Rise to Embrace [Rise of the Changelings, Book 3] (Siren Publishing Epic Romance, ManLove) (15 page)

Brooke pulled up behind the looming structure. It was vastly different than what he thought it would be. The building was in disrepair, and it looked like an entire wing was boarded up and no longer in use. This was not someplace any child should be taken to. It didn’t have a friendly or welcoming feeling about it. In fact, Brooke felt as though he wanted to turn back around and get out of there.

Who in their right mind would house children here? Well, the coordinator hadn’t been in his right mind when he was arrested a year and a half ago for experimenting on nonhumans. That was one of the first cases Brooke remembered hearing about pertaining to cruelty to nonhumans. But it wasn’t the cruelty toward nonhumans that had gotten Claymore Duke in trouble. They had found that he was experimenting on human children as well.

Brooke always wondered if anything would have been done about the nonhuman babies had the media not reported the allegations about human babies being among the heinously offended.

“Oh, god,” Willow whispered as she closed the truck door. “This place looks like something from a horror movie. Is this where Kell is?”

Brooke wanted to protect her and say no, but he wasn’t going to lie to Willow—even though she looked like she desperately wanted him to lie to her. “This is the Calvary Home of Salvation,” he said as he slid his arm around her shoulder.

“Let’s get Kell,” Deluca said as his jaw clenched. Brooke knew the man was not only pissed because Willow looked so distraught, but the thought of Kell being here and what might be happening to him was more than they both cared to think about.

Brooke wasn’t even sure how the place managed to stay open. Their license as a state-certified orphanage should have been revoked the day Claymore had been arrested. If Brooke found anyone being experimented on in there, he was going to find the local changeling pack, have them take the children away, and then he was going to set this damn place ablaze.

The building may look like it needed to be condemned, but Brooke spotted the state-of-the-art camera pointed in their direction. He wasn’t sure what orphanage that was run by the state would have such high-tech equipment. Brooke was pretty sure they couldn’t afford such luxuries. The presence of the camera only confirmed that this place had something to hide.

He saw Deluca glancing toward the camera as well, but neither said anything to Willow. She was already upset enough. The last thing Brooke wanted to do was send her over the edge. He had witnessed firsthand how vicious she could be, but there wasn’t a mother on earth who would not go insane if she thought her child was in the hands of monsters. Willow may not have had the time to bond with Kell, but Brooke was pretty sure she would kill every last person in this place if her son was harmed in any way.

“So, do we just walk up to the front door and ring the bell?” Willow asked.

“That’s the plan,” Brooke replied.

“Then why did we park out back?”

“Because,” Brooke replied as he took her hand and began to lead her around the building, “we don’t want anyone spotting our vehicle.”

“You mean if things go badly, you don’t want any witnesses saying they saw a black Humvee parked out front.”

She was quick. Willow had figured out why Brooke parked out back. He would have to remember that she wasn’t so naïve that she didn’t know what was going on. Giving her a nod, he walked up the steps leading to the front door. Before he could raise his hand to turn the knob, someone was already opening the door.

“Can I help you?” A portly man in his late fifties glanced between the three of them. His expression told Brooke that this place didn’t get too many visitors. He looked as if he didn’t know how he was going to shoo them away.

“We’re here to see the coordinator,” Deluca firmly replied.

“Do you have an appointment?”

Brooke thought they were going to be met with resistance. The man was holding them outside, obvious in his attempt to keep them from entering.

“We were looking to adopt,” Willow answered without hesitation. “My husband and brother-in-law thought this place would be perfect. I’m told there is a low chance any of these children will be placed. We think any child, no matter their species, deserves a good home.”

Brooke was impressed. He had been ready to pull his gun and force his way in. The portly man glanced at Deluca and then Brooke, and Brooke knew he was checking out not only their uniforms, but their weapons as well.

“We are in the armed services and only have a day pass. My wife was very adamant about coming down here.” Brooke leaned in, winking at the man. “You know how persuasive woman can be.”

“Well,” the man said, appearing flustered, “do come in.” He stepped aside and allowed them entrance. “Although I’m not sure how helpful we can be. You are aware that martial law has been declared. We were very certain the children in our care would be taken away.”

Brooke stopped his lip from curling up into a snarl. “But until then, it wouldn’t hurt to have a look, would it?”

Again, the man looked uncertain about what to do. Apparently whoever ran this place wasn’t here at the moment, and this man was in charge.

“I–I don’t see why not,” the man stammered and then led them down a long corridor. Brooke was beginning to think that luck was finally with them when he heard the front door close loudly.

“Francis, what are you doing?”

Brooke turned to see a man standing there staring at all four of them curiously. He wasn’t in the least bit intimidating, but the hairs on Brooke’s neck stood on end. There was something off about this man.

“This couple and their brother wanted to adopt.”

The man’s smile broke up the set lines of his face. “I am—”

“Anthony Oswego,” Willow said in surprise. “Alpha Garrett told us you were dead.” Brooke and Deluca had their guns drawn before the quick inhale of breath finished in Willow’s throat. Deluca was pointing his at the portly man while Brooke had his nine millimeter aimed at Anthony’s head.

“Why don’t you tell us why Garrett hired a dead man? What does he have to do with this place?” Brooke asked.

Anthony lowered his hands, his pleasant smile turned mocking. “Why, Garrett owns the Calvary Home of Salvation.” When the man took a step closer, Brooke shot a warning shot to the right of the man.

“Trust me, I’ve been trained by the best. You don’t want to tempt me.”

The man chuckled. “I’ve heard the military—”

“Nah, buddy. My pappy taught me how to shoot a tick off a dog. He had Hawkeye rank—the highest score in shooting—in the service and was one of their best snipers. I have been shooting a gun since the age of three. If you want to find out how well I was trained, take another step.”

Just the thought of Brooke’s pappy made him homesick. It had been months since he hung out with both his fathers. He missed Dad as well. Maybe he needed to call them to make sure everything was okay at home.

“I trust you are telling the truth,” Anthony said. “But that doesn’t detract from the fact that Garrett owns this place.”

“Who’s funding it?” Deluca asked. “I know damn well Garrett can’t afford to keep his experiments going on his own. The man may love to live comfortably, but he isn’t that damn wealthy.”

“Now you are trying to make me spill all our little secrets,” Anthony said. “I’m afraid I can’t tell you that. Garrett would be most unhappy if he found out I ratted him out.”

“Garrett has been arrested,” Willow shot venomously at Anthony. “Your precious alpha won’t be coming back.”

Brooke was really getting tired of Anthony’s mocking smile. The man didn’t seem one bit put off that he had a gun aimed at him. “Do you think he will stay gone long? Garrett knows too many secrets to stay locked up. Trust me, little girl, one phone call and he will be a free man.”

Willow growled at him. “Where is my damn son?”

This time Anthony snarled at Willow. “Do you mean Garrett’s son?”

Deluca had to grab Willow when she shifted and went after Anthony. Brooke kept his gun aimed at the man standing by the door. “Shift and I’ll kill you before you turn furry.”

“You will not take Garrett’s son!” Anthony said indignantly. “He is our prized project.”

Brooke shot Anthony in his shoulder just as Deluca released Willow. He kept his gun aimed as Deluca grabbed Francis. “Take me to Kell or I’ll make you bleed and then drop you off in the middle of the local pack.”

Brooke watched Francis hurry away with Deluca as Willow tore into Anthony. He moved closer, making sure he had his woman covered. “Why was Enrique’s birth certificate with Garrett, and why was his father’s name circled with question marks next to it?”

The man growled loudly, his muzzle elongating. Brooke grabbed Willow, pulled her back, and then shot Anthony in his knee. “Tell me!”

Willow stood there snarling and snapping, her body stance promising to finish the job if the man didn’t give Brooke the answers he wanted.

“I would rather have her tear me apart than have Garrett come after me. He is already going to kill Francis for giving his son away.”

“He’s not Garrett’s son,” Brooke said as he pressed the gun into Anthony’s temple. “He’s my son, and if Garrett comes anywhere near him, I’ll make sure he is breathing through multiple holes in his chest.”

“You can’t defeat him!” Anthony shouted. “He’s unstoppable.”

“Boy,” Brooke said with a low whistle. “He sure as shit has your brain all screwed up. Trust me, he can be stopped. I’m going to make sure he is stopped.”

Brooke didn’t take his eyes off of Anthony as Deluca returned with a sleeping infant in his arms. Willow shifted, her hand hovering close to the pup.

“Is this him?” Deluca asked.

Willow pulled the blanket aside to reveal the tiny baby’s shoulder. There was a birthmark in the shape of a bird in flight on his flawless skin.

“That’s him,” Willow said with a sob. “That’s my Kell.”

“Then let’s get out of here.”

“There are more infants here,” Deluca said between clenched teeth.

“Then we need to find out what changeling dominates this town and send him to pay Anthony a visit.”

The three backed away from Anthony, who lay there a bloody mess. Willow growled at him one last time before heading toward the door. Brooke hated the fact that she was naked. He wanted to gouge Anthony’s eyes out just for seeing her like this.

“Get in the Humvee and get dressed,” Brooke ordered as they raced toward the back of the building. “I need to call Rick and find out what pack lives here.”

Brooke dialed Rick as Willow reached into the Humvee and grabbed her backpack. She was dressed and grabbing for Kell in under three minutes. Deluca handed the child over and helped Willow into the backseat.

“Please don’t tell me you have more distressing news,” Rick said when he answered the phone.

Brooke told him what happened and what they discovered.

“The werejackals own that territory. I’ll give Logan a call.”

“Thanks.”

“Congrats on getting your son out of there,” Rick said. “But I need you to find a motel and sit tight. I’m heading your way.”

Brooke listened to Rick tell him about Sasha turning traitor and how Nate was bringing the alpha with him. Brooke knew Rick was sick and tired of the people he thought he could trust, or at least had an alliance with turning on him.

“I’ll call you with our location when we get settled.” Brooke hung up and then hurried into the Humvee. He pulled away and prayed the werejackals burnt this place to the ground.

* * * *

Willow couldn’t believe she was finally holding Kell in her arms. It felt like a dream come true. She ran her hand over his tiny head, amazed at how soft his auburn hair felt under her fingers. He had tiny streaks of red, the same color as her hair, and his nose was definitely Willow’s.

“He’s a handsome little fella,” Deluca said as he ran his rough-looking knuckle down the side of Kell’s cheek.

“He is,” Willow said and then held her breath as Kell opened his eyes. They were the same emerald-green as hers, except his looked breathtaking. “Hi, Kell,” Willow said gently with what sounded like a mixture between a laugh and a sob. She wiped at her eyes as her son stared at her. Never before had she felt so much joy, so much relief this consuming. She felt as though she had her life back.

“Hey, Brooke, I think he’s going to be a quarterback like you were in high school,” Deluca announced from the backseat.

“How so?” Brooke asked as he glanced at Willow from the rearview mirror, giving her a mischievous wink.

“He’s a sturdy little guy.”

Willow agreed. For an infant, he had broad shoulders and a solid frame. She sat him up and laughed when he grabbed her finger and began gnawing on it.

“I think he’s hungry,” Deluca said as he ran his large hand over Kell’s hair, giving him goofy smiles. “We need to stop and get him some formula and diapers.”

“I think he’s teething,” Willow said. “Peanut used to do the same thing when she was a baby, and I can feel something hard hitting my finger.”

“We need to get him a teething ring then.” Deluca reached over and tapped Kell on his nose. “Mom is going to be so thrilled.”

“Mom?” Willow asked. She had never heard the two men talk about their family. She remembered Brooke speaking about someone named Pappy, but under the circumstances, she hadn’t wanted to interrupt him when he was threatening Anthony.

“Brooke’s mom. She has been after him about giving her grandbabies. Now she has three.”

Willow could see the love in Deluca’s eyes when he spoke of Brooke’s mother. She could tell he worshipped the woman. “And your mother?”

Deluca shrugged. “I’m not very close with my family. It was Brooke’s mom and dads who treated me like one of their own.”

Willow leaned sideways and kissed Deluca’s jaw. “I don’t have a family either.”

“Yes the hell you do,” Brooke bellowed from the front seat. “You, Kell, Peanut, and Trisha have a family. My mom is going to spoil those kids rotten. And I’m not even going got get started on Dad and Pappy. Those two are going to be wrapped around all three of the kids’ fingers.”

“And Laura is going to love you as well, Willow,” Deluca said as he slid an arm around her shoulder, pulling her close and kissing the top of her head.

“How do you know?” Willow became a little worried. These two men obviously loved Brooke’s mother fiercely. She wasn’t sure she would measure up. Willow had the two on the run from their own government and damn near got both of them killed a few times. She couldn’t think of any mother who would love a woman that had put her sons in danger.

“Because we love you.”

Willow blinked back the tears threatening to spill as she gazed back down at Kell. She knew the bond would grow deeper the longer she was mated to these two men. But what she hadn’t been prepared for was an instant acceptance into not only their lives, but their family as well. She wasn’t in this alone, and from the way the two men protected her and the kids, she knew they would do whatever it took to keep them safe.