BirthMark

by Sydney Addae

Dr. Passen, dressed in protective gear, walked over to meet him. After bowing, the doctor looked over his shoulder at the equipment. “I thought we’d take him back with us so we can run tests and use the equipment we already have set up.” The flare of excitement in the doctor’s eyes was hard to miss.

  Silas smothered a grin. He wasn’t a scientist or a doctor, but he assumed the idea of getting the first crack at two possible weapons being used against wolves was exciting. “That makes perfect sense. I pulled his wolf and grew concerned when there was little response. After a cursory scan I detected something wrong with the wolf’s muscle tissue. Find out what it is. If it’s a birth defect, I want to know the cause and ways to prevent it in the future. Or if something has been administered to him to harm his wolf, I want to know everything. Possible side effects, is it curable, permanent, everything. Because his human side appears to be fine.”

  The doctor’s brow rose. “A breed with a sick wolf, that’s interesting indeed. So many possibilities,” the doctor murmured, and turned to look at the steel door. “I will get started immediately. First, I need to have some blood work done and examine his muscle tissue.” He faced Silas again. “We have made some progress on the woman. The device is a small bomb. The reason it cannot be sensed is it’s covered in a tissue that mimics human tissue very closely. On the x-ray it looks like an enlarged gland, something that wouldn’t be commented on or even noticed if you weren’t looking for something specific. Someone went through a lot of man-hours creating that device. I have two of my best techs working on ways to detect it without a scanner. There may be some frequency or scent or something that will identify the device before it detonates.”

  “Good, that is great news,” Silas said with heartfelt gratitude. Identifying the device was a small part of the problem. The real challenges lie in finding a way to detect it.

  “Now, I want to get this wolf to the lab if that is okay?”

  Silas nodded. “Tyrese?” he called through their link.

  “Sir?”

  “I put the wolf to sleep. Only those of you in protective gear enter the room. Take the cube and place the wolf inside. Lock him down. I want no traces of the wolf in the air until we know what we are dealing with. Call sanitation to clean this room, but I want them in protective gear as well. They are to do a thorough wipe down in here, specifically for contagious diseases.”

  “Diseases?” Tyrese sounded shocked.

  “That’s almost unheard of for wolves, but apparently not for breeds. His wolf is sick, possibly dying. If someone fed him something or gave his wolf an injection, I damn sure want to know about it.”

  “Understood.”

  Silas could imagine the young pups' concern. It wasn’t enough to play with the natural order of things, wolves and humans mating, having pups. Admittedly, it'd taken him a while to get on board, but he had finally accepted half-breeds were here to stay. His entire inner circle, with the exception of Jacques, Cameron and Hank, were breeds. But this…destroying the wolf in a breed. This was beyond over the top. There was no way someone was doing all of this to get rid of him. No, there had to be another agenda.

  Maybe there was more than one player. The human female had talked about destroying him but saving his pups. But that Mitch guy said two men wanted Jasmine and the pups dead. Plus, the man had never attacked Silas, Jasmine had been his target all along.

  Silas sifted through all the information he and his men had gathered. No matter how he sliced and diced the data, he kept coming to the same conclusion. The wolf nation was under attack by two opposing factions with different end games. That one would trigger the other was a mute point at this time. He needed to go on the offensive and lock down more information.

  He watched them roll the wolf down the corridor. When Tyrone approached, he spoke. “Go grab some dinner and check on your mate and her siblings. Under no circumstances is Lilly to stay in your wing. Meet me in my office in an hour and a half. I’ve thought of some things I want to go over.”

  “Yes, Sir.” Tyrone left.

  Silas repeated the message to Hank and Tyrese. He wished he could include Cameron in his findings, but a newly mated wolf’s mind is half-cocked until he completes the mating ‘dance’ and secures his mate. Once connected via their links, the need to be close physically eased tremendously.

  “I’m hungry,” he said to Jasmine through their link. “Can you make some time to feed me?” He sent her an image from that kiss she'd laid on him earlier and the impact it'd had on him. He felt the warmth of her laughter through their link and smiled. “The babies are up and I am on my back while they crawl over me, exploring. As babies, the twins progressed fast but not like this, must be your super sperm.”

  He watched the hazmat cleaning crew enter the bunker and scanned each man to make sure their wolves were healthy before allowing them to enter the room that had held Jenkins.

  “You are probably right. Normally, pups are running around about this time so there is some delay caused by their human genes.”

  “Ha, human genes.” She laughed. “You’re probably right though.”

  “I am always right.”

  “Pfft.”

  “Most of the time?”

  “You’re getting closer.”

  He stifled his laugh, but some sound must have escaped since one of the cleaners gave him a confused look before replacing his helmet.

  “Okay, I will meet you in the nursery so that my pups will have something really tough to climb and explore. I’ve a meeting in an hour and a half in my office. But I’d really like to spend some alone time with you before that.”

  “Sounds good, I’ll see what I can do.”

  “Love you.”

  Her breath hitched and he smiled. Normally she said it first, but he wanted to beat her to it this time.

  “Love you, too.”

  Despite the chaos of this day, starting with the explosion this morning and ending with a possible chemical weapon against wolves, Silas was not in despair. Oh, he was pissed, but not devastated. He understood the implications but they hadn't sent him spiraling into depression or a rage. A year ago, all of those things would have happened and more.

  The words the Goddess spoke last year flowed over him: “The one thing that is definite is change. It’s coming with a time of testing. Your obedience and service to me has not gone unnoticed. You will be rewarded, although it may not seem so at the time. Be vigilant, you’ll need your eyes to see. Be faithful, you’ll need your ears to ferret out the truth. Be merciful, your nose will lead you to understanding. Be courageous, your heart will suffer but will guide you to the truth. Taste the truth and embrace it, reject the lies and you will ride the wave of change. Your wolves need your direction now more than ever.”

  Change had slapped the wolf nation awake and there was growling in the streets. A time of testing, she had said. After the day he'd had, he hoped this was the eye of the storm and things would taper down. Vigilance, faithfulness, mercy, and courage, those were the traits required of him to ride this wave. Right now he felt a serious deficit in all of them, especially mercy. His lips tightened at the thought of the woman with a bomb lodged inside her and the danger she presented to his pups. Mercy… he was completely lacking in that department.

  After scanning the last cleaner to leave the bunker, pleased they were all good, he locked the door and placed his seal on it. No one would be able to enter it until he removed the seal, and that wouldn’t happen until the doctor could explain what was going on with the detective’s wolf.

  Chapter 11

  Jasmine lay on the floor with David on her chest. She stroked him to ease his frustration. At least she thought he was frustrated that he couldn’t sit up like the rest of his brothers and sisters. The three of them had been fed and bathed. Now they sat nearby playing with blocks and an assortment of too-large-to swallow toys.

  At six weeks, her babies looked like six to eight month olds, sitting up, scooting and crawling. At first, it'd boggled
her mind because the twins had developed fast, but this…this was like babies on fast forward. The doctor had warned them that because of Silas’ genes, the babies might develop at a wolf pup rate rather than a human’s, even though they appeared human and couldn’t shift. She would have to come up with some explanation for her mother and sister, but for the life of her she hadn’t been able to think of a single thing.

  Plus, if Julie was right, and the woman certainly believed she was, one of these four would lead the wolves after Silas. She looked at each child and realized they all had the personality for the position.

  Adam tossed a plastic block at his sister, Jackie. Before it reached her face she'd batted it down like an inconsequential bug and continued putting the wood pieces in the correct slots. He pouted a bit and then picked up another block and aimed at Renee. She looked up, her eyes a startling shade of light blue, made even more so because of her mocha complexion, daring him. He lowered his hand and started building with his blocks.

  Jasmine sighed watching her offspring. So damned different, each of them. Little Renee had been aptly named since she seemed to have her aunt’s ‘don’t play with me’ attitude at times. She was quiet as long she had something in her hand to draw with, otherwise she’d raise a stink until she had her coloring implements.

  Jackie was inquisitive; give her a stack of puzzles and she’d work each one until she mastered it. Even if that meant dumping the pieces out and starting all over again. Problem was, she refused to share any puzzle in her stack and all the puzzles in the room wound up in her stack. Jasmine was grateful Adam and Renee never fought over the pieces, but she knew it was something she would need to deal with as Jackie grew older.

  Adam was a happy go lucky prankster. He loved to play and found joy in almost anything. Because his sisters were usually preoccupied with their own thing, he required a lot of his mother’s attention. Sometimes she would prop David up so he could watch Adam play, and every once in a while he might hold a block or two. Adam would get excited and expect more from his brother, but it was obvious Adam’s overabundance of energy wore David out.

  Adam had crawled up on her stomach and started rubbing David on the back, mimicking her movements. Experience taught her that sitting up was the best position to be in when Adam was in help-mommy mode. She picked up Adam with one hand and held onto David as she scooted back against the chair for support. Adam gave her a grin, his tiny teeth gleaming in the light. His jet black curly hair fell to his shoulders. Whiskey colored eyes and small dimple on his right cheek might fool someone else into believing he was a sweet innocent, but Jasmine recognized the smile for what it was and moved David before Adam’s teeth found their target.

  She wagged her finger at Adam. “No biting your brother.”

  He grinned at her unrepentantly. David looked down at his brother with a bored expression. Out of all of them, he was the most alert, constantly watching everything and everyone in the room. Despite his health challenges, Jasmine knew a sharp mind worked behind those eyes.

  Adam held up both hands to her. Jasmine nodded to his nurse and the woman picked him up and sat with him on the floor. Jasmine glanced at the large clock on the opposite wall and released a breath. Adam was normally the first to get sleepy. Renee yawned but continued coloring. Jasmine knew Jackie wouldn’t be far behind. She nodded to the other two nurses, who went, held the girls upright by the hands as they returned the puzzles and drawing materials to their proper place. Adam’s nurse released him so he could put up the blocks and toys he’d been playing with back into the large plastic tub. Tired, he put up his usual fuss, but Jasmine remained firm and he eventually put everything back.

  Adam was crying and reaching for her, so she exchanged David for him with the nurse as Silas walked in. It was as if the girls had radar or something, because they started yelling and raising their arms toward him.

  “Rock star dad,” Jasmine teased as he took both Renee and Jackie in his arms and kissed them on the forehead before kissing David and Adam.

  “Busy night?”

  She shrugged. Tonight was not that much different from the other nights. The kids were fighting sleep, becoming irritable, but she was used to it.

  Adam was the first to fall asleep, all that energy he used tormenting his brother and sisters must have taken a toll. She laid him in his crib and took David from the nurse. He was normally the last one to close his eyes and the first to wake.

  Silas placed Renee in her crib, then placed Jackie in hers. He took a moment and stared at the peaceful faces in the cribs with a slight smile. It amazed Jasmine how much the children looked like Silas. It was as if his seed had just used her as an incubator to pop out little Silases. All four children had black, thick wavy hair like his. Renee’s eyes were a piercing blue and Jackie’s were more blue-greenish. They had his full arched brows and it looked as though they’d even have his cheekbones and chin. Basically, the girls were female Silas Knights. The boys were a combination, thank goodness. David’s eyes were a piercing shade of golden-brown, but it looked as though he’d have her rounder face and fuller lips as he grew older.

  “Maybe the next –”

  “Don’t say it,” she snapped with a warning glance.

  “Next –”

  “I’m not playing don’t say it,” she said, laying a sleeping David in his crib.

  “Maybe –”

  “How do blue balls sound to you?”

  He pulled in his lips and made a zipping motion.

  “Thought so.” She pulled the cover over David and did a quick check on the other three before turning to the nurses, who were preparing their beds for sleep. “Thank you ladies, call me if you need me.”

  They nodded as they did every night. Silas grabbed her hand, nodded to the women, and left the room.

  “Are you mad at me?”

  “No. But discussing having more children with a mother of six after a very long, tiring day with four babies is not a wise move, mister. You should know that.”

  He kissed the back of her hand. “I stand corrected, you are right of course.” He pushed open the door to their suite and followed her inside. Once they cleared the door, he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close for a sizzling kiss. It was so soft, sweet and hot, her heart melted a wee bit. He released her mouth, and dropped his forehead to hers. “You are the best part of my day,” he whispered across her face, breathing life into her tired bones.

  “Ummm.” She pulled up his shirt, exposing his ripped abs and rock solid chest, and ran the flat of her palm over him before placing a kiss on each of his nipples, enjoying him squirm. “Take it off,” she murmured, her breath teasing his pebbled nipple.

  He leaned back and pulled off his shirt in one swoop. He placed one hand on her hip and the other on the side of her face. His firm lips brushed against hers. “My mate.”

  His tongue pressed against the seam of her closed mouth. Eyes closed, she gasped at the sensual feel as he slid inside. Squeezing her ass he pulled her closer, deepening the kiss. This time he dropped his shields and she almost buckled beneath the onslaught of his strong emotions. If love had a texture, it flowed over and around her, cocooning the two of them together. Her heart greedily absorbed everything he gave and returned it to him full measure. The cool air brushed against her skin. He’d undressed her while placing kisses up and down her neck.

  She wrapped her arms around him, never wanting to let him go. “My mate,” she whispered, reveling in the knowledge of what it truly meant to be one with this man. He filled all of her empty spaces. She was whole, lacking nothing.

  He laid her on their bed, kissing her face, neck, breasts, and finally taking her tender, ultra-sensitive nipple into his mouth. She reached for his hardness, but he’d angled himself in such a way the most she could touch was his arms and parts of his chest. Settling for the limited contact, her hands held onto his flexing biceps as she lost herself in the feelings he evoked.

  “I’ve been thinking about yo
u, this, all day,” he murmured.

  She nodded. “I know. Seeing you, talking about us, it just lit something in me.”

  He stopped and stared at her. “I felt it. There was something different when you kissed me in the condo. I’ve been simmering from that kiss since then,” he said raggedly. “I don’t think I can prolong this, I need to take you, claim you.” He leaned up, jerked down his pants and kicked them to the side.

  Holding onto her tight, he looked at the landscape of her body. She wiggled a bit, loving the clenching of his jaw, the way his nose narrowed as he scented her need. When he met her eyes, his were glowing blue.

  She swallowed hard and grinned. Her man was borderline feral. That she could bring him to this after recently giving birth to four babies brought tears to her eyes and a song to her heart. She widened her legs in welcome. His fingertip traced the length of her inner thigh, traveled across her sopping wet center and down the other leg. He leaned forward and like the wolf he was, devoured her pussy. The man licked and lapped her clean. Before she could holla or catch her breath, he crawled forward and slid home.

  She arched her back and released a pleased sigh. Her man filled her to the delectable brim. “Ummmm,” she moaned as he breathed fast and hard.

  “Look at me.”

  She opened her eyes, saw his grimace and knew it was on. He was trying hard to take it easy, but they hadn’t let loose in a long time. Obviously that ended tonight.

  “I need to reclaim you. I may shift partially but…I need to claim you.”

  She nodded. His gorgeous wolf was close to the surface. That part of his nature was ravenous. His wolf hadn’t participated in taking her since before the birth of the babies.

  “I need whatever you need,” she said softly, meaning it. “Love all of me with all of you.” He released a mixture between a howl and yell into the air. She had never been so happy that their suite was soundproof.

  His eyes blazed and he pulled back, only to thrust into her again and again, picking up speed. She tried to continue looking into his eyes but heat coiled inside her lower regions as he slammed into her. She squealed in pleasure, lifted her legs, and wrapped them around his waist. She met him with equal fervor, needing to please him as much as gain her release. Their bodies slapped together making beautiful music. Her hand flew to his chest, grabbed his nipples and twisted. His face morphed into the feral, lust-crazed one she loved. “That’s right, wolfie, give it to me,” she said, urging him on.