by Lynn Hagen
“But what if I screw this up? We have a family now, a woman and kids who are depending on us. Hell, a week ago I was a damn bachelor. Don’t get me wrong, I want them. I just don’t know if I’m going to get this right. Look at my family. My mom and dad are as loving as ice cubes. If it wasn’t for your family, I probably would have been the same way.”
“Yeah,” Brooke said. “But honestly, sometimes my family can be a bit stifling. They are always touching or hugging, always in my business, always around when I’m home.”
“And I envy that of you.”
“Why?” Brooke asked. “They’re your family, too.”
“I hear ya, Brooke, but from someone who wasn’t born into your family, trust me, you have it made.”
Brooke pushed away from the Humvee and grabbed the bag from the ground. He glanced at Deluca. “Family isn’t always blood, Deluca. Sometimes family is the people you care about the most. If I didn’t love you so much, you wouldn’t be a part of my family.”
“All right, enough with the emotional shit. Let’s get Willow and Kell someplace safe. I think he dirtied his diaper.”
Brooke laughed and Deluca smiled. That was the Brooke he loved to see.
“Why do you think I ran into the store?” He tossed the diapers at Deluca. “I’m driving!”
Deluca ran, but Brooke beat him to the driver’s door. He shook his head as he crawled into the backseat. Willow was sitting there smiling at him, and Deluca felt like the air was knocked from his lungs. How could anyone be that beautiful? “What?” he asked.
“Nothing,” she replied as she leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. “No worries, I’ll change Kell.”
Deluca glanced up at the rearview mirror and grimaced. He had totally forgotten about changeling hearing. It seemed like today was the day for total embarrassment.
“Here.” Brooke handed back a small container that had Wipes marked on the side. Deluca grabbed them and handed them to Willow.
“I have beef jerky.” He shook them in his hand as Willow laughed. Deluca sat back, grabbed a juice box, and watched the woman he had fallen in love with change his son’s diaper.
His son.
Fuck Garrett.
Deluca smiled. Maybe today wasn’t so bad after all.
Rick sat in his truck that was well-hidden behind a copse of trees as he watched in stunned disbelief. His mind was reeling as the tank, and an entire convoy of military vehicles drove by on the main road.
Nobody with him said a word.
Rick was holding his breath.
The surreal sight in front of him was like nothing he had ever seen before. Military personnel sat in the back of the trucks, rifles tucked between their legs, somber looks on their young faces. Those men were going to kill any changeling they found. Rick knew in his heart that many lives were going to be lost—had already been lost.
But he knew he was just as determined to keep his species alive as the humans were to wipe them out. He couldn’t allow himself the luxury of feeling for those soldiers. They were there to kill. He had to remember that.
“They look so organized,” Mason whispered from the backseat.
“And we are working on it,” Freedman reminded everyone. “Don’t let their presence intimidate you. That’s what they want.”
“It’s working,” Omar admitted, “because I’m scared shitless.”
Rick felt Dorian reach over and slide his hand into his. There was a slight tremor in Dorian’s hand, and Rick gave it a light squeeze.
“We can’t go that way now,” Mason said. “We’ll have to turn around.”
As much as Rick hated the idea of backtracking, he knew Mason was right. There was no way they were going to go unnoticed through that force. He waited until the last vehicle passed them by before reaching to start the truck.
“Wait,” Freedman said from the backseat. “Always wait for stragglers.”
No sooner did the words come out of Freedman’s mouth than a camouflaged Humvee drove by. This vehicle moved slower than the rest, giving Rick the impression that they were searching for something or someone. His truck was well hidden, but that didn’t stop Rick’s heart from racing.
Rick reached for the key again when the Humvee came to a stop, but Freedman grabbed his arm. “Just wait.”
He glanced at Freedman in the rearview mirror knowing he had the look of fear in his eyes. Freedman gave him a tight-lipped nod. Rick moved his hand back. “I sure as hell hope you know what you are doing.”
“I’ve been doing this a lot longer than you. Trust me when it comes to tactical maneuvers. I’m not the best for nothing.”
“But you never caught Rick,” Mason pointed out.
“I wasn’t trying to. Believe me, if I had wanted him, Rick would be dead.”
Rick felt his ego being battered, but he had a feeling Freedman was telling the truth. The man knew what he was doing when it came to this war. Rick didn’t. He knew that if it hadn’t been for the help he had received along the way, he would be dead by now.
And that fucked with his ego big-time. He was an alpha and wasn’t supposed to show any signs of weakness. It wasn’t in his genetic makeup to let someone else say they could kill him. But Rick knew the man was right. Freedman was a force to be reckoned with, and Rick was damn glad the man was on his side.
They were on their way to meet Deluca and Brooke in Indiana. Along the way Freedman had been giving Rick crash courses in military tactical ops. He had learned a lot, but was nowhere near as good as the man sitting behind him. It bruised his pride to admit that to himself, but Rick was no fool. He knew when to shut up and listen, learn, and use that knowledge to his advantage.
The five of them waited in the dense coverage of the forest.
The Humvee finally passed them.
“Wait ten more minutes and then go. I wouldn’t put it past them to circle back,” Freedman said as he finally let go of Rick’s arm.
“Why?” Omar asked. “Do they know someone is out here?”
Omar had been quiet since coming to Rick with Silvia. This was the most he had heard the man talking. Normally the werewolf was a little obsessed when it came to conspiracy theories and the government storing DNA. It seemed the scholar had been right. Rick was just a little surprised Omar wasn’t talking their ear off about the fact that his ramblings had been accurate. The blond werewolf was anything but chatty though. Rick knew Omar was still brooding about being knocked down to juvenile status, but something told him it was about more than just having his title revoked.
Maybe it was the fact that he had been forced to sleep with the detective in order to get the information to save the pack. Rick knew Omar didn’t much care for humans, which made him talking to Freedman a bit odd.
“No,” Freedman answered. “But if it were me going into battle, I would check the area out thoroughly.”
“Then we are sitting ducks,” Rick said. “We need to get the hell out of here.”
The Humvee drove past them again.
“Shit.” Rick wasn’t sure what was going to happen, but he would keep Dorian safe if it was the last thing he did. He didn’t like sitting here waiting until they were caught.
“Go, and take the road we saw a quarter mile back,” Freedman said as Rick started the truck. He pulled out onto the main road and drove as quickly as he could, making a right. He wouldn’t breathe easy until they were away from this town and its invading forces.
He grabbed his phone and texted Nate, telling his top enforcer to use extreme caution. Rick, Nate, and Edward were still wanted men for the killing of Dean Chad Winthrop.
Rick was going to have to make sure he thanked Kraven for that one.
Personally.
Dorian sat next to Rick as they slowly made their way to Indiana. He didn’t think it possible, but he missed Benito and Miguel. Life on the road was hard enough, having familiar faces around him made living this way a little easier to deal with.
“You’re thinking too hard, ga
tito.” Rick gave a light squeeze to Dorian’s hand. “We’ll be out of the vehicle soon and sleeping in a bed.”
“Do you really think Sasha betrayed you?” Dorian asked as he glanced over at his mate. He would never tire of looking at Rick. The man had come to mean the world to him.
It didn’t hurt that the man was drop-dead gorgeous, either.
What bothered Dorian was the fact that it seemed everyone they thought they could trust was turning traitor. He would have never guessed in a million years that Sasha would have sold Rick out.
The man didn’t seem like the type to do something like that.
But then again, neither had Graham.
“All the evidence is pointing to his betrayal,” Rick answered with a bitter tone. “But I’ll find out what is going on when Nate brings him to me.”
Rick had been through enough and Dorian hated to see him in such a sour mood. If Sasha betrayed them, Dorian was going to shoot the leopard himself.
Chapter Eighteen
Brooke sat on the bed, patting Kell’s bottom as the infant’s eyes began to droop. He could hear the shower being cut on and knew Willow would be a minute. Brooke just wasn’t sure leaving Kell in his care was the smart thing to do. He had an overwhelming fear he was going to drop the baby.
Deluca was spread out on the other bed, sound asleep. He had done most of the driving, and Brooke knew that driving could wipe a person out, so he didn’t bother waking the other man for help when Willow handed him Kell.
Besides, he could handle a six-month-old infant.
“We got this, right?” Brooke asked Kell as the infant shoved his small fist into his mouth. He glanced up at Brooke, his brilliant green eyes reminding Kell of Willow’s. Never before had Brooke seen eyelashes so thick. If Kell kept them, he was surely going to have all the ladies. He had a feeling Kell was going to have them anyway if his looks took after his mother.
“Just treat them right,” Brooke said. “Woman are very precious, Kell.”
A small smile spread across Kell’s face, and then it was gone. The fist was shoved further into Kell’s mouth until Brooke thought he looked like a chipmunk.
“And you can’t let the fact that Garrett is your biological father hinder you in any way. You are about to have a very big family who would kill to keep you safe, remember that.” Brooke felt a bit odd talking to a baby who couldn’t answer him. He just wanted the infant to know he was loved.
Deluca shifted around on the bed, which drew Kell’s attention.
“That’s your pappy, Kell. He may be a big kid at heart, but trust me, listen to him when he is teaching you something. The man is smarter than he gives himself credit for.”
Kell turned his head, glancing back up at Brooke…and then the green in his eyes bled out until there was nothing but bright green filling the orbs. Brooke stilled. Was that a normal trait for a changeling infant? He watched Kell watch him, as if studying Brooke.
“You okay, kid?” Brooke asked. He wasn’t expecting Kell to answer him, but for some odd reason, asking the question out loud made him feel a little better. He gasped when Kell removed his fist and two tiny canines slid from his gums.
Now that wasn’t normal. The baby didn’t have any teeth except for the two bottom ones that were just breaking through the gums. Kell began to babble, swinging his small arms up and down. Brooke was terrified he would shove his fist back into his mouth and hurt himself. He was afraid Kell would close his mouth and do some damage on the inside with those sharp-looking teeth.
“Okay, buddy,” Brooke said. “Let’s put those sharpies away.”
Just that fast the teeth slid back into Kell’s gums and the green receded until the color only dominated the irises. What the hell? Anthony Oswego had called Kell Garrett’s prized project. Just what in the hell had he done to this infant?
He needed to ask Willow if what Kell had just done was normal. If it was a changeling thing, Brooke knew it wouldn’t matter to him that his son was sprouting teeth when he had none.
But if what Kell had just done wasn’t normal, Brooke wasn’t sure what he would do. Taking the baby to the doctors was out of the question. Changelings were being captured. Brooke wasn’t foolish enough to believe that they weren’t being either killed once caught, or experimented on.
He had heard that the scientists had confirmed that lycanthropy was a disease. Brooke didn’t think it was a disease. If nature hadn’t meant for them to exist, then the changeling species wouldn’t be here. He just wished others felt the same way. Who couldn’t look into Kell’s eyes and not melt on the spot?
The shower cut off, and Brooke wondered if he should say anything at all about what Kell had done. If it wasn’t a changeling baby thing, then he really didn’t want Willow to panic.
Did changelings have their own doctors? They had to have them. There was no way these species had existed this long and not had their own physician.
The bathroom door opened, and Brooke sat there mesmerized. Willow was so damn beautiful that Brooke wondered how in the hell he had gotten so lucky. She had mated him and Deluca, and Brooke still couldn’t believe she had wanted him. He glanced at the towel wrapped around her head, hiding the gorgeous mane of hair she owned. Small tendrils had sprung loose and framed the side of her face, making her look like a sexy siren.
She was wearing pajama shorts and a tank top, not leaving too much for the imagination. Brooke quickly brushed the thought aside as Kell turned to look at Willow.
“Did he give you any trouble?” she asked as she strode over to the bed, smiling as she ran her finger over the bridge of Kell’s nose.
“None,” he replied. As much as he wanted to spare Willow the pain, Brooke had to know. “Is it normal for a baby changeling to have his irises bleed out and his canines grow?”
Willow stilled, her eyes flickering between Brooke and Kell. “He did that?” The question was a quiet whisper, and Brooke had his answer.
It wasn’t normal.
“Babies can shift once they turn a year old, but their canines don’t emerge unless they have teeth.”
“And the eyes?” Brooke asked.
“I’ve never heard of the irises bleeding out.” Willow might be speaking calmly, but Brooke could see the panic and concern filling her eyes. “Changeling eyes take on a yellowish hue and glow slightly when their emotions are running high, but I’ve never, ever heard of the irises taking over.” Okay, Willow’s tone was edged with horror as she pulled at Kell’s top lip, her eyes darting around.
“They went back in when I asked Kell to put them away.”
Willow’s eyes snapped over to Brooke, her dark red brows lifting high on her forehead. “You asked him to put them away, and he listened?”
It sounded strange as hell even to Brooke, but that was what had happened. Willow’s lithe fingers trailed over Kell’s top lip before she let her hand drop. He knew her mind was working overtime to try and figure out why an infant would possess the ability to let his canines slide down when he didn’t have any teeth.
And the iris thing was just plain bizarre.
“What did that monster do to my baby?” Willow asked as she turned, placing her arms over her stomach. “We have to go back to that orphanage and see if we can find Kell’s files. I have to know what they did.”
“As soon as Rick gets here I can grab a few men and go back, but I don’t want you anywhere near that place. It’s just too damn dangerous.”
“I agree.”
Brooke was a little surprised Willow wasn’t screaming to go with him. She was very adamant about taking care of the ones she loved. It only showed that she trusted Brooke and Deluca to get what they were going after.
Willow sat down on the bed Deluca was sleeping on, staring at Kell. “He hasn’t done anything else strange?”
“Nope,” Brooke answered as he stood and placed Kell on Willow’s lap. “Other than those two things, Kell seems like a normal baby—although he slobbers an awful lot.”
Willow laughed and Brooke was relieved to see the tension ease from around her eyes. “Babies tend to do that when they are teething.”
“Can’t you tie a cup under his chin or something?” Brooke wiped his hands on his jeans, trying his best to get Kell’s slobber off of him. He’d do anything for the little guy, but wearing his spit was just too much for Brooke.
“Bibs usually do the trick. But Peanut used to soak hers in a matter of minutes when she was teething. It’s just something you have to get used to.”
“I’ll make you a deal. You change Kell’s diaper and wipe up the river he has running from his mouth, and I’ll teach him how to shoot and hunt. Sound fair?”
Willow scowled at him, and Brooke knew he wasn’t getting out of diaper duty. He had to give it a shot.
“No deal, Brooke. I can teach him how to hunt just as well as you can.”
“Oh, yeah,” Brooke said as he grinned, “I forgot about the changeling thing.”
“Here.” Willow handed Kell back to Brooke. “Go teach him how to bathe, he-man.”
Brooke held Kell up and stared into his eyes. They were just normal baby eyes as they sparkled at him. “Did you hear your ma? She wants me to give you a bath. I’m not sure she realizes the danger in us getting near water together.”
Willow’s laughter filled the motel room as Brooke took Kell for a bath.
Brooke woke to someone kissing the side of his neck, and he prayed like hell it wasn’t Deluca. Opening his eyes, Brooke saw Deluca in the other bed, Kell wrapped tight in a blanket, both sound asleep.
“Now this is a very nice way to wake up,” Brooke replied as he slid a hand over Willow’s dry hair. The soft tresses slid through his fingers like silk as he tilted his head and let her have her way.
“We have to be very quiet,” Willow said as she placed another series of kisses along Brooke’s jaw. “Can’t wake the baby.”
“Are you talking about Kell or Deluca?”
He felt Willow shaking with laughter as she leaned her face into Brooke’s neck. “Kell.”