BirthControl (26 page)

Two hours later, Silas was in a meeting with Lyle and Jayden when he heard Cameron calling him. “
Patron? I need some help. I’m…I’m in one of the caves and can’t get out. Can you hear me?”

Heart racing with joy, Silas answered as he stood. “
Yes. I hear you. Are you on pack land or in the mountains?”

“
I’m not sure. I was on pack lands, probably still am. Can you send help?”

Silas ran his hand through his hair. “
Yes. There are men in the forest looking for you now. Do you have coordinates? Or an idea of where you are?”

“
No…I’m not sure. I’ve been here for so long, I can’t… can’t get my bearings. I fell and crawled into this cave. I was too far back and crawled closer to an opening to contact you. How long have I been gone?”

“
That’s not important. We’ll get you out. Let me set some things up and we’ll come get you, okay?”

“
Okay. I’m hungry. Can you bring some food? There’s water in the underground spring, but no food.”

“
Yes,”
Silas said, his heart heavy thinking of all Cameron'd endured to survive. “
I’ll make sure there’s food."

“That was Cameron?” Jayden asked.

“Yes,” Silas answered slowly, his mind racing with a dozen different scenarios. “I’m going to go get him.”

“Sir, what about the report I just gave you regarding the rebels. They know about Jasmine and your pups. They'll see this a perfect time to strike a blow by killing your offspring. You can’t leave the compound until after the pups are born,” Lyle said.

Silas turned and looked at the wall behind his desk. Years ago he'd made a promise to watch over Cameron and he’d failed in so many ways. He never should’ve allowed Cameron to join the military. It had been a mistake that had crippled a full-blooded wolf to the point he had no idea where he was in the woods.

“I’ll leave a veil of protection over the compound. No one in, no one out. But I can’t not try to save him.”

“Why can’t the twins go? Or Hank? Why do you need to go?” Jayden asked.

“Because I can find him through our link. No one else can do that. He never shared blood with anyone else.”

“Damn,” Jayden said.

“Right. I’ve got to put some things in place before I go hunting. We’ll finish this discussion later and thanks for the update on the rebels.”

“Yes, Sir.” He nodded and disconnected.
Tyrone. Tyrese,
he called the twins. Within moments they entered his office and he brought them up to date.

“I’ll have Thorn brought to mom’s wing, where we’ll lock down until you return with Cameron,” Tyrone said, picking up the phone to call Stefan.

“Good. I’ll surround the compound with a shield, but if anything happens to me, it’ll disappear. If that happens, don’t think. Just move and get your mom into the tunnel. She knows how to access the one that’s specifically for my family. No one else can enter.”

“Did you add Thorn?” Tyrone asked.

“The day you mated with Rose.”

“Who are you taking with you?” Tyrese asked.

“Hank and Brad. There’s a group already in the forest. I’m calling them toward my search area. It should be more than enough.”

“You think this is a trap? He contacts you after six weeks of silence. Where’s he been all this time? With the rebels? Or the human females who are still trying to get mom to move in with them?” Tyrone asked.

Silas sat back and looked at Tyrone. He’d become close to both young men and considered them family. But he couldn’t name Cameron a traitor. “I don’t know. I only know I have to try.”

“Can’t you read his mind? Filter through his thoughts, find out what’s really going on?” Tyrese asked.

Silas shook his head, wishing he could change certain events that had led him to this point. “His PTSD messed up his thought patterns. When I enter his mind, everything is garbled, disorganized. His reality has been realigned and if he can’t tell what’s real and true, then neither can I.”

“No offense, but that’d make him a perfect scapegoat.” Tyrone stood. “Call us if you need us.”

“No. Under no circumstances, don't you leave your mom or your mate.” Silas pointed at them. “Are we clear on that?”

“Yes, Sir.”

“Yes, Sir.”

Silas waited a beat, then nodded once he was certain they understood. “Good. Get to her wing. I’ll be by before I depart.”

The twins left, leaving him alone in his office. Inhaling, he offered a prayer for protection to the Goddess and then prepared to go find his godson.

Jasmine knew something was wrong the moment Tyrese walked in the living room and slumped on the sofa. The news was on and he pretended interest about the economy tanking in some foreign country. Five minutes later, Tyrone, Rose and Thorn entered.

“Hi,” Jasmine said, surprised to see the brother and sister together.

“Hi,” Rose said, taking a seat next to Jasmine while Tyrone sat on the other side of her. Thorn walked through to the kitchen. She heard the refrigerator open and smiled.

“The cobbler’s still in the oven,” she yelled.

“Bring me some,” Rose called out to her brother.

Jasmine looked at each of them and clicked off the TV with the remote. “Okay, what’s going on?”

Tyrese and Tyrone filled her and Rose in.

“Cameron contacted him? That’s great, right?” she asked, not understanding why they weren’t happy.

“It just seems off, and too convenient, that’s all,” Tyrone said.

“And Cameron might not be telling the truth?”

Tyrese shook his head. “Doubtful. This stinks and we all know it. Problem is, Silas is doing a blood search. That means he can’t send anyone else. He has to go.”

A sliver of unease went through Jasmine. She wasn’t sure if it originated within her or if it was a by-product of the nervous energy bouncing off the twins. Tyrese paced and constantly looked out the window. Tyrone sat next to Rose with his elbows on his knees and his hands hanging between them. Rose sat quietly nibbling on her bottom lip. Even Thorne appeared subdued.

She stood. “I’m going to lay down for a while.”

“Mom?” Tyrese stopped pacing and looked at her, a question on his face.

“I'm good, just want to put my feet up for a while.”

He nodded. She smiled at Tyrone and Rose, who looked up at her with similar looks of concern. The only person who sent her a genuine smile was Thorne.

Jasmine closed the door behind her and opened her senses. These past few weeks she’d become good at controlling her access to her links. She’d spoken on several occasions with the human females. Her opinion of them hadn’t changed, they were fanatical, but she’d questioned them extensively and had a better idea why they believed what they believed.
Julie?
She called for the leader of the small group of three human breeders.

Yes, Jasmine?

What’s going on?

Pardon?

Where’s Cameron?

I…I don’t know what you’re talking about.
Jasmine sighed. Julie was a horrible liar, which was one of the reasons their quest would ultimately fail. The women were believers, but couldn’t devise or execute plans worth a damn. They’d told her of their many failures, ending with Samantha at the hospital. These three women were the last of their group and that was because they never risked themselves.

You’re lying and you know I can tell. Where’s Cameron?

Lost in a cave somewhere.

Can you find him?

No. Okay, thanks. I’ll take care of it.

What? No…no, it’s too dangerous. You can’t be in the forest.

Jasmine lay on the bed and looked up at the ceiling.
Why not? I’ll take my sons and some other wolves to bring him back.
Unlike Julie, Jasmine could lie when she thought it necessary, and Silas needed to know as much as possible before he walked into those caves.

There’s…there are wolves searching for Cameron already. They’ll find him. Let them do their job. You have to remain safe. It won’t be long.

Jasmine rolled her eyes.
Why do people always tell pregnant women how to carry their babies? I know better than anyone else how much longer I’ve got, thank you.

“
Jasmine.”

“
I’ve got to go,”
she said, sensing Silas.

“
Promise me you won’t go in the woods,”
Julie said, her voice anxious.

“
I’ve got to go.”
Jasmine cut the link as Silas sat on the side of the bed and then lay next to her.

“I heard from Cameron.”

“The twins told me, but they’re worried. Should they be worried?” She tried to keep the fear from her voice but it must’ve slipped through because he grabbed her hand and squeezed.

“No. There’s some risks, but I’ve minimized them.” He kissed the back of her hand. “Just in case, I need you to access the personal tunnels for you and everyone else. The twins can access the tunnels, but not my private areas, not unless you let them in. You’ll need to place your palm on the keypad and it will take you to that level. Jacque showed it to you before, remember.”

Her throat tightened as she nodded.

“Good. Stay there until I come for you.”

“There’s something going on in the forest, I don’t know what, but it’s not good.” She turned to face him.

His eyes darkened to an evergreen color as he ran his tongue over his lips. “You’re open…and scared. Don’t be. I’ll be back. I can’t miss the birth of my pups.”

Ironically, hearing his concern over their babies, rather than her, didn’t bother her this time. As long as he had a reason to fight to return, she was okay with it. “Okay. But you have to promise to stay open the whole time, no matter what. I…I need that connection or I’ll come to some wild conclusions. I want to promise I’ll stay put, but I can’t say that if I lose that link.”

“Does it bother you? Being bone deep linked to me?” His eyes searched hers. She wasn’t sure what answer he expected, but she told him the truth.

“No. It’s comforting in a way. I feel less…less alone.”

“Even when you block me?” He stroked her face with his fingertips, leaving goosebumps in their wake.

“I only block certain parts.” Whereas he remained open unless it was pack business.

“And those are the parts I crave the most.” He kissed her hand.

Her brow shot up. “Really? You want to know how I feel? What I’m feeling?” After his reaction with Jacque’s declaration of them being mated, she didn’t think he wanted more than a shallow relationship. Whenever she touched his mind, his thoughts of her were mainly sexual.

“Yes. Yes, I do. It bothers me that I can’t. It makes me feel I’ve failed in some way when I can’t share your deeper emotions with you.”

She leaned back to get a better look at him. “I…I didn’t know that. When you said you didn’t want to mate with me, I—”

“I never said that.” He sighed and pulled her close so that his forehead touched hers and spoke softly. “The thought that we were mates surprised me. I still don’t know what made Jacque say that. But I think we need to revisit that conversation when I get back, because it’s a real possibility that the Goddess pulled another rabbit out of the hat and we are mated.”

Her heart pounded with the need to say the words. “Okay. But just so you know, I love you, wolfie.” She captured his lips, nibbled on them a bit and then kissed him.

He pulled her tight as he deepened the kiss. Pulling apart, they gasped for air. “Thank you, thank you. I was afraid this was one-sided and that I’d be mated alone.” He kissed her again. She moaned into his mouth, exhilarated by his confession.

Chests heaving, they pulled apart. “I thought I was alone. It made me miserable. Never do that to me again. Promise to tell me what you feel.” She placed kisses all over his face.

He held her close and whispered into her ear. “My wolf has been crying for weeks, missing you. Promise me you won’t leave me. Not physically. Not emotionally. I need all of you.”

Tears filled her eyes as she nodded wishing they had more time to discuss the mating thing. “This is not a movie, and you’d better not be telling me all of this in case you don’t come back. You’d better be telling me this to make sure you come back.” She grabbed a fistful of his tee-shirt and stared into his eyes. “Do you understand me, Silas? Because there will be some serious hell to pay if you fail to return. I will go ballistic and fuck some wolves up in a major way. They do not want to test my abilities, whatever they are, over this. But I can tell you, I’m feeling all kinds of things right now over the idea of you being hurt.”

He nodded. “I know the feeling. I get it every time I think of you and everything that could go wrong.” He placed his hand over hers and removed them from his shirt. “I think its proof that we’re mates. So all I ask is that you do what you know to do and stay safe.”

Tears rolled down her cheek as she nodded. “You too. I know you need to do this, so I won’t ask you not to go. Come back to me, or I will come to you. Don’t bother telling me not to, I guess it’s a mate thing, you should understand.”