The Alpha's Niece (Barton Pack Book 1) Page 2

  "My father hasn't fully accepted it either. I told Lydia we could adopt a pup but she is busy with the print shop and her little newspaper. A child would take her away from that," Bart said.

  The print shop opened shortly after Bart and Lydia married. Though it had never been said outright, there were rumors in the pack that Lydia was the one who wanted the business. Bart and his father, Malachi, had started it just to please her and give her something to fill her days since a pup in her belly was out of the question.

  "And, I suppose it wouldn't be fair to the pup to have a father who won't live to see him grow up."

  "I can't say for sure how long you will live with your condition. I've said that before and I'm saying it again. Don't lose hope. Your heart sounds the same. That's good news. Have you been taking your pills regularly?" Cyrus asked.

  "Of course I have," Bart said.

  "Try not to let the missus work you too hard," Cyrus said. He'd been in the print shop and seen Bart turning the large wheel on the print machine. The exertion was enough to make Bart sweat and Cyrus had almost ordered against it.

  The reality was that with Bart's heart he would die a young man. There was no sense telling him not to do work that gave him purpose just to give him another year or two of life. It was better to let Bart work as much as his body dictated that he could.

  "I wouldn't dream of it," Bart said though Cyrus knew that wasn't true. "I'll see you tonight at the wedding."

  Bart hopped down from the chair and buttoned up his shirt. Cyrus wrote a script for more of the same heart medicines. They seemed to be working as well as anything could be expected to.

  After Bart left, Cyrus checked the waiting room one final time but there were no patients waiting. He didn't have any house calls that needed his attention. The only thing left for him to do was prepare for his wedding.

  ***

  "You will like living in Barton. I just know you will," Abigail said as she brushed Remember's hair.

  Remember was sitting in one of the guest rooms of her aunt and uncle's home. Sally, her aunt, had welcomed her with hugs and warm tea.

  Remember had barely settled in when her other cousin, Abigail, had arrived. She was accompanied by her husband, an attorney named Noah, and her twin daughters.

  Remember wished her mother could have been there to brush her hair and help her dress.

  "It seems like a nice town," Remember agreed though honestly that didn't matter much to her. Anywhere Jordan wasn't was a fine place to live.

  "And I know you will love being a mother. My girls are my world," Abigail said, sending a smile over to where Sally was holding one of the twins. Remember wasn't sure which, as the girls were identical.

  "I'm sure I will," Remember said honestly. She might hate her child's father but that didn't prevent her from loving the child inside her.

  "And all the paperwork has been done for the marriage. Noah assured us it was solid. Cyrus will be the legal father of your child and no one will be able to lay claim otherwise," Sally said.

  Remember felt relief settle in her chest. In another hour she and her son would be safe. She just had to get through the wedding ceremony. And her wedding night.

  She tried not to shudder at the thought.

  "Should I get a basin? You got very pale," Abigail said, her brush stopping in midair.

  "I think I will be fine. I just need to take a few deep breaths," Remember said.

  "Martha is the town midwife. She will be one of the guests at the wedding. You should have a word with her. Her husband owns the drugstore. He might have something to ease the sickness. I was sick much of my pregnancy but that is common with two pups," Abigail said.

  "Martha has delivered almost every baby in Barton for the last fifteen years. Her mother was a midwife too until her eyes went bad. You don't mind being delivered by a witch do you?" Sally asked.

  "No," Remember said though she hadn't spent much time in the company of witches.

  "We all work together here. Wolves. Bears. Witches. It isn't like some eastern towns where there is tension," Sally said.

  "Barton isn't near as small as some towns but we are far from the size of Des Moines. It is a good place to live. I wouldn't want to be anywhere else," Abigail said.

  "I'm sure I will grow to feel the same," Remember said. She wasn't sure if she really would grow to feel the same way but Barton was her home now and in an hour or so she would meet Cyrus who would be her husband until death parted them. It felt almost unreal when just months before she had been attending seminary where she was being groomed for the life of the wife of an alpha or an alpha's heir.

  ***

  Cyrus's mother was dressed in her best when he arrived home. She'd laid out his best clothes as well. He changed and they made their way to where Vista Road and Main Street crossed. Isaac's house was there looking down from the hilltop.

  Isaac wasn't only the pack leader but also the wealthiest resident of Barton. All the real estate transactions of Barton went through him. Edgar and Jeremiah ran the post office, which doubled as a telegram office. Edgar's home was next to his father's though it wasn't nearly as luxurious. A home that would someday belong to Jeremiah sat beside Edgar's. Beside the vacant house was one where Noah and Abigail lived with their pups. The alpha families' homes were the finest in Barton. It reminded everyone in Barton of Isaac's status regardless of their affiliations to the pack.

  Isaac was in charge of Barton beyond being the pack leader. He determined who could buy land and what shops could be opened. He was the law of the town even though there was nothing but his wealth giving him that position.

  Cyrus felt the power of his alpha's status as they approached his home where pack functions such as this wedding were held.

  The pack was already gathered along with Martha and Aaron when Cyrus followed his mother into the house.

  Isaac led them into the formal sitting room where the furniture had been pushed back to make room for those gathered.

  The room was covered in rich yellow wallpaper with flower patterns. The furniture was upholstered in the same patterns though in red fabric with yellow stripes.

  In the corner of the room, not quite out of the way, sat a pianoforte that often was played at pack gatherings by Abigail or Sally.

  Across the room was a decadent stone fireplace which held portraits of the family along with paintings of people Cyrus could only guess were Isaac's parents and his older brother.

  Isaac hadn't inherited the pack like most did. He was a younger son but his father's pack split with half coming to settle Iowa back when Iowa first became a state.

  "Are you ready?" Isaac asked. Cyrus nodded though in truth he didn't think he was. Still, there was no turning back. Remember was here and she needed him.

  Isaac called for silence and the room fell still. Then, Sally led a girl into the room who Cyrus had never met. She was much prettier than he had expected if the truth was told. She had soft blond curls that fell around her face. Her eyes were a sparkling blue though he could see the shadows of fear in them. She was petite, even for a woman, and he was surprised how high she held her head despite the circumstances. Her pregnancy wasn't readily visible yet but, even at a distance, he could smell the scent of a she-wolf with a pup. There would have been no denying or hiding such a pregnancy even if the girl had wished to.

  Isaac waved for Cyrus to stand before him and Cyrus obeyed.

  "Do you, Cyrus Callister, take Remember Pritchett to be your wife in the eyes of God, this land, and your pack? Will you care for her and remain faithful to her as long as you both shall live?" Isaac asked. Cyrus swallowed hard. Until that moment he hadn't put much thought into what was being asked of him. Now, he knew exactly what he was promising and it made him want to turn tail and run.

  "I do," Cyrus said.

  "Do you, Remember Pritchett, take Cyrus Callister to be your husband in the eyes of God and this land? Do you agree to join your husband's pack and to show it the same loyalty as the
pack of your birth?" Isaac asked. Cyrus thought he saw the girl tremble but her voice was clear when she answered.

  "I do."

  "As pack alpha, I join these two in marriage. I present Remember Callister as the newest member of our pack and grant her all responsibilities and protections that being a pack member offers," Isaac said.

  Cyrus was glad no mention was made of kissing his new bride. Instead, Sally instructed the pack towards the back lawn where two large tables of food were laid out. Even though he wasn't hungry, Cyrus grabbed a plate just so he would have something to do with his hands. A few pack members came up with mild congratulations but the wedding didn't have a cheerful feeling to it. Cyrus was sure that Isaac hadn't informed the pack about Remember's situation but his fellow wolves would certainly sense something amiss. They would smell the pup on her. They also would have no doubt that Cyrus hadn't been the one to put it in her. He hadn't left Iowa for years. He had seen more of the world than he wanted to during his time as a soldier. He had longed desperately to come home after the war but he managed to finish his studies at the College of Physician's and Surgeons in Keokuk Iowa before returning to Barton to take over his father's practice. There had been only Aaron and Martha to see to the health of Barton after his father died. The town was glad to have Cyrus back and he had never managed to shake the feeling that it was one reason that Isaac had forgiven him instead of sending him away into the exile he deserved.

  ***

  Remember kept looking to her uncle whenever she felt the familiar panic threaten to overtake her. There were too many people around her. All of them strangers. In her head she knew they were her pack and didn't intend her any harm. The price for harming her was death though this didn't keep her heart from racing. She gulped in air as she tried to calm down. She just wanted the day to be over though she wasn't sure what to expect of the night.

  Cyrus was a younger man than she expected. He was still in the prime of his life and he might well be desirous of her. It was her wedding night and she was his wife. She knew what that should mean but didn't think she could do it. She couldn't imagine having any man's hands on her ever again. Husband or not.

  Remember startled at the hand on her shoulder. She might have jerked away from the touch if it hadn't come from a woman.

  The woman was older though not elderly enough to be frail.

  "It has been quite a day, my dear. We should get you home," she said. It took Remember a moment to realize that the woman talking to her was her new mother-in-law. She had introduced herself as Tabitha. Remember was glad she wasn't expected to call the woman "mother" just yet. Perhaps they would come to that place in time.

  Remember put a hand to her temple. She suddenly felt very dizzy.

  "Martha, come over here," Tabitha called.

  "I'm fine, really," Remember assured.

  "I am sure you are but that doesn't mean we shouldn't be careful. It has been a big day for a woman in your delicate condition."

  Another woman appeared. This one was younger than her mother-in-law but still old enough to be matronly. The woman was a few inches taller than Remember. She had long red hair pulled back in a braid though several strands of gray were visible. She was heavyset but still pretty. As a young woman she might have been very beautiful.

  Her green eyes were kind though the way she was looking at Remember made her uncomfortable. She felt as if the woman was scrutinizing her.

  "You should sit down for a bit," the woman said.

  "I really am fine," Remember said.

  "Well, I suppose you are a midwife who is an expert on mothers and children," the woman said.

  "Of course not," Remember said. She could feel her face redden.

  "Then you should listen to someone who has brought three hundred and seventy-two babies into this world," the woman said.

  Remember allowed the woman to lead her to another room where the crowd of well-wishers hadn't invaded.

  "There is no need to fuss over me," Remember whispered.

  "Making sure that mothers and babies are safe and healthy is what I do," the woman said.

  "Is there anything I can do, Martha?" Tabitha asked.

  "Not right now. Let her rest for a time. I want her resting once you get her home too. Nothing too strenuous," Martha said.

  "I don't want to be treated like a charity case," Remember said.

  "Not like a charity case. I am treating you like the mother of my grandbaby which is exactly what you are," Tabitha said. She reached out and gently squeezed Remember's hand. The tenderness of the gesture made Remember want to weep.

  "Let her rest," Martha said. Tabitha nodded then she followed Martha out of the room.

  Remember took a deep breath to calm herself. Now that she was alone and seated she did feel better. She let out a long sigh. Coming to Iowa had seemed the only sensible thing to do. She'd been so caught up in running that she hadn't put much thought into what she would do once she arrived. She closed her eyes for a moment but the images that danced around behind her eyelids made her open them again.

  "I'm safe," she whispered.

  She put her hand on her belly. "We are safe."

  ***

  "She is in a worse condition than I expected," Martha whispered.

  "Is the baby at risk?" Cyrus asked. Martha had asked him to walk outside with her. His mother and Aaron were with them.

  "I can't really say. I will have Aaron mix up a tea for her to drink three times a day."

  "Was the train too much for her?" Cyrus asked. In most healthy women a journey by train while pregnant would be no issue. He knew nothing about his bride's medical history so he wasn't at a place to make that judgment.

  "I don't think it was that. I could smell fear on her," his mother said.

  "I sensed that as well," Martha agreed.

  "What should we do for her?" Cyrus asked.

  "Getting her settled will help," his mother said.

  "I'm sure Isaac would let us leave now if we said it was for her health," Cyrus said.

  "I am sure he would, but the girl is proud. She doesn't want to be a burden," his mother said.

  "I suppose I can be grateful for that," Cyrus said. He had seen his share of hard to handle women. It was one reason he had never shown much interest in marriage. The last thing he needed was a needy female wanting all of his time and attention when there were lives that needed saving.

  "I'll stop by tomorrow with the tea," Aaron assured.

  "I appreciate that," Cyrus said.

  "We would do the same for any member of the pack," Martha said. Cyrus knew that was only partially true. Remember would be given special treatment because she was his wife. He couldn't help but be grateful for it. When he came home from the war the world had seemed bleak. It had taken time to realize that war was war but the rest of the world just wanted to live their own quiet lives. It had taken time for him to see that even though many of the people in Barton and the surrounding towns had passionately fought for the Union, they wanted nothing more than to return to the simple lives of farmers and forget all the ugliness of war.

  Chapter 3

  "Our home isn't far. Can you walk or should I ask your uncle to give you a ride?" Remember looked up to see her mother-in-law in the doorway. She hadn't realized she'd fallen asleep. The baby inside of her seemed to steal all of her energy, though she didn't begrudge him that.

  "I can walk," Remember said standing up and stretching. Her body ached but she didn't want her new mother-in-law to think she was a difficult woman. She and her son had been kind enough to take her in. She wouldn't soon forget that kindness.

  Tabitha offered her arm and Remember took it. The older women smelled of lilacs. It wasn't unpleasant though, like so many other smells, it made her feel mildly sick.

  She followed Tabitha outside to where Cyrus was standing with Martha and a man she hadn't been introduced to yet.

  "This is Aaron. Martha's husband. He helps me keep the people of Barton fit and healthy.
He'll be bringing you some tea," Cyrus said when he saw her glancing at his companion. She hoped that her face hadn't given away her wariness. She would need to work on that.

  She tried to send him a smile but couldn't quite manage to get her lips to cooperate.

  "Aaron and Martha are witches. I don't know if you have witches that are friends of the pack in Philadelphia, but we do here. They make sure things stay orderly during the full moons," Tabitha explained.

  "We are a small coven. There are only twenty of us," Martha said.

  "Twenty witches that watch both us and the bear clan. The bears have land on the other side of Vista Road," Cyrus said nodding in what she assumed was their general direction.

  "I hadn't thought to find so many supernaturals living together," Remember said. In Philadelphia it was rare for werewolves to mingle with witches and other were-creatures.

  "Things are different out here. There is plenty of land and not many people. We all help each other when we can," Cyrus said.

  They walked in silence as the sky darkened with dusk. The sky was already filled with stars when Martha and Aaron said goodbye.

  Remember continued to follow Cyrus and his mother. She decided they had different ideas than she did about what "not far" meant though she wasn't about to say so.

  "Here it is," Cyrus finally said. Remember looked up to take in the view of her new home. The house was smaller than her home in Philadelphia but that was to be expected. She was not marrying an alpha. She shouldn't expect to live like she had when she was in her father's home.

  A covered porch wrapped around the house. It held several chairs that looked out onto Vine Street.

  Remember tried to imagine herself sitting on the porch while her son played in the yard. It would be a nice enough place for her child to grow up.

  They stepped through the doorway where pegs were available for guests to hang their hats and cloaks. Remember's instinct was to take off her hat and hang it on one of the pegs but this was her home and she wasn't a mere guest, though at the moment she felt like it.