by Sydney Addae
“I’m new here, so I don’t know how things go,” Jasmine explained, her face on fire.
“Oh…there’s no charge. We don’t charge our people for health services, that’s barbaric.” The bite in her tone made it clear what she thought of Jasmine’s offer to pay.
Jasmine bit back a sarcastic reply at the dig. Instead she tipped her chin, clutched the packet, turned and walked through the large waiting area. The snickers and whispers in the room, coupled with the heated stares, made her humiliation complete.
On the sidewalk she bumped into a man and his companion. “I’m sorry, excuse me,” she said, bending to pick up some of the papers she’d knocked out his hand.
“No problem, don’t worry your pretty head about it.” He turned to his companion. “Robbie will pick those up.” He handed her a flyer and bowed. “Mitchell Robbins, magician extraordinaire at your service.”
She glanced at the flyer and the round man. “Thanks.
The driver opened the car door and she slid into the cool interior, glad to end her starring role in the afternoon’s entertainment.
“I understand a prescription needs to be filled?” the driver asked before closing the door.
Unable to face more dual-natured folks, Jasmine decided one of her sons could pick up the prescription when they returned. She had enough meds to last awhile.
“Not today. I’ve got a headache. Please take me back to the condo.”
He nodded and closed the door.
Leaning back on the soft leather seat, Jasmine wondered what the hell had happened to her life. A month ago, the most critical decision she had to make was what to wear to a community play. With the pregnancy confirmed, she’d have to deal with Silas.
Groaning, she covered her face with her palm at the prospect. Her cell beeped. After rummaging through her purse, she pulled out the device just as it stopped ringing. “Renee.” She looked at the caller ID and debated whether or not she wanted to talk to her sister. She didn’t, not now.
Her cell beeped again. Resigned to get the conversation over with, she answered. “I picked it up but you’d hung up.”
“Really?”
Jasmine’s eyes flew open at the deep voice. “Silas?”
“Not who you were expecting?” His voice had turned dark, silky.
She moistened her lips and pushed her hair behind her ear. “No.”
“Where are you?”
“You don’t know?” she asked, relaxing in her seat.
“I wouldn’t have asked.” He sounded peeved.
Her smile widened. “I’m in a car headed back to my prison.”
“Where are you coming from?” She wasn’t surprised he didn’t address her current living situation. They both knew he refused to allow her to leave the shifter complex.
“The doctor.”
Silence.
After a few beats he spoke. “And?”
“In seven months, I’ll be having babies.” She tried to sound upbeat, but knowing he didn’t want her half-breed children stole some of her joy. She gazed out the window, wishing things were different. Wishing she didn’t have to go through another pregnancy alone. Her husband had missed the birth of their twins, and had been deployed most of their marriage.
“We.”
“What?” She reined in her musings and paid attention.
“We’ll be having pups…babies. Same thing. Everything else okay?”
“Not really. I’d like to go home. I don’t understand why you’re being so difficult. You don’t want these children.” She hated the whine in her voice, but if there was the slightest chance she could get him to change his mind, she’d do that and more.
“You can go home after the birth of my pups. Their birthright demands they are raised with the knowledge of who they are. They must be educated and trained. That’s not something you can do for them, Jasmine. Admit it. Tyrone and Tyrese’s father taught them how to stay alive by hiding in plain sight. I’m not taking them from you, I just cannot allow them to leave my home until they are strong enough to take care of themselves.”
“I told you I’m not leaving my kids,” she ground out.
“Okay, we’ll make do in West Virginia.” He sounded resigned and that pissed her off.
“We’ll need to agree to a few ground rules.”
“When I get back, we’ll talk.”
“When will that be?”
“In thirty minutes. I’m on my way from the airport.”
Chapter two
Silas looked at his watch. It was still early enough that he could brief the Alphas on the Texas situation and then have a sit down meal with Jasmine. He contacted Jayden through their link.
“Patron, how may I serve you?” Alpha Jayden asked.
“I need a separate residence for the duration of my stay. I plan to return to my estate at the end of the week, until then I’ll be in negotiations with Jasmine and the twins. Have my things moved and a meal prepared for two this evening around seven o'clock.”
“Yes Sir, and congratulations on your litter.”
Silas was unsure how he felt about the idea of half-human pups, but since all life flowed from the Goddess, he accepted her gift. “Thank you, Jayden. I trust you have proper security in place.”
“Yes, Sir. I sent two cars along with her car this morning when she visited the doctor. I also have guards near her residence who shadow her when she and Callum go for walks. She and your pups are never without surveillance or security.”
Nodding, Silas gazed out the window. His car had just entered the compound. “I’m onsite now. Set up a conference call with the Alphas in thirty minutes. I want to get this over with so I can prepare for my late meeting.”
“Consider it done, Sir.”
Dealing with his Alphas, informing them of the conspiracy against him, against their race, was easy. His Alphas knew he wouldn’t rest until the threat was neutralized. They’d offer reasonable suggestions on how to proceed and it would be a productive meeting.
Dealing with Jasmine on the other hand, would be a landmine. For some reason known only to the Goddess, his seed had taken root in her womb. He couldn’t begin to comprehend why, after three decades, his first litter would be half-breeds. The very idea sent a wave of anger crashing through him. Corralling his temper, he sent a message to his driver.
“Drive around for a bit. I’ll tell you when to stop.”
“Yes, Sir.”
He sent another message to Tyrone, Tyrese, Brad and Hank, who rode in the car behind his. “I’m going to ride for a while, to clear my head. There is a meeting in thirty with the Alphas. I want all of you there.”
Silas crossed his legs as he laid out his next move. A group of people, wolves, half-breeds…whoever, were deliberately trying to change the way shifters lived. Someone wanted to change the rules. What had the Goddess said the last time he’d been with Jasmine?
“The one thing that is definite is change. It’s coming with a time of testing.” Perhaps that was her way of legitimizing what'd happened in Texas or Mexico. But Arianna had been breeding for over a half century, this change wasn’t new. He frowned in concentration. She’d said more. “Your obedience and service to me has not gone unnoticed. You will be rewarded, although it may not seem so at the time.”
He closed his eyes and sent a request. Please don’t let half-bred pups be my reward. I’ve waited centuries for my legacy to be revealed. I humbly ask for full-blooded shifters.
His prayer would either be granted or denied. Unable to do more, he turned his attention to dealing with Jasmine. She had no stake in anything and that was a problem. Carrying a litter of pups was an honor and gift that most bitches craved. He doubted Jasmine would agree, and he didn’t intend to try and change her mind. They would be parents and that was all. He’d do his part to insure her safety and make sure her needs were met. The twins would be moving with them, which should make things better for her.
He picked up his cell and placed another call to
Jacque, his administrator. It was answered on the first ring.
“Your Honor?”
“You have incoming. A family of three will be taking up residence in the compound, place them in the east wing and stock it with things for a human diet.”
“Human?”
“Fruits, vegetables…whatever they call a balanced diet. Just add other stuff to the meats.”
“Yes, Sir. When will they arrive?”
“We will be arriving by the end of the week. How is Cameron?”
“He is healing well. Yesterday he worked the mats with the trainees and pinned all takers.”
Silas’ heart lightened. “That’s the best news I’ve heard all day.”
“It is good to see him up. But he seems sad. He disappears for hours and comes back exhausted. When I asked him about it, he said he needed to exercise to regain his strength.”
Unsurprised, Silas grunted. “He’s young, Jacque. Don’t you remember being that age? There’s no fear of the unknown. I remember thinking I had to solve all my problems right then instead of taking my time. Only time will teach you to take it seriously. He’ll learn, just make sure you can get to him if he falters.”
“Already taken care of. I incorporated shadowing Cameron as part of the training.”
Silas laughed and it felt good. “How’s this group?”
“Okay. Not the best or the worst. A couple of them have star status. The rest probably won’t make the cut and hire out as Betas.”
“I will see them when I return.”
“Of course, Sir.”
“By the way, there is a female human in that group. She’s breeding with my litter.”
Jacque gasped. “Your…your litter? How?...It doesn’t matter. Thank the Goddess, it’s about time.”
Silas smiled at his friend’s enthusiasm and wished he felt a smidgen of that emotion. “The other two are her adult sons, Tyrone and Tyrese. I plan to have them assist in fight training.”
“Excuse me, Sir. Did you say she has sons? Human sons?” He understood the confusion in his servant’s voice.
“Yes. It’s a long story, one I’ll share over a stiff drink when I return. For now, prepare for an invasion. Life as we knew it is going to change.”
Jacque laughed. “That’s a good thing, Sir. Things were becoming too predictable around here. Congratulations on your litter. Should I contact Dr. Grimes?”
“No. Not yet.” He rubbed his forehead as a collection of things that needed to be done flowed over him, line by line.
“Do you know how many pups are in your litter, Sir?” Jacque voice brimmed with happiness.
“No. She just had it confirmed today. We’ll know soon. Contact me later if you have any questions.” He looked at his watch. “I have a meeting.”
“Yes, Sir,” Jacque said as Silas disconnected the call.
He sent a message to the driver. “Take me to Alpha house.”
* * * *
“Mom, I don’t know why he isn’t coming here to talk to you. All I know is he asked me and Rese to accompany you to dinner tonight. He said you wanted to talk. Is that what you told him?” Tyrone asked.
Flustered, she waved off his question even as she answered it. “Yes. He wants me to move across country to West Virginia. West Virginia for goodness sake! Why should I move? Why can’t he come to Seattle?” They’d been going over this for the past thirty minutes and she hadn’t made any headway.
“Mom,” Tyrese said quietly. “You’re pregnant by the most important wolf in the country. Probably the world. He has enemies. They would hurt or kill you and my new brothers or sisters.” He pointed to her stomach. “As much as I love you, I agree with Patron on this one. As long as you’re alive, I can live with your anger.”
She released a pent up breath. “I don’t mean to be difficult. Things are happening so fast. I just discovered my two sons and dead husband are were-wolves.”
“Mom,” Tyrone said with censure in his tone.
“Wolf shifters, dual-natured, whatever.” She threw up her hands. “My whole world has flipped and I don’t know the rules. Do you know I offered to pay for my doctor visit today?”
“What? We don’t pay to go to our doctors,” Tyrone said, leaning forward in his chair. “What’d they say when you made the offer?”
She stuck her nose up and spoke in a well-to-do modulated voice. “Charging for health care is barbaric.”
Tyrone laughed.
Tyrese snorted. “They knew you didn’t know. Instead of making fun of you, they should have explained how the medical system works in our world.”
A sliver of appreciation slid through her at his defense. “I’m not a part of your world. I’m human.”
“So am I,” Tyrese said, taking her hand.
“Me too,” Tyrone said as he took the seat next to her.
“You’re wolf shifters.” She looked between the two of them. “Did I get that wrong?”
“We are hybrids. Part human, part wolf. Your human DNA is a part of our makeup. Full-blooded wolf shifters don’t have that.”
She frowned, trying to understand. “But they are dual-natured, right?”
“Yes, part wolf and part human, but they lack the same kind of human DNA like us.”
“How can they be part human without human DNA?” she asked, growing more confused.
“Over time their DNA changed to something else, they are more wolf but can retain their human form and faculties. They don’t think like humans, they have pack mentalities. That’s why they consider themselves full-blooded.”
“And my babies will have both, that makes them hybrids or…half-breeds.”
Tyrese ran his hand through his short cropped hair. “Mom, it’ll be okay.” He moved and stooped in front of her. “I promise. My brothers or sisters will be loved and taken care of. Insuring the protection of your litter isn’t only a wolf thing, it’s also a human trait. Dad made sure we were safe and taught us how to shield so no one could detect our wolf side. That’s how we entered the military. No one can simply look at us and tell we’re shifters unless we allow it. Silas is the only one who’s been able to bypass that.”
She didn’t want to hear about Silas or Davian. Neither man had wanted to be a father. She’d sworn she’d never be in this situation again. “I’ve lost control of my life. I wanted to do things…like travel, take some classes, and have fun dammit.” Her voice rose at the end.
Tyrone met her gaze and his face softened. “You were born the way you are. There’s nothing that can be done about that. You’re carrying babies who have no choice in the matter either.” He glanced at Tyrese. “None of us had a choice. But you have one now. How you handle this pregnancy will have a direct impact on all of our lives. Silas is an old wolf, Mom. He’s not going to allow you to leave here with his first-born litter.” He shook his head sadly. “That’s not going to happen. Rese and I are a part of his security detail, and believe me when I say he’s a tough son of a bitch. But if you want, we’ll go against him and try to move you away.”
“No,” she yelled. Panic, like a block of ice, clogged her throat. She couldn’t lose her sons.
“You are late for dinner. He’s going to send someone else to fetch you if we don’t tell him something soon,” Tyrese said. “I thought you wanted to talk to him. Now is the time to get it all out on the table. Let him know how you feel about the babies, about moving and living in West Virginia. Because as much as we’d love to intervene, there’s not much Rone or I can do to prevent him from taking you.” He stood and held out his hand to her. “You’ve got this. Just talk to him.”
She took his hand and squeezed it as she stood. Taking a moment to gather her thoughts, she brushed the non-existent wrinkles from her dress. “So we’re moving to West Virginia and having some babies. I can only imagine what Renee will say.”
“She thought Silas was hot,” Tyrone teased as they walked toward the door.
“Not that hot,” Jasmine murmured while picking up her s
mall purse.
A few moments later they arrived at a small rectangular brick house in the middle of the compound. Mini-blinds and curtains covered the windows. The light escaping cast an eerie glow on the small patch of yard surrounding the house. Tyrese assisted her out of the car and then released her hand. Brow raised, she looked at him.
Tyrese cleared his throat and looked to the side. “He wants you to come in alone and he’s sending us away.”
A featherlight chill touched her neck briefly and then disappeared. She swallowed down her alarm at his words. “Okay. I’ll be fine. Silas will bring me home later. You boys go on and enjoy the rest of your night.” She plastered on a smile to reassure them she was fine with the arrangement.
Tyrone leaned forward and placed a kiss on her cheek before returning to the car. Tyrese brushed a kiss on the other cheek, but held her for a second. “We're leaving only because we know with certainty that he won’t hurt you. Never think we’d leave or allow you to walk into a dangerous situation. We wouldn’t. Not now, not ever. We’d die first.”
She froze at the mention of them dying, and then squeezed his shoulder. “I know, Rese. I know.” Heart locked in her throat, she pecked his cheek and then walked with what she hope was a dignified gait to the front door. Refusing to look over her shoulder at her sons, she straightened and raised her hand to knock, fully prepared to battle the wolf in his den.
Silas opened the door before her hand touched the wood. Her eyes widened at the sight of him. The man was a yummy package who set off a firestorm of need in her. He wore a pair of washed out fitted jeans and a royal blue tee-shirt. The shirt stretched tight across his chest highlighting his firm pecs and flat tapered waist. His dark black hair was brushed back, falling down his neck. Piercing green eyes held her rooted to the spot. For a second she wondered if her babies would have green or blue eyes. With her brown eyes, it didn’t seem likely, but stranger things had happened.
He didn’t smile. But at least he wasn’t frowning either.
“Come in. Dinner’s ready.” The husky timbre of his voice had a lazy quality that tempted her to relax her guard. The aromatic fragrance of herbs and spices teased her to cast aside their differences for the next twenty minutes as they enjoyed their meal. In silence, she walked across the threshold without a backward glance. In the distance she heard the roar of an engine but was too preoccupied with the view before her.