by Sydney Addae
“Which pack?”
“Ulric’s,” Angus said and Hawke heard the pain in his voice.
“I’ve noticed the disappearances are centralized in certain areas. In northern Egypt and on pack lands in the Ukraine, Romania and Russia. Have the packs considered moving?” Asia asked.
“The land in Egypt has belonged to the Black Clan for centuries, I doubt they would leave now, but I will discuss it with Ulric as a temporary measure. Moving alone won’t solve the problem. Those pups need to be returned to their dens. They are too young for this separation.”
“That brings the count to three in the past two weeks. It seems they are escalating,” Chacal said in a thoughtful tone.
Hawke thought of his dream and wondered if he should share it.
“Yes, I agree,” Angus said, looking at Hawke. “We have searched three of the locations you’ve given us of former Liege compounds and labs for clues. All of them have been vacated and empty for years. We plan to head out to another one later today, have you remembered any others that may help us understand what’s going on? Some place recent? My Alpha grows more concerned each day I don’t have answers.”
“I’ve written down all the locations I could recall. And it’s possible I was never given access to information regarding the pups. I’ve never seen another black wolf until you.”
“Not even to mate with?” Asia asked frowning.
“The first time I mated was on my tenth anniversary date and as far back as I remember I never mated with a black bitch.”
“Tenth? You were ten?” Asia asked,
Hawke shrugged. “No one knew the exact date of my birth. That was the tenth year with the Liege, so I was older than ten. There was a celebration and they brought a bitch in heat to my room. After that, a bitch came once a month for the next five years and then every week.”
“They wanted to breed you. I remember hearing them mention you impregnating the wolves. Something about you having a pup and them wanting more.”
“The black wolf gene is dominant, I could produce black pups with any bitch. As far as I know my seed never took root. Lancaster said I was sterile and useless in that area.” He looked at her. “But with you it will be different,” he said through their link.
“Or half-breed,” Asia murmured.
Angus looked at her.
“What?” Hawke asked.
She shook her head. “Just trying to wrap my mind around motive and opportunity. I don’t understand how they are accessing the den without detection.” Asia looked at Hawke. “Were you working on a cloaking device or something? Maybe like the chameleon, but different?”
Hawke searched his memory. “No. I remember being ticked when I figured out you had access to new technology I hadn’t heard of. Whatever or however they are doing this never came across my desk or I would’ve made notes in my personal files. Angus? You created the bracelets is there a chance the Liege could have modified what you’ve done?”
“No. Plus the thefts happened long before I created the bracelets. Like Chacal said, they’re speeding up for some reason. It’s like they know we are aware of what’s happening and they’re not trying to hide or be subtle anymore.”
“Or they’ve ramped up their time-table,” Chacal said in an ominous tone.
No one spoke for a few moments and then Angus threw the glass in his hand across the room into the fireplace. It shattered on impact and fell into the flames. “Damn-it, we’ve got to shut this down. Where are they taking the pups? Even when they disappear they have to hide them somewhere.” Angus stood and paced in jerky movements.
“You’ve been eating the root I gave you?” Hawke said watching Angus.
“Yeah, nasty shit.”
Hawke nodded. “Yes, but once it is in your system your tolerance for the drugs in the tranquilizer will increase and it will not have the same impact as it once had.” Neutralizing the drug that incapacitated Angus during their conflict against the bluebirds and Liege had risen to the top of Hawke’s to-do list after the castle fell. They couldn’t afford to fall to the side in the middle of a battle. After studying the components in the drug, he realized a root that grew in the wild would solve their problems. He and Asia ate a healthy dose daily and had spread the word to the local packs. Irritability and jerky movements were initial side effects that went away after a short period.
“Good to know I’m not eating this shit for nothing,” Angus muttered.
Asia smiled and winked at Hawke. “If you run into a bluebird again, you’ll be happy you ate that shit.”
Angus looked over his shoulder at her and growled. “True, but I have a sword with those bastard’s name on it.” He tapped the sharp blade sheathed and worn on his side. “In the chest below where a human heart would be, right?” He looked at Hawke who nodded.
“Yes, that’s their soft spot. Hit them there and they drop like a fly, or cut off their heads. Both will kill them dead.” He met the Angus’ gaze and then glanced at Chacal who sat listening without offering anything to the conversation.
“Glad you finally had access to your files, it’s been a lot of help.” Angus nodded and turned away. “Ulric is here and wants to meet with us, Chacal.”
The other man nodded, but didn’t move.
Angus looked at Asia and then Hawke. “After we meet with him we are heading to the next place on the list you gave us. How’s your search coming with Alpha Radoff?”
“Slow. The people he’s introduced us to were hesitant to share information. Later today, he’s taking us to an area northwest of here on the corner of pack lands. He says he’s come across some new information. Sounded excited about it last night.” In fact excited was not the right word, levitating with joy and doing flips had been more accurate. Despite his insistence they come to the address he gave them, the Alpha refused to discuss anything over the phone. He and Asia had spent some time guessing what had the man floating with joy before they fell asleep last night.
“Let’s hope it pushes us one step closer to solving this mystery. I hate not having anything to report to Silas and Jasmine,” Angus said meeting Asia’s gaze. “They are really concerned.”
She nodded and after a moment stood. “Ready?”
Hawke glanced out the window, streaks from the rising sun peaked across the sky. He stood, and slapped his palms against his pant leg. “Can I have breakfast first?”
Asia looked past him to the brightening sky and then met his gaze. “Make it fast.”
Chapter 3
Angus and Chacal left the house and walked toward the forest to meet Ulric, Alpha of the Black Wolf Clan. Ulric shifted from a large black wolf into his human form which wasn’t much different in Angus’ opinion. A few black wolves stood near the tree line while Ulric walked forward to meet them.
All three of them, Angus, Chacal and Ulric, were similar in height and size, although Chacal was the smallest. Angus and Ulric’s black hair, green eyes and deep tans were signature traits of the Black clan. Chacal’s blackish-brown hair and gold eyes identified him as a hybrid of wolf and jackal.
“I hope there is a good reason you called for this meeting,” Angus said instead of a customary greeting. He delayed his report to Silas just in case he learned something worthwhile from Ulric, but he needed to rectify that within an hour or Silas would contact him. Lately, his litter-mate had become more concerned over the threat the Liege presented to the wolf nation and seemed to be willing to take the fight wherever it took them, pack protocol be damned.
“Another pup was taken earlier today,” Ulric said through clenched teeth.
“I am aware of that. From your beta’s den I understand,” Angus said with sympathy. A wolf’s den was sacred; no one should’ve been able to penetrate his safeguards.
Ulric slapped his ball fist into his palm and walked back and forth a few times. “How can I lead if I cannot protect them? I flounder like a pup seeking a teat. Those bastards are winning. How? How are they doing it? They appear and disappear li
ke ghosts. How’s that possible?”
Angus’ heart clenched at the despair in the man’s voice, but he had no idea how to explain what happened. Baffled, he met Ulric’s gaze and remained silent.
“What… what would your Alpha do?” With a look of defeat he stared at Angus.
The idea of anyone breaking into Silas’ compound and surviving long enough to get to the nursery, was daunting. But if they made it that far, and neutralized the security detail that remained on duty twenty-four hours, that person would deal with either Jasmine, Victoria, Rose or one of the nurses who were trained security bitches as well. A battle of epic proportions would break out, and that’s before Silas arrived. Jasmine would be a force to reckon with if anyone came near her babies.
Rather than explain the bloodbath that would follow such an attempt, he cleared his throat and kept his face neutral. “I cannot imagine what he would not do if one of his pups were taken. I can only say life as we know it would change in a nanosecond.”
“Would he hunt down the Liege? Destroy them in their beds? Start a war with the humans? How far? How far would he go to find his pups? To protect his den?”
Angus swallowed and blinked back the image of an out of control Silas. “There is nothing he would not do. The Liege would pray for death by the time his mate found them and she would. La Patron and his mate would not rest until they found their pups.”
“And the parties responsible for taking their pups?” Ulric pressed. “What happens to them?”
Angus released a breath. “They’d die.” He didn’t bother to add, they’d die horribly without mercy. Ulric understood.
Ulric nodded and stepped back. “Lancaster arrived near Bucharest four days past. He stayed in the hotel at first, but has moved. I will find and kill him. Perhaps we should’ve killed them from the beginning before they made monsters of our young.”
Angus stilled. Thinking of Tyrese and Hawke he frowned at the comment. “Monsters? What are you talking about?” Both young wolves had no control over what happened to them and were valued assets to the wolf nation.
Ulric looked around before clearing his throat. “Those two men, Hawke and the other, his mate I suppose. They aren’t normal, they’ve been altered by the Liege. Their minds and their bodies are twisted. I don’t want my pups turned into a machine, with metal legs and arms,” he spat as if he smelled something distasteful. “They’ve put computer chips in their minds and cameras in their heads.” He tapped his forehead and then shook it. “We cannot allow that to happen to our pups, not if we plan to survive.”
Anger raced through Angus at the biased slight. “The Liege has been stealing pups for decades. Now that your pups are in danger of being changed, you stand here and criticize those who were victims while you did nothing to save them?”
“That is not what I meant –”
“Then what else could you mean? Hawke was taken, probably given away by his own pack to the Liege and he had no fucking choice. Have you seen his body? It’s a roadmap of cuts and scars from all the surgeries he underwent while you and your pack remained safe on the continent. He’s a fucking black wolf and no one, not you or his pack rescued him. He was with Lancaster for over thirty damn years and you…. You stand here and criticize him for surviving?”
“I meant they will destroy all of us!” Ulric yelled and then wiped his face with the back of his hand. “None of my wolves can defeat Hawke or the other who walks with him. They change into these, these huge beasts and our hybrids cannot win against them. What if he changes loyalty? What happens then?”
“The Liege has hybrids that shift to the same sizes. Hybrid full-bloods they control one hundred percent. How would you defeat them?” Angus crossed his arms over his chest and stared into the widening eyes of his friend.
“What?” Ulric looked gut punched.
Angus chuckled and shook his head at the man’s audacity. This limited foresight had been one of the main reasons he hadn’t been able to remain in the pack with this Alpha. “You’re going after Lancaster and don’t know anything about his army of hybrids? That’s why Hawke and other wolves can shift to larger sizes, the Liege experimented on full bloods. So far, only the black wolf can maintain his humanity and handle the extras, like steel limbs, and electronics. The others become machine-like or die.”
“He travels with one other,” Ulric murmured, and then met Angus’ gaze. “Lancaster does not travel with an army, but with one.”
“Then believe me that one is capable of doing what an army can do. He will morph to large sizes and fight to the death to complete his mission. If that is to destroy you, the Alpha of the Black Clan, he will never stop until you are dead.” Angus reiterated the threat of the hybrid in case Ulric retreated behind his veil of invincibility.
“Do you know how to destroy it?” Ulric watched him closely.
Angus shrugged. “If it were a hybrid, I’d say hit it in the left eye and pull out the computer chip that makes it run. Or if it were a bluebird, take a sharp object and pierce it here.” He pointed to the spot on his chest. “But this may be something new, so I cannot say.”
Ulric frowned. “Bluebird? Hybrid?”
“Yeah. They are wolves who’ve been changed by the Liege. Bluebirds are hyper-fast, but you’ll hear them coming. Make sure you eat a lot of that root I told you about because the tips of their talons are poison and will knock you out if you don’t.” He ignored the look of horrified distaste on Ulric’s face. They were in a war and attempting to change the tides of the battle and didn’t have time to deal with anyone’s sensibilities. Losing was not an option.
Ulric nodded. “We are including it into our daily diet.” He paused. “And the hybrid?”
Pleased with Ulric’s level of concern, Angus tempered his tone. “You won’t hear them coming. Just be ready to fight for your life, they cannot stop until their mission is completed.”
“A severed head stops them both,” Chacal said in a dry tone standing with his hands behind his back while staring over Ulric’s head.
Grinning, Angus patted his sword. “Yeah, that’s right.”
Ulric’s gaze followed his hand movements. “Have you talked to your Alpha? Will he send more assistance to defeat this threat?”
“He is aware of what is going on.” Angus couldn’t share Silas’ plans with Ulric even though they were both Alphas, they did not operate the same. Plus Silas was the Goddess’ emissary with abilities no other Alpha shared.
“Is he coming to defeat the Liege? He is in danger just as we are,” Ulric said, sounding desperate.
“He is not the Goddess, Ulric. He cannot fix your problems. The bulk of the takings has occurred on pack lands here or in Egypt. The question is why? There are packs all over the world, but the Liege’s success is limited to these areas. Find the answer to that question and follow the trail.”
Ulric jerked back at Angus’ remark. “I’m aware no pups have been taken from your Alpha’s lands. That does not mean they will not make an attempt,” Ulric said watching Angus.
“You’re missing the point,” Angus said, shaking his head. “Instead of asking what La Patron is doing about the problem, ask what is it about these lands that allow the Liege access to come and go at will.”
Ulric stared at him and nodded slowly. “Good point, I will research the history of the lands to discover if there is a link. I shall delay going after Lancaster until I know more of his security.”
Angus nodded. “Good idea, if I hear anything, I’ll let you know.”
Jaw clenched, he raised and pointed his finger. “And so you know, I am aware La Patron is not the Goddess, but he has a close relationship with her. Pity she favors him to the point she does not respond to the rest of her servants.” He shifted and walked into the forest with his pack following.
Chapter 4
“I cannot believe how big they’ve grown,” Renee, Jasmine’s sister, said watching David and Adam run after each other around the large nursery.
Jasmine smiled with pride and placed her fingertips to her temple. A low, dull throb behind her eyes robbed her of energy, she needed to lay down. “They are a hand full, no doubt. Some days I get tired just from watching them.”
“Auntie Nay, Auntie, look.” Renee walked over and handed her aunt a picture she had been drawing. Not to be ignored, Jackie followed and lifted a puzzle she’d just finished to show Renee as well. Both girls stood next to Renee, their eyes lit with adoration as they stared up at their relative. Jackie’s long black ponytail had escaped the band and fell down her back in a messy fall. Wrinkled jeans and a tee shirt were her favorite outfits. Jackie was laid back and comfortable.
Renee, Jasmine’s diva in training stood with a perfect ponytail as if she’d painted every strand in place. Despite her use of paint, not one drip or splotch landed on her clothes. With Renee everything matched and remained in place.
“Oh my, this is beautiful, Renee, you are a great artist. And Jackie you did such a great job on this, I’m so proud of both of you.” Renee dropped to her knees and hugged them both causing the girls to squeal as their faces lit with pleasure.
“Me too,” Adam yelled changing directions as he ran into Renee’s outstretched arms. Jasmine watched David walk slowly toward the group, stretch forth his arms and offer his aunt a hug. Renee grabbed him close and placed several kisses on his face, which he wiped off as soon as she released him. Jasmine and Renee laughed at his actions.
Victoria walked into the nursery and a chorus of “Nana” rose from the children. Pleased by their response to her entry, Victoria ushered the four close for hugs and kisses. Renee returned to Jasmine’s side with a huge smile of satisfaction. This visit had been delayed a month because of the mating ceremony and both sisters were happy to see each other. It had been too long.
“I’m jealous, they are so cute and smart and loving. Don’t know how you keep having such great kids, but I’m glad you do.” Renee hugged her with one arm while watching the scene with Victoria.
