Chapter 2
In the morning, after a hand job and a shower, Colton headed down to breakfast. He was surprised to see Jackson and Steel already seated at the table, since they usually arrived last. Then he noticed the colorfully wrapped presents sitting on each plate. “What’s this?” Colton asked, as he sat down.
“I bought each of you a present in San Francisco,” said Jackson. “It’s been a while since we celebrated the Long Night Moon Festival and Steel and I thought it’s time to start that tradition again.”
“Can I open mine?”
“Nope, gotta wait for everyone to arrive.”
“Damn,” Colton said eager to see his gift.
“You know, when the baby comes, we’ll have to clean up our language.”
“You better tell Carson and Zane that. They think the amount of curse words used is directly related to the size of the Alpha balls they have,” Colton snickered.
Jackson sighed. “They’re a work in progress.”
Suddenly, the dining room was invaded by the rest of Colton’s brothers who pulled their chairs noisily out to sit down while exclaiming, “What’s the special occasion?”
“For me?”
“What, a present?”
“Oh, goody.”
Colton shook his head. “Jeez, can you guys get any louder? If you don’t learn to tone it down, our nephew will be one unhappy dude.”
“Dakota, come in here and join us. The food can wait,” Jackson called. Dakota popped in from the kitchen, sitting down at his place.
“We got gifts for each of you when we were in San Francisco, to thank you for your help and support. I hope you like them.”
“Well, go ahead and open them,” said Steel.
Sounds of tearing paper and gasps of surprise resounded as the brothers opened their presents.
Mouthing a “thank you” to Jackson and Steel, Colton opened his book on Chinese Healing.
He turned the pages slowly, trying to absorb the information.
Reading one passage, he was amazed at the detail and realized how much this could add to his knowledge of healing patients.
Absorbed in his book, Colton hadn’t realized Jackson had spoken to him until Cody gave him a poke in the ribs.
“What?”
“I said do you want to do the ultrasound this morning?”
“Sure, see you around eleven?”
Jackson nodded. “Do you like your present?”
“Absolutely! Thank you, it’s perfect.” Colton looked around at the gifts his brothers received.
Logan was buried in a Chinese Interior Design book, Dakota was paging through a cook book.
Hmmm, Cody’s book looked very interesting—the history of all wolf shifters.
He heard Zane exclaim, “This is awesome. Thank you so much.” He looked over to see what his brother had found ‘awesome’ and chuckled.
Jackson had found the perfect gift—the latest and fastest computer processors.
When he turned to Carson, he saw a frown. “What’s the matter, bro?”
“Nothing.”
“Really? Then why are you unhappy?” Colton asked quietly. “Don’t you like your gift?”
“No, I mean, yeah, I love my gift. Jackson gave me the latest Apple Mac computer, loaded with business software. This was my dream, you know, before everything went to shit. I was studying business in college because I wanted to join the corporate jungle out there. But that ain’t gonna happen now. And this just rubs it in.”
“Carson!” Steel’s voice suddenly penetrated their quiet conversation.
“Yeah?”
“Jackson told me you wanted to work in the business world and I know the Silver Point Pack issue put a hold on that. Would you consider joining Dire Enterprises?”
Colton watched his brother’s face light up like fireworks at the Mead Moon Festival. He made a mental note to thank Steel later for giving his brother a chance to live his dream.
“Unfuckingbelieveable!” shouted Carson. “I would love to. When can I start? Today? I can do it today. I have to do my chores first, but they won’t take long. Oh boy!” Bursts of laughter rang around the table at Carson’s excitement.
“How about you join me this afternoon in my office and we can get started,” said Steel, still chuckling over Carson’s reaction.
“Not to be a downer, but guys,” Jackson said, “you have to start watching your language. When Junior joins us, I absolutely don’t want his first word to be ‘fuck’.”
Laughing, Logan said, “Well, in that case, maybe Steel should gag you.”
Jackson’s middle finger was his only response.
~/~/~/~/~
Colton headed down to the hospital on the lower level to get everything ready for his brother’s exam.
Carrying his precious book, he thought about the rest of the gifts Jackson had picked.
They were all so perfect. He hadn’t realized how much Jackson knew about each of them.
If the choice of presents was an example, his brother knew them very well.
Thinking about Carson, he realized there was some jealousy there on his part.
His brother would live his dream without ever leaving the grounds.
Yeah, I’m a shit. Jeez, Carson deserves to find some happiness.
After all, isn’t that what Steel did for me…
set me up where I could use my own skills and knowledge?
Colton went into his office and grabbed Dr. Wallace’s orders.
Fuck! Not again! Yup, any thought of that man does it for me.
Disgusted, he thumped his cock so it would go down.
Examining Jackson with a hard cock leaking pre-cum was not going to happen.
Something had to be done about his reaction to the man’s name.
But for now, all he could do was take plenty of cold showers and do lots and lots of hand jobs.
Sitting in the exam room, he heard Jackson call his name. “In here,” Colton answered. Seconds later, Jackson and Steel entered, looking flushed. He laughed to himself. He knew what they’d been up to and by the look on their faces, enjoying it also.
“Sorry we’re late. Uhhh, something came up,” Jackson said with a red face.
Steel burst out laughing as Colton joined in.
“Really? You’re going with ‘something came up?’ Maybe you should tell me what came up that prevented you from making your medical appointment on time,” Colton said, smirking at Jackson.
A finger was the only reply.
“You know, brother of mine, maybe you should issue an order about single fingers too, otherwise my poor nephew will be learning improper sign language.”
“Okay, you got me,” Jackson laughed. “Can we just get on with it before I dig myself in deeper?”
“Fair enough. Why don’t you sit down on the table…I have a couple of questions first.”
Jackson hopped up on the exam table and sat with his feet dangling.
“Any more nausea?”
“No.”
“Any extreme tiredness?”
“Nope.”
“Have you felt the baby move yet?”
“Oh my gods, yes we have. The first time was the last night we were in San Francisco, right babe?” Jackson looked at Steel who was nodding his head. “He’s moving right now.”
“Let me see,” said Colton.
He lifted his shirt and Colton could see the rippling of Jackson’s belly as the baby shifted his position. He placed his hand on the spot. “Oh wow, you have an active little guy in there, don’t you?”
Jackson’s eyes shone with happiness, nodding. Steel bent down, kissing his mate’s jaw while placing his hand on Jackson’s belly also. “Is it normal for a baby to move so much?” he asked.
“Yes, but it all depends on the baby. Some move a lot and others don’t. In the old days they believed it was a boy if it was active in the womb and a girl if it wasn’t.”
“Well that seems to be true in this case,” said Steel.
“Yeah, it’s just a coincidence. After ultrasound came along, that myth was debunked. Why don’t you lie down now?”
Lying down, Jackson pulled his shirt up and his pants down. Colton could see a noticeable baby bump. “I think you guys did the trip just in time. At this rate, you’d be showing too much to explain it easily to humans.”
“It’s normal, right? It doesn’t mean anything’s wrong with the pup, right?” Jackson asked worriedly.
“No, no, no, Jackson, everything’s fine. The baby is moving and I can hear the heartbeat. Remember, I don’t have any experience with a Dire Wolf pregnancy. Oracle did say that once you passed the second month, the pup would start to grow rapidly. Now let’s do the ultrasound and see that baby.”
Jackson held Steel’s hand as his brother moved the wand over his bump, hoping it would be good news.
Through their mind link, Steel listened to his mate’s worry about the baby. He squeezed Jackson’s hand. “Do you see any problems?” he asked Colton, giving voice to his mate’s thoughts.
“Nope, everything looks good. Just a few pictures and measurements…there, we’re done,” Colton said. “Here’s a new picture to add to your growing collection.”
Steel helped Jackson sit up after Colton wiped off the gel. “You said there’s another test Ian wanted?” asked Steel.
“Yeah, I just need to take some blood.” Colton wrapped a rubber strap around Jackson’s bicep.
“Hold your arm out like this,” Colton demonstrated.
Finding a vein, he quickly inserted the needle and undid the strap.
After filling several vials with Jackson’s blood, he removed the needle and pressed a cotton ball on top of the puncture.
Bending Jackson’s forearm up against his bicep, he said, “Hold it for a minute.”
They watched as Colton labeled the blood-filled vials. “I should have the results back by tomorrow.”
Jackson eyed Colton, “Did you see anything that is abnormal or unusual with my pup?”
“No, absolutely not. The pup is growing fast, but that’s to be expected according to Oracle.
Your baby is on track with his development.
Now, Alpha, listen to your medical professional who has authority over you,” Colton smiled.
“I want you to stop worrying about everything and begin to enjoy your pregnancy. Understood?”
“Aye-Aye, Captain,” Jackson replied. “I promise I’ll try not to freak out so much.”
Colton sighed. “You’re a real pain-in-the-ass patient. Is this how he is with you?” he asked Steel.
Steel laughed. “Oh no, there’s no way I’ll ever answer that question. Come on, babe, Logan wants to go over some ideas for the nursery.” Steel helped Jackson down. Handing the cotton ball from his mate’s arm to Colton, he said, “I don’t think he needs this anymore.”
As they left, Colton said, “See you at lunch, guys.” He enjoyed watching his brother and Steel together; the love between them was so palpable he could almost feel it.
He understood why Logan might be envious of his twin, but not he.
Nope. That isn’t for me right now. Maybe later, but not right now.
No way. He could get his warm and fuzzy fixes from Jackson and Steel in the meantime.
After changing the paper on the table, Colton straightened up the exam room.
Taking the blood samples to his office, he packed them up for shipment.
Then he wrote his report for that man—yes, he had taken to calling him that, hoping his cock wouldn’t know whom he was referring to—and faxed it off to that man.
~/~/~/~/~
Steel was listening to Logan’s ideas when his phone rang and knew he had to take this call in private. Excusing himself, he left the room before he answered, “Hello, just a minute, Slate. I’m heading to my office now.”
Once there, he sat down at his desk and said, “Hi bro. What’s up? Anything from Silver Point Pack yet? Have they answered our complaint yet?”
“Not that I’ve heard. All I know is their Alpha asked for an extension of time.
By the way, the High Council called me, asking for a copy of the videotape of the Silver Point Pack enforcer who confirmed there was a kill order on Jackson and his brothers.
After talking to Dad, I sent it over. Okay with you? ”
“Yeah, Dad told me. We can’t very well refuse them if they asked for it. So besides that crap, what are you calling for?”
“Remember I told you about the problem the Mexican Wolf shifters were having?”
“Yup. Have you found out who’s been attacking them?”
“Well, I think it’s an inside job. What I can’t understand is why someone from their own species would attack? None of the wounds is life-threatening, but the sheer number of attacks is staggering.”
“That doesn’t make sense. What do Mexican Wolves have that’s so valuable?”
“That’s just it. Nothing, as far as I can determine. But there’s more to it. The wounds are strange…and so many. I need to set up a clinic and a hospital down there so there’s a place for these walking wounded to get treated.”
“Sounds like you have a handle on what’s needed so why are you calling me?”
“Dad told me about the hospital you set up for Jackson with help from one of your mate’s brothers…Colton, I think.”
“Yes, it’s Colton who did the research. Do you want him to do the same for your clinic and hospital?”
“You read my mind. Do you think he could give me an equipment list, so I can get it there quickly and have it set up? If they have the right stuff, I’m sure the doctors and nurses there will be able to deal with this better.”
“What are they using now?”
“You don’t want to know. They’re very poor and never had the money to set up a proper clinic and hospital.
If you remember, we built them new housing a couple of years ago and Dire Medical planned to build new medical facilities sometime in the future.
But we’ve moved up the timeline because of what’s happening there now.
After we get these attacks stopped, the whole community will be able to benefit from the hospital. ”
“Okay,” Steel said. “I’ll ask Colton. Knowing him, he’ll jump at the chance. I’ll call you back tomorrow.”
“Thanks. How’s my nephew-to-be doing?”
“Growing like a weed. Hey listen, I’ve got to go. We’re in the middle of planning a nursery and I left the meeting to take your call.”
Slate’s laughter came through loud and clear. “Look at you. New father and all that.”
“Fuck off. Gotta go. Bye.” Steel hung up, smiling. Yeah, look at me…new father-to-be. How cool is that!