Chapter 25
Rudy found out Pablo was being moved to the High Council next Wednesday.
He groaned when his informant passed the information to him because his window of opportunity to kill Pablo was shutting fast. And he had to be killed.
No two ways about it. Rudy’s life was on the line if that asshole linked him to the plot to kidnap and kill one of those fucking Blackwood boys.
He didn’t know why Josiah hated them so much but he’d find out later.
In the meantime, he studied the map, trying to spot locations where his sharpshooter could get a clear shot at Pablo when he left the building.
He circled a few that might work and then called in Loki.
He was lucky to have a sharpshooter on his payroll since wolves rarely used guns but Loki had spent time in a paramilitary wolf group and knew how to shoot.
A knock and then Rudy’s office door opened. “Hey boss, you wanna see me?” asked Loki.
“Yeah, I gotta job for you. Come take a look.”
~/~/~/~/~
After finishing their late breakfast, Colton rose, taking Ian’s hand, pulled him up and led him over to the love seat. “Hey, I thought we should talk and get to know each other,” he said to Ian.
Ian snickered. “I think I know you quite well already.”
Chuckling, Colton pulled his mate close and tucked Ian under his arm. “That’s one way to look at it. But I was thinking more about who we are…outside of the bedroom.”
“Okay, but I still know more about you than you do about me.”
“Oh yeah? How come?”
“While you were in Mexico, I was here for a month and all your brothers told me about your childhood and the trouble you got into.”
Colton growled, imagining what his brothers said, especially Cody and Carson. “Don’t believe most of the crap they told you,” he said, thinking about the “Cocky C’s” and how he’d found guys for them. The last thing he wanted to discuss with his mate was his past sexual escapades.
“Does that mean all the stuff they told me about your love of medicine was wrong?” Ian asked, feigning innocence.
He knew his mate was referring to the “Cocky C’s” sex group.
Ian didn’t care who Colton fucked before they met but he couldn’t resist teasing his mate because he loved to see Colton blush.
“No of course not,” Colton said, then, wanting to change the subject he asked, “What about you? I know very little other than what Oracle said last night.”
“I’m a Scottish Wolf but I don’t remember Scotland at all.
I was very young when we left so most of my childhood memories are of the life I had afterwards.
We lived in the Scandinavian Mountains. If you want to know the country, I would guess Norway though it might have been Sweden. We had to be far away from humans.
“We were poor, very poor and in the beginning it was a daily struggle for my father to find food. As I grew up, I helped him with chores every day and at night my father would home-school me. I don’t know exactly when I developed my love of medicine but I remember one time when my father hurt himself with an axe; I watched my mother stop the bleeding and stitch him up, saving his life until he could shift and heal himself.
After that, all I read was anything I could find about healing shifters. ”
“Go on,” Colton encouraged.
Ian looked down at his hands, turning them over, and examining them.
“I remember one night, looking at my hands, as I’m doing now, and I despaired because I couldn’t figure out how I’d be able to afford Medical School so I could become a doctor.
I kept thinking I was destined to stay in the bleak and desolate mountains forever, never being able to save anyone other than a wayward animal I found injured on the mountainside.
“First of all, I wouldn’t leave my parents.
They needed my labor to help eke out a living for us.
Second, even if I were able to ignore my parents, there was no money for medical school.
My mother knew how I felt but she kept telling me to have faith.
One day, I heard an Oracle was coming to visit a small village near us and I decided to go ask about what my future might be.
I kept changing my mind more than once but in the end I went and met… guess who?”
“Steel’s mother? She was the Oracle you met?”
“Yes, she was. And the rest…as they say…is history. She arranged for me to go to the university and then medical school. After I finished my residency, I signed on with Frontline Doctors and never looked back. My parents moved out of the mountains and were given jobs in one of the companies Dire Enterprises owns.”
“Do you see your parents?”
“Oh yes. I go home between assignments and stay with them. Boy, are they going to be surprised to meet you,” Ian said, chuckling as he imagined the look on his parents’ faces.
“Why is that?”
Ian ducked his head and mumbled, “Because I told them I refused to take a mate since he would interfere with my career.”
When Ian’s words registered with Colton, he burst out laughing. “Oh, my gods, really?”
“Stop it. Don’t laugh at me.”
“Oh darling, I’m not laughing at you, I’m laughing at myself. Did any of my brothers ever tell you I said the same thing?”
Ian smiled as he looked up at Colton. “No. Did you really say that?”
“Hell, yeah, many times. Listen, when we found out Jackson could have a baby and was already pregnant, well, after everybody got over the initial shock, most of my brothers were envious of him and hoped they’d find their fated mates quickly.
But not me…I was just like you. Medicine came first and if there was going to be a mate it was sometime in the distant future. ”
Ian looked at Colton, studying the strong planes of his face and finally said, “So, you’re a natural healer, huh?”
“It would seem. I never knew it until someone made a comment after I’d recovered in Mexico.
I found out from Jackson that my parents knew it when I was young and my father’s orders forbade anyone to mention it.
After my parents died in the massacre, Jackson still kept it a secret, though I have no idea why.
That’s the reason I was kidnapped and why Pablo was trying to sell me into slavery. ”
Ian couldn’t suppress a shiver surging through his body. His wolf was standing at attention, snarling at the thought of that happening to their mate and Ian’s fear threatened his sanity at the thought of how close he came to losing Colton.
Then he felt his mate’s strong, gentle hands lifting him onto his lap. Resting his head on his Colton’s chest, he listened to the steady beat of his heart and felt his back being caressed. Ian’s body slowly relaxed.
“You okay, darling?” Colton asked.
“Humm mmm,” Ian slurred, his eyes closed, his body in a state of serenity.
They sat there quietly, letting the rest of the world move on, while they remained in their own private one.
~/~/~/~/~
Steel found Jackson sleeping on their bed and, not wanting to disturb him, he left to find Cody. The more he thought about it, the surer he became about the importance of the green light. Walking into the library, he found Logan at a table with his design books spread out.
Glancing up, Logan said, “Hi Steel, have a minute?”
“Sure, I’m looking for Cody. Do you know where he is?”
“Probably outside, meditating.”
“Meditating?”
“Well, I don’t know if that’s what it really is, but it’s what I call it.”
“O-o-okay. When did this start?”
“He’s always done it, ever since he was a toddler. My mom would find him sitting in his bed in the middle of the night in a trance-like state. Boy did she freak out but after talking to the Shaman she calmed down. After that, my mom told us to leave him alone whenever he was meditating.”
Steel was flummoxed. Deciding to ignore this new piece of information for now, he asked, “You wanted to talk to me?”
“Yes, the furniture for the nursery will be arriving later today. Will you be able to assemble it?”
“Sure, I’ll get my dad to help. Have you finished painting in there?”
“Yes, I finished it this morning. I wanted to show Jackson but he’s napping so I decided to start on the design for the great room. Is there anything in there you want to keep?”
“Just my favorite chair. The rest can go if you want. Have you asked Jackson? I think he should have final say on what stays.”
“Yes, I have and he told me to save your chair but unless something else was important to you, the rest could go.”
Steel inwardly smiled at his mate’s thoughtfulness. “Anything else?”
“No, not now. Once I have a plan drawn up, I’ll create a mood board and then I’ll need you and Jackson to approve it.”
“Sure, no problem. When do you want to unveil the nursery to Jackson?”
“I thought after dinner. Do you know if Colton and Ian will be joining us?”
“Not a clue.”
Logan smiled wistfully, wishing his fated mate would turn up soon. He enjoyed his time in Seattle but all it really showed him was how alone he was. Then it suddenly hit and he had to find out. “Hey, Steel, can Colton have kids like Jackson?”
“He said ‘no’. But Ian’s a male Omega wolf…can you believe that? What are the chances of that happening?”
Logan couldn’t say but if Colton couldn’t have pups then… “What gift did Colton get from the Fates?” he asked.
“We don’t know,” said Steel. “He won’t tell anyone and told Jackson if he tried to use his Alpha power, he’d take Ian and leave the pack. Please don’t say anything to Colton or Ian because I can’t have them leaving with Jackson so close to delivery.”
“You think Colton would do that to Jackson?”
“Before he found his mate, I would’ve said no, but now, all bets are off.”
“Don’t worry, I won’t say a word. But you better talk to Cody and have him talk to Carson. And don’t forget Dakota and Zane.”
“Shit, you’re right. I was just heading out to talk to Cody now and then I’ll head into the kitchen to see Dakota.”
“Do you want me to talk to Zane?”
“Would you? I know he trusts you and I need his assurance that nothing is said for the time being.”
Logan stood. “I’ll do it right now while Jackson’s sleeping. He wouldn’t like us interfering in what he views as his territory.”
“Thanks, see you later.” Steel left and headed outside to find Cody.
Meditating? No, I don’t think so. I wonder what the Shaman said.
Maybe Jackson knows, but put that on a back burner for now.
One brother at a time and right now I need Colton and Ian to stay put.
Stepping out to the back porch, Steel scanned the pine trees, hoping Cody was within eyesight.
Mystia still hadn’t removed the scent protection spell she’d placed on the rest of the brothers so his nose was useless.
Seeing nothing, Steel stilled his body, using his Dire Wolf hearing to listen for sounds.
A squirrel running up a tree, a rabbit eating grass, and there it was, Cody’s breathing.
Jumping off the steps, he headed toward the sound.
Just within the tree line, he stopped short.
For there was Cody, kneeling in a submissive pose, with a glowing light surrounding him.
Eyes closed, body not moving except for breathing, Cody looked as if he were—yes, Logan was right—he looked as if he were meditating.
Not wanting to disturb him, Steel sat on a fallen log, waiting for Cody to finish whatever it was he was doing.
After fifteen minutes, the glow faded and Cody opened his eyes.
Looking around he saw Steel sitting, watching him.
He stared back, waiting for Steel to speak.
Cody knew what Steel wanted to know about Colton but he had no words to give him.
Only time would tell and there wasn’t anything he could do to change it.
Finally, Steel spoke. “I’m not even going to ask what that was, but I need to speak to you about when we were down in Mexico in the hallway outside Colton’s hospital room.”
“Sure, what do you want to know.”
“Ian went into the room to be with Colton and Dr. Luna had come out and was standing facing us. Did you notice anything unusual?”
“Like the flash of bright green light in Colton’s room?”
“You saw it too?”
“Yes, and shortly after that Colton called to me through our mind link. That’s why I was fighting with Dr. Luna. I had to go in.”
Steel nodded in understanding. The pieces were beginning to fall into place.
It was no coincidence Colton recovered shortly after Steel saw the green light.
Whatever it was, it was firmly connected to Colton’s speedy and miraculous recovery.
Now all he had to do was to find out what the green light was.
Ian must know because he was in the room at the time it happened.
But then why doesn’t Colton want Ian to know?
Steel opened his mouth but before a word came out, Cody spoke. “I won’t ask Colton about the gift he got. And I will speak to Carson about remaining silent. I know you need Colton and Ian here for the birth of your pup.”
Steel was flabbergasted. How? What? Did it have to do with the glow he saw around Cody? But once again Cody beat him to the punch.
“Don’t freak out man. I figured Colton was hiding his gift after he laid into me at the door where I was guarding Ian after he came back from seeing Jackson.”
Steel stared at Cody, not sure if he believed him, but decided to let it go—for now. “Yeah, okay. I’m heading in to see Dakota and Logan is talking to Zane, so if you can get to Carson before dinner, I’d really appreciate it.”
“Sure, no problem. I’ll go now.”
Steel’s eyes narrowed as he watched Cody saunter to the house. That was one freaking weird experience I just had. Just too many things to be coincidences.
Pushing it to the back of his mind, he set out for the kitchen and Dakota.