firsthand account of the atrocities Fernando Juarez is capable of. If you refuse, I will go alone, but hearing from a victim will be most powerful.”
Natalia shuddered. She didn’t want to be around even more werewolves.
“If it makes you feel better, you’ll probably be safer there than here,” Devon offered. “These wolves are very independent. Their females lead their own lives, and some even attend NYU. You would be in no danger of them taking your rights away, and you would be far away from Juarez and his men.”
“Believe me, Natalia, I wouldn’t offer to take you and Adrian there if I didn’t believe it was safe. No harm will come to either of you. In fact—if you like it there, and wish to stay—I would not stop you,” Gene said.
“I will think on it,” Natalia replied. She ran her hand up and down Adrian’s back, silently contemplating what she should do. If anything, this could be her chance to escape. She’d never been to New York, but she understood it was a huge city. Perhaps she could sneak away. She could take Adrian and board a plane—they could even go overseas. Juarez’s power stretched far and wide, but she doubted he would find her in Europe.
“Of course. I will need an answer by this evening. I will be purchasing airline tickets after I finalize the details of our trip with them,” Gene said.
***
F ernando Juarez smirked as his cell phone buzzed, vibrating against the wooden grains of his desk. Picking up the phone, he hit the green button to accept the call. “Maddie,” he answered.
“I cannot talk long,” the young girl said in a hushed whisper.
“Of course not, my dear. Is everything okay?” He asked, rolling his eyes up to the ceiling.
“You said...you said no one would get hurt,” Maddie stuttered.
“Are you referring to the men I sent? No one was hurt, child,” Fernando responded soothingly.
“Well, no, but Natalia-“
“Natalia is my granddaughter, Maddie, we’ve talked about this. She is not well, and I not only fear for her and her infant son, but also for the well-being of the entire pack. The alphas there are young are they not?” Fernando reasoned.
“Only a little older than me.”
“They don’t understand how troubled she truly is. Natalia is mentally ill. In the past she has injured some of my men in her bouts. I would hate for any harm to befall your pack mates. My family is the most important thing to me. I only wish to help her, and they are keeping her from me,” Fernando explained.
“They had a meeting this morning. Just a few of them,” Maddie murmured.
“Do you know what it was about?” he asked, leaning forward onto his desk to get a pencil.
“No.”
“That’s fine, child. Do not put yourself in danger finding out anything, and stay away from Natalia. She is sick. The sooner we can get her medicine, the better,” Fernando said, tapping his fingers on his wooden desk. “There is another matter we should discuss. One of my grandsons has expressed interest in finding a mate. He is but a year older than you are. I think the two of you would be a good fit. I would love for the two of you to get to know each other. He is destined to be an alpha as well.”
“An alpha?” Maddie said, her voice rising with excitement.
“Indeed. You, my child, will be taken care of. Family is important to me and you, Maddie, are family. You’re helping to reunite me with Natalia and my grandson,” Fernando said. Soon he would have both of them home, safe and sound.
“I’ll find out what I can,” Maddie said quickly. “I should go, someone is coming.”
“Of course, be careful, child.”
The phone clicked as the young girl hung up. Smiling, he set his cell back on the desk. The girl was gullible, but, then again, he hadn’t been lying. Family was important to him.
***
G ene glanced at the clock on his desk again. It was nearly nine. He let out a long breath in frustration. Natalia seemed bent on defying everything he asked of
Natalia shuddered. She didn’t want to be around even more werewolves.
“If it makes you feel better, you’ll probably be safer there than here,” Devon offered. “These wolves are very independent. Their females lead their own lives, and some even attend NYU. You would be in no danger of them taking your rights away, and you would be far away from Juarez and his men.”
“Believe me, Natalia, I wouldn’t offer to take you and Adrian there if I didn’t believe it was safe. No harm will come to either of you. In fact—if you like it there, and wish to stay—I would not stop you,” Gene said.
“I will think on it,” Natalia replied. She ran her hand up and down Adrian’s back, silently contemplating what she should do. If anything, this could be her chance to escape. She’d never been to New York, but she understood it was a huge city. Perhaps she could sneak away. She could take Adrian and board a plane—they could even go overseas. Juarez’s power stretched far and wide, but she doubted he would find her in Europe.
“Of course. I will need an answer by this evening. I will be purchasing airline tickets after I finalize the details of our trip with them,” Gene said.
***
F ernando Juarez smirked as his cell phone buzzed, vibrating against the wooden grains of his desk. Picking up the phone, he hit the green button to accept the call. “Maddie,” he answered.
“I cannot talk long,” the young girl said in a hushed whisper.
“Of course not, my dear. Is everything okay?” He asked, rolling his eyes up to the ceiling.
“You said...you said no one would get hurt,” Maddie stuttered.
“Are you referring to the men I sent? No one was hurt, child,” Fernando responded soothingly.
“Well, no, but Natalia-“
“Natalia is my granddaughter, Maddie, we’ve talked about this. She is not well, and I not only fear for her and her infant son, but also for the well-being of the entire pack. The alphas there are young are they not?” Fernando reasoned.
“Only a little older than me.”
“They don’t understand how troubled she truly is. Natalia is mentally ill. In the past she has injured some of my men in her bouts. I would hate for any harm to befall your pack mates. My family is the most important thing to me. I only wish to help her, and they are keeping her from me,” Fernando explained.
“They had a meeting this morning. Just a few of them,” Maddie murmured.
“Do you know what it was about?” he asked, leaning forward onto his desk to get a pencil.
“No.”
“That’s fine, child. Do not put yourself in danger finding out anything, and stay away from Natalia. She is sick. The sooner we can get her medicine, the better,” Fernando said, tapping his fingers on his wooden desk. “There is another matter we should discuss. One of my grandsons has expressed interest in finding a mate. He is but a year older than you are. I think the two of you would be a good fit. I would love for the two of you to get to know each other. He is destined to be an alpha as well.”
“An alpha?” Maddie said, her voice rising with excitement.
“Indeed. You, my child, will be taken care of. Family is important to me and you, Maddie, are family. You’re helping to reunite me with Natalia and my grandson,” Fernando said. Soon he would have both of them home, safe and sound.
“I’ll find out what I can,” Maddie said quickly. “I should go, someone is coming.”
“Of course, be careful, child.”
The phone clicked as the young girl hung up. Smiling, he set his cell back on the desk. The girl was gullible, but, then again, he hadn’t been lying. Family was important to him.
***
G ene glanced at the clock on his desk again. It was nearly nine. He let out a long breath in frustration. Natalia seemed bent on defying everything he asked of
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