“Baby, I just talked with Milo. He has a strong lead, so they were heading that way. It seems Kayden and Zoey came to some kind of agreement and have decided to stick together until Cassie is found.”
“That’s good,” she replied. “Dang it. I hope Zoey and Milo can get along, he seems a little rough around the edges.”
“Baby, is that your nice way of say Milo is an ass? Believe it or not, he’s a pretty good guy. He’s saved my butt and a few of the others more than a couple of times.”
“Well then, I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt, for now,” she said. “I like your butt right where it is.”
“Hilarious, Baby, really cute. I have to say I am quite fond of where my butt is, too.”
“Dang it, we just need something, and I couldn’t eat a thing right now. Bas was making breakfast this morning, and I had to leave the room before I threw up. Whatever he was making smelled horrible.”
“Baby, he made a regular breakfast; eggs, sausage toast and coffee, nothing terrible.”
“But Jacks, just thinking about it makes me want to hurl. I’m sorry our honeymoon has taken a backseat to this. I promise, I’ll make it up to you. I need to get through some more of this data. I found an embedded file and sent it to Wyatt. He is going to break the encryption and send it back to me.”
“Don’t worry about the honeymoon. We have the rest of our lives to go on many, many honeymoons. Baby, when was your last cycle?” Jacks questioned.
“What?”
“Your period, Baby. When was the last one you had?”
“Ah, Jacks, I don’t know. Why would you want to know? That’s just gross.”
“No, Baby, I don’t want my red wings. Please, think about it. When was your last cycle?”
“I don’t know. Wait a minute, I always write it down,” she said shuffling through her desk drawer for her journal. “What, are you afraid you’ll be cut off?”
“Oh, my God, Jacks.” Ryleigh ran to the bathroom, barely making it to the toilet in time. Jacks sat behind her on the floor and rubbed her convulsing stomach while holding a cold washcloth to her neck.
“Are you on birth control, Rye?”
“No, oh my God, Jacks. Do you think? Oh Jacks, I swear I didn’t do it on purpose. I never even thought about it, some genius I am. Oh my God, our baby could be right here Jacks, our baby,” she said, rubbing her stomach.
“Yeah, Baby, I know. I noticed the changes in your scent this morning. Looks like in a few months we could be holding our baby. How do you feel about that, Ryleigh? How do you feel about having my baby? This all is happening really quickly for you, barely a month in and already married and pregnant.”
“Oh, Jacks. I didn’t even think. Jacks, we’re having a baby.” Ryleigh was crying right there on the bathroom floor with the man she loved more than life, cradling her stomach.
“A baby. I don’t regret it, Jacks. I didn’t plan him, but I don’t regret him either.”
“Neither do I, Baby, neither do I.”
Chapter 45
Jacks knew he was there the moment he stepped onto his territory. What he couldn’t figure out was why the bastard didn’t come through the front door. Not wanting to wake Ryleigh, Jacks carefully extracted his arm from behind her head and inched out of bed. Giving his mate one last look, he left the room to find out what was happening.
The lodge was eerily quiet. None of the guys were roaming around like he expected to find. If he didn’t know any better, he would have assumed that he and Ryleigh were alone, but his Shifter senses told him otherwise. Each of the team seemed to be in their rooms. Walking towards his office, Jacks got a feeling of foreboding. Something wasn’t right.
Opening the door, he glared at the cause of his discomfort. The reason he wasn’t snuggled in his bed with his mate and the only person that could ever get him to do something he didn’t want to. Declan “Senior” Quinn sat behind Jacks desk, tumbler in hand with what Jacks assumed was his 50-year-old scotch, the stuff he had hidden for those times when he needed something a little stronger.
“Hey, make yourself at home,” Jacks quipped.
“Oh, hey asshole,” Senior replied. “I figured that since you made yourself at home with my daughter, this is the least I could do to pay you back.”
Fuck, Jacks knew this was coming. Senior gave his blessing, but they had yet to talk about everything that had happened. Jacks had hoped they never would.
“Yeah, sorry, but I’m not going to apologize for that. Ryleigh is my mate, fated and claimed, blessed by the Gods. Sorry, old man, but as much as I might want to agree that I deserve some type of punishment from you, I’m not one bit sorry about what all happened.”
“Yeah, figured as much. It doesn’t mean I have to like it,” Senior chimed in.
“Seems like if what I am scenting is correct, you’ll be getting a taste of your own medicine soon, Ryleigh is with child,” Senior continued.
Jacks shouldn’t have been surprised that Senior knew about Ryleigh’s pregnancy. He was Alpha, but Senior was the Alpha of Alphas. He had lived longer and seen more than any of them put together.
Jacks didn’t say anything. He needed to wait out his own Alpha. The man wouldn’t have come in all cloak and dagger if wasn’t important.
“Here’s the deal, Jacks, you know I’ve been training you to take over for a while now. With that comes great responsibility. You have to know when to show your cards and when to keep them close to the vest. Do you think you can do that? Do you think that if it’s for the greater good, you could keep your team in the dark? What about Ryleigh?”
“No disrespect, sir, but I don’t see where keeping my most trusted men or my mate in the dark would ever be for the greater good. We are better and stronger together than we would ever be apart,” Jacks declared.
“Really? What about Eli?” Declan countered. “Up until a couple of weeks ago, you considered him part of that team, your brother, one of your most trusted men. Hasn’t what happened opened your eyes even a little? What would you do to keep my daughter safe and healthy?”
Fuck, Jacks didn’t want to admit his failure to his men or Ryleigh. He’d had no idea Eli was a traitor. To him, the man had been his brother, a friend, not the enemy until he showed his true colors. That was Jacks shame to bear. But there was one thing that really bothered him.
“Really, Sir, it’s nice to point fingers, but answer this for me,” Jacks added, “how is it a man, as connected as you, didn’t have any idea we had a traitor in our mix? What about Abernathy or the Association? How about Franklin, Pandora, or Davis Defense? It seems kind of funny to me that you would have left so many unanswered questions and dangers at our door.”
“Ah, there’s the Jacks I know and love,” Senior replied. “Always questioning, always expecting more than people are willing or able to give. Don’t forget who you are talking to, son. I’ve tried to keep everyone safe and sometimes that means not divulging everything I know.”
“Are you ready for that Jacks? You are my successor, you’ve known that for years. Are you willing to make the hard decisions for the people you love? Can you keep them in the dark if it means they live another day? How about if it gives them peace of mind? Do you think you can carry that burden?”
“Let’s cut to the chase, Senior. Why are you here, and why are you trying to keep that fact from your daughter? She’s the only one who wouldn’t have sensed your presence.”
“Fuck, listen. My time is short. You’ll be moving up the ranks sooner than either of us realized, and I need to know that you’re up for it. I put the teams together, so that all the Alpha’s would have support. Like with like and what not, but we are at a crossroad. We don’t know what is coming next, and if we can trust the people that we have always relied on. I need to give you information, but I can’t do that if you are going to tell Ryleigh. I’ll let you decide on how much involvement your team has.”
“I won’t keep things from my mate, and I think you’re fucking sick
for trying to make me.”
“She might be your mate, but she was my daughter first, and nothing will change that.”
Jacks was taken aback by Seniors vehemence. His Alpha nature made him cocky, and for the most part, Senior allowed it, never stifling him. But the truth was Jacks might be the Alpha of Alpha Team, but Senior was all of their Alpha. The man had more power than all of them put together.
“Shit, asshole. Calm the fuck down,” Senior said. “This is for her own good or are you blind? Ever since you have gotten back here, she has been working her ass off. Not taking breaks to eat or sleep, and you’ve been letting her. The only thing keeping her going is her need to find the answers she seeks. They aren’t in that fucking data.
“It’s your job to keep her happy and healthy. Do you even look at her? Shit man, you are only weeks into your mating. She is fucking pregnant. She should be the picture of good health, glowing and shit. All I see are dark circles and weight loss. You’re not doing your fucking job.”
Jacks didn’t want to be chastised like a child. He knew Ryleigh was obsessed with Franklin's data, but figured once she went through it all, she would go back to normal. The truth was, he didn’t want to admit that they were just getting to know each other; he was at a loss of what to do. That showed weakness, and Alpha’s weren’t weak.
“Listen, we are finding our way. Once things settle down, I’ll have a better gauge of how to handle Ryleigh. I promise I will keep her happy, but sir, she is my mate. That means back the fuck off. We are the first, no fucking examples to go by. I make sure she sleeps and eats, even if she doesn’t want to. You know my animal wouldn’t allow anything less.”
“Shit, listen. That’s exactly what I mean, you have no fucking clue about all that is going on around you,” Senior said. “You have to make decisions for everyone, not just Ryleigh and your Team, but all the teams. Can you handle that Jacks? Are you ready to make those decisions? If you aren’t, you’d better tell me now. Kayden is next in line and I don’t think he’ll have as much as a problem with it.”
“You and Ryleigh aren’t the only mated pair. Zoey and Milo, Dane and Cadence have mated and been blessed. From everything that has happened, we believe that the first group of Franklin’s so-called failed experiments are somehow all fated mates to the Alphas. Do you understand what I am saying? We can’t be one hundred percent sure, but so far, we have three matches out of the six. The others haven’t come in contact with each other, yet, so we can’t be sure. But it means we need to look into how the first group was made, what those fuckers used to enhance them.”
“Why wouldn’t you want me to tell this to Ryleigh?” Jacks questioned. “She would be happy for her teammates, just like I am.”
“Because, Jacks, you know my girl. I raised her human, she didn’t have any idea about Shifter lore or traditions. If you tell her, she’s going to start looking for answers and making assumptions. First and foremost, that the claim the bond you have isn’t real. That Pandora and Franklin did something to her, and what she feels or her reaction to you isn’t what it is, but something else.”
“Fuck,” Jacks replied.
“There is more. We have breaches in all the teams. We need to figure out if any of the other guys are a member of The Association. Right now, I only have one person working on ferreting out the traders if there are any. It’s like trying to find a fucking needle in a haystack. Alpha Team has already been cleared of all traitors, Eli was the only one.”
“What do you mean Alpha Team has already been cleared, by who and how? I trust my guys, but what the fuck else have you been keeping from us.”
“Listen. I brought Matthias in and he has been going through the teams, one by one. I was able to link several outgoing communications to untrustworthy sources, but couldn’t pinpoint who was making the calls or sending the communications. It could be team members or support members. We don’t know that is why I brought him in. You know Matthias, he is a fucking ghost. It’s his job to not be seen or detected, and he’s damn good at it. He’ll find the answers we need, and we will take it from there.”
Jacks was livid. His team had been investigated, and he didn’t have a clue. He also knew about Matthias and his work. Senior was right, he was a ghost. If he didn’t want to be seen, he wasn’t. NAC only brought him in on the worst cases. The guy had a screw loose, but was excellent at his job. That brought more questions.
“How do you know the data Ryleigh has won’t give us anything, Senior?”
“Because I’ve already been through it. The information is basic, some dates, locations and an approximate amount of how many children the fucker created, nothing else. But Ryleigh needs to concentrate on something right now, and it seemed like the best fix. I never expected her to become so obsessed.”
“Yeah, and you expect me to pick up the fucking pieces,” Jacks rejoined. “Listen, I would appreciate it if you let me handle my mate from here on out. Ryleigh is off limits. You and Matthias can play your games, and I’ll do my job. The Alpha Team is going off the grid. No more cases or missions until we have more answers or Ryleigh gives birth, got me?”
“You might not agree with my tactics, Son, but they are necessary. As for missions, I couldn’t agree more, but I also know you and your men. There will be more missions. As things start to unfold, you will be called upon, and you will answer the call.
“Like I said, there is going to come a time when you have to make the hard decisions, Jacks. NAC will be yours along with everything that entails. I don’t plan on retiring anytime soon, but my Dragon isn’t like the rest of you. Shifters might be stronger and live longer, but we have flaws too. I’ve been doing this a lot longer than you, and there will come a time when I can’t control my beast any longer. We all know the possibilities, without a fated mate to bond with we are lost. I’ve held out a lot longer than most, but my time is coming, and you need to be prepared.”
“There is a chance,” Jacks responded. “You said that you believed the first of Franklin's babies were matching with Alphas. Who’s to say one of them isn’t yours?”
“I am, Jacks. I’ve met all of The Holly Team, and I felt nothing but comradery or friendship. Plus, do the math. We have six teams, and there was only six women. I’ve accepted this, and you need to, too.”
“Shit, couldn’t you have just punched me or something? You know, for taking your little girl. That would have been better than all this crap you just laid at my feet. I don’t know what I’m going to do. I can see your point, but I also don’t want to live with the consequences secrets always have. You get my drift? Because if I kept this shit from Ryleigh and she found out, wouldn’t that be worse? At least I know we could work through it. I could show her what she means to me. Take her to the Elders so she could hear the stories from them. Keeping her in the dark seems wrong, and I won’t keep my team in the dark. All I can promise you is what you’ve said here won’t leave Alpha Team.
“But I want to be kept informed, not like before, Senior. If you expect me to take over, then you need to tell me everything. No more fucking secrets. I don’t have a problem making hard decisions, what I have a problem with is being blindsided. Got me?”
Seniors laughing wasn’t what Jacks expected from his outburst.
“You have balls, Son,” Senior chuckled. “I have to give you that. But until the day I hand over the reins, it will be my decision who knows what and when. Remember that,” Senior said as he slipped out of the door.
Fuck, Jacks thought to himself. He stood there a moment, processing what had happened before making his way back to his bedroom.
Chapter 46
Jacks slipped back into his and Ryleigh’s bedroom, stripped, and got back into bed. He didn’t want to think about everything Senior had revealed. What he wanted to do was admire his beautiful, sleeping mate. She looked so peaceful, healthier. He had to admit that he wasn’t doing his best at this mate thing. He needed to do more, hold Ryleigh closer without stifling her, and protect
her without crowding her. But he really had no idea how to do those things. He fell asleep thinking about all the what ifs and possible outcomes. He was happy for a few minutes, only he was worrying. She was safe, at peace, and hopefully happy. He could feel it through their bond, but Senior was right, those feelings would change if she knew everything. He’d be damned if he let that happen.
Several hours later Jack's phone rang, waking him. The first thing he noticed was that he was alone in bed. That should have never happened. He should have sensed Ryleigh leaving, but he hadn’t, and that bugged the hell out of him. Caught in his thoughts, the line went dead. Shit. Getting up, he dressed and left the room in search of his mate. Finding her at the computer wasn’t a surprise, but finding all the guys with her was. They had all gathered around the conference table. His phone started to ring again. Answering it, he realized Senior was right once again.
“Hey, shit man. Hold on a second I’m going to put you on speaker. Okay, hold on. Guys listen up, Kayden’s on the phone,” Jacks announced.
“I have Cassie,” Kayden revealed. “She was at the Colorado Facility Milo got the lead on. Shit, Ryleigh, I am so sorry.”
“What are you sorry for? What happened, Kayden is Cassie okay?” Ryleigh pleaded.
“Cassie is okay. A little worse for wear, but okay. It's Zoey, Ryleigh, they took her.”
“What do you mean they took her? Who took her Kayden and where is Milo?” Ryleigh begged.
“Fuck, Ryleigh. I am so sorry, but all hell broke out,” Kayden apologized profusely.
“Calm down, man, and don’t worry about Ryleigh, right now, I have her,” Jacks assured him. “Tell us what happened and what you need us to do.”
“Shit, Jacks, the place looked abandoned, like the one in Texas, but they were armed to the teeth. They were keeping Cassie underground. The facility was huge. We got six women out of there. My guys reported that Zoey froze. We were taking heavy fire. They think she saw someone or something and just froze. I can’t be sure because I didn’t see it for myself. I was told that Milo was trying to get to her, but he got hit. Everyone that saw it said the bastard kept on going. By the time, we got the scene contained, Zoey and Milo were both gone. Along with two of Milo’s guys. Max said Milo went after Zoey, but he was the only one that saw him.”
NAC & The Holly Group - Box set: Alpha Team Page 27