Untamable (17 page)

Her voice lowered to a broken whisper.“I hate you for this.”

He’d kill Stephan one day soon. Jasper had wanted to wait until that night when they were alone to tell Sidda about Vivian. He knew she’d react badly, but this was worse than he’d figured. Damn Stephan.

Chapter Fifteen

Jasper stared as Cole tried to rise on trembling legs. Cole shook his head to stare at him. “Shit, man. She’s gonna kill you for sure when she wakes up.

Jasper nodded. “She’ll try,” he whispered before turning to face Cole. “You all right?”

Cole brushed a piece of grass from his shoulder. “Yeah, but that guy was an ass. I almost let you have him.”

“That’s what Stephan was hoping for. He figured he’d start the fight right off, that way tomorrow when he shows back up with Velham, he’ll be able to justify going after us. At the time my head wasn’t listening though.” Jasper reached down and scooped Sidda up.

Damn it, he had some explaining to do, but she wasn’t going to make it easy. He’d have to find some chains or something to block the door. Maybe he’d take her to the training room to tell her everything. Doc could lock them inside.

“Thanks.” Jasper shifted Sidda to one arm while he stuck out a hand to Cole. “I remember now why you were All-American.”

Cole shook Jasper’s hand, and some of the tension between the two of them slowly faded. “Felt good to take you down a notch. You were getting a head on you. I mean I don’t blame you. Sidda’s grown up real nice but…” Jasper growled, causing Cole to laugh and stride off toward the front door.

“Dipshit.”

But Jasper’s attention turned back to the stunningly brave she-wolf in his arms. God have mercy on him when she woke up.

He inhaled her scent and rested his forehead on hers for just a moment. “Jesus, I’m sorry. I don’t know what I was thinking. You’re gonna kill me when you wake up.” Jasper spoke softly to her, knowing she was out cold.

“You’re right about that. From the front door we could hear everything and you are in so much trouble. When she wakes up, it’s your butt, young man. What were you thinking?” Ms. Joy stood in the doorway with her lips pursed into a sour frown.

“First, let’s get inside. How’s everything around here?” Ms. Joy opened her mouth to tell him but stopped as Ms. Angela ran from the house.

“Oh thank god!” She rushed toward them, eyes brimming with tears.

“Ms. Angela, what’s wrong?”

“Besides my daughter knocked out cold in your arms?”

Jasper hung his head. Even though he knew Sidda wasn’t biologically Ms. Angela’s, he couldn’t get over the guilt they both made him feel when they gave him
the look
. It was the one look where they narrowed their eyes as they brimmed with tears. It nearly ripped his guts out.

“Or that… that bastard showed up here demanding Jared let him in or he’d kick the door down and kill everyone inside. He was outraged when Jared didn’t budge, saying he only took orders from his Alpha.” Ms. Angela hugged her arms around herself.

“Doc did just what he was supposed to do.” Jasper swelled with pride over Doc’s actions.

“I know, but that monster could have harmed Sidda, Cole, or you. And the people have been calling all day wanting to know who was back in the house. I didn’t even realize the phones worked until the calls started.” She turned to head back inside. “Now get inside. We need to talk about this.”

With a “yes, ma’am,” Jasper followed her into the house.

“I’m going to lay Sidda down in the room. We need to make this meeting quick, and I suggest everyone find a place to hide in a few hours because once she wakes up it’ll get bad.” He sucked in a breath of air. “Real bad.” He muttered the last to himself before striding to their room and laying his sleeping goddess down. She really was going to be pissed.

He needed to read those files and go over what Stephan had said to Doc before they’d gotten there. Later he’d go over it with Sidda.

“Thank goodness. We’ve been worried sick about the three of you.” Ms. Joy grabbed Jasper, hugging him tightly when he strode back down the hall. “That dang phone won’t stop ringing, and I have no clue what to say, so we’ve started to let the machine get it. Which just says ‘Leave a message.’ Well, that isn’t what those people are wanting to hear.”

She flopped down on the sofa across from where Jasper settled.

“First things first. Let’s go over what we learned today.” Jasper leaned forward to flip the lid off of the box containing the folders they’d swiped.

Cole straightened.“Yeah, first things first,” Cole said. “Let’s discuss the fact that Stephan not only said you were supposed to be mated with
one
of Scarlett Dowery’s pups, but that you’d already mated. Or what about that comment about Sidda’s mom and Dane’s whip? That means she’s still alive, right?” Cole glanced around the room, taking in everyone’s shocked expressions

Jasper stilled, his hand midway to the box. He turned to Cole.

“Stephan could be just playing Sidda, but I don’t think so. From what I’ve heard, he doesn’t play games.”

“So that Scarlett lady he was talking about is Sidda’s mom and is still alive. I’d bet money she’s not the only one alive.”

Jasper’s mind ached with possibilities. There could be so many she-wolves alive and being held captive or there could only be one. If he had to guess though he’d say Sidda’s mom and his were still very much alive. No wolf on the planet would kill a powerful Alpha female. Especially one who had already birthed three male pups. No, Velham would want to keep them alive and keep them breeding strong-blooded and powerful sons for his ruling. Ones that would obey their father without question.

Jasper shook his head. No pup born to either his mother or Sidda’s would obey Velham without question. He pushed those thoughts away and opened the file he’d been reaching for.

“Flip to the last page. The farther back in the file the father back the date. We need to find out when this wolf was taken.” Doc sat down beside Jasper.

Jasper opened his file. “He’s got them numbered. Blue Moon Female 3. Knowing what I do of Velham, I believe he’d number them based on their power and strength. My mom at the time being the most powerful female would have been labeled Blue Moon 1.”

Jasper stopped and looked over at Doc. “You should be made aware that Sidda is without doubt the most powerful she-wolf in our Nation. Today she showed more wisdom and courage than any other wolf, even me. When I wanted to start the war with Stephan, her calmness eased my rage and cleared the fog of anger. She is your Alpha if anything at all happens to me, understand?”

Doc’s eyes widened before he dropped his shocked gaze. “Yes, I understand and would be honored to have such a highly regarded she-wolf as my Alpha.”

“Good. Now my time is running out. We need to get through this quickly because I don’t want to put you all in the line of fire when she wakes up.”

“And I sure as shit don’t want to be here. I think we might all head to the movies.” Cole’s gaze landed on the others in the room who took the hint and nodded.

“Maybe I’ll join you,” Jasper whispered.

“Hell no, I want to see the battle scars tomorrow.” Cole’s voice was filled with a half-joking, half-hopeful tone. Jasper could sense Cole still didn’t believe he hadn’t mated with Vivian.

“Anyhow, there aren’t but ten different females listed in these folders.” Doc rummaged through the box of papers, pulling out each folder out. “Here, everyone take one or two. Flip to the first page and check for DOD’s.”

Cole held his hand out for a file. A frown creased his forehead. “DOD? What’s that?”

Jasper stiffened. Reality barged its way back in. DOD—Date of Death. Damn, that wasn’t good.

Doc grunted but explained. “It’s the date of death. The files will contain it on the first page because it’ll be the most recent page of the chart. After that, we need to determine if there are DOB’s listed for each female. That will tell us if that female has had a child, when, if it lived, and hopefully where it is.”

“We know there were at least four births. Sidda and three others.” Jasper’s voice filled with remorse. “When we were at the warehouse, we found a small nursery with five adult skeletons and three child skeletons. All had their necks snapped. They’d been murdered.”

A collection of gasps from the women and one harsh curse from Doc said all that was needed to be said.

“There were five cages at the warehouse. Where does he have them now? And why the hell didn’t he destroy the rest of the evidence?” Cole leaned back, glancing over his file to look at Jasper.

“Why would he? There hasn’t been anyone to challenge him, and with the money and power he has, the police aren’t going to do anything to him. But I believe he’d have told his second to take care of this. At the time Stephan would have been just a teenager, cocky and uncaring. He probably didn’t care, until today that is.”

“I imagine he’s got some of the missing females at his compound. Of course I doubt he kept all ten of them.” A lemon smell seeped from both Ms. Joy and Ms. Angela. They were scared. And they had every right in the world to be scared.

“You’re right. BM3 died in 1995.” Ms. Joy sighed.

“BM4 also died in 1995.” Ms. Angela bit her bottom lip.

Ms. Angela and Ms. Joy set their files down, shaking slightly.

“A year after Velham took them. Does it say how they died?” Jasper sat his file down to study the files.

A tear slid down Ms. Joy’s face. “BM3 in childbirth, fetus died also.”

“BM4 miscarried and bled out.” Ms. Angela rubbed her eyes.

“Shit, man, this is depressing.” Cole tossed his file down and ran a hand across his face. “BM5 died in 1996 along with her two fetuses.”

“So many innocent women and babies.” Ms. Joy wiped a tear from her cheek.

“Well, that means we’ve got seven other females who could have survived or had babies who lived. We’ve also got those three babies to account for so push past this. Get another file and search. These women didn’t die to be forgotten. Once we figure out their names, we’ll make sure they’re atoned for and remembered.”

Sulfur flared in his nostrils as the bond between him and Sidda burned so hot he thought she’d burn him alive from the anger coursing through her.

“I’d say it’s movie time. Better get a move on it.” He rose from the couch, hating to leave the information behind but knowing he had to deal with his mate.

“You no good piece of cheating mutt. You’ve gone way too far this time.” Sidda’s shrill voice raged.

“Good luck. Did you chain her down?” Cole cocked his head to the side. With a nod, Jasper lumbered down the hall toward Sidda.

He pushed the door opened then slowly entered. She lay on the bed, spread eagle and flailing around, trying desperately to snap either the chains on her ankles and wrists or the bed itself.

“You jackass. When I get up from here, you are in deep shit. How could you?”

Jasper craved to soothe her, but Sidda had never been one for soothing. No, if he wanted her to listen, he’d have to command her to, and even then, it’d be hell. But a hell so worth it.

“Shut up.” He marched to her side, glaring down at her while pushing his blocks up mentally so she wouldn’t see past the façade. “I am your Alpha and mate, and you are mine to command. Now shut your wicked mouth while I explain things that I shouldn’t have to. As your Alpha, mate, and lover, you should trust me without question. Instead you show no respect.”

“You asshole! You marked another wolf, and you think I don’t have a reason to be mad?” Her tone rose higher than ever before.

“No, I think you should listen to me instead of trying to knock me out. But your damned temper got out of hand, and you wouldn’t listen…”