Page 8 of Henri's Little One
And outdo the other Alpha Bitches. Loup garou were nothing, if not competitive.
Henri rubbed the bridge of his nose. “You always come through for me.” Now sorry he snapped at the woman he regarded as his mother, tears filled Henri’s eyes.
“Alpha, you’ve been my boy since I was twenty-five and you were eight. I haven’t let you down in one hundred and fifty-one years, why would I start now.”
“I should have known you’d be prepared.” Henri sighed in relief. “The whole council and their entourages are coming with me. I’ll need all eleven suites, plus my own in the main house aired, and made up for the Alphas and Doctor Artis. The Betas may use my uncle’s house next door. I know you have the pack keep it up. There are twelve bedrooms over there. The Betas can double up, except for Martin who travels with his Mate, the Garou corporate counsel, so Rene sleeps alone, and Etienne has a third Beta…gods, I’m babbling.”
“I know, Alpha, Edward Kellerman…Martin and Edward need a separate suite as does Sebastian.” She adopted her motherly tone…it was kind of hard to be Alpha to the woman who held you when you cried for your mother and father, tucked you into bed, and read you stories during the long Alaskan winter nights. “Goodness, Henri, do you think Bertrand and I have been living under a rock since you’ve been on the council? We watched and learned.”
Henri shook his head. Aline often slipped and called him by name. He hoped she didn’t while the council was in residence. Armand was a stickler for protocol. In Alaska and the Yukon, things were much more relaxed.
Aline nattered on. “We’ve prepared for them to arrive en masse for the past two years. Bertrand has eight limousines and fourteen Navigators, and all the limousines have been bullet-proofed and retrofitted for winters in both Alaska and the Yukon. We’ll have extra Enforcers and Betas to bring back to Manhattan with us to take care of the boy. He is precious to us, gift or no gift.”
“Thank you, you know I love both you and Bertrand.”
“Of course, I know that. You’re our boy. We love you, too. I’m sorry your uncle will probably not make it to the mating. He’s in the Amazon searching for new medicinal plants for Garou Pharmaceuticals. We’ll call him by satellite phone, but I don’t know if we’ll be able to get through. It’s not that he won’t want to come, it’s that traveling in and out of there in any kind of haste presents insurmountable obstacles.”
Aline always did try to make excuses for his uncle’s absence at the major milestones of his life. “Uncle will do what he will. He didn’t want an Alpha for a nephew. He wanted a botanist and biologist, like himself. I was a disappointment.” Henri’s took in a big breath, letting it out slowly thus controlling his emotions. “My Mate’s parents died trying to protect him,” Henri added with a bit of venom.
“And given the opportunity, your uncle would do the same. You were never a disappointment. When your father died in the mining explosion, your mother died of grief. He missed your mother as much as you missed her. She was his sister. He needed time to grieve. You had me and later Bertrand. He retreated into his work. You resemble her. It was painful for him to watch her fade away and even more painful to see her image in you. He is proud of you and what you have made of yourself.”
“If you say so, Aline. It is what it is. I’m going to check on my Mate. The Alpha Mates are talking to him, trying to mend his body and mind with their gifts.” Henri stopped pacing at the door of his suite.
“You go and take care of our precious boy. We’ll take care of the rest. Don’t worry, Henri, we have this.”
Henri wiped his forehead with his handkerchief. Aline’s words took a burden from his shoulders. His little one would not be short changed. He should have known that Aline would be prepared. She was prescient when it came to him and his needs. She would mother Vitas so well that soon Vitas would see her as his own as he once did. His Mate needed someone like Aline in his life right now.
“Thank you. Could you arrange for the limousines and the Navigators to be at the airport tomorrow? I’ll call with the time once we have filed a flight plan.” His mind was flying off in a thousand different directions.
“Of course, and I’ll call our pack Alphas and explain the situation. I already put them on notice. They will all come in and be here early on Sunday evening. I’ll see to it.”
“I know you will. Could you ask Jacqueline to organize the she-wolves?”
“Jacqueline has been ready since Alpha Davidoff found Alpha Mate Donal,” Aline assured him.
“I don’t know what I’d do without you. You and Bertrand are my family.” Henri sighed.
“You’ll never find out. Go, take care of Vitas. Be gentle.”
§ § §
Henri’s Suite
Henri disconnected the call and knocked softly on the door of his suite. Sean opened it only a crack. “He’s better, he’s coughing less and breathing easier. Dr. Artis believes his ribs are beginning to heal. The gods must be with you. I never could accomplish this much in so short a time before. There will still be bruising. Only the change can take care of that, but Dr. Artis is in Julien’s infirmary checking Vitas’ blood to determine what he was given and find the antidote. There must be one because he would have been expected to run with the pack after the mating.”
“Can I see him?” Henri attempted to peek around Sean’s shoulder, longing for a glimpse of his Mate.
“Only for a few minutes. Vitas doesn’t want you to see him like this. I should go back inside. I need to keep talking to heal him.”
Henri stepped quietly into the suite and sat on the side of the canopied bed. “Do you need anything, little one?”
Vitas gave Henri a weak smile. “Now that I’ve found you, I’m fine. Sean, Donal, and Kane are helping me. They told me it was different here and with my gift, I know they didn’t lie.”
“Baby?” The Alpha was at the door. “Come outside for a minute. Elena is leaving for New Mexico. I don’t want her near Anchorage or us until this trouble has passed.”
“I’ll be right back, Vitas. Stay in bed. Isabel will bring you some dinner.” Sean left the door open as he walked out to the hall.
Henri put his arm around his Mate’s shoulder. “Will you let me hold you tonight?”
