BirthControl (7 page)

Chase glanced at Silas and nodded slowly. “Okay.”

“I want you and every other Alpha to look at us. Look closely, because I am a half-breed. And you’re sitting here talking about killing my mother. She’s human. You’re also talking about killing my brothers and sisters. They’re half-breeds like me.”

“What?” Chase yelled as he craned his head to look at Silas.

“Rese, Rone, stand down. I’ve got this.” Silas sent the transmission to the twins but couldn’t get through. He should be furious, but instead he found himself wondering if this was another talent half-breeds possessed.

“It’s important that you remember who we are, because if you send rebels, wolves, or anyone after our family, these half-breeds,” he pointed to his brother and then himself, “will rain down a bloodbath on you that’ll bleed through the Rockies. I suggest you back the hell up on that half-breed bullshit. You don’t know what the hell you’re talking about.”

Silas felt the anger pulsing in the room and looked at Jayden. The Alpha had a look of shock on his features.

“I am Alpha Chase. You do not speak to me in that manner. Recant or accept my challenge.”

“Enough,” Silas said as he looked at the twins. They stood side by side, like one unit as they stared at the monitor. Silas knew he’d barely scratched the surface of the capabilities of half-breeds. Litter-mates were close, but Tyrone and Tyrese were more than that. It was as if they could combine their energies at will. That was unheard of. Not knowing made him uneasy.

“Theron, tell the Alphas of the attack to your pack.”

While Theron recounted the assault and damage done by the half-breeds, Silas monitored the mental state of his Alphas. Just as he suspected, the three Alphas who’d showed signs of animosity but not hatred, were impressed with the twins and no longer sided with Chase and Montgomery. But those two Alpha’s were incensed, and grew more so as Theron continued speaking.

“How did that happen?” One Alpha asked as he looked at the twins.

“Some are faster, stronger and more vicious than full-bloods,” Theron said without heat.

“Impossible,” Chase sneered. “Obviously, your wolves were weak and ineffectual. No way can a half-breed defeat a full-blood.”

Theron shrugged. “You are wrong; there was nothing wrong with my full-bloods. I saw the aftermath of the attack. I’ve also seen these two,” he tipped his chin toward Tyrone and Tyrese, “in action. They have Alpha speed and fighting skills. They took on both half-breeds and full-bloods. Won every time. I agree with the twins, you don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“That just proves my point,” Chase said, looking to the other Alphas for support. “They are dangerous to the pack and should be destroyed.”

“They are wolves,” another Alpha shouted. “We never destroy wolves. Not for a reason like this. Not for something beyond their control.”

“They are not wolves. They are half-breeds,” Montgomery countered.

Tyrone and Tyrese stood immobile, like statutes. Silas wondered what they were thinking, but it was time to bring the discussion to a close.

“I am a half-bred wolf,” Tyrone said, his voice ominously low. “But you and any who come after my pack, my family, will learn what a half-breed can do. I will not say this again. Anyone who comes after my mother or siblings will not survive.”

Chase scoffed. “Is that a threat, mutt?”

Tyrone smiled. It was bright, and if you didn’t know him, you’d think it was pleasant. Silas knew things had gone from bad to worse, with Chase not backing up after Theron’s advice. But at this level, he had to allow things to play out.

“Threat? Nah…we don’t threaten people. That’s not cool.” His face sobered. “That was a promise. We do make promises.” He turned, looked at Tyrese, and they walked toward the door.

“One moment,” Silas said, hoping they wouldn’t do something stupid, like not stopping.

They stopped and looked at him.

“I will be by later to talk with you two and Jasmine.” He hardened his tone to leave no room for refusal. “I expect you all to be there.” He stared at them until Tyrone nodded. Tyrese opened the door and left first. Withholding a sigh at that future confrontation, Silas turned to his Alphas. It seemed they all realized something else was going on. Even Chase and Montgomery registered concern.

“So we should allow rebel wolves to kill human females and half-breed wolves? Is that what you think Chase? Montgomery?” Silas called out the two Alphas so they could see they stood alone on that side of the issue. Chase, a tall blond wolf with Viking heritage, stiffened and swiped his tongue across his lips.

“La Patron… I merely suggested we allow the rebels to fix this problem. My wolves are seeking information on human females, and I am ashamed to admit there have been a few in my territory over the years.” He paused and looked at Silas. “Earlier today I discovered three human females have lived in the mountains, and for years bred wolves.” He ran his hand through his blond locks. “I have no idea how this happened beneath my nose, and I am sorry. My wolves attempted to locate the women and were unsuccessful.”

“Unsuccessful? Your full-bloods couldn’t apprehend three human females?” Silas asked, hoping the Alpha would realize what they were up against. It didn’t matter that the women were human, there would always be full-blooded wolves who would answer the siren call to mate and have pups. That was the challenge to be addressed.

“They are being hidden by wolves.”

“Full-bloods or half-breeds?” Silas asked.

“Full-bloods,” Chase gritted.

“Do we kill the full-bloods who protect these women? Who protect their pups? Their half-breed pups?” Silas’ voice rose at the end. “How far do you want to go with this…this witch hunt, Montgomery?” He turned his attention to the Vermont Alpha. “Full-blooded wolves are protecting the women who birthed their pups. What will a wolf do if you attack his pup? His litter?”

Montgomery cleared his throat. He wasn’t as tall as most of the Alphas, but he was built like an oak tree, brawny, wide and strong. “A wolf will kill to protect his litter and his pack.”

Silas waited a beat for the man to continue. When he didn’t, Silas continued. “So basically, you’re saying we should start a war within our ranks. Separate half-breed pups to cleanse the packs. And that’s only if the full-bloods allow us near their pups or the humans who birthed them.”

Montgomery’s face bled of all color, while Chase reddened further. Silas knew the Alpha still believed cleansing was better.

“Tell me, Chase or Montgomery, do you really expect any Alpha to allow rebels to travel in their territory? Because let’s be honest, who are they rebelling against?”

“The half-breeds,” Chase said, frowning.

Silas leaned forward on his desk, clasped his hands and lowered his voice. “No. They rebel against me. I have not authorized any attack against humans. For them to do so is in direct violation of the rules that govern this pack, my pack. You call them rebels, so you are aware that they are wrong, and yet you support this action. How is that possible? How can you support anything that violates my rules?”

“Sir…I do not…I mean, I did not think of it in that way.” Chase bowed his head. “I am sorry La Patron. Forgive me.”

Silas turned from Chase to look at Montgomery’s stricken face. “La Patron, I did not think…but you are correct. I apologize and recant my position.”

“I recant my position as well,” Chase added.

Sometimes Silas felt as though he was dealing with children. Their egos were huge and they rarely looked beyond their immediate pack’s needs. If he could get more of them to look at the larger picture, to see them as a national pack, things would be so much easier.

“Rebels?” Silas said into the quiet.

“Full-bloods who have decided to kill off human females and half-breeds. Last heard, they are on their way to Missouri,” Mason said with clipped precision.

“Problem?” Silas asked.

“They are killing humans,” one wolf said.

“They are operating outside of our rules. Wolves cannot take it upon themselves to become vigilantes against other wolves,” another Alpha said.

“They’re going to kill other full-bloods. There’s no way around it. The full-bloods with half-bred pups will never allow harm to come to their litter. There will be a civil war if we allow this to continue,” Theron said.

“Besides, I am responsible for every wolf in Maryland, full-blood or half-blood, it makes me no difference until La Patron makes a decree stating otherwise. No one comes on my turf and violates the bond I have with my pack. Damned if I won’t kill them first,” Jayden said.

There was a buzz of agreement as the Alphas discussed why allowing the rebels to live was a bad idea. Chase, Montgomery, and another Alpha, Crimson, were not convinced. Crimson was a surprise. As Alpha of Wyoming, Silas expected him to fall in line with the other Alphas. He had a large pack and should be more concerned over civil war than some of the Alphas with fewer pack members.

“Chase, Montgomery, and Crimson, you still believe we should allow the rebels to live. Why?”

Chase exhaled. “I understand they are lawbreakers, but I don’t mourn the humans they’ve killed. I believe this is bigger than a few rebels. The reality is…life as we knew it has changed and we…no, I was caught unawares. I mean… half-breed wolves have existed in my territory for years and I was clueless.” His jaw tightened as he looked at Silas. “How the hell does something like this happen? Pups born from humans? That’s…that’s just wrong. How do we fix this? How do we remain true to who we are? Wolves will die…I understand that, Sir. But allowing it to continue? What does that mean do the pack? Do we integrate if we don’t destroy?” He slapped his chest. “I am a wolf. Full-blooded and proud. I don’t understand what’s happening and it’s making me uneasy.”

Silas understood the frustration he heard in the Alpha’s voice. He’d experienced it daily since he’d discovered Jasmine and the twins. There was a muttering of agreement. Hell, Silas agreed, but couldn’t say it aloud.

“Let’s stick to dealing with the rebels,” Silas said, locking eyes with Chase until the Alpha looked away. “I want them captured and incarcerated as lawbreakers. I will not mourn their deaths if they chose to go that route rather than submit to my ruling.”

“Yes, La Patron,” the Alphas said.

“As far as the half-breeds and the human females, if you find any, enter them into the database. Study them. Write notes and submit their actions, how they think. I want to know if they have a pack or human mentality. I want to know how they were raised, with their bitch or with the whole pack. To make a ruling on their future, I need more information about them. Do not kill human breeders or half-breed pups. Do I make myself clear?”

“Yes, La Patron.” Although they all gave him lip service, Silas recognized Chase and Crimson’s heart was not in the pledge. Surprisingly, Montgomery’s was.

“I am going to take this a step further in case some of you don’t understand how serious I am about this. Not only do not harm or kill them, I expect you to seek them out in your territory and offer your protection. Make sure their full-bloods understand we mean them no harm. Interview their full-blood protectors for things like: The lengths of the pregnancy, how the females heal, give birth to multiple pups, why don’t they age? Is it their diet? Or the pups?” He looked at his Alphas. “You see, there are too many blanks for me to make a decision. And because this has been going on for over a hundred years, there are a lot of half-breeds and human females out there. We won’t find all of them. So the more information we have on them, the better prepared we’ll be for anything in the future.”

“Yes, La Patron.”

Silas relaxed as he read his Alphas. All of them saw and agreed wholeheartedly with his approach. Like him, they needed more information.

“I want all your reports sent to Jacque, he’ll set up a database so that we can all share the information. While these meetings serve a specific purpose, in the future I’d like to have more information before passing a ruling on the human breeding situation. The twins, Tyrone and Tyrese, you met earlier are half-breeds and on my security detail. They are good, very good. Theron spoke the truth about them and you should know…they never threaten.” He looked at Chase and Montgomery. “If anyone bothers their family, they will kill them. And because I’ve stated we should protect the breeders and their litters, I will not seek retribution.” He let his words settle for a moment. “Any questions?”

“No Sir,” they chorused.

“Good night,” Silas said and disconnected. He leaned back in his chair staring at the blank screen. “Thoughts?” he asked Jayden.

“There may be some resentment when it comes out about your litter.”

Silas tapped his upper lip and then held his finger in place. Resentment was putting it mildly. It would become gasoline on the smoldering rebellion. “You think it’s uncontainable?”

Jayden hesitated. “I think if each Alpha secures his borders, get all the wolves in their territory to pledge fealty before the announcement is made…I think we can contain it. The problem won’t be from the Alphas or their packs. It’ll come from those who never pledged to an Alpha. And getting those packs to pledge might be difficult after all this time.”

“Difficult but not impossible?” Silas glanced at Jayden, who seemed troubled.