Acting Like Family Read online

  Auggie wrote her a letter and made arrangements to meet her somewhere. He’d had all the clerical staff that handled fan mail alerted. It appeared that Riker and Lakon Montgomery were both being stalked by a woman calling herself Bethany Black.

  * * * *

  April 13

  Magnolia Grill

  Durham, NC

  “All right, August, you called this meeting,” Riker leaned forward, fingers drumming the table. “What pressing legal matters have I been neglecting?” August Livingston just annoyed him. If not for his aunt, he wouldn’t have hired the little jackass. Why couldn’t he be more like his brother, Yancey?

  “It seems we have the twin problems of harassment and stalking—perhaps twofold would be a better word,” Auggie oozed.

  “Whatever, Auggie. Be a little more specific, would you?”

  His eyebrow raised, Riker squared his shoulders and placed his palms flat on the table, leaning marginally closer to his cousin. He was rewarded when Auggie lowered his eyes and swallowed nervously, leaning away. No longer the smug, supercilious peacock he’d been when he sat down, the lawyer seemed to shrink into his chair, crossing his legs protectively.

  “A woman…” his voice cracked on a squeak. He cleared his throat. “Some woman claims that you fathered her children.” He cleared his throat again. “I wanted to warn you of the possible publicity. There could even be a lawsuit.”

  “This happens about once a month doesn’t it?” Riker growled, narrowing his eyes. Auggie nodded, keeping his eyes lowered. “I’ve been celibate for quite some time. I’m willing to submit to blood tests. What else should I be aware of?” His tone of voice was low and harsh.

  Sweating, Auggie went on. “A young woman, a writer of some kind, maybe a reporter…” Riker growled impatiently. “She’s writing harassing letters to you and your brother,” he yelped in a rush.

  “Harassing in what way? About what?” Riker barked his clipped questions.

  Auggie mopped his brow and cleared his throat again. “Letters about twins, sir.” His voice was shrill.

  “Take care of it, Auggie,” Riker snarled. “That is what I pay you for, isn’t it?” he rose to his feet tossing a hundred dollar bill at the table. The smell of the other man’s fear was making him nauseous. “I’m not hungry. Enjoy your meal,” he grumbled, walking away.

  He didn’t see Auggie’s resentful, but triumphant glare trained on him as he walked away.

  Chapter 3

  June 15

  Lowry Park Zoo

  Tampa, FL

  Tav lazily sunned himself on the highest rock in the enclosure. He enjoyed seeing the parents bringing their children and he enjoyed being left alone.

  His perch wasn’t far from the main thoroughfare and he could see many people strolling by. His eyes were half closed when the scent hit him. It was a pup. No, two pups.

  The pups were so close, he could have leaped off his rock and been in front of them in seconds. He looked around until he found them. Their mother moved them to the fence of the enclosure but as she glanced at her watch, she pulled their stroller just a little back as if she were watching for something or someone.

  His interest was piqued now. The mother was a human. He could smell that quite clearly. No question, though, those pups were Were. If his nose was telling the truth, they were Were, human and wolf mixed. That made them more lupine than anything.

  As he watched the little family, a man came charging up to them. Tav couldn’t really hear what was said but he could smell that the man was a Were. He also knew that this Were was not the father of the pups.

  As he watched, the Were tried to move into the mother’s personal space. He had to give her credit. He could tell that the male was trying to intimidate her and wanted her for himself. The mother remained calm and seemingly resolute.

  As Tav watched, the Were knocked the mother to the ground and reached for the pups. He wasn’t the only lupine that objected loudly to this. He may have been the only werewolf in the enclosure but no wolf would stand still and watch a pup being attacked.

  The population of the wolf enclosure went wild. Trainers came from all over the zoo in an attempt to calm them. Tav marked the other werewolf’s scent and watched long enough to be sure that the woman and her pups were safe. After that he applied himself to escaping.

  She was long gone by the time he was free. He followed her scent. This woman needed help. He hadn’t been able to save his own wife and pup but he wouldn’t let this woman and these pups down.

  * * * *

  June 15

  Tampa GardensApartment of Marc Fonteneax

  Bethany wondered for hundredth time if she was doing the right thing. All she knew for sure was that she couldn’t go home. She didn’t need money. She just needed a safe place to stay until she could figure out what to do.

  As she lunged after a three-month-old baby that shouldn’t have been this active yet, she heard the heavy tread of a man’s footstep on the stairs.

  “Bethany?” he said incredulously as he rounded the corner.

  “Dr. Fonteneax, Marc… You said if I ever needed … I need a…” she couldn’t seem to form a complete thought today. She knew she was really rattled.

  “Breathe, Bethany, breathe,” he told her, sinking to the hallway floor next to her.

  “I’m sorry. It’s been a kind of a bad day.” She raised a shaking hand to the hair crowding her face.

  Marc snagged her hand and turned the palm out. “You’re hurt,” he growled. She’d gotten scraped up when she’d fallen to the pavement at the zoo.

  “I’m sorry,” she said, tears springing to her eyes. She gathered her babies to her face.

  He ushered Bethany and her twin dynamos inside and helped her settle them down. He fixed her a meal and obviously enjoyed the sight of her breastfeeding them both at the same time. He even helped and stopped them when they were dozing on her breasts but reluctant to let go.

  Bethany was a little uneasy with this familiarity but this was the man who had delivered her boys. She had to trust somebody and this man seemed capable. He’d also offered his help time and again.

  *

  Marc was still having trouble grappling with the fact that he’d found Bethany Black on his doorstep when he’d arrived home this evening. Perhaps reading some of her books had worked against him. She just seemed sexier and more intriguing to him now.

  When he’d dropped to the carpet next to her, he’d smelled the other Were on her. Instinctively, he’d known it wasn’t her mate. The man who’d mated with her wouldn’t have caused her injury. No sane lupine would have threatened a mother in front of her pups.

  It had taken some doing but finally, Bethany had told him what happened. A man alleging to be her mate’s lawyer had threatened her and tried to take her pups. The wolves at the zoo had scared him away.

  Marc was sure there was a Were involved. Only one Were would scare another. What kind of a deviant werewolf would attack a mother and her pups? As soon as he calmed Bethany and settled her in bed, he would search out this other Were. He’d either find the one who’d saved her or the one who’d threatened her. Either would do right now.

  Once the pups were sleeping, Marc sent Bethany into the shower and prepared her a warm milk drink laced with smooth Canadian whiskey. It took two such drinks to achieve the desired result.

  They chatted amicably while Bethany drank half of the first drink. When she was nearly finished with it, Marc refilled it and sat down near her. He could see some indications that she was at least slightly impaired.

  “Bethany?” he helped hold the mug to her lips. “Please tell me what happened today? It’s important to the boys that you tell me.” He felt no guilt in pulling out his ace-card. If she believed it was important to the boys, she’d cut off her left hand.

  “That lawyer said he worked for the boys’ father. He said Riker told him to take care of me—take care of any threat I presented.” She sniffed and tears leaked from her eyes. “But
he said things I just don’t think Riker would have told him to say. He got mad when I said I had no ill will for Riker.”

  Marc froze. “Riker? Riker Montgomery?”

  Bethany nodded. “You won’t say anything, will you?” she asked. “I love Riker. It’s not his fault. Maybe he’s just not ready. That lawyer seemed so—icky.”

  Marc couldn’t help himself. He pulled Bethany against him. She was pretty much out of it anyway. “I won’t say anything. No Alpha would turn his back on his pups this way. Don’t worry.”

  He lifted Bethany into his arms and carried her to the bed in the guest room. Although it was worth his life, he still had a hard time resisting the urge to lay down with her.

  “Bethany?”

  “Yes Marc,” she answered sleepily.

  “If Riker doesn’t claim his family in a year or two, you come back to me.”

  “Marc?”

  “I mean it Bethany. I’ll look after you and those boys. I’ll take care of you. I’ll be a good mate to you. Do you understand that?”

  “I think so, Marc.”

  “Don’t worry, Bethany, I’ll remind you. Promise you won’t ever lose my number?”

  “I promise Marc.”

  He rubbed her back until her breathing became even. While she was sleeping, he gently treated her scraped palms and knees.

  By the time she was sleeping soundly, the hour was late. Marc pulled his clothes off and transformed. He loped off looking for the Were that had threatened Bethany.

  He didn’t get far when a black werewolf about his own size approached him. The two looked at each other, saying nothing. Finally, the black Were spoke.

  “You aren’t the one who threatened the pups,” he said.

  “No. I delivered the pups. I’m a doctor. You aren’t her mate.” Marc didn’t know what else to say.

  “I was at the zoo. I guess I’d given up. My mate and pup were killed.” Tav sighed. “Tavist Darke.”

  Marc approached him and sniffed him. “I have some of your artwork in my home and office. I’m sorry about your mate and pup.”

  Tav sniffed Marc but said nothing.

  “She is mated—to Riker Montgomery. The Were that threatened her claimed to be his lawyer. She doesn’t think he was telling her the whole truth.”

  Tav grinned. “What do you expect? He’s a lawyer.” Both werewolves laughed.

  “Since I know she’s mated, I won’t try to find out if she could ever be my mate. But if he doesn’t claim her in two years, I will. It’s best for her and the pups to go to him, but she’s for an Alpha male. The three of them need someone. I’m an Alpha, too.”

  Tav nodded. “I’ll look after her the best way I can. If we need help, I’ll call you. If her mate claims her, I’ll call you. Fair?”

  Marc nodded. “Fair.”

  * * * *

  August 12

  Home of Bethany Black

  Baton Rouge, LA

  Bethany was beside herself. Both she and the twins were sick. She’d expected them to have ailments, but this? The three of them were obviously suffering from the worst kind of flu.

  Kaden had started first with a fever, headache, chills, vomiting, and had an all-over rash. He looked a little yellow, too. Kameron began showing symptoms within a day of his brother and now Bethany was overcome.

  She decided to call Marc while she could still function. He’d cautioned her that the twins would need to see certain doctors for the rest of their lives. They’d live normally and were in no danger but he’d recommend doctors for her when she needed them. He’d helped her get set up in Baton Rouge when Riker’s lawyer—or whomever—had chased her out of Florida and Georgia.

  Shaking so bad that she dropped the phone twice, she finally dialed Marc’s cell phone. It sounded like he was at a baseball game so he couldn’t hear her at first. In short order, he figured out who was calling and that she was ill. He told her his brother would be there in minutes and hung up.

  “BETHANY BLACK!” Twenty minutes later she heard pounding at the door.

  Please don’t let it be one of those lawyer-men. Oh please, oh please…

  “It’s T. Paul Fonteneax, Marc’s brother! Got my wife, Lacey here, too!”

  Bethany stumbled to the door, tears of relief streaming down her face. She opened the door and stumbled into the big mans arms. He lifted her easily and carried her into the living room where she’d made a nest with her boys.

  “I’m a doctor, Bethany, tell me what’s been going on,” he insisted.

  “It’s contagious, Dr. Fonteneax, I know it is.”

  “If it’s contagious, sugar, we can probably cure it.” He said this as he pulled out a flashlight and squatted in front of Kaden, looking into his bleary yellow eyes.

  “Fever, chills, I’ve had a headache so I know they have one, too, vomiting, a rash, and I think they look a little yellow.”

  “Have you three been anywhere in the country lately? Maybe a grassy area where wild animals might have passed through? Say in the last ten days?” He fixed his unblinking gray gaze on her.

  “We went on a little picnic near the Mississippi River. It was hard to find a spot that wasn’t populated but the boys like to be out in nature. So do I.” She felt like she’d made a mistake somehow.

  “Okay, sugar, don’t worry. Let’s get you and these boys packed up and over to Baton Rouge General. I’m on staff there and we’ll fix you up in a jiffy.”

  Bethany knew she was overwhelmed. She longed for Riker’s strong arms and broad shoulders. She nodded silently. Lacey had come in to the living room and began helping Bethany pack the boys and their accoutrements.

  *

  It had been eight at night when T. Paul had arrived at Bethany Black’s house. Now, three and a half hours later, he sat down in his study at home and picked up the telephone.

  Marc answered on the first ring. “How is she? How’re the pups? What’s going on?”

  “Hello to you too, buddy.” T. Paul laughed. Letting out a heavy sigh, he answered his brother’s questions. “They have Leptospirosis. We caught it pretty quick. I’m pumping them full of antibiotics now. I’ll make sure I vaccinate them, too.”

  “How’d they get that in Baton Rouge?” Marc wanted to know.

  Both men knew that Leptospirosis was a treatable but often fatal disease that was transmitted through the urine of infected animals. Dogs were susceptible as were people.

  “They went on a picnic to the river. My best guess is Kaden tried to eat some grass near a major watering hole. He came down with it first.”

  “Damn! She takes good care of those pups for not knowing they’re Were. Still, I guess it could’ve happened to anybody.”

  “Where’s her mate, Marc? Why doesn’t she know about her pups?” T. Paul growled.

  “My best guess there is he can’t find her and she can’t reach him. Somebody’s going out of his way to keep her from reaching her mate.”

  “She can’t go on like this. I checked on her a half hour ago and she was crying and mumbling in her sleep. She needs her mate and those pups need their father,” T. Paul rumbled.

  “Tell me something I don’t know!” Marc barked back at him. “If he doesn’t claim her in a year or so, I will. It would be best if her true mate claimed her but I won’t leave those boys or their mother to struggle and not know what’s happening when they begin to change.”

  “Okay, okay. Sorry. It just breaks my heart, you know?” T. Paul sighed. “I’m keeping them for three or four days, just so she can regain her strength. What’s with that Were that’s following her around? Who’s he?”

  “Oh, that’s Tavist Darke,” Marc explained.

  “THE Tavist Darke? The artist? I thought he died or something.”

  “Nearly. Something happened to his mate and pup and he went wolf. He was at the Zoo in June when some Were tried to attack Bethany and take her pups. Now he just follows her so he can protect her until she finds her mate.”

  T. Paul let out a l
ow whistle. “Alright, I’ll clue him in. I guess he’d know who should and who shouldn’t be visiting, huh? He’s got the scent of her attacker, right?”

  “Yeah, he does. Talking to him would be a good move.”

  The brothers chatted a while longer and then hung up.

  Before T. Paul joined his wife in their bed upstairs, he called the ward nurse at the hospital. He didn’t want anyone he didn’t know personally going into Bethany Black’s room.

  * * * *

  August 13

  Suite of Riker Montgomery

  Mont Clare Hotel

  Dublin, Ireland

  Riker shot up in bed. Something had awakened him. He couldn’t hear anything but something had definitely roused him from a sound sleep. Glancing at the clock, he could see that it wasn’t even six in the morning. That made it about midnight in the States.

  He lie there a minute and felt a chill course through him. Bet. It’s Bet. She needs me!

  He didn’t move, he just felt. Lying there he felt his mate needing him and he ached. After a minute, he closed his eyes and imagined her safe in his arms. With all his heart, he pictured her snuggled against him safe and warm.

  Soon the feeling that had awakened him ebbed away. Reaching up to rub his eyes, he realized that tears were running down his face.

  Scrubbing his face dry with his palms, he got up and poured himself a glass of water. Finally, giving into his own need, he called his father.

  “Hello?” his mother mumbled sleepily.

  “Sorry, Mom. Is Dad around?”

  “He went to visit his friend Sandy in Blowing Rock, son. Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine, Mom. You go on back to sleep.”

  “Are you sure, son?” He knew he wasn’t fooling his mother.

  “Really, Mom. I love you. I’ll call when I get back home.”

  “Okay, Riker. Bye.”

  Riker hung up the phone and paced around the room for a minute. He felt like he was going crazy. He considered calling his brother, Lakon, but he wasn’t sure where he was.

  Lakon was a successful singer and songwriter and Riker knew he was on tour somewhere. He’d wait and see how he felt in half an hour.

  After a shower, Riker still felt like he needed to kill something or shoot himself. He called Lakon.