BirthMark

by Sydney Addae

  A sharp bark from the opposite side of the cave garnered her attention. She swung around and her eyes rounded. He’d dug through into another tunnel and she hadn’t noticed. He stepped forward again, turned and looked at her, emitting a soft whine.

  “You want to leave now?” She bent and stuffed the jerky, two cups and her clothes inside a bag. Just as eager as him to rid herself of the cave, she pulled off her shoes and clothes and stuffed them into the bag along with her hat. Naked, she tied the top of the small bag and watched him trot toward her. He sniffed between her legs. Heat raced up her face. She pushed him away before he could touch her.

  “Stop that.” He may be her mate, but she wasn’t ready for a relationship with him.

  He whined a bit, but then picked up the bag with his teeth and turned away. Lilly shifted, and moments later followed him out the cave and down a rocky path she hadn’t seen before. Every once in a while he’d stop and wait for her. The trek was slow and hard. There were times she wondered if he knew where they were going, but he never hesitated. So they trudged on.

  She had no idea how long they’d been below ground when they trotted up an incline. Cameron stopped, sat on his haunches and howled. The sound was picked up across the forest. There was an answering howl. Then another closer. Afraid, of what this meant, she backed up. Now that help was near, she wasn’t so sure she was ready to deal with a mate and what that entailed. She was no coward, but she simply couldn’t see how she would be happy with Cameron. The howls grew closer. Turning, she ran back down the incline, stopped and peeked outside. The black wolf remained still, watching her and the forest. He yipped at her, telling her to return to him. But she wasn’t ready.

  She backed up and stopped. Soon he was surrounded by five wolves; they rubbed against his fur and howled triumphantly. Her heart thumped as he moved toward her and stopped midway, barking and yipping in her direction. The other wolves came to investigate, but a low warning growl stopped them from venturing closer.

  Seeing that he would protect her from the others and that he wouldn’t leave, she met him halfway. Together they moved ahead of the other wolves and started to run.

  Chapter 9

  Jasmine and Rose stepped into Silas’ office and burst out laughing. Silas smiled as well at the antics of Tyrese and Tyrone. They weren’t drunk, not yet, but they were feeling relatively loose. Their laughter was infectious and Silas couldn’t remember when he had laughed as much or as hard.

  So when the first “Patron?” came through his link, he heard it but was in the middle of wiping his eye and catching his breath, and didn’t address it. The second time it came, he didn’t filter the link to determine who it was from, he grunted a greeting.

  “Patron, this is Cameron.”

  When those words hit him, he held up his hand as he jumped up. “Cameron? Where? What?...” he shook his head to clear his mind. “Where are you?” Silas walked to the window and looked outside as though he could see his godson.

  “In the caves. I see some light ahead and will be in the forest soon.”

  Silas’ heart rejoiced. “There is a crew searching for you. When you enter the forest call out to them. How’s your leg?” He marveled at how clear-minded Cameron sounded.

  “Better, I’m running on it again. I’m clearing the cave now.”

  Silas waited to assist if necessary.

  “La Patron,” one of the men in the search party called out to him.

  “Speak,” Silas said, expecting verification that Cameron was found and okay.

  “We believe we have found Cameron and are on our way to his location.”

  “Sounds good,” Silas said before closing his eyes and leaning against the cool pane of glass. He offered a prayer of thanks to the Goddess. Over the years, he had begun to think of Cameron as his son and his absence had been a huge weight on Silas’ mind.

  Jasmine’s hand touched his back and he turned, pulling her close to him. Inhaling deeply, he pulled in her womanly scent and allowed it to fill him as she stroked his back. “Is he okay? His mind I mean?” she whispered.

  “Sounds like it.”

  “Eek,” Rose yelled, jumping up and down in front of Tyrone, who grinned at her fondly.

  Silas and Jasmine to turn and look at her. “What?” Jasmine asked.

  “My sister is with Cameron. She is his mate,” Rose said, her face a mask of shock. She looked at Tyrone and smiled. “My sister’s coming,” she yelled, and jumped into his arms. “Thank you, Goddess, my sister is coming, she’s almost here and she contacted me. She misses me,” Rose said, crying while telling them what she was being told.

  “Are Cameron’s rooms ready?” Jasmine asked, stepping away from Silas and looking up at him.

  “I have sent servants to make sure all is ready.” He looked at Tyrese and Tyrone, they hadn’t said much and he wasn’t sure it was the alcohol. “I know we are on high alert, I will be with you when he is scanned.” He looked at Rose. “They will both be scanned before being allowed into the wings.”

  He noticed the relief in Tyrese’ eyes and understood his reluctance to bring up the matter.

  Jasmine squeezed his arm “Oh, that’s the nurse calling, David is awoke and fretting,” she said, walking toward the door. When she reached it, he realized she hadn’t mentioned whatever was bothering her earlier and he was glad.

  “We’ll talk about tonight,” she said breezily through their link as she left the room.

  He shook his head at her antics. “I can’t wait.”

  “But you will.”

  He shook his head. She just had to have the last word. Knowing his godson was close eased his spirit. Finally something good had happened this week. He was beginning to think the whole world was against him.

  “They aren’t far, you want me to handle the scan?” Tyrese asked.

  “Yes.” Silas instructed the search party to head to the basement beneath the gym and that he would meet them there. “Let’s go, they are almost here.” He looked at an apprehensive Rose. “You too, let the receptionist know you will be gone for the day,.”

  She squealed and ran out the door. “Thorne?” Tyrone asked.

  “No.” Silas didn’t bother to look at Tyrone to sense his disappointment. If Thorne was ever going to be useful, he needed to learn protocols and the punishment when they were violated.

  “You got the scanner?” He looked at Tyrese.

  “Yes, Sir. There are two more locked up in the holding area beneath the gym. Rone and I have the keys.”

  “Good.” They stepped into the hall and a jubilant Rose joined hands with her mate as they headed for the tunnels. Silas could only hope Cameron’s mind was okay and that he wouldn’t take exception to being scanned. A lot of things had changed since he’d last seen the pup. They had a lot to talk about.

  “Does he know you’re mated?” Tyrese asked.

  “I don’t think so. The last time I talked to him was in the caves with Arianna. The conversation didn’t go much further after they realized I was not going to pardon her for destroying my property or wolves. He thought she was carrying his pups, but she wasn’t. The explosion happened and we were out of it for a while.”

  “I wonder if Lilly told him about the babies,” Rose murmured.

  Silas had no idea and remained silent. This was not the homecoming he wished for Cameron, but with the rebel attack, he refused to take any unnecessary risks.

  Ten minutes later they were waiting in the bunker beneath the gym. With every second Silas grew more and more concerned. “They should’ve been here by now,” he said, standing in the hall, leaning against the wall facing the stairs.

  Rose stiffened and looked at Tyrone. Silas caught the worried look. “What’s wrong?”

  “It’s Lilly. She’s refusing to come inside. She doesn’t trust us.”

  “She doesn’t have to trust anyone but her mate. He would die before allowing her to get hurt. Doesn’t she know this?” Silas snapped, heading for the stairs.

>   “She does…but.”

  Silas stopped and looked at Rose. The sorrowful expression on her face didn’t bode well. “What?” Concern laced his tone. “Is something wrong with him?” He remembered the vacant spaces that had been in Cameron’s mind after the fight with Tyrone. Was Cameron still sick?

  “Understand that all she has ever seen of him has been while he was sick.” She hedged.

  Silas nodded, concern turned to understanding.

  “She thinks he’s a weak wolf and she wants to leave. She doesn’t trust him to care for her,” Rose said in a rush.

  “She’s a breed and won’t feel the mating pull as deeply as he does. I’m afraid of what it will do to his mind if she leaves him,” Silas said, looking blankly at the stairwell. “Poor pup can’t catch a break. Gets wounded in the war, PTSD fries his brain, roaming the forest he runs into Arianna, kills another wolf over that bitch only to discover she was using him. He breaks his leg in a fall trying to protect her and then his mate discovers him in that fucked up condition and despises him for it.”

  He leaned against the wall for a few moments and threw out his senses. Sure enough, Cameron was above ground, as well as the search party. There was one unfamiliar wolf. Silas took control of Lilly’s wolf and led her snapping and yipping down the stairs. A growling Cameron followed.

  Silas sat both wolves down in front of him.”Scan the search party, Rese and Rone, we’ll do these two last.” He watched Cameron’s head swing toward the room the other wolves were led into and asked Rose to bring two chairs from the room.

  Lilly whimpered when Rose walked off, watching her the entire time. Rose looked over her shoulder and smiled. “Be right back.”

  Both wolves stared at him, questions in their eyes, but he had control and wanted them right where he was. Tyrone carried the chairs and placed them in front of the wolves.

  “Patron?” Cameron called him through the link.

  “Shhh, your mate cannot communicate with me through her link, so it’s rude for you to do it. Look at your mate, she’s in a new place with people she doesn’t know or trust. She needs to trust you.”

  Cameron’s head swung to his mate and he barked. Lilly watched Rose with searing intensity as she and Silas took seats. Tyrone returned to the secure area to help his brother with the scanning. “I suppose you’re wondering what’s going on,” Silas said, looking at Cameron. “Since you’ve been gone, I have been attacked by rebel forces. When you and I were in the cave, it was blown up by the rebels. They attacked the compound and tried to destroy me.” He waved his hands. “As you can see, they were unsuccessful, but we have upgraded the security and everyone entering the compound is scanned in both forms, that’s why it’s taking a little longer than usual.”

  Cameron whimpered and bumped against Lilly. She growled. Baring teeth, Cameron growled and tried to stand. Silas looked at Rose.

  “Should we allow him?”

  Rose smiled. “Indeed, if he can take her she might submit.”

  Silas released Cameron and Lilly. She headed for the stairs but Cameron cut her off. Baring his teeth, he stalked the smaller wolf, but she was no pushover. With teeth bared, she leapt forward, barely missing him. Cameron’s feral sounding growls bounced off the walls and echoed down the halls. Tyrone ran back out the room to check on his mate. Silas waved him back inside as he watched Cameron wear down his mate. He never hurt her, but he didn’t allow her to have her way either. Finally, Cameron leapt and covered the smaller wolf, his teeth on her neck, and she yielded.

  Cameron remained standing over her until her breathing returned to normal and she whimpered. After giving her a few licks Cameron stepped back and trotted over to Silas. Lilly followed dutifully behind. This time, when Cameron sat in front of Silas, Lilly lay beside him.

  The five men from the search party waved good-bye as they exited the bunker. Silas stood and headed for the room. “Rone scan Cameron first, let him shift, and then Rose will scan Lilly.”

  Tyrese sat next to Silas at the table. Once Tyrone finished the scan, Cameron shifted and stood to the side watching his mate. Rose took the scanner from Tyrone and copied his movements. She ran the device along her sister’s body while sneaking hugs and giving words of encouragement. When she was done, she returned the device to Tyrone with a huge smile.

  “Shift Lilly,” Silas said when she didn’t change immediately.

  “Hold on,” Rose said, and walked into the supply closet and came out with a lab coat. “We’re human and wolves. The human side gets embarrassed being naked in front of strangers.” She handed the coat to Cameron. He stooped and held the coat around her as a curtain. After she changed, he wrapped it around her and took her in his arms, holding her tight. She stood unresponsive.

  “I need each of you to step in this machine,” Silas said to cover the awkward moment.

  Rose took Lilly’s hand and led her to a large x-ray device. “Just walk up there, stand, and the machine will do a full body scan in seconds.”

  Silas watched the two sisters. They looked similar but not identical. Their dark hair was the same, their builds were similar. Although Lilly seemed taller than Rose, but that could be because she was thinner. If he had to point out the major difference between the two women, Silas would say it was their eyes. The color was the same, but there was a world-wariness in Lilly’s that was not in Rose's. Thorne had said Lilly was mean, but Silas wondered what had she seen or done in her short life to make her that way. He hoped she relented and gave Cameron a chance, because if anyone deserved a break, it was his godson.

  Lilly nodded but peeked at Cameron, who watched her hungrily from the other machine. As if he didn’t have enough on his plate, now this. Then he remembered his mate was big on family dynamics and smiled. This was a job for Jasmine. He thought back on how easily she’d handled the twins when they both thought Rose was their mate. She had been impressive.

  “They’re good,” Tyrese announced. Tyrone stood near Rose as she grabbed her sister and the two hugged through tears for a few minutes.

  “I’m off the rest of the day, let’s get you something to eat,” Rose said, not releasing Lilly’s hand.

  The dark look on Cameron’s face made Silas intervene. “I need to debrief both of you. Rose have food brought to the condo. They can shower, change and eat there.” Cameron’s face cleared some, while Rose’s face pinkened.

  “Yes, Patron. Just got a bit excited. It’s been so long and I’ve missed her,” Rose said, looking at Lilly with a sheepish smile.

  Silas nodded as they left the room. “I understand, but some of us wait hundreds of years for mates, and need the comfort of their presence.”

  Rose peeked at Cameron, whose hooded gaze had not left his mate since they'd shifted. “I understand, Sir.”

  Lilly glanced at Silas and then at Cameron before turning to her sister. They walked through the tunnels in silence. Silas prepared his speech for dumping these two on his mate. The beer drinking detour he and the twins took earlier had thrown them behind and they’d be working late tonight to get everything done.

  When they reached the elevators to the condo, Silas sent a greeting to Jasmine. “How’s my babies?” Ever since he discovered how much it meant to her to call them by that label, he tried to remember to do it as often as possible.

  “Fine, David’s back asleep with the others. How’s Cameron?”

  “Not well, his mate doesn’t want him and I’m afraid he’ll turn feral or revert to his old self if she does.”

  “Oh, I’m sorry. I hope things work out. She paused. I meant to ask how things were going with Siseria. Has the team gotten started yet?”

  “Yeah, they were pretty eager to solve our problem. Hank’s handling that situation for me.”

  “That’s good, he’s steady. You’ve got to delegate, otherwise you’ll be ragged. Too ragged for me later on.”

  He perked up. The elevator was nearing the floor and he wanted her here for the debriefing. “Meet me at the mid-way
condo. I’m debriefing Cameron and Lilly. I’m going to need your help.”

  “Really?”

  He shook his head and smothered his laugh at the way she rolled the word on her tongue.

  “Yeah.”

  “Okay.”

  The elevator door opened and Jasmine stood in front of him dressed in a plum short-sleeved dress that hugged the delectable curves on her body and complimented her light brown complexion. Her long braids were piled up in some sexy twists that had his fingers itching to mess up. Silas’s erection was immediate as he watched her smile at Cameron and Lilly as they exited the steel box. “I planned to greet him anyway,” Jasmine said through their link. “But thanks for inviting me. It means a lot.”

  Silas understood. The last time she’d seen Cameron, she and Silas hadn’t acknowledged their connection. She stood to the side and waited for Silas to introduce her.

  “Cameron, Lilly, this is Jasmine, my mate and mother of my pups,” Silas said. He proudly took her hand in his and placed a kiss on the back of it.

  Cameron’s mouth dropped and then broke into a wide smile. “Mate? Pups? The Goddess has blessed you, La Patron. I am so happy for you.” He embraced Silas and the two men held on for an additional moment. Something shifted inside Silas. It felt right having the young pup back home again.

  Cameron stepped back and looked at Jasmine, gracing her with a large smile. “May I embrace your mate, Sir?”

  Silas looked at Jasmine, whose light brown eyes were laughing at him. “Yes go ahead, but not too long.”

  Cameron stepped forward and hugged Jasmine briefly beneath four pairs of eyes. “I am so glad you have returned, Cameron. Maybe now Silas can rest at night. He has been worried about you.”

  Cameron looked at Silas, and the pup he once knew gazed at him with love and gratitude. “Thank you, Sir, for never giving up.”

  Choked, Silas nodded and looked down at his mate. Her eyes glowed. It was times like this he wished he had her alone in a room for ten, no, twenty minutes.

  Hearing his thoughts, she patted his cheek and smiled. “Only you would want a sex break instead of a coffee break. Behave, Cameron is doing his thing.”