by Sydney Addae
"Can you hold off telling anybody about this until we learn more?" Nionis asked surprising Jackie.
"Yeah. If they're able to rescue pups and help them, they're doing something the Alphas and KnightForce haven't been able to do. Pups are more important than politics." She hoped that promise wouldn't bite her in the ass.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Taurus slammed his fist on the table in the corner of his office, stood and walked to the window. Everywhere he went, he smelled the foul, stench of half-breeds. They populated like damn rabbits. If full-blood bitches didn't breed more than one litter in their life-time, their beloved nation would be lost to mutts.
The raid at the clinic last night smacked of Ramos and Antwan, or as he thought of them, Beavis and Butthead. Those two butted into matters that didn't concern them often costing him money, time and resources. Something would need to be done about them.
Rather than obsess over the two older men he changed gears. "Where are the parents?" he asked his assistant, Oliver over the monitor.
"At the hotel. They'd just signed all the papers giving the pups to us for training."
Going in for physicals was the next step in the process. If the pups were human, his group could argue in court for their return. But La Patron ruled the legal system for wolves with an iron fist and would destroy them all before returning the pups.
"Did you compensate them for the trip and hotel?" Taurus asked growing weary of bad news. They could not afford to lose more faithful followers. Most of these pups were bred by half-breeds they had taken in raids and won over for their cause. They provided cannon-fodder but little else.
"Yes. They're stocking up on supplies before returning home."
"Good. I'll be in meetings the rest of the day."
"Another thing. Penny, the full-blood gift for you," Oliver said.
Penny, a young full-blood, was taken from Canada specifically for him to breed. He had been so busy raising funds for their cause he'd forgotten about her.
"Has she arrived?" Taurus asked visualizing the petite beauty.
"Yes, but she ran away with another breeder, Marsha. From what I was told, Marsha miscarried again at the clinic. Penny was there being examined. They were in the holding house when they escaped."
Taurus froze. "The clinic that burned down?"
Oliver gasped. "Yes. Within 48 hours of their escape. Do you think the arsonists had inside help?"
Taurus' hand curled into a fist. "I'm thinking Marsha told them about the clinic, that stupid bitch. I'll kill her." In his mind, he choked the useless bitch to death with his bare hands. Not only had she lost two litters but she took something that belonged to him.
"Who did she tell?" Oliver asked.
Taurus wouldn't release the names. He and Ramos had history but the man went too far by destroying the clinic and taking Penny.
"Never mind that, I'll handle it. Contact the Locators. I want Penny found, and Marsha alive. It's been a while since I made an example out of someone for betrayal." Using human bounty hunters came in handy when dealing with Ramos and Antwan. Those two shied away from human law-men but would kick a wolf's ass into next week. "Give them just enough information to get them started."
"A modified copy of the contract between you and Penny's parents?" Oliver asked as if that document existed.
Taurus laughed. "Yes, that has a nice touch." Eager to finish the conversation, review the details of the damage and get back to his other meetings before his dinner meeting, he glanced at his watch. "What else?"
"Supplies arrived to the warehouse on time and we're in the process of shipping them to the three villages. Doc wasn't at the clinic, we lost his assistant though. He needs help and can't take the time to properly train anyone right now. His words, not mine. We're going to need a new medical facility."
The responsibilities of a revolution never ended. Patriots were required to give more than their life to the vision of a nation with full-blood rule, himself included.
"Fire up our base, tell them what we need, get a few volunteers to shadow Doc, maybe record what he's doing for future training." He paused thinking of a new clinic location and one stuck in his mind. "I'll get back to you later this week regarding a building. I'm thinking of a large place in the mountains with a basement we can convert. The clinic's basement held supplies and didn't have enough headroom to walk around so everyone was above ground, making them targets. With a basement, we can install blockers to screw-up any scans." He pursed his lips, thinking of the possibilities.
Despite the temporary set-back and loss of a few lives, securing a better clinic would make them all safer in the long term. His contact assured him they would have more than enough money for supplies and to purchase another building. "This may not be so bad, I'll get back with you." He disconnected and sat at his desk.
Ramos. The wily old man had been around longer than dirt, helped hundreds of their people, including Taurus, his mam and sire survive against La Patron's harsh rule for decades.
Antwan, a fierce, warrior from some Indian clan, doted on Ramos and would kill Taurus or anyone who posed a threat to his mate. Too many people watched out for those two, even rebels gave the ranch a wide berth, to mount a direct attack. If he went after them he'd need to pick them off away from the ranch, which seemed more impossible.
Securing a full-blood female had been extremely difficult and costly. He doubted his people could pull it off any time soon. He needed to breed Penny. Hopefully she'd give him a large litter to train. The idea of his own pups excited and motivated him to make breeding her a reality.
Scenario after scenario rolled through his mind, none presented a safe way to retrieve Penny. He closed his eyes against the probable loss. How would they usher in an era of full-blood supremacy without more full-bloods? He pulled up the statistics on his cell. While their numbers were a couple thousand, that was a drop against La Patron's millions. Perhaps he should relocate to another country, he had sent scouts to Canada and Mexico to search for large plots of land.
Leaning back in his chair, he crossed his hands over his flat belly after smoothing his crisp white shirt. "Why do we have to move?" The idea of leaving the land of his birth rankled. Half-breeds were the anomaly, an experiment gone wrong. If full-bloods didn't mate with half-breeds, the rebels would have won long ago.
Tired, Taurus exhaled, and stood without making a decision on what to do about Penny or Ramos. Maybe the Goddess would favor them for a change with a way to retrieve Penny and take out Ramos.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Jasmine watched Adam from the doorway of his bedroom with an indulgent smile. "How many times do you need to go over those papers? Your dad says they look good."
Adam turned and stared up at her with sober whiskey colored eyes. She walked into the room, closing the door behind her.
"What is it?"
She stood near him, taking in his black wavy hair, the tips brushed against his shoulder, and angular face similar to his father. Silas' genes overpowered hers leaving his mark on all four of their kids. Adam and David's light brown eyes were the only concessions given her in their features. Even Jackie and Renee were feminine versions of their father.
"Timing. Is this the best time to live over there? I mean with everything going on here."
"Like what?" She asked surprised at his question.
He stood, dwarfing her five feet, six by several inches, and moved to his closet. Opening the door, she saw three suitcases stacked on each other. Unsure what that meant, she glanced at the luggage. "All packed?"
"For a few days, now. That's the problem. I can't shake the idea that now isn't the right time. Maybe go next week or later until it feels right." He moved his hand in a circular motion around his chest. "Inside. Right now," He shook his head. "Something feels off."
"Follow your gut, wait until you believe the time is right." She leaned in and kissed his cheek.
"That's what David said last night. He cornered me asking questions while
I was with Tangela on the patio." He looked at her. "Seriously, when is Sarita coming home?"
Jasmine sighed and wrapped her arm around him. "When she's ready. Asia said she's enjoying the internship, learning new languages and meeting people. Best time to travel, see the world is when you're young." And single, unmated, she left off.
"Do you wish you'd done more traveling when you were younger?"
She squeezed his waist and released him. "Yeah, I do. But that wasn't my path and I wouldn't trade that time for anything. Rone and Reese are worth it all. Plus, now I get to see the world with the love of my life, so I'd say waiting, for me, was a sweet deal."
Once the kids were in high school, Silas surprised her with three trips a year, anywhere in the world she wanted to travel. Together, they visited historical landmarks, often with Angus and Shyla or her mom, Victoria, and Jacques. Traveling with men over 300 years in age made the history in Egypt, Africa, Pacific Rim and China come alive.
"Where's Tangela?" Jasmine asked about his current girlfriend. Most pack members didn't date. If two people liked each other they got together, no labels. But not her pups or their friends. They watched human TV and picked up pop culture from teenage shows and the internet. Setting a new trend, most of the students now labeled their relationships causing all kinds of problems with jealousy and insecurities. Fights over relationships had gotten so bad, Silas spoke to the students about it. Since Adam and Renee had girl or boyfriends, the talk didn't have much staying power.
"Home, she'll be here later to watch a movie and hang out," he said. "Talked to Jackie a couple days ago, she's going to Tennessee to visit Nionis. Have you talked to her since she's been there?"
Jasmine thought back over the past two days. She had been extremely busy preparing for a party she was hosting for the women who worked in her network. "No I haven't. I'll call her later tonight."
"Good, I can't reach her."
"What do you mean? I thought the four of you stayed linked all the time."
"We do but it's not, what's the word? Intrusive. Otherwise we'd never have privacy. It's like a partial block," he explained.
"You tried to reach her and she didn't respond?" Jasmine asked to be clear.
He nodded. "Happens at times. Especially when I'm with my girl or hanging with the fellas. She'll get back to me when she has a moment, that's what I do."
Easygoing Adam was not disciplined like Jackie who never dabbled in abstracts. Life was a huge puzzle for Jackie. One she never grew tired of exploring and revealing various layers. Serious about family and work, Jackie wouldn’t have ignored Adam’s call this long unless something was going on. Something Jasmine didn’t know about. She tapped her pocket. "I'll give her a call." She opened the door and stepped into the hall. "Is Tomas waiting for you or will he go ahead?"
"Waiting. We're going together when we go. In the meantime, he's hanging out with Matt's family in Cincinnati until I'm ready."
Jasmine nodded.
Tomas couldn't be around Renee since they broke up. Davian said his son was devastated and had a hard time letting go. Renee buried herself in work at the gallery but still lived here at the compound. There was no way to avoid seeing each other if he remained in town. Waving goodbye, she headed to her private suite. Inside she looked at the wall clock to calculate the time. It wasn't that late, but it was possible Jackie was asleep.
She called Renee instead.
"Ma, I was going to call you," Renee said answering the first ring. "I don't think Tomas and Adam should leave right now. If you can get Sarita back here, in the compound that would be a good idea."
"What's going on?"
"Earlier in the gallery I overheard three male humans discussing unrest in the area where Tomas plans to go. I tried to call him, but couldn't get through. I don't have a good feeling about this."
"Have you talked to your dad?"
"Security told him after I had them listen and check out the guys. Hank did a scent scan, and ran them through some database. These guys live in a smaller country near Russia and shouldn't be here," Renee said.
"Near Russia? They spoke English?" All four kids spoke several languages but Renee had the best ear.
"No, but Hank taped them and ran it through a system for Daddy."
"Chances are he's talked to Hawke but I'll contact Asia so Barticus can keep our girl safe," Jasmine said worried about the repercussions if anything happened to Sarita. Not only would Barticus, Sarita's grandfather and Europe's Alpha, set the area on fire, but Asia, her closest friend and her mate Hawke, would grieve deeply over the loss of their daughter.
"Tell David," Renee said.
Jasmine closed her eyes, took a seat and tucked her legs beneath her. "You haven't told him?"
"No. I don't want to do it."
"Adam had a bad feeling and delayed his trip so no worries there. I'll have your dad tell David," Jasmine said, thinking of Sarita being in harm’s way with that area of the world being unstable. "I need to talk to Asia. I'll call you later."
"Okay. Mom!"
Jasmine exhaled. "What?"
"You called me, what did you want?" Renee asked.
"Oh, have you talked to Jackie today?"
"Yes, earlier today. She and Nionis went sightseeing, helicopter ride over the mountains. She sounded relaxed but having fun. I suggested she take a few more days off."
Preoccupied with Asia and Sarita, Jasmine accepted Renee's explanation. "Okay. Talk to you later."
"Sweet Bitch?"
Jasmine blew a stream of air. "I need to talk to Asia about Sarita."
"Barticus is handling it already. Sarita has been moved to Barticus' den with Amynta and their pups."
"Have you told David?" she asked.
"No but I will since you don't want to. Adam's delay proves both he and his beast have matured. I'm happy he listened and changed his plans."
She hadn't thought of that. "You talked to him? Told him what was going on?"
"Yes, just now."
"Good. Renee talked to Jackie, seems she's having fun."
"Tango, her personal security bumped into his mate while they were in Gatlinburg. It was a good day all around. Theron is pleased and sent a replacement," Silas said.
"Adam said Jackie didn't get back in touch with him."
"She talked to Renee?"
"Yeah, a few hours ago, when they got back to Nionis' place."
"Maybe she's treating him like he treats us, responding after he's done everything else," Silas said in a dry tone having been on the receiving end of Adam's delayed responses many times.
Jasmine laughed. "After my nap, I've got a conference call with a few of the women coming to the party. Wake me in an hour."
The door opened and Silas stepped inside, closing the door with a snap. "Before you take that nap I'd like to show you something." He pulled his shirt over his head and grinned at her.
CHAPTER NINE
Holding both small pups’ hands, Jackie and the others walked into a large stone and wood building ablaze with lights. A man with splashes of white in a head full of dark hair, stood at the door waving them inside. His dark eyes assessed her and each person entering.
"Welcome, I'm Ramos. Come inside, I've got food if you're hungry, a warm bed if you're tired and a sturdy chair if you'd like to talk. Come in, you're all welcome," Ramos said with a slight Spanish accent.
The child tugged on her hand to get her moving faster as if the offer would be repealed. She quickened her steps and headed toward the smell of food. Her stomach rumbled as she entered a room with a long wood table and several chairs. The boy pointed to the covered dishes on the buffet.
"Hungry?" She looked beneath the covers and glanced at him. Beneath the bright lights, she got her first good look at eyes similar to her brother’s light brown, an unruly mop of wavy, reddish-brown hair and skin a few shades darker than Nionis. He nodded so hard, a hank of hair fell onto his forehead. Smiling, she took a plate, put small portions of everything and pla
ced it on the table in front of him. Nionis and another female entered the room.
"This is Marsha; she's the one who told Ramos and Antwan about the clinic. The big guy's Antwan, Ramos' mate. They own this place. It's a sanctuary for runaways," Nionis explained through their link.
Jackie didn't respond. "Do you want the same thing I gave him?" She asked the other child who hadn't responded to anything so far. Just as thin, but taller than the other boy, his dark brown eyes appeared haunted. Freckles dotted his nose and upper cheeks on his pale skin. Dirty, stringy, black hair touched his shoulder, covering mottled bruises on his neck. When he didn't answer, she prepared a similar plate, took him to the table and had him sit.
"Can you check him?" She asked Nionis when the child didn't move.
"Hello, I'm Marsha," the teen said moving to the table with a plate. She sat across from Jackie.
"Hi, Marsha, I'm Jackie." She looked up at Nionis, stood and went to get her a plate while Nionis did her thing with her eyes.
No one fully understood how or why Nionis saw things no one else could. Her dad and Matt, the doctor at the compound both checked Nionis and found nothing. But over the years her gift of sight had proven invaluable in helping KnightForce, the Special Forces of the Wolf Nation, solve certain cases.
One draw-back, the gift didn't work all the time. That’s why Nionis only volunteered information when she had it, asking her to check the child probably wouldn't give them any information.
Ramos entered the room with another young girl behind him. She filled a plate and sat next to Marsha.
"This is Penny," Marsha said when Jackie sat next to Nionis.
"Hello, Penny," Jackie said smiling at the pretty girl.
Ramos sat on Marsha's other side with a cup of coffee and watched Nionis who held the silent boy's cheeks between her palms.
"Anything?" she asked Nionis.
"What are you doing?" Marsha pointed to Nionis.