BirthControl Read online

  The next crib, the baby was a boy and he lay with his legs sprawled apart, resting. “He’s going to be trouble,” she whispered, wiping a tear from her eye.

  The next baby had some sort of tube taped to his chest and he seemed to struggle to breathe. She picked him up and placed him against her chest. “It’s okay, sweetie. Mommy’s here. Sorry you were rushed into things, but it’ll be okay.” She kissed his temple and moved to the last crib. “Another daughter.” Smiling she turned to Silas, leaned forward and kissed him. “Thank you, they are beautiful. Ready to name them?”

  “Yes. Although I think you’ve got names in mind.”

  She tipped her head. “I do.”

  He bowed.

  She dipped her head to the first crib. “Jackie.” His eyes widened and then he smiled. “Your turn.”

  “Adam. My first son.”

  Jasmine laughed and nodded as their second child was named.

  “Okay.” She kissed the son in her arms. “David. He will slay giants.”

  Silas nodded. “Agreed.” He moved to the last crib, aware the nurses watched everything they did. No doubt this story would be retold hundreds of times.

  He touched the tiny fingertips of his daughter. “Renee,” he whispered.

  Jasmine’s breath caught as tears fell from her eyes. “Thank you.” She moved close and kissed him. He wrapped his arms around her and left the nursery with their son in her arms.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Silas emerged from his bedroom to meet with his Alphas. They cheered the birth of his pups and sat down to a meal.

  “The bodies of the rebels were collected and burned. And while this does not signal the end of the rebellion, it did send a strong message that we will not tolerate the massacre of innocent wolves, regardless of their bloodlines.”

  Silas nodded. They’d do all they could to avert civil war, but the Goddess wanted them all protected and he would make sure that happened.

  “The man, Mitchell, was contracted by the female humans, Julie and Anita. We have them incarcerated. They met him in Maryland while watching your mate on Alpha Jayden’s land. According to the humans, Mitchell and his cohort made contact with your mate when she left the doctor’s office and had been following her ever since. It was the human females that set Mitchell and his partner loose in the caves. They have yet to tell me how they entered the caves themselves, Sir.”

  “If these are the same humans who’ve been contacting my mate, they claim to have knowledge about what this all means. They’ve made some claims regarding my pups. They may know how this mixed breeding started. Search their belongings, I will interview them later,” Silas said. He hoped to finally discover the rationale behind integrating the races. Was it an enemy or a higher deity?

  “He said two men paid him to kill my pups, any idea who they were?” Silas asked, bringing the conversation back to the caves.

  Theron and Jayden shook their heads. “No. Not yet. But we’ll keep our ears to the ground. Increase security.”

  “The joys of living in a bubble,” Silas murmured as he took a sip of his wine.

  There was a grumble of agreement along the table.

  “I searched the rubble in the cave as you asked, Sir. But there was no sign of Cameron,” Jayden said.

  “What?” Silas searched for his godson through their connection and received nothing. It didn’t feel like death, more like a yawning emptiness.

  “Where could he be?” Silas asked the table at large. No one answered.

  “Who will take over McAllister’s territory?” Lyle asked.

  “I’m thinking of offering it to Tyrone. He’s newly mated and it’d be nice to have him close by."

  The Alphas nodded. If they thought it bad business for a half-breed to run the same territory the Patron resided in, they kept silent.

  “We searched the bodies, none of the Bennetts from Oklahoma were in this battle,” Lyle said. “I believe the warning from Alpha Chan is legitimate, the Bennetts have turned into rebels and have a special hatred for your mate and her older sons. I have heard they are recruiting and planning to attack all half-breeds.”

  Silas nodded. “Put a team together to find them. Jump on this now. It’s time to play offense.”

  “Agreed,” the Alphas said.

  “We did find the broken body of Arianna,” Jayden said with a feral grin.

  “Was she already dead when you found her?” Silas asked, just to be sure. Human breeders were able to withstand quite a bit. He thought of Jasmine and all she’d been through with that fall.

  Jayden grinned. “Not quite. She is now.”

  Silas raised his glass in a toast. “Arianna meet your match in hell.”

  Theron raised his glass. “She’s a damn good reason to be celibate.”

  Silas laughed. “Yeah, some serious birth control.

  The men laughed good naturedly and relaxed. They’d earned a respite. Silas wondered how long before the next attack. He knew with a certainty one was on the way.

  The end for now

  Thanks for reading the second book in the La Patron series. Sydney Addae resides in the southeast and enjoys reading and writing all things paranormal. Nothing is more relaxing than cracking open a new adventure in a new world. You’re invited to join the journey into new lands with all manner of things that go bumpity-bump in the night. Friend me on my facebook page or drop me a line on my website. www.sydneyaddae.com.

  Check out the first book of the series book: BirthRight