Chapter 49

#Chapter 49 – The Deal Victor’s car pulls along the gravel drive of the Walsh family home, a palatial estate in the British Georgian theme. The wheels of the car crunch to a stop and Victor’s Beta steps out first, surveying the scene and checking for threats. Seeing none, he signals Victor to come forward.

Victor steps out of the car, buttoning his suit coat as he straightens up. He has only brought two Betas on this trip, an appropriate number for a friendly visit to an allied Alpha’s home. But in his gut, Victor knows that it’s all show. This is no friendly visit.

Evelyn and the boys were distracted today, thank god. She has volunteered at their new school before the Thanksgiving break to help with some kind of pageant. Victor assumed he’d find out about it when he saw it.

Amelia was home, but didn’t seem to care where he was going. Victor counts his blessings for that and, Betas at his side, climbs up the sweeping staircase to the Walsh front door.

John Walsh is there to meet him.

“Kensington,” Walsh says, hands in his pockets as he looks Victor up and down.

“Alpha Walsh,” Victor says, offering the tiniest of bows to this man who is, politically at least, his equal.

But Victor knows their shared history and knows that Walsh holds the events of five years ago against him.

“I suppose you’ll have to come inside so we can talk,” Walsh says, turning and heading into the shade of the hallway. It’s barely an invitation, but Victor nods and enters. “You’ll have to forgive me,” Walsh says over his shoulder. “There are no refreshments. I have dismissed my staff for the day. I don’t want them to hear anything about this. My wife and my daughter are likewise absent.”

“I understand,” says Victor, following the other Beta into the living room where they each take a spot on either side of the fireplace. Victor defers to Walsh to start the conversation.

“So,” Walsh says, leaning against the fireplace mantle. “I had thought this embarrassing business was closed, after you humiliated me five years ago in the media. With those pictures of Evelyn. Making it very clear what you were up to the night after her wedding.”

Victor refuses to blush, but meets Walsh’s eyes. “I have apologized for that, Sir. I stand by that apology.

It was a mistake, and I…” Victor trails off here. He was about to say that he wished it never happened, but…now that he knows the results, he realizes that the old line is a lie.

Walsh gives a single laugh at Victor, seeing his thought process. “You don’t regret it anymore, do you?

Not when it’s yielded you two fine sons.”

Victor stares at Walsh. He figured that Walsh knew – that this was the reason for the meeting – but hearing him say it…

“No,” Victor says. “The are fine boys. I can’t regret them.”

“I’m sure that they are,” Walsh says, taking his weight off the mantle and straightening up. “They come from good enough stock. Are you sure they are yours? You know, of course, that the marriage between Evelyn and Joyce was consummated.”

Victor blinks once, surprised to hear Walsh speak so frankly about his daughter’s wedding night. “I am sure, sure. The resemblance to me and my line is uncanny, as is their scent. It’s undeniable.”

“Good.” John says, nodding at the confirmation. “You’re better stock than Joyce. I would have chosen you to breed with Evelyn, if I had anything that would have tempted you into marrying her. At the time, I had nothing. Still, it looks like that little b***h finally did something right.”

Victor blinks at this, again shocked. His instinct is immediately to jump to Evelyn’s defense, but he stays quiet.

“I’m ashamed of my daughter, don’t get me wrong,” Walsh continues. “I haven’t spoken to her since the day of her banishment and I have no intention to change that. But now that I know that two well-bred males have resulted from that tragedy, I am determined to meet them, to bring them back into my life.”

Victor nods at this. “You won’t be disappointed in them, sir.”

“Am I to understand it,” John says, looking Victor dead in the eye. “That you’re keeping Evelyn on your property? Out back, in a second house?”

Victor crosses his arms at this, shifting his weight backwards onto his hind foot so that he can get a better look at John Walsh. Hearing about the boys’ existence was one thing – Walsh surely had spies –

but this level of detail…it shouldn’t be possible.

“Yes,” Victor says after a moment’s pause, looking Walsh up and down, seeking to understand this man and his methods. “They live in their own home on my property.”

“What is she, your w***e? Do you keep her out back for your pleasure?”

Victor’s eyes go wide at this. “Sir, no. Absolutely not. You – you misunderstand me. Evelyn and I are sharing responsibilities raising the boys.”

Walsh laughs at Victor, low and mocking. “You fool,” he says, shaking his head. “If you had any wits about you at all, you’d take the boys and get rid of her, send her away, anywhere but in your home.

She’ll ruin your life.”

Victor frowns at this, feeling anger rise within him. “Evelyn is an excellent mother,” he says. “The boys are devoted to her.”

“They’ll get over it,” Walsh says, shrugging. “They’re young.”

“That’s not…she’s more than just their surrogate.” Victor growls. He is reminded, suddenly, that Evelyn made this precise argument against him only a few months ago. How quickly things have changed. He regrets, suddenly, his cruelty to her, his shortsightedness.

“Evelyn is essential to those boys’ life, to…” Victor stops himself, realizing, suddenly, that he was about to say “to mine.”

Walsh reads all of this on Victor’s face, smirking. “She’s getting under your skin, boy. Evelyn’s always been bright, willful. She was my pride and joy, once, until she ruined herself with you. I had great hopes for her.”

At this, Walsh’s face turns nasty and he points a finger at Victor. “But that b***h, she’s clever. I refused to let her wheedle her way back into my life, my graces. She shamed me, and I won’t have her in my house. If you’re wise, you’ll do the same.”

Victor feels himself snarl, leaning forward at Walsh’s words, wanting to protect, to defend –

“Put those fangs away, pup,” Walsh growls, taking a step towards him, his own teeth bared. “Just because you’re stupid enough to let her through your door doesn’t mean you have a damn word to say to me. I called you here today as a courtesy, to let you know my plans. I won’t take such disrespect.”

Walsh’s last line brings Victor back to himself. He shakes himself and, with effort, steps away from Walsh, closing his mouth and willing himself to calm. Walsh is right – he is a guest in this man’s home, no matter how loathsome he acts. And Walsh still has information that Victor needs.

“Good,” Walsh says, looking at Victor sternly. “Now, to the matter at hand. I’ve called you here to tell you that if you don’t acknowledge those boys, and don’t do it fast, I will.”

Victor’s face pales at this. How could he have not seen this coming? He thought he had time, that there weren’t any threats to his claim –

“I don’t have any heirs,” Walsh says, hands in his pockets. “I married Emma to that useless Joyce after Evelyn was banished and their union was dissolved. But it yielded no pups, though I ensured that they tried.” He sneers here, the contempt for his second daughter clear on his face.

“I am in need of an heir,” Walsh continues, “Two, if I can get them. But I am doing you the honor,” he spits out the word, full of sarcasm, “of giving you the right to claim them first, as their father.”

“I –“ Victor tries to interrupt, to confirm his intentions, but Walsh continues without letting him speak.

“I am an old man, boy. And I am tired of waiting. If you don’t claim them soon, I will take them as my own bastard heirs. And” Walsh glares here, ensuring Victor is paying attention, “I will use every resource at my disposal to ensure that you have no claim on them, ever again.”

Victor again feels a growl rising in him and fights to hold it down. “I see.” He says, straightening his tie and looking towards the door. “I will have them declared as soon as I am able. Thank you for your consideration on this matter.”

“See that you do,” the old Alpha says, narrowing his eyes. Victor nods sharply and heads for the door, knowing that Walsh watches every step.

As he walks out, though, a thought strikes him. Victor turns on his heel. “How did you know?” He asks.

“Who is your source?”

Walsh laughs at him and doesn’t provide an answer.

“Please.” Victor forces the word from his clenched teeth. It seeps out like poison.

Walsh laughs harder, leaning back against the fireplace. “You’re a fool, Kensington. Perhaps I should do those boys a favor and take them now, save them from your so-called guidance, when you can’t even control your own household.”

Victor feels himself go rigid and stands adamant, demanding an answer.

Walsh laughs at him again and then shakes his head. “It just takes one wild b***h to ruin a pack, Kensington. The sooner you figure that out, the safer you’ll be.”

With that, Victor feels rage fill his body from his head to his heels. He storms from the room.

One. Wild. b***h.

There were only two women in his home. And only one would ever, for the life of her, contact John Walsh to tell him Victor’s secrets.