KnightForce Deuces, page 12
Silas pulled all three of their wolves and shared the limited information he garnered from them with Angus. None of them knew Brennan ran the area. They reported to one of the men in Brennan’s organization.
“These men are just going along with some friends and don’t know anything. The one with the blonde hair is Rain, her lover, although he has several,” Silas said to Angus and Chase. “Release these three, hold the girl a while longer and then release her. I will add my power with yours Chase so you can make the rebel talk, ask him about the half-breeds.”
The men returned to human. Jasper came inside to remove them. They ran out the room without looking back.
“Alpha Chase, these two are dependent on you for their lives,” Silas said.
Chase walked to Brennan and looked him in the eye. “As your Alpha you will not lie to me. Did you kidnap the half-breeds?”
Brennan’s jaw trembled as if he would hold the word back. “No.”
“Do you know where the half-breeds are being held?” Chase asked.
Brennan’s body shook violently. “Yes,” he spat as if the word was ripped from his throat.
“What?” Peaches yelled. Slack-jawed, she stared at Brennan.
“Tell me now,” Chase commanded, his voice deeper with a velvety feel.
Brennan doubled over, screaming in pain as he gave the coordinates.
Eyes wide, fear enveloped Peaches like a cloud. “What? How would he know anything? Shit.” She backed up shaking her head. “I don’t know anything about this, didn’t know he was involved.”
Angus leaned against the door watching everything. She met his gaze and stopped. “Honest, I didn’t know he was involved. He was just a guy working the bar.” Angus pulled out his phone, punched in the coordinates and searched for the best route before snapping it shut.
Alpha Chase dispatched Jasper and a team to find the half-breeds based on Brennan’s information.
“I need to make sure no rebels leave alive,” Angus said to Silas changing the plan. He would be returning to the compound at first light rather than infiltrate the rebels. With the information he received from Brennan, he had a better idea of how the rebels organized and could monitor from their home base.
“You’re going to be difficult about this?”
“That’s not my intention but I won’t be able to work knowing what’s happening at home,” Angus said. “If Asia is with Hawke, who’s watching the pups? And yes, I know Jasmine can and would remove the state of West Virginia from the map if someone went after her babies but that is my job.”
“Let me know when you have the half-breeds. Scan the rebels first, some are like those last three and are not to be terminated,” Silas said.
“If they’re like Brennan?” Angus asked looking at Chase and Brennan in the corner.
“Terminate,” Silas said.
“Consider it done,” Angus replied, reading the satisfaction in Chase’s gaze. Angus assumed he would use Brennan to display his personal brand of justice to his pack.
Turning, Angus left the room and jogged upstairs, his mind on the upcoming hunt. Jasper and four others met him at the front door. Angus glanced at them, shifted and ran into the pre-dawn light. According to Brennan’s directions, the half-breeds had been taken to an area in the foothills that would take two hours by car to reach. Spurred by his desire to complete this mission satisfactorily and return home, he intended to arrive within the hour.
Alpha Chase’s estate backed to the forest, Angus had spent some time hunting with Chase through these woods but didn’t know them as well as Jasper.
“Take the lead,” he told the Beta and followed as Jasper passed him. They traveled deeper into the woods. Several times his wolf wanted to stop and chase smaller prey but he continued with the pack.
Angus saw lights through the trees ahead. “We are almost there, how do you want to do this?” Jasper asked.
“The rebels must be scanned, if there are some like the three we released earlier, they are not to be destroyed. But anyone who fully understood they struck against Silas and his Alpha will be terminated.”
“How will we know the difference?” Jasper asked.
“I’ll know and I’ll tell you.”
“Yes, Sir,” Jasper said with a new level of respect in his voice. Angus imagined the Beta assumed Silas gave him some type of special powers. Especially after what Silas did to Brennan.
Angus stopped. “Incoming.” That was the only warning he gave before they were attacked from above and behind.
Why hadn’t he smelled them before they struck? The thought flew through his mind as he shifted to his hybrid form and swiped two attackers across their throats, partially decapitating them. Two wolves leapt toward him, holding his arms together, he batted one and then the other, on the return spring, into a large tree breaking their necks. Turning, he pulled two rebels off one of Chase’s pack members and then slammed their heads together, breaking them like coconuts. He threw them on top of a wolf springing toward him.
After thinning the number of attacking rebels down to six, Angus noticed not all the rebels fought alike. In his animal form, he couldn’t scan them with the bracelet. “Jasper, those over there that aren’t fighting, have one of your men shift and cuff them. I’ll talk with them later. But those fighting hard, destroy them. I’m going after the hostages.”
“Yes, Sir,” Jasper said and then broke the neck of the wolf he’d been fighting. Inhaling, Angus released a breath.
“Silas, I’ve located the half-breeds. We were attacked by rebels which delayed the rescue.”
“Stop.” Silas said.
Angus stopped. His heart raced from the excitement of the hunt. His beast craved more.
“Stop so I can scan the location. There’s been a lot of bombs lately.”
Angus stared at the three cabins with wood siding and a flat tin roof. Heat rose through their link as Silas scanned the area. Angus morphed to human and waited.
“The half-breeds are alive but sedated with something. I’ll contact Chase and have him send vans or trucks to carry them out of there. The doors are coded. Wrong code and there can be an issue.”
“What if I don’t use the door? If I shift to hybrid, I can remove the roof and peel away the back wall,” Angus said looking at the small square buildings. “I’m sensing the half-breeds are in one cabin but there’s only four heartbeats not five.”
“You’re right.” Silas growled, his frustration filled their link. “When you rescue the teens, ask about the other one. That’s the best we can do right now.”
“There was one other thing,” Angus noted then told Silas about the rebel attack and his inability to scent them.
“Hawke’s brother used a dampening device sometimes. Have Jasper search for devices, it’ll be interesting to know how that many wolves were able to hide their presence from you.”
“Yes. Have you contacted Chase? Are the vehicles on the way?”
“Yes, he’s sending pack members who live a few miles from there to take them to the nearest shifter hospital. They should be there in a few minutes.”
“Okay, I’ll go for them.”
Angus shifted and walked toward the half-breeds. He heard the slight click. The next second he was airborne as the building with the breeds exploded, incinerating the next building which caused another explosion then a third with the last building destroyed and in flames.
Dazed, Angus looked into the concerned eyes of Jasper who lifted and removed him to the line of trees.
“What the hell was that?” Silas asked.
“A bomb,” Angus sadly said watching the buildings burn.
Chapter 17
Silas slumped in his chair staring at the monitor. How had he missed… four more deaths, more blood on his hands. He looked at his fingertips, his chest squeezed, his eyes blurred - he'd never been so conflicted in his life. Helpless, sad, grateful, angry - he wasn’t sure which emotion to pick. Closing his eyes he cried out to the Goddess for help; he didn’t know what to do. He waited, hoping she would grant him an audience for guidance.
“Silas?”
Ashamed of his latest failure, he didn’t answer his mate. Instead he continued to seek a meeting with the Goddess. These were her people and he needed help on how to go forward.
“Silas? What’s wrong baby?” Jasmine asked.
“Nothing.”
“This lying, is it new? Is it because we’re in a crisis situation and you feel lying is okay?”
He growled, not wanting to argue or talk. Every joint in his body screamed for rest. But he couldn’t, not until he knew which direction to take his pack.
“I’ll be there in a few minutes.”
Her words sent a jolt of pleasure through him. “No. Stop it woman. You can’t come here yet,” he said half-afraid she’d listen to him.
“Too late; you lied to me and we never lie to each other. That means my marriage is in trouble and you’re going to tell me to my face what’s wrong.”
“Don’t do this, Jasmine. I could be infected like Hawke.”
“If you are, we’ll fix it. I’m at the elevator, I’ll meet you in the living room.”
Silas frowned. “Living room?”
“I’m going to our place, Silas. Where we live, meet me there. I’m in the elevator going to our floor. Don’t keep me waiting.”
He stood and left his office. Rather than use the elevator, he took the stairs. The moment he entered their floor from the stairwell, his wolf leapt at her scent. With each step taking him closer to her, his spirits lifted and his energy surged.
Jasmine met him at the door and took his hand. His gaze roamed over her face, her neck, hunger leapt in his breast as he looked at every part of her. In silence, they walked toward the sofas, his eyes glued to the soft sway of her hips. Recalling the feel of her ass cheeks beneath his palm, his heart beat faster. Is this what he needed? Wrong question, he always needed Jasmine but being with her calmed both sides of him.
She took a seat and he took the one in front of her. His wolf growled in displeasure at the distance but he couldn’t sit next to her without sliding between her legs and making love. The look on her face said not now.
“You lied to me,” she said frowning at him. “I thought mates couldn’t lie to each other.”
“We can’t. One reason is we can tap into what the other is thinking which makes lying a waste of time. Unless your mate is a breeder. In that case she must give her permission to listen in.” That would always be a sore spot with him.
“Basically I need to read your thoughts to keep you honest? Is that what you’re saying?” she crossed her arms and stared at him.
Holding her gaze, Silas leaned back on the sofa. He couldn’t spar with her, not now. “Do you have any idea what the past 36 hours have been like for me?”
“Only what you shared.”
He closed his eyes, opened his links and shared every detail with her. The gasps she made and sounds of compassion, even the sorrow wafting across the room, eased his ache but not the ever-increasing, heavy burden he carried.
The sofa dipped next to him. The cool pads of her fingertips traced his forehead lightly. “We lost Froggy, Lopren and Gerri, precious members of our pack here.”
With each name his heart clenched.
“But you didn’t fail them. You’re not God. Despite how good you are, baby you can’t have every base covered. There is just one of you and you can only be in one place at a time.” She paused. “Let me correct that. Physically, your body cannot be in more than one place.” Her fingertip tapped his lips.
He tried to catch it with his teeth but she moved it out of the way. “Now, let’s go through the list of things that caused you to lie to me.”
Silas opened one eye and looked at her. “First I didn’t lie, nothing you didn’t know about was wrong. Second, I’m tired and not in the mood to go over everything.”
Their gazes met and then she stood. “You need a nap.” She extended her hand.
Snorting, he took it and stood. “Nap? My pups take naps, I’m going to rest.”
“When your pups don’t take naps, they’re grumpy.” She looked at him. “Like you.”
They entered their bedroom, fatigue washed over him, weighing him down. He fell face down onto the bed and waited for her to join him. When he heard the bedroom door close, he looked over his shoulder and realized she had left.
“Jasmine?”
“Rest Silas. I’ll wake you if there’s an emergency but we all need you alert and at your best. As your mate, my job is to make sure you get what you need to do your job.”
Darkness pulled at him. “Wake me in two hours. That’s all I need.”
“No, Wolfie. You’ll wake on your own, when your body is ready.”
“Two hours.” His voice trailed off and she shook her head.
“Not going to argue with you.” Jasmine waited a few minutes, checked their link and smiled. Silas was asleep. She sat on the sofa and listened in to his La Patron link. So many conversations going on at once, how did he manage it?
“Three full-bloods were taken and forced to work with the rebels. Their families were threatened; they were told you wouldn’t get involved. I think the way Chase terminated Brennan sent a message and I suggest we continue,” Angus said.
Jasmine listened and wondered what kind of message, if any, the Alphas received when Silas was asleep.
“Silas?” Angus called again.
Jasmine struggled with the idea of answering Angus so he wouldn’t worry or not saying anything and allowing Angus’ message go to whatever voicemail Silas set up.
“Those bastards,” Angus said jolting Jasmine out of her thoughts.
“What bastards?” she asked without thinking.
“Jasmine? Fuck! What happened to Silas? Is he alright?”
She blinked a few times at his tone before his words penetrated. “Huh? Silas is sleeping, he was so tired his Alpha link bled into our private link. You can’t sense me?”
“No. He’s never so tired that he doesn’t protect you from his more public link,” Angus said. “You finally put him to bed, thanks. He wouldn’t listen to anyone else.”
Touched by his words, she smiled. “Actually, he was going to rest anyway but I broke the quarantine and came upstairs to push things along.”
“The entire Nation is grateful.”
“Who were you calling bastards?” she asked.
“The rebels who blew up the half-breeds in Colorado. They changed the rules of the game and will be hunted like dogs and exterminated like the roaches they are.”
Jasmine’s lips pursed at the colorful example. “Are you saying they never did anything like this before?”
“Not this degree of violence or expertise either. Silas and I both smelled for bombs and didn’t find anything.”
“What does that tell you?”
“That the game has changed.”
“Or the players,” she said softly.
Angus didn’t say anything and then whistled. “Someone’s taking advantage of our conflict with the rebels? I can see that. The fire department said that explosion was done by someone highly skilled in electronics and explosives. Those services aren’t cheap.”
“Any chance it could be connected to what’s going on here?” she asked thinking of various scenarios.
“Anything is possible,” he said. “Walk me through what you think about the players changing.”
“Ever since Silas slapped the hands of the president, the Joint Chiefs, and shook the world economy, the attacks against us have been more and more sophisticated. I think they are involved in some way.”
He told her what happened with the rebel attack.
“And you didn’t smell them? The only way that happened is if they used some sort of device and where would they get that from?” she asked more convinced than before that some part of the government was involved.
“Hawke’s brother used a dampening device. But Jasper examined the rebels and didn’t find any devices or anything. There was a strange odor but it dissipated when they died. Maybe that had something to do with it,” Angus said.
“Pity none of them lived so you could research it,” she said.
“Actually…. we captured three of them. Turned out they had been looking to escape the rebel group.”
“Can you trust what they say?” she asked.
“Most of the information I took from their memories, all three had similar stories. Started out just for fun and when they wanted to leave, couldn’t.” Angus paused. “One second, Jasper is scanning them now.”
Jasmine returned to the bedroom door and looked in on Silas; he hadn’t moved from his spot on the bed. She closed the door, headed to the kitchen to start cooking; it always helped her think. A single knock sounded on the front door and then Tyrese walked in.
“Ma?”
“In here.” She pulled out ingredients for a cake.
Tyrese placed a kiss on her cheek. “Where’s Silas?”
“Sleeping.” She tipped her head back toward the bedroom.
Tyrese’s brow rose but he didn’t say anything.
Jasmine said, “I appreciate Danielle helping out as much as she has the past few days and now she’s watching the kids for me.”
Tyrese smiled. “Since she didn’t have a large family growing up, she’s in heaven right now. Especially with David and Renee, she thinks they are going to change the world. What are you making?”
“A pound cake.” She glanced at him.
He quickly sat at the table, watching her measure out ingredients. When she placed the batter into the oven, she cleaned everything and prepared to make pies. She hadn’t made much sense of her jumbled thoughts yet. What would the government gain by targeting them? Silas acted as if humans weren’t a real threat but history proved otherwise.
“Rone’s son…”
Jasmine’s stomach clenched in remembrance. So much happened in such a short space of time.
“What happened? I thought I’d pass out from the pain.” Tyrese looked at her.
