Into the Unknown (Werewolf Wars, #2) (22 page)

“You would be killing, Lark. That’s something you have to live with for the rest of your life,” Devon cautioned, staring at her.

“It would change you. Saying you can do it and actually doing it are two different things,” Gene added.

“I know,” she whispered. “I also know that if we don’t do something, and Juarez comes in with hundreds of men, you and Gene are going to be killed. Not only will I have to live with that for the rest of my life, but they’ll take Sarah and me—and Emily, Natalia, Maddie and Amelia...and they’ll use us until we’re no longer of any use to them,” she warned as she met their eyes. “We are at war, Devon. Sometimes you do what you have to do to protect the people you love.”

Gene nodded but saw Devon shake his head.

“No, I’m not putting you in danger like that,” Devon argued, grinding his teeth as he spoke.

“I’m already in danger, Devon,” Lark reminded him.

“She’s right. And it would give us the element of surprise,” Gene reasoned.

“I don’t like it,” Devon stated. “I don’t want you doing this, Lark.”

“I know you don’t like it,” Lark said, meeting Devon’s eyes. “But it’s time to take the fight to them, and—if I can help—I’m going to.”

Gene closed his eyes, scrubbing a hand down his face. His eyes felt heavy; he was exhausted. His head bobbed forward, causing his eyes to pop back open. “We’ll do Preston’s funeral later this morning,” he said, glancing to the bronze wall clock. 4:15 in the morning. “We should all get some sleep; we’ll start planning after. The sooner we strike the better.”

“Do you need anything?” Lark questioned.

Gene managed to form a smile on his face. All he really wanted to do, though, was drown his sorrows in the bottle of scotch. “I’ll be fine. But thank you.”

“Let us know,” Devon said. “You know we’re here for you.

***

D
evon wrapped his arm around Lark’s waist, and her head tipped over, resting on his shoulder as they walked down the hall to the front door. After a long night, he was ready to go home and get some sleep. As he inhaled, he caught onto a familiar scent, causing him to growl under his breath.

Daniel’s scent enveloped them, and he strode faster down the dimly lit corridor. He let go of Lark and stepped in front of her, glaring at his brother as he spoke to their mother in a hushed tone.

“What’s he doing out and about?” he growled.

“Gene said he helped them out,” Claire said, standing up slowly as she looked between her two sons. “It’s late Dev. Let’s all get some rest, and we’ll work things out in the morning.”

“Yeah, come on, Devon,” Lark said, sliding her hand up and down his arm.

Devon stepped forward, clenching his fists at his side. “He ran away when I questioned him about Juarez. I’m not going to leave knowing he could still be a spy.”

“I’m not,” Daniel stated.

“Really? How do we know your call to Lark wasn’t part of your plan?”

“I just want to protect my family, Devon. That’s all. This is my home. The only place I have to go. I wanted to get back into your good graces,” Daniel replied, rising up from his spot on the couch.

“If you wanted in my good graces, then you should never have run to begin with,” Devon snapped, inching closer to him.

“What else could I have done?” Daniel cried out. “You wouldn’t have believed me, regardless of what I said. No matter what, I’ll always be guilty in your eyes.” He laughed bitterly. “Ironic how the tables have turned.”

Devon ground his teeth. For years, Emmett and Daniel had looked down upon him. Never believing him, even with the truth staring them in the face. Anger surged through him at his brother’s insinuation.

Lark’s warm hand looped around his arm as she stopped next to him. “It's late. We’re all sleep deprived and on edge. We can revisit this in the morning.”

Devon sighed, his nostrils flaring as he turned to Lark. Her calm blue eyes met his, reassuring him. Closing his eyes, he shook his head.

Claire patted Daniels shoulder. “Please, Devon, I just want all my children together. Don’t make any rash decisions. Not tonight. I’ll vouch for Daniel. Should anything happen it will fall on me.”

“Fine,” Devon scoffed. His mother was already distraught enough as it was; the last thing he wanted to do was challenge her. Despite his brother’s flaws, Devon knew that Daniel would never do anything to jeopardize their mother’s safety. “Don’t think this is over,” he warned.

“Come on,” Lark urged, tugging him toward the door. “Let's go home.”

Narrowing his eyes, Devon fumed as they exited the house.

“He should be locked up,” he commented as he opened the car door for Lark.

Lark rolled her eyes. “Maybe...but maybe not. You’re too close to this, Devon. There is just too much hurt and distrust between the two of you. I think you mean well, but I think you’re letting your emotions get in the way.”

“Or I’m following my gut, and he’s going to betray us,” Devon snapped.

“If that’s really how you feel, you wouldn’t have walked out of that house. You would’ve insisted he be locked up. There is a part of you that knows he could be innocent. Whether you will admit that or not remains to be seen,” Lark whispered quietly. “I love you, Devon. I only know what you’ve told me about your relationship with Daniel, and I don’t blame you for feeling how you do. But the two of you have an opportunity to make amends and be brothers; don’t lose that because of the past.”

Devon grunted as he jammed the key into the ignition. Perhaps she was right, but he couldn’t help wondering if he was right too.

***

N
atalia finished drying off her hair and threw on her pajamas. She’d attempted to fall asleep, but her brain and body didn’t seem to want to work together. Her body felt relaxed, her aching muscles less tense since she’d stood under the steaming water for twenty minutes.

Braiding her hair loosely, she exited the bathroom and walked across the hall to her bedroom. Gene sat on the bed, his face buried in his hands.

“Hey,” she said softly as she closed the door. The bed creaked and dipped down as she sat next to him.

“How are you? Are you okay?” Gene asked, looking up at her. His chocolate eyes met hers, but the usual glint was gone from them. Instead, dark shadows lingered around his eye sockets making them look hollow.

“I am fine. What about you?” she asked.

“I don’t know,” he exhaled loudly, wiping a hand over his face. “I don’t even know where to begin.”

Natalia nodded and looked down at her fingers as she entwined them together. “I know that it doesn’t help—nor does it change anything—but I am so sorry.”

“I know.”

Natalia sucked in a deep breath as she laid her head on his shoulder. “You did everything you could.”

“He was dead the second that claw went into his throat. I knew that,” Gene nodded. “There was nothing anyone could’ve done for him. I just wish I could remember him smiling, laughing. Instead, all I see is...” he trailed off with his hand in the air, wagging it back and forth, as if he were trying to erase the memory.

“I don’t think the images ever really go away. Even when you try to think of the good times—happy memories—you still see them like that. Forever etched in your mind. Every time I picture my mother, that’s always the last image I have, no matter how innocent the memories start,” Natalia said, sniffling. Tears pricked her eyes, and a lump formed in her throat, causing it to constrict painfully.

“How did you deal with it?”

Natalia lifted her head, shaking it as she gazed into his eyes. “I do not think I did. I focused on escaping, getting away for my baby. I knew that if I got away and lived a happy life, my mother’s death wouldn’t be in vain. Death affects everyone differently. But I think, with the right drive, we can move forward with our lives.”

“We are planning an attack.”

Natalia’s breath caught, and her heart pounded in her chest. “When?”

“Sometime tomorrow, probably. The information Daniel gave us could be time sensitive.”

“What about Preston?” she asked quietly, eyeing him.

Gene cleared his throat, eyes drifting to the bed. “There will be a funeral tomorrow morning. I’d like it if you came.”

“Of course. I am here for you, Gene,” Natalia agreed, clasping his hand and entwining her fingers with his. “Do you need anything?”

“No,” Gene said, standing up. He placed a chaste kiss to the back of her hand. “I just need to sleep.”

Natalia stood with him. “I know something of what you are going through. I am here if you want to talk.”

Gene leaned in, pressing a kiss to her lips. “Thank you,” he breathed as he pulled away. Turning, he walked out of the room and closed the door behind him

––––––––

G
ene stared at the swirling brown water that pooled at the bottom of his brother’s final resting place. The rain beat down on his head, causing rivulets of water to run down his face. He was drenched from head to toe, his crisp blue button up and black pants clung to his skin.

The gloomy grey skies stretched overhead.
H
e saw lightening strike in the distance, and, for a moment, it distracted him. But it didn’t last long. His attention was brought back to the meaning of this day when he spotted four of his men carrying the handmade wooden casket out from the barn. Grinding his teeth, he watched their slow procession to the plot. His eyes flicked to his parents’ headstone. His father’s name was still freshly engraved. The small cemetery on the property was growing too quickly.

Gene’s eyes burned as tears threatened to spill out. Sniffling, he focused on the grass, watching as drops of rain filtered down the blades and onto the earth. Warm fingers wrapped around his wrist, and he looked up as the rain stopped falling on his head. Instead, it pattered on the umbrella that was now above him.

Natalia, gave him a small, tight-lipped smile as her shoulder brushed against his; she was trying to stand close enough to keep them both under the umbrella. He clung to her hand like a lifeline and closed his eyes, thankful that she was there.

Gene turned to his right, meeting Lark’s gaze as she approached with her arm wrapped firmly around Sarah’s shoulders; the older blonde appeared to be supporting the entirety of her sister’s weight. Sarah curled into Lark’s shoulder, her heart-wrenching sobs growing louder with each step the men took toward the grave. Devon walked beside Lark and Sarah, holding the large umbrella over the three of them as they came to a stop next to Gene.

The rain seemed to intensify, growing louder until it was thrumming in his ears as the men stopped. Slowly, they began to lower the casket into the ground. Swallowing down his emotions, he took a step forward. The cool rain helped him to see clearly.

Looking at the few dozen men in his and Devon’s packs, he began speaking, “Preston was one of the best men you could ever meet. There wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do for anyone. His compassion and personality were his finest qualities. I can’t think of anyone who he didn’t instantly befriend. Not only have the pack and I lost a brother today, but we’ve also lost a good and kind young man,” Gene paused blinking his eyes, trying to keep himself composed.

“I vow that his death will not be in vain. He fought for what he believed in, and we will continue to honor his life by pursuing this fight and ensuring that good prevails over tyranny. Thank you for being a brother, a friend, and a loyal pack mate. You will not be forgotten, and you will be deeply missed.”

Clearing his throat, he took a step back and looked around at the other members of his pack. He walked to a vase that was set off to the side. Gene picked up two red roses from the vase and dropped one on top of the casket. Mud already swirled in the hole, mucking up the pale pine box.

Turning to Sarah, he handed her the other rose and motioned for her to do the same.

Sarah’s red puffy eyes met his, tears streaming down her face as her trembling fingers took the flower. He watched as she hobbled toward the grave, her chest heaving as pained cries escaped her lips. She held the flower out for a long moment before letting it fall. Shaking her head, she whirled around and bolted toward the house.

Archie, the man who acted as their priest, stepped forward with a Bible in his hand. Opening it, he began to read a passage. Gene closed his eyes, listening to the words as he linked his arm with Natalia’s.

***

“A
re you sure you want to do this now?” Lark questioned as they filed into the office.

“Yes,” Gene said adamantly as he walked to his chair. Spinning the chair around, he took a seat and flexed his fingers as he waited for everyone else to be seated.

“I have a friend who does crop dusting and I had him fly over the farm house where Juarez’s men are staying. He was able to get low enough to get a good visual. As of this morning, they were still there. I want to perform a strike on that building tonight.” Gene looked around the room, meeting everyone’s gazes for a moment.

“We’ll be getting many more reinforcements from New York in another two days,” Claire pointed out. “I think you should wait.”

“No! If we wait, we risk losing our opportunity, and the element of surprise,” Devon said.

“So you’re on board with what we discussed last night?” Gene questioned Devon.

Devon growled low in his throat, leaning back in his chair. “Not really, but I know we need to do something.”

“And you’re sure?” Gene asked Lark.

Lark met Devon’s eyes, her bottom lip tucked between her teeth. “Yes.”

“We need to wait until nightfall,” Devon stated.

“Agreed. Vincent and Daniel,” Gene said, turning to the two brothers sitting on the couch. “While the attack is underway, you’re going to leave, hopefully undetected. I want you to go to New Orleans and find out what exactly is going on there. If this pack has been fighting Juarez for a lengthy period of time, I want to know how they are doing it. See if they are willing to work with us against Juarez. If we can work together, I think it would be in all of our best interests.”

“Are you sure you should send them?” Devon questioned.