by Sydney Addae
He took a step forward.
She kicked him in the leg. He flew backward and hit their car. The gun went off and hit someone’s window. Beth got out the car and ran to Nelson.
Faye moved quickly and put her foot on top of the gun Beth had tried to retrieve.
“Bitch please,” Faye said in a low voice. “Tell me what the fuck is going on before I fuck you up. Don’t think I won’t use this gun on both of you.”
Beth’s eyes widened and then she started crying.
“Everything alright?” the two men in the SUV asked as they pulled up behind the car blocking her in.
“These assholes threatened me with this gun.” She moved her foot so they could see. “Wanted me to go with them somewhere in their car.”
“You hit him? We saw him fly backward.” One of the men said.
“No. I kicked him.”
They looked at her and nodded. “Do you want to press charges?”
“Are you cops?” There was nothing on the truck to make her think they were.
“Yes, we are.”
She looked at Beth and then at Nelson. “Yes. They stopped me in the store and again out here. She won’t tell me what’s going on, maybe they’ll tell a judge.”
One man lifted a struggling Beth with ease and placed plastic zip-lock ties around her wrists. The other took a kit from the back of the SUV and worked on Nelson. He placed something on his leg and by the time he finished, an ambulance had arrived. The whole matter was solved quickly and efficiently.
The officer gave her his card and asked her to come to the station within an hour.
“I have to fix breakfast and eat so it’ll be more like two hours.”
“That’s fine.” They moved Beth’s car so Faye could leave.
JARCEE AND FAYE SAT in a room listening to Nelson tell the investigator he wanted Faye to reconsider working for him, that’s why he threatened her at gunpoint.
Jarcee’s low growl rolled through the room. He’d been angry since she returned home and explained what happened. They hadn't eaten yet, he’d been hell-bent on reaching the police department and taking matters into his own hands. She reminded him of her job and the need to keep a low profile, especially since she’d just returned last night. That stopped his growling but not his determination to get to Nelson and Beth.
When they arrived, they’d been admitted to the Chief’s office immediately and allowed to listen in on the questioning.
“He’s lying,” Jarcee said.
“Yeah, that’s obvious, but why? Where did they want to take me?” Faye murmured.
“Where did you want to take her?” the Investigator asked.
“Back to the office, to talk,” Nelson said.
“Then why not talk to her instead of pulling a gun on her and threatening her?”
“Look, I made a mistake. I shouldn’t have done that. I apologize.” He sounded as if he was in pain.
The door opened and an attractive woman entered the room. She was tall and muscular with a bronzed complexion and long, dark hair she wore pulled back in a bun on the back of her head.
“Hi, Nelson, how are you?” she extended her hand.
He wore a confused look as he shook her hand. “Hi, have we met?” he asked.
“Yeah, you sold me a house last year. When I saw you come in I wanted to come and greet you.” She looked at the Investigator. “He sold me a house. Were you and Beth together then or were you with someone else? I can’t recall.”
“Beth and I’ve been together for ten years,” he said.
“But she’s just 25,” the woman said.
“Yes. We started early.” Nelson smiled.
Faye’s stomach turned.
“So you were headed to Canada? Or where were you going this time?”
“Canada for sure. This is the last trip, we’ll stay this time.” Nelson looked around. “Where’s Beth?”
“She’s in the other room talking.” She released his hand and stared at him hard and long. “You’ve been working this area for two years?”
He shook his head as if clearing it and looked at her. “What?”
“The real estate company, you’ve been there for two years?”
“He told me they’d been there five years,” Faye said, surprised he lied.
“No. Two years,” he said.
“Why did you want to take Faye to Canada? It’s too cold up there.”
He stared at her and didn’t speak.
“Her fiancé’s going to kill you.” The woman said calmly in front of the cop.
Faye’s mouth dropped open. Fiancé? She looked at Jarcee hoping he wasn’t offended by this tactic to get Nelson to talk. He nodded his agreement. That’s when the rest of the woman’s comments registered. “You can’t do that, Jarcee,” she said. “You can’t.”
He looked down at her and pulled her close.
“Who’s in Canada, Nelson? Who do you take these women to?” the woman asked.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said.
“Yeah, you do. Beth says you’re helping someone in Canada, that he pays you for the women you send, especially women who can handle full-bloods.”
Faye couldn’t believe what she heard. Did this woman just mention the wolf-nation? Was that what this was about? Her and Jarcee? She looked around. Was this a real police station?
“Beth says that’s how you make your money. In the past six months, you’ve taken four women to Canada, they thought it was work related. Thought you were taking them to some conference, something to help their careers until they arrived and discovered they wouldn’t be leaving.”
“Lies,” Nelson said.
Faye froze. He had offered to take her to a symposium. She felt nauseous. Jarcee wrapped her in his arms and rocked her gently.
“Hey, that’s what Beth said. Just telling you what we were told and the reason you’re going to prison.” She stood and looked down at him. “A man who sells women is less than maggots in my opinion.” She left the room.
Nelson stared at the table as the Investigator left behind her.
“Who was that?” Faye asked awed by the woman. She’d met a lot of female officers in her career. None of them wielded the kind of confidence and bad-assery as this woman.
“Asia.”
CHAPTER THIRTY
SILAS MET WITH ASIA, Angus, Hawke, Jacques, and Jasmine in the conference room later that day. Jarcee had taken Faye home and asked if Silas thought it was a good time to explain her mated status. Silas believed it would be best to wait until she was no longer in the military, so her loyalties would not be divided. But left it up to Jarcee. The fact Faye had been sent away the first time for reporting their relationship, swayed Jarcee to wait.
Nelson and Beth were being held in the jail with no contacts. Their vehicle would be broken down and sold for scrap metal. The cops searched their homes for anything incriminating, evidence would be packed and locked away in the compound.
“Nelson has access to Taurus. He’s been supplying women, both human and dual-natured for the men in Taurus’ pack. Anyone not designated as a breeder is passed around to the men for release. Needless to say, they go through a lot of females quickly,” Asia said.
“If we take his place, we can go in and wipe him out,” Angus said. “The Knights can be called in to assist since they’re in the area.”
Silas thought about it. “We’re still under surveillance. There can be no slip-ups. Nelson’s life is forfeit, it’s the only way to keep Jarcee from killing the man himself. Faye’s still enlisted so he can’t do that. I promised him the man would be handled.”
“Agreed,” Hawke said. “We can set something up, exchange a dead body for him, take our body and keep it in the compound until we return.”
“You’re thinking to take him from jail?” Asia asked.
“Yes.”
She shook her head. “Too many cameras. He needs to be escorted off the premises to a clean location and then make
the exchange. We make sure there’s another vehicle in place to take our bodies to the compound while Nelson and Beth leave.”
“We take Beth too?” Silas asked.
“Yes or keep her locked away forever. She’s deep into this with him, loves the challenges, the thrill. If she had the contacts, she would keep it going without him,” Asia said. “For someone so young, she’s very dark. I didn’t go into her adolescent memories but it’s possible something traumatic happened to her at a young age.”
“We already accepted the White House dinner,” Jasmine reminded him. The people in this room, Leon, Brix, Tyrone, Tyrese and Danielle his mate, were the only ones who knew of the bracelet and that he trusted to use it.
“True. When is the next shipment of women expected?” Silas asked Asia.
“Middle of the week.”
“That’s the same time we’re in D.C.” If Nelson didn’t show, they could lose this opportunity to clean house. But he couldn’t postpone this dinner either, he planned to make sure Bents didn’t get pardoned and to do that he needed a face to face with the President. He could take Renee, Jackie, and their mates. Jacques could talk to the Joint Chiefs, they were already familiar with him. It might work.
He’d send Hawke, Asia, and Angus to Canada. Two of them would pose as women. Cain would maneuver the Knights close once he gave them the exact location. By sending the small team in first he hoped to minimize innocent casualties.
“We’ll do it,” he said.
“Who are you sending?” Jasmine asked him.
He told her his plans.
“Renee would love it,” Jasmine said. “I think you need more women, though.
“How many did Nelson promise to take this trip?” Silas asked.
“Three,” Asia said. “That was before he went after Faye. Her relationship with Jarcee made her a prize. A prize that cost him his life, but her ability to handle Jarcee made her gold.”
“Does he take Beth with him?”
“Sometimes, but not the last time,” Asia said.
“Okay, we take her body, keep her memories and knowledge, but change into someone else. I’m sending the three of you, but we’re still short one,” Silas said.
“Send Mélange,” Jasmine suggested. “She can meet up with them after they use the bracelet. She won’t ever know.”
“It’ll compromise the team dynamics for her not to know,” Angus said. “In a situation like this we all count on each other’s strengths and weaknesses. It won’t work if we’re not all on the same page.”
“You think it’s better to tell her about the chameleon?” Jasmine asked Angus although she looked at Asia.
“In a mission like this, yes.” Angus looked at the others.
“Mélange and I haven’t always seen eye to eye, but she lived in Canada for a while and knows the area. Plus, if she doesn’t know our skill sets she’ll work at a disadvantage and will definitely not show us any respect. I don’t see how we can use her and not share who we are. She knows of the bracelet, that was how I met her. Plus, she knows either you or one of us will kill her if she betrays you.”
“Mélange had been trying to steal it from a Liege Lord to sell on the market. She goes in as herself, she doesn’t use the bracelet,” Silas said.
Asia smiled. “Who knows what tricks Mélange has to disguise herself? She might surprise you.”
Silas didn’t care and he didn’t particularly like dealing with Mélange either. But the opportunity to walk into Taurus’ camp was too tempting. With the Knights on standby, Silas hoped to clear out the camp and shut down the breeding operation. More importantly, he wanted to learn who was at the head of this pack.
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
SILAS AND HIS FAMILY flew into Maryland. Alpha Jayden, Alpha Lyle and Alpha Thomas met his plane. They went to Alpha Jayden’s for refreshments where the mates of the Alphas waited to meet Jasmine with a rock-star reception.
Dressed in a cream and orange colored sheath that fit her body, Jasmine’s warmth and grace earned her even more loyalty with the women in her network. Victoria, Jackie, and Renee sat with Jasmine while Jacques, Quinn, Storm and Silas talked with the three Alphas over expectations for dinner that evening.
“We’ve filed an injunction against the three attempts to take our land and provided deeds showing proof of ownership. It was a bogus claim intended as a nuisance,” Alpha Lyle said.
“And the 30 day census demand?” Silas asked.
“Ignore it. The demand didn’t come from the Senate or the House and won’t. He’s blowing smoke unless he plans to be specific and tell the world exactly who he wants you to count, it’s an empty threat. He’ll need to prove it first,” Alpha Lyle explained.
“He’s going to ask for something tonight,” Alpha Thomas said. “He wants something from you.”
“I know. There’s something I want from him as well.” He gave a quick overview of Admiral Bents crimes against the pack over decades and without admitting the pack’s involvement, explained how much he wanted to see the man in prison or worse. “I don’t want him pardoned.”
The men looked at him. “That would be a shame if he were released after killing one of his own.”
“If he’s pardoned, does that mean the President had something to do with Lee’s death? He pardoned Lee first,” Alpha Thomas said.
“True. It’s definitely something to think about,” Silas said realizing that would be his approach. He glanced at his watch.
Mélange had arrived and when she was told who was who showed no emotion or interest in them or the bracelet. They briefed her on the operation and she was good to go. Angus and the team drove to Canada and should be crossing the border soon.
Cain and the Knights had moved closer and loosely surrounded the location. Things were coming to a head. He hoped to know more before the dinner reception at the White House.
SILAS HAD NEVER BEEN prouder of his pups. Jackie and Renee shined as precious jewels in their black gowns. Quinn and Storm were elegantly dressed in formal attire and caught the gazes of women all around the room. Jacques and Victoria circled together and met with several Joint Chiefs. Jacques had plans for an informal meeting with them later along with Storm. General Miller and his mate approached Silas and Jasmine who held court near a beautiful fireplace in one of the formal rooms.
“La Patron,” General Miller bowed his head, his mate did as well. “It’s an honor to see you. Thank you for inviting me.”
“It’s good to see you again, it’s been years. My mate, Jasmine.” Silas looked at her. She was radiant wearing his colors, an emerald green gown that matched his eyes perfectly and fit her like a glove. She wore her hair up in some complicated style with emerald and diamond pins in her hair. His fingers itched to make it tumble down.
“It’s good to see both of you again,” Jasmine said with a gracious smile. “It’s been a while.”
“Yes, we were at your mating ceremony,” Miller’s mate gushed. “It was lovely, you were just as beautiful then.” She looked at Renee and Jackie who were talking to people along with their mates. “They were pups at then, seeing them again, so beautiful and poised, I’m overjoyed.”
General Miller tucked his hand beneath her arm. “Come along there’s a line.” He nodded to Silas and moved away. Several Senators, some pack, some not, and Representatives were there wanting to speak with him. He spoke to as many as he could until the President arrived ending the Reception.
Silas got his first close up look at the man and summed him up quickly. He returned the fake smile. Held his hand for the photo op and took a few steps with him toward the dining room. He stopped and extended his hand for Jasmine. No one walked his mate anywhere but him. Jacques and his son-in-laws followed suit and escorted their mates inside.
Jasmine sat next to Silas. Several people sat at the table he didn’t know.
“Silas we have a guest you may know, an Alpha from Canada,” the President said softly, but every dual natured person at the tab
le heard and looked up.
“Jonas Gray, this is Silas Knight.”
Jackie coughed.
Silas nodded at the dark-haired man and wondered why he hadn’t picked up his scent. He searched for Jonas’ wolf and smiled.
“Pleasure to meet you, Sir,” Jonas said and then said something to General Strait who sat next to him.
“Did you research the guy next to Jonas?” Jasmine asked while taking a sip of soup.
“Not as thoroughly as we should have. I need to inform Angus, Taurus is here.” He contacted Angus and shared what was going on. They were shocked and wanted updates. They were still on the road and hoped to arrive at the campsite before midnight.
The President leaned closer to Silas. “He’s offered to provide Security, soldiers to replace the Knights.” Either the man forgot full-bloods had excellent hearing or he didn’t care that he’d just shared something that shouldn’t have been shared.
Silas looked at Jonas and stroked the traitor’s beast to show him who was in charge. “You’ve bought your pack to the States?” To humans, it was an innocent question but to the pack, it was a challenge. One that Jonas needed to answer.
“I was approached, asked to fill a need. Nothing more. We’re considering it.”
“Are you?” Silas asked.
Storm sat back in his seat and stared across the table at Jonas.
“If you have a moment later, we can discuss it,” Jonas said looking at Silas.
“I sense you’re challenging me.” Silas asked softly. Every dual-natured person and some of the Joint Chiefs stopped and stared.
“No. On the contrary,” Jonas said quickly, looking around. “Nothing has been decided.”
“That’s where you’re wrong. You came into my back yard, sent mercenaries already.” Silas grabbed Jonas’ beast and squeezed. “I don’t recall you asking permission to do that.”
Jonas jerked forward. His eyes widened as he looked at Silas. “Stop, please.”
“What’s going on?” the President asked looking back and forth between the two.