Chapter 22 #2
“I’ll be straight with you and won’t waste your time.
I’ve been notified that the circumstances at Crimson Pine Lodge have changed since I last visited.
” He pauses, and the sound of shuffling papers comes through the phone.
“Your grandmother will remain in the hospital for at least another week or two, I believe, and the second in charge, Ethan, has left for personal reasons.”
A tightness in my chest squeezes until I can barely breathe. “Where did you—”
“Which then means,” he cuts over me, “with no approved, trained supervisor at the location for the three men in our program, they can no longer remain there unsupervised. It is disappointing that this has just come to my attention instead of allowing me to plan for it ahead of time.”
Ice slithers through my veins.
“But I’m acting on behalf of my grandmother, and they are under my supervision. I’m here every hour of the day, running the lodge.”
“Miss Rose, with all due respect, the rules must be followed as a condition of their placement, and you are not trained or named in the contract of the program.”
“Then I’ll do it. It can’t be that hard to get qualified.” My heart is racing, and an awful ache stirs in my stomach.
“You don’t qualify at this point in time, and I don’t have time to hold your hand through the training. If your grandmother wanted you included, she should have added you to the contract and ensured you received training for our reintegration program.”
I exhale loudly, panic curling in my chest.
“Look, I understand your frustration, but my priority is ensuring that the three men in our program pass with flying colors so they don’t return to prison.
” For the first time, he sounds gentle, almost caring.
“And I’m giving you a courtesy call to inform you that I have arranged for the program participants to be relocated to another approved halfway location. Effective immediately.”
“Wait, today?” The room sways with me.
“Yes, they will be collected today, and I recommend that you advise them to be ready for transport.”
“No, wait, not today. Just give them another day or two to get prepared. They’re also still working on logging. There’s got to be—”
“I’m sorry, but those privileges are gone. Arrangements are done.”
I’m gripping the phone hard, my gut hurts, and tears are pooling in my eyes. I wipe them away, trying not to fall apart on the phone. “H-how did you even find out about Ethan not being here?”
A pause, more paper shuffling over the phone. “Ah, your grandmother contacted me early this morning.”
I blink, unsure if I heard right. Why would she? Or was she just doing the right thing? God, why did she have to say anything?
“She was worried about you being all alone with three convicts and not enough help,” he continues when I don’t reply. “She cares for you, and you ought to be grateful.”
I’m wiping more tears away with my fingers at the thought of my Alphas, my scent matches, my bound mate, being taken away. “She’s…” I can’t finish the words, or I’ll break down crying.
“Well, I must go. The team will be there soon, so please have the men ready.” Then he hangs up.
I stumble against the kitchen counter, set the phone down, and feel like I’m going to collapse. This can’t be happening. I can barely breathe. How am I supposed to be away from them?
Another tear rolls down my cheek, and I let it fall. I’m shaking, angry, confused, and before I know it, I’m dialing up Grandma.
“Lucy, dear, so good to hear from you.”
“What did you tell the parole officer? Why did you call him?” I’m sniffling, trying to contain the raging monster in my chest while breaking into pieces on the inside.
“Wait, slow down. What did the parole officer do?”
“Mr. Colby just called me.” The words tear from my lips. “Grandma, why did you tell him Ethan was gone?”
She gasps, but I’m shaking horribly, and I tell her the whole conversation while pacing back and forth in the kitchen. “They’re taking them away today. And I told you how much they meant to me and…” I break down and cry, unable to hold it back.
“Lucy, please, dear.” Her voice is raised and sharp. “Stop, because I never spoke with Mr. Colby or anyone else at the parole office today.”
“But… what? He said…” I scratch my head, my chest tightening. “But he knew about Ethan not being here, and why would he say you called?”
“Are you sure he said it was me?”
“Yes,” I answer instantly. “Are you certain you didn’t call him?”
“Lucy Rose,” she says firmly. “I’m sixty-eight years old and do not forget things. I didn’t call Mr. Colby, but I’m so mad he would say that. Let me call him now and sort it out.” She pauses, her breathing heavy.
“I’m sorry. I don’t want to put this pressure on you,” I say.
“I’ll call you right back.” She hangs up on me.
I feel awful for upsetting Grandma, but now I’m confused. If she didn’t call the parole office, then who did?
I can’t stop pacing, feeling as though my world is collapsing around me, and I’m holding on to the phone for dear life, hoping that somehow she can fix this wreck. After what feels like an eternity, the phone rings, and I almost drop it in my panic to answer it quickly.
“Grandma!” I gasp.
“Oh, dear,” she says almost sorrowfully, her voice soft and broken. I collapse onto a stool, unable to stand up any longer. “I made it very clear that under no circumstances had I called his office, and if it was someone else, they were lying.”
I nod, strangling the phone. “And?”
She exhales loudly. “He apologized but explained that it doesn’t change the situation.
I’m so sorry, Lucy. With Ethan gone and me stuck in this damn hospital, I can’t vouch for them to remain on the property.
I am really sorry. I can only think that if I leave the hospital without anyone knowing, then—”
“Grandma, no, you need to heal, or your ankle will get worse.” My voice is shaking as much as I am because all hope is dwindling.
“I’m sorry, Lucy. My heart’s breaking for you, as I know how much those men mean to you.”
I blink away the tears that refuse to stop. “Can we bring them back once you’re home?”
“Not sure if it’s possible. Mr. Colby made it clear that moving them back is highly unlikely.”
“Maybe I can take the training course with them, then—”
“Lucy,” she says, and it pauses me because I’m pushing when it’s being ripped away whether I want it or not. It’s happening again to me…
“Listen, Lucy, the men aren’t dying. They’re just relocating for the rest of their program,” she says firmly. “You haven’t lost them. They’re just moving. That’s all. This isn’t like it was with Jerry.”
Yet, I can’t stop the tears from falling, from my chest feeling like it’s cracking open. “I know. I…” I swallow. “I should go and tell them, as they don’t have much time to pack.”
“Okay, dear, and call me back. I’m here for you. Love you.”
“Love you too.” I hang up and scrub my eyes clean of tears, but they keep falling. Then I run, heading out the back door in the kitchen to find my Alphas, unsure of how I’m supposed to tell them that everything just got screwed up. That they’re losing their home here, and me.
But as I turn toward the woods, the crunch of tires on gravel comes from the front of the lodge. I pause, glancing over my shoulder as a white van rolls slowly up the driveway.
My heart drops through me, and I want to scream.
They’re here already! No, they can’t take my Alphas away. Not yet…