A Pack Family

by Shannon Duane

  Tara looked away without answering. “Do you want to feed them again?”

  His eyes perked up. “I’ll always want to feed them. They’re amazing.”

  There was a fierce knocking on the door and Dante looked to Tara. “Are you going to answer that?”

  “No, Jake will be around. Let’s just enjoy our children.”

  Jake, looking furious swung open the door. He almost closed it when he saw Katie and Conner standing in the doorway. “What now?”

  Katie flew past him. “Is Decker here? He didn’t come back to our house last night. I talked to Paul who said he got off shift last night around seven.”

  “I keep telling her he was probably pissed and stayed away.” Conner walked into the house and closed the door.

  “Actually, Decker and I shared a hotel room last night because we drank a little too much. I left a little over and hour ago but he looked comfortable. He’s probably still there.” Dante watched everyone turn shocked eyes to him.

  Katie was the first to respond. “I don’t know what’s going on but I feel like something is wrong. What hotel was it? And who the hell are you?”

  Dante’s expression was pinched. “I’m the twin’s father. I’m sorry; I don’t remember the hotel name. It was right next to the bar off First Street.”

  Katie smiled. “I know the place, I’ll call.” She walked out of the room dialing furiously on her cell phone.

  Dante looked over to Tara. “Are you and Decker okay? He didn’t say anything last night, but he seemed sad. Do you want to talk about it?”

  “No, thanks. You should probably know that there was a break in a couple days ago. We think someone was trying to get to the twins, any idea who that might be?”

  Dante’s eyes became wide with shock. “I hope you’re not insinuating I would try and steal my own pups. Why would I do that? You’re letting me see them and I’m grateful considering what my pack has done to you.”

  Tara smiled. “I don’t think it was you, but maybe you heard something from Alpha Allen’s Pack. I know they don’t like me, and I’m okay with that, but I will not let my pups be raised by them.”

  “No worries Tara. You’ve found your mate and he is a great guy. Our pups will benefit from his love and protection.

  Katie ran back into the room. “They checked the room and it’s in disarray. I called Paul, something is wrong.”

  Tara looked boldly into Katie’s eyes. “Decker is upset and requested time to cool down. If he wanted to talk with any of us he’d call.”

  Katie’s happy reply, “Great idea, we’ll track him by his cell phone signal.” It was only then that she realized that Tara had dismissed her worry over Decker, her supposed mate.

  Katie whirled around and stalked to Tara who was holding Abby. Katie reached down and smiled at the baby while taking Abby from her mother and passing her into Dante’s arms. When Abby was snuggled into Dante’s arms, Katie went back to stand in front of Tara. Katie pulled her arm back and slapped Tara on the face.

  “You bitch! He has done everything for you, and still you treat him like he’s not good enough to worry over. ‘Don’t worry about Decker; he can take care of himself’. Well you stupid twit, if anything has happened to him, I will come back for you, and you will pay.”

  Katie turned her back to Tara and announced to the crowd. “Don’t worry everyone, I’ll take care of Decker,” she turned a pointed look to Tara, “like I always do. What are best friends for?”

  Tara placed a hand on her aching cheek and watched Katie answer her cell phone. “Why would he be way out there? Is he answering his phone or any of the alarms you’ve sent to him?” A pause, “I’m on my way. I’ll meet you there.”

  Katie disconnected the call and looked to her pack. “Paul went to the hotel room and found an uncapped needle on the ground, with an unknown shifters scent. He’s tracked his cell phone to the Napa hills. I’m going with them to find him. Anyone else coming?”

  Jake and Shana both grabbed keys and went to his truck. Conner called Quinn and asked her to pick Trevor up from school, as he and Katie went out to his car.

  Tara called. “Wait, I need to go. Can I come?”

  Katie held Tara’s gaze in a hard stare. “You don’t deserve him.”

  Tara had to admit, Decker was fabulous, and she didn’t deserve him right now. But things would change. “I know I don’t, but I’ll deserve him one day, starting today.”

  Katie looked to Dante. “Would you stay with the pups? She should be there when we find him.”

  Dante looked lost. “I…Uh…I don’t know what to do.”

  Tara smiled. “Feed them, burp them and change their diapers. I’ll call Quinn to come over and help after she picks Trevor up. Okay?”

  She could see him pulling himself together. “I’ll watch them. Take care of Decker. I’ll call you if I have questions.”

  “Thank you Dante, I owe you.” Tara leaned down and kissed her kid’s heads before running out the door.

  *****

  Decker was super pissed as he sat bound to a tree. He was in an old vineyard and still trying to fight off the effects of the drug he’d been given. He was weak, with blurry vision, and now he had the mother of all headaches. He could hear his cell phone ring but it was about ten feet away, and he couldn’t reach it. He hoped no one noticed he was missing; otherwise, they’d come for him and leave Abby and Brady without protection.

  Decker heard several vehicles pull up. Damn, it was everyone. He saw Shana and Jake hop out of one car while Paul came out of his cruiser yelling, “Stay back.” That’s when he saw Katie and Tara running to him, without care, as Conner followed yelling. “Come back here woman.”

  Decker called out to Paul, “It’s fine, just me, they took off. You need to get a unit out to Alpha house to protect the kids. I was just a diversion so that bitch Victoria could snatch the pups.” He saw Tara’s eyes widen and her steps falter.

  Decker was sure that she’d begin to start yelling that he was at fault, yet again. Why was her cheek red? He was stunned to see her approach him and run a hand over the bloody side of his face, lingering on his split lip.

  “I’m so sorry, for everything. She won’t get them. Dante will protect his pups with his life.” She leaned over him and began to untie him. “You smell like chemicals.”

  “I was drugged, on top of a hangover. It was a rough morning. Could you please call Dante and let him know of his mother’s plans. I want the twins safe.”

  She finished untying him and pulled out her cell phone to begin dialing frantically. Everyone had stayed in the background probably sensing the tension between him and his mate. Decker saw Katie being restrained by Conner so he motioned everyone to meet where they were. When Decker got close, the beast that Katie was, clawed her way free from Conner. Katie flew into Decker’s open arms.

  “Come on small fry, don’t cry.”

  “Oh God you never came home, and went missing, and I was so scared.” She pulled back and hit him in the chest “Don’t you ever do that again.”

  There was a growl from behind him. All eyes turned Tara’s way. “I think you should release my mate.”

  Katie’s eyebrows rose. “You gonna make me?”

  “Tara…” Decker started.

  Tara simply looked at him with determination. “Don’t!” Tara approached Decker who was still embracing Katie. Tara held Katie’s eyes as she got closer walking behind Decker. She stood on her toes and opened her mouth as wide as it would go and bit the juncture between Decker’s shoulder and neck, where she had originally marked him. Decker shivered involuntarily.

  Katie released him. “Eew, get a room.”

  Now that Tara had staked her claim, solving one problem, she had to work on the next. “Can we go rescue our pups now? Dante didn’t answer his phone.”

  Oh shit. Tara and Decker ran with their hands entwined to Katie and Conner’s car, and drove off. They could hear Paul’s lights and sirens behind the as they weaved throu
gh traffic.

  *****

  What the hell did he know about taking care of twins? Dante was excited that Tara trusted him enough to allow him to stay with them, but when Abby began to cry, he was lost. He walked around with her, tried to give her another bottle, burped her, changed her diaper, and yet she still screamed her pretty little head off.

  Dante heard a knock at the door and assumed it was the Quinn person Tara had called to help him with the pups. He was thanking his lucky stars until he opened the door and found…his mother? “What are you doing here? I thought they told you to never come back. I don’t want you to upset my kids pack mates. Please go back home mother.”

  She looked at him with shame. “You never could do the things that needed doing. You’re just like your father, weak. Alpha Allen has claimed these pups, and so they will be raised in our pack.”

  Before Dante could argue he felt a sting to his left leg. When he looked down he saw a brute of a man that looked vaguely familiar. Oh no, he was looking at his pack enforcer, Vince. Bloody hell, his mother had drugged him, her own son. “Mother?”

  She took a screaming Abby from his arms. “Don’t you ‘mother’ me. You should have taken Tara in hand from the get go. She should have never kept these pups from their rightful pack. I’m going to return them, and Alpha Allen says if you pledge your loyalty, he will accept you back. You may raise your children.” She walked into Alpha Jake’s home and took Brady from his basinet. “See you at home.”

  Dante fell to the ground and silently preyed that someone found his mother, before she made it onto Alpha Allen’s territory.

  Chapter 11

  Decker slammed on the breaks in front of Alpha house and knew something was wrong when he saw the front door wide open and a shadow of a man in the doorway. He got out of the car and ran to Dante. “Wake up! Come on Dante, where are the twins?”

  Dante’s eyes fluttered and he breathed deep. “Decker?” His head flopped back against the tile.

  Decker shook him. “Dante, where did she take them? Where are your pups?”

  Dante’s eyes opened and Decker noticed how glossy they were. “Allen. She took them to Allen’s pack.”

  Tara gasped and Decker dropped Dante. “Come on, let’s go. We need to get to them.”

  Dante grabbed Decker’s shirt. “Take me; the drugs…wear off, soon.”

  Decker nodded, and picked up Dante placing him in Katie’s back seat. Tara was talking to Jake, Shana and Paul informing them of their plan. She had to get her pups back.

  The ride seemed like it took forever, in reality it was only a little over an hour. Dante had fully woken up and he was fuming mad at his mother. “I’m so sorry, I knew she was a bitch, but I had no idea the extent of her evil. I promise I’ll protect the pups with my life when we get there. They won’t get away with this.”

  Tara looked to him. “Don’t worry Dante, Allen wouldn’t hurt the twins, he merely wants them for future torture and to further his pack. Is there someone you trust that can watch over them until we get there?”

  He thought about it. “I can call my sister if that’s okay. She’s not very happy with mother right now, she’d protect them.”

  “Call her then and make sure she knows we’re on our way. We need to find where she took them.”

  Dante dialed. “Hey Bailey, I need a favor.”

  He was cut off by her sounds of apprehension. “Where the hell are you? Allen just sent out a mass text introducing your pups to the pack. We’re having a ceremony in an hour.”

  Dante didn’t think he could be more pissed but he was wrong. “You have got to be fucking kidding me.”

  Tara turned around in her seat. “What’s going on?”

  Dante covered the mouthpiece of his phone. “Allen has planned an initiation ceremony for the twins to be accepted in his pack.”

  Tara’s face drained of color. “No, she has to stall them.”

  Dante spoke into his phone, “I really need your help Bailey. Please, stall the ceremony; we won’t be there for about an hour. Mom drugged me and stole the kids from Jake’s pack. Everyone here is pissed.”

  “You’re kidding. Mom told us that Tara didn’t want them because she couldn’t take care of them on her own. Is Tara with you?”

  “Tara’s with me, as well as her mate, Brett Decker, and half of Alpha Jake’s pack, including the sheriff.” He became suddenly anxious for his sister. “Make sure you stay out of the way when we get there.”

  Bailey responded without hesitation. “I’ll protect your twins and treat them as my own, until you arrive. I would be honored, and when you get here, I will support whatever needs to be done. It’s time our pack has new leadership.”

  Dante was going to respond when he heard the phone disconnect. Bailey was Dante’s twin and they had a special connection. Dante was strong, Alpha, and Bailey had kept bugging him about challenging Alpha Allen. He didn’t want the responsibility, still didn’t.

  Tara asked. “Is she going to help?”

  “She says she’ll keep them safe until we arrive, not to worry.” Dante knew Bailey would protect them. She’d always wanted kids and a family. A good family, not like the one they were raised in.

  *****

  Victoria walked into Alpha Allen’s home with Dante’s twins. “Presenting Abby and Brady, as requested. These pups will make a fine addition to our pack.”

  Alpha Allen walked over to Vince who was holding the two car seats that had the screaming children in them. “Why are they crying?”

  Victoria shot the twins a look of distain. “I don’t know, they’re kids, that’s what they do. If I knew how to make them stop it would’ve been done by now.”

  Vince walked over to the table and sat the twins on it before turning to Victoria. “I want my money.”

  “You’ll get it when you finish the job. You’re supposed to protect me from Dante when he comes for them.” She didn’t think her son would hurt her, but she’d be a fool if she didn’t take precautions.

  “That wasn’t the deal. Create diversion and steal the brats. Done and done. Give me my money now, old lady, before Alpha Jake’s pack comes to retrieve them. I’m not planning on staying around for that show.”

  “Coward.” She reached into her purse and pulled out an envelope that contained cash. “Here, take it. I hope you rot in hell.”

  “You first,” Vince shot over his shoulder as he was walking out of the house.

  Alpha Allen looked inquiringly to Victoria. “Were there problems?”

  “None that I couldn’t handle.” She gave him a wolfish smile.

  “Good, now shut these babies up. Do you intend for me to perform an acceptance ceremony with them blabbering like this?” He turned to walk out of the room. “You have twenty minutes before the pack begins to gather.”

  Victoria had a fleeting bit of panic. She tried to hold Brady and pat his back, but he remained hollering. She was just going to go to her purse for the medication she’d given Dante and Decker to make them shut up, but her daughter Bailey walked in. “Hello mother. Are these Dante’s pups, my niece and nephew?”

  Victoria looked disheveled for the first time that Bailey could remember. “Are they hungry mother? Why don’t you go fix your hair, I’ll care for them while you’re gone.”

  Victoria placed a self-conscious hand to her hair. “Thank you Bailey, you’re such a good girl.” Victoria flew down the corridor to the nearest bathroom.

  Bailey stopped in front of a crying baby boy. “You must be Brady, and aren’t you just a handsome man.” She picked him up and began to rock him. He calmed significantly but still remained discontent.

  She put Brady back down in his car seat for a moment so she could attempt to soothe Abby. Abby was a little spitfire and would not stop screeching. Bailey dialed Dante on her phone, “Abby won’t stop crying and I don’t have a lot of time, any suggestions?”

  Dante had no idea what his daughter wanted, but in the front seat Tara and Decker could hear t
he conversation. Decker said “Hand the phone up.”

  Tara held the phone in front of Decker and he began to sing the itsy bitsy spider. Within moments Abby had calmed. Dante whispered from the back seat, “That’s amazing.”

  After the first song Tara got on the phone. “Hello Bailey, the twins are probably hungry. Dante said Victoria took the diaper bag that has formula. I’m sorry but they probably have to be changed also.”

  Bailey’s voice came through. “No problem. They’ll be clean and well fed when you get here. When will you arrive, we’re at Allen’s pack house?”

  Bailey could hear a man’s confident voice. “We’ll be there in about fifteen minutes.”

  Bailey heard the bathroom door open so she quickly disconnected the call and shoved her phone back in her pocket. “Mother, is there a diaper bag or formula for the pups? I don’t want them to begin crying during their initiation.”

  Victoria came back into the room looking poised. “Yes, it’s in the car. You can go fetch it.”

  Bailey put Abby down in her car seat and she began to cry again.

  “For the love of all that is holy, take her with you Bailey.”

  Bailey did as her mother asked and took Abby to the car to retrieve the bag. When she came back in, Brady had started to cry as well, and her mother was approaching him with a bottle of something in her hand. “Mother, what’s that?”

  Victoria whipped around not having noticed Bailey’s return to the room. “It’s just something to help them sleep.”

  Bailey suddenly wondered how many times her mother had dosed her and Dante with something to keep them quiet. She was appalled. “Don’t waste your medicine mother. They need to be fed and changed and then there will be no more crying. Let me care for them.” Bailey was trying extremely hard to mask her scent of rage.

  Victoria turned. “It would be wonderful if you could do that. I’m going to mingle. Do you want me to medicate them before I go?”

  “No no mother, they’ll be perfect as peach pie before the ceremony.”