Page 11 of Wolf's Whistle
§ § §
The others came downstairs, and they took eight limousines and eight Navigators to the airport. Richard had never seen such a sight. Marcel drove and his wife, Isabel, sat in front. Charles and Denis sat in the back with him and Julien, one on each side.
Julien opened the divider between the driver and the passengers. “Isabel, did you pack some sandwiches? I think Richard is hungry.”
“Of course, Julien. They’re in the picnic basket in front of your seats.”
Richard regarded Julien, eyes narrowed. “How did you know I was hungry?”
“Because you had a big day and didn’t each very much at supper. You were having an attack of nerves, mon ange.”
“How did you know?” This man seemed toget himafter knowing him for an afternoon.
“You’re moving away from a place you spent a good portion of your life on the word of a man you haven’t seen in almost ten years. To be fair, you did want to work for Garou after you finished school, but you were torn between that desire and the uncertainty of living with a stranger.”
“It’s not that I’m ungrateful…”
“Mon ange, I suspect Etienne and Julio didn’t offer to take you in because although Etienne is going back to work, they’re still on their honeymoon. Julio was hurt, and Etienne took a lot of time off to care for him, and his work has piled up. So their evenings will be precious to them.”
“I didn’t know Julio was hurt.”
Julien patted his hand. “Julio has a lot to tell you about his life after you left him on the step.”
His touch was strangely comforting and thrilling. “We didn’t mean…my mother thought his folks would be there within minutes. My mother was racked with guilt over that. Especially when Julio seemed to drop off the face of the earth.”
“Although it wasn’t always so, Julio is in a very good place now. Etienne loves him dearly and would do anything for him. Don’t worry, mon ange, Julio is only four blocks away.”
They pulled the limousines and the Navigators right onto the tarmac. Sixteen drivers appeared to take the vehicles back to where they wererented? Stored?Everyone boarded the plane. Julio called Richard to come back and sit with his friends.
He wanted to pinch himself to see if this was real or just a dream.
Chapter Three
Garou Corporate Jet
One the way to La Guardia Airport
Julio and Richard sat with the Mates on the way home to Manhattan. It was time for him to tell Richard his story. He wasn’t ashamed of what he had done because he survived and made it out the other side but it was going to be hard to tell Richard what he had to do to get there.
Sean solved the problem for him. He told Julio’s and Donal’s stories without sensation in a matter-of-fact voice. By the end of Sean’s recitation, Richard was crying and had grabbed Julio’s and Donal’s hands. “My God, I’ll never complain about what happened to me again.” He got up and gave Julio a hug. Julien came back to see if he was okay.
Sean explained, “We told him about Julio and Donal.”
Julien pursed his lips. “Theirs’ are two of the more horrific stories we’ve heard about lost teens who fell through the cracks. Alexei took care of Apuso and Donal’s grasping family. Etienne is in the process of having the group home staffers fired. Peter, the man who took advantage of Julio, is in jail, and Bales is institionalized. We take care of our own.” He gave Richard a hug, kissed his hair, and returned to the bar. Julien poured himself a double shot of whiskey.
After his friend had calmed down, Julio marked this moment. Julien had made the first real connection with his Mate.
Richard turned his head and watched as Julien talked to Armand and Etienne with great animation. “He’s a hugger, isn’t he?”
“They all are,” Ian remarked between bites of his Rueben sandwich.
§ § §
Julien came back and stood at the bar with the other Alphas. “You’ve all been through this and Henri will be soon enough, I have no doubt. How do you get them to love you?” Julien asked the group.
“Why so glum? You’ve found your Mate,” Etienne remarked.
“Because I have absolutely no idea as to what to do next. I know I have to be on the lookout for that thrice-damned Serb. But after that, what? Don’t the pheromones make them want you?”
