Mafia Beasts: The Complete Series, page 50
The room fell achingly silent. No one moved, their eyes staring straight ahead.
Mama Holt stepped forward.
“That is a generous offer. One likely to never be repeated in Penumbra’s future. I, for one, will take it.”
I wrestled with myself to not gape at Mama Holt in front of everyone. Slower than I would have liked, the meaning of her words reached my shocked brain.
I cleared my throat. “Very good. I wish you well on your travels.” I waved a dismissive hand toward everyone else. “You may go back to your duties.”
The room cleared out. If others were taking this opportunity to leave, they weren’t informing me about it beforehand. Lucas watched them leave, while Cade coldly stared at Mama Holt who remained standing in front of us. She wore an unreadable expression.
“You’re leaving?” Emma asked. “Why?”
I had the same bloody question on my mind.
Mama Holt smoothed Emma’s hair. “Because you don’t need me anymore. None of you do.” Her gaze saddened as she took us in. “My departure is long overdue. Zane, with Lucas and Cade, and now Emma, you are ready to run Penumbra on your own. You’ve been ready for years. I’m of the past, the old guard, and I will be going now.”
She brought me in for a hug and I held on to her, my eyes burning. When I finally let her go, she embraced Lucas, then a reluctant Cade, and a teary-eyed Emma. I watched as she left to pack her belongings. I was still in shock. She was leaving us. I never thought I’d see this day. It had never entered my mind as a possibility.
Emma came in close and looped her arms around my waist. I held her to me. We stood like that in the near-empty great hall for a long time as each of us processed what had happened. In a span of a few hours, we’d been freed from our curse, potentially made an ally of our nemesis, and lost our Mama Bear.
Elation, trepidation, and utter despair created a nauseating cocktail in my gut. I needed a stiff drink or two to settle my stomach. After that, I needed to embrace the fact that I was now, for better or worse, the leader of Penumbra Syndicate—alongside Emma and my two best friends.
15
EMMA
My world had been turned upside down, again, as I sat with Zane, Lucas, and Cade in the formal dining room and listened to Mrs. Holt’s lawyer. Mrs. Holt had packed up and vanished last night, not one for long goodbyes. Surprisingly, she was the only one to leave. The rest of Penumbra was set on getting their revenge on 5th Circle.
“This is not a will, since Mrs. Holt is alive and well, but she left me with some legal instructions,” the professionally dressed redheaded beauty seated before us said. She set her briefcase on the table and opened it to retrieve a thick stack of papers.
Ms. Johnson perched a pair of delicate framed reading glass on her nose and said, “These are the instructions left to me by Mrs. Eliza Holt.”
I squinted at her. Either she was human, or the glasses were for show. I couldn’t tell which.
“First order of business, I have all the paperwork for most of Penumbra’s legal holdings, including the title to this house, all of which I’m to turn over to Mr. Xavier as the new owner.” She pushed the majority of the stack toward Zane. “All they require is your signature, sir.”
He gave a short nod and waited for Ms. Johnson to continue; his hands folded on the table.
“Mr. Ives.” She glanced at Lucas over her rims. “Mrs. Holt instructed me to give you the deed to a cabin and a swatch of pack lands in the northern Rocky Mountains. I just need your signature there.” She passed him a document that he immediately signed.
“It’s like she’s trying to get rid of me,” he muttered.
I knew that wasn’t true. Giving an alpha acres of wolf pack land must be a huge gift.
Ms. Johnson produced a small envelope from her case. “I’m to give this to you, Mr. Lochart.” She slid the package toward Cade, and he swiped it from the table, not bothering to open it.
Curiosity burned in my chest. He either must have already known what was in the envelope, or he was waiting to open it in private.
“Ms. Graves.” She said my name, and I startled. What could she possibly have to say to me? “You are the sole owner of a holding account and the details are all in here. I will need your signature.”
I took the packet from her and hesitantly pulled out the sheets of paper. A holding account? For what? I scanned the first page and my pulse stuttered. Glancing up at the lawyer, I tried to speak but had trouble forming the words.
I swallowed hard and tried again. “I’m not sure I’m reading this number right. Can you…?”
“The account holds ten million dollars, Ms. Graves.”
Lucas let out a low whistle.
That was what I thought I’d read, but, for real? I glanced at Zane, then Lucas. “I can’t take this money.”
Ms. Johnson tapped the table with a French-tipped nail. “Please read the letter Mrs. Holt included. I believe it’s the next page.”
I peeled away the first sheet with the account details to find a hand-written note. It read…
Emma,
A woman should never have to rely on a man, unless she wants to. I wanted to give you that choice. You’re an equal among my boys now, in each and every way that counts. Don’t ever forget that and take the damn money. It’s yours. You’ve earned it.
~Eliza
I met Ms. Johnson’s waiting gaze and nodded. “Where do I sign?”
“On the last page there’s a line for your signature. Here’s a pen.” She handed one to me. “That’s all. I’ll wait for you to read and sign everything then I’ll be on my way.”
A hush fell over us as we individually concentrated on our tasks. Mine was straight forward enough. The account was in my name, and I had full authorization to do with it as I pleased. What did a person do with ten million dollars? That number didn’t seem real. I stared at the amount on the document and couldn’t quite fathom it. With an internal shrug, I signed on the line and handed it over to the lawyer.
Zane still had a long way to go with his paperwork. Cade sat silent and still, the small envelope resting loosely in his hands. I wished I could sense how he was feeling, because his seemingly relaxed exterior probably covered up a barrage of emotions. I’d stake my life on it. He was too relaxed, his expression unreadable. When he was fine, he scowled. He wasn’t fine right now.
“Thank you,” Ms. Johnson said when Zane handed her the signed documents. “I’ll have everything you need back to you in a couple of days. Have a good day.” She packed up and Kevin came in to escort her out.
As soon as the meeting was officially over, Cade stood and rushed out the door. We all watched him leave and concern filtered to me from both Zane and Lucas.
“Will he be all right?” I asked.
“He can take care of himself.” Zane’s gaze lingered on the closed door.
“What’s in the envelope? Do either of you know?”
Lucas shook his head. “No idea. But I guarantee Cade knew as soon as he saw it.” He fully faced me. “The full moon’s tonight. Will you howl in the forest with me, babe?”
“Of course.” I’d felt the moon’s pull growing stronger over the last couple of nights. It was going to feel amazing to let my wolf out to run and hunt. “I’ll see you tonight in the garden.”
I rose and let myself out of the dining room. Claire was waiting for me in the library so we could continue our research. I wanted to find anything and everything we could on the Valentine family. The next time I saw Vee, I wanted to know as much about her as possible.
Making my way to the garden, I mentally went over what we’d learned about Vee, which was absolutely nothing about her specifically. However, the Valentine Fae family had popped up in a couple of history books. They were old money from the south.
I slid off my robe under the light of the full moon. Since the curse had been broken, the snow that constantly plagued the mansion’s grounds had fully melted. New growth sprung from the thawed earth and the more delicate scents of early spring scented the air. The winter blooming roses in the garden had withered and died, shedding both flower and leaves, leaving only bare, thorny vines. I peered closer to one and realized it now held tiny green nubs that would unfurl in the coming days.
All throughout the garden, the Penumbra wolves stripped and shifted forms. Howls pierced the night. We were readying ourselves to pass through the ward—courtesy of the witches stationed at the perimeter—to run and hunt.
Another voice joined the howls and the excited energy whirled around and through me. My inner wolf called out. She was right there beneath the surface, but before I let her out, I wanted to try again at a half-shift. I closed my eyes and focused. Mentally, I had a little chat with my wolf. She would come out to play tonight, but first I needed her to hold the transformation when I commanded.
She snorted but settled down and waited for me to get on with it. I drew her out the tiniest bit, focusing on shifting my fingernails into claws.
Pain and a disturbing crunching sound told me I was transforming. Then it abruptly stopped. I looked down at myself. Nothing seemed different until I raised my hands. My fingers were unnaturally long and tipped with black claws. I gasped. My teeth also felt funny—too large for my human mouth. I flicked my tongue and found elongated canines.
“You did it.” Lucas appeared beside me and smiled.
I had done it! With little effort, I managed to drop the shift. “Are you ready?” I asked him. “The witches are waiting for us so they can open a door in the ward.”
He answered by kicking off his sweatpants and morphing into his giant, white wolf form. I followed right after him. A full shift was much easier. I let my wolf out and she landed on all fours next to Lucas, my black fur a stark contrast beside him.
We licked, sniffed, and nuzzled each other, reacquainting our wolves with one another, then sprang forward to join the rest of the pack.
Claire, with Ash as her ever present shadow, stood with Vincent and Huxley. Wands at the ready, they chanted together and formed a wolf-sized opening in the ward. We bolted through, one after the other, and ran into the woods surrounding Penumbra mansion.
Now that the woods were no longer cursed, we didn’t have to worry about running into hellhounds, or any other surprises.
It felt wonderful to stretch my legs. I forced myself to go faster until my muscles burned. Cool air ruffled my fur. I let myself go until I was panting, tongue lolling to the side. Only then did I slow and bring my awareness back to the pack and Lucas. They’d all followed me to the small lake. There, we dipped down and drank deeply.
Lucas tilted his head back and howled at the moon. My voice, an octave higher, joined with his. The rest of the pack added to our harmony until it became one long, continuous, and beautiful song. The clouds parted, and the moon beamed her light down on us—her wild children.
The wind changed course, and I caught the scent of prey. Our howls cut off all at once. As a collective, we bounded after the deer that would be our meal tonight.
Lucas and I led the charge. Those behind us fanned out, guaranteeing there’d be no escape for our prey. We chased, then surrounded the small herd, until it was finally time to go in for the kill. I licked my snout in anticipation of fresh, hot blood on my tongue.
We were closing in on a straggler when I heard a disturbance in the air—a whoosh coming from overhead. Slowing, I angled my head up to search the treetops. The whooshing sound came again, closer this time. On instinct, I ducked, luckily avoiding a stream of magic. Then I saw them—witches on broomsticks flying through the trees.
I howled a warning, but it didn’t feel like enough. Quickly, I shifted to human form and shouted, “We’re under attack! Get back to the mansion. Now!” My voice echoed through the forest.
Lucas, who’d run ahead, turned back and practically barreled past me. I ran beside him on two feet. Leaping over a fallen tree, I shifted, landing on all fours, and continued to run. My sensitive ears caught the vibration of paws pounding the earth all around us. Overhead, the witches cackled and taunted. Spells struck the ground all around.
One of the black shrouded figures swept low, and I caught his scent. Forrest Nightling. Motherfucker. He was close enough that I snapped at him. He laughed and veered off to avoid a tree trunk. Someone hurled a spell that caught my flank. The harsh smell of burning fur briefly permeated the air. I encouraged my legs to move faster.
We broke through the tree line. Claire spotted us first and was instantly on guard. We weren’t supposed to have returned for another few hours, but I’d asked her to keep a watch over the woods while we hunted, just in case.
I could tell the moment she spotted those who pursued us. Her eyes widened before her features hardened. A second later, she and the other two witches were opening the ward. Lucas skidded to a halt and stationed himself to the side, ushering our wolves through the opening. I shouldered him on my way by. He needed to get his ass inside.
The wolf taking up the rear, who I recognized as Aya, scurried through the opening right on Lucas’s heels. A blast of magic hit her from behind and her body slammed into Lucas. The door in the ward closed with a visible ripple of magic. The next spell hit the barrier and dispersed.
I dropped my shift and sprinted to Aya’s unmoving form. Lucas, human and nude, crouched at her other side. We both watched as Aya transformed. She groaned.
“Are you okay?” I scanned her for an injury.
“Fine.” She sat up and winced. “The spell just knocked me on my ass. Fuckers.” She glared up at the flying witches who continued to assault our ward.
I followed her gaze. There were six of them on broomsticks, diving, and swooping, trying to break through the barrier. I was relieved to find it held up under their attack. Let them hack away at it, they would only expend their energy and weaken from the effort.
“Fucking bastards,” Lucas said. “They knew we’d be out hunting on the full moon. Easy pickings.”
I frowned. So much for 5th Circle being in hiding. My gaze latched onto Forrest. It was entirely possible that Forrest had come out here on his own just to mess with us, probably against Vexx’s orders. It wouldn’t be the first time he’d defied his boss.
I clamped down the memory of how Forrest had been ordered to kill me, only for Vexx to find him torturing me days later. 5th Circle’s leader had not been amused.
Even though no one was seriously injured tonight, we could have all been killed. With Forrest only bringing five other witches with him, he either thought we were going to be easy to kill, or he was here to taunt us. My guess was the latter. They’d chased us through the woods like it was a game. None of the spells they cast were ones to do any real harm.
No, this was just a show of strength, making the wolves run to safety. Their aim was to show Penumbra that 5th Circle held power over us. We should have turned and fought, but then Forrest and his goons might have changed their intentions from a game to a battle. A small pack like ours was no match for a powerful group of witches like them.
I seethed. One day, soon, Forrest would get what was coming to him.
Forrest swooped low and hovered; his gaze locked with Claire’s. “I’m glad you found your way inside, sister. When you return to Vexx with everything you’ve learned about the abomination and those helping her, you’ll be greatly rewarded.” Without waiting for a reply, he flew away and called off the attack.
I stared at Claire, whose expression had turned livid. At first, silence hung in the chilly spring air, then a couple of growls split the night.
Claire’s gaze narrowed at the wolves before landing on me. “Don’t tell me you believe him.” She groaned in frustration. “Forrest is a twisted, lying, son of a bitch. You know that. I’m not a spy.” Claire threw up her hands and stalked off. Ash followed.
I did know that. It was just for that one moment that I let Forrest’s words worm their way into my doubts and flame one of my greatest fears. What if Claire was a spy, and I was too blind to see it? I couldn’t bear having gotten her back, after all the years I thought she was dead, only to have her betray me. That would break me. And fucking Forrest Nightling knew it.
Rising, I jogged after Claire. “Wait. I’m sorry. I know Forrest is just trying to tear us apart from the inside. I’m sorry,” I said again.
She turned those icy-blue eyes on me, evaluating. “You’re forgiven.” She continued to walk away, then spun around. “Just know when we take down 5th Circle this summer, I want to take Forrest alive. A quick death in battle is too good for him. I’d like a piece of my brother dearest. You can have the rest of him and tear off as many pieces as you’d like.”
“Deal.”
Ash muttered under his breath.
“What did you say?” Claire asked.
“I said, I’m glad I’m not on your girls’ bad side.”
Claire glared up at him. “Are you so sure?” She stalked away.
“You’d tell me if I was on your shit list, right?” Ash gazed down at me.
I shrugged. “I did stab you in the throat. I guarantee if you pissed off Claire, it will be much worse. She’d at least kick you in the balls.”
“I think I piss her off every single day.” Ash palmed his crotch and winced. “Gotta go.” He sprinted after my friend.
Lucas came up beside me and draped his arm around my shoulders. “There are two more full moons between now and solstice. It’s going to be rough keeping all the wolves inside the ward. When we’re not let out to run and hunt, we can grow violent. I don’t want to risk taking our witches with us for protection.”
Great. I was not looking forward to being trapped inside with everyone else. We didn’t have much of a choice though. Forrest would be back the next full moon, I was sure of it. We didn’t have the numbers to take a magical escort with us into the woods. Like Lucas said, it would be too much of a risk to their lives. Plus, putting all of us in danger for a hunt, now that we knew Forrest was lurking around, would be stupid.
