A Baby Daddy for a Werewolf Silencer (4 page)

That weight became both lighter and more difficult to bear as
they exited the small town. Perhaps it was simply that Erdi managed to
compartmentalize his emotions and bury his need for his mate in that deep part
of him reserved for Jensen and his futile, unachievable dreams. Either way, by
the time Finn parked in front of the cabin that had been their destination,
Erdi was pretty calm. Still, his hackles instinctively rose when Dean Simmons
burst out of the cabin, his expression dark.

"Thank the moon you're back," he told Saul.
"We have a problem." He shot Erdi a look and a small smile.
"Hello, Erdi. Sorry we can't give you a proper welcome, but there's a
little matter we have to deal with."

"I thought I felt some restlessness from Gavin, but I
figured it was just because of our new pack member." Saul scowled
fiercely. "What's wrong? Is Jessie okay?"

"So-so. Nothing's changed since you left."

"So there's another problem?" Finn rubbed his eyes.
"What's going on?"

Erdi knew the answer before Dean even spoke it—or at least,
he knew a part of it. "Parker's friend, Jensen is here, and so are Gavin's
mother and brothers."

Saul cursed, and Erdi could understand his Alpha's plight. It
didn't take a genius to realize why this would be a problem. By now, Jessie was
heavily pregnant. He'd been rapidly gaining weight when Erdi had left, so
judging by the time that had passed, he must be showing in a very...
distinctive way. Anyone who looked at him would be able to tell, even if the
idea of male pregnancy was incredible for them.

"What can we do?" he asked, desperately wanting to
pay back at least some of the debt he owed these people.

"For the moment, not much," Dean answered.
"Will is stalling, and we'll have to take Parker and Gavin to see our
unexpected visitors."

Finn made a noise of protest, obviously not happy with his
mate having to run around while pregnant. It was a volatile situation, at best.
And Erdi knew he should be trying to keep a cool head, but his traitorous heart
wouldn't let him. "I could drive them," he offered before he could
stop himself. "You're probably needed here, with your son."

If Dean was suspicious of the offer, he didn't show it.
"Thank you, Erdi, but you're still not well. You need to recover. I've
already spoken to Will and he'll come back to see to Jessie."

"I don't like this, Father," Saul replied. "We
might be able to delay them for the moment, but Parker is already showing. They
could notice."

"There's not much we can do about it, I'm afraid. Let's
hope they'll be satisfied with a short visit, because otherwise, I have no idea
what we'll do."

Erdi said nothing. At this point, he didn't know what to hope
for. His rational side agreed with Dean. The sooner Jensen got out of here, the
faster he'd be safe from the danger of the werewolf world, and from Erdi himself.
But Erdi's instincts and his heart still tried to convince him to reach out to
his mate. He only hoped he'd manage to hold on to his resolve long enough for
his mate to get his answers and leave Willow Cove.

****

William stayed with them for a good while, keeping them
company as they waited for Parker and Gavin. Jensen was still unsettled, but he
told himself he was jumping at shadows. And yet, a feeling kept burning in his
heart, refusing to leave him alone. That knowledge that had been irking him for
weeks niggled at the back of his consciousness, and he found himself
distracted, unable to pay attention to the conversation.

For the most part, William focused on talking to Alicia and
the boys, who were very thrilled to speak of their eagerness to see their
brother. On occasion, though, Jensen swore he caught William giving him
unreadable glimpses, as if trying to figure him out. Jensen suppressed his
flight or fight instinct. Dean Simmons might be dangerous, but Doctor William
Orwell wasn't quite as harmless as he seemed.

He was greatly relieved when the door opened, and Parker
walked in with by his boyfriend, Finn. Two other men followed, one of whom
Jensen guessed must be Gavin. Judging by his resemblance to Finn, the other man
could only be Gavin's partner, Saul.

Gavin was holding a baby, and Jensen remembered Alicia had
mentioned her son adopting a newborn. Shannon.

Before Jensen could react, Jack squealed and slid out of the
booth. He ran toward Gavin, his brother following in his wake with just as much
enthusiasm. Gavin laughed and passed the baby to Saul. He met Kyle and Jack
halfway and hugged the two boys.

Parker chuckled as he watched them. "Looks like they
missed you."

"We missed you too," Jack piped up from Gavin's
embrace.

"And Parker and I felt the same," Gavin assured the
children.

As the new arrivals made their way to the booth, William got
up. "Well, then, seems like you're all set here. I'm off, just in case
Jessie needs me. Enjoy your stay, Mrs. Cook, Mr. Moore." He ruffled Kyle's
and Jack's hair. "It was great to see you all again—especially you
two."

"Thank you, Dr. Orwell," Alicia replied. "We
really appreciate your help."

"It was my pleasure," William answered. His gaze
lingered on Jensen for a few seconds, before he turned on his heel and left the
diner.

Jensen decided to worry about that part later. He greeted
Parker, and Parker arched a brow at him. "Why do I get the feeling you
have a lot to do with this little visit?" Parker whispered in his ear.

"Possibly because you know me so well," Jensen
answered with a grin. The familiar banter with his old friend soothed his
earlier fears, especially since Parker looked great, safe and happy.

The feeling lasted up to the moment when he planned to reach
over to Parker to hug the other man, but Parker avoided it by sliding in the
other side of the booth. It was nothing obvious, really, and Jensen's
imagination might be playing tricks on him again, but it still made Jensen's
previous anxiousness return.

With six adults, two children and a baby crammed together in
the booth, he couldn't exactly address it either. William had deliberately
asked for a spacious booth, so they weren't sitting in each other's laps or
anything, but Jensen couldn't expect privacy with his friend anytime soon.

Well, there was nothing for it now. Jensen would have to
adapt to the circumstances. "So, Finn... I see you're much better."

"Yes," his friend's lover replied. "The move
helped a lot. I'm well on my way to recovery."

That wasn't exactly the way Jensen would have described Finn
Simmons's state. The man looked great, like he hadn't been sick a day in his
life. If he hadn't known better, Jensen would have never believed Finn had
suffered through a coma of several weeks.

"I have to say, we were all very concerned," Jensen
offered. "The last thing we wanted was to intrude, but with everything
that happened..."

"We understand," Gavin answered with a small smile.
"I'm happy you came. I know Jackie and Kyle wanted to spend more time with
Shan."

The waitress appeared to take the orders of the new arrivals,
at which point Parker yet again surprised Jensen by ordering two meat pies—for
himself. It was strange, because Jensen had never known Parker to be a big
eater. Now that he was looking a bit closer, Jensen thought he could detect a
bit of a paunch where Parker's usually flat belly had been. Was that why Parker
had avoided the hug? Was he embarrassed about having a little more to love? If
so, what could have determined his change in diet?

Jensen shook himself and tried to push back his far too wild
thoughts. They weren't helping him figure out the situation. In the end, it
didn't really matter, because the group couldn't stay too long. Shannon needed
to sleep in his own bed, and they were all concerned about Jessie and not in the
mood for partying. However, both Gavin and Parker promised they'd come back the
next day to spend more time with Jensen, Alicia and the kids.

After dinner, Saul helped them find accommodation, with
Alicia and the kids taking a room, and Jensen another. It was then that Jensen
managed to steal Parker away for a few moments alone. When most everyone was
focused on getting Jack and Kyle settled in, Jensen grabbed his friend's arm
and pulled him aside. "Why did you leave?" he asked without preamble.

Parker opened his mouth to reply, but Jensen anticipated one
of the excuses Parker had already given him. "Please, Parker," he
said. "Just tell me the truth. You know I don't want to interfere in your
life and make you uncomfortable, but I'm worried. You've changed so much. You
left your whole life for Finn and his family. You've broken so many ties, and I
simply can't understand why."

For the longest time, Parker was silent, as if musing over
what to say. Jensen waited patiently, and was not disappointed when his friend
spoke again. "It's complicated to explain, but... I need you to know I
love Finn, and he loves me back. I have a real family now, Jensen, a family who
loves me and appreciates me. And yes, I had to sacrifice a lot, and I know our
troubles are just starting. But when I fall asleep in Finn's arms, I always
feel it was all worth it." Despite his words, his eyes held a dose of
guilt and sadness as he spoke. "Besides, even if the two of us don't live
close to another, we'll always be friends. I hope you don't ever doubt
that."

A wave of comfort flowed over Jensen. Even if Parker hadn't
actually replied to Jensen's question, he had told the truth when it came to
his happiness. He couldn't help but get a little choked up at Parker's words,
because in his heart, he had worried about their relationship. "Thank you,
Parker," he replied, not bothering to disguise his relief. "To be
honest, the only thing that I want is for you to be happy."

"I know." Parker bit his lip, as if nervous.
"I must admit this isn't what I expected my life to be, but somehow, we
make it work. In fact, we're planning to add another member to our
family."

That was only half of a surprise, since Jensen had expected
his friend to want something like that. "You're adopting a baby? Isn't it kind
of soon?"

"Well... Maybe it seems that way from the outside, but
for us, it's just right. To be true, I am a bit nervous, but I want this."

He smiled slightly, and his expression was so peaceful—beyond
anything Jensen had ever seen on Parker. His gaze grew distant, as if he wasn't
thinking about Jensen anymore, and he pressed his hand to his belly.

It was a strange gesture, one that, for some reason, reminded
Jensen of the countless pregnant women he'd seen in the past. God, he was
really losing it if he was connecting his friend's increase in weight with that
sort of thing. His mind was clearly associating all the wrong concepts based on
their earlier conversation.

Before he could answer Parker, the small group—sans Alicia
and her sons—reunited. "We'll be off now, Mr. Moore," Saul told him.
"Have a nice night."

"We'll see you tomorrow," Gavin offered.

"Looking forward to it. And I hope your friend feels
better."

"We hope so too," Finn whispered sedately as he
wrapped an arm around Parker's shoulders.

Jensen watched them all go, and then took refuge in his room.
Somehow, despite Parker's explanation, he had a feeling he was nowhere near to
finding the truth the Simmons family was hiding.

Chapter Three

"Dad, I told you I'm fine," Jessie fumed as William
fussed over him. "Why are you making such a big production out of all of
this?"

William narrowed his eyes at his son. "Fine is not the
way I'd describe this. You're exhausted, you can't smell most types of food
without throwing up and what you do eat, you barely managed to keep down. And
don't think I don't know you've been having headaches. This might be an unusual
situation, Jessie, but remember this is what I do. You can't fool me, and you
shouldn't even want to."

Erdi wordlessly watched the exchange, all the while debating
why William had asked him to be here. It was a delicate conversation, and
although Erdi was now part of this pack, he hadn't expected to be privy to it.
The fact that they trusted him to watch over a man in such an obviously
delicate condition befuddled him even more.

Jessie seemed too tired to argue further with his father, but
didn't fall asleep until his mate entered the room and slid into bed next to
him. Once Andreas was there, Jessie closed his eyes and drifted into slumber.
The way Jessie curled against Andreas, so naturally, the way their bodies
seemed to fit, and the lines of tiredness faded from Jessie's face at Andreas's
touch—it was beautiful. Despite himself, despite knowing he had no right to
something like that, Erdi couldn't help but yearn for it.

William pulled away and turned toward Erdi. He didn't say a
word, merely nodding in acquiescence of Erdi's presence. When the human doctor
left the room, Erdi followed without being told to, giving Jessie and Andreas
privacy. William led him to the small living room of the cabin and sat down on
the couch.

"I know the two of us haven't had much contact,"
William started, "but I do appreciate the fact that you helped save Finn
and Parker. I also know you would have never done it without a good reason.
You've been a silencer for decades. What made you change your mind?"

There were a thousand replies Erdi could have given, some of
which might have even held truth. He didn't say any of them, largely because,
when he looked at William, he had a feeling excuses or misdirection would be
useless. "I think you wouldn't be asking if you didn't already know."

Seconds later, William confirmed his guess. "Jensen.
It's Jensen. He's your mate."

Erdi had expected those words, but it didn't make them easier
to hear. "You're perceptive."

William shrugged. "I've been thinking about it for days
now. It makes no sense that you'd start a mission, and then suddenly decide to
finish it in an entirely different way—unless something happened that made you
change your mind. Seeing you today with Jessie and Andreas confirmed it."

Erdi didn't appreciate being manipulated, especially not like
that. "You would use your son to draw information out of me?"

William narrowed his eyes at Erdi. "I would do many
things to protect Jessie. The thing is, Erdi, the presence of your mate and
Gavin's family will draw the eye of the Gathering on us once again. My son
isn't doing very well. Him having twins makes an already complicated situation
worse. We cannot afford more stress if we want the birth to go as planned. So,
I'm relying on you."

"On me?" Erdi was befuddled. "Why?"

"Your Jensen is very resourceful, and very creative. I'm
fairly certain Mrs. Cook couldn't have found Gavin without his help. As such,
once you claim him, you're going to smooth the path for—"

"I'm not going to claim him," Erdi cut William off.
"He doesn't even remember me. Besides, he deserves better."

William's expression went somewhat soft. "I see. Well
then, if that's the case, I must apologize. I don't think I need to point out
the necessity of secrecy."

Erdi rubbed his eyes tiredly. If there was anyone who
understood what William meant, it was him—he who had actively worked to
preserve that secrecy no matter the cost. Was he paying the price for doing his
duty without question, now that his mate faced the threat Erdi had once been
for other people just like him? It was staggering to even think about it.

"I think we should be good for now," he told
William, forcing himself to remain calm. "My guild will most likely have
someone watching me, but it won't be now." Not now, when his brother
needed to get the guild's attention off Erdi, and the fact that he'd been left
alive.

Silence fell, at which point Erdi realized what he'd said.
'My guild', like he was still a silencer, still part of that poisonous world.
Then again, that was the cruel, honest truth. The blood on his hands would
never wash away, and it was the reason why Erdi couldn't do what William—and
Erdi's own wolf—asked.

"I'll take your word on that one," the human
finally said. He smiled slightly and got up. "Believe it or not, you're
welcome here, Erdi. If I was abrupt, rest assured that you're not at
fault."

Erdi opened his mouth to explain the apology was unnecessary,
but then, William pressed a hand to his shoulder and squeezed.
 
"Just don't make any decisions you'll
regret. A mate is something precious. Believe me, I know."

And William did know, having been separated from his own mate
for more than fifty years. Perhaps that was the reason why the tension in
Erdi's body drained—the knowledge that this man truly understood how he felt
and what he risked, the realization that William and the others had opened the
doors to their home to a silencer despite having a son with apparent
pre-eclampsia symptoms. That guess was nothing more than that, a suspicion
based on the medical knowledge Erdi had accumulated throughout his life. He was
no ob-gyn specialist, so he hoped he was simply seeing things, but for some
reason, he didn't think that was the case.

"Thank you, Mr. Orwell," he told the human.
"Don't worry about this. Focus on your son. I'll handle the rest. After
all, it's what I do."

William shot Erdi a small weary smile. "What you used to
do. Remember that."

With those parting words, William left Erdi in the living
room. Erdi watched him go, already knowing the human most likely wanted to
spend some time with his mate while their son slumbered. He wondered if he'd
ever get over the unavoidable jealousy he felt whenever he saw the bonds these
people shared.

That question was unexpectedly answered when the rest of the
pack returned. For the most part, they were all quiet and seemed unsettled.
Saul and Gavin acknowledged Erdi's presence with silent nods, and then headed
out to their room, busy with their son. Parker and Finn stayed behind, but Erdi
almost wished they hadn't.

When Parker sat down by his side, Erdi could smell Jensen on
him. His wolf rose up inside him, possessiveness, jealousy and need mixing in a
cocktail that threatened to choke him.

He couldn't have said how he managed to keep his head and not
react to the maddening impulses.
 
Perhaps
it was only his experience with torture that made him able to withstand it.
"How did it go?" he asked instead.

"As well as could be expected, I suppose," Finn
replied. "They're great people. It's just... such a bad time."

"I've missed them," Parker admitted, "but I'm
worried about what this will mean for us."

His hand settled on his slightly swollen stomach in an
obvious show of concern. Erdi didn't know what to say. This was a very
difficult situation, and had been from the very beginning. The humans should
have never been able to track Saul to his new location. But Jensen had done it,
and if the guilds found out about it... That made him a real threat.

Something inside Erdi went cold at that realization. Jensen
had already messed with something bigger than he realized. It might not be too
late to save him, though. There might still be a chance that Jensen could go on
to live happily, without being aware of the dangerous world hovering in the
background of his existence.

Erdi couldn't afford to be a coward now. He shot to his feet
and gave Finn a serious look. "I'm going to do some investigating of my
own. Be careful."

Finn gaped at him, and would have probably protested this
decision—perhaps summoned Saul or tried to reason with Erdi—but Erdi didn't
give him the chance. Before Finn could say anything at all, Erdi left the
cabin, already making plans.

He no longer had his guild's support to figure out the answers
to all his questions, but he didn't need it. This time, Erdi had the most
important mission in his life—to keep his mate safe.

****

Jensen had an analytical and restless mind. It was what
helped him learn more computer science than was good for him, what caused him
to stay up at nights and wiggle his way through the strongest of firewalls to
find secrets better left alone. It had gotten him in a lot of trouble, while
also providing him means to escape. Today, it simply would not let him sleep.

He fidgeted under the covers, trying to calm his mind, but
failing so utterly it wasn't even funny. In a way, he wasn't surprised. He
could never sleep unless he completely exhausted himself. His mind just kept
going, coming up with a thousand different ideas and scenarios. That focus was
currently on Parker, on interpreting Parker's reactions and those of Parker's
new friends.

He was missing something, and he knew it, knew it at a level
that had him more unsettled than ever before. And it wasn't just about Parker.
It never had been.

When they'd first arrived here, Jensen had been able to
distract himself by dealing with the immediate problems and confrontations.
Once that was over, however, he'd fallen back on his previous pattern, and he
kept dwelling on that yearning, a yearning for something he couldn't identify.
Yes, Jensen had an analytical mind, but this time around, his mind kept
precious information from him—and it hurt.

He didn't know how much time passed while he mused over his
predicament and what to do next. Naturally, they wouldn't be able to stay long.
Two days, at most, since Alicia had to go back to work, and the children had
school. Hell, even Jensen had a life back at the Amaretto, one he'd
painstakingly built and didn't want to give up on.

But if they left before finding out what had truly
happened... Jensen didn't know if he could live with himself. It was crazy and
it didn't make any sense, but this time around, Jensen's heart had the
proverbial upper hand, and it screamed at him that he needed to get to the
bottom of this.

With a frustrated sigh, Jensen slid out of bed. He couldn't
sleep, so perhaps he could do some research instead. He liked Willow Cove, but
he had a feeling this town was more than it seemed.

He reached for his bag and retrieved his laptop from inside.
He had every intention to boot it, but suddenly, looking at the screen just
made that feeling that wouldn't leave him alone worse. Or maybe it was
something else. Maybe his work had nothing to do with it. Either way, Jensen
needed some air, and he needed it desperately.

With hasty, jerky motions, he shoved the laptop back in its
case and quickly got dressed. He grabbed the bag—he never went anywhere without
it—and left the room, not really knowing where he was going, but desperate for
answers he would, for once, not be able to find on the World Wide Web, or on
private servers.

Outside, the town was quiet. It was pretty late, so the
inhabitants of the town had all retreated to their respective homes, at least
in this area. The diner where Jensen and his companions had eaten was closed
now, and if there were any other places where Jensen could go for fun, he
didn't know them. He hadn't exactly looked up clubs when he'd searched for
details on Willow Cove.

Either way, it didn't matter. It wasn't clubbing that Jensen
needed. He walked through the empty street, his mind still working furiously
over all the facts he knew, processing each individual variable, trying to
slide the pieces of the puzzle to create a coherent image.

It shouldn't be that hard. The Simmons family was obviously
involved in something suspicious, perhaps mafia-type dealings. By now, Jensen
knew appearances were deceiving when it came to criminals. But how did Parker
fit in all of this? Was he being forced to stay with Finn Simmons? The evidence
seemed to point to something along that line, when it came to Parker's sudden
departure, at least. And yet, while in Willow Cove, Jensen had seen no sign of
ill intentions. The most confusing thing was that, despite acknowledging the
fact that the Simmonses were dangerous, Jensen liked them.

He was so lost in thought he didn't see the vehicle behind
him, or hear its approach, at least not until it was too late. The squeal of
tires snapped him out of his trance, and he pivoted on his heel. A car was
barreling straight toward him, so close now that Jensen had no way to escape.

****

Erdi had come to Willow Cove with the intention of keeping
his distance from his mate and watching him from afar. In his opinion, Baqir
wouldn't intervene anytime soon, and with Erdi here, other guilds were unlikely
to step in themselves.

Still, the moment he saw Jensen step out of the small hotel,
his heart started racing—and not solely because of how much he'd craved the
beautiful human's presence. Even from the distance, and with the shadows
cloaking a great deal about Jensen, Erdi could still distinguish the almost
delicate features of his face, the clever curl of his lips, the stubborn jaw
that spoke volumes of the human's determination. But Erdi was also determined,
and he'd already decided he would give Jensen the chance to live a normal life
without him.

And so, it wasn't just the natural yearning for his mate that
set him on the edge. Something else was going on. Erdi's instincts were
screaming, and a sort of dark miasma seemed to be invading the air. It wasn't
anything someone else could have sensed, but Erdi wasn't just anyone.