29. Loch
Deke was warm, plastered to Loch’s side. He could smell the other alpha’s anger and anxiety. To their credit, Win and Bas both looked equally concerned about Deke’s well-being. That was as much grace as Loch was willing to give the two. They could have just as easily been concerned that Deke wouldn’t fall for their bullshit. They had done nothing to earn anyone’s trust.
Loch had planned on staying in the van, on letting Deke handle the meeting on his own. But that was before Saint had called with an update regarding what they’d learned from Shane. About Dresden. About another possible enigma out there in the world. Maybe multiple enigmas. Would any of it be pertinent to this conversation? Maybe not. Still, once Loch had heard the stress in the baby alpha’s voice, he had known he couldn’t leave Deke to face his brother and Win alone.
“You have our undivided attention,” Loch said to Bas. “Explain to us how this all came to be. How did you come to work for Veritas?”
Bas took a sip of his drink. “It’s kind of a long story.”
Loch gave him a tight smile. “We have time.”
He made a show of turning over Bas’s unused coffee cup and filling it from the thermal pot the server had left on the table. When he arched a brow, the two looked at each other.
Finally, Win said, “To explain to you how Bas came to work for Daddy, I have to take you back to when he took over the company.”
Loch examined the woman in front of him. It was clear she had money, that she’d always had money. It was also clear that Bas was well paid by Veritas. Her engagement ring alone was easily worth fifty thousand…minimum. She seemed nice, even fairly down to earth considering her privileged upbringing. But was she as sincere as she appeared?
“Okay,” Loch said.
She didn’t smell like she was lying, didn’t give off any indicators she had something to hide. But it was clear she was extremely close to her father, possibly blinded to his faults, his true nature. So, even if she meant every word, she was hardly the best judge of his true character.
Win sighed, taking a sip of her coffee, like she was trying to decide what was necessary to the story. Finally, she said, “Veritas is a family business. My father was supposed to take over when my grandfather turned sixty-five. But my grandfather refused to retire even after his dementia diagnosis. He and Daddy didn’t get along, so my dad had left the company to start his own business as a private lab facility—not research but blood draws, corporate drug tests. You know the type.”
Deke and Loch both nodded.
“Eventually, the board of directors stepped in and forced my grandfather to pick his successor and step down. By then, Veritas was circling the drain. My grandfather had no other choice but to bring Daddy in, hoping to salvage the company before we went under completely.”
“How was he going to do that?” Deke asked.
Win gave a rueful smile. “Daddy was probably asking himself the same thing.”
“Is this when the lab switched their focus to this gene therapy?” Loch asked.
“Sort of,” Win hedged. “Daddy had a friend who approached him and offered to pull Veritas out of the red, become a silent investor, provided my father help him research this recently discovered genetic anomaly he’d found in a blood sample he’d obtained.”
Obtained how? Loch kept his mouth shut.
“Gene therapy?” Deke muttered.
“Daddy agreed to the deal at the board’s behest, but he was also genuinely curious about the claims our investor was making regarding what this anomaly could do. When the paperwork was signed, the investor turned over the sample only for Daddy to learn that there were only two vials.”
“Two vials?” Deke repeated.
“Of blood. That was all that existed of this special blood. When Daddy asked about acquiring more, he was told that the alpha in question was long dead. When my dad asked how he’d gotten the sample, he was told he’d purchased it through an underground auction.”
Deke looked at Win like she was crazy. “They have underground blood auctions?”
Win shrugged. “Apparently so.”
Deke shifted restlessly in his seat. “What does this have to do with Bas?”
Win gave him a flustered smile. “I’m getting there. This is important, I promise. Besides, I’m trying to be as transparent as possible so you can see you’re safe with us.”
“Well, it’s not working,” Deke muttered.
“For years, my father carefully studied this sample. In that time, he learned that it not only had the ability to change someone’s secondary gender and alleles but, through gene manipulation, it could alter the proteins in DNA to give people very specific…characteristics that were unique to an enigma.”
“Like what?” Loch asked.
“Increased speed. Increased strength. Enhanced senses. Rapid healing. Daddy was learning how to use the proteins within the blood to manipulate the ability of others. If he could figure it out, he could literally create medications to cure people of all kinds of ailments.”
Deke leveled a glare at her. “But, instead, he’s using it to alter people’s secondary gender?”
“There are a lot of people that it can help, Deke,” Bas said. “We’re not using it maliciously.”
“And that’s not all we do, Deke,” Win said. “We have several research projects going on at any given moment. But that’s not the point of this story.”
Before she could continue, the server returned with their food.
“Hey, there, hun,” she said to Loch. “Would you like to order?”
“No, but thanks,” Loch said.
Once the server had brought Win her ketchup, she disappeared once more, leaving them alone. Win took a big bite of her burger, moaning at the taste, then wiped her now messy fingers on her napkin. “I love diner food.”
Deke took a timid bite of his food, but Loch was certain he didn’t taste it. He chewed mechanically then swallowed, following it up with a swig of what Loch assumed was coffee. It was so white it could almost be milk.
They watched as Win dragged a handful of fries through ketchup, then stuffed them into her mouth, chewing like a teenage boy. When she noticed all of them watching her, she gave them a sheepish look. “Sorry.”
Bas gazed at her with heart eyes, wiping a bit of red off her lip.
“Once Daddy explained what he’d found to the investor, he demanded Daddy start using this knowledge for something that was, for lack of a better term, really fucked up. He wanted him to perform experiments under the radar.”
“Under the radar?” Loch asked.
She nodded. “Yeah, no regulation at all. No institutional review board, no oversight. Shady protocols. Real old school Tuskegee stuff.”
Loch grimaced. He didn’t know what that meant but it sounded bad
“Daddy refused. He wanted to use the blood to help people. The investor knew the board would side with my father so they split what was left of the sample equally and agreed to go their separate ways.”
“And this is important, why?” Deke prompted, his irritation evident.
Below the table, his leg was bouncing a mile a minute. Loch was about to drop his hand and press it to his thigh when he stopped. Maybe it was better to give him an outlet for all that nervous energy. If Deke unraveled in public, things could go from bad to worse.
Win met Deke’s gaze. “My father was going through the sample too quickly. His goal was to create a synthetic compound that replicated what the enigma blood could do, but no matter how close he got, it was never quite right. The only time the experiments worked were when the actual enigma blood was introduced.”
“Is that why you’re a beta with enhanced smell?” Deke asked suddenly, like it had just occurred to him. “Did your dad…experiment on you?”
“Yes, but I asked him to. I was a willing participant,” Win assured him. “With enigma blood, the procedures are safe, the outcomes predictable. I was never in any danger.”
It was interesting that the blood needed to be introduced to the subject before any change could happen. While it was obvious that Deke had exchanged plenty of bodily fluids with Ollie during his rut—blood included—he’d managed to alter Loch’s alleles simply by proximity. As far as Loch knew, they’d never been in a situation where he’d been exposed to Deke’s blood. Had he?
“So, what’s the problem?” Deke asked.
“We’re out of blood,” Win said. “Enigmas are rare. Beyond rare. As far as we can tell, you’re the only one living and fully presented and?—”
“How do you know that?” Loch interjected.
Shane had mentioned to Saint that Dresden had gone after Shane for access to his genealogy research, not his enigma research. Was this before or after the two men split?
“We had a genealogist who traced the genetics back to a single source, then we traced those bloodlines to present day. Knowing what he knew about the enigma through their research, he knew he was looking for a bloodline with an eighth-born alpha. He started tracking the bloodlines with descendants who were within child-bearing age, seeing who had the potential to be the next enigma.”
“So, your dad’s been…watching me?” Deke asked.
“He didn’t have people staked outside your house with binoculars. When he saw you were the eighth son but unpresented, he went to your father and explained the situation.”
“Bet he regretted that immediately,” Deke said.
“Your father demanded a huge sum of money for access to you. My father agreed, but only after you presented as an alpha and he knew you were the enigma.”
Deke snorted, his disgust evident. “So, that was the big pay-off dad was waiting on?”
“Yes, but you know Dad,” Bas interjected. “He started drinking more, running his mouth, telling anyone who would listen that he was waiting on some windfall and how you were his?—”
“Genetic legacy?” Deke mumbled.
“Yeah,” Bas said. “When you didn’t present at sixteen like the rest of us, he got meaner. He started drinking more.”
Win’s mouth turned down, her eyes sympathetic. “He went to my father and demanded his money now. When my father refused, he said he would find an ‘alternate buyer.’”
“Did he?” Deke asked, voice flat. “Find an alternate buyer?”
“Not at first. He couldn’t. Veritas had a contract. As long as you presented before eighteen, your father could still make medical decisions for you,” Win said gently. “But Daddy was concerned about your father’s decreasing stability. He was concerned for your safety. That was when he approached Bas.”
Deke turned toward his brother, jaw thrust forward. “So, you sold me out, too.” To Loch, he said, “I know I said I wouldn’t be surprised, but, somehow, I still am.”
Loch put an arm around him and pulled him into his side. Bas watched them carefully. To the casual observer, it was nothing, but Loch could smell his jealousy. He wanted Deke to need him like that.
“It’s not like that,” Bas said, tearing his gaze from Loch’s hand hanging over Deke’s shoulder. “Nobody is trying to trick you into anything. They came and offered me a job.”
“You didn’t think that was sus?” Deke asked. “You were working construction and they offered you a corporate job at a research facility.”
“I admit, I was confused. I didn’t remember applying for the job, but I figured maybe I’d forgotten. I was trying to get away from working outside all day. It wasn’t for me. Especially with Dad as my boss. Plus, it was good money for an entry-level position. I didn’t know anything about enigmas or research projects. Not at first. It was just a job.”
“But why?” Loch asked. “What would hiring you do?”
“They wanted someone close to Deke who would help him understand the work Veritas is doing and how it can help people,” Bas said. “But, first, they needed to see if I was trustworthy or if I was a drunken asshole like Dad.”
“Yet, here you are, vice-president of whatever at Veritas and married to a billionaire’s daughter,” Deke said bitterly.
“That had nothing to do with you,” Win said.
Deke scoffed. “Right.”
Win turned to Bas, placing her elbow on the table and her chin on her palm, giving him a long, slightly dreamy look. Bas smiled back at her, resting his hand on hers.
When she turned back to Deke, she said, “I swear. Daddy took a special interest in Bas for obvious reasons, finding excuses for them to work alone. Together. He needed to test whether Bas was trustworthy, to see if he would understand the Veritas mission and goals.”
Loch could practically hear Deke’s teeth grinding.
He nodded towards his brother. “What’s that have to do with you?”
“Daddy threw a party on the boat for the Fourth of July weekend. Bas was sitting by himself, looking wildly uncomfortable and very seasick. But even then, as soon as I introduced myself, he started flirting. He was so sweet and charming even though he looked a little green.”
It was clear she was used to telling the story, but when she looked at Bas, there might as well have been cartoon hearts swirling around her head. As she spoke, Deke looked more and more like a wet cat.
“I was head over heels instantly,” she gushed.
“Sounds fake, but sure,” Deke seethed.
Deke was vacillating between rage and numbness. He was right—there really was a difference between suspecting your family was plotting against you and knowing they are. Loch put his hand on the back of Deke’s neck, squeezing, loving the way he leaned into his touch. He was always so good for them.
“Romance aside, I’m not sure I follow the logic,” Loch said. “Deke’s an adult. What was Bas going to do if Deke didn’t want to hear what he had to say? It’s not like he could force him to comply with a contract that was now null and void. Was he gonna force the issue? Was his job on the line?”
“Of course not. We aren’t trying to force Deke to do anything,” Win said, expression earnest. “Daddy thought if Bas could see what it is we want to accomplish, he could assure you that you’re safe in our care. That we have your best interests at heart.”
Deke sneered at the two. “In your care? What the hell does that mean?”
“Just that you work with us,” Win said. “That’s it. We’re not gonna lock you up or anything weird. We just want your help. Voluntarily.”
Bas leaned forward, trying to catch Deke’s eyes. “I love you. You’re my baby brother. Yeah, I was a dick for not defending you from the others. But I would never agree to work for people who would hurt you. You should at least believe that.”
Deke’s acidic laugh was pure poison. “Why? You lived with people who hurt me daily and didn’t do shit to stop that .”
Bas flinched. “That’s fair. But I want to be your brother again. Out of all of us, you and me are the only ones not like dad. I really want you to know I won’t let anyone hurt you.”
“I don’t need your protection,” Deke assured him. “And, not for nothing, but you’re not gonna convince me you’re nothing like Dad while you have lied to me this whole time.”
“I never lied to you,” Bas swore.
“How long have you known I might be this enigma? A year? Two? Four? Hm? Why not tell me?” Deke asked. “Do you know how stressful it was not knowing why I hadn’t presented?”
Bas’s face fell. “I’m sorry. I thought I was protecting you.”
Loch looked Bas in the eyes. “He doesn’t need your protection. He has us. He has his pack. We take care of our own.”
“Did you kill Dad?” Deke blurted out of nowhere.
If Deke was looking to surprise his brother, he succeeded. His mouth fell open and, for a moment, he just sat there. Then he said, “What? No. Don’t be crazy.”
Deke scoffed. “Well, someone did. And the timing seems awfully coincidental.”
“It was definitely a professional hit,” Loch said. “Only someone with money and reach could pull this off.”
“Someone with money and reach did pull it off,” Bas confirmed.
Win leaned in, her whisper conspiratorial. “We suspect it was Dad’s former business partner.”
“Peter Dresden?” Loch asked, raising a brow.
Deke’s head whipped around to look at Loch, eyes wide.
“How did you know?” Win asked, sounding curious more than angry.
“Because we’ve been investigating as well,” Loch said simply. “We know a lot more than you think.”
“Why would Dresden kill Dad?” Deke asked Bas.
“To shut him up? Retribution? Breach of contract? Who knows what Dad agreed to?” Bas said. “The last time I saw Dad, we got into a huge fight. It was after you took off for good. He accused me of trying to cut him out of his payday. He thought you had come running to me. He’d created this scenario in his head that you’d presented, come to me, and I had collected the money.”
Deke gave a humorless laugh that made Loch’s heart hurt. “Dad really didn’t know me at all. Or you.” He looked at Win. “Seems you already got your payday.”
Bas took the blow gracefully, then continued his explanation. “He was ranting about me being ungrateful, saying he was sorry I was his son, tried to hit me a couple of times. That was when he let it slip he’d made a deal with Dresden. That he’d promised to deliver you to him once you presented. Dresden was growing impatient. He was running out of time.”
Loch wondered what Dresden would think if he realized the kid he almost had killed for Fen’s keycard was the very kid he was trying to kidnap? Something about that made Loch a little smug. They were still one step ahead of him. Ahead of all of them, really.
“What did Dresden plan on doing with me?” Deke asked.
“We don’t know. I doubt anything good. He’s not exactly bound by any code of ethics,” Win said.
“And you are?” Deke snapped.
“Yes,” Win answered emphatically. “We’re not conducting shady research projects. Everything is above board. We would keep your information anonymous from everyone. Even the IRB. Nobody would know the sample came from you.”
“Sample?” Deke echoed.
“Yes, just a blood sample. No more than you would give if you were to donate to a local blood drive,” Win swore.
“All this just so your dad can sell designer drugs?” Deke asked.
He looked tired and overwhelmed. Loch would say they needed a trip to the nest but, with San in rut, it would turn into an orgy in seconds and, if they triggered another rut in Deke, he could alter the entire pack. Still, he would give him extra attention tonight.
“It's so much more than that,” Bas said. “If you come to the lab, we can show you what we do. We can show you the people we’re actually helping. People whose lives are changed by what we do. What your blood could help accomplish.”
“We’ll pay you,” Win rushed to say. “We’ll give you the money we were going to give your father. You’ll be set for life. You could do anything you want.”
“I don’t want your money,” Deke spat.
“Then what do you want?” Bas asked, eyes pleading. “We can get you anything.”
We. It was clear Bas was already indoctrinated.
“We can help Ollie,” Win supplied before Deke could answer.
Deke’s gaze snapped to hers. “What?”
“We know he used to be a beta. I checked. You altered him, right? Is that how you realized you were different?” Win asked. When Deke glared at her, she said, “I can take care of him myself, through his whole pregnancy. I can take care of the baby, too.”
Deke wrapped his hands around his now likely cold coffee cup. “You’re not even an OB/GYN.”
“I did an OB rotation,” Win said. “There are paramedics who’ve delivered hundreds of babies going seventy miles per hour. I’m more than qualified. I’ve delivered more than a few babies myself. And I’m the only one who will understand Ollie’s unique…biology. After all, I’m an altered beta, too.”
How far had her father gone? She had enhanced senses but what else could she do? Could she give Bas a baby like Ollie would Deke?
“How do I know you won’t hurt him? Or the baby?” Deke asked, voice thick.
“We would never do that,” Win said. “Not to Ollie. Not to your baby. Not to anyone.”
“I won’t let anything happen to them,” Bas said fiercely.
Deke scoffed. “Your promises mean nothing to me. Yeah, you’re my brother but we’ve never been close. Maybe you’re sincere or maybe you’re just as corrupt as Dresden. Hell, maybe the Hearsts are playing you, too,” Deke said.
“We’re not,” Win said. “We’ll put it in writing, get lawyers involved, whatever is needed so that you and Ollie feel safe.”
“You have to understand his concerns. If the government finds out what he is, what he can do, you know what would happen,” Loch said.
“The government knows because Dresden knows,” Win said. “Maybe not about Ollie. But about what Deke is…or could be. Deke’s lack of registration is buying him a little time but, soon, he’s going to find you and figure it out and I promise you, he will not be nice about it. He has his own agenda and he doesn’t care who he hurts.”
Deke sucked his teeth. “Oh, we know.”
Win and Bas exchanged confused glances.
Deke looked at Loch.
Loch shook his head, expression grim. “This has to be your decision. Yours and Ollie’s. But if our only choice is between Hearst or Dresden, I think the choice is obvious.”
“I need time,” Deke said. “I need to talk to Ollie. I need to talk to my pack.”
Win nodded. “We understand. We will do everything we can to keep Ollie and our niece or nephew safe.”
Deke frowned. “What can you do against Dresden? He has the whole government at his disposal.”
“Just because we don’t believe in unethical research, it doesn’t mean that we don’t have pull. Power. We have just as many friends in high places as Dresden.”
Deke sat up straighter, tilting his head, his voice firmer than Loch had ever heard it. “Yeah?”
Win nodded. “Yeah.”
“Then get Ollie’s beta status changed to omega in the National Registry without raising any red flags. Make it so he was always an omega. Then we’ll talk.”
“That won’t fool Dresden. Not with Ollie’s military service,” Bas said.
Bas was right. More than he knew. If Dresden realized that Ollie was Deke’s mate and that Ollie was the same Ollie who had worked for him at Cerberus, not even the National Registry could save him.
“Did you…do a background check on him?” Deke asked.
Bas shook his head. “Of course not. He mentioned it at the memorial. We overheard.”
So, they didn’t know that Loch and Ollie had worked for Dresden at Cerberus. Or they were lying to their faces. It was impossible to know.
“If you want my blood, then show me you have the pull you say you do,” Deke reiterated. “Ollie and the baby are the only things that matter to me. Show me you can keep him safe, keep them safe, then we’ll talk.”
“I’ll—I’ll see what Daddy can do,” Win said with a nod.
To Loch, Deke said, “Let’s get out of here. I’ve lost my appetite.”
Loch nodded. “Yeah, let’s go home.”