Page 17 of Henri's Little One
The sullen brown-haired she-wolf turned to Aline and offered, “I’ll follow you upstairs with the Alpha Mate’s supper.”
Aline looked at her strangely and handed her the tray. “Thank you.”
She carried the tray and followed Aline up the stairs with Vitas behind her.
Julio grabbed Vitas by the arm and whispered, “Don’t go upstairs!” Still holding on to Vitas, he pulled at Richard as he was about to join them. “Richard, get the Alphas, now!”
“Why?” Richard sputtered.
“I don’t have time to explain. Just do it and hurry!”
Louder, so that Aline could hear him, he spoke to Vitas. “Eh…Vitas, let’s eat down here. I know it’s almost July, but I feel a chill. I’d rather eat in the warm kitchen than a chilly bedroom. It’s cozier.”
Aline stopped on the staircase and tut tutted, “You’re a human Mate, maybe you’re coming down with something, although you shouldn’t be, when taking the infusion.” She seemed thoughtful.
“Oh, don’t worry,” Julio reassured her, “I’m known for being cold. I always dress warmer than the others. Vitas can stay here and keep me company and get his second helping hot from the stove. We’ll talk about the clothes he’s going to get in New York and come up with alookfor him.” Julio fluttered his hands to look more fem and innocuous.
The brown-haired woman gave Julio the stink eye, her mouth drawn in a straight line, but returned with the tray.
It took only three minutes, while Julio chattered about next to nothing to Vitas, until Vitas exasperated, said, “Julio, I’m tired. I want to rest before I…”
A loud noise erupted from the entrance to the kitchen. The Alphas burst inside. The brown-haired woman reached out and attempted to tackle Vitas, and Julio grabbed her and shouted, “Armand, he’s upstairs in Henri’s suite. Etienne, help! She’s too strong.” Three Alphas, including Henri, followed Armand up the stairs.
Etienne seized the she-wolf from Julio and bound her. “Go out front.” He shouted to the others, “Chernof is upstairs and is going to try to escape!”
Rémy ran to the door with the remaining Alphas, except for Etienne who held on to the woman.
Etienne gazed pointedly at his Mate. “How did you know?”
“Something wasn’t right.”
Armand, Henri, Marc, and Gabriel rushed down the stairs.
“By the time I got up there, he was out the window and on the ground. Rémy and Julien didn’t get outside fast enough. There was a car waiting.” Armand turned to Julio, his mouth turned up into a sneer eyeing the she-wolf.
Henri looked apoplectic. Julio soothed, “We do have the she-wolf. If we question her, we may be able to find out where he is and how he got here.”
Repeating Etienne’s question, Armand demanded, “How did you know?”
“The girl’s accent wasn’t right, and she was wearing a cheap Russian perfume I’d smelled on the whores attached to the Russian mob. Her disguise was very good, but not perfect.” Julio put his arm around a shaking Vitas. “See, he can’t get you, even with help. Sit down here at the table.”
Vitas wasn’t the only wolf shaking in the kitchen. Henri’s face lit up like a red traffic light. Julio was afraid he’d have a seizure.
“Aline,” Henri growled, “how did this traitorous she-wolf get into my kitchen?”
Aline stammered. “Kristina said she didn’t have a pack and wanted to join ours. I was going to ask you, the moment I saw you alone, but in the meantime, I kept her in the kitchen. Then the Alpha Mate came down here to eat. I thought he was going directly to the suite. I had a tray ready. She offered to help bring it upstairs.”
Henri roared, “You let a stranger in the house knowing that the Alpha Mate was in danger without telling me about her. You’re usually not so trusting. You, of all people, should know better.”
Aline showed Henri her throat. Tears fell freely from her eyes and soaked the corner of the white apron she lifted to her face. She seemed to be resigned to her fate. “If you want Bertrand’s and my resignation, Alpha—”
“Don’t be stupid twice in one day. Feed the Alpha Mate, he’s starving and wondering about his safety in this household thanks to you.” Henri pivoted to Armand. “Alpha, with your permission, I’ll have four of my Enforcers question her supervised by Alpha Daurensbourg’s third Beta. I want my own two Betas guarding Vitas.”
“Certainly, Alpha Giraud, but I want to question her tomorrow, with you, myself,” Armand said and Henri and Etienne answered at once.
“Yes, of course, Alpha.”
The Alpha continued, “As my Director of Security, normally, this would be completely within your purview. But this is your Mate. I can’t count on you being completely rational.”
