“Zeke, when this is over and they are caught, I need to go back to Kansas City and pack up my apartment. I was hoping that you would come with me. I really want you to meet my parents,” she said softly.
Was that what this change in her was? Did she only just now realize that I wanted her forever? I thought that I had made it clear, but I knew that she didn’t trust easily. Maybe she had finally realized that. I reached over and laid my hand over hers.
“I would love to meet your parents,” I told her gently, and her smile lit up her face.
Jessica was leaving in two days, and I knew that would be hard on Chelsea since she was going to be making Tucson her permanent home. There was no way that I would let Chelsea go all the way to Kansas City without me. Besides, I wanted to meet the humans who had raised Chelsea to be such a wonderful and caring woman. I owed them my thanks.
Brady and Emily agreed to stay at the house until Alfred and Steven Bigby were arrested. Because they were shifters, the human committee would turn them over to our council for justice. It seemed that the council would soon be holding elections for the empty position.
I had a lot of work ahead of me. Everyone in the pack would need to be notified, and nominations would have to be taken. That meant long meetings with pack alphas. The one bonus was that I would have Chelsea by my side. That was one advantage of being a pack alpha. My mate was welcome wherever I went.
There was still a lot that I needed to explain to Chelsea, but she had finally realized her place at my side. She had discovered the wolf inside of her, and my wolf could not wait to run through the mountains with her. It was just a few minutes later that the doorbell chimed. That would be Governor Adams.
Richard would be staying with us for a couple days to spend time with Chelsea and get to know her better. Unfortunately, he would have to remain inside the house the full time that he was here. We were taking over his security during his stay, and his guards would return when he was ready to be picked up.
Chelsea jumped up from the table before I could stop her. She was excited to be spending time with her biological father, and I could not help smiling at her enthusiasm. She was already making her way towards the entryway before I even stood from the table. I followed her down the hallway.
When she opened the door, I saw her body stiffen immediately. As I approached, I looked over her shoulder and saw that it wasn’t Richard after all. I did not recognize the man at the door, but I did recognize the gun in his hand.
I quickly reached into the table drawer and pulled out my gun, slipping it into my waistband behind my back. Chelsea took several steps backward, and the man stepped inside the house. Just then, Brady stepped up behind me and touched the gun at my back. No words needed to be spoken.
“Who are you and what do you want?” I asked the man calmly. He had the gun pointed at Chelsea, so I already had a suspicion that I knew who he was. This was Steven Bigby, and I felt my chest tighten at the danger Chelsea was in.
“My father was arrested today. All because of you,” he said to Chelsea. “You should have died twenty-eight years ago. Then none of this would have happened. My father was trying to protect our kind, and you just had to go searching for your father. You brought this on yourself,” he continued, his eyes not leaving Chelsea’s face.
“Steven, this isn’t going to solve anything. Your father had a woman murdered. That had nothing to do with you. You can end this now by just putting the gun down. You don’t want to go to jail with him, do you?” I asked him, trying to remain calm but my hands fisted at my sides.
I needed Chelsea safe, and I needed to get a feel for what this man’s mental state was right now. If I thought I could talk him down, I would, but I was not going to let him hurt Chelsea. Hopefully, I could get him talking.
Just then, a gunshot filled the room, and I saw the blood on Chelsea. At the same moment that I ran forward, Brady pulled the gun from my back and fired off three shots. I caught Chelsea in my arms before she hit the floor. Just then, another presence filled the doorway. Richard.
“Richard, we have to get her to shift. It’s the only way that she will survive. I need your help. She’s never shifted before,” I told him, lifting Chelsea in my arms.
Her eyes were open, and I just needed her to stay awake for a little longer. I was not losing her. I ran to my bedroom and hurried to the bed, laying Chelsea down gently on it.
“Chelsea, you have to shift to your wolf. Your wolf can heal you. You won’t live if you don’t. Close your eyes and call to your wolf,” I told her anxiously. I was afraid that she might be in shock and hadn’t heard me.
I held her hand and my wolf called to her wolf, begging her to shift and save Chelsea. Chelsea’s eyes closed, and I felt panic bubbling inside me. Richard was on Chelsea’s other side with her hand in his, and I looked up at him and saw the pained expression on his face.
“Chelsea, it’s Richard. Listen to your father. I love you, Chelsea. I need you to
