Chapter 23
Closing the bedroom door behind them, Mac guided Ollie over to the bed and gently pushed him down onto it.
Then, kneeling at his mate’s feet, he removed his shoes and socks before unzipping his jeans and slowly tugging them off when Ollie lifted his hips.
Rising, he pulled Ollie’s T-shirt over his head, tossing it onto the chair in the corner.
Then, turning his attention back to his mate, he studied him carefully.
Ollie’s eyes were blank and emotionless, but even more worrisome was the fact he could not see his mate’s bear in them. That wasn’t a good sign.
Pulling back the comforter, he lightly pushed on Ollie’s chest until his mate was lying down. Moving his mate to the center of the bed, Mac quickly undressed and climbed in next to Ollie, before pulling the cover up over them and wrapping his arms around his mate.
In the quiet of the room, Mac listened to the faint hitches in Ollie’s breathing, aware of its cause, but until the Fates revealed the other powers Ollie possessed, there was nothing he could do.
And while he couldn’t speed up the timeline for it to happen, he could help Ollie live with the news.
To start with, that meant getting his mate’s mind off it.
Brushing his lips lightly against Ollie’s cheek, Mac murmured, “I was born in California, but when my grandfather fell ill, we moved back east so my father could take his place as the Alpha of the Rolling Hills Pack. I was very young when it happened, so I don’t really remember much of my time here, but from what I do recall, it was okay.
“What surprised me when we finally arrived at the Pack was that everything was so green and the air smelled differently…
more like moss and decaying leaves, but fresh…
if that makes any sense. But when autumn arrived, and the leaves began falling, I refused to go outside and sat by the window, crying over the loss of my beautiful green world.
The only one who understood how I felt was Sawyer, who, instead of laughing at my behavior, just sat by my side, saying nothing but letting me know he was there for me.
“It’d always been that way with my twin, even though he and I had, and still have, very different personalities.
I’m very much an introvert while he’s the opposite, but that isn’t the only difference.
I always toed the line, while he thought breaking the rules was what life was all about.
Even today, I still don’t know how he survived his childhood, considering the number of injuries he suffered because of his shenanigans.
As far as Sawyer was concerned, there wasn’t anything he wouldn’t try at least once, whether it was skiing, white-water rafting, mountain climbing or anything else that would feed his need for an adrenaline rush.
And when he came home, bruised and battered, our mother would demand to know why he risked his life…
and that’s when he would tell her it was because I didn’t stop him.
“I can’t tell you how many times he got into trouble, but somehow it always ended up being my fault because I was the older twin and should have stopped him.
Mind you, I’m only older by two minutes, but Sawyer used those two minutes to his advantage all the freaking time.
Truth be told, I never really minded because he always made me laugh when I was feeling down, and I figured it was a fair trade. ”
Pausing for a moment, Mac kissed Ollie’s forehead gently before continuing to gently massage his back.
His mate’s breathing had settled as the tension in his body had lessened, but Mac wouldn’t be satisfied until it was totally gone.
“We were different in another way…I knew I wanted to be a doctor early on…looking back, I think it was because of how often I patched up my brother in secret to keep our mother from finding out about his latest stunt.”
“I think you did it to keep from getting punished,” Ollie whispered.
Chuckling, Mac said, “You’re probably right. At first, I told him he should shift before he came home so our mother wouldn’t know, but he told me he viewed his wounds as proof of his success. Just as he understood my tears, I totally understood what he meant by that.”
“I don’t,” Ollie muttered against his mate’s chest.
“I’m not surprised,” Mac said. “Of all their kids, Sawyer was the one my parents understood the least since he didn’t fit into any mold…
or place within the family or pack. Hunter was heir apparent to the Alpha position, Mason played the role of second to Hunter, my goal to become a doctor was easy to understand, Robin set his sights on being a singer, and Quin…
well, he was the baby who everyone adored.
But Sawyer, he was the indomitable spirit who loved taking risks and conquering his fears and just didn’t fit into the pack…
and that left him on the outside for most of his youth. ”
Mac took a deep breath. Ollie’s distress had opened up a plethora of memories that he hadn’t revisited in years, and he was now finding it difficult to stop.
“Don’t get me wrong, my parents loved him just as much as they loved me or my brothers…
but they just didn’t know how to handle his exploits.
What should they say to him, for example, when he told them about his latest adventure?
Should they praise him for his fearlessness or chastise him for putting himself in danger?
In the end, they settled on silence, which hurt my brother the most.”
“So you became his cheering squad?”
“I did,” Mac murmured. “I made sure Sawyer always knew how proud I was of him, whether or not he succeeded.”
“My parents were like you…they never judged me but always praised me, even if I wasn’t very good at something. They used to say that you never have to be ashamed to fail at anything as long as you’ve overcome your fear by trying.”
“They were right,” Mac said softly. “That’s what Sawyer taught me…
it was a lesson that served me well throughout medical school, especially those days when the fear of failing a patient would bring me to my knees.
But then I would think of my brother and how he never let his fear stop him, and it gave me the strength to go on. ”
“That’s what I’m trying to do right now,” Ollie whispered.
“When Oracle told me my gift would save our world, it was frightening because I never wanted that burden. That’s the reason I chose nursing instead of becoming a doctor.
The responsibility of making a life or death decision was something I knew I couldn’t do because the consequences of being wrong were more than I could bear. ”
“You aren’t in this alone, babe,” Mac said.
“That’s what Jackson said…”
“He did…but you don’t believe him, hmm?”
“That’s easy for him to say that but since I’m the one with the power, it seems like an empty promise.”
“It’s not,” Mac said, “because you aren’t the only one here with a special power. All of my cousins, along with my brothers Hunter and Sawyer, have gifts that will help save our world. So you see, this doesn’t rest only with you.”
Ollie froze for a moment at Mac’s claim, before pulling back a bit so he could see his mate’s face. His eyes roamed over it until he found what he hoped to see. “You aren’t kidding, are you?” he whispered.
“No…I’m not,” Mac said softly. Then, he pulled Ollie back to his chest and rested his chin on his mate’s head. “What I’m about to tell you is unbelievable…but trust me, it’s the truth…and it’s why the pressure is not on you alone.”
“Color me curious,” Ollie murmured. “Go ahead, I’m listening.”
~/~/~/~/~
After Ollie and Mac left his study, Jackson rose and headed down to the hospital.
He needed to speak to Smokey and Norm about his plan for them to move temporarily to the Silver Point Pack before Tristan arrived to meet with him.
Reaching Theo’s room, Jackson knocked softly before gently pushing the door open.
He spotted Smokey first and then Norman before his eyes shifted to their mate, who he found staring back at him.
Theo had just awakened a few minutes before and, after the fog of sleep had cleared, he’d been focusing on the questions that had been on his mind.
He concluded Ollie would be the best person to give him the answers but quickly changed his mind when the Alpha walked into the room.
After exchanging glances with Jackson, he asked, “Is it true my parents are alive and locked up in a basement?” When he saw his Alpha hesitate for a moment, he added, “You promised me and Norm to always tell us the truth…remember?”
“Yes, I did,” Jackson replied, glancing briefly at Smokey and Norm before turning his attention back to Theo.
“The only proof I have of your parents’ captivity is from Ollie…
and before you ask, I believe him. So yes, as far as I know, your former Ghost Bear Alpha has them chained up in his basement. ”
“Did Ollie come here to ask for help to get them out of there?”
“Yes,” Jackson said.
“Are you gonna help save my parents?”
Jackson replied, “Dylon is working on a plan right now.”
Nodding, Theo threw back the blanket and sat up on the edge of the bed before asking, “What do you want me to do?”
“Nothing, Shining Star,” Smokey murmured, moving in front of his mate. “Mac said you have to stay in bed for a few days.”
Norm sat down next to Theo and wrapped his arm around his mate’s waist. “Honeybunch,” he said softly, “you can’t go…it’s too risky for the cub.”
Theo stared at his mates for a few moments, then shook his head.
“Please don’t use my pregnancy against me…
and I didn’t say I wanted to go on the mission.
Even I know that wouldn’t be good for our cub.
But maybe there is something I can do to help, even if it is only answering questions Dylon might have. ”
Smokey glanced at Norm, catching his almost imperceptible nod, before turning to Jackson. “Theo makes a good point…do you have a problem with us talking to Dylon to see if Theo or Norm can answer questions he might have?”
“Not at all,” Jackson said. “Have either of you been inside the Ghost Bear Alpha’s house? Cause it would be useful if Dylon knew the layout.”
Shrugging, Norm said, “I might have been there when I was a cub, but that was so long ago, I don’t really remember it.”
Smiling, Theo said, “I was there once, about a year before I was sent to Arald’s.”
“You were?” Norm asked, looking at his mate. “Why?”
“I asked my parents that after we got home, and they said that the Alpha planned to sell one of the Omegas to another Alpha,” Theo said.
“I think they knew the real reason before we went there because they made me dress in some old jeans and a t-shirt that were too big for me. After I put them on, I saw myself in the mirror and was so embarrassed because I looked like a child wearing his dad’s clothes. ”
“They were protecting you,” Jackson murmured.
“Yeah…I figured that out later,” Theo replied, pausing for a moment before continuing, “That’s why I couldn’t understand why they sent me to Arald’s a year later…it just doesn’t make sense.”
Jackson studied Theo quietly, then finding what he was looking for said, “I hope you get the answers you’re looking for from your parents…
but just remember, you might not like them, and that worries me because of how it could affect your pregnancy.
Mac…and Ian gave orders to me and your mates about keeping you calm and stress-free… ”
“I know that,” Theo said.
Holding up his hand to stop Theo, Jackson continued, “However, I know how it feels when your whole life has been turned upside-down and nothing makes sense anymore. It happened to my brothers and me when our uncle killed our family and left us with unanswered questions. It took me several years before I figured out why he did it, and even now, there are still missing pieces I fear will never be found. Thankfully, my brothers have made peace with the past, but…”
“Not you,” whispered Theo.
“No…not totally,” Jackson said softly. “I know how stressful it can be when there are gaps that haven’t been filled…
but I also know how much of a relief it is when some questions have been answered…
even if it’s not what you want to hear. It’s because of that I agreed to help Ollie and Mac rescue your parents. ”
“Thank you,” Theo said.
“You’re welcome,” Jackson replied. “But I want you to promise me that regardless of what you learn, you won’t let it destroy the life you have with your mates because that is your future…and in the end, that’s all that really matters.”
Theo nodded. Then his eyes shifted to his mates as his fingers intertwined with theirs. “That’s an easy promise to make, Alpha. Golden Sun and Eagle Feather are part of me, and no one will ever be able to separate us.”
“Good,” Jackson responded, seeing the love flow among the three of them.
“I’ll let Dylon know he should talk to you.
In the meantime, there is something else I need to discuss with the three of you…
it’s about the arrest warrant for Norm and Theo.
I spoke to Penn about it and came up with a plan to get it rescinded, but until that happens, both of you are at risk. ”
Smokey glanced at Norm, then turned his gaze back to Jackson. “I thought that’s why you sped up the rescue mission. What changed? And why do I get the feeling I’m not gonna like it?”
“What are you talking about?” asked Theo, clearly confused.
“Honeybunch,” Norm murmured. “We were gonna tell you, but then Mac told us not to upset you, so we decided to wait.”
“Tell me what?”
Smokey looked quickly at Norm before turning back to Theo. “The guy Ollie fought was a bounty hunter who had an arrest warrant for you and Norm.”
“I gathered that,” Theo said, frustrated, “but what I don’t know is why? We’ve committed no crimes.”
“Uhm…well…” Smokey’s voice trailed off as his eyes connected with Jackson.
Seeing the plea in the Grizzly Bear’s eyes, Jackson said, “Theo, the arrest warrant claims you and Norm stole a number of valuable objects from your parents, which resulted in them filing a complaint with the Alpha.”
Theo’s eyes widened, then as it sank in, he slowly shook his head. “That’s impossible…I never stole anything, and Norm wasn’t ever in our house, so he couldn’t have done it. Why would my parents say such a thing?”