Chapter 22
Steel parked by the gas pump after pulling into Jimmy’s. He turned to Jackson, “Babe, why don’t you go see Mystia, while I fill up. I’ll join you after I’m done.”
“Okay,” Jackson said, getting out of the car. “Jimmy will put the gas on our account so don’t worry about paying.” Shutting the car door, he saw Jimmy approach him with his arms outstretched, ready to envelop him in one of his all-encompassing hugs.
“Good to see you. Mated life appears to agree with you,” Jimmy said, thumping Jackson on his back several times. “Anything new?”
Jackson stepped back, warily glancing at Steel who was now frowning at seeing another wolf touch his mate. “Everything’s good. I just stopped by to talk to Mystia. Is she here?”
“Sure, she’s in the house.”
Jackson walked around the building that served as the local convenience store and over to the steps leading to Jimmy and Mystia’s home. He’d just put his foot on the first step, when the door swung open and Mystia appeared.
“Jackson, what brings you over here? I would have thought you were still buried in your mating bed. Are your brothers all right?”
Jackson hurried up the steps right into Mystia’s arms, returning her hug with one of his own. “My brothers are fine, but I have news about the Silver Point Pack I want to share,” said Jackson.
Mystia ushered Jackson into her living room, motioning him to sit down. As she sat facing him, she said, “Tell me, mon petit loulou, what is this news?”
Jackson told her what Steel had found out. He was grateful she didn’t interrupt because it was hard enough just repeating the story. When he reached the end, she dropped her head and Jackson saw tears trickling down her cheeks, falling to the floor.
“Mon petit loulou, I’m so sorry. I know you must still feel the pain as if it had just happened.” Then Mystia looked up at him. “What do you plan to do about it?”
Just as Jackson was about to answer, they heard a knock at the door. “Ah, that would be Steel,” Jackson said.
“Come in,” said Mystia quietly.
Steel walked in, sat down next to his mate, then grabbed his hand, giving it a light squeeze. “Hi babe,” said Jackson. “I was just going to tell Mystia about your plan, but since you’re here, why don’t you go ahead.”
Listening to Steel talk, Jackson wondered how Mystia would get to Steel’s place if he needed her help with the baby.
That was his biggest worry about moving away from her.
He knew he’d need her when the baby came but how would she ever get to their new home in time?
As Jackson tuned back into the conversation, he realized Steel asked him something.
“I’m sorry, just thinking,” he apologized. “What did you ask?”
“I asked if you have any other issues you want to bring up to Mystia?”
Jackson smiled. “I have tons of questions about my pregnancy but we can talk about that later.” Turning to Mystia, he asked, “I’ll need you when the baby is ready to be born. Is there a way I can have instant access to you once we move away?”
Mystia smiled, “I have already thought about that. I’m going to install a portal I can use to shuttle back and forth between here and your new home. I won’t be more than a few minutes away from you.”
Steel could feel his mate’s relief when he heard Mystia’s answer and it reminded him he needed to speak with his mother about having a doctor at the birth.
And maybe setting up an operating and recovery room in his house just in case it was needed?he was determined his mate and pup would have everything possible to insure a safe delivery.
As soon as they returned home, he had to fill out the papers for Jackson to sign and then fax them off to the Universal Paranormal High Council.
Once the complaint was filed, the Silver Point Alpha would receive a call informing him about it that would, he hoped, stop all actions against Jackson and his brothers.
He wanted, no needed, his mate and pup to be safe.
Steel stood when he saw Mystia and Jackson getting up and moved towards the door.
A hug and a kiss from her, and they were on their way.
~/~/~/~/~
Steel drove to North Ridge, a mid-sized town about an hour south of where the Blackwood Pack lived. Jackson hadn’t been there for a number of years and was surprised at how much it had grown. As Steel parked at the supermarket, Jackson retrieved Dakota’s list from his pocket.
“You know, I would have gladly gone fishing for the list,” smirked Steel, after seeing his mate’s hand wiggle its way down the pocket of his skinny jeans.
“You behave yourself,” Jackson said, swatting Steel’s arm. “I don’t want to walk through the store with a raging hard-on.”
“Why not? I love that look on you,” leered Steel.
Ignoring his mate, Jackson got out of the Ranger Rover and grabbed a shopping cart. “If we split the list, we’ll be done in half the time,” Jackson suggested.
“Sounds good to me.”
Jackson headed to the dairy case first, while Steel hit the meat department.
Jackson was enjoying himself as he went up and down the aisles, picking out items on the list. He decided to get extras since he wanted to make sure they had enough for Steel’s brother.
Jackson figured the food would never be wasted considering how many wolves were now living at his pack house.
He hoped Slate would like him once they met. He didn’t want to be a point of contention between them, especially since Steel had been so wonderful and understanding about his need to lead and protect his brothers.
He had finished his half of the list and was looking for Steel, when he heard his mate’s voice coming from the next aisle.
Heading for it, he suddenly realized the other voice sounded familiar but he couldn’t place it.
He rounded the end of the aisle and came face to face with his worst nightmare—a member of the Silver Point Pack.
He slowly began backing out of the aisle but before he made his escape, Steel looked up and saw him.
Jackson’s eyes widened, shaking his head, sending a message to Steel through their mind link warning his mate about the guy he was talking to.
Panic crossed Steel’s face before he was able to school his features. Then grabbing the man’s arm just as he was turning to see what Steel was looking at, he said something to him, pulling him in the opposite direction.
Jackson’s mind heard Steel command him to leave the cart near the checkout and go to the Rover immediately. He assured his mate he’d keep the Silver Point Pack member busy in the wine aisle until he heard he was safely inside the car.
Steel and the man he’d pulled into the wine aisle began to discuss the merits of various wines. Finally, when Jackson assured him he was okay and lying down on the back seat of the car, Steel took a deep breath in relief, and bid the man adieu.
After checking out, Steel rushed to load the car so he could get his mate out of town.
What a bad-ass idea to come here; he should have headed east instead.
Shit, shit, and more shit! He jumped into the Rover, locking all the doors.
Shaken to the core at how close they’d come to putting his mate and unborn child in danger, he started the vehicle, carefully backing out of his parking spot.
He looked at his mate through the rearview mirror, “Are you all right?”
“Yeah, I am. I don’t think he saw me and I didn’t see any other members on the way to the car,” Jackson responded. “Why were you talking to a Silver Point Pack member and how do you know him?”
“Let me get out of town and then you can move up here, okay?” replied Steel, driving towards the outskirts of North Ridge.
After fifteen minutes had passed, Steel turned into a strip mall, stopping behind the stores. Putting the car in park, he turned to Jackson, “It’s safe for you to move up front now.”
Jackson sat up, looking out the windows. His mate had pulled in behind some dumpsters and no one was around, so he got out and slid in beside him. Turning to face him, Jackson waited for the explanation he’d been promised.
Steel thought about his father’s warning about keeping secrets and now here it was, ready to bite him in the ass. “Babe, do you remember the day I found you at the side of the road?” asked Steel.
That wasn’t what Jackson expected, but he decided to go along. “Sure, but there wasn’t anybody with you.”
“I know. But I had met someone in L.A. for lunch through a dating service for paranormals. I’d been looking for my fated mate for some time and I was getting desperate.
So, when an acquaintance suggested the ‘Out Of This World’ dating service, I signed up.
I was matched with several wolves and Khan—he was the man in the supermarket—was the last one I met with before I met you.
He wasn’t for me and I couldn’t wait for lunch to be over. ”
“Okay, but I heard him say something about your father.”
Oh shit, Steel was hoping to avoid telling his mate about meeting Khan on the Fox River Pack land.
Well, better to just rip off the band-aid quickly.
“When Dad and I went to see the land belonging to your pack we met Khan walking around on it. I asked what he was doing and he told me he was looking for a place to build a house. Honey, I never knew he was a member of the Silver Point Pack, I swear.”
Jackson took it all in silently before asking, “I believe you, but why didn’t you tell me you saw someone on our land?”
“Because I didn’t want to worry you about it until I had more information. At that time, I didn’t know Silver Point wanted to mine gold on the land,” replied Steel.
“Don’t give me that crap,” Jackson said angrily. “I’m your Alpha, and you know what you did was wrong. I decide whether something is important to the pack, not you. So, stop the bullshit. I won’t have you making decisions for me.
“You may be the dominant wolf in our personal relationship—and I have no problem submitting to you—but you are not the Alpha of the Blackwood Pack, so you need to get your head straight about your role in this pack,” snapped Jackson.
“What’s more, Steel, you put me in danger today.” Jackson heard his mate gasp, but continued, “If you’d told me about Khan that day, I’d have told you he was my cousin. I don’t know if he took part in the massacre but at the very least he knew it was going to happen!”
Jackson liked some of his cousins but he didn’t like most of the Silver Point Pack because he always sensed a streak of cruelty running through them. But who he liked or didn’t was moot now, since nobody could be trusted in that pack anymore.
Steel was horrified?his mate was right. He’d put Jackson and his brothers in danger by not telling him about Khan.
If he’d done what his father had advised and not kept quiet, none of this would have happened.
It was only by pure luck his mate was able to get away before he was discovered.
What a clusterfuck! And I’ve no one to blame but myself.
“You’re right.” he said, sighing heavily. “I’m sorry and I promise to tell you everything from now on, babe.” He reached over and put his hand over his mate’s hand, needing to feel close to Jackson. He hoped his mate would forgive him for his mistake.
Jackson was still fuming inside even though he knew Steel was just trying to protect him.
But this was the closest he’d come to a member of the Silver Point Pack since the massacre and even though Khan didn’t see him, the whole episode brought back the fears that had taken root in his heart after he heard about it.
What made it worse was that only yesterday he’d found out why Silver Point killed his family. His anger over their motives was still too fresh and hadn’t settled yet. Jackson wondered if Khan participated in the killings; in his heart, he hoped not.
He, Kahn, and Logan were all about the same age and became close as they grew up. Jackson knew his cousin was supposed to be away at school when the massacre occurred but now wondered if Khan came home early to take part in it.
Even if Kahn wasn’t one of the killers—did he know what was being planned? Jackson huffed. As if that mattered, because if Khan knew and did nothing to warn Jackson’s father, then he was just as guilty as those who did the actual butchery.
As they drove on, Jackson intertwined his fingers with Steel’s, drawing his mate’s hand to his mouth and kissing it. He loved him with every fiber of his body, realizing if he continued to be angry over Steel’s actions, he’d be guilty of hurting his mate over an innocent mistake.
His mate had apologized and Jackson hoped Steel learned his lesson about not keeping him in the dark. Turning, he smiled and looked at his mate. “Well, luckily we escaped by the hair on our chinny-chin-chins!” he giggled. Steel started to laugh and the tension broke.