La Patron's Christmas (7 page)

Chapter 11

Heavy hearted, Jasmine walked into the nursery six hours later. The kids did various activities but stopped when she entered. Running toward her they talked all at once asking if they could go outside to play, or wear their new coats and boots, or participate in a snowball fight.

Jasmine looked at each of them, so bright, so eager, and so oblivious. She’d failed. While trying to make sure her children were safe, she’d wrapped them so tight in a bubble they missed vital lessons. She hadn’t provided critical ingredients to their upbringing and couldn’t fully blame them for believing the world revolved around them. She’d spent the early part of the morning pulling together what she considered to be a palatable solution.

“Come, sit.” Her voice rose above their requests, silencing them immediately. David glanced at her and then turned away.

Once she sat in the rocking chair, and the kids sat at her feet staring up at her, she exhaled. Four sets of eyes gave her their complete attention and she wasn’t sure how to start. A modified beginning seemed best.

“You know your father is a full-blood wolf and I’m human?” She searched their eyes to make sure they understood. They nodded. Good they had paid attention when Silas and the twins taught wolf biology and the things they should watch out for as they develop.

“There are a lot of people who don’t think it’s right to mate with someone outside your race or… species. Some of those people are angry, hateful and try to destroy… kill people like me, and the twins.” The look of shock on their faces pained her. But she and Silas discussed the matter in depth and decided it was best to share Sarita’s involvement with the Liege.

“Why? Because you’re different than daddy?” Adam asked.

Discrimination had always been a challenge, but she’d never feared her life was in jeopardy until she met Silas. “Yes.”

“People want to kill you? Rone and Rese, too?” Jackie asked frowning.

“Yes. They do not like half-breeds or the women who give birth to them. Now… before you get upset, you should know I’m not afraid. And does Rone or Rese look scared to you?”

David’s face relaxed. “No.”

“They’re not scared of anything or anybody, ‘cept you and daddy,” Renee said with a hint of hero worship in her voice.

Jasmine smiled at the nods from the other children and wondered if her sons knew what these four thought of them. Probably not and she’d leave it that way.

“Mommy’s only telling you this so you understand. Not everyone has it the same as you.”

“That’s right, mama. The boy I played ball with yesterday said he lived in a little house with no fence,” Adam said.

“We are important because daddy’s the boss,” Renee said looking at her siblings.

“Everybody does what we say ‘cause they scared of daddy and you mama,” Adam said.

“They don’t have pretty clothes like we do,” Renee said looking at her pink and green outfit. “Why don’t daddy give everybody pretty clothes?”

“And big houses? He can make everybody a big one like ours,” Adam said.

To tell them about the cost to their father’s body and soul to carve out a place for him and his den would mean nothing, not at this point in their lives. They had no idea how life worked, and that was her fault. Silas had wanted them exposed to pack life earlier, so they could see how everyone worked together for the whole, but she’d objected, wanting them to stay babies longer. Now when they needed to show compassion and understanding, they had no idea what it meant.

“Ask your daddy when you see him, he’ll explain what he can do and what he can’t. As I said not all pack members live the way we do and I want to talk about what some go through and how we can help make their lives easier.”

“Easier? I’mma kid, what can I do?” Renee asked.

“Let’s go back to why we keep you safe, with security guards and don’t allow you to leave the house or the yard –”

“Like the circus?” David asked.

They weren’t ever going to forget Silas changing his mind on the circus while Renee was in town. “Yes, like the circus. The people who want to kill people who are different were looking for children to take away.”

Their eyes widened. David frowned but continued watching her.

“Take them where?” Jackie asked.

“To a place where they could teach them different things,” Jasmine said not wanting to give them nightmares. She’d had plenty from the time Silas explained LOBO.

“Away from home?” Adam asked.

“Yes away from their families, away from pack. And being small and little the children couldn’t fight back.”

Adam jumped up and held his fist in a fighter’s stance. “I’d beat them, they won’t take me.” He swung his fist as if he were in an imaginary fight.

“Did they take any children?” Jackie asked in a soft voice.

Swallowing hard, Jasmine nodded.

“No, mama. I fight them,” Adam said looking at her confused.

“Sit down, Adam,” Renee said patting the spot next to her. “Mama’s talking.”

“What happened?” David asked.

“Stealing pups, I mean children has been happening a long time. It’s gotten worse. Asia was taken when she was small.”

“Asia?” Jackie cried sitting taller. “But she’s big and can fight.”

“Now she can. But she does not remember who her mom or dad was. She’s been looking for her family for a long time. She didn’t know her pack.” Jasmine let her words rest in the silence of the room. Jackie was the first to start crying.

“What’s the matter, baby?” She asked Jackie who covered her wet face.

“Asia. That’s bad for her. She’s so nice, and that’s… that’s bad.”

“Yes, but she’s getting better. She has us. We’re her family now. Her pack. If she needs anything, we’re here to help her. Remember, pack takes care of pack, makes sure everyone has what they need. So no one is left out or alone.”

“She doesn’t know who her pack is? Before us?” Adam asked.

“No, she has no memory of being a little girl, or what her house looked like or the clothes she wore. For a long time she was embarrassed, and people mistreated her.”

“Why? It wasn’t her fault. Someone took her away,” Renee said surprising Jasmine.

Smiling, she nodded. “That’s true, Renee. It wasn’t her fault. The children who are stolen from home and grow up without a pack, it’s never their fault. But sometimes we make them feel like it is by the way we treat them.”

“No, we don’t,” Adam said.

“Yes, we did,” Jackie said watching Jasmine. “Sarita got no pack.”

“Sarita’s mean. She don’t play fair,” Adam protested.

“How did she get here, mama?” David asked.

“Some men were taking her and Malfius somewhere and Cameron caught them on pack lands.”

“She told us that,” Adam said.

“I didn’t believe her,” Renee said.

“Were they going to kill her?” Jackie asked in a low voice.

Jasmine shrugged. “We don’t know for sure, but they have killed a lot of the children. Sarita believes they were going to kill her and was scared.”

“I would be scared too,” Jackie said with feeling.

“When you’re scared, are you friendly? Happy? Sad?” Jasmine asked, looking at each of them.

“Sometimes sad,” Adam said. “But I don’t get scared.”

“Why not, Adam?” Jasmine asked.

“Because.” He pointed to the other three.

“They won’t let anything happen to you?”

Adam shook his head. “No. And my daddy will stop anybody.” He sounded too much like Silas at the moment.

“What if you didn’t have your brother, sisters or your daddy, what would you do then?”

A look of surprise, then contemplation and then confusion crossed Adam’s face. She knew he couldn’t imagine a world without his litter mates or sire.

“Well Sarita has no sisters, brothers and does not know anything about her family. She comes here and sees all of you. How is she supposed to act when she’s never seen anything like the four of you before?”

“She could be nice,” Adam said.

“Maybe that was her idea of being nice. Maybe where she came from if she didn’t speak up or take charge she was punished. Or maybe she was punished for being nice.”

“That’s not nice,” Renee said.

“No, it’s not.” Jasmine tried to think of a way to explain Sarita without saying too much. Silas did not want her to mention a possible connection to Asia and after seeing how much the children loved Asia she agreed. They’d need to deal with Sarita and every other person as an individual without making snap judgments.

“Some children are in places that are not nice. When they leave those places they need time to… adjust. To get things straight in their head. They need to feel safe.”

“So why did she leave if she needed to be safe?” David asked.

“Who left?” Jackie asked.

“Yeah, who left?” Adam asked looking at David and then Jasmine.

“Sarita left last night. Daddy’s looking for her,” David said.

“Daddy found her,” Jasmine corrected and prayed the young child would be alright. She hadn’t made it out the compound. Silas found her lying on the ground near the fence. They’d been afraid the winter weather had taken her but she pulled through. Matt had her in one of the smaller lab rooms downstairs. She would be on bed rest for the next few days.

“Is she okay?” Jackie asked.

“No. She’s very sick. We will pray that she gets better,” Jasmine said watching Jackie’s eyes widen and then fill.

“Okay, mama,” Jackie whispered into the quiet room.

“Why did she run away if she has no pack?” Adam asked.

“Yes, why?” Renee asked looking up at her.

Jasmine looked at David. “Why do you think she ran away?”

“She wasn’t happy. Maybe scared. Maybe she wanted her pack and tried to find them?”

“Could be.” She held his gaze a few seconds longer before turning to the others. “Why do you think she ran away?”

“I don’t know. She didn’t have a coat,” Renee said. “She had on my coat yesterday.”

“This is what I want each of you to think about.” Her voice rose over theirs and she waited until their eyes were on her.

“Think of everything that happened from the day I brought Sarita and Malfius in this room to meet you. Think back on every conversation and everything you did with her.”

“Mama, it’s not our fault she left,” Jackie said.

“No, sweetie, that’s not what I’m saying. She left on her own. What I want is for us to look on the inside to see if we could’ve been kinder to someone who does not have as much as we have. Being your daddy’s kids goes both ways. True, you get a lot, but… and this is important. A lot more is expected of you because you are
his
kids. Other people watch how you treat people, especially kids and will copy what they see you do.” She paused to allow her words to settle. “Did you see anyone talking with Sarita yesterday?”

“I thought she didn’t want to play,” Renee said.

“I didn’t want to play with her,” Adam said with feeling. “She’s mean.”

“Did you tell anyone you didn’t want to play with her or that she’s mean?” Jasmine asked him.

Adam nodded. “Somebody asked who she was and I told them.”

“Aunt Renee gave me a box of chalk and she broke some,” Renee complained.

“You have several boxes of chalk,” Jasmine said.

“Not from Aunty,” Renee said as if that made all the difference.

Jasmine sat back with a sigh. Did they not understand? Silas insisted she allow them to make up their own minds but she had one more card to play. She glanced at her watch. It was almost time.

“Nurse, help them get dressed to go outside.” Each face lit with excitement as they hopped up and ran toward their clothing cubicles. Jasmine waited near the door with a determined stance. God and the Goddess allowed Sarita to come into their lives at a time when hearts mellowed and were filled with good will toward all. She’d gone about her Christmas festival wrong, her kids had gotten the wrong message.

She hoped to correct that.