BirthRight (19 page)

Her eyes blazed for a moment and then she
looked away. “I loved the pups even though they weren’t mine. I… I
wanted the pups she provided.” The shame in her confession tore
through Silas.

“This is Alpha Theron of Texas. His pack was
attacked earlier today by a group similar to yours. The only reason
I allowed the driver to take us to the clearing was to gain
information. Once the wolves attacked, they were dead. Your fate is
in Theron’s hands.”

He stepped out the room for some quiet to
marshal his thoughts. The Mexican humans had no interest or
involvement in pack life. Yet this human ran the pack through the
weak pack leader. Like a wolf, the human must have sensed his
weakness and used it to gain control over the small pack.

But why? What’d she hope to gain? Tonight
she’d lost it all. So far none of the dots connected. Theron
stepped out of the holding cell and they proceeded to the small
infirmary to talk with the human female. When they stepped inside,
Silas froze at the sight of Leara and Leann talking to the bound
female.

Theron’s fury lit and he leapt across the
room, grabbed the women and pushed them against the walls. They
screamed. Their eyes widened in fright.

Shelby and her guards walked into the room.
Tyrone, Tyrese, Hank, and Brad walked in and flanked him.

“Why are you in here?” Shelby growled at the
women who visibly shivered in fear.

Their mouths opened and closed, but no words
were emitted. The smell of their fear filled the air. Shelby got up
in their faces, snatched Leann by the hair to pull her toward her
face.

“What the fuck are you doing in here? I’m
not going to ask this nicely again.”

Silas withheld a chuckle at her version of
nice.

“I…I don’t know. I thought… I heard someone
calling me and…and I came to see what they wanted. I…I’m sorry. I
didn’t mean to do…I’m sorry.” She slumped down crying.

Tears rolled down Leara’s face as she
watched her sister fall apart. “Honest, we didn’t know this was
wrong.”

“I called them, they came.” The human female
said, watching Silas.

He’d sensed that’s what happened but wanted
it confirmed. There was something off with this human’s scent.
Something not quite right. Frowning, he tried to identify the
problem.

Shelby walked over to the female and
growled. “You called them into my infirmary?” Theron stood behind
his mate, blocking the human’s view of Silas.

“Yes.” There was no fear in the human’s
voice.

Theron grabbed Shelby and pulled her back to
him. “If the Patron doesn’t kill her, then I’ll let you and the
other women have her. She’s been bad for the past few years,”
Theron’s whisper was loud in the room.

The human laughed. It was warm and meant to
seduce.

Although Silas’ cock twitched, his wolf
yawned as though bored. He smiled and released a pulse of energy
into the room. It’d been a long day and the sun was rising. He
wanted this over so he could rest and decipher the Goddess’
riddle.

The human screamed.

“Where are you from?” Silas asked in a bored
tone. Theron continued to block him from the human

“Come here and ask –”

She screamed again.

Silas looked at Brad. “Take them out of here
and don’t let them out of your sight. They need a heart-to-heart
discussion with their Alphas on pack protocol.”

Leann and Leara’s eyes widened as they
looked at Theron and Shelby. Brad ushered them out of the room.

“Don’t forget what I told you,” the human
screamed at their backs, spittle flying. Silas recognized the
scent, the woman was mentally unstable. When she spoke, her words
smelled bitter, and stale. Shelby walked out behind the two women,
taking her guard with her.

Theron braced his legs and crossed his arms
in front of the human. “I don’t think this one likes our
hospitality. Permission to break her neck?”

“I fought the wolf bastards earlier for that
honor,” Hank said standing next to Theron. “If anyone should snap
her neck, it should be me.”

Silas smiled as the two bickered back and
forth.

“How can you stand there and listen to
these…these animals talk of snapping a human’s neck?” Silas looked
up and realized the female was talking to the twins. Ah…now they
were getting somewhere.

Tyrone shrugged.

“You’re human. I feel that part of you.” She
frowned. “Why didn’t you answer my call before?”

“You called?” Tyrone asked.

“Yes,” the women answered, “why didn’t
you?”

“I’m a wolf,” Tyrone said.

“No,” the woman yelled, her face beet red.
“You’re human. A large part of you is human.”

Tyrone shrugged and leaned indolently
against the wall.

The female’s mouth opened and then closed.
“How’d they change you?” She eyed him with a smidgeon of
suspicion.

“How’d they change you?” Tyrone asked.

“I was born with this curse.”

“Me too.”

The female gritted her teeth. Silas listened
with a smile. Tyrone was an excellent interrogator, they’d been
surprised at how much information he was able to gather with
seemingly little effort during their training drills.

“But you don’t understand how important it
is to break free of their evil influence. You have to take control
of your wolf and use your energies to change the way things are
going. Each day we wake up with the knowledge that we’re here for a
reason. We have a higher purpose,” the woman said with a fanatical
edge. It was obvious she was committed to her cause and
unhinged.

“A higher purpose?” Tyrone said with the
right amount of eagerness.

“You are a superior wolf. Faster, stronger
and smarter than purebreds. Their time is coming to an end. You
must train and prepare for change.” She cackled and it was an eerie
sound. “I’m weary of all this. It would be nice to remain to see
the end of the declaration, but as Moses, I know the promise land
is denied me. I made too many mistakes.” She sighed. “Pride is a
terrible thing. Mated pairs were never meant to be disturbed.” She
released a breath.

Silas could hear the shock in the room.

“But tonight.” She chuckled looking at the
twins. “Tonight I was privileged to see the future. I hated to see
my sons destroyed. They lacked the training that you and your
brother had. But they still gave you a good fight? Right?”

Silas wondered what fight the woman had been
watching. The twins had picked off those wolves with little
interaction from the pack.

Tyrone pulled his earlobe. “Yeah…yeah, I
gotta admit they had us on the run. But I’m not sure I understand
what you mean by seeing the future. I mean, I know I’m younger than
you by a few years, but what’d you mean by that?”

“Youth. And I am more than a few years older
than you, insolent pup.” She smiled as she looked at him fondly.
“I’m going to die and I know it. Gerald was weak and allowed me to
come between him, his mate, and his pack. I knew death would be the
outcome when I started that dance years ago.” She shrugged. “But I
grew impatient. I’ve been birthing pups for over a decade. Lost
most of them, although a few survived. It seems the better
technology became, the more pups survived. Anyway, I never agreed
to do this forever. It wasn’t supposed to take this long.”

“Huh?” Tyrone asked.

“Patience pup,” she said with a frown.

“Shifters and humans. Separate, they’re
enemies. Put them together and what do you have?”

“Abominations,” Theron growled.

The female twittered. “Look at these two, do
they look like abominations to you?”

“They are wolves,” Theron said.

“Not totally,” the female snapped. “It’s
been hell finding a decent balance. Diet, exercise, upbringing, all
of it plays a part.” She sighed. “Patron. It’s not that we don’t
respect your abilities, we do. But change is inevitable, we’d hoped
to work with you, but we weren’t ready and you’re here.” She
shrugged. “And now we have a recording of what these wolves can do
and you as well. We’ll be better prepared from now on.”

Silas suspected something like that, it was
one of the reasons he only held the two wolves immobile instead of
killing them outright.

“But they were so excited watching the two
of you fight,” she said to the twins, who returned her stare. “Even
now, they’re researching your background so it can be duplicated.
We always knew something was missing and now we know.”

“Really? What?” Tyrone asked his voice
tight.

She cocked her head and looked at him. The
light of insanity burned bright. “Pack. You need a tight unit of
comrades, like a pack. .”

Tyrone nodded. “You’re right. Wolves can’t
survive without a pack. The ones who try, go insane.” He stared at
her.

She smiled. “You are strong, I’m glad. Glad
to see this hasn’t all been in vain.” She looked at Theron. “I’m
tired. You can give me to the bitches now.”

Chapter 16

Silas looked out over the compound. Tyrone
and Tyrese had been quiet the day after Shelby and the other wolves
attacked the human. The debriefing had included every Alpha who
wore his crest. Some were skeptical over a possible plot to
overthrow the current system, although they all admitted this type
of enemy was harder to spot. Silas charged each of them to bind
every pack leader in their states to assist in ferreting out
potential upstarts.

The goddess’ warning echoed the human’s.
Silas never believed in coincidences. It was imperative to get out
ahead of the coming conflict. But was the conflict between
half-breeds and full bloods? Or something else? His first litter of
pups would be breeds. He shook his head over the untenable
position.

“Sir?” Tyrese called from the door.

“Come in.” He’d been expecting them ever
since Theron had called them abominations. He’d corrected all the
Alphas against using the slur. He knew Theron didn’t see the twins
in that light. The remarks were spoken in the heat of the moment
and the twins never flinched. But with his impending fatherhood, he
wouldn’t be as tolerant. As yet he’d made no announcement of the
future pups. He planned to wait for Jasmine to tell him and then
he’d decide when to tell his Alphas. Most would be happy. Some
would be disappointed. All would support him.

“The female spoke of researching our past
and that’s going to lead someone to our mother. We’d like to get
her away from all of this. Perhaps back home or to my aunt’s for a
break.”

Silas shook his head. “She cannot leave my
protection, she carries my pups.”

“What?” Tyrese said. “She didn’t mention it
to us.” He looked at his brother,, who shook his head.

“She didn’t mention it to me either, so
don’t let on that you know,” Silas said dryly. “I searched and saw
for myself. I told her that if she carried my pups, she’d have to
live with me until she delivers them.”

Tyrese laughed but it lacked humor. “She’ll
never leave her kids.”

“She told me that in colorful terms.
Nevertheless, when we return to Maryland, I expect her to tell me
she has my pups safely tucked away and to honor her end of the deal
without dragging her feet.”

“Her end of the deal?”

Silas remembered their discussion during
their sexual escapades. “Ask her about it. But she’ll be moving
with me to my compound in West Virginia.”

“Huh?” Tyrese looked sucker-punched.
Tyrone’s mouth gaped open. Both men looked lost and uncertain.

He looked at them. “You’re welcome to come
as well.”

They brightened.

“Thanks. Wow, a brother or sister to watch
over.”

Tyrese smiled. “Yeah, now you have someone
who might listen to all your bad advice.” He smacked his brother on
the back of his head.

“That’s a bonus. But I call dibs on teaching
the boys how to play football, you always ate my dust,” Tyrone
laughed, dodging his brother.

Silas listened as the two wolves bantered
back and forth with a frown. Had he just lost control of the peace
and quiet of his haven? How would Jasmine react when she realized
he intended to move her as soon as possible? The human’s mention of
researching the twins had struck a nerve and he wanted her where he
could protect her. Stifling a sigh, he looked at the twins and
wondered, are they the future? If so, how would they mesh with the
present?

Interrupting the twins, he stood. “I’m tired
and the plane is ready. Time to get back to Maryland and then on to
my home. I want your mom settled before we investigate your dad’s
pack.”

At the mention of their father’s former
pack, the young wolves stilled. “You said we could travel with you
when you met with them,” Tyrese said, walking ahead of Silas while
Tyrone brought up the rear.

Appearances be damned, he slowed and walked
next to Tyrone. Everyone knew he didn’t need a security detail but
had convinced themselves the wolves needed to see him separate and
apart. He could speak through their link, but didn’t want to.