Chapter 64

Rachel POV

Bella & Rachel's Apartment

"You know you really should warn Bella about leaving the door unlocked. It could be dangerous."

I screamed loudly enough to hurt my own ears.

"Goddess wept! Are you trying to deafen us both?"

A huge man lounged on the sofa in the living room. I had just finished blow-drying my hair, heading to my bedroom to put my dress on, only for him to get my attention by speaking.

"How did you get in? Wait. No. Who are you?"

"Bella left the door unlocked when she went to work. Or to meet Jack. I'm not sure where she was headed today. I didn't bother to check since it doesn't matter to me. I'm Alpha Inspector Art Windsor. The Alpha Council sent me to investigate your petition against House Campbell."

Knowing who he was didn't make him any less intimidating.

Art Windsor was a massive beast of a man even without knowing he was an Alpha---which only a fool wouldn't be able to tell if they were wolfen. His pores seemed to leak the essence of the Alpha gene. I had no idea how he worked for the Council when he clearly had been bred to rule over some pack somewhere.

"You're staring," he pointed out, "It's rude."

"You broke into my apartment. You scared me half to death. And I'm pregnant!"

His flawless features twisted into a look of consternation as he snorted at me. I could tell he wasn't used to women protesting his attention.

"Please. It isn't like I can scare the baby out of you. It doesn't work that way."

I had never found blond men very attractive, but Windsor was gorgeous from the top of his tousled head down to the heavy boots weighing down his feet. There wasn't an ounce of fat on him anywhere; I wondered what his wolf looked like when he shifted. I had a feeling he was an unusual coloring based on his human features.

"What do you know about pregnancy? Do they train you to deliver babies when they teach you how to investigate crimes?"

"I've got four children. I know a lot about pregnancy. Besides, who says I got trained to investigate crimes? You know the Alpha Council doesn't have a Training Academy, right?"

We were both snapping at each other. I couldn't help laughing as I realized how ridiculous we had to sound. Bella was going to die when I told her she'd been caught leaving me naked and alone in the shower without even a locked door between me and an intruder.

"I'm sorry. I just---this is a little ridiculous. What can I do for you, Alpha Inspector?"

"Art. Just Art. You can tell me you'll let me escort you to Moonglow territory and that we can leave in two days. That's what I'm planning on right now. I'd prefer if you went along with my plans. Makes my life easier."

Two days?

Panic rushed over me fast enough to have me grabbing for anything I could reach to steady me. I hadn't felt so dizzy since the first time I had passed out in the park right before learning I was pregnant. What could I possibly get done in two days to be ready to travel to the place my mother may have been raised?

Moving with a speed I only believed because I saw it myself, Art caught my arm with one hand and held my waist with the other. I was surprised how tiny he made me feel with his towering height, hard muscles, and huge hands which wrapped all the way around my arm and nearly all the way around my waist as well. He was a beast.

"Careful. Sit. I'll get you some water."

I sat because I needed to more than I needed to argue with him. He didn't hesitate as he went into the kitchen and got a water from our refrigerator. I wasn't surprised he found things easily. The apartment was small. I also knew enough about the way the inspectors worked to know he'd been watching me.

"Thank you. Are you saying you're going to protect me?"

I opened my bottle of sparkling water -one of the few indulgences I had taken to insisting on keeping at hand- while I waited on him to explain whatever he would to me.

"I will protect you. I will also be your excuse for coming so soon and needing to leave without question in no more than a week."

"You think they'll try to stop me from leaving once I get there?"

I had worried about exactly that myself. Nathan Lewis and Tyler had both told me their fears about taking me into the primitive wolfen territory. A pregnant female could be valuable to a pack as isolated as theirs. I was also potentially valuable to them in particular because of my claim on their Alpha House.

I still had no doubt my mother was from their Alpha House, too.

Some part of me felt it was just right to know she had been Rachel Campbell before she'd become Rachel Flores.

"Yes. I'm positive they'll try to keep you. They're going to try to kill me, too. Probably, I mean. I would. If I were them."

Murder was such a foreign concept to me I couldn't process what he was saying at first.

I focused on his hand rubbing hot circles around most of my back with the size of his hand. He was trying to be soothing; I didn't think he was accustomed to gentility. I wondered how he was with his children.

"You have four children?"

"That's what you've taken away from everything I've said?"

"No. It's what I'm using to distract myself so I don't throw up because I get scared of the idea of cold-blooded murder."

Art perched on the arm of the couch, rubbing my back as he sighed, "Right. I didn't think you'd be so jumpy. You seem really capable. I do have four children though. Three mothers. A boy, a girl, and a set of identical twin boys. No, their mothers don't get along. Yes, I was there when they were all born. No, I'm not mated to any of the mothers. Yes, I see my children often. Distracted enough?"

I was distracted enough. I laughed because he sounded put-upon as if my momentary lack of tolerance for murder was just to spite him.

"Distracted enough. Does Tyler know you want to take me to Moonglow Pack?"

"Yes. He wanted me to get your permission first."

I didn't need to ask Art whether or not he would have taken me without permission. I could tell from the way he carried himself he would have done whatever he felt was right or necessary regardless of my wishes. I wondered if he were listening to Tyler out of fear or general Alpha courtesy.

I had a feeling it was the second and that scared me more than his mention of murder.

How many Alphas had I met who weren't scared of Tyler Wright? He was formidable to the extreme. This Alpha Inspector should scare anyone with a brain in their heads. Who knew what he was capable of or licensed to do in the name of the Council?

"We can go in two days. We have to take Nathan with us though."

"Your requirement is we take Nathan Lewis? Not your mate Tyler Wright?"

I had surprised him---and I could tell from the look on his face very few people surprised Art Windsor.

"Yes. Tyler has his own business to attend to while Nathan and I have things we need to discuss. We also do a good job taking care of each other as friends rather than lovers. I think his family's connection with Moonglow will smooth things over for the visit."

Nodding slowly, Art agreed, "You could be right. They are Old World. They might honor an old treaty more than modern courtesy."

I knew I was pushing my luck, but I wouldn't be transferred from one Alpha to another without my own autonomy being acknowledged.

"You will not force me to do anything either. I am not a child or a damsel in distress. You discuss with me before you do anything ridiculous. Deal?"

Art offered his hand to shake, "Deal."

His hand swallowed mine completely, but his grip was only firm enough to show respect. He didn't try to crush my fingers or let his hand linger around mine too long. There was nothing in the way he had approached me so far to indicate he even saw me as a woman which was strangely freeing.

I was glad to have an Alpha treat me as close to an equal without trying to flirt with me. I had no room in my life for another potential love interest.

"Alright. I need to get ready now though. I have to go to the recording studio. I'll pack tonight. Do you want to go tell Nathan he's going on a trip with us or would you prefer I called him?"

"I'll handle Lewis and Wright. You enjoy finishing your LP. Thanks for only screaming once, Rachel."

"Sure thing, Art. See you?"

"In two days," he confirmed, nodding as he let himself out, "Make sure to keep this door locked in the meantime? You never know who you'll let in if you aren't careful."

We shared a laugh as he locked the doorknob before closing it behind himself.

What did he plan on saying to the two Alphas in my life?