Kadenburg Revealed (The Kadenburg Shifters Series, Book 4) (20 page)

“I make those types of decisions!” He cried.  “I am the elder of this town!”

“On the contrary, Mr. Berdine...you may be an elder but you have no claim to making the decisions for this town,” Antonio replied quietly.  “You left this place long ago just like the rest of us.  Only two families remained and if anybody has the right to make decisions on what should happen in the name of Urseth it should either a Bamey or a Goult.”

“What?!” Davey howled.

“Huh?” Arnold Goult blinked.

“You’re damn right.” Mr. Bamey nodded.

“They are not old enough to be elders,” Davey argued.  “I will not stand for this.  You cannot take my position away from me, Antonio Barcenas.  I don’t care who your father was I will—”

“Was?” Antonio scratched at his chin in thought.  “I think you mean
is
.”

Again the shocked murmurs and whispers of the crowed pulsated in Louisa’s head as she watched a very feeble body rise from the front pew.  Had that man even been there a few minutes ago?  How did she overlook him?  He was probably a very tall man, but it was hard to tell with how he was hunched over.  His vibrant silver hair was hard to miss as he lifted his head and then turned to gaze at her with dark eyes very similar to Anthony’s.  He smiled gently and the wrinkles on his face became more evident.  He reminded her so much of her grandfather.

“Julian Buchanan,” Davey stammered as his eyes widened.  “I d-didn’t know you were—”

“Back in town?” Julian Buchanan asked in a raspy voice.  “I was never much for making a big show of things, David.  You, on the other hand, seem to have that mastered by now.”

“Alive,” Davey frowned.  “I thought you died.”

“I’m confident you would like that, wouldn’t you?” The old man released a rich laugh and his entire body shook as he took a small step forward and reached out for his son’s hand.  Antonio immediately assisted his father by grabbing his arm gently and guiding him to the podium.  Davey steered clear of them.

“My fellow ursithropes,” Julian said in a tired voice.  “I am not here to cause a scene and I can assure you my son was only doing what was necessary.  I am not here to chastise David Berdine for abusing his power, but there is something I need to tell you that is greatly important,” his eyes scanned the room before settling on Louisa’s face and she was certain he was trying to convey a message through his gaze.  “Danger is coming to Kadenburg and if we do not remain united we will surely be exterminated.”

“The hell we will,” Arnold Goult nearly growled.  “I will not let Breslin Connor come into this town and take away what Urseth gave to us.  We’ve fought him before and we’ll do it again!”

Several shouts of agreement boomed around the room as Louisa felt a surge of courage and excitement thunder down on her.  She squeezed Greg’s hand and felt him squeeze hers in return.  This meeting was definitely one for the books.

“I couldn’t agree more, Arnie,” Julian smiled.  “We will fight when the time comes, but in the meantime we must figure out what to do about the humans.  They cannot remain in this town with the dangers lurking so closely in the future.  Urseth would want us to protect them.”

Presley’s soft gasp caused Louisa to turn her head in her direction, but she wasn’t the only one who heard it as Julian Buchanan squinted his eyes and frowned.

“Do you have something to say, young lady?”

“I do actually,” Presley responded as she rested a hand against her stomach and chewed at her bottom lip.  “I very much agree we must do something to protect the humans.  Liam......someone told me that we should get them far away from Kadenburg before Breslin returns.”

Louisa tilted her head in confusion as she studied her friend.  Presley was talking about Liam?  As in Lorcan’s older brother? 

“We will do just that,” Julian nodded firmly.  “Antonio, I am confident that you, Mr. Bamey, and Mr. Goult can think of a sufficient plan that will get the humans out of harm’s way?”

“Of course, Father,” Antonio bowed his head.

“I ain’t agreeing to this,” Davey Berdine muttered as he shook his head violently.  “You can’t just come back in here and try to take over, Julian.  Ain’t nobody seen you for years.”

“Perhaps that is because it was not time to see me again,” Julian replied calmly.  “Antonio and I are the last of our kind and we have lived harmoniously in Peru for the last twenty seven years. I know there have been many attacks targeting the elders of our kind, which I find odd by the way, but my brave boy fought for my life and here we are. Everyone else has returned home due to the invasion of werewolves.  Why should I not return as well, David?  Are we not welcome in our hometown?”

“You’re welcome here all you want to be, but that doesn’t mean you can just take over!” Davey was practically foaming at the mouth as he glared at Louisa.  “This is your fault.  I told you to keep your mouth shut until this was all over and——”

“And she did just that,” Antonio interrupted.  Davey was heading for Louisa’s pew, but the tall, broad ursithrope quickly blocked his path as Greg’s massive body hid her from view.  “She did not say anything to anyone, Mr. Berdine.  I did not need to hear her words to find the truth you were so keen on keeping in the dark.  You cannot lie to a delegate.”

A delegate!  Louisa’s jaw nearly hit the floor and she could feel the sudden gush of excitement and surprise everyone else felt by his confession.  Antonio Barcenas was a delegate of Urseth.  That meant he had greater gifts than anyone could imagine.

“A delegate?” Davey scowled.  “You think you’re so special because you can sniff out the truth, huh?  Well let me tell you something,
Antonio
.  I have worked hard to get to where I am today and I will not allow you or anyone else to bump me back down the ladder!  Do you hear me?!”

It was surely going to turn violent as Davey continuously thrust his finger into Antonio’s face, but the dark haired ursithrope showed resilient self-control as he simply grinned.  It only seemed to frustrate Davey further as he cried out.

“I think you need to calm down, Davey,” Mr. Bamey said as he pushed his way out of the pew and approached the older male.  “You’ve taken this too far.  That’s enough.”

“Keep your hands off me!” Davey shrieked as he smacked Mr. Bamey’s hand away.  “I don’t need you to tell me what to do! I have earned my place as an elder and I won’t let you take it away from me.  This ain’t right!”

Two more ursithropes that Louisa did not know emerged from the seated crowd and easily reprimanded the angry old man. 

“This ain’t right!” He screamed.  “I’ll get you for this! I’ll get all of you for it!”

The room became silent as the double doors closed and all anyone could do was stare at one another in disbelief.  Had that really just happened?

P
resley's mind was still reeling over the events from her first official town meeting.
 
Were they always so exciting?
 
She couldn't help but to wonder as she placed a few clean glasses on the table and felt a gentle kiss against the back of her neck.
 
She laughed and turned around in Lorcan's arms as they carefully circled around her.

"If my mother catches you setting the table she's liable to bend you over her knee, Darlin'," he chuckled.  "Do you need any help?"

“I have to do something,” Presley insisted as she peered up at him innocently.  “That was really intense and my body hasn’t recovered yet.”

Lorcan’s hand immediately fell to her stomach as he gently caressed the more prominent baby bump.  Liam had been right; her baby was growing faster than she’d realized.  She trusted him when he said her son would be okay, but she still wanted to speak to Beau as soon as he returned.  He was the only bear doctor she knew.

“Are you feeling okay?” Lorcan asked with a grave frown.  “Do you need to lie down?”

“Don’t be silly.” Presley smiled as she rested her hand against his and tiptoed to kiss his lips.  A wave of heat slowly crawled over her body as Lorcan’s mouth possessively claimed hers.  Urseth, she loved when he kissed her like that.

“Awwww!”

Presley slowly pulled away to stare at a blushing Louisa and rolled her eyes.

“Don’t aw me,” Presley laughed.  She rested her head against Lorcan’s muscular chest and listened to the steady beat of his heart.  “I saw you and Greg after the meeting.”

“He was simply trying to comfort me after that surprise attack from Davey Berdine,” Louisa frowned and hugged her arms around her slender frame.  Her sadness lingered in the air as she dropped her gaze to the floor.  “I don’t know what made him snap like that.”

“I do,” Lorcan mumbled as his arm tightened around Presley.  “I’ve seen elders who can’t handle the responsibility they’ve been given.  Davey Berdine is a fine example of that.  But I have to admit I’m pretty grateful to know Julian Buchanan is back in town.”

Presley
did
want to know more about Mr. Buchanan and his son Antonio, or Anthony as he preferred to be called.  Everyone in the ursithrope community seemed to have an astounding amount of respect for the elder and she wanted to know his story.

Lorcan must’ve been reading her thoughts again because he gave her that infamous lazy grin of his before wiggling his eyebrows.  “Story time?”

Presley already knew what that meant and it took her mind back to the first time Lorcan explained the creation of ursithropes to her.  If only she’d known then what she knew now and only if she’d known how close they would become and how in love with him she’d be.  She smiled gently and eased down into one of the chairs.  “I’m all ears.”

Louisa slid into a chair across from her and Lorcan leaned against the counter.  He crossed his arms over his chest and Presley’s eyes immediately watched the muscles dance beneath his taut skin.  Sweet baby Urseth he was gorgeous.  She bit her bottom lip and pushed the urge to pounce on him to the back of her mind.  Pregnancy hormones or not, she needed to behave.

“Julian Buchanan or Barcenas, whatever you want to call him, was one of the elders who served on our ‘council’,” he used air quotes, “back in the eighties.  He was one of the few ursithropes that dared to be in the same room with Breslin Connor.  The Buchanans were one of the more powerful families in our community and Davey’s family always envied that.”

Presley tilted her head to the side and listened intently as her mate released a low breath.  Was the story going to be just as intense as the meeting?  What made the Buchanan family so powerful in the first place?  She was genuinely interested in knowing.

“In the beginning there were the eight types of bears and you both know that,” Lorcan glanced back and forth between Louisa and Presley.  “Each of those types had one leader and there was a point in time when we worked as a democracy.  Unfortunately after what happened to your father, Presley, everyone moved away except for my family and yours.  Louisa’s grandfather took his clan to China since it only made sense for them to live there.  Panda bears only live in America if they’re in captivity....”

Louisa winced and dropped her gaze to the table.  Presley knew it bothered the younger ursithrope to think of her bear relatives in such a situation.  Hell, there were grizzlies locked up in zoos too.  Presley had never been fond of any poor animal being taken out of its natural habitat and put on display for human amusement.  Perhaps that disdain came from a deeper subconscious level.....

“Luke Bishop’s father moved the polar bear shifters to where they would blend in as well.  No one liked the idea of being repressed to their human form so they did what was best for each clan.  The Buchanans moved to Peru.  Thinking back on it now....I don’t believe leaving Kadenburg was the best idea.”

Presley studied Lorcan’s handsome face closely as his eyebrows knitted together and another frown graced his lips.  He seemed to be bothered by a thought, but she couldn’t find a specific one that stood out as a reason for concern.  She tapped her fingertips against the tabletop and cleared her throat.

“So all the bears took off in different directions and went to where they would normally live, right?  I mean the polar bears went to where it’s cold, obviously, and Louisa’s family went to China.  They couldn’t risk being seen here in the first place.  It wouldn’t make sense to humans.”

“Believe it or not Kadenburg was once strictly ursithrope territory.  No humans lived here until the 1950’s and the only reason our families allowed that is because we’ve always been taught to accept our human counterparts.  Allowing humans to take up residency here is no different than allowing a full-fledged Grizzly some romping ground on its way through to a new home.  We had to be fair and that’s how the elders viewed it.  We never really had any problems until Breslin decided he wanted some new land to claim.”

Ugh. Breslin Connor.  His name alone still caused her stomach to twist into nauseating knots and she had to fight the urge to throw up.  He was a wicked man and he’d caused her and those she loved so much pain already.  If only they could kill him.....

“Oh, we will,” Lorcan promised quietly as he read her thoughts.  “That time will come, Pretz.  Believe me, Baby.  He will pay for everything he’s ever done to us: for Liam; for your father; for Greg; for Louisa’s family......all of it.  He’s going to pay.”

At least she could take comfort in that thought.  She heard the soft sniffle that sounded from Louisa’s direction and she quickly turned to face her friend.  Louisa was crying.

“What’s the matter, Lou?” She asked.  Presley reached across the table to touch her hand gently.  “What is it?”

“I just feel sad for Anthony,” Louisa admitted in a small voice.  A tear slid down her cheek as she slowly shook her head.  “He lost his family in the same way that I lost mine.  Breslin slaughtered them all, didn’t he?”

Lorcan nodded.  “Yes.”

“How can such a despicable creature be allowed to live?  How can Urseth and Yliana stand by and watch this evil spread?”

That was a damn good question too.  Presley squeezed her hand gently as her eyes met Lorcan’s.

“Urseth and Yliana are not in control of everything, Lou.  You know that.  They are not the only creators.”