Chapter Twenty

The number of people in Allister and Beth’s home was staggering. The sun had gone down, and even three hours after her rescue, Nuria was still groggy from the drugs. She knew Austin was hurting too. He winced every time he moved his head.

They both needed to shift and spend twelve hours healing faster in bear form. But first they needed answers and an end to the insanity.

Nuria sat in the corner of the couch, curled in a ball, tucked under a thick, soft blanket Beth had wrapped around her. Austin moved around the room talking rapidly to everyone, but his gaze came back to her every few seconds.

So much love. But he was also still worried. Until they knew what the hell was going on, they wouldn’t be able to rest.

Isaiah, Alton, and Bernard had caught up with the man they now knew was Fielding Branch. They’d captured him when he’d come to the edge of a cliff and had no other way to escape. After all, Fielding didn’t know the area. He wasn’t from Alberta, let alone Silvertip.

He had easily given up his employer, Jenson Hardwin, who apparently worked for Turner Garsea.

Now Fielding was in the custody of the Arcadian Council, and everyone in Austin’s family, including several cousins and other relatives, were gathered in the house awaiting word about Hardwin. Hopefully the council members who’d been sent to pick him up had managed to do so before he was tipped off to his demise.

Also in the Tarben home were several members of Isaiah’s family. Both his parents were huddled with Allister and Beth around the kitchen table. But his sister was also there. Joselyn. She had been about nine when Nuria left town. Nuria didn’t remember her, but even in Nuria’s state of shock and not her usually sharp self, she noticed a spark in the air.

Did anyone else realize that Joselyn Arthur and Alton Tarben weren’t merely acquaintances from grade school?

Nuria kept the suspicion to herself, enjoying watching the two of them skirt around each other among all their loved ones who had spent decades in a family feud. A feud that would have prevented Alton and Joselyn from ever telling a soul they had a hidden relationship. The same feud that kept Austin and Isaiah from letting anyone know they were friends for a decade and a half also.

Nuria prayed when this was all over Alton and Joselyn could come out of hiding and openly move on with their lives. What was stopping them? It had been months since the two families had come to a mutual understanding after Heather’s transition and subsequent binding to Isaiah.

Nuria was paying so close attention to the couple that she didn’t realize someone was at the door until Allister opened it and two members of the Arcadian Council stepped inside. She recognized them as George and Henry.

She started to sit up, but Austin was at her side in an instant, settling on the couch next to her, his hand on her thigh, the heat radiating through the blanket to comfort her. “You’re okay. Don’t get up.”

George and Henry didn’t seem to have any intention of staying. They remained standing near the front door while a hush fell over the room.

They gave a brief explanation about what happened while Nuria listened intently to every word.

George met her gaze as he began, “It would seem that Turner Garsea was in the middle of a lucrative drug transaction with Jenson Hardwin when he was arrested. The man was inside his warehouse at the time, and Turner was able to communicate several pieces of information to him before we took him away.

“He told Hardwin that Nuria was unbound and appeared to be important to Austin. He suggested that Austin’s family was loaded and tipped him off that the best way to get his hands on some cash would be to hold Nuria for ransom. He even gave the guy some landmarks to help him locate that rundown cabin he could use to hold her.”

George took a breath and continued. “Hardin hired Fielding Branch to do the dirty work, and you know the rest.”

Austin flinched. “Why did they go to all the trouble of harassing Nuria with threatening phone calls and vandalism first? They would have gotten away with everything if we hadn’t been so diligent.”

Henry shook his head. “Unrelated. As crazy as that may seem. The two thugs that made those calls and trashed your home were picked up earlier today too. They left their fingerprints all over your front door. They won’t be bothering you again. As we originally suspected, they were friends of Wade’s. They were pissed that Wade had been taken into custody and blamed Nuria for their friend’s arrest. Dumber than rocks. Both of them were strung out on drugs.

“I’m sure there are several other drug addicts in the area who were peripherally involved, at least in the threats, but I don’t think we’ll hear any more from any one of them now that they know the council won’t tolerate their actions. Hopefully word has spread that Wade lied to them.”

“Jesus,” Austin mumbled.

Nuria was still soaking it all in. “So it’s over?” she asked.

George nodded. “As far as we know. Unless you have any other enemies we need to know about.” The normally serious man gave her a small smile.

She shook her head. “I never had any to begin with.”

He smiled at her broader. “Well, let’s hope you can resume your life now. Congratulations, by the way.” He glanced at Austin and then back to her.

“Thank you,” Austin said, standing as the two men turned back toward the door.

Nuria closed her eyes as the two council members left and everyone expressed their elation. Thank God it was over. She had never been so relieved.