Too bad the consequences for Owen had arrived all at once and delivered by Gideon Black. He was the kind of alpha who made Landelarc Sable of the Lost Legacy pack look positively warm and fuzzy.
Lost in his thoughts, Remy stopped only when his toes hit the inclined ramp by the glass rear door of the banquet room that led out to the terrace beyond. It brought him back to reality, snapping him out of his meditation on Owen’s faults.
Bottom line, Owen had done the one thing that he believed could save Tasha McNeil and salvage what could be saved from the situation.
Honorable as far as it went.
However, the move had been merely a tactic and not a well-thought-out strategy. Remy would bet his life that Owen had not thought through all the possible consequences. Every time he’d tried to discuss them, Owen had changed the subject or gotten drunk or disappeared.
If Lilith didn’t return with the woman, Remy was going to have to clean up the mess.
If she did return with the woman, Remy was going to have to clean up another sort of mess.
How exactly he’d accomplish that miracle, he didn’t know.
Remy might not be an official member of the Lost Legacy pack, but he loved Lan and Owen and the rest of the hairy, howling lot like brothers. Hot-tempered brothers with fangs, but brothers all the same. Not to mention the fact that Lan had left him in charge. Sort of.
Whenever Lan’s leg healed sufficiently, he’d return and demand answers.
That is, if Gideon didn’t start a war first.
Remy walked up the short ramp and leaned one shoulder against the cool glass of the door, watched Owen, waited until the were felt his gaze. Owen straightened in his chair, his eyes cutting to Gideon who’d commandeered the only upholstered piece of furniture in the room where he sat head back with his long legs extended and crossed at the ankle, his hands clasped on his stomach, snoring lightly.
About thirty minutes ago, Gideon’s weres, Bear and Creason, had vanished as well. Back to the bar, Remy assumed. The blond waitress had been eyeing them all night. If he’d been thinking more clearly earlier (always a problem when he was near Lilith), he’d have slipped the woman something to make sure Bear and Creason stayed preoccupied.
After studying Gideon’s breathing to make sure he was asleep, Remy crossed to Owen. “I’m going after her.”
“Good,” Owen said. “She doesn’t understand any of this. Maybe you can get through to her better than I did.”
“Lilith. I’m going to find Lilith.”
Owen swore.
“Tasha couldn’t have gone that far. Lilith should be back with her by now,” Remy said.#p#分页标题#e#
“Fucking witch. Don’t trust her. This is all her fault.”
“She’s a witch, but she’s not stupid. I’m worried something has happened. I’m going to go see if I can find her. Them. Whatever.”
Owen stood. “I’m going with you.”
“Going where?” Gideon’s voice was a sleepy rumble from the corner.
“He’s not leaving, my lord, but I am,” Remy said. “The witch should have returned by now. Allow me to find out what’s causing the delay.”
“I should go with him,” Owen insisted.
“No,” Gideon said.
“It’s my right.”
“You have no rights. Boy.” Owen visibly shrank under Gideon’s inspection.
The alpha regarded Remy. Remy didn’t know how or why the big were had come by this knowledge, but Gideon had known Lilith would not return. Planned for it in advance. The certainty of premeditation filled his words. “You have until the full moon to bring the woman and the witch to me. Three days, and tell my friend Landelarc he’s welcome to join the party.”
Remy blinked, trying to process this turn of events. “But the next full moon is nearly two weeks away. The witch can’t have gone far. With your patience, I’ll find the women and be back in a few minutes.”
“If Lilith Darke wanted to return, she would have.” Gideon waved a lazy hand. “Look for her if you want, but in the meantime, the boy remains with me.”
The beloved brother of the Lost Legacy pack’s alpha for a hostage; it was what Gideon had wanted all along.
That, or a war.
Or both.
Owen’s hands clenched into fists and a muscle jumped in his jaw. He opened his mouth, but Remy shook his head. To Gideon, he said, “When I locate the women, where should I bring them?”
“There is a house on the spit south of town. You know the one? It faces the setting sun.”
Remy tried to speak, but choked. In a moment, after his throat cleared, he said, “Yes, my lord. I know the one.”
“Good. Bring them there.” With that, he turned and strode from the room.