La Patron's Christmas (2 page)

Chapter 2

Silas walked down the hall toward the lift and bumped into housekeeping.

“Excuse me, Sir,” the man whose name escaped Silas at the moment said “It’s a bit unwieldy… but really pretty.” He added in a rush while lifting a large multi-colored wreath on his shoulder before climbing a few steps on the stairs.

Silas waved down the apology. His mate had turned this entire floor into a Christmas painting with decorations everywhere except their bedroom. He had asked her not to decorate that space and after a long discussion regarding compromise, she finally agreed.

“It’s okay.” He walked around the man and headed for the elevator, eager to escape the holiday fever that infected his mate.

The doors slid open. Jacques, his administrator and best friend, stood inside wearing a grin. “Escaping?”

“No. Yes.” Silas ran his hand through his thick, long black hair as the door closed behind him. “I don’t know how much more of this I can take. That woman has turned my home into a pagan wonderland and she’s just starting. This morning security called from the gate to clear a truckload of carnival equipment.”

Jacques chuckled.

“It’s not funny.”

The door opened. “My daughter-in-law is a rare gem. You’re lucky to have her.” Jacques pushed away from the rail, walked out onto the lower level and headed toward the lab. “She’s a breath of fresh air, change is good.”

“Change?” Silas scoffed as he accepted a folder from one of the techs who’d been decoding text from some old journals Hawke, Asia’s mate, had sent concerning the Liege, an organization who had been stealing pups for decades. “I’ve been dealing with change since the day I met her. So don’t travel that path.” He took the folder and headed to the conference room for a scheduled meeting with his core team in a few minutes time. “But kiddie carnival rides? I have never seen anything like that for a holiday. Have you?” He looked at Jacques, who now sat across from him in the room.

“No. And that’s okay. The kids will love it and have fun. Unless you think the kiddie rides are for someone other than pups?”

Silas growled at the sarcastic reply. His mate wanted to do something special for all the pups, he understood that. It was all the deliveries and strangers entering the compound he didn’t agree with. Although, his security team usually accepted the deliveries at the gate, scanned them in another building offsite and then drove the packages back to the compound for disbursement. He still didn’t like the additional traffic.

“Don’t be a bigger ass than you already are,” Silas growled. “I know what she’s trying to do. They missed the circus after she and Renee played that event up for days. She’s recreating it in the courtyard. Renee still looks at me side-eyed.”

Jacques tapped his pen on the table and met his gaze. “I brought my mate a five carat ring and matching diamond necklace for Christmas. We’re discussing a den with pups of our own soon. I never thought I’d be mated, not after all this time. As far as I am concerned Jasmine is the absolute best gift the Goddess has blessed our nation with in decades. You’re approachable, your eyes have a light I cannot recall seeing until she came into your life. You have sons, daughters, and a legacy to pass on because of her. If she wants to build two more compounds on top of this one, I’d say go for it. She’s a strong woman who loves you more than herself and I don’t say that lightly. I’ve watched the two of you and there’s no question the Goddess was involved in this mating –”

“Your point? Everyone else will be here soon,” Silas said not interested in hearing a laundry list of his mate’s qualities. No one knew how blessed he was to have her better than him, but she wasn’t perfect.

“Give her whatever she wants and be happy she’s with you. As a breeder, she does not have to be.”

Silas frowned at the reminder of his mate’s ability to walk away from him, and his inability to do the same. Rather than thank Jacques for the useless advice, he turned on his electronic tablet. “Don’t forget the lesson later, and thanks for the pep talk, I feel so much better.”

Jacques laughed and sat forward as the door opened. “Anytime, my friend.”

Ignoring him, Silas turned to see his sons, Tyrone and Tyrese entering with their biological father, Davian, right behind them. Silas knew Matt, Davian’s mate, wouldn’t be far behind. Dr. Passen entered next and then Hank. Matt entered last and took the seat next to Davian.

“Everyone read the copies of the translated journals Hawke sent?” Silas asked starting the meeting.

“Yeah, kind of hard to believe something that started with the best intentions turned so sour, so fast,” Tyrone said, gaining nods from everyone in the room.

“I have a few questions,” Dr. Passen said. For the next hour and a half they discussed the Liege, the threat they presented to the wolf nation, their locations, and a plan of action to eradicate them from the continent. When they finished, Matt, Damian, Hank and Dr. Passen left the room.

“We need to find and return the pups,” Tyrese said locking eyes with Silas. “I cannot imagine what their parents went through when they went missing.”

Unsure if Rese was making a statement regarding his shutting down the compound or not, Silas agreed. “I have men searching all the locations Asia and Angus discovered through Gordon and Lancaster. Pity she didn’t kill that bastard, I’d like one minute alone with Boris Lancaster,” Silas said remembering the things the man had done not only to Hawke but as the leader of LOBO, Liege Organized Behavioral Optimization. It had taken decades of testing, and the deaths of thousands of wolves for the Liege to actualize the behavioral optimization. The cost had been high for the machines the Liege produced.

“According to mom, there’s a line for that privilege,” Tyrone said shaking his head. “I think she’d be right behind Asia.”

Silas agreed. His mate loved Asia and thought of the young bitch as a daughter, despite the differences in their ages with Asia being seventy plus years elder.

“Will Asia and Angus make it home for Christmas?” Tyrese asked. “Haven’t seen them since they saved my ass in Lyrill.”

Since Silas hadn’t decided if he wanted his litter mate, Angus, to remain to assist Asia and Hawke to seek Asia’s mam and sire. Or to remain to help Alpha Radoff and his new mate, Maheegan, clean up the mess the Liege made, he didn’t give a direct answer. “I am not sure yet.”

Tyrone reached into his pocket and pulled out a box and placed it on the table. Silas glanced at Jacques and then at the box again.

“I am already mated,” Silas said in a dry tone breaking the silence.

Tyrone wiped his palms before he opened it. “We didn’t have a wedding or anything, and she loves the ring I bought her, but I wanted to get something special for Christmas. This ring has our two birthstones and there is room for stones of our kids, as the Goddess blesses.” He passed the box around.

With approving nods each of them looked at the ring in silence.

“I can see Rose with this, son,” Jacques said in a low voice which meant he was touched.

Tyrone looked at Silas in expectation.

Since he agreed with Jacques, he kept his remarks simple. “It looks nice, I’m sure she’ll love it.”

“Dani’s been wanting some special camera equipment that I got her. And I’m having a room on the same level of our suite turned into a dark room as a surprise,” Tyrese said leaning back in the chair with his hands behind his back and a large grin.

“That’s a practical gift,” Silas said pleased Rese paid attention to the type of woman he mated. Dani wouldn’t like the jewelry as much as the dark room and camera equipment.

“It’s Dani for sure,” Tyrone said giving his brother a fist bump.

“Just told Silas I bought your grandmother a ring and a necklace for Christmas,” Jacques said drawing the twins’ attention.

“I bet it’s big,” Rone said. “How many carats?”

Silas smiled at Jacque’s pink cheeks. “Not many and that’s not important anyway.”

Tyrese laughed. “That means it’s more than one or two. How many in the ring? Four, five? Six? And the necklace? Another two or three? More?”

Smiling, Jacques shook his head. “Wait and see. I’m just putting this out there, I love my mate and there is not anything I wouldn’t do for her.”

“So when I give Rose this carat, should I tell her I love her just as much as you love nana?” Tyrone asked with a raised brow. “Rese, remember how mom lets us open one gift the night before Christmas?”

Laughing, Tyrese cleared his throat. “Yeah.”

“I’mma start that tradition with Rose, let her open this in private so no comparisons can be made.”

“Not until the next day when nana shows off her bling, and you know she will,” Tyrese said with a large grin.

“Can’t help that. At least I would’ve gotten my proper thanks and ooo’s and ahhh’s out the way,” Tyrone said returning the box into his pocket. “When will Cameron get back?”

Cameron had gone to check on a problem in the southeastern part of the state day before yesterday. Silas hadn’t spoken to his godson today and made a mental note to check on him once they were done.

“He should be home later today,” Silas said going with his gut.

“Good, we’re going to need more hands to work the festival thing mom and the women are planning. Did you see the mini-rides?”

Silas nodded.

“The company owner is sending a trainer tomorrow to teach us how to operate everything safely.” Tyrone shook his head. “She’s going all out this year.”

“Not the first time,” Tyrese said and then laughed. “Remember that year we were stuck in Key West? No snow, no Santa, plus Aunt Renee couldn’t make it and nana was with her husband’s family.”

Tyrone nodded. “We went to a carnival on Christmas eve, didn’t we? We were what? Four? Five?”

“Yeah, the carnival wasn’t in Key West, though. The drive was long and then we spent the whole day. Stayed at a hotel that night and mom let us open one gift that night. I’d forgotten about that, she wanted it to be special for us and there wasn’t much we could do in Key West waiting for dad,” Tyrese said softly.

No one spoke for a few moments.

“What’d you buy mom?” Tyrone asked looking at Silas.

Since he hadn’t purchased anything and wasn’t ready to share an idea he’d been harboring in the back of his mind, he shrugged.

“Hold up, are you saying you haven’t got her Christmas gift yet?” Tyrone asked sounding confused.

“Not yet.”

“Why?” Jacques asked sitting forward.

He had no answer. “I thought about it but can’t come up with anything. Any ideas?” Silas looked around the table at the men who knew his mate best, Damian, her ex-husband didn’t count.

Tyrese sat back in his chair appearing just as confused as his twin. “I’m giving her a charm for her bracelet and replacing the slippers I gave her last year.”

“You replace those every year,” Tyrone said in a peevish tone.

“Exactly, it’s kinda like our thing. Just like you replace her favorite body lotion and spray supply. She never buys any during the year because she knows you’ve got it covered for Christmas, so don’t start pointing fingers,” Tyrese snapped.

“Victoria had something personal made, a picture collage of the kids, and close family friends. I’ve seen it, and it’s beautiful,” Jacques said.

“Mom will love that,” Tyrone said. “She’s all about family.”

“Thanks for telling me what I cannot get my woman for Christmas,” Silas said. “Maybe a fur? Don’t women like those things?”

“Not when it’s offensive to pack,” Tyrese said.

“True. Maybe a trip somewhere?”

“Would it be just the two of you? If the pups are included it’s not a personal gift, more like a family one,” Jacques said.

Since they all knew Jasmine wouldn’t leave the kids for a few days at this stage he nixed that idea. His woman didn’t wear a lot of jewelry, had two closets full of clothes and one with shoes and accessories. Anything she wanted, she purchased, which worked well during the year, but not so much right now.

“Okay, that’s out. What else? Perfume?”

“She has a couple scents she likes, but she said they bothered you,” Tyrone said.

Remembering the night Jasmine sprayed an annoying odor all over her body and his negative response, he knew purchasing fragrances was something they needed to do together.