Chapter 73

Nathan POV

The Four Seasons

"Who is watching Rachel?"

I resisted the urge to grab Charlotte by her shoulders and shake the truth out of her only by focusing on maintaining my calm. The eerie feeling of being watched passed as suddenly as it had swept over me; I focused on Char's face to watch her features for any clues as to her meaning while waiting on my answers.

Charlotte played the game as well as any Alpha. Better in some ways because males tended to underestimate their female counterparts in wolfen society.

I didn't temper my expectations of anyone based on their gender.

After all, the person who'd done the worst hurt to me in my life was a female. Rachel would have been kinder to me if she'd shot me with a silver bullet through the head rather than leave me with a gaping hole where my heart had been.

"Father is only being cautious. She comes from bad stock, you know, so it's in our better interests to make sure she doesn't run off with the next heir to the line."

Charlotte rolled her eyes as if she couldn't possibly imagine the fuss being made over Rachel's baby, but we both knew she was bluffing.

Wolves didn't breed nearly as easily as humans. Every child was a blessing. The firstborn of an Alpha heir would be worth more than any subsequent birth even if the child was female. Some of the value was based on tradition or superstition while the rest was based on the practical rules of inheritance as recognized under human law.

"Who does he have watching her, Charlotte? I'm not going to ask you again."

I knew she was completely informed because she'd brought the subject up voluntarily.

Charlotte Wright never brought up any subject unless she was fully prepared to discuss it to any degree the other party could want. She maintained her power by never letting someone take it from her and always being certain to control her narrative.

"They're two contract men. They do odd jobs for Father. I don't know their names."

She said the last as if it was ludicrous to suggest anyone would bother learning the names of 'the help' which did set my mind somewhat at ease.

If they were a danger to Rachel, Charlotte would know their names. She might not appreciate Rachel herself, but she understood Rachel was valuable to many of the men in her life. Char would have taken care to learn the names of any men who served major roles in her father's business, too.

They must be a cautionary measure only. I knew John Wright well enough to be confident he wouldn't have put his trust in nameless lackeys if he believed Rachel needed further protection from a true threat.

"How long have they been following her?"

"I think only the last week. Father has been getting more paranoid the longer my brother takes to get his woman back. I think he's surprised they're still estranged."

Charlotte seemed contemplative herself. I knew I was still uncertain why it had taken so long for Tyler Wright to reconcile with his fated mate. If the Goddess had given Rachel to me as my other half, I would have done anything necessary to win her back to my side.

Gesturing to the formal sitting area in the suite, I offered, "Come sit with me. I don't see any reason for us to keep standing in front of the door. We were both raised better. Would you like something to drink?"

Manners only returned to me as I realized Charlotte hadn't come to warn me about Rachel's safety as much as to solidify her position as a potential mate for me.

Our negotiations for a mating arrangement were still underway between our fathers. I knew we both felt confident we could make the best of the situation if we landed together. We had been friends in school in addition to having been raised around each other in the same sphere of influence.

"Bourbon with a water-back would be delightful. Oh and ice as well? Thank you for being a dear, Nate."

Char made herself comfortable on the settee, knowing politeness would drive me to join her on the small sofa. I smiled at her cavalier social engineering.

Some tendencies shouldn't change with time. I rather enjoyed Charlotte being a gamesmaster. She was a worthy opponent in the social arena and her sense of humor came through in her actions often. I also liked to look at her when she was relaxed.

Charlotte was a beautiful woman. Her features were best enjoyed when she was at ease rather than when she was posing for the sake of those who may or may not be watching.

I poured us both two fingers of bourbon before tossing ice into two squat tumblers which stacked easily on top of each other. I tucked a bottle of water between my forearm and my body then gathered up all four glasses in my hands. I put down the bourbon first, then unstacked the ice tumblers before opening the water.

Filling each glass halfway with water, I asked, "Are you feeling hungry? I could send out for room service?"

Charlotte tossed back her bourbon with all the care one would show straight water. She wasn't missing out on much since it was of a lower quality than I usually bought. I hadn't stocked the wetbar here myself, after all, and werewolf constitution made liquor virtually worthless to us unless it was of a high quality or abnormal strength or potency.

"Unless room service is delivering you out of your clothes? There's nothing they have I need."

I smiled wider at her, draining my own bourbon glass with a mock toast. I could use more people with Char's candor in my life. Everything would be so much easier if people only said what they meant.

"You're thinking wicked thoughts about me, are you?"

"Always. If our families make a good mating arrangement for us? I'll fuck you so good you'll forget the name 'Rachel' exists."

Charlotte sipped at her water with all the delicacy she should have reserved for the liquor. I found myself looking at her lips as she licked the water from them with a hint of pink tongue. She posed an enticing threat---if I didn't let myself think about anything except her.

"If I could forget her name, I wouldn't be bothering with this bourbon or with letting my parents arrange a mating for me."

We adjusted on the sofa together and Charlotte leaned over to tentatively rest her head on my shoulder. I let her body heat warm me for a moment before standing again.

I couldn't help my body froze at the touch of any other woman than Rachel. I'd tried for years to forget her, to get over her, to push her into the back of my mind as nothing more than a memory.

Everything would be so much simpler if I could just put Rachel aside.

"I think we could make things work out if we had to," I admitted, "Our parents will do the best they can for our match. If it's the best course of action, we'll see it through."

Charlotte raised her water glass to me and toasted, "To seeing it through?"

I repeated agreeably, "To seeing it through."

We finished our water in silence and I let her out of my room without anything else being said.

I returned to my window to resume staring out into the night. I had to survive another full day without Rachel, but then I was going to her apartment for an overnight stay which would lead to a trip I planned to stretch out as long as possible.

Charlotte probably thought she had managed to get under my skin with her temptations, but she didn't understand there was no room in me for any other woman. Rachel already occupied every molecule of my being. I couldn't make room for another lover because she haunted me down into my very bones.

I would have to find out whether Tyler knew anything about the two nameless men trailing Rachel. They couldn't be allowed to hurt her. If they wanted to be an asset, they'd have to be known to me.

Dialing Wright, I greeted him, "Wright. Two men were sent by your father to follow Rachel. Charlotte just told me about them, but admits she doesn't know their names. She said they do odd jobs. What do you know about them?"

I didn't care if he wanted to talk to me or if he wanted to help me. I knew he valued Rachel the way I did -or as close to the way I did as possible- so he would answer my questions. I hoped we could work something out to benefit us both.

Rachel would not want to choose between us; in a perfect world, she wouldn't have to, but we didn't live in any kind of utopia.

A choice was going to have to be made---I knew which one I wanted her to make.