"Why? Did you eat something that didn't agree with you?" Xavier asked with concern.
"I may have back in Moscow, I'm feeling better now," he replied.
"Glad to hear that, brother," Xavier said.
"Sorry, man," Angel said.
"Thanks," Cole said.
"Let's go to the study and wait for the others. I need to talk to you Xavier about this growing need for accommodation ...."
"Sure," Xavier said.
Once they entered the office, Cole asked if Angel and Xavier wanted a drink and they both declined.
"Isabelle was talking to me about accommodations over on the island. And before we start, I want you, Xavier, to know we set a date to get married," Cole said.
"I thought you two were just going to sign some papers and be done with it?" Xavier said, frowning.
"No. I want her to experience the whole shebang," Cole replied, grinning. Xavier glared at him. Cole chuckled. "What?"
"Now, Amelie is going to expect that too, way to go traitor!" Xavier said. Angel busted out laughing. Xavier directed a glare at him too.
"I don't mind if we both have the ceremony done at the same time," Cole said.
"Heavens, Cole, she is already your man!" Xavier retorted.
"I want it legit. I want her to have the legitimate claim over what I own-- for her and my kids.."
"Kids?" Xavier repeated with a widened gaze.
"Relax, Xavier, she is not pregnant yet," Cole said.
"I'm very relaxed," Xavier said, frowning. Angel patted him on the shoulder, still laughing.
"Congratulations, Cole. I am happy for you and Isabelle," Angel said between chuckles.
"Thank you, Angel… Xavier, I know you are scared about having your own child brought into all these civil wars against your people. I also know that was why you refused to turn Amelie -- to protect them both. But I promise you things will get better for our generation to come. That's one of the reasons we need to talk about a few things. We need to develop the island. Build more houses. Have a hospital. Bring in more doctors. Build a school and have our own well-trained security team. There are times I would have to go for an operation and leave you guys. I need to know you will all be fine without me."
"What you are proposing is going to cost a lot of money, Cole, and what we have right now can not take care of all that…. And don't you dare say you will take care of it, we can't live off of you forever, damn it!" Xavier said in frustration.
"We can start a trade…" Angel said, causing the other two to look at him. "Something we can all do together and sell. It would be a legitimate operation since we have Cole,"
"I'm listening…" Cole urged, frowning in concentration.
"My family used to own a winery in a small town in Ohio. It used to be our shield. And would have continued to be and not raise suspicion of what we are if I had um…" Angel said and paused, grunting as he shook his head to dispel the horrific memories.
"Angel…" Xavier said and went to hold him by the shoulders. "If there is something you want off your chest, let it out, brother. There is a lot of shit we deal with already without carrying baggage."
"I made friends with humans, Xavier…" Angel said in a voice laced with pain.
"Shit," Cole muttered.
"How old were you?" Xavier asked, his eyes darkening in anger.
"Seventeen," Angel managed to say.
"They set you up?" Xavier asked with gritted teeth. Angel nodded.
"I actually trusted them. I thought … they brought Antonio Rufus's people to our ranch. Killed everybody — everybody, Xavier," Angel said. His voice was thick with anguish and regrets. He could barely speak coherently but Xavier and Cole understood. Xavier drew him into a tight hug. "I caused that, brother. It was my fault they all died," he said out loud for the first time in years. Cole sighed. And came to stand behind Angel, he patted him on the back.
"They would have gotten another way, brother, they were on a rampage, going from home to home, stealing and killing, it happened everywhere, Angel, not just in your hometown," Xavier consoled.
"I could have helped. I was drunk and high! Can you fucking believe that?"
"They spared you because they wanted to capture you alive, the level of your intoxication only made it easier. My parents died making sure we escaped. Isabelle was a good fighter as I, we could have stayed back and fought. But we would be dead now. Our parents died so that many could escape with me, and Isabelle. Hallec, my beta, was one of those people, We could all have died including you and your friends held in captivity."
"Xavier…"
"There was nothing you could have done, Angel, I need you to accept that and let your people rest."
"I never got to bury them. I have no idea what they did with their bodies."
"I can find out," Cole said and the two Weres turned their gazes on him. "Tell me where and I will find out. I know how important it is to have closure. Trust me, if I never did get to avenge the death of my brothers and my mother, I think I would have been more like Alexander. The problem was I found closure he never did…"
"Death of your brothers and mother? What?" Angel said in shock.
"We all have our stories, Angel. Stories that left scars. You are not the only one with regrets. We can only help to at least move on. You have Nadia, I have Isabelle and Xavier has Amelie. Let us try to create some form of safe haven for them and our children to come. So they can at least feel protected," Cole delivered. Angel nodded.
“Thanks, man,” Xavier said.
“Now, while Angel maps out a blueprint of how this winery is going to work out on the island or if we may need to acquire more lands, let’s use what we have now to build at least…”
“Cole…” Xavier tried to stop him but he didn’t let him.
“I am not doing this just for the pack, Xavier. I am doing it for myself as well. I need to feel that Isabelle is safe at all times. Do you understand me?” Cole said. Xavier sighed in resignation.
“You have to let us pay you back somehow, Cole,” Xavier said. “I know if you like, you can whisk her up to some mansion and surround her with a million guards. Yes, you may be doing this partly for yourself but we are the ones to benefit the most,” Xavier insisted,
“Once we have a business running, we will be able to pay back,” Angel said.
"I'm okay with that. Now, how do we get workers for the construction without exposing too much?"
"Are there still a lot of people back on the island?" Angel asked.
"Yes, the able-bodied men and women that fought Antonio Rufus men, including your people he left behind," Xavier supplied.
"What are you thinking?"
"I was thinking since it was possible for you to relocate this many people perhaps we can find another place for everyone to go while the construction is taking place and … you do trust Ash, right?"
"I don't trust people I'm paying, Angel…" Cole said. Xavier chuckled. Angel nodded, grinning.
"I was going to say we could use him and his people with a few of our people to restrict workers' movement on the island. And make sure all they do is work and leave, no wandering off deeper to the already developed places …."
"We could even blindfold them before bringing them over to the island, unlike we did the doctors," Xavier said.
"Doctors?" Angel inquired.
"After Antonio Rufus's mayhem, we needed medical personnel to help with the wounded. Ash went out to get them, blindfolded them and brought them to the island," Cole explained.
"That sounds pretty cool," Angel said.
"Yeah, it was. We didn't let them draw blood or linger with the wounded Weres. Once they helped with the required surgery, our people moved the patient. Ash is pretty efficient with what he does," Xavier said.
"That's because he is getting paid a fortune and doesn't have to go to any dangerous terrain, " Cole grumbled.
"What kind of job does he normally take?" Angel asked
"He is a gun for hire. A soldier of fortune," Cole replied.
"Oh! I see. He must really be enjoying this particular mission," Angel said.
"Perhaps a little too much," Cole said as he peered out of the window. Angel and Xavier joined him and saw Ash with Tiana, holding each other by a tree. Angel noticed Nadia was no longer in sight.
"You can say that again," Xavier added. Angel chuckled.
"Relocating might actually work, it would help to make the work faster and the humans wouldn't need to know what the place is for…." Cole mused aloud.
"We can build more tents here if that's okay, of course," Xavier said.
"And create the space for planting the grapes for the wine… the humans might just assume it is a new company springing up."
"And doused the rumours of animals living on the island," Xavier said.
"That's what they call us, animals?" Angel asked with gritted teeth.
"And freaks… don't let it get to you. They are ignorant. " Xavier said. Angel scoffed.
"Amelie and Nadia can act as the managers…." Cole muttered almost to himself.
"Shouldn't Nadia be … off the radar?" Xavier asked. There are people who know her."
"This is going to be a small town thing. And we need managers. We can't put my name in every position. It's a company. We are going to need a face for it… the two seem like a great choice," Cole explained.
"Okay, then, we will run it by others and hear what they think," Xavier said.
"I will write down everything I know but I may be a bit outdated in types of equipment and prices…"
"No problem, just draw out what you can, I will have someone update it. I will also have someone supply our laptops to work with to make your work easier." Cole said.
"Thanks, Cole," Angel said.