orders for a while and let things cool down. Maybe in the long run it is good that one of the shelters got scrapped. The
n
orth shelter was the most expensive one because it was the largest and required the longest connecting tubes.”
“Yes, but it also means that anyone in the north will have to scramble for a shelter that could potentially be half an hour away. I take it that the solar panels got shot down.”
“Actually, no they didn’t. The council thinks it’s a very good idea to start producing our own electricity. I gave them the plans for the solar and the windmills and they liked them. They want to have another meeting on Friday with Vern and Bolt there to give them the specifics. I still have to talk to Vern and Bolt, though. Want to come for the ride tomorrow? I’ll take you out to lunch.”
“I would love to, but I have to get in touch with the construction crew and see if I can talk them into resuming construction on the final two shelters. I have a feeling it is going to be like pulling teeth and maybe I should go have a chat with the Bantam family first to make sure they are on board.”
“I think that is a very good idea. We can go now and be back in time for dinner. I could use a run to help me think.”
Ever looked past him to the wall that backed the living room. She had promised to watch the movie with the babies. “I can’t leave until the movie is over.”
Kris stood and dragged her to her feet. “Okay, Mommy. Let’s go watch the movie, but I want to run and I want to get laid.”
Ever wanted to get laid also. Their lives had gotten crazy and sex had been put on the back burner far more times than any of them liked. She replied to his comment by softly stroking his cheek and then leaning in to give him a kiss as a promise for later.
“Mommy, you are missing the movie,” snapped Seren. “You promised.”
Kris rolled his eyes and sighed. “Let’s go watch the movie.”
The intended sexy kiss was turned into a quick peck and she gave Demetri a shrug. He smiled. “Go. I have to finish up this paperwork. I’ll be in as soon as I’m done.”
They headed back into the living room and Ever glanced at the glass wall of Lash’s room.
Her adorable son was still under Tella's spell and could no longer be trusted to be with the rest of the family. He was simply too violent and unpredictable. Lash
was lying on the bed, watching the movie with them. Ever tilted her head and smiled, hoping he would return it. He simply watched them, returning no reaction whatsoever. As she sat down, she patted her lap and Seren climbed up into it. Ever stroked his hair, and then mentally kicked herself for not thinking of this sooner. Closing her eyes, she touched Seren’s mind, being careful not to interrupt his thoughts or give him any of hers. Ever concentrated only on Tella, the look of the woman’s face and any words that Seren’s subconscious might remember her chanting. His conscious mind was on the movie and she heard him laugh. “That was funny.”
“Yes, it was.”
The image came, the older woman with the long gray-and-black hair standing over him. Seren was afraid, his tiny heart beating quickly with fear. “From this day forth, you are mine and only mine,” said Tella in his thoughts. “You will find no love in your heart for any but me. Cantra seyalta treycan barrion heayal. I mothra fathra foneats et onevar.”
Ever broke the connection and handed Seren to Kris. Scrambling from the sofa, she hurried into the kitchen and snatched the pen from Demetri’s hands. On the ledger book before him she wrote the words as best she could and then shoved it at him. “What does it mean?”
Demetri shrugged. “I have no idea. What is it?”
“Those were the words that Tella said over the boys. I just got it from Seren’s mind while he was watching the movie.”
Demetri studied the words again. “The last line says ‘I mother, father forsaking all others.’ I don’t know the line before it. Let me make some calls. How sure are you about the spelling?”
“I’m not, but that is how the words sounded out. I won quite a few spelling bees in school. So…she spelled herself to be their parents and so they wouldn’t accept anyone else in that role. So why is Seren okay and Lash not okay?”
“Seren is alpha and he has a more viable connection with his father because of that. Maybe the spell didn’t work as well on him because his mind is stronger. Who knows. There are few definites when dealing with magic. I’m not talking about natural ability like yours. I’m talking about the magic that works because of spells. They can have different outcomes on different people. It is also harder to spell an infant, because their minds don’t always hold things as concrete. Seren was probably bonded more fully to you and Kris, and as such, it was harder to spell him.
He is also the alpha child and has a stronger personality.
Go watch the movie like you promised. I will make some calls.”
“Thank you. I love you.”
“I know and I want Lash back to normal also. Just please keep this in perspective and don’t get your hopes up too high.”
She nodded and could feel the tears welling in her eyes. She wanted to get her hopes up. She wanted Lash to get better. To have a child who would turn into a wolf and attack them whenever they tried to get close to him was heart wrenching. To know that Lash couldn’t be trusted to play with his siblings or even receive any kind of physical contact was tragic. The worst part was seeing her child alone, locked in a glass room, and knowing that he hated them, all of them.
Demetri stood and pulled her into his chest, wrapping his arms tightly around her. “We will find a way to get through to him. I’m not saying give up hope, I’m just saying be careful. I know it tears you apart when you think something is going to work and it doesn’t.”
“He’s my son.”
“I know, and this was not your fault.”
Ever cringed. What had happened to Demetri’s son
Rick
had been partially his fault and there was nothing that could change that fact. He had tried to find the spell that had changed Lash, but hadn’t been able to figure it out. Now he had the spell, but maybe it was too late. She leaned her head back and gave him a weary smile. “Did I bring back bad thoughts?”
“A few, but you know that my life has significantly improved since I have been living here. I have a family now and it is helping me to forgive myself. Go watch the movie.”
Ever gave him a quick kiss. “Finish your paperwork.”
A grin flashed on his face and he nipped her nose before releasing her. Demetri turned her body and, with a slap on the ass, sent her back into the other room.
Ever lifted Seren from Kris’s arms and hugged him tightly as she sat down. He squirmed. “Mommy, you are squishing me.”
“I know. I wanted to hug my son.”
Errant immediately got up from the floor and hopped between Ever and Liam. He frowned. “Hug me, too.”
She put her arm around him and pulled him into her side. Errant snuggled closer, resting his head on her. Liam ran his hand down her hair and she gave him a smile.