A Pack Family (8 page)

She looked at him with shame.
“You never could do the things that needed doing. You’re just like your father, weak. Alpha Allen has claimed these pups, and so they will be raised in our pack.”

Before Dante could argue he felt a sting to his left leg.
When he looked down he saw a brute of a man that looked vaguely familiar. Oh no, he was looking at his pack enforcer, Vince. Bloody hell, his mother had drugged him, her own son. “Mother?”

She took a screaming Abby from his arms.
“Don’t you ‘mother’ me. You should have taken Tara in hand from the get go. She should have never kept these pups from their rightful pack. I’m going to return them, and Alpha Allen says if you pledge your loyalty, he will accept you back. You may raise your children.” She walked into Alpha Jake’s home and took Brady from his basinet. “See you at home.”

Dante fell to the ground and silently preyed that someone found his mother, before she made it onto Alpha Allen’s territory.

Chapter 11

Decker slammed on the breaks in front of Alpha house and knew something was wrong when he saw the front door wide open and a shadow of a man in the doorway.
He got out of the car and ran to Dante. “Wake up! Come on Dante, where are the twins?”

Dante’s eyes fluttered and he breathed deep.
“Decker?” His head flopped back against the tile.

Decker shook him.
“Dante, where did she take them? Where are your pups?”

Dante’s eyes opened and Decker noticed how glossy they were.
“Allen. She took them to Allen’s pack.”

Tara
gasped and Decker dropped Dante. “Come on, let’s go. We need to get to them.”

Dante grabbed Decker’s shirt.
“Take me; the drugs…wear off, soon.”

Decker nodded, and picked up Dante placing him in
Katie’s back seat. Tara was talking to Jake, Shana and Paul informing them of their plan. She had to get her pups back.

The ride seemed like it took forever, in reality it was only a little over an hour.
Dante had fully woken up and he was fuming mad at his mother. “I’m so sorry, I knew she was a bitch, but I had no idea the extent of her evil. I promise I’ll protect the pups with my life when we get there. They won’t get away with this.”

Tara
looked to him. “Don’t worry Dante, Allen wouldn’t hurt the twins, he merely wants them for future torture and to further his pack. Is there someone you trust that can watch over them until we get there?”

He thought about it.
“I can call my sister if that’s okay. She’s not very happy with mother right now, she’d protect them.”

“
Call her then and make sure she knows we’re on our way. We need to find where she took them.”

Dante dialed.
“Hey Bailey, I need a favor.”

He was cut off by her sounds of apprehension.
“Where the hell are you? Allen just sent out a mass text introducing your pups to the pack. We’re having a ceremony in an hour.”

Dante didn’t think he could be more pissed but he was wrong.
“You have got to be fucking kidding me.”
Tara turned around in her seat. “What’s going on?”

Dante covered the mouthpiece of his phone.
“Allen has planned an initiation ceremony for the twins to be accepted in his pack.”

Tara
’s face drained of color. “No, she has to stall them.”

Dante spoke into his phone,
“I really need your help Bailey. Please, stall the ceremony; we won’t be there for about an hour. Mom drugged me and stole the kids from Jake’s pack. Everyone here is pissed.”

“
You’re kidding. Mom told us that Tara didn’t want them because she couldn’t take care of them on her own. Is Tara with you?”

“
Tara’s with me, as well as her mate, Brett Decker, and half of Alpha Jake’s pack, including the sheriff.” He became suddenly anxious for his sister. “Make sure you stay out of the way when we get there.”

Bailey
responded without hesitation. “I’ll protect your twins and treat them as my own, until you arrive. I would be honored, and when you get here, I will support whatever needs to be done. It’s time our pack has new leadership.”

Dante was going to respond when he heard the phone disconnect.
Bailey was Dante’s twin and they had a special connection. Dante was strong, Alpha, and Bailey had kept bugging him about challenging Alpha Allen. He didn’t want the responsibility, still didn’t.

Tara
asked. “Is she going to help?”

“
She says she’ll keep them safe until we arrive, not to worry.” Dante knew Bailey would protect them. She’d always wanted kids and a family. A good family, not like the one they were raised in.

*****

Victoria walked into Alpha Allen’s home with Dante’s twins. “Presenting Abby and Brady, as requested. These pups will make a fine addition to our pack.”

Alpha
Allen walked over to Vince who was holding the two car seats that had the screaming children in them. “Why are they crying?”

Victoria
shot the twins a look of distain. “I don’t know, they’re kids, that’s what they do. If I knew how to make them stop it would’ve been done by now.”

Vince
walked over to the table and sat the twins on it before turning to Victoria. “I want my money.”

“
You’ll get it when you finish the job. You’re supposed to protect me from Dante when he comes for them.” She didn’t think her son would hurt her, but she’d be a fool if she didn’t take precautions.

“
That wasn’t the deal. Create diversion and steal the brats. Done and done. Give me my money now, old lady, before Alpha Jake’s pack comes to retrieve them. I’m not planning on staying around for that show.”

“
Coward.” She reached into her purse and pulled out an envelope that contained cash. “Here, take it. I hope you rot in hell.”

“
You first,” Vince shot over his shoulder as he was walking out of the house.

Alpha
Allen looked inquiringly to Victoria. “Were there problems?”

“
None that I couldn’t handle.” She gave him a wolfish smile.

“
Good, now shut these babies up. Do you intend for me to perform an acceptance ceremony with them blabbering like this?” He turned to walk out of the room. “You have twenty minutes before the pack begins to gather.”

Victoria
had a fleeting bit of panic. She tried to hold Brady and pat his back, but he remained hollering. She was just going to go to her purse for the medication she’d given Dante and Decker to make them shut up, but her daughter Bailey walked in. “Hello mother. Are these Dante’s pups, my niece and nephew?”

Victoria
looked disheveled for the first time that Bailey could remember. “Are they hungry mother? Why don’t you go fix your hair, I’ll care for them while you’re gone.”

Victoria
placed a self-conscious hand to her hair. “Thank you Bailey, you’re such a good girl.” Victoria flew down the corridor to the nearest bathroom.

Bailey
stopped in front of a crying baby boy. “You must be Brady, and aren’t you just a handsome man.” She picked him up and began to rock him. He calmed significantly but still remained discontent.

She put
Brady back down in his car seat for a moment so she could attempt to soothe Abby. Abby was a little spitfire and would not stop screeching. Bailey dialed Dante on her phone, “Abby won’t stop crying and I don’t have a lot of time, any suggestions?”

Dante had no idea what his daughter wanted, but in the front seat
Tara and Decker could hear the conversation. Decker said “Hand the phone up.”

Tara
held the phone in front of Decker and he began to sing the itsy bitsy spider. Within moments Abby had calmed. Dante whispered from the back seat, “That’s amazing.”

After the first song
Tara got on the phone. “Hello Bailey, the twins are probably hungry. Dante said Victoria took the diaper bag that has formula. I’m sorry but they probably have to be changed also.”

Bailey
’s voice came through. “No problem. They’ll be clean and well fed when you get here. When will you arrive, we’re at Allen’s pack house?”

Bailey
could hear a man’s confident voice. “We’ll be there in about fifteen minutes.”

Bailey
heard the bathroom door open so she quickly disconnected the call and shoved her phone back in her pocket. “Mother, is there a diaper bag or formula for the pups? I don’t want them to begin crying during their initiation.”

Victoria
came back into the room looking poised. “Yes, it’s in the car. You can go fetch it.”

Bailey
put Abby down in her car seat and she began to cry again.

“
For the love of all that is holy, take her with you Bailey.”

Bailey
did as her mother asked and took Abby to the car to retrieve the bag. When she came back in, Brady had started to cry as well, and her mother was approaching him with a bottle of something in her hand. “Mother, what’s that?”

Victoria
whipped around not having noticed Bailey’s return to the room. “It’s just something to help them sleep.”

Bailey
suddenly wondered how many times her mother had dosed her and Dante with something to keep them quiet. She was appalled. “Don’t waste your medicine mother. They need to be fed and changed and then there will be no more crying. Let me care for them.” Bailey was trying extremely hard to mask her scent of rage.

Victoria
turned. “It would be wonderful if you could do that. I’m going to mingle. Do you want me to medicate them before I go?”

“
No no mother, they’ll be perfect as peach pie before the ceremony.”

“
Thank you darling. I’ll see you in a moment.” Victoria approached Bailey and placed air kisses to her cheeks.

*****

Dante was giving directions to Decker and he had just told him to turn down the last street onto a long dirt road. “Tara, call the others and let them know we’re close. About a minute down this road and we’ll be there, what’s the plan?”

Tara
took out her phone and began to make calls when she heard Decker. “We go in, get the pups and rough up anyone who gets in our way.”

Dante nodded his head.
“Okay, but the entire pack will take Allen’s side; this will turn into a pack war. Isn’t there another way to have this go down?”

Decker responded.
“I don’t care what you do with your pack as long as we get our kids back.”

Dante smiled.
“You’ll be a great father Brett Decker.”

Decker looked back at him.
“As will you.”

They both held each other’s stares as they heard
Tara softly snivel. Decker looked back to the road and took Tara’s hand “It’ll be fine. We’ll get the pups back and work on being a family.”

Dante was flabbergasted.

Tara said. “I love you Brett. You’re an amazing man and would be a benefit to any pack. I’m glad we found you.” She lifted their joined hands and brushed her lips over his knuckles.

Decker could feel himself blush and become aroused.
“Stop or I won’t be able to walk right with the wood I’m sporting.” Tara looked down at his crotch and licked her lips “Later Tara, we need to focus.”

Chapter 12

Bailey was beginning to become nervous. The twins were fed and changed and Allen had sent in one of her pack mates to inform her he was ready to start the ceremony. Bailey had delayed by saying Abby needed to burp before she went out or risk getting spit up on Alpha’s robes, so it would be just a few minutes more. That was five minutes ago. Bailey was pacing in the sitting room to calm herself and little Abby, who was picking up on her tension.

Bailey
stopped her pacing and began to use her heightened senses to listen for cars. That’s when she heard it, the crunch of gravel in the distance, about a mile down the road. Help was coming. Bailey suddenly knew that if she could hear it, so could the others.

Bailey
ran over to collect Brady so she could hide; she was too late.

“
Where are you getting off to child?” Her mother was standing in the doorway looking astonished. Surely you weren’t going to run off, right?”

Bailey
straightened with both of Dante’s children tucked in her arms. “Of course not mother. Allen sent someone earlier to collect them but Abby was still fussing. They are both calm and ready now; I was bringing them out to you.”

As
Bailey walked past her mother she heard an inhale followed by, “You little bitch! You were going to disgrace me, like your pansy of a brother, and leave.” Victoria shoved Bailey hard in the back but she remained upright “I’ll not have it. You will take those horribly whining pups to Allen straightaway.”

“
These horrible whining pups are your grandchildren. Have you no feelings, or respect.”

Victoria
was taken aback. “You dare to speak to your mother that way? I should have beaten you as a child. I’ll show you respect dear.” She said in a sugary sweet voice.

Victoria
grabbed Bailey’s hair and led her to the initiation area. Bailey could do nothing to protect herself because she had a pup in both arms. She silently preyed that Dante would hurry up.

*****

Dante walked up to the front door and pulled. “It’s locked.”

Decker jogged to the window in the front of the house and put his booted foot through it.
Kicking the sharp edges inward, “No problem, they left the window open.” He climbed in the window and assisted a smiling Tara inside.

“
Good idea.” She beamed up at him, “I’m so glad you’re in our lives.”

Decker saw the other cars pull in so he motioned them over to the window.
Decker turned to Dante. “Where to?”

Dante went into the sitting room and saw the pup’s empty car seats.
He became angry, “Bailey was probably forced to go to the ceremony room. Let’s go.”

Tara
and Dante knew the layout of the house. They led while Decker covered the rear. He had his weapon drawn and was ready for a fight.

They entered what appeared to be a basement with a platform in the corner, creepy ceremony room.
Dante saw his pack gathered in the corner but couldn’t find Bailey. He motioned for Decker. “The platform is where the ceremony will take place. I don’t see my mother, sister, pups or Allen. There’s a meeting room over to the left if you want to look for them. I’m going to speak with the pack members, let them know what is going on.”

Decker nodded and pulled
Tara along after him.

“
Where are they, Brett?” Her voice was shaky.

“
Dante says there is a room off to the left, let’s look there first.”

Jake
and Shana with Katie and Conner had followed their scent. They burst into the ceremony room and Jake began speaking to the Allen pack members about honor and loyalty. He was telling them that the old ways weren’t always the best ways. He informed them they could find their true mates if they searched. There was no need to settle for less while Dante agreed.

The pack members observed the bonds between
Katie and Conner as well as Shana and Jake. Questions were answered and mating explained. The entire Allen pack seemed intrigued. Some of the old timers seemed on the fence about changing their lifestyle but admitted things lately were strained in the pack.

*****

Decker rounded a sharp corner and was hit with something; it instantly took him to his knees. He stood up quickly enough to block Tara’s way. Tara was yelling behind him and trying to get past him, but couldn’t. Decker’s large body was blocking the entire hallway and Tara could see and smell his blood. She wanted to protect him like he’d protected her, but he was still in the way.

“
Back up Tara and leave. Get Paul or Jake to come in, but I want you to go. Now!” His back was to her.

“
But Brett…”

“
God dammit, Tara! Leave now! Go get Paul.” He was roaring his fury, like a shifter. He stood in front of a smiling Victoria; her gun pointed directly at his chest.

Decker felt
Tara’s small hand touch his back before he heard her footsteps signaling she’d done what he’d asked.

“
What’s your problem lady? You think Tara’s such a bad person, a whore, but you want her pups. It doesn’t make sense.”

Victoria
’s response was clipped. “We need breeders, her children will be adequate.”

Decker became furious, without thinking, he advanced on her.
He heard the single shot and saw Victoria’s startled eyes as the shot hit him dead center in the chest. He let his look of pain come across and be seen by Victoria, along with a few gasping breaths, he couldn’t control before falling flat on his face.

Oh shit!
Alpha Allen wasn’t going to be happy cleaning up the mess she’d just made. Oh well, all in the name of furthering the pack. Victoria walked over to Decker’s body, bent down to feel for a pulse, which was so beneath her.

Decker was holding his breath hoping the old bitch would come close.
He heard her advance but also heard Paul’s heavy footsteps running down the hall with the sound of lighter footfalls. Damn, Tara was coming too.

Paul
rounded the corner and saw Decker on his face with an old lady standing over him.

“
What the fuck happened? I can smell his blood.” Paul heard Tara gasp and try to advance. “Stay back Tara, let me handle this.”

Victoria
sneered, “No need to handle anything. I’ve shot him and he’s dead. Simple really.”

Paul
was holding back a screaming Tara while trying to understand what had happened. He looked down at Decker and saw his shallow breathing; he was playing possum. But Paul could still smell his blood, which means he was injured. He pinned Tara with a glare, “Hold it together.” She looked directly at him he mouthed, ‘he’s alive.’

Tara
’s gaze became hard and she suddenly slapped him across the face. He knew that she was playing along. Tara was the most non-violent person alive, which was ironic that she was mated to a cop, go figure.

“
Why didn’t you just let us come back? You knew I wanted to return to my old pack and allow the pups to be raised by real wolves.” Tara was trying to distract the old coot.

Victoria
looked confused. “Why didn’t you just leave?”

“
Are you kidding? Have you seen their security system? I never left the house; I wasn’t allowed.”

Victoria
was still not buying it. “Flip him over so I can check for a pulse.”

Paul
and Tara came closer and both hunched down on one side of Decker while Victoria bent down to confirm his death.

Decker could feel
Paul and Tara’s hands on him; he hoped they would forgive him the dishonor he was going to do. They both rolled him onto his side and he felt another’s hands on his neck. He kept his eyes closed but balled up his right fist and grabbed Victoria’s hand in an iron hard grip while swinging his other fist up to connect with her jaw.

He connected with
Victoria’s jaw and he felt the snap of her bone. Her eyes rolled back in her head and she fell backwards, hitting her head on the tile. He stood quickly, just in case she came back at them, and noticed the ache in his chest from the impact of the bullet to his vest.
Damn, it hurt.

Tara
ran at Decker, jumping into his arms, not noticing his wince of pain while Paul walked over to Victoria.

“
That’s one evil bitch.” Paul did something that shocked them all. He pulled back his booted foot and slammed it into her chest. “She’ll not only be eating with a straw but I broke a few of her ribs; she’ll have a hard time running away. Those shifter bitches are tough.”

Decker put
Tara back on her feet and began limping down the hall towards the room he could smell the pups in. He vaguely heard Tara’s, “Where are you going? You’re hurt so you should stay behind. I’ll take Paul and we’ll get the pups.”

Decker shot her an irritated look.
“I’ll be going, without question, understand? I’m sorry I hit a lady, but I’d do it again. I’m fine, let’s go.”

Decker was kinda creeped out that he could smell the kids from down the hall.
He’d think about that later.

Paul
pulled in to take the lead, sniffing furiously. “Do you smell that?”

Tara
paused. “I smell the pups, unharmed, thank God. The Alpha and Bailey are there as well. What’s wrong?”

Paul
got a dreamy look in his eyes. “It smells like cotton candy.”

Decker pushed past him.
“I’ll buy you all the cotton candy in the world of you’d focus.”

Decker rounded yet another corner and saw something that had his heart in his throat.
There was a young woman cradling his pups in both arms. Her black hair was in disarray, and there were clumps of her hair on the floor around the room. He could tell she had been sorely abused, attempting to protect their precious kids. There was a short man with grey hair standing behind her with a knife in one hand and a clump of her hair in the other. He was pulling back on her hair to place the knife on her exposed throat.

She whimpered as the knife bit into her skin, as the man Decker could only assume was Alpha Allen spoke,
“Ah, Tara it’s so lovely to see you again. Your children will be a wonderful addition to this pack. Thank you for doing your duty.”

“
As you remember I didn’t have a choice. Please release Bailey, and the pups. They’re innocent. We’ll do whatever you ask.” Tara regretted the words as soon as they were out.

“
Good. Leave and I’ll release them.” His smile was mocking.

Paul
, who was usually calm and patient, looked like he was barely restraining his fury. “Let the woman go or I’ll shoot; without thinking twice.” Paul pulled his gun and took aim at Allen.

“
Ah, ah, ah. I wouldn’t do that if I were you. You could hit this lovely young woman, or the children. It would be a shame to lose more of our breeding stock.”

Paul
wanted to kill this man more than he wanted to do anything else in his life. “Release the woman.”

Decker looked over at
Paul. “Hold it together man. Put the gun away.”

Paul
closed his eyes, only a moment, and took a deep breath of the cotton candy scent they’d been following. He lowered his weapon. “Alright, how would you suggest we proceed?”

Allen
scoffed at them. “Move into the room and away from the door. I’ll release them as soon as I’m free.”

Decker countered.
“You’ll release them at the door and we won’t follow.”

Allen
began to move towards the door as the others moved further into the room. “Agreed.”

When
Allen was in front of the door with Tara, Decker and Paul on the opposite side of the room Allen snickered. He pulled Bailey’s hair back even further to expose her neck before saying, “You’re a disappointment to your Alpha; you will be punished.” He took the blade and attempted to slide it along her neck. However, Bailey knew it was coming; she ducked and turned as the blade connected.

Bailey
felt white hot agony along her neck and collar bone. She could feel the blood dripping down her chest but she crouched down to protect the babies and felt another stabbing pain to her side. She couldn’t breathe but she had to keep the babies safe, so she remained crouched over them.

Who knows how much longer…?

Bailey felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up to see Tara crying. Bailey didn’t have much strength so she rolled slightly as Tara took her pups from under her. The two men who had come with Tara were standing back. One smelled like gun powder and blood; he had a bullet hole in his shirt and one in his leg. The beautiful man with the gun was on his cell phone calling someone, he was watching her. She lifted her head to smile at him, let him know she was okay. She wanted to take in his scent, but her head felt heavy; she promptly passed out.