Dalton: NAC & The Holly Group (Alpha Team Book 2)

by Chelsea Handcock

  Dalton cleared his throat Julius Abernathy was behind your abduction and impregnation. Ryleigh gasped. Ryleigh told you about him, right?

  Yeah, he was her brother and he was pretty screwed up had her kidnapped held in a cage and was going to rape her all to get money and pay her back for his parents being in jail. Emma was surprised at her own voice she had just said those things in such a nonchalant way. Was this going to be her and Kenna’s life from now on? Explosions and attacks?

  Emma didn’t understand people like Julius Abernathy. He seemed to have everything money and power and he still wanted more. He was selfish and psychotic. She was glad he was dead for Ryleigh’s sake as well as her own. The asshole had paid to impregnate her who does that shit?

  Jacks took over, yeah that’s him he growled, walking over and removing Ryleigh from her Dad’s arms. Her actions had stung him earlier. He let her have her tantrum because he knew she felt betrayed, he had reached his limit however and she needed to be reminded who was boss, even if it was in a subtle manner. Emma was shocked. These guys were all Alpha but Declan was more and Jacks had just acted like it was no big deal to remove Ryleigh from his grasp.

  Continuing as if nothing had just occurred between them, and positioning Ryleigh where he wanted her, without skipping a beat. Jack’s continued Okay, so we were able to detain one of the guys that attacked our home. Derrick Hamilton. We were able to discern that he and his brother and Harlan Jones the HR Director at Davis were old school buddies. All of them were greedy as fuck and equally as sick. Abernathy commissioned them to find some of Franklins babies. They were able to narrow down their search by using rumors that some the children were placed in the system. We still don’t have all that information. Harlan is supposed to have that information we will be checking that out as soon as possible.

  He explained that it was just the process of elimination from that point on. Apparently, you were the sixteenth file clerk Jones had hired and the only one that proved to be a match Jacks informed Emma sympathetically.

  Once you were hired the assholes needed the time to determine if your genetics were a match for what Abernathy wanted. The information you read about Ryleigh wasn’t what got you taken Emma. We don’t even think they know about it. Emma was relieved to hear that but also just numb. Everything was coming to a head and she didn’t know what would come out next.

  Abernathy wanted to make a pet of his own for his own personal use create what his parents couldn’t and prove he was better. Who really knows what goes on in a sick mind like his. He offered Jones and the fucking Hamilton brothers a huge payoff to make this happen. Jacks said shaking his head in disgust. He also said that Jones and Hamilton’s could have their own pets after he got his. Sick Fuck that he was. On a good note, they had never let Davis Defense or Pandora know what they were up to because ultimately, they didn’t want anyone or anything to interfere in their personal plans.

  Bas picked up where Jacks left off, when Jacks killed Abernathy the three didn’t the have money train any longer so they decided to pursue their own individual twisted agenda’s. Dennis was fixated solely on you Emma, that is why he stayed on at the facility as your only captor.

  When you escaped, and killed Dennis, his brother, Derrick, went off the rails. He killed Harlan Jones and has spent the rest of the time hunting you down. He was able to get a last location of his brother’s car.

  Oh, no Emma exclaimed placing her had in front her mouth. Ruby’s Diner. Yeah baby the asshole went to the Diner. Dalton said softly. On no Dalton is she okay. He didn’t hurt her, did he?

  She was roughed up a bit as soon as we found out Declan sent another team to help her. She was a little worse for wear but mad as hell. She is more worried about you then some bumps and bruises her words not mine. We had told her about you having an abusive ex and if anyone came sniffing around to let us know. But Hamilton didn’t give her a chance to make the call. Held her and her cook captive until the cook finally broke giving the douche our general whereabouts. We try to keep the base secret but there are a few locals that do know or have an idea where we live. It’s such a small community and people talk.

  It was Jacks turn again. This won’t happen again he promised but looked at his men promising if it ever did there would be hell to pay. We left some stones unturned and that is not acceptable. Not for any of us there is too much at stake. We can’t change the fact that our base isn’t secret but we can put more security measure in place.

  Anyways Bas said Harlan Jones was found murdered in his home three weeks after you escaped. Derrick is the one that torched the facility. He found his brother and buried him on his families’ land. The two men that came here with Hamilton were hired help, drinking buddies of his. The plan was to either get you and Kenna or take you out.

  Dalton then picked up the story, what we have to do now is get into Harlan Jones’s house and office. Everything strongly suggests he was working independently from Davis Defense or Pandora. Honey we believe you and Kenna are safe for now, but we will get the proof we need to confirm that.

  Emma was relieved but she knew it wasn’t showing on her face. She just wanted some alone time with Dalton. Some time in his arms to calm her nerves and help her face another day. She also knew the guys were sugarcoating everything that had gone down and she was okay with that. They had done their jobs and she wasn’t going to cause them one second of discomfort asking or demanding answers.

  The only one that concerned her at the moment was Ethan. His bear was close. His eyes had the shifter glow and his jaw was clinched so tight she was sure he would need a good dentist. Something went down out there and it was still riding the stoic man. Emma wished she could help but she knew it wasn’t her place not to mention it, she literally didn’t know what to do. She wasn’t a hugger like Ryleigh and she really never offered platitudes before. But she would think of something. It just wasn’t going to be tonight.

  Listen it’s been a long day and a longer night. Why don’t we all catch some shut eye and reconvene at 0700 for a meeting Jacks announced.

  Emma walked with Dalton and Kenna to their room. She was so tired she didn’t even remember undressing and getting into bed. Thank God for Dalton. Emma knew he would take care of Kenna. After several minutes or more, Emma felt the bed move but more importantly she felt the heat of her mate’s body as he pulled her closer. Love you baby Dalton whispered. Love you too Emma replied. Dalton….? Shh baby just sleep now we have the rest of our lives to figure out what comes next.

  That was exactly what they did, the next week went by with the Team in meetings and Ryleigh combing through her data. Mia stayed on to help but would be leaving soon. Emma tried to get back to normal. Cleaning the lodge and cooking for the guys and taking care of her precious girl. One morning she woke up with a ring around her finger and Dalton staring at her. He never asked her to marry him but said, I want to make this official as soon as possible in the human way but I would like to wait for all the Team to be together. He didn’t need to say anything more he wanted Wyatt to witness their joining, Emma had no problem with that. I want to give you the wedding of your dreams. She kind of longed for a romantic proposal but that wasn’t her man’s style. Telling her what was going to happen and offering her the world on a silver platter was Dalton’s style, that suited her just fine.

  Emma loved her new life and family. She still had questions and one day she would get around to asking them but for right now everything was right in her world. She was getting married, mated and fate had blessed them. What more could she ask for?

  Epilogue

  Jacks felt like a heel but he knew enough to realize that the facts this meeting was going to bring to lite would only upset Ryleigh. Emma was a different story she only had the basic knowledge of what all was going on. Shifters were in danger. Women with Shifter DNA were in danger and Kenna her sweet little girl would always be in danger. That was enough for one person to bear on their shoulders. He had asked Dalton if he wanted her to kn
ow more and he didn’t. At least not right now. Then there was Mia. She was in the lodge and had every right to know what was going on but Jacks didn’t know enough about the woman to trust her completely and it wasn’t as though he could ask Ryleigh about it.

  Coming down the hall that contained his office he noticed all his men except for Wyatt waiting he hoped the man could get his mission done quickly they needed to all be together. Giving his men a nod Jacks opened the door to his office, not waiting for them to follow but knowing they would. He hoped this meeting in the middle of the night had a different outcome than his previous one with Senior. The secrets needed to stop on some level. Walking to the desk he brought up the secure line that would connect them on the video conference with Senior. Nodding for Cash to do the same and Wyatt as well.

  Once Senior’s face came into view Jacks wanted to deck him. He was the picture of calm. Sitting behind his desk sipping a scotch well at least this time it wasn’t Jacks secret stash.

  “I see you have made your decision. No more secrets from the team but where are the women?”

  “I have my reasons for keeping them out of this and that is all I am going to say. Let’s get on with this.”

  Jacks wasn’t looking at his men he knew they all would have questions and he would answer them but they needed this meeting to be done first. After that they had time.

  “First let me ask you some questions Jacks. Does everyone here know everything we have discussed or do I need to start from scratch?”

  Jacks looked at this team guiltily. Of course, the bastard would call him out. Jacks might respect the man but right now he didn’t like him all that much. Only Cash had all the facts. He had been the only one to come to him after the last meeting he had with Senior. He had hoped the others would but they never had and then they found themselves in a shit storm of epic proportions so he let the matter lie. Not anymore.

  Ethan spoke first surprising everyone, Ethan watched just like Dalton, rarely questioning direct orders or SOP. But he was observant when the others were not.

  “Nope looks like we all need a little bit of a refresher there, Senior Ethan,” drawled. “I for one would like to know why I had to wait outside of Mia’s room like a creeper waiting for her to fall asleep.”

  “Aw man, it’s not like that is the first time that has happened you’re just usually inside the room waiting to make your escape,” Bas said playfully nudging Ethan’s shoulder.

  “Yeah might be right,” Ethan quipped back.

  Their playful nature was a ruse and Jacks knew it. The tension in the room was thick. Cash get Wyatt on the phone he is expecting the call. We have a half hour before this line is no longer secure so. I want this finished as soon as possible.

  “Roger Alpha.”

  Looking to Senior he asked the question he genuinely didn’t want to but due to his rank Jacks needed to defer to him.

  “How do you want to handle this? Your team, your lead Jacks.”

  “Got him Alpha.”

  Cash didn’t like the position Jacks was being placed in he needed to remind their former CO that Jacks was their go to person. Calling him Alpha when Senior was within hearing distance in showed that.

  “Okay everybody listen up, this sit-rep is going to be quick. I will answer your questions but right now you just need to listen. Rye and I and Dalton and Emma aren’t the only mated pairs. It seems coming into contact with the Holly Group has created a domino effect. Two other Alphas have already mated and several of their men have also found their fated mates.”

  Jacks held up his hand when he noticed the guys starting to speak. He needed them to listen.

  “Franklins original six seem to all be Alpha mates and the other woman other experiments he did without Pandora’s knowledge. They have that information now and are trying to track the children down. We need to stop that from happening. His last group of children is just now coming into puberty. They are the ones that Pandora is unquestionably interested in. Just like Cassie Larson they all hold only one strand of Shifter DNA.”

  “That’s not all. We have leaks all throughout NAC. All Teams have been infected. Senior dispatched Matthias to ferret out the traitors. Everyone in this room including Wyatt have all been cleared. He did the same with The Holly Group’s original six. He is making his way through the other teams. A few have been discovered. Michael from Bravo. James and Noah from Charlie. All of them were working for the Association same as Eli. They have been dealt with accordingly.”

  “Abernathy is gone but his reach isn’t. Charlie Team tore apart Harlan Jones’s house and they turned up information that leads us to believe the fucker was working with someone. The problem was he was such a pompous ass it’s going to be hard to find out just who that person or persons happened to be. He had too much information about Franklin’s children and Shifters to have just got it from his parents. When Senior got Ryleigh out all the data was destroyed there is no way a teenager could have remembered so much even if he was in the loop at that time.”

  “That leads us to Kenna she is showing signs of being a Shifter way earlier than anyone could have predicted. Mia said that when the first bomb went off Emma had a hard time holding on to her. We have all sensed her animal I wouldn’t be surprised if she shifted for the first time soon which should be impossible.”

  Declan spoke up. “It is imperative that an Alpha is around the baby at all times so that if need be he can force the change”.

  “No fucking way are you going to hurt my little girl like that Jacks. I’m a grown fucking man and I can tell you the pain that causes would damage Kenna and I won’t let that happen. No way in hell.”

  “Shit Dalton, do you really think either of us want to do that to Kenna? Use your fucking head. Our first shifts never go as planned and there is a possibility of the animal taking completely over without guidance. It’s hard enough to talk a teenager through the process, how the hell are we supposed to help an infant or toddler through it.”

  “God, Damn it.”

  “Listen, this is just one possibility. Right now, we are all just guessing. We need more information. We need to know what these woman and Kenna were enhanced with if anything at all.” “Delta is working on trying to find the information. Zulu is trying to track down any and all women associated with Franklin. We just don’t have all the answers yet.”

  “Listen as of right now Alpha is on a soft lock down. Your mission is to keep the woman and Kenna safe. I will keep you all in the loop as will the other Alpha’s but until further noticed you are needed right where you are. Once Wyatt completes his mission he needs to return along with Miss Jones. She had too much information to be left out in the wind.”

  “Times running out we need to wrap this up.”

  “Yeah okay Pandora has developed a tranquilizer that will freeze our animals. If you get shot with one, it takes hours for it to run out of our systems. Echo and Bravo got hit with these on their mission. We have people working on a counter measure but so far, we have nothing. We also know that the fuckers a desperate for a new supply of specimens specifically sperm. All teams and clansmen have been advised to stay away from clinics for doctors’ offices for the time being. We don’t think Pandora would be stupid enough to try old tactics but hey it worked before.”

  “Son of a bitch! Do we even know how the fuckers knew or have known about us? Where did they get their information? How are we just hearing about all of this know and why were we kept in the dark in the first place.”

  “We have theories but not concrete answers to back anything up. We are hoping that Delta will be able to get more information. They are systematically hitting known Pandora facilities but he fuckers are wily. They close one and open up two more. Once Bravo clears their cases which should be soon they will join Charlie. All I can say is watch your ass’s boy’s things are about to get bumpy and the ride will not be worth it.”

  Author’s Note:

  I need to thank quite a few special people in my life
that have made this dream of mine become a reality. I never thought in a million years that I would have or been able to write let alone publish a book of my own. My family has been unbelievably supportive in this venture and I cherish them for it. But there are a few of them that stand out, my husband of course and surprisingly enough my sons. When I came up with this idea the first person I told was my oldest son. He got behind it and never faltered. My youngest (please keep in mind we are talking about adult’s children) even read and commented on my first draft of Jacks & Ryleigh’s story which floored me, he even made suggestions. But also, made sure I knew it wasn’t his thing.

  But there are two people who have done more for these stories than anyone else, Sadie Rise and my sister. Sadie I love you and all your monologue breaks. Even though at times they drove me completely nuts. To my sister all I can say is you have always been there for me and I appreciate everything you have ever done. You listened to me even when I am being irrational. Talking me down when I am going over the edge and encouraged me when I was ready to give up. Words aren’t enough but thank you any ways.

  To the readers, don’t worry I haven’t forgotten about you. I thank you for giving a new author a chance and I hope you will stick with me throughout this series. There are so many more secrets and mates to find. I hope you enjoy the journey. Also, I am always open for suggestions feel free to email me at any time. Happy reading I hope you enjoy the world of NAC & The Holly Group.