KnightForce Tres (La Patron KnightForce Book 3) (22 page)

Renee’s eyebrows furrowed. “Really, that happens in real life? With wolf people?”

Rather than answer either of those questions, Jasmine continued. “She thought we’d done that to her for information on her former girlfriend.”

“Girlfriend?”

“Elyria, the woman who kidnapped Sarita and is on the run with her,” Jasmine stressed. “We’re still searching—”

“Right, right, I know. Mélange and Elyria…that’s why you wanted me to ask her those questions?”

“Yes. We’re desperate to find them.”

“Did you ask Mélange about her when you talked?” Renee sat on the sofa.

Jasmine joined her. “Yes. Apparently Elyria dances to a unique beat in her own head and changes plans on the fly. Mélange said she’s brilliant.”

“Hmm,” Renee said.

If Renee could find out anything else about Elyria it would help.

“Not too brilliant if she stole Asia’s child. Even I’m scared of that woman.”

Jasmine nodded. “Time is running out, we’ve got to find her.”

“What do you want me to do? Ask Mélange more questions?”

Jasmine almost said yes until she looked at her sister. “No, the next time you speak to your mate, work out your problems. That’s always first. I promised Mélange to stay out of it, but she loves you and this separation cuts both ways. Believe me, she’s suffering too.”

“Yeah?” Renee brightened. “Good. I’d hate to feel all of this while she slept peacefully.”

“Not a chance.” Jasmine hugged Renee and stood. Silas seemed antsy and she needed to check on him while the kids were asleep.

Returning the embrace, Renee then stood as well. “Keep your phone with you, I’ll text when I’m leaving.”

“I want to see you leave, so let me know when you guys head for the car.” Jasmine headed to the door.

Renee followed.

“Love you,” Jasmine said, taking another hug from her older sister.

“Love you, too.” Renee said, and then headed in the opposite direction.

Chapter 37

Countdown clock: 28 hours remaining
…

Unable to believe what he’d just heard, Silas stared at Angus, waiting for a sign that the man was joking. When Angus continued to meet his gaze, Silas slammed his palm against the table and stood. Walking back and forth, he tried to remember but couldn’t.

“Are you sure you don’t remember?” Angus asked again.

“For the last time, I don’t remember anyone named Octavia, why should I?” Silas stopped and met Angus’ gaze. The overhead lights cast a pall on his littermate’s forehead with shadows, but didn’t hide the concerned dismay that flickered over his face. “Who says I should know this person?” Maybe if he knew, then it’d come back to him.

“Elyria’s name wasn’t in the database when I searched, but one of the Elders remembered a woman, Octavia, who birthed a daughter named Elyria. He isn’t absolutely sure, but he believes the child is yours. Someone came forward later making the claim she was your seed from this woman. Claims you and Octavia were together before the Goddess removed you from the clan.”

“Removed me? From what I remember I was half-dead when she saved me and gave my life purpose. To say –”

“But you have very few memories of life before your mission. You didn’t remember me at first. Is it possible you had a life that included another bitch, a mate?”

Silas’ head jerked up. “No! I would’ve known. The Goddess would’ve told me, or said something.” His stomach clenched at the idea.

Angus held up his hands. “You’ve given KnightForce a task to find the child. We’re searching every clue no matter how small. If you’re going to disband this team, effectively ruin the lives of good, loyal men if we fail, I think we need to tug at this thread to see where it leads. If Elyria is Octavia’s daughter and you’re her sire, I can think of no better motive.”

“Motive? How can that be a motive for someone I never knew existed?”

“Exactly. Mélange says the woman is unstable. What if her mother raised her on lies of abandonment, fed her hatred through the decades that twisted her mind. There’s been no note of ransom, no one’s taken credit for the crime. The rebels would broadcast their success on every channel, but so far nothing. That makes me think this is personal.”

“Then why take Sarita and not one of mine? If she is a child I sired, I cannot kill her, right?” Silas asked, seeing Angus’ point.

“No, but Jasmine would incinerate her on the spot.”

Silas waved that down. “No way would this Elyria know that.” He paused, going over everything so far. “Maybe it’s because Asia left Mélange to die? Some sort of repayment for taking the bracelet? She has more knowledge of Asia than Jasmine.”

“True. You may be on to why she staged the deal, but Mélange is mated to Renee. Why go through the kidnapping. She and Mélange are done, the Fates made sure of that,” Angus said.

Silas thought harder but came up with nothing. “Damn it! I need to know if I sired this person and if I were mated before.”  He closed his eyes and prayed the Goddess answered him this time.

“Yes, you do,” Angus said, his voice low.

Turning, Silas left the room to head to his prayer room on the upper floors. “A daughter? Impossible. I would know if I sired a child.” Moments later he stepped off the elevator and headed inside. An overhead light turned on automatically, revealing a small, circular room with a small altar. Shadows lingered in the corners until two additional lights, softer than the first, chased them away, leaving the room awash with a soft glow.

Clay jars filled with incense and unlit candles sat on the corners of the altar and on shelves embedded in the wall. The room smelled like lilies, citrus, and cloves.

“This day keeps getting worse,” he muttered as he removed his shoes. A custom-made Persian rug with a wolf’s head image covered most of the floor. He washed his hands in the porcelain ceremonial sink near the door and prepared to petition the Goddess for answers. In his opinion, each time he attempted to contact her was important, but this time a child’s life hung in the balance. Asia and Hawke suffered enough, David refused to eat or talk, and his mate carried blame when she shouldn’t. If he sired the pup and revenge undergirded her actions, he needed to know.

Silas took a deep cleansing breath, realized that wasn’t enough to dispel the anger riding him, and took a few more until his head lightened.

“
Silas
?” Jasmine called.

“I’m upstairs in the prayer room.”

“On my way
.”

He didn’t bother telling her not to come. She’d do as she pleased anyway. More importantly, he wanted her with him when layers of his past were revealed. His thoughts refused to settle. The room brightened when she entered, his heartbeat steadied as she removed her shoes and then extended her hands to his.

“Are you okay?” she asked aloud rather than through their link.

“Not really. Angus had some information and the only person who has the answers is the Goddess.” He told her what his littermate discovered.

“Well, that’s…that’s unexpected.” She paused. “How do you feel about the possibility?”

“Conflicted. First, why wouldn’t I remember something that important? Was I mated before? If not, how did I sire a pup?”

“Maybe the rules were different then, they seem to change a lot,” Jasmine said.

“Maybe.” She made a good point, back then humans didn’t mate with full-bloods, at least he didn’t think it happened that far back.

“Tell me what’s really bothering you.”

Silas met her gaze. “What’s the purpose behind this? If she’s angry with me, why take an innocent child? She made her point, pulled off a major job right under my nose. But this has gone on too long, what’s the reason?”

“Maybe there’s no reason, none that would make any sense to us anyway. The Goddess may shed some light on Octavia and the child. One step at a time, Wolfie.” Leaning forward, she placed a kiss on his lips.

“One step at a time, right. Okay, let’s do this.” After one more cleansing breath, he prayed for an audience with the Goddess. In the background he heard Jasmine repeat his words. Soon they were in sync, saying the words together.

He had no idea how long they prayed, but suddenly he opened his eyes and saw his face in a mirror. Not a mirror, but a mirrored image of him in the clearest water he’d ever seen.

“Silas, Alpha of my wolves, and your mate, rise.”

Head bowed, he stood slowly and sought Jasmine’s hand to assist her.

“I sense you’re troubled, the past is knocking on your door.”

Silas swallowed hard at her comment. “Yes, Ma’am. Unfortunately, I have no memory of this past. I recall very little of my life before my service to you, Ma’am.”

“As you should, your life belongs to me. It was a bargain sealed centuries ago.”

He sensed Jasmine’s surprise through their link and hoped she’d remain quiet.

“Yes Mistress, I understand, although I don’t remember.”

“Are you sure you want to remember, my Alpha? Those were wicked times, people did horrible deeds in order to survive. I required a strong, brave, loyal wolf to lead my people in the new world. One with brutal cunning, a vital ingredient necessary for an Alpha. Why do you think you were chosen?”

“I met those requirements, Ma’am?”

“Surpassed them. The word Alpha took on new meaning when I saw you with a small pack of wolves struggling to survive that winter in Northern Romania. The pack prayed to me for assistance. Food was scarce, lodgings were inadequate, and the Alpha failed to provide those basics. He had little concern over their welfare and would’ve allowed them to die. The most impressive thing for me was how you stepped in and took charge when their Alpha failed. The times you fought their battles and it wasn’t your pack. Everyone survived that winter and the pack thrived. If you hadn’t saved them I would’ve sent someone to help, but you arrived first.”

Silas struggled to remember but couldn’t. “Who was Octavia?”

The Goddess waved her hand and a woman’s face appeared in front of them. He stared at the Scandinavian-looking woman, hoping to spark a memory. “I don’t remember her.”

“Those memories are better off dead. She betrayed you and the pack for her father. He’d been the Alpha before you saved the pack that winter. Instead of being grateful, jealousy and pride stoked his hatred of you.”

“Was Octavia my mate? Did I sire her child?” he asked.

“Yes.”

Jasmine gasped.

Silas couldn’t believe it. How had he forgotten a mate and pup? Those unbreakable bonds were the fabric of who they were.

“Things were different then. My people were persecuted, sought out and murdered for being unique. The new world offered opportunities to start over and thrive. Those I’d put in charge suffered from the separation of everything they knew and tried to return home.”

Silas had no memory of this time, but based on what he’d heard Angus and Jacques discuss, it sounded right.

“Milo, the old Alpha and Octavia’s sire, planned your death to retake the pack. She led you from the pack into a trap Milo and a couple others set. The fight was impressive and if they hadn’t played foul with your mate, you would have won. But holding her as hostage, threatening to slit her throat, you gave your life for hers. They left you for dead.” She paused. “When I arrived, you were barely breathing. I asked you if you wanted to live.”

Silas recalled some of this. “I said yes. At the time I was angry about something. Was it the betrayal?”

“Yes, they killed the few loyal members from the pack and used threats and force to keep the others in line. No one knew where you were. Octavia lied and told them you were attacked by another pack and that she saw your body sink in the ocean. As your mate, no one questioned her.”

“She was pregnant with Elyria?” Silas asked, unable to reconcile he’d sired a child and never knew.

“Yes.” She paused. “Octavia’s father pushed her and she fell down a cliff.”

“An accident?” Silas asked, although he knew it wasn’t.

“No, he feared she’d give birth to a son and there’d be an Alpha challenge. Plus, her wolf was unsettled over what happened to you. She became harder for him to control.”

“Ohmigod that’s –” Jasmine blurted.

“The way life was in those days,” the Goddess said, her voice soft.

“But the child lived?” Silas asked, needing to know for sure.

“Yes, but she’s damaged. Her mind…it’s not right. A midwife, Nirtha, found Octavia bleeding as her body expelled the small litter. Three in all. One pup breathed several minutes later causing damage. It would’ve been kinder to leave the pup. Fearing for her life, Nirtha took the pup and ran. She raised Elyria as her own, and when the Alpha died, she returned, told a friend about the child and then took what she thought to be the child’s birthright.”

“The crystals?” Silas asked.

“Yes, and she’s right. The crystals belong to the Black Wolf Clan in general but your line specifically.”

“She has Sarita,” Silas said, not really caring about Elyria’s past at the moment.

“Yes, but if Sarita survives, you’ll need to understand Elyria doesn’t think the way you do. Her world has always been small. She cares only for herself and maybe one other person. To include more stretches her mental capabilities to the point she becomes confused, irrational.”

“So she won’t hurt the child,” Silas said, relieved.

“She’ll kill the child but won’t see it as murder. Just as she’ll try to kill your mate, or her sister, or your pups. She doesn’t see her actions as wrong, just not important.”

Surprised and grateful the Goddess took time to explain what happened, he bowed low. “But how do I help my people if I cannot destroy my seed.”

“No, you can’t. Unfortunately she knows that. The woman who raised her discovered you lived in the New World and told the child of your greatness. She doesn’t hate you, but she doesn’t fear you either. There is little you can do with her now, her mind is fragmented beyond repair. If given a chance she’ll corrupt you through guilt and manipulate you to the point the Nation and your den will suffer. Avoid her at all cost, my Wolf, let your mate destroy this rotted seed for everyone’s safety, and then take her crystals for your den.”

“As you wish, Ma’am.” He wasn’t sure how the child could corrupt him, but agreed with the Goddess to stay away from her.

“The bargain you made with Silas, did it include taking his memories?” Jasmine asked.

“Yes. In his anger he wanted vengeance on the old Alpha and his mate for her role in his impending death. I needed him focused on the mission in the New World, and he finally agreed when I promised the two would pay for their actions. I kept my word.”

“What about the child, did you know about her?” Jasmine asked.

“Yes.”

“Did Silas know?”

“No, he didn’t,” the Goddess answered. “You think I’m heartless?” she asked Jasmine when no one spoke.

“I think that’s wrong. Both father and daughter missed an opportunity to know each other. Elyria may’ve turned out different if she knew him.”

“No. Silas would never have left the continent if he knew Octavia carried his seed, and they would’ve killed him the next time they found him. I could only make the offer to save him once and couldn’t allow him to squander it on vengeance. As far as knowing Elyria, Octavia tried to destroy the pups in her womb twice and failed. That’s how her sire discovered she carried your seed. If he hadn’t killed his daughter, she would’ve destroyed Elyria at any cost. She hated you and cursed the fates for bringing a nobody to her as a mate.”