Silas smiled. The idea had merit; he wondered what he had to do to seal the deal. “Sounds good. Send Jacques the information and we will set it up on our end.”
“Okay. Thank you for hearing me out, and congratulations on your wedding,” he said.
“Thank you.” Silas was surprised to hear the dial tone. The man hadn’t asked for anything other than his forgiveness. He stared at the top of the desk; his mind repeated the conversation over and over. Not once had the President asked him to back off, or restore communications with the Joint Chiefs or to leave everyone alone. He took total responsibility for his mistakes and set a plan in motion to avoid making the same mistake again. When you come right down to it that was all anyone could do.
“That was nice of him to set up a full-blood in a permanent position, don’t you think?” Jasmine asked staring at him.
“Yes, I hadn’t thought of that. But it makes sense.” He continued to stare at the desk wondering how to handle the situation. If they had been playing chess, he would slap the president on the back and say great move. Now the ball was in Silas’ court and his mate had heard the conversation. She’d be watching.
Jacques whistled, claiming his attention. “There is some highly classified information on kirlethanium, the President was right, if handled a certain way, it can be lethal. But left in its original form it may be beneficial. There are a few limited studies, but for most of the data I had to hit high clearances to access. It’s still too new for a lot of info, but it’s hot, he’s right to be concerned.”
Silas closed his eyes. There was always something someone claimed could end the world, he’d been dealing with one thing or another for decades. Today, he wanted to enjoy his mating ceremony with his mate. He wanted her to look at him with awe and admiration. He wanted to claim her all over again.
“Keep an ear out for any information. I have an idea who is feeding the terrorist organization. Considering the guy Asia killed wasn’t American, I’m assuming the Liege are on other continents as well. That would explain how they flew under the radar so many years. Packs in other countries aren’t well connected and wouldn’t sound any alarms.”
Silas turned to Jacques. “When will Tyrese arrive?”
“Some time tomorrow, late probably after midnight. They’ve got to get to London to catch a flight to Denver. Because of their connections, they’ll be taking a later flight.”
“They flew in on a military plane, what about passports?” Jasmine asked.
“Alpha Frederick has passports for them. He’s taking care of that,” Jacques said.
Silas nodded. “Okay. When do we clue Maheegan about Tyrese and her granddaughter?”
“Right before Tyrese arrives. I was thinking…” she said meeting his gaze.
Unsurprised, he nodded.
“I think you should let things play out. You’ve started a course, and although I didn’t understand at first, I get why you’re doing what you’re doing.”
That surprised him. “You do?”
“Yes, I think it’s a good thing the President apologized, but ignorance is no excuse. Sorry doesn’t fix things. What if it was another wolf and the Alpha couldn’t reach him in time? Would we have sacrificed that person?”
“No,” Silas growled, his wolf rose swiftly at the idea.
“Exactly. What he did was callous and showed a complete disregard for all the information the General and everyone else gave him. People died behind something that could’ve been handled differently. He should’ve clued his top guys and they could’ve told him what the deal was, instead he pulled a Silas and went all Lone Ranger.”
He frowned. “Huh? Lone what?”
She waved her hand. “Never mind, that’s not important. What’s important is this; he needs to feel the bite of his actions to remind him that he does not do this alone. He has help. He needs to ask for help.”
Once again she amazed him. He pulled her into his arms and soaked in the warmth of her scent. “I am blessed by the Goddess to have you in my life. And I know part of that message is for me.” He kissed her forehead, her eyelids, her nose and finally her full lips. Her softness fed him. Starved he took possession of her mouth. When they broke apart, he ran the pad of his thumb over her lower lip.
“We’ll do it your way, Sweetness and let things play out. One thing for sure, he will show his true colors in the next few days. We’ll know if we can trust anything he says.”
“True. I have a feeling about him, but we’ll see. I still haven’t been able to reach Asia. And no one has seen or heard from Thorne. Both of those things concern me.”
He slapped her on the behind and grabbed her hands in one of his. “You have six pups, two of their mates, Cameron and Lilly by extension through me and you want more to worry over?”
She smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes and he knew she was really concerned. Asia he couldn’t do much about. The young bitch would show up soon on her own, but he could send someone to look for Rose and Lilly’s teenage brother. He sent Hank a message explaining what he wanted while he held her close.
Chapter 21
Asia and the rest of the team sat quietly in the back of the SUV. Since they were returning to the states on commercial transportation they had needed to get cleaned up. They’d made a stop at a small house where Alpha Frederick met them. He took their pictures and gave them all passports, a shower, change of clothes and first class tickets to the states. Even though the skin wasn’t hers it felt great to see two days’ worth of dirt circle down the drain.
Tyrese touched her hand. She glanced up at him. He tipped his head toward Angus. The older wolf sat slumped in the seat. She knew he wasn’t asleep; he was either communicating with La Patron or doing some type of deep search. Either way he could snap to attention before a tossed penny hit the ground.
“He’s tired,” she said smiling.
Tyrese nodded with a mischievous grin.
Asia sat back and watched the countryside pass by.
“When do we change?” Danielle asked and then glanced over her shoulder at the full-blood drivers.
That was an excellent question. They had to remain in these skins until they passed through customs in the states but after that...
“I’ll ask Angus when he wakes,” she said.
Danielle nodded and leaned against Tyrese rubbing his thigh. An hour later they turned into a gated area in the middle of goats, mountains and gothic styled homes. There was a large copter in the middle of the courtyard.
When they exited the vehicle the driver spoke. “The copter will take you to Alpha Kros private airstrip. It was the closest to the extraction point. His plane will take you to London. You should have plenty of time to make your flight.”
Asia nodded and wondered why Alpha Frederick hadn’t told them the plans when they met. She inhaled deeply and then released it in a rush, coughing. Something… someone… she spun around seeking the source of that scent. It tickled the back of her throat and made her nostrils itch.
“Where are we?” she asked her escort while pinching her nose for relief. It didn’t help, the itch became worse.
“Iruskj, a small inlet not far from Krajdn.”
None of those names meant anything to her. They had traveled near the Ukraine border into Lyrill, she assumed they were still in that area. The rest of her team appeared fine and headed toward their transportation home. Angus looked at her a moment longer and headed to the copter.
She turned slowly once again searching, and then joined them. During the short ride her attention was divided. There had been something elusive, something unique, and something important she had missed back at the copter pad. Her wolf whined and snapped as if trying to remind her of a clue just out of her grasp. The landing site came into view and she was pleased to see the sleek jet on the ground that would take them to London.
Angus took the lead; he checked the area and waved them off. Being the last to leave the copter, she nodded to Angus and headed toward the jet
. The itch returned with a vengeance. Except this time it didn’t just stop at the nose, it traveled down her throat and into her belly. She’d never experienced anything like it before. Fearing she may have contracted something in the jungle, she stopped before reaching the plane, bent over with her hands on her knees and searched her body.
“Isa…Isa, child is that you? What has taken you so long to return? Are you well?”
She jerked upright and spun around. Who?... Who was that? No one other than Mistress had been able to access her via link. A tremor ran through her as she inhaled again. Clicking sounds filled her mind. Small snapshots of a barefoot young girl running through the woods in a tattered dress. Asia drank down the fear racing in the heart of the child who knew she would be caught.
Asia spun around on the tarmac and covered her face to stop the kaleidoscope of faces, places and people flying through her unlocked mind. There were so many she fell to her knees under the pressure, wrapped her arms around her waist and released a low keening sound. In the background she heard footsteps, but the overpowering flow from her past crowded everything else from her mind.
“Isa…Isa? Are you there? Are you hurt? Did they hurt you?” The honest concern in the stranger’s voice entered her private area inside where she had locked down her emotions a decade ago.
“No…yes, but that’s okay. Who are you?” she held her breath and waited for his response.
A long whistling sound came through her link; she assumed it was a sigh. “I was afraid of this…not only did they betray me, but they tampered with you. I am Gunnolf… your teacher. I have been imprisoned for over fifty years waiting for word of you and the others.”
Others? She frowned as a mist rose in her mind and cleared with an image of a tall male with long black hair, stood tall giving a young girl instruction.
“Do it again, this time watch your hands…they must remain in position to protect your face.”
The child, who couldn’t be more than ten years old, executed a perfect drop kick against a stuffed bag. “Gunnolf?... you taught me? When I was younger? You know me? My family? Where I am from?”
“I swear to the Goddess those bastards will pay for what they have done to you…yes. You are Isa. Your parents met the Goddess when you were a young child; you were placed in an orphanage. That is where I found you.”
Her heart beat so hard she thought it would leave her chest. Tidbits of light penetrated the darkness and she saw herself as a child. Tears ran down her face, she didn’t bother to wipe them, she had been weeping on the inside for decades.
“Asia?” Angus said softly from behind her.
She shook her head, his voice wasn’t the one she needed to hear right now. “Gunnolf…I am remembering, after all these years I am remembering.” She could dance for joy, rivers of happiness flowed through her at his words.
“Good. I failed you, failed all of you. I am sorry.”
She had no idea what he was talking about. There were no memories of others. Excitement filled her, she could finally get answers. Answers to who she was and what happened in her life. The gift of knowing herself was too much to pass up.
“Where are you?” She stood and faced Angus. The others stood near the plane watching them.
“I don’t know the name of this place, it has changed through the years, but the dungeon has remained the same. Lord Boris Landcaster tricked and imprisoned me. Be careful who you ask for directions, the wolves around here are not as they were before. They have no loyalty to pack.”
“Boris…that name…it sounds familiar,” she murmured.
“He was one of the men who tricked me decades ago, for years he took my blood and kept me imprisoned below ground.” He paused. “You should leave. The thought of him recapturing you is too much to bear. It is enough to know you are alive, that is more than I dreamed.”
“Asia, are you okay?” Angus asked.
“No. Not really.” She faced him, her heart beat with fear and excitement which was more than she had felt in a long time. Was it possible? Could Gunnolf truly fill the gaping holes in her memory?
He frowned. “Is it the bracelet?”
She glanced at the male skin she wore. No one would be expecting her to look like this. The visceral connection she had to Gunnolf was still locked in place after all these years, through all the surgeries, and through her recent brush with death. She had to rescue him.
“No. It’s not. I…” She exhaled, and met his steady gaze. Although she hadn’t known him long, she sensed she could trust him. Taking a step closer, she leaned next to his ear and told him what happened. She hoped the noise from the plane and the surrounding area would muffle her words from the others. Eventually, she would contact her Mistress to explain her decision to remain behind, but she did not want to talk with the rest of her team about it.
“I knew Gunnolf, there was no better teacher in the region. He took in orphans and trained them to be independent. I wondered what happened to him, he is nearby?”
“Nearby is relative. He does not know where he is exactly.” Pleasure from Angus’ words filled her. He’d confirmed Gunnolf’s story and acknowledged the man was of good character.
He nodded. “Give me your hand.” She extended it to him hoping he would not take the bracelet; it could help her get in and out of places.
He placed his palm over her wrist. The bracelet warmed and then normalized. “I have given you full control of your bracelet. No one can use it but you. No one can see it but you. Also, I gave you one of the most powerful ones; it should last for years without maintenance. Perhaps this is the next assignment the Goddess meant for you.”
“I don’t know about that. He called me Isa… my name is Isa,” she said through a tight throat. Her chest squeezed with the knowledge. Such a simple thing, but it sent her hopes soaring.
“It is a beautiful name, very close to the one you’ve been using.”
“Yes,” she whispered and then cleared her throat. “You need to leave so you can make your connections. I promised Mistress Tyrese would return before the end of the ceremony and he will.”
He nodded, took a couple steps backward and stopped. “Be careful with Gunnolf, it’s possible he has been changed like you were. No telling what they’ve done to him over the years. And if he still has access to you, he can lead them to you unintentionally.”
She had been so excited to learn of her past, she hadn’t thought of the dangers of that discovery. But it was worth the risk. “That’s true; I will scan him for chips.”
His brow rose. “You can do that?”
She swallowed hard and looked away “I will never forget the sound. I hear it in my sleep. It’s a constant reminder of what happened to me.”
He nodded, turned and jogged to the plane. She moved back and stood in the shade of a large structure. Seeing the plane move forward and then taxi away cut deep. Who knew when she’d see Mistress or La Patron again? It hurt more than she had expected. She had grown to care deeply for the pups and would miss playing with David and Jackie. Those two always squealed with joy when they saw her. Renee and Adam would run over reaching for a hug. She sniffed, missing the future she would have had with them already.
“Isa? What happened?” Gunnolf asked, sounding fearful.
Could he read her emotions? Inhaling, she straightened, turned and headed into town. “Nothing happened, Gunnolf. I am coming to get you.”
Chapter 22
The last high school performance had just completed when Jasmine received notice that Tyrese was at the mansion. She and Silas smiled at each other, and graciously excused themselves. Tyrone, Rose, Cameron and Lilly were already at the house with the children.
“I’m so happy, thank you God, thank you Goddess and if I missed anyone else, thank you,” Jasmine said her heart bubbling over with joy.
“We will introduce Tyrese and his mate tonight at the final ball. I will tell Davian and Matt.”
Jasmine nodded. “And Maheegan?”
Silas waved at a group of giggling teens. “We should take her to the mansion with us.” He contacted Hank and sent him to retrieve the older woman.
“I still haven’t heard from Asia,” Jasmine said. “I know she feels she needs to trace her past, but I’m still worried. She has no back-up and no pack over there to help. We should send someone.”
“No.” He released a breath.
She placed her hand on his arm and squeezed. Would he remember their conversation from yesterday? She would see if he meant what he said about listening to her feelings. “I’m really worried about her.”
“According to Angus she is determined to release Gunnar. That’s a good thing; the full-blood is older than me and very strong.” He frowned at her raised brow. “He was. I’m not sure I understand how they’ve kept him all this time. The point is, she is in the backyard of one of the Liege Lords. The moment unknown full-bloods start showing up, it’ll put her in more danger.” He touched her lip. “You and I can help her from here, better than sending others to get in her way. Besides, Gunnar trained hundreds of orphaned full-bloods. Once he is released, he could probably call an army together.”
Disappointment at his response laced her chest. He still didn’t get it; apologies were fine, but didn’t change the outcome. He needed to change and take her “suggestions” seriously. “I don’t know Silas; he has been a prisoner a long time. They could have a chip in his head and know he’s calling her. This could be a trap.”
“When she contacts you, tell her what you feel and offer to send someone, if she accepts, I’ll send Brix and Leon.”
That made her feel slightly better, although she’d rather Asia come home where she’d be safe. Silas grabbed her around the shoulder and pulled her back against him.
“You can’t coddle them, Sweet Bitch. Asia, Rese, Rone, Cam… they have their own destinies to fulfill. They’ll probably get hurt, but they’ll be living their lives and carving their histories. Let her go… be there for her when she needs you, that’s the best you can do.” He nipped her ear and then kissed her forehead. “Let’s go see my kids.”
BirthSign (La Patron, The Alpha's Alpha) Page 22
