NAC & The Holly Group - Box set: Alpha Team

by Chelsea Handcock

  “Sorry, Bas, I wish I could blindly trust your word, but after Eli I’m a little gun-shy, and now that Mia has confirmed that Emma is in fact one of Franklin's babies, her child could be a true shifter. It’s even more crucial that we keep this information in-house. Maybe even only in this house.” Ryleigh turned and looked into Jacks' eyes. She was pleading with him to agree with her, and he knew he would in time, but Bas was loyal. Jacks had to be the Alpha. Ryleigh needed to understand that as well. Her words hurt, proving she still didn’t trust him completely.

  Ryleigh was still sitting on Jacks lap. He had pulled back, not liking the things she was saying, and Ryleigh wished she’d kept her mouth shut, but damn it this was all a little too much. She wanted to trust the guys from Alpha Team. For the most part, she did, but all this talk and what happened to Emma, not to mention her break down earlier, were playing havoc with her emotions. But what she really hated was the stiffness she felt from Jacks.

  “What the fuck! The baby is a shifter for sure? How do you know? We don’t shift until we hit puberty. No family knows until then, not to mention that the child is female. How can you be sure?” Cash asked.

  “I agree with Ryleigh,” Mia said, “the baby’ s in good health, ranking high on the Apgar chart. After Emma wakes up, I’m going to talk with her about breastfeeding. I know it’s the common belief that it’s the best source of nutrition for babies, but I don’t know if Emma’s body can handle it in her current physical condition. My best guess at this time is the baby will need to be bottle-fed with formula, which we thankfully have on hand due to the nature of your missions. This isn’t the first baby NAC’s Alpha team has helped.” Mia really wanted to laugh, which surprised her after the tension earlier. As soon as she mentioned breastfeeding, all the guys looked down or around the room, not making eye contact with her. Typical guys, mention boobs and they got all fidgety.

  Chapter 24

  It was Mia’s turn to speak up, “Sorry guys, the tests I ran show that the baby is definitely a shifter. Everything is pointing to bear at the moment. No other strands have been detected at this time but it's early. I have the DNA sequencer running but it could be a week before I know all the results and even then, we’re literally no closer to any answers. We won’t know if the child can shift until puberty as we all know there isn’t a way to test for that. It either happens, or it doesn’t. We’re still working with a lot of unknowns. I can isolate Shifter DNA that’s legitimately all. Now that we know about the gestation period we can narrow the field but even that’s an uncertainty as premature births happen all the time. I’ll try to track heritage after all of that, but again that will take more time. Unfortunately, it’s a waiting game. I hope to have more information in the next twenty-four hours but the definitive answers could take a week and that’s only the basics the whole process could take years.”

  “Fuck! That baby could be related to one of us.” Jack’s said hugging Ryleigh closer to him for the first time realizing the ramifications to his clan were astronomical. The baby currently sleeping down the hall was the first known female shifter born in over a hundred years. She would be sought after not only from the clans but also Pandora, Davis, and the Association. Not to mention the rich freaks that wanted designer pets. The thought sickened him. That little girl’s life would never be normal. He had to wonder about his own child growing in Ryleigh’s belly. Would his baby have the same fate? Ryleigh’s small grunt of discomfort brought him out of his thoughts. Wrapping his hands around her waist he needed to feel his own little one safe in its mother’s womb for a second. Ryleigh relaxed in the comfort of his arms and Jacks was able to breathe a little easier. They would do what needed to be done for Emma’s little girl and for his future child. Whatever it took, he would keep this cub safe.

  Dalton had been sitting there quietly as his team gave their reports on Emma and he was pissed. He understood that they had to be careful but at what point had they turned into a bunch of non-trusting, judgmental, asses? He wanted to have more faith in the men and woman he’d come to think of as family and it irritated him that they couldn’t see past their noses to the beautiful, trustworthy woman Emma was. All of them had grown to accept and love Ryleigh and it hadn’t taken all that long. Didn’t Emma deserve the same type of treatment or was Ryleigh only accepted due to Senior and Jacks claim? Was she the only one that deserved to be trusted and accepted if so why? Mia also seemed to have earned her place within the group but Dalton and the others didn’t know her from Adam. Grinding his teeth together so hard he was sure they were going to break he disliked his team at the moment and that had never happened before.

  Emma had exposed herself to Ryleigh, Cash, every member there in fact. Didn’t these fuckers see that! She didn’t want to hurt anyone. She was the one that had been injured. They helped people in Emma’s situation. That was their job! There was no friction when Ryleigh joined their group was she more important than anyone else? He loved Ryleigh like a sister, but he hoped he never became as jaded as the rest of the team seemed to be. Then there was the baby yeah, the ramifications were huge but did they really matter. She was only a tiny baby, it would be years before any of them knew the true extent of her being. Dalton could’ve told them from the start that the baby had Shifter DNA he’d smelled it. He could feel that his bear knew the child was one of their own.

  Dalton stood up from his chair, leaning forward and placed his hands on the table, looking Jacks directly in the eye. He could feel the heat in this face and knew his eyes were glowing neon.

  “I'm going to tell you all right now if you make Emma and the baby leave, I’m leaving with them! And you aren’t going to separate them. Emma is concerned that the baby may not be hers, but she loves that little girl, and if you would open your eyes, you would too, Jacks. You’re so blinded by your fears, you can’t see what’s right in front of your face. Emma opened herself up to us completely, asked for help and made herself and her child vulnerable, she’s everything that we have sworn to protect. If that child turns out to be a shifter, then they need our help even more. I’ll happily leave the team if our core values have changed so drastically!” Dalton said throwing himself back into his chair.

  Dalton knew he was crossing the line. he’d disrespected Jacks several times since walking into the conference room. The whole situation was sad Jacks and the other members of his team had earned his respect throughout their childhoods and while in the service but he felt they all had blinders on now. He also knew the feelings he was having for Emma and the baby were playing havoc with his nerves. Yesterday or even earlier today, he would never have challenged Jacks or gone against his Team for anything. He was there to keep them safe but somehow Emma and her baby were now his first priority. The Alpha Team his brothers were second. He didn’t know what to think about that and he didn’t know how to handle it. He felt like a bull in a china shop he wanted to beat them all into submission until they realized how precious Emma was. That thought alone made him sit back down in his chair.

  The room erupted some of the guys jumping up out of their seats at Dalton's comment. They had sworn their lives and loyalty to the Alpha Team and NAC, and Dalton just let them know he was ready to give it all up for a woman he didn’t truly know and a baby that wasn’t even his. It was sacrilege. Dalton knew his days were numbered he and Jacks would need to make things right sooner or later, in the Shifter world that meant blood.

  After a lot of “What the fucks!’ and ‘You have got to be kidding me!’ Jacks stood, dislodging Ryleigh from his lap.

  “Calm the fuck down all of you! Listen Dalton, I have nothing against that Emma and the little girl, but I need to make sure we’re safe, and regardless of what the fuck you think, it isn’t all about Ryleigh and my cub. Eli lived with us for years until he fucked us, I can’t risk my child or Ryleigh with an unknown, you have to understand that.” He sat back down once he had everyone’s attention and pulled Ryleigh back into his lap. He needed the contact; he was upset with her, bu
t she was still the most important thing in his life. They would talk that shit out later.

  Dalton was seething he wanted to get the fuck out of the room. What surprised him more was that he wanted to attack his Alpha. That had never happened before he was loyal to the team and especially Jacks. But he couldn’t abide by his behavior, it seemed to him that Jacks didn’t care what he or anyone else said or thought, He only cared about one thing his mate and it pissed him off. Dalton knew he’d already done enough damage. Right now, he needed this meeting to play out, so he could get back to Emma but he had to wonder, if they were supposed to be a family shouldn’t Jacks care about all of them. Wasn’t it their fucking mission in life to help all woman and children in need!

  “Bas, and Mia proved that Emma is a minimal threat if that,” Jacks spoke quietly directing his eyes to Dalton. “We just have to be careful. I also can’t believe that you would think I wouldn’t help an abused woman and her baby. that’s not who I am and you know it! You and I need to have a long talk after this meeting but know this. We’ll protect Emma and child.”

  Dalton was fucked Jacks was only ever quiet when he was beyond a doubt pissed. Looking around the conference room he noticed that all the guy’s eyes were glowing a sure sign of aggression and agitation. The entire team was one with their anger at what had transpired, the rage was directed solely at him. He knew he deserved it. he’d acted out of character but thankfully his brothers seemed to be giving him a reprieve at the moment. He didn’t know how long it would last but he hoped it lasted long enough for him to get his head out of his ass. He was angry, tired, and confused not a good combination for a Shifter.

  Jacks hated that the meeting had devolved into the mess it had. He also hated the fact that Dalton was acting like a complete ass. The man had been loyal to the group since they were children damn! More than that, he’d been loyal to Jacks. Now Dalton’s focus seemed to be split and although Jacks could understand if Emma was sparking his mating instinct, he couldn’t let his Enforcers behavior go. It looked like Jacks would be having all kinds of talks tonight and that fucking sucked. He was a man of action not a fucking shrink all he knew was everyone needed to get their shit together. he’d noticed the Dalton was holding on by a thread, he could also see the man wanted to beat the shit out of him. Jacks didn’t care he was the Alpha and he would keep them all fucking safe and when things cooled down, he would show Dalton who was in charge.

  Dalton couldn’t get over it, he was still mad even if he understood where Jacks was coming from he knew that if something happened to Emma and the baby he would feel the same way. What he didn’t want to tell Jacks was that his bear had already claimed them both and he knew without question Emma was his true mate. This mating shit was all too new to all of them he didn’t understand it himself and he was quite sure Jacks or the others would either.

  Mia couldn’t stand the tension within the room, the weight of the vibes the men were putting off was beginning to make the simple act of breathing difficult. Her skin felt clammy and she could feel sweat gathering on her upper lip. Never having been in this type of situation before she decided to stick with what she knew and give her report, maybe, just maybe, it would make the guys focus on something other than their apparent anger.

  Clearing her throat to get their attention Mia said “Listen guys Emma isn’t in good shape physically who ever held her only gave her the basics to sustain life. She needs to be under a doctor’s care for the foreseeable future. I have her on an IV drip right now but I’m going to start her on a broad-spectrum antibiotic as well as some pain meds and anti-inflammatories.

  Looking around the room she was thankful that she’d gained all of their attention and the strangling vibes were starting to dissipate a bit. Hoping to keep it that way she continued with her assessment of Emma. I also want to start her on a high-calorie diet. I’ll start slow and bland at first but from Ryleigh’s exam we estimate she’s at least thirty pounds underweight. She has been running on pure adrenaline and I think her reserves are spent. Between running and now giving birth, she could make a turn for the worst. Physically we can do whatever she needs but I’m afraid that she might start to exhibit some mental issues once she realizes that she’s in a safe place and her fight-or-flight instinct wears off.

  Mia knew it had taken her month’s years even to get a grip on her own ordeal. She didn’t want to think about it. Ryleigh had pulled herself out of that black place and she was grateful. She would do the same for Emma.

  “The weight of what has happened to her in the last six months is bound to cause some problems. She was kidnapped, held against her will, and although I didn’t notice any damage, we don’t know if she was raped or not. Those are all feelings she’s going to have to deal with. I want to run some additional tests as well.” Mia said

  Feeling the Alpha vibes lessen more Mia took a much-needed deep breath. Ryleigh must have noticed that she’d been struggling with the tension in the room because she picked up the conversation looking her mate directly in his beautiful green eyes she stated “Jacks I understand your concerns but I can’t help but think this is the best place for Emma and the baby right now. We can’t let anyone know that she’s here or that we have the first full female shifter here either, we’re going to have to hide their presence until we know who we can trust.”

  Chapter 25

  Mia didn’t know the guys in the room well enough to gauge what they were thinking, so she continued on as professionally as possible. She didn’t want the stifling vibes from earlier resurfacing. She wanted this meeting finished as soon as possible.

  “I don’t want to order more formula or any other baby supplies. I think it’s important that we don’t raise any flags, and placing a large order that’s out of the norm, could draw attention, but we’re in need of quite a few things. I didn’t get a chance to check out your little town; does it have shops that would have baby things we could purchase without bringing any attention to ourselves? I don’t think we should order much online. We might be able to get away with a few things. We also don’t want to bring attention that Ryleigh is also pregnant. We need to keep Ryleigh pregnancy, and Emma and her baby’s birth under wraps. None of us have any idea how much scrutiny we’re receiving at the moment, but we all know that Pandora and Davis want babies and we have two.” Mia looked to Jacks his brow was furrowed and he appeared to be in deep concentration. She was so caught up in her observation that she startled when the man actually spoke.

  “I have thought about it, and I don’t think we should buy the baby stuff locally. Cash and Ethan can take a trip to a big box store a couple of towns over. It’s a bit of a drive, but if we use cash, there shouldn’t be any questions.”

  “Dalton, Cash said you met up with Emma at Ruby’s. Do you think anyone noticed she was pregnant? Cash also mentioned the huge coat she was wearing.”

  Dalton had gotten up from his seat, unable to remain still any longer. Pacing, he said, “To be honest with you I don’t know, I’m a guy for Christ’s sakes. I didn’t even notice she was pregnant until she took the coat off. Ryleigh was the first to notice she was pregnant and even that was after Emma took her coat off. All I noticed was the dark circles under her eyes, and she looked hollowed out, desperate to me. It wasn’t until after I went over to her table at the diner that I saw the bruises. Once I saw them, I knew I needed to get her some help. But I did ask Ruby if it was okay to leave her car at the Diner.” Dalton stopped pacing and slammed his hand down on the table. “Shit, her stolen car! If Ben runs her plates, we might have some problems.”

  “I can go down and get the car and we can put it in the garage,” Cash spoke up. “I saw Ben before I took you guys out to Colorado, and he’d said that he was going to visit his sister for about a week, so I think we’re in the clear with the car. His deputies don’t do shit when he isn’t watching them,” Cash said shrugging his shoulders. “To be safe, I’ll have a talk with Ruby when I get the vehicle.”

  “Sure, you
are going to talk with Ruby,” Ethan, always the tease, said, “a convenient excuse. You just want some of her turnovers, you can’t fool us big guy,” he laughed, hitting Cash in the shoulder.

  “Shut up, fucker,” Cash said with a smile on his face; he was definitely getting turnovers if he was going to down to Ruby’s. “Anyway, I’ll let her ask and come to her own conclusion, but lead her to believe that Emma was on the run from and abusive husband. Knowing Ruby, she’ll keep the information to herself and let us know if anyone comes around asking questions. I’ll also lead her to believe we shipped Emma off to help her get started somewhere else. I don’t think Ruby will talk, but that way if she does, at least she could point the people asking in another direction.”

  “You’re going to need cash; how much do we have on hand right now?” Jacks asked. “We can use the mission money if needed.” All the Teams kept cash on hand in safes at their bases. You never knew when you needed to come up with a large sum of cash in their business. People couldn’t trace cash.

  “How much do you think I should get out, Mia? We have plenty of cash in the safe, but I don’t want to get caught out with too much. Do you think we should bring Senior in on this? he’s our boss after all. I, for one, know he isn’t working for any other group. I would trust him with the life of anyone on this team.”

  Declan “Senior” Quinn was their boss, but he was also more than that. He had earned the trust of all the men who worked under him. He was also Ryleigh’s father

  “Yeah, I’ve already placed the call. He’s on a mission with Echo Team right now, but he’ll call back as soon as he’s able,” Jacks said. Senior had a stake in keeping Ryleigh safe as well; which is why Jacks had immediately placed the call when he realized what the hell was going on.

  “I’m sure he’ll get on board with whatever we decide, but we’ll need to brief him as soon as he’s available.” This information wouldn’t be kept from their superior.