BirthRight (17 page)

“But the Mexican hybrids weren’t. Not even
close. Even those who had some training. So I can’t tell you what
matters or not yet, because I don’t know. More research has to be
done. Is it their diet that made them different? Or their
childhood? Or maybe how they were taught?” He shook his head.

“There are so many unanswered questions that
I can’t say right now. But I can tell you this, right now I don’t
see your sons as a threat. And I don’t think they are in any
additional danger. We’re a social community. They’re learning what
it means to have a pack behind them and that’s a good thing.” He
stroked her shoulder.

She looked up at him, curious at the wistful
tone in his voice. His hand reached beneath the sheet, touching her
thigh and setting off sparks of banked desire.

“We require interaction with others. A
simple touch.” His fingertips trailed along her thigh. Goosebumps
exploded over her skin.

“Therein lies the dilemma of the lone wolf.
He too finds himself in need at times. Times when it’s damn
inconvenient.”

“In need?” Her brow arched as the pads of
his fingers tapped across her panty-clad mound. “Am I throwing off
the mating scent again?”

He stared down at her, capturing her gaze.
There was something in his eyes. Something indefinable. He blinked
and it was gone.

“No. There’s no mating scent, not this
time.” He paused and looked at her. “Jasmine, there’s something you
need to understand. I’m an older wolf. I lead the nation of wolves,
that’s my first priority. I’ve seen a lot of things and done more
than I have time to discuss. I don’t have a mate, although I do
have a servant who sees to my needs when I am in residence.”

She frowned. “Huh?”

He shook his head. “That’s not important
unless you’re breeding. Jacques will be the one to see to your care
and then assist with their upbringing.”

“What?” She tried to lean forward but he
held her tight.

“Stop getting so riled. You’re a little
hellcat at times.”

She cocked her brow at him. “You’ve lost
your mind if you think anyone other than me is going to raise my
kids. Don’t even think I’d give them up to you or anybody
else.”

He shook her slightly. “I didn’t say… didn’t
mean you’d be giving up the pups. I have servants in my home and
one in particular whom I’d trust to deal with my litter. He has
been with me for a hundred years and runs my home.”

“So, why’d you bring him up. Are you lovers
or something?” She eyed him.

He grinned but it was far from innocent. She
shivered as his eyes slid over her from top to bottom.

“I say he’s my servant, you ask if he’s my
lover? That’s a jump even for you. Where is your mind?” He flicked
the hard bud of her nipple.

Her hand flew up and covered her chest.
“Stop that. Go back to being an old fart, I mean wolf. I mean an
old wolf.” She smiled at his glower.

His face changed as he stared at her. A
green starburst filled his eyes. Her breath caught but she didn’t
look away. Heat filled her belly. Small tingles pricked her skin,
not pleasurable, but not painful either.

Her breath hitched as she watched his eyes
change to a mixture of green and blue. The seconds ticked without
either of them speaking. Her fingertips itched to touch his face,
not in a sexual way. Even in the quiet of the room she sensed his
barely leased power, the warmth of it pulsed through the room. The
idea of a quiet storm summed up the intensity of his eyes. Dark
strands of her hair lifted beneath the wind of his glowing
eyes.

“Why are you doing this?” he whispered, her
eyelids heavy.

“I needed to see you differently. Your
aura…it’s unique.” He placed a kiss on her forehead and inhaled her
scent. Holding her tight against his chest, she wanted to ask him
what he’d wanted to tell her, but the heaviness in her limbs pulled
her under.

Chapter 14

Silas listened to her slow breaths as she
drifted to sleep. It wasn’t often the Goddess spoke to him in such
a strong manner. With care he released Jasmine, made sure she lay
comfortably, and stepped away from the bed. After one last look, he
walked out her bedroom and closed the door. He made it to the sofa,
closed his eyes and was swept away.

His eyes opened, and he saw his face
reflected in a pool of water. The white garments he wore surprised
him, but he remained silent, on his knees in a position of
deference. Head bowed, he waited.

“
Patron of the wolves, rise.”
The
words flowed through him, offering assistance as he stood slowly.
The water shimmered as a silhouette of a wolf formed, then changed
to the human form, and then changed to some other beast’s form.
Puzzled, Silas watched and waited for an explanation.

“
The one thing that is definite is
change. It’s coming with a time of testing. Your obedience and
service to me has not gone unnoticed. You will be rewarded,
although it may not seem so at the time. Be vigilant, you’ll need
your eyes to see. Be faithful, you’ll need your ears to ferret out
the truth. Be merciful, your nose will lead you to understanding.
Be courageous, your heart will suffer but will guide you to the
truth. Taste the truth and embrace it, reject the lies and you will
ride the wave of change. Your wolves need your direction now more
than ever.”

“Goddess, I don’t understand what you mean
by change.”

Her voice blew in the wind, filling him.
“
You will. It comes now on the horse of fire.”

He opened his mouth, but was swept up in a
whirlwind of power. His arms and legs twitched as electrical
currents flowed through him. It lasted seconds, although it felt
like an hour or so. When it stopped, his head flopped back on the
sofa.

Sofa?

He peeked. A kitchen was to the right. He
sat in the middle of the living room floor, leaning against the
furniture. Panting, he felt as though he’d just run a marathon. A
pulse throbbed in his forehead as the words the Goddess spoke spun
as though they too had been caught in the whirlwind. Her words were
like a puzzle, always had been. He wondered for the hundredth time,
why she didn’t just come right out and say what she meant?

Sighing, he pulled himself up to a sitting
position and rested his forehead against his knee. It’d been a long
day. The Mexican discovery. The deal with half-breed females
retaining their humanity. The old breeder. He still couldn’t
believe she was that old, but her story had checked out. Arianna
Hershman had been abducted and never found. Her teenage daughter
had returned home, but ran away again. They hadn’t been able to
find the other daughter. She’d disappeared once she left for the
Peace Corps. They were tracking down the sons to see if anyone had
kept in contact over the years. It was a long shot, but it was a
thread. And right now they needed to pull every thread no matter
how thin.

There was a stirring in his mind telling him
immediately the person was a great distance from him. A second
later he straightened as he recognized it was Theron.

“
Theron?”

“
Patron, we were attacked after we
cleared customs.”
Silas could tell his Alpha was hurt even
through the link. He cursed the distance.

“
Tell me what happened.”
He picked up
his cell and called the pilot. When the call was answered he said.
“Prepare the plane. We need to return to Texas immediately. I want
to leave within the hour.” He clicked off as he listened to Theron
talk of the ambush. Twenty of the Mexican wolves were injured.
Three were dead.

“
I’m on my way. Where are you
now?”

“
My pack just arrived and routed the
bastards. I’d called to have them meet us at the border. That’s why
the death count is so low.”
He paused.
“These wolves…they
were fast and vicious. I was surprised at their level of
coordination. I haven’t seen anything like it outside of training
with you.”

Silas tensed.
“I’m on my way. I’ll meet
you at the Alpha house. See to your pack.”
Silas clicked off
and studied the blank wall. In silence he went over the words of
the Goddess. “Horse of fire?” he muttered, wondering what it all
meant. He shook it off and contacted Jayden.

“
Theron was ambushed, I’m returning to
Texas. Have my luggage sent to the plane while I contact my
security.”

“
Are you taking the twins?”

Silas thought for a moment what Theron had
said about the wolves who attacked them. If it was as he suspected,
he’d need the twins to give him insight.
“Yes. Watch over
Jasmine, she’s breeding. No harm should come to her or her
litter.”

“
I understand. Congratulations.”

Silas grunted.
“Hold off on that. I’m not
excited over the prospect of hybrids yet.”
He pulled open the
door, locked it behind him and headed for the stairs.

“
I count it an honor to watch over your
pups and the bitch who breeds them,”
Jayden said in a humble
tone.

The comment pulled Silas out of his funk.
“Thank you, Jayden. I cannot think of anyone else I’d trust to
watch over their care.”
He walked out into the night and headed
toward the garage.
“I must assemble my team. When we arrive, I
will contact you.”

Within the hour, a somber Tyrone and
concerned Tyrese were on the plane, along with Brad and Hank, two
of his primary security team. Silas filled the men in with the
little information he knew.

“That’s unbelievable.” Brad tugged on his
goatee. “When was the last time an Alpha was attacked?”

Silas gazed out the window, muddling through
the Goddess’ words. “Over a hundred years,” he answered.

“Why now?” Tyrone asked, puzzled.

“Perhaps no one taught them not to attack an
Alpha. Maybe they don’t understand the hierarchy,” Tyrese mumbled,
brows furrowed.

“Could be,” Brad said, looking at Tyrese.
“You weren’t raised with a pack, who taught you?”

Tyrese shrugged. “Alpha Jayden.”

“Yeah, being military brats helped. We were
taught there was always a chain of command. Dad, then mom…” Tyrone
said.

Brad nodded. “What do you think would’a
happened if you didn’t have that?”

Tyrese shrugged, looking at Brad shrewdly.
“What happens to any wolf that’s alone. I’d probably make up my own
rules. And if I met others like me, I’d teach them my rules, not
somebody else’s.”

Tyrone looked between Brad and Tyrese. “You
think that’s what happened?”

Brad shrugged. “It wasn’t a lone wolf who
attacked over forty wolves. Those numbers alone would make most
wolves back off and rethink the situation. Whoever did this
recognized the caliber of the wolves and had a serious dose of
confidence.”

“Alpha?” Hank asked.

Brad shrugged. “I wasn’t there, but if not a
trained Alpha, then someone with the skills. It might help to look
through the list of applicants to train with the Patron for Alpha
status. Maybe someone in this area is tired of waiting.”

Silas listened and thought the idea had
merit. “Have Jacques initiate the search, Brad. We’ll give him more
info after we talk with Theron.”

It was after three in the morning when the
plane finally set down in Texas. Tired and operating on fumes,
Silas road in the car to Theron’s pack lands. He was the only one
awake other than the driver. When he stepped in to the car, he’d
contacted Theron through their link when he scented the driver and
knew he wasn’t from the alpha’s pack.

They turned off onto a dirt road and came to
a stop. Silas woke his team with a mental slap, cautioning them to
silence as they waited to see how things played out. A group of
five wolves stood in front of the vehicle.

Tyrese opened the door and stepped out,
Tyrone behind him. The wolves snarled at the twins. Tyrone closed
the door as Brad snapped the neck of the driver.

“How many?” Tyrese asked Silas.

“Those in the road, but there are three more
in the bushes.” He paused. “One is human.”

“Damn,” Tyrone groaned. “Not this shit
again.”

The wolves snapped and lurched forward as
though held by some unseen leash. Silas felt the twins hum with
energy. They wanted to fight. Five against two in their minds was
no big deal despite what Theron had experienced.

“These wolves are trained to fight as one,”
Silas cautioned. “Hank is coming to even the odds.”

Hank stepped out from the back seat, and
whereas the wolves had snarled before, now they went ballistic.

Silas was tempted to slay the wolves, but
wanted to see what they were capable of. Plus, he was curious about
the wolves and humans in the bushes. One thing for certain, he
would not allow them to escape.

Tyrone and Tyrese leapt and landed in front
of Hank.