Alpha Awakening - Adam (La Patron's Den Book 2)

by Sydney Addae

  Ice cold dread rolled down Adam’s spine. She wasn’t talking in abstracts. His mate would die for this cause and there wasn’t anything he could do to stop her. Her entire being radiated sincerity. She was a zealot for this thing he didn’t understand.

  “No. No giving your life or being killed talk. I can’t take it.”

  “It’s still true,” she said with a wry smile as if she’d made peace with a possible, albeit unacceptable outcome.

  “Yes, I know and understand to an extent.” He ran his hand through his hair. “We can’t share our dual-natured life with anyone either. It’s a death sentence if we do, so I get it. But…” He released a long sigh. “Just don’t talk about us dying.”

  “What are you talking about? I never said anything about you?” She looked confused.

  “Mates. Together forever, baby. I go where you go, remember that?”

  Her hand flew to her mouth as her eyes widened. “No. No. You never told me that. I never would’ve… I mean there has to be a way to separate us if that happens.”

  Adam turned and stared at the wall for several seconds without speaking. He was pretty sure her death would cause him all kinds of problems, but death? He wasn’t sure since she was a breeder and he was a breed. Who knew? Theirs would be the first recorded mating pairing of their kind.

  “I’ll talk to my dad about it.”

  She gasped. “Can’t we keep family out of it?”

  He nodded and lapsed into silence.

  He glanced at her and then looked back at his clasped hands. Hearing her talk so cavalierly about giving her life, without thinking how it would impact him, hurt. Granted, she had been a part of this group all her life and keeping its secrets had been drilled into her from a child, just as he learned that rule.

  Logic lost the battle when it came to his heart. He was in uncharted waters. No woman had ever hurt his feelings before. Is this what he had to look forward to? Topsy turvy emotions? Happy one moment, sad, angry, hurt, or ecstatic the next? Goddess he prayed not.

  Vulnerable. That’s the word he searched for to describe his inner turmoil and he despised that feeling.

  Time drug by without either of them speaking or hearing from anyone on the outside. Curious if Leo had made any progress, Adam contacted him.

  “How’s it going?”

  “Three guys talking shit. How’s Bella’s old man holding up?”

  Adam glanced at Peter. “The same. Wound’s infected, he needs medical care.”

  “I think Matt’s headed this way with something for him, or La Patron asked what he could do for the man that was on the table.”

  “That would help. What’s that noise?”

  “Assholes arguing up ahead. These guys have been emptying boxes and are frustrated. I’ll give you audio so you can hear what they’re saying, maybe Bella can give us some insight,” Leo said.

  “Thanks. It’s hard being locked away not knowing what’s going on.” Adam looked over at Bella. She sat in a chair next to her father with her head on the bed, humming.

  “Any idea if the two old women who were praying in the Sanctuary are okay?” he asked Leo.

  “Not sure if they’re okay, but they still have heartbeats. Weak, but still pumping. For now, they’re still alive.” Leo said. “Can you hear them? I don’t want to get closer and tip them off that we’re here.”

  “Yeah, I hear them,” Adam said. He opened the link between him and Bella, so she could listen.

  “This is all bullshit. We’ve spent millions of dollars and years in research for this bullshit?” an angry voice hissed.

  Bella jerked up and looked at him. “Listen,” he mouthed to her.

  “Who is this?” she mouthed back.

  “Gunmen in Sanctuary.” Her eyes widened as they continued listening.

  “Worthless. These papers are worthless.” an incredulous voice said. “What the hell happened? Did we get the information wrong?”

  Bella frowned, opened her mouth but closed it.

  “No. You and another expert verified the documents and the entrance into the Sanctuary. That book must be here. Let’s keep looking,” a third voice said.

  “Where? We’ve been through every drawer, cabinet and small cell.” There was a scuffling sound.

  “If you come at me again, I swear I’ll put a bullet in you.”

  Adam remained still, glanced at Bella and then at his hands. Curious to hear what happened next, he leaned forward.

  “Calm down. Go back to the women, make them talk.”

  “Get serious, they aren’t going to talk. Either we kill them or leave them alone but make up your mind. We’re running out of time.”

  “Have you heard from the others?”

  “Can’t get a decent transmission.”

  “Hope they’re doing better than we are.”

  “Maybe it’s inside the Sanctuary where they worship.”

  “Or in one of the rooms.”

  “With the steel doors?”

  “Could be. Worth a shot, unless we blow out some of these walls, see if there’s anything behind them.”

  Adam waited to see what they decided. “They can’t fire explosives in this building,” he told Leo.

  “Agreed. Brix is almost in place and then we’ll take them out. Alpha’s standing by to assist if needed,” Leo said.

  “I know one of those voices,” Bella said slowly, her frown deepening. “The low cadence, lacks real musical resonance, but… where have I heard it before?” She looked at Adam, her gaze swung to her father, lingered for a while before returning to face him.

  “Jarcee’s found the two from the Order. They were alone in a house, tied and taped. Instead of calling in the cops, Jarcee went in, helped them get cleaned up and plans to bring them back home,” Barticus said. “We are still heading up this mountain. Regina says we’ll be there in ten minutes. I’ll let you know when we get there. Leo and Brix should be taking those guys out soon.”

  “Bella thinks she recognizes one of the voices.” Adam explained how he allowed her to listen in through his link.

  “Congratulations! I hadn’t realized you two were linked. That makes things a whole lot easier. I’d like to know who started all of this and why. Instead of disposing of them immediately, I’ll have Leo and Brix secure and removed them from the building for questioning.”

  “Thanks, Alpha Barticus. Anything that gives her peace of mind is good.”

  “As your beautiful and wise mother says, we’re family. Is Bella going with you when you return for training?”

  Adam assumed she would, but they never discussed their future. She had just accepted him today. “Yes. I haven’t talked to Tomas but we’ll work out something.”

  “The house is large enough for all of you, but if you want another place, let me know and I’ll see what’s in the area,” Barticus offered.

  Once again, Adam hadn’t thought in terms of where they’d live, or if Bella would want their own place or what her thoughts were about any of this. Clearly, he needed to get his mind in the game regarding their immediate future. “Thanks, I’ll let you know.”

  He glanced at Bella and swiped his mouth with the back of his hand. Where to start? When was the right time to have the conversation regarding their next move on a personal level? What if she refused to leave the Order? After claiming to give her life for the group he wasn’t sure she’d pick up and leave.

  Could he stay? Would he give up playing sports? Sports had always been a huge part of his life, so would he quit the league to stay here with her? Would she require that of him? Thoughts swirled around his mind. Each second he grew more certain she wouldn’t leave this place. The idea twisted his stomach.

  “What’s wrong?” Bella asked.

  He shook his head. “Just going over a few things.”

  “Did you shut down the conversation with Leo?”

  “Yeah. Alpha Barticus contacted me. Your friends have been found. Jarcee’s bringing them back here.”

&
nbsp; “Oh my God. Thank you, merciful Savior. Blessed be the Mother Mary Magdalene,” she uttered in a soft, grateful tone and closed her eyes tight.

  Adam nodded but continued turning scenario after scenario over in his mind.

  “What’s happening in the Sanctuary?” she asked him a few moments later.

  Adam opened his link with Leo. Sounds of scuffling, grunts, cussing filled their links.

  “Fighting?” Bella mouthed to him.

  Adam nodded but his thoughts weren’t really on what was happening in the next room. He had every confidence how the fight would end.

  “Jaiden!” Bella said and slapped her hand over her mouth. “Can they hear me?” she asked out loud.

  “No. Not really.” Adam looked at her. “Who’s Jaiden?” Until Bella, he’d have sworn he wasn’t the jealous type. But his beast growled low and menacing at the sound of another male’s name on her lips.

  “Mona’s friend.” She looked at her dad, moved closer to him and lowered her voice. “He came into the store as a customer and asked for Mona. I think he’s been spending time with her. He gave her gifts and started coming to the store a lot.” She snorted. “I didn’t like him the first time I met him, which for me is strange because I don’t normally pay attention like that to people.” She shrugged. “To like or dislike them, I mean. There’s got to be a special place in hell for guys like him who use people’s emotions and trick them to get what they want.”

  Adam had skated too close to that line in the past to say anything. Once again, he marveled at the unraveling layers of this set-up. It took serious planning, discipline and finances to come at the Order this way. Since his mother was Baptist he had been taught the tenets of Christianity and couldn’t understand what would cause this kind of backlash.

  She returned to her father’s side. “He needs help. How much longer before we can get him out of here?”

  Her shifting topics threw him for a few moments. “I’ll check.” He paused. “One of the men in the Sanctuary is Jaiden, who sucked up to Mona for information or something?”

  She nodded.

  Adam relayed the information to Leo, Alpha Barticus and Jarcee. “Peter is getting worse; how soon can Matt get to him?” he asked Barticus.

  “Matt should be arriving soon, once he’s there, he’s cleared to enter the building. He’ll let you know when to open the door,” Barticus said.

  “Thanks,” Adam said and then repeated Matt’s situation to Bella.

  She released a long sigh and placed a kiss on her father’s forehead.

  Adam winced and looked away.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

  Adam and Bella sat in silence, waiting. His thoughts centered around the potential conversation, and possible fallout he and his mate would have after her father was taken care of.

  For the most part, he resigned himself to the idea he might remain in this remote part of Italy with his mate. Being with her was the most important thing. He refused to be selfish and would offer to stay if she wanted. Of course, they’d need their own place and he had no interest in their cause, but he would be as supportive as she needed him to be. They were mates and shared everything.

  “We’re done here,” Leo informed him. “Brix took the first one to the SUV and when he returns we’ll take out these last two. Have Matt look at these two older women. They don’t look too good.”

  “Will do. Let me know what this was all about when you get answers, especially from the one named Jaiden. What was he up to? Find out if he touched Mona. She’s Bella’s best friend. If he used her in any way, I want to know,” Adam said, glancing at his sad mate.

  “Will do. Brix is back. We’re out.” Leo disconnected.

  “Solid,” Adam said. Uneasy he stood, walked to the door, crossed his arms and stared at it. Was it safe to open the door? What if those assholes left something on the other side? He couldn’t hear of sense anything, but the thickness of the door could be responsible for that.

  Bella touched his arm. “You okay?”

  His entire body vibrated from that simple touch and the soft concerned look in her gaze. His world shrank to this moment in time. “I need us to be together,” he blurted with all the candor and finesse of a vulnerable 22-year-old.

  Her eyes widened. She glanced over her shoulder at her father and stepped closer to Adam. “What do you mean?”

  Goddess above, he hadn’t meant to come off as some needy teenager with his first crush. “We haven’t talked about what we’re going to do after… well once your dad’s okay or anything,” he said trying to sound strong and positive.

  She stared at him for a few seconds.

  Heart racing, hope spiraled downward as time crawled, Adam braced for the worst.

  “I don’t know,” she said. “Honestly, I hadn’t thought about it. What… I mean, that’s something we need to talk about, right?” She sounded as uncertain as he felt.

  “Yeah.” He gave into his voracious need to touch her and took her hand, pulling her into the shelter of his arms. “We’re mated. Through thick and thin, good and bad, we need to be together.” He needed her to understand this fundamental building block regarding mates.

  “I get that,” she said after a few moments. She rubbed her cheek against his chest. “But we live in different countries, have different religious beliefs —”

  “Mates. That’s a bond that can’t be broken.”

  She leaned back and looked up at him. “I was just stating potential problems.”

  “I work in this country,” he said, his voice sharper than he intended. Tension held him in its grip as he waited for her response.

  “That’s right. You mentioned that.” She inhaled and shook her head. “Now I understand why you were staring at the floor for so long. This could become complicated.”

  Complicated. That word twisted like a knife in Adam’s gut. Thinking this situation could go wrong and hearing it were altogether different.

  “I mean, look at my dad. He’s getting older and sick… who’s going to help him? I’m not sure I can leave him right now,” she explained as she stepped back.

  Adam pulled her against him close. “You asked what I was thinking about.” He shrugged. One thing won’t change. Us being together. Period. I’m down for whatever makes that happen.”

  “Me too,” she murmured.

  He inhaled. “Something you should know.” He looked at her and then away. “People think I’m easy-going, a screw-up at times and that I don’t pay attention. I’m not saying that’s what you were thinking before… when you thought I needed help.” He raised his hand to stop her denial. “I’m Alpha trained. That may not mean much to you now, but in our pack, it means a lot. I can be nice and polite, or a motherfucker’s worst nightmare if they step to me wrong.”

  “Adam!”

  “Forgive my language but I don’t want you to ever be afraid when we’re together. Believe me when I say I take your safety extremely serious.”

  “I didn’t mean to… this is all new to me,” she said weakly and then pushed against his chest. “You’re not the only one people looked at strange or mistook you as easy. Try living with music in your head all the time. Notes, beats, everything you hear has a “ping” or “thump, thump, to it. Imagine needing to let that out, trying to make sense of it, being too young to understand that music draws attention and being all but shunned for it.” She closed her eyes. “My skin aches with it sometimes. It throbs inside my head, Adam. I don’t want or need to sing in front of people, but I need… I need to let go, let theses sounds inside my head out without being made to feel as if I’m some terrible person or freak.” She sobbed.

  He pulled her close and stroked her hair.

  “It’s hard trying to be what everyone expects me to be. Hard seeing the disappointment in their eyes. The end of everyone’s jokes. ‘She has her head in the clouds, ha, ha, ha.’” She exhaled.

  “You’re free now. Free to sing, make music, start a band or sing in our bedroom. I wa
nt you to fly, Bella. I want to celebrate your gift with you, Baby. I promise I’ll accept you just as you are.”

  She smiled up at him. “I promise I’ll accept you just as you are.”

  His heart lightened. “That means everything else is a detail. Details can be worked out.” “What’s going on here? Why are these men breaking into the Sanctuary?” He’d been wondering and had meant to ask her about it again, but so much was going on he’d forgotten.

  She stiffened and then eased against him.

  “I can’t tell you.” Her hands tightened around his waist, pulling him closer as her words pushed him away.

  Adam dropped a kiss on the top of her head and made a mental note to ask Alpha Barticus the same questions.

  “Adam,” Matt said. “Tomas, Davian and I are driving through the gate now. We should be there in five to ten minutes. How’s Peter doing?”

  Adam took Bella’s hand, walked back to Peter and placed his hand on his fevered brow. “Looks the same. He’s still breathing, that’s the important thing,” Adam said and met Bella’s worried gaze.

  “Matt’s here,” he told her.

  Her knees buckled.

  He grabbed her around the waist, and held her tight until she steadied.

  “Thank the Lord,” she whispered as she moved to re-take her position by the bed and picked up her father’s hand.

  “Knock on the door when you get here, I’ll let you in. Make sure you or Davian scan the area first for nasty surprises,” Adam warned.

  Matt disconnected.

  Adam looked down at Peter’s still body and prayed Matt could fix whatever was broken before it was too late.

  Seconds crawled before the knock on the door. Bella looked up at him as he strode forward sensing Matt and Tomas on the other side.

  Door opened, Matt held a large medical case in each hand and headed straight for Peter. Tomas held a large silver case but stopped to embrace Adam.

  “Good to see you man,” Tomas said as he stepped back.

  Adam grinned, glad to see his friend. “Yeah, good to see you too. We got some catching up to do.” He fist-bumped Tomas and followed him to the area Matt quickly transformed into a workable space.