When Elias woke, it was to the smell of bacon sizzling and fresh coffee brewing. He opened his eyes and found Sage watching him. His nephew held out a mug of coffee.
“Thought you might need this.”
He took the mug and had a swallow. “Thanks.”
“No problem.” Sage was wearing jeans and a tank top and looked as though he’d been up for a while.
Elias carefully set the mug down, stood and stretched. He knew the twins were watching him. Sage sipped his own cup of coffee while Reece manned the small propane stove.
“Smells good,” he told Reece.
“Figured you could use a good breakfast this morning.” Elias could see the worry in Reece’s eyes, but there was nothing he could do about that. Until things were settled with the Salvation Pack, one way or another, they needed to be worried. It would help keep them safe.
Elias went to the back of the SUV and dug through his duffle until he found a clean pair of jeans and a brown tank. He slipped both on and padded back to his sleeping bag. “Didn’t mean to sleep so late. What time is it?”
“Not quite eight. You’ve got plenty of time,” Sage told him.
Elias picked up his sleeping bag, shook it out and rolled it before tossing it into the back of the SUV. That done, he grabbed his coffee and downed the rest of it in one gulp.
“You were out running until late,” Reece pointed out. He scooped the bacon out of the pan and began breaking eggs into it. They sizzled and popped when they hit the hot bacon grease.
“Yeah, I was. Sorry I was gone longer than I’d anticipated.” That was all he was going to say about it. He went to the stove and grabbed the rag Reece had used to protect his fingers and he poured himself another cup of coffee.
Sage started preparing three plates of food. He divided the bacon evenly and then Reece added the eggs. They were growing up so fast. Elias knew that whatever happened today, the boys were able to take care of themselves.
“Here.” Sage held out one of the plates to him.
“Thanks for breakfast,” he told the two of them. “Appreciate it.”
Reece shrugged. “It’s nothing.”
Elias sat on the ground and leaned against the broad trunk of a tree. “It’s not nothing.” Shit, like any self-respecting werewolf, he hated talking about his feelings, but this was not the time to be a coward. There were things he needed to say to his nephews just in case things went horribly wrong this morning.
“Look, I have no idea what’s going to happen with the Salvation Pack. They may want to meet you, they may tell us to fuck off or they may kill me.” The last was always a possibility. “If that happens, they’ll come for you next.”
Reece narrowed his eyes and Sage frowned. “Maybe we should go with you,” Reece began.
“No.” Elias shook his head. “I don’t want to have to worry about you while I’m dealing with the alpha of the pack. I need to know you’re safe.” That was everything to him. He picked up a piece of bacon and munched on it. He was starving after all the running he’d done last night. This meal was little more than a snack.
“I don’t like this,” Sage muttered.
“I know you don’t, but it’s what’s going to happen.” He was the alpha of this small pack. His word was law.
Sage went silent and looked down at his plate.
“This is what’s best for you,” he reminded them. “If things go well, we’ll become part of the Salvation pack. We can try it out for a while and decide if it’s what we want.” He had another mouthful of coffee, needing every ounce of energy he could get today.
“But we can leave if it doesn’t work out, right?”
Elias knew that Sage was especially worried because he was the half-breed that couldn’t shift. “We’ll decide as a family,” he promised the boy.
They ate in silence until their plates were empty.
“What about Sue and Billy?” Reece asked.
Elias ignored the pang in his heart and stood. “They’re both fully human,” he reminded Reece. “If we stay, we can’t be close to them. That would only put the pack and us, and therefore them, in danger. And if we have to leave…” Elias shrugged, trying to act like it was no big deal when it felt as though someone was cutting his heart out through his chest with a rusty knife.
Reece nodded, but Elias could tell he wasn’t happy. Neither was Sage. Hell, neither was he, but there was no changing reality.
“I need to get going.” He could run fast, but it would still take him a while to get to the meeting place. It was going to be cutting it close as it was. The last thing he wanted to do was be late and piss off Jacque LaForge.
“Pack everything into the SUV. If you haven’t heard from me by ten, leave town, but don’t go too far. If you haven’t heard from me by eleven, go to Chicago to the safety deposit box, get everything out of it and hit the road.” He walked over to stand in front of both boys. He reached out, wrapped his hands around the backs of their necks and pulled them in so they were in a tight huddle, their foreheads touching. “You understand me. I want you safe. I need you to be safe.”
They were all that were left of his brother. Beyond that, he loved them as if they were his own sons.
He released them and sat down to pull on his sneakers. “Remember. Ten o’clock and you’re out of here.”
Elias hated like hell to leave them like this, not knowing if he’d ever see them again. He dragged Reece into his arms and hugged him. Then he did the same to Sage. Standing side by side, they were carbon copies of one another, yet Elias had never had any problems telling them apart. They were very different people, each with unique strengths and weaknesses.
“Take care of each other, and I’ll see you in a while. Keep your phones handy in case I have to contact you,” he reminded them. Not that he really needed to. Like most teens, their phones were surgically attached to them. Not that they used them too much anymore. Not with their parents gone and their hometown far behind them.
He glanced at the sky and walked to the end of the clearing. “I’ll call,” he promised, hoping it was the truth. He’d never lied to them before and didn’t want to start now.
He looked back one final time. His nephews were almost men, almost grown, but they were still young enough to need a pack, to need a home. He turned away and started running, praying like hell he wasn’t making a mistake.
Sage tossed the paper plates into a trash bag and started cleaning up the campsite. Reece watched his uncle until there was no longer any sign of him.
“What are we going to do?” Reece asked his twin.
Sage didn’t even bother looking at him but started rolling up his sleeping bag. “What do you think?”
Reece grinned. That was the great thing about being a twin. He didn’t have to wonder what Sage was thinking. He already knew. “He’ll kill us if he finds out,” Reece felt compelled to point out.
Sage tossed his sleeping bag toward the SUV. “Then we can’t let him find out.”
Reece laughed. “And everyone thinks I’m the devious one. You’ve sure got them all fooled, bro.” He got to work putting the remaining food back into their cooler and breaking down the stove.
“What do you think happened last night between Uncle Elias and Sue?” Sage asked.
Reece wiped his hands on his jeans and shrugged. “I’m not sure I want to know.” It was weird thinking about his uncle and Sue together.
“He looks at her the same way that Dad looked at Mom.” Sage got quiet and Reece knew his brother was hurting, because he was too. It was still hard to believe their folks were gone.
“Yeah, I don’t want to think about that.” Reece picked up the cooler and carried it to the vehicle. He shoved a few things aside to make room. It was weird to think about his uncle being attracted to a woman, especially a human. He liked Sue, he really did, but it was still weird.
“I think they had sex.”
“Jesus, Sage.” Reece fought the urge to cover his ears. “I don’t want that imagine in my head.”
“Don’t you like Sue?” Sage stood with his head tilted to one side and his hands on his hips. It was the scowl on his face that alerted Reece to the fact that his brother was pissed off.
“Of course I like her. That’s got nothing to do with it.”
“Is it the fact she’s human? I mean, I might as well be human since I can’t shift.”
Reece stalked over to his brother and pulled him into his arms. “First of all, you’re not human. You’re a werewolf. You’ve got the senses and the instincts. Doesn’t matter that you can’t shift.”
He leaned back so he could stare into his brother’s eyes. Eyes that were identical to his own. “It doesn’t matter to me that Sue is human, but it’s not safe for her to be involved in our world. We don’t know what the other wolves might do to her and Billy.”
“You’re right.” Sage released a pent-up breath and rubbed his hand over his face. Reece was struck by the gesture. It was one he’d seen his father make many times. God, he missed his parents so badly. It was an ache that never went away.
“Besides,” Reece added, “I just don’t want to picture Uncle Elias getting it on with any woman.” He shuddered. “That’s like picturing Mom and Dad having sex.”
“Eww.” Sage smacked him on the arm. “Why did you have to put it like that?”
“That’s how I see it.” Reece grabbed his knapsack and headed back to the SUV.
“Man, I need to get that image out of my head.” Sage picked up a stray water bottle and tossed it in with the rest of the trash. Usually, they’d recycle, but there was no place to do so on the road. “I think they’d be good together.”
“Maybe.” Reece went back to the stove. It was still warm but not hot. It would have to do. They couldn’t leave it here. “We need to get going. We can worry about Uncle Elias’s love life later.” If they were all still alive. He didn’t add that last bit because he knew Sage was thinking it too.
Reece loaded the stove into the SUV, making sure it was safely away from everything else. “Let’s go.”
Sage took one more look around the campsite to make certain they hadn’t left anything behind. Then he grabbed his knapsack and went to the passenger side of the SUV. Reece was driving. They took turns so they’d both get experience. They had driver’s licenses, but neither of them had clocked a lot of miles.
Sage glanced at his watch. “Uncle Elias should be there by now.”
Reece started the SUV. “We won’t be long behind him.”
Chapter Eleven
Elias knew there were two wolves following him. The big bastard from his last visit and another man he’d only seen from a distance. Like the last time he’d approached them, he kept to the main road. He hated being this vulnerable, but it was for the twins. And he’d do anything for them, even walk into the bowels of Hell.
This shouldn’t be quite that bad…he hoped.
At least Reece and Sage would be out of harm’s way. He didn’t dare pull out his phone to check the time, but he knew it was nine o’clock sharp. No way did he want to piss off Jacque LaForge by being late. He’d texted both boys a reminder to leave the campsite by no later than ten, sooner if they were ready.
The closer it got to the meeting, the more uneasy he became. His internal clock was ticking. He wished he’d told the boys to leave town sooner, but it was too late. He had to trust they were smart enough to take care of themselves and do what he’d ordered. Although the last was a fifty/fifty proposition at best. They were testing their limits lately, as all teenagers did.
He allowed none of his inner turmoil to show. Outwardly, he was calm and in control. That was essential for a meeting like this.
Elias rounded a bend in the road and Jacque LaForge was standing there waiting. Christ, the man was a presence. He gave off a badass vibe that only an idiot would ignore. And Elias liked to think he wasn’t an idiot.
He nodded to the alpha and waited for him to take the lead. Elias didn’t need to test himself against the other man just to prove he was tough. He was confident in his abilities and skills. This was about the twins.
Inside him, his wolf growled, wanting to challenge the other man for dominance. He fought the beast into submission before it goaded him into doing something stupid.
One corner of Jacque’s mouth kicked up. “Your control is admirable.”
The bastard knew what a battle it was for Elias to keep his wolf under control at a time like this. He gave a curt nod and waited.
“Patience too.”
Elias released a low growl. It was one thing to show patience, another to let the alpha think he could walk all over him. He’d never wanted to be alpha of a pack, but he was no omega, willing to be kicked around by others. Jacque’s golden eyes narrowed but he still seemed relaxed. Elias didn’t know whether he should be reassured or worried.
Other wolves materialized around them. Elias risked a quick glance away from the alpha. He recognized the ones in human form and could easily scent who was who in wolf form.
Like before, the man with the tattoos on his arms came to stand beside the alpha. Elias knew without turning around all the way that the big wolf was standing right behind him.
The tension dragged out until it threatened to snap. A bead of sweat rolled down Elias’s back as the morning sun beat down on him. No one spoke. A crow flew overhead and cawed, as if in warning.
“What exactly do you want?” Jacque asked.
“A pack for my nephews. And myself.” Better to lay everything out there for discussion.
“Why now?” Jacque tilted his head to one side, and Elias knew the fate of his boys depended on his answer.
“Safety.” This was not a man to pussyfoot around. Jacque was a fighter. “When it was the three of us adults, we could reasonably protect the boys. If something happens to me, they’ll be alone.” And the thought of that hurt his heart. “They’re old enough and independent enough to take care of themselves.” He looked the alpha straight in the eyes. “But they shouldn’t have to.”
“You’re sure your pack won’t accept them?” Jacque asked.
It was a valid question. Elias answered it with one of his own. “Would the pack you were born into accept them?”
Jacque snorted and rubbed his chin. “Not a chance.” He motioned to the side and a man stepped forward. He was almost as tall as the alpha, but he had scars running down the left side of face. Had to have been one hell of an injury not to have healed all the way.
“This is Armand. Tell him more about your brother and his family. He’s going to do a little digging and we’ll just wait to see what he finds out.”
That was fair enough. If he were in the alpha’s position, he wouldn’t just take the word of a wolf who’d wandered in off the street. He’d be suspicious as hell, especially with females to protect.
Jacque nodded to whoever was behind Elias and he felt them leave. He wondered what they were doing, but then Armand came over to stand beside him and the interrogation began.
Sage crouched next to his brother and waited. Reece was in wolf form but Sage was using his werewolf senses, scanning the area as his father and Uncle Elias had taught him. Their uncle wasn’t too far ahead of them. He was also surrounded by six wolves.
Neither Sage nor his brother had seen that many werewolves in one spot. Half of them were in human form. The other half were shifted.
And, holy hell, one of the wolves was larger than either his uncle or his father. Sage rested his forehead against his brother’s flank. Reece butted his shoulder and Sage raised his head.
Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea. It was scary as hell to be around so many of their kind. As soon as he had the thought, he felt like a coward.
&
nbsp; Reece rubbed his chin over Sage’s hair in reassurance. Sage dug his fingers into his brother’s fur coat and reminded himself he wasn’t alone. His parents were gone, but he had Reece and his uncle.
He looked into his brother’s eyes and tilted his head to one side. Should they move closer? They couldn’t hear a thing from where they were, but if they moved closer, the other wolves might hear them.
As much as Sage hated to admit it, they weren’t as good at sneaking around as Uncle Elias was. Not yet, anyway. He would be, he promised himself. He wouldn’t be a burden to his uncle or brother. He’d find a way to become the best tracker any pack had ever had.
In some ways, it was like being handicapped. He learned to use what senses he did have more efficiently. Not being able to shift meant he was honing his enhanced sense of sight, smell and hearing more keenly.
And he heard the sound beside them a second too late. He whirled around and came face-to-face with a giant of a man. The guy was over six and a half feet tall with dark blond hair and green eyes. The scowl on his face was terrifying.
He reached out for Sage but Reece jumped in front of him and growled.
The man’s frowned deepened. “You don’ want to be doing that, boy,” the man warned. He grabbed Sage by the scruff of the neck and dragged him forward. “Something tells me your uncle is not going to be very happy.”
Sage thought about fighting, but that would only make matters worse. Plus, he wanted to be closer to his uncle. Not only were they a family, but he and Reece thought they deserved to know what was being discussed. After all, it was their future at stake. He adjusted his backpack and tried to keep up with the man’s long stride.
The man marched him through the trees. Reece trotted alongside him, following as surely as if he was being dragged. No way would his brother leave him, and the big man knew it.
Uncle Elias was talking with another man but he snapped his head around and fury blazed in his eyes. Sage stumbled. He’d never seen his uncle so angry before.
“Let him go,” his uncle ordered. The stranger stared at another man and got his nod before releasing Sage.
Wolf on a Mission: Salvation Pack, Book 6 Page 10