Cougar Falls: Foxy Lady Part 13

"Ty?" she asked in a scratchy voice.

He kissed her forehead and met her pain-filled gaze.

"Yeah?"

"I love you too." She smiled and closed her eyes.

Later in the early a.m., back in Cougar Falls, Julia lay in Ty's bed, in his house, under the supervision of an Ac-taw nurse Ty insisted remain close by. He sat in the living room with Gabby and the others. His friends stood around, quietly discussing the repercussions of the night's events.

Monty pa.s.sed by him on his way to the kitchen, most likely to replace the empty beer bottle he carried. "Hey, Ty. The Order's got it covered."

Ty nodded. The gray wolves had contacts in the government and local law enforcement. Instances like these normally went through the wolves. By tomorrow, no one would know anything about the Hunters they'd encountered, living or dead. He didn't want to know how they handled the situation, only that they did. He now thought he had a better appreciation of why the council tolerated the Order's animalistic chaos. Wolves were good for something, after all.

"Thanks, Monty."

Monty nodded and left for the kitchen.

Grady sat down next to Ty, a huge smile on his face. "So you and Julia, huh? I never thought the vixen could fight as well as she did. She really tore into those guys."

"She sure did," Ty said with pride. She and Gabby had held their own, and he couldn't be prouder of either one of them.

"Yeah, I always liked Julia."

Ty growled. "If you value your health, don't like her so much."

Grady chuckled. "Don't worry. She's all yours. I'm holding out for a cat." He glanced at Gabby, full of wonder. "She is so hot. Holy Christ, when I saw her animal, I nearly had a coronary. I thought Gabby was a fox. I mean, a literal one. Not just a hot piece of a.s.s."

Gabby turned and glared at him. Then she sniffed and turned back to Sean, who had the nerve to wiggle his brows at Grady, taunting him.

"The Easton women seem to have that effect on men." Ty knew it wasn't his place to divulge Gabby's secret, but the time had obviously come to tell one and all. Though he and his friends had remained quiet about just what they'd seen this night, the truth would come out sooner than later. For his own part, he didn't want his own child to grow up ashamed of any part of his or herself. He'd be d.a.m.ned if he'd let a.s.sholes like Lynn and Harry Easton oppress Julia and her sisters any longer.

Grady continued to stare at Gabby while he spoke to Ty. "Still, it must be nice, finding a woman all your own."

"It is. I just have to figure out a way to keep her. Julia's a little different than what the silver foxes are used to. I'm not sure we're going to stay with the clan."

Grady finally looked at him. "No s.h.i.+t? Well, you know you're welcome to live with us. Most of the councils in the other clans seem to be filled with p.r.i.c.ks, sorry to say. h.e.l.l, except for us cats, and that's because there are so few of us, every clan in town seems to have issues. The raptors are undergoing a major change after half their leaders.h.i.+p f.u.c.ked their way around rules. You silver foxes are stuck on yourselves, with all that heritage c.r.a.p. The bears are growing so distant from the rest of us I wouldn't be surprised if they started their own town, and don't get me started on the wolves. Aside from Monty, the gray wolves annoy the s.h.i.+t out of me."

"Yeah, well, they're good at that."

"You should come stay with us. You know Burke sure as h.e.l.l won't care, especially now that you have Julia. He's pretty possessive about Rachel, not that I blame him. She's so good for him, you know? It's nice to have a female cat around the house. She doesn't tolerate his att.i.tude." Grady grinned. "We could use more women at the ranch. I like Julia. You I could tolerate if I had to."

"Keep it up, kitty." Ty laughed at the finger Grady shot him. "Seriously, though, Grady. Thanks."

Gabby took that moment to join them. Her limp was more than noticeable. The nurse had seen Gabby's leg and proclaimed it already on the mend. The bullet had pa.s.sed clean through and Gabby had s.h.i.+fted from cat to human and back again a few times to speed her healing. What would normally take weeks would likely take days to get better.

"Should you be walking on that so soon?" Grady frowned.

She ignored him. "Ty, I'm so glad you found Meghan and Jason. They're bruised, but they'll heal, thank G.o.d. Meghan's sleeping soundly now, but when she wakes up, she's going to want to be with Jason again."

They'd called Jason's mother, anonymously, and given her his whereabouts after dropping Jason at an after-hours clinic. They left him after being a.s.sured he'd make a full recovery. At worst, he had some bruising and a few cuts that needed healing. Much like Meghan, who currently was sleeping off her ordeal in Ty's spare bedroom thanks to a prescribed sedative.

"I'm so glad Meghan's okay. What they could have done to her..." Gabby trailed off, and her eyes filled again.

Grady stood and gently led her away, offering her comfort in his arms. When he turned, Ty noticed the bloodstains on his s.h.i.+rt.

"Grady, make sure you get that looked at."

Grady nodded and tried, unsuccessfully, to avoid Gabby's interest in his wound. When the woman started chastising him for not caring for his own injuries and called for the nurse, she reminded Ty of Julia. Always trying to take charge.

He winced when he stretched out his left leg. Talk about taking care of injuries...

Sean loomed over him, shaking his head.

"What now?" Ty grumbled. "You know, as much as I appreciate all your help tonight, honesty compels me to tell the truth. You birds are a real pain in the a.s.s. The hawk inside caring for Julia nearly snapped my head off when I asked her to stay a while."

"You mean when you told her to stay. And yeah, Nurse McKane snapped, because she's been trying to see to your leg but you won't let her." Sean stared down at him, too quiet.

"h.e.l.l. I'll deal with my leg once the rest of you are-"

Sean and Monty hauled him to his feet and dragged him down the hallway toward the bedroom.

"Moron." Sean stood a head taller than Ty and had a broader back and bigger arms. The bird probably watched himself lift weights and flexed at all hours of the day. The thought made Ty grin.

"The rest of us are fine," Sean said. "Well, Monty and I are. We have a few cuts that have already started to heal. I think Grady's knife wound is deeper than he's let on."

"I heard that," Gabby snarled from the other room. "Grady Chastell, what the h.e.l.l is wrong with you?"

"With me?" Ty heard Grady answer. "Darlin', I'm just fine. I-"

Then Monty kicked Ty's calf and streaks of pain shot through his leg to his brain, shorting out all thought.

"Yep. Bullet's still in there."

"a.s.shole," Ty wheezed. "You could have just asked."

Monty smiled, showing sharp white teeth. "Now, Sheriff. As a concerned citizen of Cougar Falls, I feel it's my duty to see to it that our most senior lawman is taken care of."

Sean had to add, "And as a member of the Raptor Clan, I feel it's my duty to make sure you don't abuse Nurse McKane. The woman just wants to do her job, so let her look at that leg or I'm filing an official complaint."

"With who?" Ty felt like he was being dragged to the guillotine.

The look on Nurse McKane's face was positively evil when he entered between Sean and Monty. The old bird smirked at him. "Oh good. Now let's get a look at that leg." She held up a needle. "This will dull the pain while I dig out the bullet."

Feeling woozy, Ty let them carry him to the bed, where he lay down next to Julia.

"It'll be okay, Ty," she whispered, drowsy but aware as she looked at him.

Ty confessed the truth in a whisper, wis.h.i.+ng the others weren't standing so close. s.h.i.+fter hearing made secrets virtually impossible in town. "It's not the pain I'm worried about." He cleared his throat. "It's the needle."

Sean and Monty burst out laughing.

Nurse McKane rolled her eyes. "Typical."

"Do it for me, Ty. I need to know you're okay." Julia threaded her hand through his. "I'll be right here with you."

He squeezed her hand tight and stared up at the ceiling as Nurse Ratched stepped closer. "Right here with me. Don't leave."

"I won't. I promise."

"I love you, baby." He swore when the needle pierced his leg and made the mistake of looking down.

He pa.s.sed out cold.

Chapter Ten.

Cougar Falls, one month later.

"I feel like an overgrown mannequin. You sure about this?" Ty asked, uneasy. He pulled at his collar, relieved Julia hadn't made him wear a tux as she'd threatened.

"Yes. Now stop fidgeting."

They stood in the front pew watching the pending nuptials. Meghan looked like a vision in white. Jason stood by her side, his hand at the crook of her elbow. Ty had walked Meghan down the aisle, and Burke stood as Jason's best man. Grady's brother had taken a liking to the young man marrying Meghan.

The ceremony here would precede the one Jason and Meghan intended to have in Seattle, where Jason's relatives could attend. Jason's family had taken a hard hit. Tilda mourned her husband's death and son's disappearance-gotta love those wolves-but Jason's upcoming wedding, and the promise of grandchildren, helped her look to the future.

Jason glowed with happiness, despite the bruising that lingered due to a cracked jaw. He and Meghan had earned the approval of the town council, especially after Ty had put in a good word.

To Julia's shock, Meghan confided she'd shared the truth about her animal spirit with Jason months ago. The s.h.i.+fty vixen had known he would always be hers.

At that moment, Meghan looked over her shoulder at Julia. "I love you," she mouthed. Next to the bride, Gabby looked radiant in a dark blue gown. She winked and turned back to face the front. Meghan had been determined to put Julia in her wedding, but Julia hadn't wanted to miss any of it so was watching from the crowd. After all Julia had been through to help Meghan, the younger woman hadn't argued with her.

The chapel in Cougar Falls was filled to capacity. Though Jason's family couldn't be present to witness this joining, the Catamount Pride had officially adopted him, just after they'd graciously welcomed Julia, Gabby, Meghan and Ty. Rachel Chastell had officiated Jason's induction into the pride with a small ceremony by the town Totem. Jason could now see the town, and he almost glowed with the hum of his own animal spirit.

"He's got the slightest hint of Ac-taw, but it's there," Rachel had confided days ago. "Probably why he and your sister are such a sound match."

"Dammit, this thing itches." Ty fiddled with the collar of his sport coat and sat with the congregation as the preacher began the vows. He plucked a toy syringe from under the back of his collar and swore under his breath. He tossed it behind him.

Monty whispered, "Oooh, a needle. I feel faint."

"a.s.sholes."

"Shh." Grady chuckled and poked him in the back. "I can't hear Reverend Rhodes, tough guy."

"You mean you can't focus on Gabby's a.s.s when I move just so," Ty whispered back and scooted closer to Julia.

Gabby glowered at him over her shoulder before turning to face front, and even Meghan shot him a glare. Several m.u.f.fled coughs behind them couldn't hide the laughter.

Julia tried to contain her own mirth. Ever since Grady had seen Gabby turn, he hadn't left her alone. He stalked her day and night. The one time Dean had even hinted he might want to visit with Gabby alone, Grady had nearly torn his head off. And to Gabby's astonishment, the silver foxes suddenly wouldn't leave her alone either. Apparently being a s.h.i.+fter with two animal spirits was a huge deal, contrary to what her aunt and uncle had always told them.

Which made it a good thing Julia and her family now lived on the Catamount Ranch away from town.

Life with the pride would take some getting used to, but Julia loved it there. The silver foxes hadn't blinked when she had announced she and her sisters were leaving. Ty's departure had been another matter. The entire clan had put up a fight, but even they realized how wrong it would be to separate mates.

It hadn't surprised her to see their reaction to the announcement that Julia and her sisters were half cat, either. While Ty and Gerald had the right of it and many in the Silver Fox Clan didn't care, too many still did. Her aunt and uncle had been ostracized-the best part about coming clean. They'd also made it quite clear they no longer considered Julia and her sisters family.

Still, nearly half the fox clan had gathered in the chapel and waited outside, showing their support for Meghan.

"That'll be us, soon," Ty murmured and kissed her ear. "When do you want to make our own announcement?" He rubbed her belly before she quickly brought his hand to her lap.

"Not yet. This is Meghan's day. Stop it," she hissed, torn between laughter and satisfaction. Her s.h.i.+fty fox had done his d.a.m.nedest to knock her up. By her calculations, he'd gotten her pregnant that first night in the cave, when she'd felt her soul join his.

"I hope it's a girl. And I hope she looks just like you." He kissed her cheek and promptly behaved himself.

The ceremony continued. At one point, the bride and groom knelt before the reverend to receive his official blessing. Enamored with the purity of the ceremony, it took Julia a few moments to realize the crowd was making noise.

A glance at Ty showed him fighting laughter.

"What's going on?"

Ty nodded at Jason. "Look at his feet."

On the soles of his shoes, someone had written in black marker, Help Me.

"No, it wasn't me," he said quickly. "Must have been Dean. That cat loves a joke."

"That's your handwriting, Tyler Jonathan Roderick. Living with Dean and Grady has dropped your maturity level to zero," she hissed in a furious whisper. She glanced over her shoulder at Dean and then Grady, who tried unsuccessfully to hide a smile. "And you. I'm telling Meghan and Gabby this is all your fault."

He bit his lip but didn't stop grinning. "Spoilsport."

Near them, Monty, Gerald and the rest of the Chastell pride made faces as they choked down their amus.e.m.e.nt.

Ty poked her arm. "Come on, Julia. Admit it. It's funny."

It was. But G.o.d forbid her sister catch wind of it. If anything, her tendency toward theatrics had only grown since leaving the Silver Fox Clan. As if knowing she had the freedom to now be herself pushed her into an almost obnoxious exhibitionist phase.

Meghan must have picked up on the murmurs in the crowd, for she craned her neck to see the soles of Jason's shoes and swore.

"Meghan Easton!" Reverend Rhodes rolled his eyes. "Great Mother above, forgive this child."

"Help me? Who did this?" she wailed, the silver fox not content to make it through to "I Do."

Jason leaned close and whispered in her ear. Lo and behold, Julia's sister quieted down and apologized for her outburst.