Chapter 18
Walking back to his study, Jackson was deep in thought, pondering the new information about Theo’s decision to go with the bounty hunter.
That Theo had even thought about it was worrying, but he could understand what prompted him, based on what Smokey and Norm had said about their mate’s efforts to contact his parents.
“Hey Jackson, wait up,” Zane called.
Stopping, Jackson turned around and saw his brother jogging over to him. “How’s David?” he asked, noticing a frown on his brother’s face.
“My mate?” Zane repeated. “Fine, why?”
Shrugging, Jackson murmured, “Just wondering why you’re frowning.”
“Oh…that’s just frustration. I haven’t been able to track down any proof regarding the threat against Theo and Norm.”
“Unfortunately, it’s real.”
“Fucking hell!”
“Yeah…that’s why I called this meeting with you and Dylon. C’mon, he should be waiting for us in my study.”
Following Jackson, Zane’s mind began to spin, trying to figure out how his brother found proof when he couldn’t find anything, not even with the software he’d designed to find deleted pages on the dark web.
Pissed off that he had failed to come up with something, he entered his brother’s study, where Dylon was already sitting in one of the two chairs facing Jackson’s desk.
Plopping himself dejectedly into the other chair, he sighed loudly.
Dylon stared at Zane for a moment before asking, “What’s got your panties in a twist?”
“My software obviously has a bug,” Zane mumbled, looking down at the floor.
“So fix it,” Dylon replied.
“Easy for you to say, but it’s gonna take time and, until I find it, it’s useless,” Zane grumbled.
Chuckling, Dylon said, “Dude, it’s not the end of the world.”
“Not for you, it isn’t…but it is for me. I’m just lucky Jackson found the deleted ad…the one my software was supposed to find.”
Dylon’s eyes snapped to Jackson’s. “You got it?”
“Nope…not the ad…but this,” Jackson said, opening the desk drawer and taking out the arrest warrant before handing it to Dylon.
Scanning it, Dylon whistled before passing it to Zane. “Did Penn send it to you?” he asked.
Shaking his head, Jackson said, “A bounty hunter tried to take Theo earlier, but luckily Ollie was there and stopped him. When Groose searched the man, he had that on him…claims Theo’s parents filed the complaint with the Alpha about the theft, which leads to why I asked you both here.
“Unless I can prove it’s a bogus complaint, which I think their Alpha fabricated, it will be difficult to void the warrant.
And if I can’t prove it, the law will consider Theo and Norm wanted men whom anyone can target to collect the Ghost Bear Alpha’s bounty.
So the only way to put an end to this is if we can get Theo’s parents to give a sworn statement denying they ever made the complaint and, in order for that to happen, I need them here… before their Alpha kills them.”
“You think he’ll do that?” asked Zane.
“Yeah…I do, especially if he thinks he’s been compromised,” Jackson said.
“Right now, Groose has locked the bounty hunter in a cell, preventing him from contacting the Ghost Bear Alpha…but I don’t know if he is working with someone else, and if he is, then I bet there’s an agreed time for him to return or check in… which, unfortunately, we don’t know.
“The other possibility is that the Alpha is expecting a call, and if that doesn’t happen, he’ll send out another bounty hunter.
Either way, we have only a small window to execute the rescue plan of Theo’s parents before the Alpha finds out we captured his man.
Given all those potential scenarios, I’ve arranged for Remy to transport your team tonight, and he’ll stay there until you’re ready to return with Theo’s parents. Thoughts?”
“I understand the need to get to them quickly, but there’s a lot we don’t know,” Dylon said slowly.
“Like the layout of the Alpha house, how many enforcers are in the house in the evening, what’s the schedule for locking up his parents in the basement, are they guarded even when they are locked up, is there an alarm system… and that’s just for starters.”
Nodding, Jackson said, “Ollie can help with some of those.”
“I’ll look for a floor plan,” Zane said. “It should be on file with the High Council.”
“What about Norm…or Theo? Should I talk to them?” asked Dylon.
“Mac has ordered bed rest for Theo because of the attack he witnessed,” Jackson said, “and Norm and Smokey are taking turns staying with him.”
“Shit, how’s the cub?” asked Dylon.
“Okay, but Mac is worried, and that’s why he’s keeping Theo in the hospital for a couple of days.”
“Noted…but I can talk to Norm outside Theo’s room, right?” asked Dylon.
“Yes, contact Smokey to arrange it,” Jackson replied. “Anything else?”
“Yeah…will Ollie be going with us?” asked Dylon.
Nodding, Jackson said, “Also Colton…in case Theo’s parents are in as terrible shape as Ollie thinks they are.”
“If Ollie comes, will Mac insist on coming too?” asked Dylon.
Snorting, Jackson asked, “Would you allow Cody to go off on a dangerous mission without you?”
Chuckling, Dylon said, “So that’s an affirmative for Mac.”
Glancing over at Dylon, Zane said, “Count me in…I can’t wait to fuck over that Alpha for what he did to Theo and Norm.”
Rolling his eyes, Dylon muttered, “Like you have a choice, Mr. Ghost Walker.”
“Hey, I like that,” Zane said, grinning. “Um, speaking of gifts, has Ollie told you about his yet?”
“What gift?” asked Dylon, looking at Jackson.
“Zane thinks Ollie has the gift of invisible speed,” Jackson said. “And no, I haven’t had time to ask him, so until I do, I don’t want either of you to mention it to anyone, including Ollie.”
“My lips are sealed,” Zane said.
“Just let me know once you find out so I can use his gift in a mission, if needed,” Dylon said.
“Will do. If there isn’t anything else…” Jackson said.
“Nope,” Dylon said, getting up. “Once I have a plan, I’ll let you know.”
Jackson waited until they left before picking up his phone and calling Penn for legal advice about the arrest warrants and his plan to fight them.
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Digging into his backpack, Ollie pulled out some clothes to replace the ones that were shredded, hoping he wouldn’t need to shift again since he had no more gear to spare.
As he watched his mate sort through his clothes, questions cascaded through Mac’s mind; he wasn’t sure where to begin, but now seemed as good a time as any. “Oliver…” he said tentatively.
Slipping on a pair of jeans, Ollie zipped them up before glancing at his mate. “What?”
“I don’t understand why Theo…”
“Why he didn’t help me fight off the wolf?” asked Ollie. After seeing Mac nod, he sighed and sat down on a chair. “Theo’s former Alpha…”
“The Ghost Bear Alpha, right?”
“Yeah…it’s a long story. I don’t know how much you know about Ghost Bears…”
“Not a lot.”
“Right. Well, their Alphas pretty much rule the lives of every member of their pack.”
“In what way?” asked Mac.
Snorting, Ollie said, “The Alpha’s word is law, and pack members must obey. I know it sounds terrible, but it’s not…unless the Alpha is like Theo’s former one, who used his absolute power to benefit himself and not his members.
“According to my parents, he wasn’t always that way, but one day he decreed that all cubs born after a certain date belonged to him but would live with their parents until they reached adulthood.
That was only the first of many decrees he issued pertaining to ‘his cubs’ as he began to call them.
From then on, the Alpha kept giving himself more and more power over all the cubs, from what they could study to what jobs they would have as adults.
“It was during this time that my mother became pregnant with me, and she was afraid of what the future would bring since the decrees were getting more and more restrictive. That’s when my parents decided to leave the pack before I was born so the Alpha couldn’t claim ownership of me.
They begged Theo’s parents to come with them, but they refused—they were sure the Alpha would never go through with any of his decrees since, up to that time, he hadn’t enforced any of them.
“By the time Theo came along…ten years later… nothing had really changed in the pack. The cubs still lived with their parents as they had in the past, and since Theo was an Omega, they thought…”
“Why did it matter what Theo was?” asked Mac.
“Omegas are valued because their ability to produce cubs increases the size of the pack. So they’re exempt from the many lessons the other cubs had to learn, such as how to fight. The Alpha didn’t allow Omegas to even watch the other cubs fight since he didn’t want them to get hurt accidentally.
“I’m sure my fight with the wolf is the first one Theo ever saw, which unfortunately, was between a full-grown wolf and a Ghost Bear…
both of whom were out for blood, and you saw how it affected him.
I probably would’ve reacted the same way if I had grown up without the benefit of years of fighting lessons. ”
“That all makes sense, but if Omegas have protection, then why did the Alpha allow Theo’s parents to ship him off to Arald’s?” Mac asked, looking puzzled.
Pulling his t-shirt on, Ollie ran his fingers through his hair, trying to straighten it out. “Hell if I know…none of it makes any sense to me,” he muttered. “Hopefully, once we get them out of the Alpha’s clutches, we can get some answers to this whole crazy mess.”
“And that leads us back to Theo and what his reaction will be when we bring back his parents.”
“We can only hope it all turns out all right,” Ollie said, rising. “Speaking of my cousin, I should check in and see how he’s doing.”
“Good idea,” Mac said, getting up and grasping his mate’s hand. “That way, he can see for himself you’re okay since I doubt he’ll believe it otherwise.”
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