by Sydney Addae
“Barticus is on top of it.”
“Send Asia. And Hawke.” She faced him. “I want our people handling this.”
“You want to go.”
“Yes,” she whispered, hoping he’d agree. Asia and Hawke’s pups were in school and it would be hard to pull them out with no notice. Her nest was empty, she could fly over there with the twins, meet this breeder, assess the situation, talk to them and be back home within 48 to 60 hours. It made perfect sense that as a breeder, she be the one to go.
Silas gazed into her eyes, which had turned molten gold. Worried, he didn’t tease or make light of their son’s predicament. He took her into his arms and held her close. “I can send the twins with David. He’d love a reason to track Sarita down. Or I could send Hank, Cain, Abel, you name it. You don’t want Asia to go even though she will. Angus would leave in a heartbeat, even though his pups are going through their first change. But I cannot send you.”
She slumped against his chest and released a frustrated sigh. “I can help with this, Silas.”
He rubbed her back. “I’m sure you can but this isn’t a good time.”
She pushed against him. “What do you mean? It’s the only time. His mate is a breeder. She can have children from anyone she chooses while linked to him. She can walk away, break his heart, run screaming when she learns of his dual nature. Believe me, if it hadn’t been for my sons I would’ve left you in a heartbeat. I did not love you, that came later, much later. I’m scared she won’t give him a chance and he’ll be stuck half-living. It’s because I understand how she’s going to react and how cocksure Adam is of his appeal to women that I want to help.”
“And I’m sure your help would be appreciated but you’ve missed an important key.”
Frowning, she looked up at him. He saw the wheels turning in her head, but she didn’t connect the dots. “What?” she finally asked.
“Adam’s mate is a breeder which means her mother is a breeder or was before she died.” He paused to allow the significance to sink in. “She died. She wasn’t destroyed or murdered. Something caused her death and because they don’t know about breeders no alarm has gone out.”
Jasmine’s mouth opened and snapped shut. “What about her? Adam’s mate? Is she in danger from whatever killed her mom?”
“I don’t know. Matt and Davian are there supervising Tomas. I’ve alerted Matt. Barticus is working on gaining access to the woman’s remains but it does not look good because of the religious cult thing. Until we have answers, Adam’s mate and those in the cult are considered tainted. Barticus is making arrangements to meet with the leader of the cult to explain the situation.”
“But Adam…”
“Has been compromised. Nothing would keep him from his mate, so it was just a matter of time anyway.”
Jasmine shook her head. “Wait.” Placing her hand on his chest, she stepped back. “What does this mean? Adam’s a half-breed not a breeder. If his mate is infected, it won’t kill him, right?”
“We don’t know. What we do know is breeders are almost impossible to kill. There’s no record of any of you dying of natural causes. When we exterminate a corrupt breeder, we take her head and burn her body to ashes. A breeder’s ability to heal is better than ours,” Silas said.
“Can humans be impacted?”
“We don’t know. Matt doesn’t think so, but if the cult doesn’t interact with other humans, there’s no way to tell. At any rate, as Alpha I need to know and understand the potential threat and solution to this problem. Breeders don’t just get sick and die, there’s something more going on and we need to know what that is.” He pulled her into his arms and kissed the top of her head. “As your mate, I need that information as soon as possible because the most important person in my world is a breeder and I cannot allow anything to happen to you. Ever.”
Jasmine heard the fear in his voice and returned his embrace. As much as she wanted to help Adam, she’d be doing it from a distance, even though she’d like to be around to smack him upside the head when he messed up. And knowing him, it was a matter of when, not, if.
“Don’t send the twins, or David or Asia and Hawke. They can’t be separated from their families waiting until Matt figures this out. David doesn’t need to be exposed either,” Jasmine exhaled. “Send Brix and Leonidas. Brix will blend right in.”
Thinking of the mated pair, Silas nodded. “I’ll send them today.” He placed a kiss on the top of her head. “Thank you for not fighting me on this.”
“I love you too much to do anything that would cause you pain. Plus, I want to see my grandchildren, all of them, and dance at their weddings. I promised a long time ago not to do anything that would endanger that. But knowing that Adam will be quarantined with his mate with no other dual-natureds around, makes me breathe easier. He’ll work harder to win her, which may not be such a bad thing in the end.”
Silas placed his fingers beneath her chin and studied her gaze. Her eyes had returned to their natural soft brown color. “Good points.” He brushed his lips against hers. “If he wins his breeder, I wish him the same happiness I’ve found with mine.”
Snuggling into his embrace, Jasmine sighed. “I had Tyrese and Tyrone to consider, which you used to rope me in. What does Adam have?”
“He has the blood of his mother running through his veins along with a lifetime of her teachings and the good wishes of his Pack behind him. In the end, Adam will win his mate because he will not survive without her any more than I can survive without you,” Silas said.
CHAPTER TEN
“What a beautiful voice! And that song, I’ve never heard it before,” Adam said staring into Bella’s eyes.
He really did have a beautiful smile and those eyes, the color of Astrid’s favorite drinking sherry, were divine. Not divine, she amended. Pretty. Handsome. She wasn’t sure of the correct word, but she was sure the women back home would like him just fine.
Whoa. Where did that thought come from?
“Are you okay?” Adam asked.
Bella blinked until he came into focus. Heat flashed up her face. He probably thought she was some kind of weirdo. “I’m fine. Thank you. I wrote that song.” Inhaling she glanced at the screen and then back at him. “My mom died almost two months ago. I wrote it for her.”
He touched her hand. “I’m so sorry. It’s beautiful. You’re really talented.” He looked around. “Is that why you’re meeting with this guy? Your music?”
Grateful for the subject change, she nodded. “Yeah. That’s the song he wants to buy.”
“You gonna sell it?” Adam asked.
“Hearing it and remembering why I wrote it, I don’t think I’ll sell that one. I have a lot of others he can choose from.” She glanced at Adam to see if he was really interested or just being polite. People back home tended to get antsy or their eyes glazed over when she talked about music.
“Wow, that’s awesome. I can’t carry a tune let alone write music.” The back of his hand brushed her cheek. “Maybe you can show me some of your songs. Not that I can critique them like Roarke, but I’d love to hear them.”
“Why?” His response was so unlike anything she’d experienced and she didn't trust it.
“Because I’m attracted to you and want to know everything about you.”
Bella frowned. What was going on? First, a good-looking guy starts sniffing around Mona. Now Adam’s talking to her. Mama once said there was no such thing as coincidences. “You just met me. I don’t understand how this attraction happened so fast.” She didn't want to call him a liar, but she had seen women staring at him in the restaurant. Gorgeous women. Women whose butts weren’t so big.
“Do you believe in fate?” Adam asked with a slight grin.
“No. I believe I am a product of my choices which secures my eternal destination.”
His eyes widened.
Bella could have kicked herself for repeating one of the creeds from the Order.
“Are you Muslim?”
She frowned. “No. Christian. You?”
“Christian and I believe in the Goddess. I grew up in a two-faith household.”
Two faith household? She shook her head. “That could be confusing.”
He shrugged. “My parents worked hard to make it work, they wanted us exposed to as many things as possible so we could make our own choices.”
“And have you?”
“Have I what?” He took her hand in his and rubbed his thumb against the back.
“Made a choice in what you believe?” She eased her hands from his and leaned away. This one was slippery smooth. She needed to be careful with him.
“Yes. I believe in both.”
When he didn’t elaborate, she changed her mind about him believing in a higher being. No matter how good he looked, or smelled, she refused to deal with anyone who wasn’t a Christian. That was crazy to be with someone going in the opposite direction. Holding in a sigh, she glanced over her shoulder to see what was taking so long. Astrid nodded at her and continued speaking to Mr. Barticus. Bored, she looked at her fingernails. Soon she’d be home away from all of this.
Roarke returned, and approached Barticus and Astrid. The three talked in a low whisper for a several moments before walking to the table.
“Hello Bella. Thanks for meeting with me. Astrid told you I’d like to buy that song and see more of your work. After hearing you sing that song, I’d really love to sign you. Your voice is exquisite. It seems such a shame not to share such a gift with the world,” Roarke said.
Bella squeezed her hands together as she watched them sit and listened to Roarke. “I don’t want to sing in public or commercially,” she said adamantly. “I’m not selling that song. It’s too personal to share right now. I’m sorry for wasting your time. I have others I’ve written… if you’d like to see them.” She shrugged to dispel the butterflies in her belly. “Otherwise, I don’t have anything else to say.” She continued holding Roarke’s gaze for a few seconds until he looked away.
“I would be honored to see anything you’ve written. And if you ever change your mind about that song, please contact me.” He smiled gently and nodded.
Grateful for his easy-going handling of the matter, Bella decided to give him first right of refusal for her works. She looked at Astrid, who stared at the table, twisting her hands together. No one spoke for several moments. Bella glanced at Adam who stared at Barticus.
Tired of the silence and ready to leave, Bella stood.
Adam stood as well and slid on a pair of sunglasses. She glanced at him and then at the three still sitting. “Astrid?”
“Hmm, yeah?” She looked at Bella, frowned and stood slowly. “What’s going on? You’re done?” Astrid asked Roarke.
“Kind of. We discussed the song,” Roarke said slowly, glancing at Bella.
“That’s all?” Astrid snapped.
Bella frowned. “Is there something else?” She looked at Roarke, who stared at the table. Then Astrid, who shrugged and finally Barticus.
“Yes. There are a few things to discuss.” Barticus’ gaze flitted from Bella to Adam to Bella again. “Astrid says you plan to return home.”
Bella nodded slowly, her gaze slid to Astrid, wondering why she would tell this to a stranger. “Yes, the city is not the place for me.”
“We were discussing your protection, to return home that is.”
Bella waved her hand. “I made it here with no problems, going home should be fine.”
“There were no fights in the streets?” Roarke asked with a slight grin.
Relieved to know what caused the somber looks, Bella smiled. “No. I’ve been here for five weeks and that’s the first time I’ve ever seen that.”
“You were indoors all the time?” Roarke asked.
“No. Astrid has a roof garden that I used every day and I’d walk to the corner market for fresh fruits and veggies at least three to four times a week,” Bella said wondering why he wanted to know.
“Is something going on back home, something that made you more homesick than normal?” Barticus asked.
“No.” She paused recalling the email from Mona.
“You’ve thought of something?” Astrid asked.
“Not really. I got an email from my friend the other day. Things are happening back home. Nothing big.” Bella didn’t want anyone to know about Mona’s transgression with the outsider. Somehow, she would help Mona work through this.
“I see,” Astrid said glancing at Barticus.
He nodded and stood. “How long will it take you to pack?”
“Pack?” Bella asked, her gaze flying from him to Astrid.
“Yes. I think it’s best you leave today,” Astrid said looking genuinely sad.
“You do?” Bella asked, surprised by the older woman’s about-face.
“Yes.” Astrid stood slowly. “Come, let’s get you packed. I’ll contact Regina to let her know when you’re on the road.” She moved away from the table, waving Bella forward.
“Did something happen?” Bella asked looking at everyone except Adam. “This seems weird.”
“What seems weird?” Astrid asked.
“You, for one,” Bella pointed. “Just the other day you told me I couldn’t leave until six weeks now you’re all but pushing me out the door.” She held up her hand. “Not that I’m complaining. I don’t like the city. I want to go home, it’s just the way everything’s happening right now that seems weird.”
Adam’s hand brushed against her arm.
She spun around. “And you.” She pointed at him. “How can you be interested in me? You just met me. All those women were watching you, but you sat with us. I don’t trust that. Why are guys starting to hang around the Order? Huh? What’s going on with that?”
“Hang around the Order?” Barticus asked.
Bella stared at Adam’s confused expression for another second and stepped back, embarrassed by her outburst. “Nothing. I’m ready to go.”
“We’re trying to help,” Barticus said.
“Why?” Bella looked at him and then Adam. “And don’t tell me it’s because he’s attracted to a total stranger. Don’t insult my intelligence.”
For several seconds, no one spoke.
“To keep those men from taking you,” Adam said. “They wanted to get to you.”
Bella’s heart slammed against her chest. Bending forward, she placed her hands on the table to steady herself. Slight tremors ran through her as she remembered the brutal attacks. In the back of her mind, she’d suspected they were after her, but refused to deal with the possibility.
She looked at Adam. He stood tall, his jaw clenched tight and he didn’t blink. “Why?” She asked. “Why were they fighting and following me?” When he didn’t answer, she glanced at Astrid. “You know. Tell me.”
“You’re attracting them for some reason, a pheromone or something. I don’t understand what’s going on. Just what they’ve said.” Astrid shrugged and continued to the door.
Bella tried to swallow past the knot at her throat and couldn’t. Her legs wobbled at the idea of big men running toward her, trying to get to her and fighting. “Wait. Why were they fighting if they were coming after me?” They hadn’t answered that riddle.
“To keep the others from getting to you first,” Adam said drawing her attention again. “The winner would come for you.” He didn’t soften the blow, didn’t turn away as he said it. No. He simply told her the truth. She preferred that, could deal with that.
“Come for me? And then what? I wouldn’t have gone with any of those barbarians who fought in the streets like wild dogs in the mountain do over a bone or something.” She shuddered. “Father God protect me from men like that!”
####
“And don’t tell me it’s because he’s attracted to a total stranger. Don’t insult my intelligence.” For several seconds Bella’s words hammered into Adam’s skull. He turned from the pity in Alpha Barticus ’eyes but not from the pain in her voice when
she wanted to know why? Why had the men come after her? He had to answer no matter what it cost and that alone scared the shit out of him.
He’d been dealing with girls since he was nine and knew what to say, how to act, what to do to get them to return his smile and do exactly what he wanted. Until now. Hearing her opinion of the full-bloods fighting, calling them wild dogs… his heart sank.
What would she think of him? How long could he keep his beast under control? Her scent wrapped around his cock and stroked it as sure as it was her hand or mouth. Barticus and Roarke smelled him leaking and empathized with him.
Shit. She was a Christian girl, probably a virgin. Which would be fucking fantastic, something he’d definitely appreciate more if she wasn’t throwing off that fuck-me-now scent. Now he had to travel to some remote part of Italy to watch over and protect her until her scent changed. Neither Barticus nor his dad told him how or why her scent would change. He suspected it had to do with him getting her in bed. As hard as his dick was, it had to be a part of it. The idea of making love to his mate pleased his beast, but the hoops he would go through to make that happen pissed off his human side.
Patience.
Adam Knight never begged for pussy or ran behind any woman. There were too many available females to get tied up in a knot. Jaw tight, the one-sided argument with his beast went on for several moments. But his wolf never wavered in its determination to protect their mate, no matter what it cost his human side. He wanted to yell and scream over the unfairness of it all. She wasn’t the least bit interested in him and now he had to leave Rome, to chase after her and couldn’t explain why.
“Easy… your eyes are changing,” Barticus warned through their link.
“Did you hear what she said?” Adam watched Astrid’s hand on the door knob.
“Yes. She’s frightened, and out of her depth. Nothing she’s learned or experienced has prepared her for what’s coming at her. You saw it. Now imagine how she feels. You’ll need patience and understanding to win your mate,” Barticus said.