by Sydney Addae
“The other can look out and then they split, go in a systematic pattern,” Angus pointed at the monitor, “cleaning out the room.”
That plan made sense. “Can you handle the electronics?” Silas asked Storm.
“Yes, Sir.”
Silas called Razor and demanded his presence. When the man balked, Silas commanded him again as his Alpha.
Razor agreed.
“Sir?” General Miller said.
“Yes?”
“Whatever you’re doing has caused panic in the ranks. I’ve been blocked from speaking to Admiral Blue and General Williams for now. They’re in an emergency meeting to discuss the deaths of 12 full-bloods who died of heart attacks. They want to blame you but can’t make themselves believe your hand is that long.” Pride rang through General Miller’s voice. Silas should’ve stepped up sooner to assist the pack in the military but had been trying to get along.
“How’s the morale of the pack?”
“High, extremely high. You protected us and even though we can’t celebrate openly, there are a lot of smiles and preening today. Maybe a run tonight would be good.”
“Order one on protected lands for anyone who wants to join you. I’ll inform Alpha Jayden.”
“Thank you, Sir. It did my heart good to see the bodies of those traitors carried out.”
“If you see any more, I want to know about it immediately.”
“Yes, Sir.”
Razor and Trista arrived. Silas left the conference room and entered his private office.
“Have a seat.” He motioned to the two chairs in front of his desk and looked down at them.
“When you petitioned to become members of my pack it was with the understanding that there is one Alpha, me.”
“Yes, we understood that,” Trista said taking Razor’s hand.
“Why is it when I call, you think you can say no?” Silas crossed his arms over his chest.
Trista’s mouth opened and closed.
“I assumed we had a choice,” Razor said.
“Pack is not a democracy,” Silas said not interesting in babysitting the couple. Either they get it together, follow pack rules, or they would leave. With everything he had to deal with, he didn’t care what they decided.
“No. No, it’s not.” Razor looked at Trista and then at Silas. “I don’t have much experience with the pack, the little I’ve had wasn’t very good. Maybe we should’ve asked more questions before seeking permission to join.”
“Yes. That’s a good thing.” Silas stood. “Permission denied for joining this pack until you prove to me you understand what being a part of a pack means.” He turned to leave.
Trista looked upset. “What does that mean? Can’t we live here? Or work at the museum?”
“You’ve been living here for several months already, I’ll give you 30 more days to become acclimated to pack living,” Silas said.
“I thought we had,” Trista said, looking confused. “Is this because Razor didn’t come yesterday?”
“That’s a part of it.”
“We were having intimate moments,” she said, her cheeks red.
“So are pack members all over this country. But when I call, they stop whatever they’re doing and answer. For one, they know I wouldn’t call unless it was important to the pack. Pack first. Second, I’m not interested in excuses. I leave my mate every day to make sure you; your mate and your den are safe. Everyone pulls their weight for the safety and wellbeing of all. If I need your special skill set, then you have one response and only one. Yes. Is that understood?”
Razor’s gaze sharpened, he stood and dropped to his knees. “You are right, Alpha. Forgive me and my den. We will not make this mistake again.” Trista was a little slower to follow but eventually, they were both on their knees in front of Silas.
“You have 30 days to prove to me you’re an asset to the pack. Trista, Renee speaks very highly of your skills in the museum. Continue working alongside her to rebuild it and surpass its former glory.”
Her face glowed. “Yes, Alpha.”
“Razor your skillset is that of an assassin.” Silas looked at Trista who frowned but didn’t speak. “Is my assessment incorrect?”
Razor glanced at Trista. “No, Sir. We’d like to change it to something less violent, but you are right. It’s where I excel.”
“Will there be problems in your den if I use you in that capacity?” Silas wasn’t interested in drama or power struggles.
After a few moments of silence, Razor spoke. “Alpha, whatever you require of us, we will do.” Trista took Razor’s hand and met Silas’ gaze.
“Good. I’m glad to hear it. I have an assignment for you. Go into the conference room for a briefing.
Trista’s eyes widened as her mate helped her up. “I’ll see you later?” She looked at Silas and back at Razor.
“I will contact you,” Razor said and kissed her before leaving the office.
Trista exhaled. “Thank you, Alpha. He, we needed this. A sense of direction and belonging. It’s like things clicked, we have a purpose.”
“You’re welcome, Trista,” Silas said standing. “I meant what I said, you’re doing a great job, continue with your art and assistance.”
“Thank you for that.” She waved as Security guided her out the building.
Silas re-entered the conference room. Angus was going over the plans with Razor while Hawke went over the equipment with Storm.
“Once I give the okay that we’re controlling both the security systems and cameras then you split up to clean house,” Hawke said. “Keep these scanners on you at all times. If they beep, that means there’s something, either a camera or alarm. Stop, so we can deal with it. I’ll be monitoring everything from here.”
“Can I see that?” Razor asked.
Hawke handed him the device. “How well does this hold up when we’re moving... fast?”
“Good question,” Hawke sat back and stared at the device. “It may be useless but it’s good to have just in case.”
Razor asked a few more questions about the operation, impressing Silas with his knowledge. Then Storm and Razor fine-tuned their plans to make it run smoother between them.
“Once you land, I’ll link with both of you,” Silas said drawing their attention. “I’ll be an extra pair of eyes and will not withdraw until you are on the plane returning home.”
“Yes, Alpha,” they each said and then jumped when he merged with them.
“This is how it will feel, I will see everything you see and will sense things around you. I’ll be dropping bodies as well, don’t stop, continue the mission, in and out. I want this done fast.”
Razor grinned. “I can do fast.”
“SIR?” Alpha Jayden contacted Silas.
“Jayden, what’s going on?”
“I received reports from several pack members that a human has been admitted to testing at the main military hospital in Bethesda. She’s mated but they could not identify the scent.”
“Shit,” Silas said. “Name?”
“Staff Sergeant Faye Larson. Do you know her?”
“Yes, she’s Jarcee’s mate. What kind of tests?”
“She was taken to a classified area, I’ll have someone pull the records and let you know.”
“Also I need to know if they’re keeping her and where.” Jarcee would shit bricks if his mate didn’t return soon.
“Yes, Sir. My apologies to Jarcee, we’ll help any way we can.”
Silas sat back in his chair and stared at the wall. The twins and Cameron would be away for five more days. Cain, David, and the Knights were in Canada talking to pack members. Adam and Bella were returning to Europe in the morning. Jackie and Quinn had gone on a hiking trip in the mountains. And Renee had been giving him the side eye since Storm returned from the last mission. It was going to be a long day.
“Jarcee?”
“Sir.”
“How did it go? Are you settled?” Silas didn't want details, but
he needed to know Jarcee’s state of mind.
“Yes, but I didn’t explain being mated or anything that could be used against her. She’s not built to withhold information and I don’t want them tearing her apart to understand how mates work. That’s information I don’t think they need to have.”
Silas agreed but wouldn’t have instructed Jarcee to withhold that information from his mate. Jarcee’s decision showed a high level of maturity and pack loyalty.
“In this situation, it may be best for her not to know.” Silas paused and told him about his recent communications from Alpha Jayden.
“She didn’t contact me,” Jarcee said.
“Chances are she was instructed not to.” Or couldn’t, Silas thought.
“Alpha Jayden’s people are monitoring the situation?”
Silas understood how difficult it was for Jarcee, a natural protector, to allow someone else to watch over his mate. Faye must have asked Jarcee to let this play out.
“Yes. He will contact me once they access her files. I’ll let you know what tests she underwent and when she leaves the facility.”
“If she does not return tonight, I will go find her.”
“Is that what you and your mate decided?”
“No. She asked me to not intervene.” Jarcee explained Faye planned to retire and hoped they’d relieve her of duty since the operation was compromised.
That was wishful thinking on Jarcee’s mate’s part. If she told her superior she had met him and Jasmine at Jarcee’s last night, they would realize Jarcee was a key player. They’d use that to their advantage to work their mission.
Right now, he needed to keep Jarcee at home and away from that military hospital in Maryland. “What do you plan to do?” Silas gave Jarcee another opportunity to change his plans.
“I’ll try and wait but I’m not sure my beast will allow it.”
“If she’s not on the way home by four? Five? I’ll help you.” Silas didn’t say how he’d help his friend, but he would intervene. He couldn’t allow Jarcee to become a one-man wrecking ball in such a high-profile place.
Jarcee agreed.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
BY FIVE, SILAS HAD dropped three additional bodies and Faye hadn’t left the hospital to return home. Jayden hadn’t been able to access her records, leaving them in the dark regarding the types of tests she’d undergone. Had they discovered an anomaly? Was she going through withdrawal symptoms being apart from Jarcee?
Silas didn’t know how to help without more information. With each passing hour, Jarcee had grown more and more concerned. Concern morphed into distress. Distress boiled into anger that erupted. His beast demanded they search for their mate. Jarcee had jumped into his vehicle and was leaving when Silas received word from Security.
Silas pulled Jarcee’s wolf and put him asleep. Security and pack members removed the sleeping giant from his truck, placed him in bed and secured the house. If the military watched the house, Silas wanted to be sure they understood Jarcee wasn’t alone, pack was always nearby to help.
At six that evening, Storm and Razor drove across the Ohio state line and took a private flight to a small airport in Maryland. Alpha Jayden provided transportation to drive them within five miles of the training facility. Silas was somewhat apprehensive.
Neither Storm nor Razor had done anything like this before. It was a big job with 24 targets in a single room with single beds, trunks, a few desks, and chairs. When fighting for your life everything in the room becomes a weapon, and full-bloods were not as easy to kill as humans. Rather than use their sharp claws, Silas gave them swords to take the heads of the enemy. Earlier today, Angus worked with Storm and Razor in the gym for two hours on wielding a sword accurately. The two were fast learners and worked well together passing every test Angus put them through.
At this point, Silas had to believe the two could handle the assignment without dragging the Wolf Nation into the equation. Silas, along with Hawke, and Angus sat in the conference room monitoring the mission.
Jasmine and Asia walked in and took seats. “Did you order the death of foreigners traveling on pack land without permission?” Jasmine asked in a conversational tone.
“Yes, and rogues and rebels.” They hadn’t discussed it first, but he stood by his actions.
“This is because of what happened this morning? The rogues identifying pack members?” When she learned what they’d done she’d been furious.
“And for crossing pack land without seeking permission. Every mercenary who accepted the job to come here should’ve thought twice. Should’ve feared my wrath and retribution and said no, instead of taking the job and money. They didn’t and that’s something I need to address to stop it from happening again.”
“Your anger is against full-bloods who’re serving the military?”
“Yes. But they are traitors as well. It is against our laws to allow humans to use us against each other.”
“As long as they didn’t hurt pack you would’ve allowed it?”
“By training with the military to fight against me, it is the same as challenging my leadership as Alpha, so I cannot allow it. But their destruction wouldn’t be as brutal and public.” He shrugged. “Maybe it would be the same. I don’t know.”
“We’ve gotten reports of at least 25 incidences so far.”
Silas nodded. “There are three times that amount across the Nation. We were slack, it won’t happen again.”
“The reports have been full of confusion and borderline excitement, one moment the person is there, the next they’re gone,” she said. “It’s certainly less messy that way. Plus, there is the extra benefit of the pack being excited by this.” She looked at him. “They’re excited and love that you’re ridding the land of intruders. I didn’t realize the rogues bothered them so much until the gleeful reporting started. You’re officially a Bad Ass Alpha who won’t take shit from no one.” She smiled. “Not my words, something I read in a report.”
Pleased by her banter and support, he kissed the back of her hand and brought her current on Faye and Jarcee’s situation.
“I hope things work out for them, she’s good for him,” Jasmine said.
“Sir we’re at the edge of the grounds and gone human deep,” Storm said. To remain undetected by the full-bloods, the two hid their wolves, a unique ability most full-bloods lacked.
Silas linked with Razor and Storm and signaled to Angus and Hawke to link in as well.
Jasmine touched Silas’ arm as she linked with him to listen.
Storm ran and jumped over the fence onto the roof of a two-storied building. Razor joined him. They crawled across two roof-tops until they reached the main training facility.
“Everyone’s still inside training,” Storm said to Silas. “Do we wait in their barracks or take them now?”
Silas thought it over and asked Hawke. “What kind of security’s in the barracks?”
“The same as in the halls and tunnels. Nothing in the bathrooms, although I’d check to be sure.”
“Go wait in the barracks,” Silas told them and watched as they roof jumped beneath the stars to the barracks.
“One heartbeat inside, I smell drugs, he’s out of it,” Storm said.
“Go inside, shut down the lights. Razor show me the heartbeat, Storm get that system online.”
“On it.”
Seconds later the lights dimmed, Storm connected the equipment that would allow Hawke to control the building, the security, and cameras.
“Got it, I’m unlocking the bathroom window,” Hawke said a few moments later.
A full-blood lie on his stomach in a long twin bed in the middle of the room. When the lights dimmed, he didn’t move and his breathing didn’t change. The heartbeat hadn’t moved. Razor stood near the main door to provide cover for Storm and stared at the lone full-blood.
Silas captured the full-blood’s beast and moments later, terminated him.
“You’re good to go,” Hawke told them.
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Storm and Razor took boots from lockers and left the barrack through the bathroom window. They lay on top of the roof to wait.
Silas squeezed Jasmine’s hand. So far things were going according to plan. Hawke set up a separate loop for the security camera and relocked the bathroom window as he reset the security system.
Jasmine smiled at him, easing his beast. The stakes were high. Normally the odds wouldn’t be in their favor but he believed these two could pull it off. They waited for over 30 minutes before the mercenaries appeared. Would they sense Razor or Storm? Most couldn’t.
“Did you hear what happened? Each time they took someone in to identify wolves, they dropped dead.” The mercenaries were talking as they returned to the barracks.
“I’ve not heard.”
“Except the one time, when no one was in the room, it was a stupid test but proved the two are connected.”
“Is that why we worked harder today?”
“I think so. They believe La Patron is behind the deaths but cannot prove it. They think he’s a big, bad wolf.” The men laughed as they entered the barracks, stripped and stepped into the shower.
“We’re missing two,” Angus said.
“Wait for them,” Silas said listening to the chatter.
“They’re traitors to our people, they should die,” one of the mercenaries said.
“You’ll be fighting against them soon.”
“That’s honorable, it’s what I do. But to violate the laws and show the humans who we are...” He spat.
“Two more just entered,” Angus said. “We have a full accounting.”
“Let them get settled in for the night,” Silas said listening and hoping to learn more.
“As long as the money is wired to my account I have no cares about them. It is a job, nothing more or less. Put away your morals and focus on winning the next battle. La Patron is no fool and despite what the human thinks, they will not win against him.”
“If you think that, why are you here?”
“The money’s good.”
They agreed and continued talking.
“I wonder if any have been sent by Taurus to earn money for the pack while improving their skills,” Silas said to Jasmine.