Four Days (Seven Series #4) (28 page)

Lorenzo released a roar, just as he had that night in bed.

“Next time I want to get on my knees and taste you,” he growled.

The erotic visual of an alpha on his knees with his mouth on my body sent chills up my arms. Pleasure licked through me like white lightning and I could ride it out no more. My muscles clenched when Lorenzo’s breathing became erratic, as if he were caught in the storm with me. A flush of heat touched my cheeks and I moaned softly as spikes of pleasure assailed me.

Lorenzo moved closer. He wrapped his arm around me and I collapsed against the warmth of his body.

“You’re an attentive alpha,” I said, out of breath.

“How’s that?”

“You must have sensed I was anxious.”

He let out an exasperated sound and leaned forward to look at me. “That wasn’t about me taking care of your needs because I’m a Packmaster and I heed to the call of a woman seeking relief. That was about desire. It was about the way you sighed when you combed your fingers through your loose hair, and the hot look you flashed me. The one you hoped I wouldn’t notice. I crave you. Your body, your wisdom, and the smile you rarely show. I crave the soft whisper of your climax against my ear that’s meant only for me. This isn’t about Packmaster and bitch. This is about a man and a woman,” he said, his voice softening. “Other women bring out the wolf in me, but you, Ivy… you bring out the man.”

“You need time away from me to think about what’s best for your pack.”

As he spoke, he slowly latched my bra and fastened the buttons on my blouse. “I need time
with
you to decide what’s best for me.”

“You haven’t come to a decision, Thunder?”

He rubbed his nose against mine. “This is new to me. These feelings… I need time.”

“You should know something. I won’t mate with a man who has room in his arms for another woman. I don’t care if he’s a Packmaster and that’s how he runs his house. If you asked me to be in your pack—hypothetically, of course—then it would be as your mate and not one of your groupies. Rebecca would have to leave.”

His brows popped up. “Would she now?”

“Yes. And not because she’s a threat, but she’s a venomous woman and I’m sure she’s not the only person bringing your pack down. I also won’t allow any woman who has known you intimately to live under the same roof. It would be disrespectful. You must consider these things if you want to pursue me. This would not only be a dramatic change in
your
life, but also for your pack.”

“Sweet little Ivy would rule with an iron fist.”

“No, just a silver cane.”

He laughed and it was full-bodied, making me want to curl up closer beside him. Lorenzo had a strong chest, so warm and protective. I took in his smell, touched his soft hair, and then closed my eyes when he pulled me tighter. Some of the windows were fogged and his heart was still racing.

After a deep breath, he placed a tender kiss on my forehead. “I don’t think either of us can make any promises until we return home. This trip could change your life.”

“It could also change yours.”

He paused thoughtfully. “Would you like to let your wolf run? I can find a stretch of land.”

“No. I can’t delay this visit any longer. I need to see Lakota.”

***

Lorenzo drove straight to Cognito without a wink of sleep. We stopped several times to stretch our legs and get something to eat, and by the time we arrived, he needed rest. I also needed to get my head together, as I was anxious about what might happen. Would they let me see him? I still hadn’t decided if I thought it was a good idea to tell Lakota who I was. All I wanted was to kiss him just once, to tell my sweet little man how proud I was.

The heavy drapes in our hotel room blocked out the sun, but daylight still intruded through the crevices. I didn’t like how quiet the room felt—how sterile. It made me homesick for my pack.

“Come lie beside me,” Lorenzo said, wearily patting his hand on the bedspread.

I kicked off my shoes and crawled onto the bed, curling up along his right side.

“What are you thinking about?” he asked, his eyes closing.

Tears escaped through my lashes and trickled onto his bare chest. “I miss the life I could have had. Sometimes I wonder how that girl would have done raising a child when she was only a child herself. I would have loved him, but I don’t think he would have been happy living in my father’s pack. Austin wouldn’t have taken me in with a child, so maybe things worked out for the best.”

“Hmm,” was all he replied.

“In quiet moments, I sometimes think about what it would have been like to be a mother. I dream about reading him stories before bedtime and wiping away tears when he’s skinned his knee. That must seem trivial to you.”

“It’s not too late. You’re his mother, and you can take him home.”

Part of that idea nestled in my heart and flooded my mind with an entire lifetime of future memories. His first girlfriend. His first car. Seeing his adolescent face smiling as he ran out the door and shifted into his wolf.

“I know what I want, but I struggle with doing what’s right. I haven’t figured that part out yet. I need to see him. I need to speak with his parents.”

Lorenzo’s eyes were closed when I looked up, but he wasn’t asleep. His right hand diligently worked to unravel my braid behind my back.

“How come you don’t have children?” I asked him. “You have an established pack, money, and all the things a Packmaster secures before he starts a family.”

His chest rose with a deep breath and then he sighed. “That requires a mate.”

I lifted my head and rested my chin on his chest, touching his face with my fingers. “Have you ever been in love?”

Lorenzo shook his head.

“Me either.”

His lashes slowly pried apart so I could see his dark eyes glittering down at me.

Then I felt his heart pounding against his chest, and I moved my palm over it. “Someday this heart will beat for someone other than yourself. It might even hurt, but you’ll do anything to keep them safe. That’s how I feel with Lakota. I sometimes wonder how I could possibly have room to love someone else when my whole heart belongs to him.”

He swallowed thickly. “And what have you decided?”

A smile touched my lips. “That the heart isn’t comparable to the driver’s seat of a car, where only one person steers it. Maybe it’s more like a house, and letting people in won’t require someone else to leave. Shared space, different kinds of love… I don’t know. That’s a terrible analogy.”

He touched my cheek with a soft stroke. “You’re the most remarkable woman I’ve ever met, and I’m not a man of soft words.”

“You’re certainly a man of soft kisses.”

He chuckled as he continued to untangle my braid. “My wolf admires you. I would have never thought such a delicate woman could fight so bravely against Fox’s men. You have quiet strength. It’s something my grandmother talked about when I was a young and boisterous child. She said that Thunder and Lightning were two spirit brothers who lived in the heavens. Lightning was the quiet one who was bright and quick, while Thunder did nothing but growl and frighten people.”

I smiled. “She was a wise woman.”

His brows slanted. “I was convinced that Thunder and Lightning were one and the same. She said Lightning was the more dangerous of the two—he would strike without warning, and no one would suspect it because they were too busy fearing Thunder.” After a shallow sigh, he thoughtfully looked up at the ceiling. “I’d still like to believe they’re one and the same, but maybe I can never be Lightning. After she passed, I tempered my aggressive nature, but deep down, I’ve always been Thunder.”

I traced my fingers over his lips. “I am in awe of you.”

His dark brows furrowed. “Of me?”

“Yes, of you, Lorenzo Church. I’ve never met a man who was so contemplative in private and decisive in public. You’re like a coin with two sides. Don’t be conflicted about the man you are. Your grandmother would have been proud, and she told you stories to help you make better decisions in your life, not to change who you are. I like the man beneath me, the one who bellows when he’s upset and has so much power that he doesn’t know what to do with it. Just be willing to bend. When you cut a small stick from a tree, it bends because it’s still alive. It’s only the dead stick that’s been lying on the ground that will break with little effort; so as long as you have a heart and a conscience, you’ll make the right choices.”

Lorenzo rolled on top of me, his long hair creating a veil. “Can I shift?”

“Here?”

“My wolf demands to protect you and I have no choice but to comply.”

My chest squeezed. That was something only mates did. Our wolves often compelled us to do things, and guarding another’s life was considered a great honor.

“Kiss me first,” I whispered.

He settled his weight on top of me and his lips met mine. I grazed my fingers along his cheekbones, and then he rubbed noses with me.

“What if he howls?” I asked worriedly.

Lorenzo chuckled softly. “This is a Breed hotel and the floor is ours. If anyone complains, then I’ll take care of it. Order room service if you get hungry, but sleep. You’ll need your rest.”

“And if I want to go out?”

He reached up and pulled his hair back, settling beside me. “Then my wolf goes with you. But I don’t want you to meet with your son unless I shift back. Where else would you go?”

“I’ve never been to Cognito. I might want to walk around. When I get restless, I like to walk. It helps me think, and I prefer to be outside where I can breathe in fresh air.”

He pressed his lips tightly before responding. “Only in the daytime. Once it nears dark, you come back. Do you understand? Rogues come out at night and mostly hang around bars. This is the Breed district, so if you want to go in any of the shops and eat, my wolf will be allowed. There are symbols on the windows and doors to let you know. If they have a policy against animals, then find another shop. I won’t leave your side; do you understand?”

“I promise. You’re not as sheltering as I thought you’d be.”

His hand smoothed down the flat of my stomach and rested there. “I’ve seen you fight. A warrior doesn’t need to be sheltered, only guarded.”

In a fluid movement, Lorenzo shifted into his wolf. I ran my fingers through his soft grey fur, and in return, he licked my face. I gazed deep into his brown eyes, waiting for the light to flicker out so I knew when Lorenzo had gone to sleep and let the wolf take over.

Thunder turned in a circle, eyeing his surroundings, and then settled next to me, placing his head across my stomach.

“Christ! You should keep him on a leash,” a man exclaimed when I emerged from the elevator.

Lorenzo’s wolf, whom I was now calling Thunder, growled at the tall man in a navy-blue suit.

“This is a Packmaster,” I said. “You should show some respect. And
no one
leashes a Shifter.”

He loosened the knot in his blue tie. A Shifter would never suggest leashing another, even one who wasn’t a wolf. He must have been a different Breed, or perhaps he was just an imbecile.

“Well, can you move your mutt? This is a hotel, not a zoo.”

Thunder stalked toward the man sedately. When he reached him, he did something unexpected. Thunder opened his wide jaws and clamped them around the stranger’s crotch, causing the man’s eyes to widen with fear. One of his teeth had punctured the fabric.

“I suggest you apologize,” I said, uncertain if Lorenzo had awoken, or if his wolf understood human words.

After a hard swallow, the man offered an apology. I smiled and grabbed Thunder by a handful of hair and led him away.

“Now was that necessary?” I asked, narrowing my eyes at him.

Thunder made a high-pitched sound and snorted. Clearly he thought it was.

We moved through an elegant lobby like nothing I’d ever seen. I marveled at the crystal chandeliers sparkling overhead, the champagne-colored rug in the sitting area, and a marble fountain near the center of the room. Lorenzo had reserved the room and spared no expense in selecting the finest hotel in the city. I stole a piece of chocolate from a bowl sitting on the front desk and the man smiled, his eyes briefly flicking down to Lorenzo before he looked away.

“Let us know if you need anything, Mrs. Church.”

“Oh, I’m not—”

Thunder abruptly barked and interrupted me. I waved at the man before we moved through the revolving doors.

Fresh snow blanketed the ground, and I tucked my left hand inside the pocket of my brown suede coat. The jacket reached my knees, so it was my favorite to wear during snow days. My brown boots left thick footprints in the patches of snow where no one else had walked. Most people were inside the shops along the street, and not many cars were about. In fenced-off spaces, it looked like six inches had fallen, and ice covered the tree limbs.

I kept a slow pace, enjoying a chance to stretch my muscles and explore a new city. Unlike Austin, the buildings had history and character—some appearing to be several hundred years old. Others looked like they’d been built yesterday. Apartment buildings were nestled between some of the businesses, and as Lorenzo had said, special symbols marked the doors of Breed-owned shops.

The air didn’t smell as clean as it did down south. Instead, it was a mixture of snow, oil, and spices from some of the restaurants I passed by. Vampires seemed unaffected by the cold; many of them wore nothing but cotton shirts and pants. They were easy to spot because of their unblemished skin, so unnaturally perfect. Unlike in human folklore, Vampires didn’t disintegrate in sunlight. They simply found it uncomfortable as their pupils were fully dilated and natural light hurt their eyes. Some of the older ones had learned to tolerate it better, but modern sunglasses were a welcomed convenience.

“Why didn’t anyone tell me places like this existed?” I asked Thunder.

He trotted beside me, taking in different scents as we continued our adventure. Each time a stranger walked by, he’d growl and press himself against me.

In Oklahoma, the Breed side of town consisted of nothing but two streets. All I’d ever seen were Shifters, so moving to Austin had been a culture shock because of the diversity. But I’d never seen anything like
this
before.

When my feet tired and I could no longer feel my nose, I entered a small shop and ordered a few hot dogs. I gave a couple to Thunder and relaxed at a small table, watching customers go in and out. Thunder sat beside me with his head on my lap. I had to thump him on the nose because he kept putting his muzzle beneath my shirt and licking my stomach.

The bell jingled and a woman hustled in, her raven-colored hair flying behind her. “Brrr!” she said in a loud voice. “It’s cold out there today!” Her foot flew out and she almost slipped from the wet ice on her boot. “Oh shit,” she murmured, grabbing the edge of the counter.

The older man behind the counter laughed. “You must be hungry today! Watch your step; I’ve been meaning to clear out some of the snow that fell in front of the doors this morning.” He bustled around, bagging some items for her. “Your order’s almost ready, just waiting on the fries. That’s thirty beef franks and ten spicy sausages. Do you want the buns in a warming bag?”

She grimaced and leaned against the counter. “What do you suggest?”

“Well, how far is your drive?”

“The way I drive? Fifteen minutes.”

“I’ll separate them, just so nothing gets soggy,” he offered. “The fries should stay crisp, but if not, you can put them under the broiler and that’ll perk them right up.”

She pulled out her phone and made a call. “Can you turn on the broiler? … No, but just in case the fries get cold. I shouldn’t be more than twenty minutes, so tell everyone to have the plates ready. Whose bright idea was it to have hot dogs for lunch anyhow? … Yeah, well, tell Levi next time he can be the runner and get them himself. Is Lakota still sleeping?”

My breath caught. It felt like my heart stopped in my chest, as if time froze and I was drifting in the winds of fate.

“It can’t be,” I whispered.

The woman unzipped her black bomber jacket and leaned against the counter, facing me. “I love you too. Bye.” She slipped the phone in her purse and shivered.

Thunder whined, but I dismissed his frantic pacing.

The woman held out her hand, palm up, and smiled at him. “Is this your mate?” she asked. “He’s magnificent.”

Then her eyes rose to mine, brimming with concern. She stepped forward and tilted her head. “Hey, are you okay?”

I covered my mouth and she turned to the man behind the counter. “Charlie, can you get me a glass of water?”

Charlie was a middle-aged man who looked like a schoolteacher. When he returned, she reached over the counter and took the glass.

She handed me the glass and I drank, my hand shaking so much that she had to steady my arm by holding my wrist.

“Should I call a Relic?”

I quickly shook my head and set down the glass next to my empty one.

Could this be?
I’d come all this way, but during my walk, I’d begun to have doubts that I’d made the right decision in coming to Cognito. I’d considered going home, and of all places, I walk into the same shop that Lakota’s mother is in? My own mother believed in fate—what humans liked to call coincidence. She believed greater powers were at work.

My voice cracked as I assembled my thoughts. “No Relic. It’s just… I
know
you.”

“I don’t recognize you. Have we met?” She stood up straight and studied me closely with her bright green eyes. “Do you mind if I sit here? I have to wait on my order.”

I shook my head and steadied my hands, moving some of my dirty wrappers and napkins out of the way. “We’ve never met. I came all the way from Texas to find you, but it seems you have found me. I don’t even know how to begin this conversation. I’m just so afraid of what you might say—what you might do.”

Her eyes lowered to Thunder, who sat beside her, blockading her in. Then she examined me closely. She was studying my hair, my eyes, my mouth, and then all the tension vanished as the muscles in her face relaxed and her eyes widened.

She knew. She had to have known. I knew it when I first saw a picture of Lakota. We shared the same features, skin coloring, and hair. It seemed the only thing he took from Fox was his beautiful blue eyes.

She hugged her body and leaned back, her lower lip trembling. “I guess I don’t need to introduce myself then. Are you here to take him away?”

I tipped my head to the side and touched my braid. “You kept his name.”

She nodded. “My mate spoke with the Relic and she said that’s the name his mother had given him. I wanted to keep the name because… she was
forced
to give him up. At least, that’s what the Relic told us. Is that true?”

I nodded. “I was young.”

She leaned in close and bit her lip. “My mate said the only reason a Shifter woman would give up her child is if—well, is if someone hurt her. He said that’s why we needed to love him a little bit more, because he was a special gift.” Tears welled in her eyes. “I always knew if she loved him that one day she’d come for him. Who names a child they don’t want?”

Tears slipped down my cheeks and I grimaced, turning my eyes away. I covered them, overcome with emotion. “I gave him up because my father forced me to, not because I had no love for him. I’ve always loved Lakota, and I always will.”

When I looked up, she was crying.

“
Please don’t take my baby away
.” She reached across the table to grab my hand. “I know it looks awful that we bought him, but his name came up on the black-market list and if we’d ignored it, he could have wound up in the wrong hands. It was personal to me because my brother was once kept as a slave. That made the guilt of buying him go away. Then I held Lakota in my arms and it was
magic
. We can’t have children and he was our miracle. It would devastate us if you took him away.”

I couldn’t sit across from her anymore. I stood up and set my cane on the table, dragging my chair around to sit beside her. We held hands and a moment passed between us—two mothers with a different claim on the same child. She sobbed uncontrollably, gasping for breath.

Finally I found the strength to talk openly. “I want to be honest with you. I don’t know how I feel about any of this. My life suddenly took an unexpected turn, and the next thing I knew, I was looking at a picture of my son. I saw the happiness in your eyes, and I
know
you love him. Thank you for giving him that kind of love and the life he’s always deserved. Something compelled me to drive up here to see him, and I won’t be able to move on with my life until I do that. I don’t know what you’ve told him about me—”

She laughed and grabbed a napkin, blotting her eyes and then blowing her nose. “I hate crying. Here.” She handed me a dry napkin. “Lakota knows he’s adopted. I’m a Mage and his father is a Chitah, so we didn’t want him to grow up confused, although he’s a little young to understand what it really means. There’s no sense in lying to him since we’re obviously not the same Breed. We kept the Relic’s contact information in case Lakota ever wanted to track you down, but we’ve always been guarded about it. She wouldn’t tell us who the parents were, if it was an abusive home, and so all we have is the address and a few names. As much as I love him, I don’t know if I could give him clues to his past if it meant someone hurting him.”

I played with the wadded-up napkin, bunching it between my fingers. “That’s an unusual family you have.”

She smiled wide. “You have
no
idea. We live in a large house with family, including my Ghuardian.”

“Ghuardian? I’ve heard the term, but I’m completely ignorant of your culture.”

She arched her brow. “Um, well, it’s sort of like a stepfather. It’s what they call an experienced Mage who takes on a fledgling.”

“But don’t you have a Creator who acts as your caretaker?”

She twisted her mouth to the side. “That’s a long story, but sometimes a Mage is rejected by his Creator. The Mageri—our form of government—requires that all new Learners have either a Creator or Ghuardian to oversee their education and development. I’m his Learner, so he helps me navigate in the Breed world and teaches me everything I need to know about my power. We have another Shifter in the building, so he’s going to be someone who can help Lakota when he goes through the change and shifts for the first time. I guess you could look at our family as a pack, but I know there’s a lot he’ll miss out on.”

I clung to each word, astonished by the life they lived. This Mage had mated with not only her mortal enemy, but together they couldn’t have children because I knew a Mage was infertile. What a sacrifice it must have been for him.

“Will you let me see Lakota?”

She tensed and sat back, her knuckles turning white as she squeezed the napkin. I could only imagine the terror and dread she was feeling, but I also needed to see how he was with his parents, because it was the only way to find out if he was truly happy.

Or if I wanted to take him home.

***

Thunder sat in the back of the Mage’s car and I in the front. She had put the hot dogs and fries in the trunk, skeptical of whether or not the wolf could control his appetite. We didn’t speak the entire way because I didn’t know what to say. I wanted to ask questions, but I was afraid she might change her mind and drop me off at the nearest corner.

I was also afraid of liking her.

We arrived at an enormous building several stories high.

She unlocked the doors with the automatic switch. “You can get out here and I’ll park the car. They’ll buzz you in. Can you get your friend to shift back? It’ll be easier that way—we have children in the house and very protective men.”

“Of course.” I got out of the car and headed up the steps, kicking dirty snow off my boots as I pressed a buzzer.

“Lorenzo, you need to wake up in there and shift back,” I said, pinching his soft ear.

He groaned and looked around.

When the door swung open, a tall man with blond hair and golden eyes stood before me. Thunder growled and wedged himself between us, using his strong body as a shield.

The man’s jaw tightened and he bowed. “We’ve been expecting you, but I thought it would be years from now. Come in, female. It’s too cold for you to linger on the steps.”

Once inside, he led me to another set of doors where he pressed his thumb on an electronic pad and the door opened. “I have a change of clothes for your friend, but I wasn’t made aware of his size. I assumed average for a Shifter and borrowed a pair of track pants and a sweatshirt. He can shift in there,” the Chitah said, pointing toward a door to my right. “You can wait in there with him. Don’t let anyone in through the front doors. There are drinks inside, so make yourselves comfortable. I’ll be back shortly.”