The Midwife's Moon (20 page)

Alex sucked in air in astonishment. How could they be split? The killing of pregnant weres should have been an automatic death sentence for Roxy. “I don’t understand.”

“Some are using this to create their own power and agendas and go back to the old ways. I should have killed Roxy after the first one. That I didn’t, makes me look weak.”

“You can’t seriously believe that. You weren’t even sure after the first one. You can’t go around killing lupas on suspicions.”

“
I
don’t believe it. It’s what’s being said. There are too many in the were community who want power. There’s even more of them tired of having to hide from the humans, and the ones who want the power are using the latter sentiment to get the former.”

“Oh shit, honey,” she said and walked into his arms. “What are we going to do?”

His arms came around her and the comfort she always felt with him seeped into her. “Try to catch Roxy before this all blows up in our face. Hopefully, that’ll make the other stuff die down as well. Otherwise, we’re going to end up with a war on our soil. And one that can’t be hidden from the humans,” he said then kissed the top of her head.

“That’s what I’m afraid of.” She touched her stomach a moment before returning her arm to holding onto Nolan. She’d wanted to try to have kids. But with Roxy still at large, she didn’t need to provide herself as the next target of those killing pregnant weres. Nor did she need to be unable to shift with all the trouble in their area. “I want to get married. Have a kid or three.” Tears were near the surface. Wasn’t it enough that she’d lost her mother? Did she have to lose her chance to have children as well?

“We’ll find your mom, love. I promise.”

This in-and-out of each other’s minds made for interesting conversations. And sometimes made things easier as she didn’t have to explain what was in her heart. “I know you will, but will it be in time?”

Chapter Nineteen

Lisa nervously wiped her hands on her long overskirt. Although she’d not been back to a con since being betrayed by Joseph, she’d kept the clothing. And today she’d worn some of it. Today, she felt it represented who she was and that she could accept being a part of the supernatural community. So the leather, medieval-style vest with black leggings completed her semi-goth, semi-period outfit. Her parents were used to her wearing these clothes. Maybe it would help them see she was happy. Still, the butterflies in her stomach wouldn’t go away.

Lance took hold of her hand. “It’ll be fine,” he said.

“It’s just—” she started.

“Shhh.” He kissed her softly on her cheeks then her lips. “It’s just a lot of things, but through all of them, we’ll face it together.”

She grinned. This love that grew within her felt so good, so rich. And to have it returned by one with the courage and heart of Lance? That was something better than any fairy tale.

Before she could say anything else, the door opened.

“Lisa!” Her mom’s excited squeal and rush of Spanish endearments caused guilt to well up. Why had she let herself pull away from her family so much? Werewolf or not, they were her family and loved her even though she was more different than they could imagine.

“Momma,” she cried, tears of joy, fear, and love flowed freely.

Her mom pulled back, her petite but strong hands holding Lisa’s shoulders. “What is it, child?”

“I, there’s so much. First, can we come in? I’d like to introduce my fiancé to the family.” Her smile widened at the look of happiness on her mom’s face.

“Oh blessed be,” she said, then more rapid-fire Spanish.

Lisa looked over to see how Lance fared, but she needn’t have worried. He smiled at both her and her mother and nodded his approval.

“Come,” her mom said in English and snagged each of their hands. “We must go tell the others that Lisa has finally found a man.” She dragged them inside of the cool dwelling.

Lisa smiled apologetically at Lance as they moved to the family living room. However, he didn’t seem at all upset. In fact, there was a suspicious gleam in his eyes that caused her to suspect he might be laughing at her, and his impudent smile confirmed it.

“You won’t find it so funny when my dad starts grilling you,” she said and watched smugly as the smile dropped, and he gasped.

“I, it...I don’t think it’s funny,” he protested.

She grinned but didn’t have a chance to say anything because they’d reached the living room. Her dad and brothers were all there. Then a strange thing happened. Her dad stood up, faced Lance, and bristled. Actually bristled. Lance wasn’t much better. His stance had become defensive. He’d thrown an arm in front of her and tried to push her back, away from her family.

“What game is this?” Lance growled out.

“Lance?” The undercurrents were strong but undefinable.

“Who are you, and how’d you find me—us?” Her dad’s question caused her mother’s brow to furrow in response.

“Dad?” This was getting ridiculous.

“I am here with Lisa,” Lance replied, the low growl still reverberating in the back of his voice.

“Lisa?” Her dad turned to her, but her confusion kept her from understanding what he wanted.

“I came to introduce you to my fiancé, Father,” she responded in a more formal tone. So not the happy dad moment she’d envisioned.

“How did you meet?” her dad asked.

Lisa’s startled gaze met Lance’s. With all the preparations for leaving town, they hadn’t spoken of basic things—like the answer to that question.

“We met at a meeting,” she replied.

Her dad did a sniff thing with his nose that reminded her of—no it couldn’t be. “Why are you sniffing, Dad?” she asked. Her tone had gone from unsure to demanding. She rarely spoke to her dad like that, but this was no ordinary time.

He stopped mid-sniff and exchanged looks with her mom—and her brothers?

The awareness slammed through her gut and instinct told her what she should have known long ago. “You’re a werewolf, aren’t you, Dad?”

In all of her life, she’d never seen her father look so shocked—or guilty. No one spoke. Her mom wrung her hands and looked back and forth from father to daughter. “Well?” Lisa demanded.

“You ask as if it’s not a fairy tale,” her dad replied cautiously.

She wanted nothing of caution. Her whole life she’d been treated like a fragile china doll. Allowed to go to school and learn but not allowed to go out alone. Always, big brothers around. They’d treated her as if she couldn’t protect herself. It had been worse right after the Joseph incident. When she withdrew from the family, except for the monthly dinners, they’d all left her alone. Or so she thought.

“Dad!”

After a long look at her and Lance, her dad sat down. “You too, Lis,” he said, using her childhood nickname for her. Although, seeing as how they were all part animals and hadn’t bothered to share it, maybe she should say pet name.

Lance grabbed her hand, and she looked on in surprise. He gently, albeit firmly, led her to the couch and sat her down under the protective crook of his arm.

“I’m not exactly a werewolf,” her father began.

“How can you
not exactly
be a werewolf?” she asked incredulously.

Lance took her hand in his again and pulled it to his mouth for a gentle kiss. “Shh, my darling. Let him tell his tale. I feel it may be important.”

Her mother broke in. “Lisa smells of pack now. We assumed she’d been hanging with pack members. Is this true.”

“I’ll talk to you all about it later, Mom. I need to hear what Dad has to say. Things have happened.”

Her parents exchanged some unknown message then nodded to her before her dad continued. “My mother loved a man. Not in the way of mates, you understand. Hers had died, and my older brothers, well...” He looked away then back at her. “That is a tale for another day. I don’t know what she thought, but when she found herself pregnant with me, she told her lover. As you know, he’s never been around, and my mother raised me on her own. Things were fine until my first shift.”

“What happened your first shift?” she asked.

Lance squeezed her hand, and her dad smiled at her like he used to when she’d ask him a hundred questions. It brought tears to her eyes in memory of happier times. It played on her heart, and she wondered if she’d been a burden to him and her mom with her lack of abilities.

“I got hairy, and my teeth got pointy.” His self-deprecating smile didn’t fool her for a minute. That had to have been hell for him.

“But no wolf?”

“But no wolf,” he said and sighed. “My father was human. From that point on, the pack rejected me.”

“What pack,” Lance asked in a tone that told her he’d like personally to get his hands on them for the misdeed.

He started to say something, but nearby the loud crunch of cars crumpling filled the air. She glanced up at Lance. Could they have been found already?

“Lance?”

***

“We’ll have to do this family story another time, Mr. Sanchez. For now, you need to know that your daughter is a werewolf, part of the Wahpawhat pack, and my mate. She’s also in danger. Who in your family can change?” Lance stood up and prowled around the room, looking out all the windows.

“Lisa is the only one who showed no signs. Otherwise, I am the only one who can’t fully change, but I have the strength of a werewolf.”

“Good. This may be a real car accident, but I doubt it. Your daughter is a healer—like in the old ways. We believe that others would like to take her for their own means and likely hurt her. Can you provide a distraction? I’ll take Lisa, and go as planned.” He spoke rapidly.

Lance had to give him credit. Lisa’s dad didn’t hesitate or ask the questions he had to have, just got up and began doing.

“Boys, go and see what the wreck is about. Lance, Lisa, they’re large enough to hide you. If you’ll duck anyway,” he amended as he looked up at Lance’s towering height over them. “You get into the car and go. Let us know you’re safe when you can.”

Lisa’s mother gave her a frantic kiss and pushed them out the door. He took Lisa’s hands. “Give me your keys,” he said.

She dug them out of her messenger bag and handed them to him.

Her wide eyes made him wish they could stop and promise her that her family would be okay, but that couldn’t be. Instead he asked, “Ready?” At her nod, he squeezed her hand. “Whenever the rest of you are ready, give the word. And thank you,” he added quietly.

“Take care of her,” Lisa’s mother added before her father gave the go ahead.

He raced ahead and yanked open the driver’s door and shoved her across to the passenger side. He got in as soon as she’d cleared the seat and started the car before the door had shut. With only a quick look behind them to make sure no one paid them any attention, he sped off. He hadn’t even moved a block though, when he saw someone he recognized from the clearing.
The human.

“Damn it!” he exclaimed and slapped the wheel as he took a squealing turn to head back around.

“What,” Lisa asked, holding on to the dash for balance.

“That human from the clearing is here. I can’t leave your parents and brothers to face him. They are unaware of the silver bullets.”

“Oh, Lance! No!”

They stopped down a side road. The two of them ran quickly up to where the wreck was centered.

“I don’t see him, Lance.”

“Neither do I,” he replied. He worked on picking up the scent, but it remained elusive. He carefully moved closer to the scene, but nowhere he scanned revealed anything more.

“Get back to the car. We’ll have to call your parents. Call the ulfric as well. Damn it.”

They hurried back to the car, she snagged the phone out of her purse, and dialed before he had the engine started again.

“Mom. Just listen. There was a man there. He’s involved somehow. He and his friends—including the weres—carry silver bullets with liquid silver inside that explodes on impact...Yes, Mom.”

She moved into rapid fire Spanish then hung up. “My mom is going to get the men out of there if she has to threaten them with no meals for a month. Apparently, they’ve gone all macho male on her.”

As he glanced over, he caught her blowing her wayward bangs out of her face. “That would work on me,” he said in an attempt to lighten the mood.

She gave him a wan smile. “Thanks. I’ll feel better when I know they’re safe.”

“Call the ulfric, tell him and the lupa what has happened, and let them know of your family’s heritage.”

“I—I don’t know if I can tell him. They’ve hidden from the pack this long. They must have their reasons.”

Her point was valid, but this was bigger than one family. He knew it the same as he knew she was his mate. “Whatever it was, this is more important. They will need the protection of the pack from this human Roxy has aligned herself with.”

“You’re right,” she said and started to dial another number.

“Nolan,” she said into the phone. “We, I, you, my family. Help?” she said imploringly and handed the phone to him.

“Ulfric, I formally ask for the pack’s protection of Lisa’s family... I’ve just found out they are of werewolf decent. All but the father and Lisa, although he comes over hairy I guess... I don’t know, but the human from the clearing was outside their place when Lisa and I went to say our goodbyes before disappearing... Right. The same address I gave you before we left... Thank you.”

He handed the phone back to her. “Your family will be protected.”

She tucked her arm in his as they left Yakima. That small touch, that hand, brought it forward how much more he had than a couple of months ago—and how much more he had to lose. When would Roxy ever be out of his life?

Chapter Twenty

Night had fallen and the light of the waning moon left an eerie glow on the low-lying fog. Lisa had finally settled down and lay sleeping with her head on his shoulder. The island was settling for the night. They’d made the last ferry over from Seattle and were headed to a home downtown.

As he neared the last turn on his directions, he woke her up. “We’re almost there,” he said.

“How long have I been out,” she murmured in a sleepy voice.

“A few hours. Although I’m surprised you slept through the ferry ride.” That woke her up.