Their Cajun Queen, page 11
part #1 of Copper Creek Pack Series Series
The doctor nodded. “The nurse will come out and let you know once they have her settled in her room. I made sure they put her in a semi-private room so she can share it with her daughter. I’m not completely on board with that idea, however, keeping Fiona separated from her daughter any longer will impede her recovery.”
Declan, Cade, and the others shook the doctor’s hand thanking him for all that he had done. After the doctor left, Kell pulled Declan and Cade aside and explained his plan.
“I would like a few minutes alone with Fiona once they get her settled. I want to tell her what I am, what we are.” Kell held up his hand to stop their protests. “Please hear me out. It’s long past time. I should have told her, but I thought I had time. That luxury has passed now that we know she is your mate.”
Kell knew Declan didn’t like the idea of his mate being alone with any man, no shifter would. He glanced at Cade and saw he felt the same way. Undeterred, Kell pushed ahead. “As much as you don’t like it, you don’t know her like I do. I have lied to her for years. She is going to be pissed and feel betrayed. When I tell her my story, I will have to tell her about Max. That means she finds out that Shelly has held out on her, too. I don’t want her to find out from someone else, not even the two of you. It has to come from me.”
“I know you want to be there, but you don’t want her to find all this out with an audience. It could make her feel like we’re ganging up on her. If she feels cornered, she will lash out like a wounded animal and banish us all from her life. I’ll lose a piece of my family and you will lose a mate and cub.” Kell reasoned. “Please, Alpha.”
Declan and Cade shared a look.
“All right.” Declan reluctantly agreed. “You are not to tell her that we are her mates. Cade and I will do that.”
“You could be a pal and smooth the way though.” Cade grinned. Declan growled at his younger brother. “Come on Dec, the girl is a spitfire and I do not mind redirecting a little of that animosity towards our cousin here. No offense, Kell.”
Kell chuckled. “None taken, asshole. I’m not sure how long this is going to take. Once I’m done with my side, if you agree, I figure it would be a good time to tell yours. She is going to start questioning why you’re around all the time.”
“Yes, I don’t want to wait any longer to tell her she’s our mate.” Declan declared, worry creasing his eyebrows. “The thought of her feeling hurt and betrayed, and the fact that I can’t prevent the inevitable, tears me up inside.” He pushed his fingers through his hair in agitation. “I can’t stand not having control. It goes against every alpha instinct I have. I want to be in there when you tell her, but I understand why we can’t.”
Kell clapped a hand on Declan’s shoulder. “If it looks like it’s going downhill with no chance of redemption, I’ll call you in. We might as well go down in flames together.” He smiled. “It’s gonna be fine, she’s your mate. Besides, Emma Grace likes you guys, that’ll go a long way with Fiona, once she starts talking to us again, anyway.”
Kell he stepped into the hospital room and smiled at the picture Fiona and Emma Grace made. Emma Grace snuggled up to her mother’s side. Fiona smiled while her little girl told her about all the things Fiona missed in the past two days. He dreaded what he was about to do, knowing it would remove that happy contented look from Fiona’s face.
They must have heard him because they both looked up and smiled. He returned their smile with one of his own though he didn’t feel it. Fiona must have noticed because her lips dropped into a frown.
“Unca Kell, I missed you!” Emma Grace exclaimed holding her arms out for a hug.
Kell picked her up, squeezed her tight, then tickled her ribs, making her squeal. “How’s my girl?”
“I’m good. Mommy is better today, da nurse said so.”
“I know I heard. That’s why they let her have a room with you. Uncle Mal and Cade are going to take you downstairs to get some food, okay. I need to talk to Mommy.” He glanced at Fiona.
“Kay.” Emma Grace looked at Fiona. “I be back later, ‘kay Mommy. I’m gonna go with Unca Mal and Mithster Cade and get some bee-nilla pudding.”
Fiona nodded as Emma Grace leaned down and kissed goodbye. Fiona eyed him warily as he carried Emma Grace to the door and handed her off to Mal. Kell took a deep breath and turned.
“What’s going on Kell? You got me worried and I have to say I don’t like it.”
He pulled the chair out from against the wall over to the side of the bed and sat down. He took Fiona’s hand and held it, knowing that if he didn’t do it now, he might not get another chance. He looked into her eyes silently pleading with her to understand that he withheld information out of safety for her and his family.
“You aren’t gonna like what I have to tell you either, Fee. I want you to promise me something. That you will listen, really hear me out, and not interrupt until I’m finished. Okay?”
“Okay.” She whispered, although she didn’t look to sure about agreeing with him.
“David was one of my best friends. You know that. We met the first day of BUD/S and just clicked. I didn’t think I would meet anyone who was a bigger smart ass than Mal.” Fiona smiled. “My family didn’t understand my need to leave… the uh, family business, so to speak. But, I fell this pull to join the Navy, to be a SEAL. I didn’t know why, but I couldn’t fight it. It wasn’t until a few days ago that I pieced it all together. I finally understand the reason was you, Fee.”
“Huh? Wait… what?”
“I said don’t interrupt.” He scolded. “I’m sorry. I know I’m confusing you. This speech made a lot more sense when I worked it out in my head. I don’t want you to hate me Fiona. I love you; you’re the kid sister I never had. Maybe it would be easier if I showed you and then explained. You have to promise not to scream.”
“I don’t even know what it is and you want me to promise not to scream?”
“Do you trust me?”
“Of course.”
The warm and fuzzy feeling he received when she admitted that without hesitation was fleeting when he realized that might be the last time she ever did.
“Then promise, no screaming Fiona. It could mean destruction for a lot of people.”
“No pressure there.” Fiona rolled her eyes.
Kell began to unbutton his shirt and Fiona yelled at him. “What the hell are you doing?”
“Oh, uh, yeah… sorry. Habit.”
“Habit? To undress in front of me? Since when? What the fuck, Kell?”
He put his hands up in surrender. “I am going into the bathroom; when I come out… do… not… scream. Promise me Fiona.”
“If you come out of there naked, I swear to all that is holy, Kell Thomas Creed, I will scream this hospital down while simultaneously ripping off your balls.”
Kell snickered. “I promise. A naked man will not come out of that bathroom.” A very large dark brown wolf will.
He eased the bathroom door closed, leaving it open just a crack. Opening a door in wolf form without the benefit of opposable thumbs was impossible.
“This is either an awesomely brilliant idea or an awesomely bad one, Kell.” His wolf growled.
“I know, but what choice do we have.”
The next few moments would determine their fate. Kell slipped out of his clothes and called to his wolf. It took only a minute for his bones to shift and reshape. His vision changed, his mouth elongated into a snout, skin became fur, and hands and feet became paws. He pushed the door open with his nose and stepped into the room with his head down in a non-threatening manner.
Chapter 13
A strong sense of foreboding settled itself in the pit of her stomach and she definitely didn’t like it. Fiona wasn’t sure what she expected when the door slowly swung open. It sure as shit, wasn’t a large, dark brown wolf. The thing was massive. It looked as though its shoulders would reach the top of her head.
Fiona held her hand over her mouth to stifle the eminent high-pitched sound of terror that threatened to spew forth from her esophagus like an 80's slasher flick queen. The one she had promised Kell she would not to let loose. Boy, she really wanted to break that promise. The wolf walked towards the bed with its head hung low, peering cautiously up at her. It stopped a couple of feet from the bed and whined. That’s when she finally noticed its eyes. Grass green eyes… green eyes like Kell… Kell’s eyes. Holy crap.
“Kell?”
The creature nodded, flicked its ears, and made a chuffing sound.
“Fuck-a-doodle-doo. Can you understand everything I am saying to you?”
Wolf Kell nodded again.
“So when I tell you I think you are a fucking dick; you can understand me?”
He whined.
Jesus, if anyone walked in, not only would they freak, but she would be committed for trying to have a conversation with a dog. Oh yeah, she could see it now, “no wait, it’s my friend Kell, he’s a wolf thing.”
“Go make yourself you again, I can’t yell at you when you look all, fluffy.”
He pinned his ears back and whined, but turned and went back in the bathroom. Less than five minutes later he emerged fully dressed and on two legs. She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him. Her heart felt like it was about to hammer out of her chest.
“I am hating you a little right now, Kell. You are an asshole. You lied to me.”
“I know, but will you hear me out? Will you at least listen to what I have to say before you make the decision whether to keep hating me or to forgive me? I never lied about being your friend, Fiona.”
She looked at him, really looked. His usual relaxed and carefree demeanor was gone, in its place was a tense, rigid, and remorseful person she didn’t recognize. Part of her felt happy, vindicated, that he felt bad about lying to her all these years. However, the other part, the part that loved him like a brother, her lifeline in the darkest of times, wanted to sooth and reassure him that she wasn’t going anywhere. The betrayal she felt kept her from doing that. Everything in she ever believed, everything she held close to her heart these past few years, every conversation, every visit, all of it was tainted by a lie. A lie of omission was still a lie. He knew more about her than anyone, save David, and she didn’t know him at all.
“Fee?” Kell whispered her name.
“I don’t know if I can forgive you. Depends on what I hear. Say what you got to say and answer all my questions… honestly this time.” She shrugged her shoulders, unable to say more. She couldn’t make a sound educated decision with her emotions in the way.
Kell let out a relieved sigh and sat down in the chair again. He went to take her hand, she moved it out of his reach. She didn’t want him to touch her. She wasn’t ready for that. The hurt in his eyes almost made her relent. Then she thought, years, he lied for years, and the magnanimous feeling was gone.
Fiona wasn’t sure where to begin, so she decided to start off with an easy question. “So you’re a werewolf?”
Kell snorted indignantly. “I’m a shifter, not a werewolf, there’s a difference.”
“Right. You were a man and then you turned into a wolf. According to every movie, I’ve ever seen, that makes you a werewolf. Twilight doesn’t count because it was lame.”
“A shifter is part human; somewhere in our lineage is a human ancestor. The human gene is passed from generation to generation. Even though both my parents are shifters, my grandmother on my father’s side was human. However, it wouldn’t have mattered, it could have been generations ago and it still would have passed to me.”
“I still don’t see how that doesn’t make you a werewolf.”
“Werewolves are just… werewolves. Always have been, always will be.”
“So… no he got bit by a werewolf and now is one?”
Kell shook his head. “They are created only under certain circumstances.”
“Which are?”
Kell winced. “I’m not sure–”
“Come on, Kell. I have a daughter to protect. Plus, you promised to be honest.”
“Fine.” He sighed. “Werewolves are created either because the lycan gene is kept pure. That means lycan mates lycan, which is rare, because there aren’t that many pure bloods around. Or two, when a shifter is seriously injured, like if they were poisoned by a high dose of silver, in order to survive, the lycan gene can and often does mutate. Mutated lycan genes kill human genes causing the shifter to become more beast than man. Werewolves that exist from mutated genes, not pure blood, can’t control their shift and become rogue, and more often than not are put down to protect others, human and shifter alike. Then there’s if we try to turn a human into a shifter, but that’s rare.” Kell waved his hand as if that were insignificant.
“What the fuck? Don’t―” Fiona mimicked his hand waving. “―skip over that little tidbit of information. That is not by-the-by information. Why would you do that?”
“Now don’t panic, Fee. We don’t make a habit of turning humans, it is well, not forbidden, but really frowned upon. It’s brutal to say the least and unpredictable. The human could turn out fine and become a shifter or the gene could mutate causing the human to become a werewolf. More often than not, the process kills the human. I’ve only ever seen it done once, and that was to save a life of a mortally wounded human mate.”
“What happened to her, this human mate? Did she die? Did she become...rogue?”
“She is a he and he lived. No, he didn’t become rogue. His mate turned him so there was a better chance that wouldn’t happened. They just adopted a cub.”
“So your family, they’re like you?”
“Yeah, they are my pack. Some related by blood, others by choice.”
“So, all these people you been callin’ your cousins aren’t really all related to you then?”
“Not all of them. But, some of them really are my cousins, like Declan and Cade.”
“Paul and Mal, are they really your brothers?”
“You don’t think I would actually claim them if they weren’t, do you?”
Fiona snickered. “Maybe not Mal.” Kell grinned. “They’re like you too then?”
Kell nodded.
“I’ve noticed everyone defers to Declan and Cade. What are they to you, besides cousins?”
“Declan is pack alpha and Cade is his beta. Do you know what that means?”
“Yeah, I know. I read. Thank you, very much,” she said in a haughty voice and then blushed thinking about the actual reason for her knowledge were steamy paranormal erotic romance books that took up half the space her Kindle.
“Shifter sex books don’t count as research Fee.” He teased, as if he could read her mind.
Was that even possible? She didn’t even want to know. Fiona stuck her tongue out at him in a familiar gesture before she could stop herself.
“Did David know?” She braced herself for his answer. Just the thought that David had known and not told her was like a knife to her heart.
She read the understanding in Kell’s eyes. “No, honey, I never told him. Not that I didn’t want to. We are very careful about how we expose ourselves.”
She gave him a sarcastic raised eyebrow. He was sure about to expose himself earlier.
“You know what I mean, smart ass. If word got out, especially to the government–”
“You have to have more abilities than just turning into a giant dog. Why risk joining up at all? Couldn’t they just find out what you are by looking at your blood or something?”
“Wolf not dog. Yes, we do have other abilities– enhanced eyesight, hearing, speed, strength, and healing capabilities. Like I said we are part human, so genetically we test as human. Unless they specifically test for the lycan gene, they aren’t going to find it. Why would they? We don’t exist, right? I did have a choice, I had to join up. I wanted to protect my country, yes, but I was also led there, for you.”
****
Kell waited for Fiona to digest the information he had given her so far. He was surprised, to say the least, that she handled it all so well. He was actually a bit wary of her reaction. A screaming angry Fiona was easy to handle because you knew where you stood. A quiet calculating Fiona was dangerous and unpredictable, like the calm before the storm.
“Do other shifters serve in the military?”
“Yes.”
“Why? Are the led to find someone too?”
“Maybe some, but usually our reasons are like any other member. A sense of duty to serve their country. The GI Bill. The need to have and be a part of a family. Any number of reasons I suppose. We are just like you, but also different.”
“You said I was the reason. What did you mean?”
“I’m an enforcer. That means it’s my job, within the pack, to protect it. The Fates led me to you because it is my job to protect you. You belong to my pack.”
He wished he could pull back the words when Fiona winced and hurt filled her eyes. He knew she mistook them. She thought she was an obligation.
“So you’re my friend because of some weird sense of wolf duty?”
“No! God no Fiona. You are my friend. I never lied about that. I love you. I love Emma Grace. She’s my little pixie. As pack enforcer, I will always protect you, because you are part of my pack and it’s my job, but I don’t have to like you to do it. I wouldn’t spend time with you out of obligation. I wouldn’t pretend to be your friend to do my job. I honestly do love you, Fee, and like you. You’re one of my best friends.”
He held her gaze so she could see the truth in his eyes. She obviously believed him because she nodded.
She sighed and looked away. Her hands clenched into fists. “You aren’t telling me everything.”
Her statement caught him completely off guard. Yes, it was true, but he was shocked she sensed it. He would have told her everything, but it was forbidden. When Declan laid down the law as alpha, it was followed without question. If Kell denied her accusation, she would know it was a lie and that would be the end of their friendship. She could forgive just about anything with time, but dishonesty, especially after he promised the truth, wasn’t one of them.
