E.A. Price - Valentine's Wolf (Grey Wolf Pack #11) (20 page)

Chapter Twenty

8
th
March

“Grandma, is there something you want to tell me?”

Vera Daniels narrowed her eyes as she surveyed her granddaughter. She took a long drag on her cigarette and considered her options when answering that question.

“Is there something you know that you think I already do?”

Valentine’s jaw ticked slightly, and Vera almost snickered. It was a trait that she seemed to have picked up from her wolf shifter.

Vera eyed him critically. He had walked over to the other side of the veranda and was staring out over the city view. Ostensibly he moved away because he didn’t like the smell of smoke, but she knew he was trying to be diplomatic and give them some privacy.

He was a good looking young wolf, although a little clean for her taste. His exaggerated coughs at her smoking were certainly not in his favor. He looked as if he liked nothing more than to roll out of bed in a morning and take a ten-mile run. She’d been married three times and thankfully, she’d never been married to one of those types. She wondered how her granddaughter was going to fare with that kind of attitude staring her in the face every morning. Valentine, as she recalled from the dreaded teenage years, would sleep until noon unless faced with the threat of losing her allowance. Although, Vera doubted that was much of a threat anymore.
A better one would be to get the hose on her.

Valentine had been bubbling to talk to her since they collected her from the bus station. Vera insisted on traveling by bus. In her opinion, it was the safest way to travel. You would never catch her in an airplane – flying coffins, thank you very much.

Valentine folded her arms. “Is there something you know that perhaps I ought to know that you haven’t told me?”

They’d had these arguments again and again when Valentine was a teenager. Usually, the roles were reversed, though. Usually, Valentine had done something she shouldn’t have, and Vera was trying to get her to confess. It took ages to resolve as they were both so stubborn.

After Vera had found out that Valentine had been attacked, she hopped the first bus to Ursa that she could. It was an enormous relief to find that Valentine was fine, but apparently, it was truth-telling time.

Vera stubbed out her cigarette. “I take it you were checked out by a doctor after you were attacked?” she asked uneasily.

“Yes, he said I was perfectly healthy… for a shifter.”

Valentine narrowed her eyes, and Vera sucked in a breath.
This was it, the moment she’d been dreading.

“Have you… uh… have you managed to shift?”

“Oh yes, it came as quite a surprise I can tell you. I take it you knew?”

Vera sighed. “Yes I knew.”

“How could you not tell me?!” cried Valentine as her eyes swam with yellow.

“Keep your voice down,” admonished Vera. She looked around and gave the evil eye to a few other hotel guests who were staring at them.

“A leopard, Grandma, how could you not have possibly mentioned that I was a freaking leopard?!”

Vera fidgeted in her seat. “It wasn’t an easy decision.”

“Easy? Easy?! Do you think it was easy for me to start suddenly growing fur and claws? I thought I was dying!”

“It was for your own good,” she blurted.

Valentine slumped back into her seat and scowled. “Really?” she sneered.

“Don’t get snippy with me young lady, raising you was hardly easy at my age, but I did my best. Your mother told me what your dim-witted father was so I always knew there was a possibility you’d be a shifter, I just didn’t realize that you might be both. And when you turned 13, and you started shifting…”

Vera fought back tears at the memory and Valentine stirred uneasily.

“What happened?”

“You were in agony; your body couldn’t handle trying to change into an animal and controlling the magic within you. You don’t remember this, but for days, you would black out, and when you were awake you were screaming because of the pain. You couldn’t function properly, and I worried that you wouldn’t live through it.”

Vera dabbed at her eyes. Those few weeks ranked as the worst time in her life. She’d lost a daughter in a car accident, and that was horrific, but she had been determined that she wouldn’t lose her granddaughter too.

“I did the only thing I could think of; I took you to my Circle and together, we enchanted your mother’s ring so that it would suppress all your powers. I thought you could wear it until you were strong enough to handle the changes.”

“Why didn’t you ever tell me? It’s been seventeen years.”

“I kept putting it off; in high school you were already different because you lived with your grandmother, so I decided to wait until after. Then you went off to college in a different state, and I didn’t think it was a good idea to ruin that. Then you got a job and your apartment… It just never seemed like a good time. But after you turned 30, I decided I needed to tell you.”

“That’s why you wanted me to visit,” said Valentine, quietly.

Vera pulled out another cigarette and lit it with shaking hands. “Yes, I’d put it off for long enough. You needed to know.”

“And this is why you never let me go to the doctor when I was growing up? You were afraid they would be able to tell what I was?”

“Yes, but it’s not like you needed ever to go,” she replied defensively. “The ring suppressed some of your abilities, but not your healing ability. I made sure you stayed healthy, and if you were ever truly hurt, I would have taken you.”

“I just wish you hadn’t told me all those horror stories about doctors and hospitals – I was terrified when I was being checked out.”

Vera rolled her eyes. “Those stories were all true.”

She snorted. “Even the one about the doctor who kept taking his patients’ blood so he could feed it to his vampire wife?”

“Yes, absolutely!”

Valentine looked over at Jake and her expression softened as her cheeks turned pink. Jake gave her a devilish smile in return.

“He seems like a good man,” commented Vera.

“He is,” she murmured.

“You seem to be very attached.”

Valentine looked at her and gave her an artless look. “I love him.”

“I’m sorry, Valentine.”

Her granddaughter scoffed. “Wait, you’re sorry?”

“Yes.”

“No, no, you’re actually sorry? You, Vera Daniels, are saying sorry?”

“Yes, that’s what I said,” she snapped.

“Wow, I’ve never heard that word come out of your mouth before.”

Vera harrumphed. “Now you’re being silly.”

“You never told me you were a witch.”

“I’m not much of a witch,” Vera admitted ruefully. “I don’t practice much anymore, but then I never did. How are you handling it?”

Valentine shrugged. “I haven’t had much chance to try anything really. Although, I don’t seem to be able to get a handle on not destroying alarm clocks.”

“If you want some help with that, I can speak to my Circle.”

“I’m actually moving to Virginia with Jake. His pack has a few members who are witches; they’re going to help me. You’re welcome to come and visit anytime.”

Vera nodded. “I’m glad you’re happy. I was beginning to think you would never find someone.”

Valentine let out a sound of disgust. “I’m only 30.”

“Exactly! You’re already 30, and I’m not getting any younger…”

“Nobody gets any younger!” she grumbled.

“I would like to live to see my great-grandchildren.”

“Don’t mention children just yet.”

Vera shook her head. “Well, you don’t want to leave it too late.”

“Ugh, Grandma!”

“I’m just saying…”

*

Jake waited until Vera left, and he strode over to Valentine. It wasn’t that he didn’t like his mate’s grandmother it’s just that he found her more than a little trying. A sentiment his wolf agreed with.

“Well?” he asked gently.

Valentine rolled her shoulders. “Grandma’s gone to take a nap.”

“No, what did she tell you?”

“My dad was a leopard; my mom was a witch and Grandma hid it from me because I couldn’t handle it when I was a teenager. Mystery solved.”

He eyed her warily. “So you’re okay?”

She smiled wearily. “I’m fine. I wish I could be mad at her, but I can’t. I know my grandmother. She wouldn’t have done this unless she thought she had to, and thought it was the only way. She’s not the type to lie to protect people’s feelings. I don’t think her best friend ever forgave her after Grandma told her she saw her husband cheating on her.”

Jake raised his eyebrows.

“Some people prefer ignorance; my Grandma’s not one of them. It must have been hard for her to lie all these years. Besides,” she took hold of his hand. “I think things turned out pretty well.”

“Yeah, I’d have to agree with that. Have I told you before that I love you?”

“Not in the last half hour.”

“Well, I do,” he said emphatically.

“You better; I wouldn’t uproot the world’s grouchiest cat for any man.”

He placed his free hand on his heart. “I’m honored.”

“Not half as much as I am,” she murmured as she climbed into his lap, ignoring the censorial glares of everyone around them.

He stroked her back and inhaled her sweet orange blossom scent. His wolf howled in contentment.
Mine
.

Epilogue

Valentine returned to Rose with Jake. She sublet her apartment, packed up all her belongings and moved into Jake’s house. She was trying to decide which room to redecorate first. Tumbles, much to Val’s chagrin, adored Jake. She swore Tumbles was doing it on purpose just to piss her off.

She no longer had a job. In fact, no one in at the company had a job. Apparently, Conrad and the other senior partners had been stealing from the company for months. They, along with Glenn, who was actually Conrad’s nephew, were picked up trying to flee the country. They were as good at escaping as they were at handling their business affairs. After a few botched jobs, they decided to take the money and run rather than face bankruptcy. They were awaiting trial for embezzlement while being sued by their wives who weren’t invited to flee with them. The company was disbanded.

After staying at home for a couple of days, she soon realized she wasn’t cut out for being a stay-at-home mate. Her bossiness needed an outlet, and Tumbles and the kitchen utensils weren’t great company. She petitioned the Alpha, Adam for a job at the pack construction company, and he readily agreed.

The Mayor wasn’t pleased about the hotel project going under, and completely blamed the pack for the fact that it fell through. It didn’t seem to bother him that it was actually his friend, Conrad who had swindled everyone. As far as the Mayor was concerned, the pack stopped the hotel from being built, and he made his feelings known far and wide, creating further discord among the townspeople and pack members.

The investors in the hotel decided to cut their losses and took the small amount of money Adam offered for the land. He was considering that perhaps it could be turned into some kind of day care center, given the sudden rise in pregnancies in the pack.

Hilary was quickly recovering. She was released from the hospital into the loving, smothering care of her mom, who just about burst into tears every time she looked at the casts on Hilary’s arm and leg.
Hilary was considering running away from home
. Val asked her to come and stay with her and Jake for a while so that they could look after her. Jake agreed it was a good idea. He’d pretty much agree to just about anything Val said. Hilary was considering it if only to get out of bath time with her mom.

Valentine made progress with learning how to control both Venus and her magical abilities. Melanie was always a bit beleaguered after their sessions, but Valentine was getting there. She still fried one or two alarm clocks per week, but that was easily solved – Jake just bought a couple dozen spares and replaced it each time she destroyed one.

Jimmy reset her mother’s ring, and once Valentine was assured it had been purged of all magic, she was pleased to wear it again. It went nicely alongside the engagement ring Jake gave her.
They were planning on eloping to Vegas.

Robyn was promoted for her part in finding Lester and offered Jake a job back at the SEA. He was apparently considered a hero for breaking the case. He growled at that. It was just dumb luck as far as he was concerned, and he couldn’t celebrate the fact that his mate had been put in danger. He refused the job and was content to remain in Rose as the sheriff. Yep, give him runaway cats, unruly teenage wolf shifters and bull shifters that streak down Main Street any day of the week.

He had his pack, his job and, above all, his mate. Life couldn’t have been better.

Mate.
Mine
.