by Sydney Addae
“Knights have a nice ring to it,” Silas said thinking of Jasmine’s reaction to him naming a branch of the human military after himself.
“Similar to Rangers or Marines,” General Miller said.
Crall nodded. “I will submit the name with the note it was your suggestion.”
“How many will you start with and how do you plan to recruit?” Silas asked Crall. For the next hour the five of them formed the new military group so that it operated as a pack. Silas required anyone who stepped into the Alpha role of the group to attend a week of training at the compound.
“About the serum, have they begun injecting humans yet?” Silas asked Crall.
“Not yet…” he hesitated. “At least not that I can tell. It’s possible another group may be involved without my knowledge. I’ve noticed irregularities in the test labels and numbers. Some were missing, when my office asked about it the missing vials were returned.”
Silas didn’t like the sound of that. “I thought no one knew you were wolf.”
“They don’t. Not like Miller at least. That’s why I’m baffled about being kept in the dark over this. It’s my project,” Crall said.
“Maybe Summers or Melch said something to someone, they were in the room the last time we all talked,” Hawke said. “Or it could be me. I’ve been in the testing area a few times and it’s plain I’m wolf if you know what to look for.”
Silas silently agreed. In his human form Hawke stood inches above six feet and was built like a truck. In his hybrid forms, Hawke was massive.
“Hmm, I hadn’t thought of that,” Crall said looking at Hawke. “We may need to work something out.”
“I’ve got most of the information I need, you can keep me abreast of anything new. The most important thing is to be aware of any back room deals with testing on wolves,” Hawke said.
Silas nodded. “If the government wants to test new serums on humans, that’s on them. If they touch a wolf in this country, they deal with me. Is that clear?”
“Yes, Sir.” Cralls and Miller said.
“Good. It’s my intention to live peacefully alongside our hosts but not at the expense of our people. We pay taxes and don’t use most of the services those taxes provide. In my opinion we’re doing our share to keep the country safe and prosperous but we will not be scapegoats for their fears or mismanagement,” Silas said and then glanced at his watch. Barticus and his mate, Amynta would arrive soon. Jasmine expected him to have this finished in time for drinks before dinner.
“Is there anything else we need to discuss?” Silas asked.
“No, Sir.” Crall and Miller stood and bowed.
“Okay, meeting adjourned.” Silas turned to Hawke. “Are your in-laws here yet?”
“They just pulled up to the gate and are going through security. Asia is nervous and happy. Sarita…” Hawke smiled. “She’s over the moon happy. For someone who had no idea what grandparents were until recently, she’s got this family thing locked down.”
“I know. David and Adam both asked about Grandpa Barticus. When I explained who he was they asked for one.” Laughing, Silas walked out the conference room.
Hawke followed. “They plan to spoil her, they’ve been very clear on that. We are going to Disney in Orlando next week.”
Silas stopped and groaned. “No. Please don’t tell me that.”
“What?” Hawke looked alarmed.
“Jasmine hasn’t mentioned it yet, which surprises me.”
“It’s a surprise for Asia, my gift to her. We never took time for our mating, humans call it a honeymoon. I plan to take her to Orlando, we will have our own space while Barticus and Amynta entertain Sarita. It’s the perfect gift.”
Silas shook his head. “Yes I agree, but I will need to think of something for my den. I can see Adam and Renee looking at me now, asking why they can’t go. Does Sarita know?”
Hawke frowned slightly. “No, it’s a surprise.”
“Can you not tell her, just leave and then surprise her? It would make my life so much easier.” They’d stopped in the middle of the hall and Silas hoped Hawke would agree.
“Yes. Of course, I’ll tell Asia and Barticus so no one slips and says anything. Honestly, I didn’t think about how it would impact your den but I should’ve. They’re all so close.” Hawke paused. “Is there any way –”
“No and don’t even think it. Security would be a nightmare. I’ll need to plan to take them somewhere, but we’ll start small. Someplace I can rent for the day or something like that where I can handle security. Especially after… well what happened at the school and the rebels. No. I couldn’t risk taking my pups to a place like that.”
As much as he hated saying no, he didn’t ever want to experience the anguish they’d all went through when Sarita had been taken. Jasmine had melted down, Asia and Hawke had been on the verge of losing it. Damian barely functioned. And his den, his pups were inconsolable. Keeping them safe ranked higher than a day at the amusement park.
“I understand. For us, going to a place like that is the balm we need to normalize. To know we can keep those we cherish safe. Asia and I need this,” Hawke said.
Silas slapped his shoulder, they continued walking. “Of course, I understand and wish you the best. Both of you’ve been working non-stop since you returned from overseas. I appreciate you not telling Sarita in advance.”
Hawke nodded. “Please don’t tell Mistress either. I plan to surprise Asia with the trip.”
“I promise not to say anything, but you know how it is with mates,” Silas reminded him.
“I know.” they stopped at the elevator. “I’m going to the apartment, Asia and Sarita are there. We plan to meet her parents at the security checkpoint below.” He pressed the elevator button.
“Good. Jasmine’s requesting my presence in the nursery. I’ll see you later, give Barticus my regards and explain that I’m forgoing protocol of meeting him so that your family may have some private time.”
“Thank you, Sir.” Hawke entered the elevator.
Chapter 3
Silas opened the door into the nursery and smiled. “Hi Daddy,” four voices chorused. The greeting never got old. He loved this time when they ate snacks and talked about their day. Spending an hour with them became a habit he’d developed when Sarita had been missing and he planned to continue it as long as he could.
“Hello, pups!” Silas picked up Renee, placed a kiss on her cheek and smiled as she held onto his neck tight for a few minutes.
“Love you,” Renee said. Eyes the same color as his reflected her love.
“Love you too, Princess.” He kissed her cheek again, sat her on the floor and picked up Jackie to repeat the afternoon ritual. When he got to Adam, his son held his neck longer than normal. “What’s the matter?”
“It’s Christmas again and I don’t have a gift to share. I need to get some presents to give away.” Adam leaned back and stared into Silas’ eyes as if he’d fix this problem with a few words.
Silas glanced at Jasmine. She sat in the chair brushing Renee’s hair.
“Okay, son, we’ll see what we can do,” Silas said and placed Adam on the floor. He picked up David and kissed his cheek. “Did you have a good day in school?”
“Yes. Sarita’s grandparents arrived, have you met them?” David asked.
Silas’ brow rose. “Not yet. I came here instead.” He hoped they weren’t going to have another discussion on family.
“Why does she have grandparents and we don’t?” Jackie asked looking up at him as he put David down.
Silas looked at Jasmine. She met his gaze but remained silent. He inhaled and sat in the stuffed chair near the play area. Jackie crawled into his lap and snagged his gaze. “You have grandparents. Victoria is your grandmother and Jacques is her mate.”
Jackie frowned. “But Sarita’s grandparents don’t live here.”
“Grandparents can live anywhere. They travel, visit their family like Aunt Renee, does,” he said, p
leased she seemed to understand.
“What about my presents?” Adam moved closer and placed his hands on Silas’ knee.
“Jasmine do you have any ideas for Adam? He wants presents to give away this year.” He looked at her.
“Let him order a few things online, they’ll ship them here and he can wrap them for the tree.”
Silas frowned. Christmas was in a few days. “They’ll get here in time?”
She shrugged. “It’ll cost more but they’ll ship it overnight.” She patted Renee’s long braid and waved Jackie over.
“Okay, you heard your mother, do you know what you want to order and who you want to buy a present for?” he asked knowing all of them would want the same thing.
“Everybody,” Adam said opening his arms wide.
“Do you have any money saved?” Jasmine asked as she brushed out Jackie’s hair.
“A little bit,” Adam said, his entire demeanor changed, quieted as if he hadn’t realized he’d need to pay for anything.
“Well it cost money to buy things,” Jasmine said.
“Daddy has money,” Adam said, his confidence returning.
Silas wasn’t sure if Jasmine was teaching a life lesson or expected him to jump in and agree to pay for whatever the kids wanted. “Want me to pay for the presents?” He asked her.
“Wait a few minutes; let’s talk this through with them. That’s why I wanted you here,” she said.
He nodded and sat back in the chair. David wrote on a pad in the middle of the floor. Renee sat the table doodling on a large piece of paper. Both looked relaxed but he knew they paid close attention. Something was going on and he wasn’t sure what.
“Yes, your daddy has money, but how does that buy the gifts you want to give someone?” Jasmine asked, her tone mild.
“Daddy will pay for them,” Adam snapped, staring at Silas.
Adam’s demeanor bothered Silas. It was as if he challenged his mother, but not quite. Before Silas could respond, Adam fell to the floor and started crying. David and Renee looked at him briefly and continued what they doing. Jackie watched him for a few seconds and then ignored him.
“What just happened?” Silas asked Jasmine.
“That one’s been getting smart lately. My daddy this and my daddy that. I think the kids at school have been talking up your position as Alpha and it’s gone to his head.”
“But, he’s crying on the floor.” Silas watched Adam whimpering, his large light brown eyes staring up at Silas as if he wanted him to do something.
“I popped him on his behind.”
“Oh. Because he asked me to pay instead of answering your question?”
“That’s part of it. But he thinks girls are less than boys. You are more than me, I have to break him of that foolishness before it gets him in trouble. I think it’s the boys he hangs around in school.”
“I see.”
“Daddy?” Adam said in a pitiful voice.
Silas leaned forward and stared at Adam. “If you ever disrespect your mother, my mate again, I will punish you worse than you can imagine. No one, and I mean this for all of you.” He pointed to the children gaining their attention. “No one talks back or is mean or rude to your mother. I will never allow it and I will punish you again after she punishes you.”
“But that’s not fair,” Adam said. “Mommy already spanked me.”
“And I will spank you for making her spank you,” he threatened. “Not this time, because you didn’t know. But the next time, I will spank you no matter where we are and I promise you won’t like it.”
Adam nodded as he sat up and looked around the room. “Mommy, what about Christmas? I want to give away presents again.”
“Who do you want to give presents to?” Jasmine asked again.
“Mommy, Daddy, Renee, Jackie, David, Rese, Rone, Dani, Rose, Ryan, Ryder,” he continued ticking off on his fingers the names of everyone in their extended family, including Damian.
Silas’ eyes widened as he looked at Jasmine. That was a long list.
“Not me,” Renee said. “I want two presents. One for Santa and the other for Mrs. Santa so they’ll give me lots of presents.” She continued drawing.
“You only get presents when you give some, don’t you remember last year?” Adam asked.
Renee looked at him for a few moments. “I forgot.” She looked at Jasmine. “I want to give presents too.”
“Me too,” Jackie said.
“I just need three presents,” David said looking down at the page.
Silas had no idea how to navigate through all of this last minute shopping. He wished he could take them on a trip somewhere like Hawke planned.
“Maybe you could start making Christmas cards for most people on your lists,” Jasmine suggested.
“Does that count as a present?” Adam asked with a hint of skepticism.
“It could,” Jasmine said as she finished Jackie’s hair. “Make a nice picture on the outside and write a nice note on the inside, tell the person how much you care about them and sign your name, send hugs and kisses. It’s what’s in your heart that matters most.”
Silas stared at her, marveling at her wisdom and strength. Dressed in a pair of tight black pants and print top she looked like a queen on her throne as she challenged the kids to give what the most precious gift of all.
“I can do that,” Renee said standing and gathering supplies. David stood and picked up a stack of paper and placed them in the middle of the table. Adam and Jackie joined them. Soon all four of them had their heads together drawing.
“I don’t know how you do it, but I’m glad you do. You’re magical with them,” Silas said.
“They’re children. Smart, loving and kind, but they need guidance.” She stood and walked to the table looking down.
Silas joined her. He told her about Sarita’s trip.
A long sigh lingered in their link.
“What?” She sounded unhappy.
“I want those or similar things for them. When the twins were young, we took a lot of trips. I’d point out historical monuments, show them places. It was fun and educational. I hate they’ll miss out on those things.”
Her words, although not intended to hurt him, stung. For his mate to ever feel a lack in their relationship was unacceptable to his beast and to him as a man. He needed to revisit the idea of taking his pups on a trip.
Chapter 4
Three hours later, Silas opened the door for Asia, Hawke, Amynta and Sarita whose arms were wrapped around Barticus’ neck. No one would guess the tall, blond, blue eyed man was Asia’s father. Amynta, on the other hand could be Asia’s sister, their resemblance was uncanny.
“Welcome to my home.” Silas nodded to Barticus and shook his hand. “Please come inside, everyone’s here and excited to meet you.” He stepped aside, allowing them to cross the threshold.
Once they entered the large family room area, Sarita squirmed in Barticus’ arms. He placed her on the floor. She took off running to David and the others who played with Ryan and Ryder, Tyrone’s twins.
Dressed in a beige sweater and tight skirt, Jasmine reached them with her arms outstretched to Asia. The two embraced. Asia introduced Amynta who hugged Jasmine too long in Silas’ opinion. When they separated, tears flowed down Amynta’s cheeks.
Silas looked at Barticus to gauge his reaction and notice his eyes were moist as well. Jasmine had an immediate fan club with these two powerful wolves. Barticus hugged Jasmine briefly, the man understood protocol.
“Thank you so much, La Patroness for all you’ve done for my daughter. I watched the videos –”
“Videos?” Jasmine frowned looking at Asia.
“The one with Mark, when I wore blinders,” Asia whispered before looking over Jasmine’s shoulder to where Victoria sat in the midst of children.
Jasmine’s brow rose. “You saw that?”
Amynta and Barticus nodded.
“When we have time you’ll have to share how you got hold o
f those tapes.” Jasmine turned and looked in the room where the family, all but Cameron and his den, waited. “Come let me introduce you to everyone.” Jasmine glanced at Silas and winked.
She wore the rose and black gold tear drop brown diamond earrings he’d given her on her birthday and the gold necklace with a wolf shaped pendant made with black diamonds and emerald eyes. His chest expanded with pride as he watched her hips move in perfect rhythm across the room. His beast wanted his mate beneath him and roared through their link.
Jasmine stopped, looked over her shoulder at him. He hadn’t moved an inch. His gaze locked on hers, what she saw on his face, he couldn’t imagine.
She smiled. “Behave, after dinner I’ll feed you Wolfie.”
“I need you.” He sounded needy, unsure and that wasn’t like him. Not when it came to Jasmine. She was the one person in this world he was a hundred percent sure of.
“I need you too. It’s been 10 hours…” A rush of heat and affection rolled through their link watering his dry places and cooling his ardor. He replayed last night’s sexual romp in his mind and shared it with her through their link.
Jasmine continued her duties as hostess, introducing their guests while Silas took a seat on the sofa, watching her. Adam crawled onto his lap and laid his head on Silas’ chest.
“What’s the matter?”
“I want a grandpa. David has a grandfather and Sarita has one. I want one.”
In a room full of wolves, whispering meant nothing. Silas didn’t look at Victoria or Jacques, instead he ran his large hand over Adam’s dark full head of hair and placed a kiss on the top. “We’ll work on that, okay.”
Adam nodded, his face against Silas chest.
The black wolf who visited David, Angus and Asia in the past chose whom he spoke with and since he’d never spoken to Silas, there was no way he could help Adam in that department. Earlier this week in the nursery he’d explained family relationships again and would continue to explain until Adam accepted he wouldn’t have the same things others had.
“You can share my grandfather,” Sarita said standing in front of Adam with a look of concern on her small face. “He’s really nice and he loves me. He’ll love you too.”
