Chapter 20  

By the time Henry arrived in Invarnash, his Betas and Enforcers had made it to the mansion and freed all the employees. Jacques was being tended by the Le Croix family doctor. Ignoring the greetings of the household staff, Henry strode inside to the den. He found Jacques lying on the table cursing the doctor.

"Mason, how bad is he?" he demanded as he came to a stop a few feet from doctor and patient.

"He's going to scar. They used silver to line the tear and that kept him from healing properly. He needs eight hours of sleep and he'll be good as new. I've removed all the silver too."

"Hurt like the bloody blazes," Jacques snarled. "Can I get up now?"

"One second." Mason tied off the last stitch and cut it. "You're lucky we got to you in time. You might have died from silver poisoning if we'd been an hour later. As it is, your body's going to be sluggish from the silver that is in your blood. It will be expelled in a few hours. Rest, now. I'll give you a sedative and pain meds."

"No, to both. We have to find Laylah." Jacques swung his legs over the side of the table and swayed.

"Look, Jacques. I did not spend the last thirty minutes patching you up so you can go undo it by chasing down the girl!"

"She is not just some girl! She is Henry's heir and daughter. Besides, Gerard was the one who came here to kidnap her."

"What!" Henry's roar made Jacques and Mason wince, but it was his intense gaze boring into Jacques that had Mason backing away from the two men.

"He was here with a wolf I didn't recognize, some young leopard and Alexis the Grizzly."

"Wait, you mean, the infamous Alexis Grizzly Bear, known for his successes as an assassin?" Mason interjected, looking horrified.

"Yes, that one. There could have been more but they were the ones who took me on."

"Why did they want Laylah, Jacques?"

"Henry, they wanted to take her to Zina."

Henry threw back his head and let out a hair-raising howl that spoke of death and rage. He ignored Mason and Jacques, who sank to their knees, heads lowered in submission.

He stopped and snarled, "That bitch never could leave well enough alone!" He looked up as Naiya, Thaniel and Boris entered the room at a run.

"Alpha?" Naiya glanced from Mason to Jacques and then to Henry. "Is it true, my Alpha? Did Gerard take her? The trackers say they've followed her scent and it went into the forest as did Gerard and his gang."

"I just got here and do not have all the reports. Bring Bryon to me now." Henry turned to Boris. "Contact the Council. Let them know that a certain meddlesome she-wolf is back." He went to his desk and sat, ignoring everyone. He knew they would carry out his orders.

The staff hurried from the room to do his bidding. He turned on the communication console and accessed his work files. He decided he might as well be profitable while waiting. A few minutes later, Bryon arrived, followed by Naiya, Boris, and Jacques.

"Well?" He impatiently waited on Boris' response.

"My Alpha, the Council has been informed. They said "no bloodshed" but that force is allowed to retrieve what is yours."

Henry slammed his fist down on the oak desk and watched a crack appear. "Of course, they protect Zina. Her father still sits on the Council, doesn't he?" Bitterness filled his tone.

"Yes, my Alpha, he does, though there is talk of replacing him soon."

"Is that so, Boris? Good to know. Now, Bryon, you are my best tracker. Find Laylah and bring her back here."

"Henry, please, my Alpha, let me do it!" Jacques stepped forward with a grim look of determination. "It is my fault she fled the house. I should be the one to bring her back."

"Permission denied. Bryon is more than capable. You need to figure out how they got through a security system that costs me millions to maintain. If Zina's people can get in here, then my other properties are vulnerable. I use the same company for all my security work. I refuse to be blindsided again."

"But!"

"I have spoken. That is all. Bryon, go with Naiya. She can give you something of Laylah's to track her by. I want results, people. Dismissed!"

Henry noted their departure and Jacques' disgusted look. "Going to challenge me, old friend?"

They stared at each other for a long time before Jacques lowered his gaze. "No…Alpha."

It didn't escape his notice that Jacques purposefully left off the "my" in his reply. He was going to have to keep Jacques under surveillance. His friend was good and brilliant with strategy. Jacques was also a very strong Beta with the potential to be Alpha. Yes, he would keep an eye on his Chief of Security. Henry waited until Jacques left and pulled out his ear comm to check on Delilah and his interns.

~***~

Donil Silentshadow regarded the unconscious girl in his arms and a soft smile lit his face. She was beautiful with that olive skin, red hair and green eyes filled with innocence and pain. Such a contradiction, but an intriguing one at that. How Henry Le Croix could have produced such a child boggled the mind. Of course, one couldn't forget Helena Le Croix, the mother of the girl he held. Helena had been sweet-natured and gorgeous but when angered, possessed all the fire of her panther side.

 He pondered all these things and more as he gently laid the girl down in the backseat of his car. He needed to stop calling her "Girl", he admonished himself as he got in and drove toward his home. En route, he contacted his mother to explain what had happened. He laughed when she chided him for the near fight and she assured him she would be ready to treat his guest's injuries.

The drive took thirty minutes and soon Donil was turning down a dark, unlit road. He followed it until it dead-ended in front of a large log house. Several lights were on inside.

He got out of the car and waved a greeting to the two women who stood on the porch steps. Carefully he got Laylah out, cradled her close to his chest and went up the stairs. He ignored his sister Mya's pissed look and his mother's chuckle as he went inside. His mother's office was at the far end of the house and that's where he took Laylah. His mother was a doctor, specializing in Weres, though she helped humans too. Many came to her when they had nowhere else to go.

"Donil, put her on the examination bed so I can take a look at her."

"Yes, Mom." Anxiously, he laid his precious burden down and stepped back to let his mother do her work.

"Hm. Looks like someone hit her." She pointed to the large bruise on Laylah's right cheek. She ignored Donil's angry growl. "Her ankle is fractured but it can be repaired. I see other scrapes and bruises but nothing life-threatening." She checked her patient's vitals, took some blood samples and X-rays of the ankle.

She made notations on a chart before turning to Donil. "I'm going to give her a sedative to keep her under while I reset the bone and put a cast on. Don't want her to wake up in the middle of that."

"Good idea, Mother. I really need to talk to you after you're finished here."

"Yes, Dear. Now go, get cleaned up and I'll be ready to give you more details on your lady friend."

"Thanks, Mom." Donil kissed the cheek she offered him and headed for his room.

The shower calmed him and he did feel better. It also helped ease…other things. His previous girlfriends had been plentiful and some he'd actually been serious with for more than a month. At twenty-two, he was still single but, for the first time, he'd felt something different. Being around Laylah affected him like nothing else had. It wasn't just her appearance. She was gorgeous, but there was more to her. Things were hidden deep, even slumbering. They called to him, made him want to help her access them.

Grinning, he went to the kitchen where he knew his mother would be. It was her second favorite spot in the house, the first being her office where she treated her patients.

"There you are, my lad. Come. Sit. I made you a hot ham and cheese sandwich."

Donil laughed. "You know me too well, Mother." He slid into a seat. "Mm, you melted the cheese, just right. Ah, yes, this will hit the spot." He took a bite, savoring the taste. It was the simple things in life that made him happy.

"Well, my boy, the good news is that her ankle has been reset and put into a cast. Other than the bruise on her face, minor scrapes and cuts and slight dehydration, she's fine."

"I hear a "but" coming." Donil put down his food.

"Not really a but, more a question. Do you realize who she is, Donil?"

"Yes, Mother. I do. She's Henry Le Croix's daughter."

"You did a good deed and saved her life, but given your past history with Henry Le Croix, I'm afraid that your kindness will backfire."

"It's a chance I'm willing to take. Mother, Gerard was one of the hunters chasing the girl." Donil saw her surprised look but he continued. "And he had Alexis with him as well."

"That means Zina is in the area. That is bad business all around. We need to have our people be prepared. Just in case."

"I defer to your wisdom in such matters, since my experience is limited. I know that Gerard was intent on grabbing Laylah. No way was I letting that go down."

"Donil, she told you her name? When did that happen?"

 He caught his mother's sly look. Holding up a hand to forestall any more questions, Donil quickly answered.

"I know her name because I read the society papers and her name was under a picture she was in." He hoped that would satisfy his curious parent.

"Ah, right. The society papers. Speaking of guests, yours will be awake in the morning. You need to get some sleep yourself."

Donil finished off his sandwich, gave her a kiss on the cheek and went to his mother's office first. He needed to check on Laylah. He stood by the bed and stared at her for several long minutes. She was resting peacefully. He was glad. She deserved it after the harrowing day she'd had. Smiling, he left and went to his own room.