WolfeBite (De Wolfe Pack Generations #10)

Chapter Nineteen

CHAPTER NINETEEN

I t was such a magical world.

That was the only way Christelle could describe it. The past few days, ever since she and Leonidas had consummated their relationship, had been days that she’d never thought she would experience. For a woman who had always lived a rather cold existence, doing what her father told her to do, the introduction of love and affection into her life had changed it completely.

She had spent the morning with Catherine and Gabriel, children who would soon belong to her. The very thought was extraordinary because she never thought she would have children. Never mind that she didn’t give birth to them. It didn’t matter. She loved them both, so whether they were her flesh and blood it didn’t matter.

She and Leo and Catherine and Gabriel were going to be a family.

That was another thing. She was actually going to have a family of her own. That was a new concept. She had her father, and her father had a few relatives, but there was no real family, as families went. Those relatives were simply people who happened to be related to her. She wasn’t close to any of them. In the short few weeks that she had been at Ashendon, she had been shown what it meant to be part of a family. This was the world that she wanted to be part of.

A world of her own.

It was late in the morning as they were heading back to the castle after their visit to the wild chickens. The afternoon was full of bright skies and fair breezes, and she could smell the salt blowing off the ocean. Gabriel was being followed by Georgiana’s chicken, but he also had another small bird in his hands. It wasn’t quite a chick, but it wasn’t full grown.

He thought it was the best pet in the world.

As they approached the castle from the north, Christelle could see a figure in the distance, heading in their direction. It didn’t take her long to figure out that it was Leonidas, and her heart leapt with joy at the sight of him. This time of year, the grass was about knee-high and she could see him plowing through it, tall and strong and handsome.

And hers.

As he drew nearer, she waved to him and Gabriel took off, running for Leonidas to show him his new chicken. Catherine skipped after him, and as Christelle watched, they proudly showed Leonidas the bird. He patted Gabriel’s head and pointed to the castle, clearly telling them to get inside. That meant it would be Christelle and Leonidas in that big field, just the two of them, and she was giddy with anticipation.

“Now that you’ve gotten rid of the children, whatever do you intend to do with me?” she asked, grinning. “Though keep in mind that we are within range of the walls. Every sentry on duty will see whatever it is you intend.”

Strangely, he wasn’t smiling at her. He simply extended what looked like an open vellum envelope to her, and she took it curiously.

“What’s this?” she asked.

“Read it,” he said without humor.

She did.

Dearest Christelle,

I await you at The Flying Fish in the village of Hull. It is time I come to you and more importantly, that our intentions come to fruition.

Please visit me and bring your guest with you. I wish to see her because it is time to move forward.

Papa

The smile faded from Christelle’s face as she read the words again. She had a sick feeling blooming in the pit of her stomach because, clearly, Leonidas had read the missive. He would want to know what it meant. Everything she’d kept from him, everything she’d hidden, was about to come out, and she found that she was wholly unprepared for it.

God help me!

“When did this come?” she said, looking up at him. “I suppose you would like an explanation.”

It was all Leonidas could do not to explode at her. “It came today,” he said. “Phillipa had it.”

“Is she the one who opened it?”

“She is,” he said through clenched teeth. “You see, she has read every missive you have ever sent to your father and every missive you have ever received from him. She knows you have been spying on her, Christelle. She has known from the start.”

Christelle went pale. He could see it. She looked at the missive one more time before lowering it.

“I see,” she said. “Then I am glad. Glad she knows. As the days went on, it became a horrific burden to bear. I am relieved that I may speak of it now.”

Leonidas shook his head. “I do not care how relieved you are,” he said. “I want you gone.”

She snapped her head up to him, stunned. “Gone?” she said. “Will you not even allow me to explain?”

He snorted bitterly. “Do not push me, lady,” he snarled. “Congratulations. You have hurt me. But it ends now.”

Realizing he didn’t want to hear any explanation, Christelle began to tremble. “Leo, please,” she said softly. “There is no use in denying that I was sent to spy on the queen, but you must understand something. I had no choice. My mission was dictated by my father. I told you that he had been a hostage of the French king as a child, but what I did not tell you was that it made him loyal to the French. I lied when I said he was opposed to them. They want Phillipa because they can use her as leverage to force Edward to relinquish his claim in the French throne.”

Leonidas’ jaw was twitching fiercely. “Tell me something I do not already know,” he growled. “We have figured out your purpose.”

“I was not going to deliver Phillipa to him, if that was your concern.”

He snorted rudely. “You say that now because we have discovered you,” he said. Then he shook a big finger in her face. “As you know, spies are usually killed, so count yourself fortunate that I am allowing you to leave with your life. But go now before I change my mind.”

She stared at him, realizing he had gone to the hard Leonidas she’d first met. It had taken a long time to break that man down, the one who was always on his guard.

Now, he was back.

Like stone.

Christelle was armed. Without another word, she stripped off her scabbard, sword intact, and tossed it to the ground a few feet away from him. Then she fell to her knees, arms at her side, and faced him.

“You are correct,” she said, her voice loud but quivering. “I am a spy. That was my purpose. But what I did not count on was becoming emotional about the people I was sent to spy on. Phillipa is like a sister to me, a sister I never had, and you… Everything about you is part of me. Part of my heart, part of my mind, and part of my soul. Without you, I have nothing, so please… show mercy and end my life. It is right of you to do so to protect your queen.”

She closed her eyes, bracing herself for what was to come, as he stood there and stared at her. The woman he loved. The woman who had betrayed him. The woman he’d hoped to spend his life with.

The pain was more than he could bear.

Reaching down, Leonidas unsheathed her sword and marched over to her, sword held in both hands and over one shoulder like a club. She had heard him unsheathe the weapon and his approaching footsteps, so she knew he was coming for her.

“Be swift, Leo,” she whispered. “That is all I ask.”

Grinding his teeth furiously, he came alongside her. He lifted the sword, knowing what his duty was. Knowing what he should do.

But then he heard her speak softly.

“Before you end my life, know that my feelings for you are real,” she murmured. “That was never part of my mission. I love you with all of my heart, and that is the truth.”

He brought the sword down, but instead of plowing it into the back of her neck, it went sailing over her head and landed a dozen feet away.

He began pacing around like a madman.

“Shut your lips,” he said, waving a hand at her in a chopping motion. “Everything out of your mouth is a lie, so stop speaking. I will not believe anything you say.”

Realizing he hadn’t cut her head off had her nearly passing out from sheer relief. Christelle slouched, putting her hand down so she would not fall over completely. “Is there nothing I can say?” she asked. “I will swear on whatever icon you wish. I will swear on my own life. What can I do to make this right?”

“Nothing.”

She looked up at the man as he stopped pacing and came to a halt several feet away. “So this is the end?” she said. “Leo, I never lied about my feelings. I am sorry if you do not believe me, but it is true. What is also true is that I was going to write to my father and tell him I would no longer spy for him. I have grown to love Phillipa and you and even Catherine and Gabriel. You have shown me a side of life I never knew to exist. I do not have a family, only my father, and he treated me like a tool. No better than a hammer or an ax. I served a purpose and that was all I meant to him. But you… you have shown me such joy, such warmth and acceptance. Please do not take that away from me.”

He was looking at her, grinding his jaw again. “To be clear, I’ve done nothing,” he said. “You have ruined everything with your deceit.”

“Do you not love me enough to forgive me?”

He hesitated before answering. “Nay,” he said hoarsely. “I must protect Catherine and Gabriel. I will not marry a woman who lies with such ease and lives such deceit. The children have been through enough.”

“Forget about the children,” she said. “What about you ? Can you not find it in your heart to forgive?”

He looked at her. Really looked at her. For a brief moment, Christelle thought he might be willing to believe her, but that flash of longing was quickly gone. Averting his gaze, he simply shook his head.

“Nay,” he said. “I… I cannot.”

He would have done less harm had he slapped her in the face. The result was still the same. Christelle’s head snapped back and she looked at him in anguish. But, on the other hand, she could hardly blame him.

She knew he was right.

It was over.

Christelle wanted to throw herself at his mercy. She wanted to beg for his understanding. But anything he did right now only made her look desperate, as if she would say or so anything for his forgiveness.

Congratulations. You hurt me .

Those words would haunt her for the rest of her life.

“What do you want me to do?” she asked, head lowered. “May I at least collect my things?”

“Nay,” he said. “You will not collect anything. Your father is in the village. Let him buy you what you need.”

It was a harsh command and the tears started to come. Christelle blinked and they rolled down her cheeks, but she held her tongue. She didn’t plead with him and embarrass herself. But her guts were being ripped out and the pain was unbearable. All of it, unbearable.

But she only had herself to blame.

Head down, with the missive from her father still in hand, she headed out to the road as he watched her go. No more conversation between them because there was no point. By the time Christelle hit the road that led into Hull, she was sobbing uncontrollably.

What she didn’t see was that Leonidas was weeping, too.