The Keeping(146)

At first he refused to believe her story, but the more she spoke, the more it made sense. Her name was Luisa and she was a Lycan or shape-shifter. She’d been promised to her pack’s Beta, but fell in love with another. When it was discovered that she was with child, her lover had been killed and she was severely beaten for her transgression. That night she ran away, knowing her child would be taken from her and that her own future would be nothing, but misery.

“I shouldn’t be telling you this. But,” she explained. “They would kill me anyway, in the end. You don’t betray the ruling family as I did, and live long afterwards.” She moved to get out of bed. “Thank you for giving me a place to rest. Unfortunately, my presence endangers you and your household. I’d better leave before they track me here.”

Greyson scoffed. “You’ll stay in bed until I decide you’re well enough to get up. And I have half a dozen armed bodyguards, so your werewolf friends don’t worry me.”

“You should be worried. Two of Pablo’s enforcers could take out all your bodyguards in seconds. The threat they represent is not to be dismissed.”

He could tell her fear was real. Well, his business was done anyway. “Fine. Then we’ll leave as soon as my private jet is ready.”

“Leave? For where?”

“America, of course.”

“There’s no ‘of course’ about it! I barely know you. I’m not travelling halfway around the world with a man I just met.” She folded her arms and glared at him.

“And what’s the alternative? By you own admission, it isn’t safe for you here. How far will you have to run before you’re out of the reach of this Pablo you so fear?”

Luisa was silent for a moment before reluctantly acquiescing. A few hours later, they were in the Greyson Inc. jet, heading to the States and leaving the danger behind, or so he’d thought.

The next year had been the happiest he’d ever known. Luisa was his constant companion, and the child she eventually bore was like his own. Baby Cassandra—named after his mother—was his delight and life couldn’t have been better. If at times, Luisa seemed a bit distant, he put it down to being tired. A newborn was a great deal of work, after all.

Cassandra was four months old when Luisa came to him with her plan. She wanted to go back to Spain to see her family. Werewolves, she explained, were social creatures. While she loved him, she also missed her family and wanted them to know about the baby. He doubted the safety of this course of action and they argued bitterly before he finally gave in, though not without taking every possible precaution.

They would stay in Portugal near the border and she would cross over, quickly visit her parents and then return. It would be a quick, secretive meeting. Greyson wanted to go with her, but she insisted he stay behind to watch Cassie. He argued for her to take bodyguards, but she would only agree to one person, following at a distance, so as to not draw attention to herself...

*****

“I never should have let you go,” he whispered to the smiling woman in the photo. “I knew something would happen. How those murderous bastards ever got wind of your presence, I’ll never know.” Greyson swallowed hard and pushed aside the memory of finding her broken body dumped in a ditch alongside that of the lone bodyguard. They’d both been mauled to death.

He’d wanted revenge, but fear for Cassandra had him fleeing the area instead. If they ever found the baby...

A light tap on the door had him hurriedly putting the picture away and straightening in his chair. “Come!”

Franklin, his butler, entered the room. The man was one of the few persons Greyson trusted implicitly. They’d been together for years. “I’m sorry to disturb you, sir. Cook is wondering how many for dinner.”

“Just myself, Franklin. She can send a light meal up to Cassandra’s room, but she might not be awake enough to eat it.”

“Very well, sir. And how is Miss Cassandra this month?” Franklin had been with him even before Luisa and Cassandra entered his life. He knew the whole sordid tale.

“The medication is working. No sign of a change yet.”

A smile spread across the butler’s usually passive face. “I’m glad to hear it, sir. I’m not sure what we’d do if she ever did transform.” The man hesitated and then spoke again. “Have you had any news about finding a pack here in the States?”

“I’m on the trail of one. It looks promising.”

Franklin fidgeted nervously for a moment. “Begging your pardon, sir. But how do you know an American pack would be willing to accept her?”