Chapter 9
After reading the text, Jackson headed for Mac and Ollie’s room, wondering what problem required his presence, especially since he hadn’t expected to see or hear from them for the next few days. When he reached their suite, he knocked once, but before he could knock again, the door swung open.
“Oh good, it’s you,” Mac said, stepping aside so Jackson could enter.
“What’s up, Mac?” Jackson asked, walking into their suite.
“Just a minute,” Mac muttered, sticking his head out into the hallway to make sure no one was there. Then, shutting the door, he locked it before turning around to face his cousin. “Did you see Theo this morning?”
“No…should I have?”
“No…no, not at all.”
Emerging from the bathroom, Ollie paused when he saw Jackson but then continued over to Mac where he stood by his side. “Good morning, Alpha,” he murmured, bowing his head in respect.
“Good morning, Ollie,” Jackson replied, smiling. “Please call me Jackson.” Then, shifting his gaze to Mac, he said, “Your message mentioned an emergency…”
Nodding, Mac said, “It’s about Theo…and his parents.”
Raising an eyebrow, Jackson asked, “What about them?”
“If you don’t mind, why don’t we move into the sitting room,” Mac proposed.
Jackson nodded and then followed the doctor and his mate into the adjoining room.
He didn’t know what to make of this request, but maybe it had to do with Smokey’s thoughts about Ollie having an ulterior motive for coming to the Blackwood Pack.
After they were all seated, he asked, “Are they after Theo?”
“What? No…not that I know,” Mac said. Then, glancing at Ollie, he asked, “They aren’t, right?”
“I don’t think so, but then, until I can talk to his parents, I don’t know why they sent my cousin to Arald’s,” Ollie replied.
“Do you know where they are?” asked Jackson.
Nodding, Ollie said, “They’re chained up in the Alpha’s basement.”
Frowning, Jackson sent a questioning glance at Mac before looking back at Ollie. “I don’t understand. Why would their Alpha do that?”
“Who knows? Maybe because they wouldn’t follow one of his orders,” Ollie guessed. “Although I never heard of a Ghost Bear Alpha making a member a slave for that.”
“Me, either,” replied Jackson.
“That’s why I wanted to talk to you,” Mac said. “Oliver came here to get Theo’s help to rescue them. Obviously, Theo can’t go, but I can, and so can Sawyer, but I wanted to talk to you first before asking my brother for his help.”
Staring at Mac, Jackson tried to put all the pieces together, starting with Smokey’s information and ending with Mac’s request to rescue Theo’s parents.
But they didn’t fit—at least not until he had more information.
Shifting his gaze to the floor, he shook his head at the turn his morning had taken.
“Jackson, according to Oliver, Theo’s parents aren’t…”
Holding up his hand to stop Mac, Jackson looked at Ollie and asked, “How did you find out about Theo’s parents? Was it from your friend at the High Council?”
Ollie’s eyes widened. “No…I saw them chained to the wall in the Alpha’s basement. That’s when I decided to come here so Theo could help me.”
“Last night you said you came here directly from Frontline Doctors,” Jackson said.
“I know, but when I learned my cousin was pregnant, I knew there wasn’t any way he could help me, so I left that part out,” Ollie explained.
“So Theo doesn’t know you found his parents?”
“No…Mac and I agreed it was too dangerous to tell him…especially since I don’t know…” Ollie’s voice trailed off.
“How Theo feels about his parents?” asked Jackson.
“That, too,” Ollie muttered, shifting his gaze to Mac.
“Oliver was afraid Theo would insist on going with him once he found out,” Mac said. “As you know, that would present an untenable situation. Even if Theo agrees to let others rescue his parents, the stress of waiting to find out if the mission is successful could be too much.”
“Hmm…” Jackson murmured, thinking for a moment before saying, “I agree that it’s too risky for Theo to go, but have you thought of whether he wants to see his parents again?
Bringing them here without his knowledge—or agreement—could be even more stressful, resulting in a miscarriage.
And if they don’t come here, where would you take them so their Alpha couldn’t find them? ”
“I-I-I don’t know,” Ollie replied hesitantly. “I guess I always thought Theo would want to see his parents. But if that’s not the case, then maybe they can come with me to Tajikistan if I go back to finish my assignment with Frontline Doctors.”
“What about Mac? Would he go too?” asked Jackson.
Before Ollie could respond, Mac spoke. “You already know the answer to that.”
Ollie turned to Mac, searched his face, and found only truth and love there. The quickness of his mate’s response resulted in a warmth that infused his body, an emotion, he realized, he’d been missing ever since his parents died. Leaning over, he kissed Mac before whispering, “Thank you.”
“Always, my love,” Mac murmured.
“Ollie,” Jackson said softly, “I have no problem with you bringing Theo's parents here…”
“They’re my family too,” Ollie murmured.
“Of course…your aunt and uncle,” Jackson replied, “and I believe it would benefit Theo to talk to them, if for no other reason than to find out why they sent him to Arald’s.”
“I want to know that, too,” Ollie said. “Believe me when I say they loved Theo, and that’s why none of this makes any sense to me. My cousin was their entire world, and I just cannot accept that they would ever want to hurt him. There has to be another explanation.”
“I hope for both of your sakes, you’re right,” Jackson said.
“But I must consider that there could be other possibilities…and how they might affect Theo. After all, three years of his life were stolen...years during which someone made every choice for him. I won’t allow that to happen to him again.
Theo must be told about his parents so he can decide if he wants to see them. ”
Ollie’s shoulders fell in defeat. While he understood the reasoning behind Jackson’s decision, he now realized it was his unannounced arrival that had caused the dilemma they now faced—the possible loss of his cousin’s cub.
Looking at Mac in despair, he murmured, “I shouldn’t have come…
I can’t do this…I can’t…I won’t hurt Theo. ”
Mac grasped Ollie’s hand and squeezed it, letting him know he understood, but he wasn’t giving up just yet.
Shifting his gaze to Jackson, he said quietly, “You do not have the authority to make that decision. As Theo’s doctor, his care is in my hands, and I cannot allow you to talk to my patient about his parents.
The health risks are too great. And by that, I mean it could not only cause the loss of his cub but also his own life. ”
Before Jackson could respond, Mac continued, “I know your focus is on Theo and how the sudden appearance of his parents might affect him, but please remember that he’s not the only one impacted here.
They are Oliver’s relatives…his only relatives other than Theo…
and that also makes them mine. If you choose not to help us rescue them because you disagree with my medical decision regarding Theo…
that I will accept. But you should also know it will not stop us from mounting a rescue mission for his parents. ”
Silence filled the room as Jackson considered Mac’s position. Then sighing, he said, “Mac…I’ll help you and Ollie, but the first thing I need is a plan and that means Dylon has to be involved. Is that okay with you?”
Mac exchanged glances with Ollie and, after seeing his nod, he said, “Yes…but what about telling Theo?”
“I’ll talk to Smokey…and Norm…first. They would know how Theo feels about his parents and whether he wants to see them again. If he wants to see them, then I’m sure you’ll agree the risk will be minimized.”
“And if he doesn’t?” asked Mac.
“Then I will still help you and Ollie, but we’ll need to find a place they can stay that will be safe from the Ghost Bear Alpha. Maybe Remy can help me with that,” Jackson said.
“Ollie? What do you think?” asked Mac.
“I’m okay with it but how long will all this take?” Ollie asked. “We’ll need almost a week to get to them and from what I saw, I’m not sure they even have that much time left.”
“If that’s the case, then Colton definitely will have to be a member of the rescue team,” Jackson said, “along with whoever else Dylon decides. And Remy can handle getting everyone there fast so that should help. And you and Ollie will have all the muscle needed if anything goes wrong and you end up fighting the Alpha and his enforcers.”
“Thank you,” Mac said. “Regarding Theo, please let me know what you find out. If Smokey and Norm are in agreement about telling him about his parents, then I’ll support it as well.”
“Good,” Jackson said before rising. “In the meantime, I’ll get Dylon on devising a rescue plan.”
“And talk to Smokey, right?” asked Ollie.
“Yeah…and Norm,” Jackson replied, heading out of the sitting room.
Mac waited until he heard Jackson leave before looking at Ollie and said, “Well, that went well, don’t you think?”
Ollie stared at his mate for a moment before shaking his head. “I’ll have to take your word for it. I’m just glad he isn’t insisting on telling Theo without first talking to his mates.”
“Yeah…Jackson’s good at finding a middle ground in situations like this. I agree with you that telling Theo has an element of risk, but I also agree with Jackson that Theo has a right to make his own decision regarding his parents.”
“Even if it would cause him to lose the cub?” asked Ollie.
“Of course not, but I wonder how Theo would feel if he found out later that…”
Ollie knew the answer, and it saddened him. “He would think I betrayed him, and I doubt he’d ever forgive me.”
Seeing the sorrow on his mate’s face, Mac tugged Ollie out of the chair and onto his lap, wrapping his arms around him.
“I don’t agree…the Theo I know is a very kindhearted soul.
You saw how happy he was to see you and once he understood you were only trying to protect him, I know he’d understand that you’d meant no harm. ”
Tucking his head under Mac’s chin, Ollie inhaled his mate’s scent, seeking the comfort it gave.
As much as he’d like to believe that about Theo’s capacity for kindness, it had been close to eight years since he’d last seen him at the funeral for his parents.
The need to expunge his deep pain at the loss of his family had prompted him to leave the next morning without saying goodbye to his cousin.
Throwing himself into his work, he’d kept busy, hoping it would help erase the loneliness that had enveloped him.
But his dedication to work was a weak excuse for why he’d never called or visited Theo during those years.
The real reason, he finally admitted to himself, was jealousy; he was angry that Theo still had parents, and he did not.
As his grief subsided over time and he was once again able to breathe without feeling the pain of his loss, he often thought about getting in touch with his cousin, but he was ashamed of letting so much time pass that he couldn’t bring himself to do it.
But as hard as Ollie struggled to forget everyone left behind, his past would often raise its ugly head to remind him he still had family waiting for him to return.
During one of those times, Ollie found out about Arald, and how he had mistreated Theo.
Shocked at first, then angry, he blamed himself for abandoning his cousin.
If only I had stayed in touch, maybe I could have prevented Theo’s parents from sending him away.
That refrain ran through his mind all that night.
By morning, he decided he needed a plan; wallowing in guilt would get him nowhere.
First, though, he had to find out why his cousin’s parents had sent him away.
Like an avenging angel, Ollie was determined to right the wrong done to Theo.
In his mind, it had all seemed so simple, but in reality, it wasn’t.
Theo’s parents had disappeared, and he’d found out his cousin was living in a wolf pack.
Discouraged, he was ready to give up until luck turned in his favor when he found his cousin’s parents.
But finding them was one thing; rescuing them by himself was simply wishful thinking.
His journey had been a case of three steps forward and two back—and it had been exhausting. But though he’d persevered, he didn’t know if he had the strength to continue, especially if Theo ended up hating him for interfering in his life.
Mac listened to Ollie’s soft sighs as he held his mate.
He wasn’t sure what caused them, but he hazarded a guess that they had to do with his mate’s belief that Theo would be angry with him.
Other than reassuring Ollie, there wasn’t much he could do since only time would tell whether his mate was right.
Burying his nose in Oliver’s hair, Mac inhaled the delicious scent there, feeling his heart fill with love.
The need to protect and comfort his mate was strong, and he finally could relate to Sawyer’s need to do it for Alex.
Deciding it was best to divert his mate from his troubling thoughts, Mac murmured, “I hope you’re hungry, cause Dakota makes a fantastic breakfast.”
Ollie looked at his mate at the same time his stomach growled, which made him smile.
“I hope you’re telling me the truth. I have had enough of fast-food breakfast meals and I swore to myself I would never eat another.
Have you ever tried one? They are simply horrible.
How can they get away selling that stuff?
There should be a law against it,” he huffed.
Chuckling, Mac lifted Oliver off his lap, holding onto him until his mate was standing. Then, getting up, he linked their fingers together and said, “I can’t say I have, so I’ll take your word for it. C’mon, breakfast at the Blackwood Pack is nothing like the fast-food ones you had.”
Walking beside his mate, Ollie said, “Okay…so what are they like?”
Opening the bedroom door and ushering Ollie into the hallway, Mac said, “Well, there’s lots of scrambled eggs, bacon, steaks, bagels…”
“No way! Not all of that?”
“Yup…wolves love protein, so Dakota always makes sure there’s plenty of it.”
“Uh...bagels aren’t protein.”
“Nope, but they have carbohydrates which wolves also need.”
“So do bears!” Ollie exclaimed. And when his stomach growled again, he looked at Mac and grinned. “We better hurry before everything is gone.”
Laughing, Mac said, “Trust me, Dakota makes more than enough, but you’re right. We do need to hurry, especially since I want to sit next to you.” Speeding up, Mac towed Ollie along, intent on claiming two seats together.