BirthControl (29 page)

“I can try.”

“Do it.”

They both sat against the wall and fed Silas their strength.

He grabbed control of the wolves who surrounded him and they dropped to the ground. One by one, they stopped breathing until there were no rebels left standing. Silas dropped to his knees with his head bowed.

Exhausted, Jasmine pulled out from him and lay down. Tyrese released a breath and rested his head on his knees. They sat quietly for a few moments and missed the sound of footfalls.

“I told you there was someone else in the caves.” Jasmine looked up into the eyes of Satan himself, at least that’s the image her tired mind conjured. He kicked Tyrese before he could move and his unseen partner grabbed her.

“Oh, ho. This one’s pregnant. And a fighter too.” The man holding her laughed at her struggles, finally knocking her upside the head.

She slid into darkness.

* * * *

Silas’ head snapped up the moment he sensed Jasmine was in trouble. He ran back toward the cave but was slowed by the rubble. He tried their link and received no response. “
Tyrese
,” he yelled.

“
Busy here
.”

Silas ran toward Tyrese’s voice. He stopped short as Tyrese beat his opponent within an inch of his life. Silas passed them and looked for Jasmine. He couldn’t sense her and his terror grew. He picked up another scent, shifted and followed the trail. Tyrese remained human and followed behind.

The travel was slow, but eventually Silas caught up with the man. He wasn’t a wolf. Silas shifted. Tyrese clapped him on the shoulder when he moved forward.

There was a small crane someone had been using for mining. Right now this fool had Jasmine hovering over the edge of the cliff on a stretcher, “Who are you and why have you taken my wife?” Silas asked the man, trying to rein in his anger.

“I’m Mitch. I guess you took out Robbie.” He looked at Jasmine, and pointed. “Funny thing about this one. I have two clients. One, a group of old women who paid me to kidnap her and bring her to them, unharmed. And two powerful men who paid me to find her and kill her. They were insistent that her babies don’t ever see the light of day.” He rubbed his chin. “Somehow I don’t think you can offer me a better deal.”

“Why? Because you’ll never live to spend the money they paid you?” Silas asked.

“
Easy,”
Tyrese warned through their link.

“Well, that is a possibility. But not my reality. She’s going to die and then so will you. So it’s quite simple really.” He pressed a button and the stretcher fell from the ropes.

In a blur of speed Silas ran and dove over the cliff, landing on top of Jasmine. Gunshots rang out above him. Holding her tight, he encased them in a layer of protection and prayed. No matter what happened they’d all be together, in life or death. A peace stole over him as they sped to the bottom of the cliff. The stretcher hit the ground with a hard thud. Pain rolled through his back. But he was alive. He touched Jasmine’s neck and released a breath, so was she. “
We’re alive,”
he sent to Tyrese and Tyrone. Opening his senses he recognized Jayden, Theron, Lyle and a few other Alphas were coming closer. “
I’m down here.”

“
Sir, we’re sending down a lift. Can you place your mate on the cot? We’ll pull both of you up”.

“
Send it down.”
Silas placed his forehead on Jasmine’s and thanked the Goddess once more for their lives and the lives of their pups. He heard the sound of the lowering cot and picked Jasmine up.

“I’m going to put you on the stretcher first and then I’ll climb on. It’s strong enough to hold a six hundred pound wolf, so we should be okay.” He talked to her the entire time, and then placed her gently on the cot. His hands were red and sticky when he released her.

Frowning, he checked her clothes. His heart dropped when he saw the blood pooling on the cot between her legs. He jumped on. “Pull us up. Now,” he yelled and then held tight as the cot made the excruciating long journey up.

“Contact Dr. Grimes now. She’s bleeding. Have him meet us at the compound,” he barked out the instructions as fear grabbed hold and dug in tight. “Can’t this thing go any faster?” he complained.

By the time they reached topside, Tyrese stood next to a stretcher. “There’s a jeep at the mouth of the cave, but it’s going to take a while to make it back to the compound.”

He picked up Jasmine. “Tyrese come with me. Jayden, make sure the doctor gets to the compound. Theron, oversee the clean up outside, hide this place from any outsiders.” He looked at all the Alphas, his sons, who’d come to help. He bowed his head. “My mate and I thank you for your help. Please come to the compound when you’re done. And by the way, no rebels walk away from this.”

Howls split the air as the wolves turned en masse and ran out. Silas spun and took off at a trot, Tyrese at his back. They came to a fork in the road and Silas never paused, but continued right. He threw out his senses. They were alone. He spoke a few words and the underground bathroom appeared. He nodded to Tyrese, who walked through first. They left the rooms and headed for the elevators. It opened when Silas approached. Tyrese walked in first. As soon as Silas entered with Jasmine the doors closed and it moved upward.

“That took less than ten minutes,” Tyrese said frowning. “It took us almost three hours walking and crawling to get to you.”

Silas rushed into Jasmine’s wing. “I need to teach her how to tap into my mind better.” He walked into her bedroom and stripped her. “Get towels and place them on the bed,” he yelled over his shoulder.

Once her clothes were off, he walked into the shower holding her. Her beautiful skin was marred with healed nicks and scratches. He washed off the bulk of dirt and grime from her skin, wrapped her in a towel and returned her to bed. The bleeding had slowed to a trickle, but she was still out of it.

He pulled off his wet clothes, threw them in a heap in the corner and sat next to her. “Jasmine…Jasmine, come on wake up for me. I need you to wake up now.”

Tyrese ran in the room with a handful of towels and placed them next to Silas. “The doctor’s at the gate. Theron’s men are giving him a thorough pat-down.”

“Clear him and bring him here.” Silas took her cold hands in his and kissed the back of them.

Tyrone and his wife ran into the room, and then stopped. “Mom?”

“She’s okay, just took a hard fall and started bleeding. The doctor’s at the gate.” Rose walked closer, but stopped at Silas’ growl.

“When my mom got hurt, she always healed. Depending on what happened, it might take a few seconds or hours. If they hadn’t stabbed her in the heart, she’d be here today.” She placed a hand on Silas’ shoulder. “One thing about human breeders you have to remember, they’re hard to kill. They heal faster than full-bloods and can take a lot. She’s healing.”

Silas inhaled and then blew it out gustily. “Thanks. I had forgotten. Thank you.”

The doctor entered and immediately went to Jasmine. “She was bleeding but it’s slowed down,” Silas said, rubbing her hand.

“That may be good for her, but not the babies. I need to make sure they aren’t bleeding.”

Silas closed his eyes, wondering how he’d forgotten. “Tyrone, allow the gurney inside.”

A few moments later a gurney was wheeled into the bedroom and Jasmine was placed on it. “This way.” Silas walked next to Jasmine, holding her hand as they left her wing and entered his private wing. As he approached, lights flickered on and gates opened. He pointed to a door. “In here.” They entered a large, fully equipped medical facility.

“Perfect,” Dr. Grimes said as he walked in and put down his bag. He pointed to his assistant, who had been following silently behind the doctor. “Get her prepped for the scan.” He washed and dried his hands before removing his stethoscope and placing it on her stomach. “I need that scan right now,” he yelled, pushing the bed in the direction of the large metal capsule.

“Won’t that hurt the babies?” Rose asked.

“No. I need to see them,” the doctor said, nodding to Silas to place her in the middle of the canvas-covered plate.

Everyone moved behind a wall once she was inside the capsule. Dr. Grimes pointed to the four bodies resting inside Jasmine. “They’re in distress. I need to get them out.” He looked at Silas. “If I don’t get remove them, they might die.” He pointed to the screen. “This little guy is in distress.”

“Do it,” Silas said, his knuckles whitening until he relaxed them.

Jasmine was rushed to the sterile area where surgeries were performed. Silas scrubbed, put on the proper gear, and walked inside. He held her hand and listened deeply. The heartbeats were sporadic and slowing down. “Hurry, their heartbeats are slowing down.”

The nurse pushed a needle into the IV. “It shouldn’t be long. I’ve induced labor to have her expel the pups through the birth canal. If I cut her, her healing process is so fast I might hurt the pups.”

Silas nodded as he stood by her rubbing her forehead. A few minutes later, Jasmine’s body bowed and then arched as the first two babies slid out one right after the other with ease. Silas heard their loud cries and wept with relief. The next moment the last two slid out. Dr. Grimes handed them over to the caregivers, who worked on the premature babies.

“It’s done,” Silas whispered to Jasmine.

Jasmine woke feeling like she’d been in a boxing match, and lost. Her head throbbed in pain. Her neck and back ached. She moved her jaw and winced. “What happened?” she asked Silas who lay next to her.

“You took a fall over a cliff and survived.”

“What?” she looked at him, certain he was kidding.

“No. I’m not kidding. You almost died.” He pulled her close and kissed her forehead. “You scared me, don’t do that again.”

She shook her head. “Yeah, like I did that on purpose.”

“I know you didn’t, but you missed the big event.”

She leaned back trying to read his face. There was suppressed excitement and something else. Pride? What did he have to be proud of? Her eyes widened as her hands flew to her stomach. “Oh my God, my babies, where are my babies?” She pushed him aside and jumped out of bed. Naked, she grabbed his robe and wrapped it around herself. “Get up, take me to them,” she demanded.

“Yes, your majesty.” He bowed, took her hand, and pulled her out the room.

“Hey…” she looked around. “This isn’t my place.”

“Nope. It’s ours.” He opened a door and pushed her inside. Four cribs were lined up with four nurses sitting next to each bed, some were reading, others knitting, but all appeared alert.

Covering her mouth, Jasmine moved as in a dream to the first crib. “My daughter.” She giggled at the tiny baby with a head full of dark curly hair and her fist in her mouth.

The next crib, the baby was a boy and he lay with his legs sprawled apart, resting. “He’s going to be trouble,” she whispered, wiping a tear from her eye.

The next baby had some sort of tube taped to his chest and he seemed to struggle to breathe. She picked him up and placed him against her chest. “It’s okay, sweetie. Mommy’s here. Sorry you were rushed into things, but it’ll be okay.” She kissed his temple and moved to the last crib. “Another daughter.” Smiling she turned to Silas, leaned forward and kissed him. “Thank you, they are beautiful. Ready to name them?”

“Yes. Although I think you’ve got names in mind.”

She tipped her head. “I do.”

He bowed.

She dipped her head to the first crib. “Jackie.” His eyes widened and then he smiled. “Your turn.”

“Adam. My first son.”

Jasmine laughed and nodded as their second child was named.

“Okay.” She kissed the son in her arms. “David. He will slay giants.”

Silas nodded. “Agreed.” He moved to the last crib, aware the nurses watched everything they did. No doubt this story would be retold hundreds of times.

He touched the tiny fingertips of his daughter. “Renee,” he whispered.

Jasmine’s breath caught as tears fell from her eyes. “Thank you.” She moved close and kissed him. He wrapped his arms around her and left the nursery with their son in her arms.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Silas emerged from his bedroom to meet with his Alphas. They cheered the birth of his pups and sat down to a meal.