Page 12 of Wolf's Whistle
“The pheromones don’t do all your work for you. This one won’t be as difficult as Julio but not as easy as Sean, Donal, and Kane. I suspect Marc can give you the best advice. Richard is pack and so is Colin. The boys will help.” Armand strode to the bar and poured himself a cognac.
Rémy chuckled. “You only met him less than eight hours ago, you can’t expect him to drop into your hand like a ripe peach. It even took Armand more than twenty-four hours and Sean was an Omega, more than half wolf, plus it was Armand.”
“How do I even let him know I’m interested?” Julien swallowed his shot of whiskey.
“Court him. Help him register for classes, go over the courses with him. Since he’s going to work in your department, take him to work with you and show him what you do,” Gabriel suggested. “I wouldn’t let Kane leave me. I kept inventing excuses to keep him at the penthouse. He’s predisposed to love you. You’ve loved each other in many lives before this.”
“Become his friend. Find out what you have in common besides engineering and take him out to places that interest you both. Remember, it took Etienne and Rémy a month. He doesn’t have much but don’t overwhelm him with presents. Buy him a couple of suits and shirts that he needs for work. Tell him he can pay you back.” Alexei leaned on the bar. “He strikes me as independent.”
“He’s had to be. He was left alone when his mother passed. He had just started work after coming home from Massachusetts. It seems he had no friends in Chicago. He must have gone through school with his head down and his eyes on his books.” Etienne got himself a beer and a pastrami sandwich.
“That could be because he was a committed student or because he was afraid of being bashed. He was almost pitifully glad to see Julio, and they hadn’t seen each other since they were fourteen.” Julien swirled the amber liquid in his glass.
Armand pursed his lips. “None of them seem to have a family, except Donal, whose family is in jail where they belong. The only relationship each of them has had is with other Mates, like Donal with Julio and Julio with Richard. Sean had Tony, but that went away faster than I could say his name. Sean tries, but Tony has decided that he dislikes me and isn’t likely to change his mind.”
“So, I’m searching for a green-eyed Celt with no family. That doesn’t narrow it down much.” Henri’s voice sounded gruff.
“Your turn will come, Henri. You had just ascended to council when the La Farge incident took place. Maybe the gods have a particular order in mind for a reason. The Mates, who they are and what they do seem to have some significance. I’m frankly afraid of what comes next. Julio had a knife at the pit to defend me if Channon cheated. The others, in their own way, are just as fierce.” Etienne took a bite of pastrami. “I’m going to check if we have some chips.” He walked back to the galley to see the steward.
“The gifts are what bother me.” Armand sighed. “It’s not what they received individually, it’s what the gifts taken together as a whole mean. Sean heals, Ian defends the others along with Julio, Colin tells our story, Kane takes care of mental health, especially PTSD, and Donal finds abused and abandoned wolves to bring back into the fold. Those gifts taken together sound like war is coming and this time, not a human one.”
“And each one of them has a natural affinity for the others. I’ve never seen six young men get on so well, and it seems like Richard fits right into their group,” Marc added.
Rémy rubbed his chin. “They’ve all been tested. Sean got away from Dimitri, Ian had to deal with Sal, Colin had his parents and the scar, Kane was sorely tried by a horrific rape, and Donal and Julio were scarred as children by an unforgiving system that put them on the street.”
“You’re right. Now look at Richard, his honesty got him thrown out of his job on his ear and almost shoved him into the hands of that junkyard dog of a Serb. I wouldn’t be surprised if he escaped from Serbia after doing someethnic cleansing.” Julien poured himself another shot.
Etienne nodded in agreement. “He seemed like the type.”
“Rémy is right. They have all been sorely tried and found worthy. Each of them with gifts has a fierce protector in the others that have none. It’s almost as if they were chosen to work in pairs. Ian protects Sean. Colin protects Kane, Julio protects Donal and now Richard, although I think Richard will be protecting Henri’s Mate.” Julien clutched his glass tighter. “I’m frightened for them and for us.”
The steward came out of the galley. “We are making the approach to La Guardia, please go back to your seats and fasten your seatbelts.”
Julien watched with satisfaction as Richard got up and walked over to the seat next to his and sat down. He checked his Mate’s seatbelt. Richard gazed up into his eyes and for a moment it seemed as if their lips would meet, but Armand interrupted and ruined the moment by discussing the ride home from the airport. Julien tensed and sat back.
“Who are all the people in the back of the plane?” Richard turned his head to face the section of the plane that held all business class seating. “There must be almost seventy people back there.”
“The Board of Directors decided to take their households with them to the wedding. Each director has two assistants, although Etienne has three because he has one in training and six bodyguards who work in pairs for eight-hour shifts.”
“Why does Etienne need three assistants?” Richard asked, a befuddled crease to his brow.
“Etienne assigned Adrien to Julio, but Julio was afraid that he left himself short of security so to appease Julio, Etienne promoted Sebastian.”
“That accounts for forty-eight people. There are definitely more than forty-eight people in the back of this plane,” Richard persisted.
Julien smiled faintly. His Richard was both smart and inquisitive.
“Also, there are the housekeepers and the factotum. Martin, Armand’s chief assistant, has a husband, Edward Kellerman, Garou’s legal counsel, and then there is Dr. Artis, the physician to the board. Julio is much loved, and all of our households decided to attend the festivities. Eventually, you’ll meet all of them, starting with the housekeepers and drivers forlunch.”
“Why does everyone saylunchas if it were italicized?”
Julien grinned. “Because the husbands plot at lunch to do things that endanger their safety. Lunch is a euphemism they use for their own weekly board meetings. You’ll see. When we get home, I’ll expect you to treat the house as your own. Therefore, the boys will start having lunch at our house too. They take turns.”
“But all I am is your boarder. Why would they include me?”
“They must like you. All of the husbands both like and respect Julio. You’re Julio’s friend.”
The loudspeaker squeaked. “This is the captain. We are making our descent. The steward will collect all the glasses and plates. Please put your seats upright and stow your tray tables.”
