* * * *
“You know, these biscuits are really good. You should make them for the next pack dinner,” Sheila said, breaking off a piece and popping it into her mouth.
“I told you they were great.” Jaycee laughed as Mark grabbed a roll.
“I have to taste it,” Mark said. “Usually the only time Jaycee moans like that is when…”
Jaycee slapped Mark in the stomach. “Don’t even say it.”
“You are evil.” Mark took a bit of the biscuit and his eyes got big.
He looked at Cecil. “Oh, my God, Remi and Dane would go crazy for these. Quick, stuff a couple of them in your bag.”
“Please, if you want some, I can make you a whole batch for tomorrow morning,” Cecil said. “It’s easy, really.”
Jaycee practically drooled as she looked up at Mark. “Make a list.
You’re going shopping.”
Rory laughed as he ran up the stairs. “Keep Cecil busy. We’ll be back.”
“I mean it, Mark. Sit down and make a list of everything she’ll need. We can make a couple of batches while we wait.” Jaycee pointed to the empty chair.
Mark pulled the chair out and grabbed the small pad and paper by the phone. “Okay, start listing off the things you need.” He sighed.
“Would you mind if I added a few other things to the list? I’d like to make a nice dinner tonight for them and they don’t want me going into town yet.” Cecil scooted her chair up and he nodded.
“Cecil, if you make us a couple of batches of those biscuits, I’ll buy you anything you need.” Jaycee smiled.
“Are you bribing my mate?” Tug growled behind Cecil and squeezed her shoulders.
“I offered to make a couple of batches of biscuits, so Mark is going to the grocery store. I thought maybe he could pick up the things I need for dinner.” She smiled up at Tug.
41
“Hmm, what do you have planned for dinner?” He traced his finger on her cheek.
“Well, I know everyone is going to be tired and drained when they get back, so I thought we could make a couple of large lasagnas, garlic bread with cheese, and peanut butter cream cheese cake for desert.”
“Mark, you’re going to need a bigger piece of paper.” Jaycee grinned and he moaned. Jaycee frowned at him. “What?”
“We weren’t invited to dinner, Jaycee.” Mark grinned.
Jaycee threw a piece of bacon at him.
Tug laughed. “You are
all invited. I have a feeling we will be going through all the files tonight.
Mark, Rory can go with you to the grocery store, if you don’t mind stopping at his house so he can grab more of his things.”
Mark nodded. “I have the truck, so I see no problem with that.
Okay, Cecil, start writing down what you need.” He pushed the paper to her and she began writing her list.
She glanced up at Mark. “We’re going to need two huge backing dishes. You know, the tin ones? Tug already has one, but I figured we’re going to need three of them.” She got up and opened the top cupboard and jumped to get the pan when Tug came up behind her.
He laughed, reaching up and grabbing the pan down for her. “Hey, I can’t help it if I’m short.” She turned, showing Mark the pan, and he nodded.
“Just put down baking pan and I’ll know what you want.”
Cecil moved back to her seat as Rory came down the stairs. “Mark is going to go with you to your place, then stop by the grocery store for us.” Tug pulled her up out of her seat and sat down with her in her lap.
“Sounds like a plan. Mom called and she has some things for Cecil, so I’ll bring them back with me.” He leaned down and kissed her.
“She’s thrilled I found my mate and she can’t wait to meet you.”
Cecil glanced up at him. “She won’t be too happy when she learns I’m a freak. Maybe you should wait to invite them over here, Rory.” She tapped the pen on the table.
He grabbed her chin and frowned down at her. “I don’t want to hear that again, Cecil. You’re not a freak,” he said. “But I will wait until we get this mess cleared up. Ready, Mark?”
“Yep, got the list. Sheila, both of you stay in the house,” he ordered and stood up, heading to the door.
“Yes, almighty alpha!” Jaycee snapped. “Like we have anywhere to go.”
“Don’t get smart. That ass still gets red.” Mark growled and slammed the front door.
42
Tug lifted Cecil up, going to lock the door.
“You know, I have enough to make one more batch of biscuits, so let’s start those now,” she said.
43
Chapter Seven
Tug sat at the table drinking a cup of coffee as he watched all three women in the kitchen making biscuits. Jaycee was covered in flour, Sheila had spilled the milk down her shirt, and Cecil just laughed, cleaning up their messes.
Jaycee leaned over, smelling the coffee. “You know, the only thing I truly miss about being pregnant is my coffee.”
“You can’t drink coffee when you’re pregnant?” Cecil reached over, grabbing Tug’s coffee cup from the table. “I’ve never really tried it.”
She took a sip and frowned. “Yuck! How can you drink that stuff?”
Jaycee laughed. “You should try the hazelnut coffee. Oh my God, it’s so good. Hold on.” Jaycee grabbed her cell phone and called Mark.
“Mark, grab a big tin of that hazelnut coffee.” She glanced at the phone and growled. “I know I can’t drink it, fool. It’s for Cecil.” Jaycee rolled her eyes.
Cecil looked at the door. “They’re back.”
Jaycee shut the phone and glanced at the door as he got up and walked towards the front door. Sure enough, two trucks sat in the driveway. The timer went off in the kitchen as Cecil got up, getting the biscuits out of the oven.
Sam and his two partners came into the house, followed by Remi, Dane, and the doctor carrying files, samples, and boxes of things.
“Sam, were there any survivors?” Cecil came around the counter and stared at all of them.
He shook his head and sat down in the chair. “Not of our family.
I’m sorry, Cecil. They’re all gone.”
Tug jumped to catch her as her legs gave out. He turned and growled at Sam. Tears streamed down her face. “Little Brandon?”
Sam stood. “Dead.” He stormed outside, slamming the door behind him.
“He blames me. I knew he would.” Cecil cried into Tug’s chest.
“Cecil, he doesn’t blame you. He’s just upset.” He sat down on the stool, rocking her back and forth.
She wiped her face and glanced at Remi. “How many survivors did you find?”
Remi ran his hand through his hair and picked Jaycee up, sitting down with in his lap. “We got to six children in time. Three adult females and four teenagers were saved, but there were more than twenty we 44
couldn’t save. The place was a mess. They were trying to move things out when we got there. Several of the head scientists got away, but we do have a list of all the lab locations. It’s a start. There’s so much we have to go through.”
“Did you find my file?” Cecil tensed in his arms.
“Yes, that we got.” He glanced up at her. “You are an amazing woman, Cecil. What they did…”
She glanced down at the floor. “I had no choice but to survive. I was trying to save my family, but I failed.”
Dane came over to them and lifted her chin. “What they did to you and your family… You’re lucky to be alive. We are all very proud of you, Cecil. You’ve helped many people. Thank you.”
She put her head on Tug’s chest and smiled. “I did nothing, but thank you.”
Mark and Rory came into the room, carrying groceries. Rory put bags down and came over to them, shaking his head. “I’m sorry, Cecil.”
He rubbed her neck.
“Where are the survivors?” She looked at the doctor.
“We’ve taken them to the pack’s clinic. Some of them had only been there for a year or less, but there are a few who had been there for as long as you were. It will take time, healing, and adjusting to their bodies.”
“I don’t think I’ll ever get used to it,” she mumbled into his chest.
“Cecil, why don’t you go finish your cooking, so we can talk to them?” He lowered her feet to the floor and kissed her. “We’ll get through this. Don’t give up hope.”
“I know.” She moved into the kitchen, unpacking the groceries.
Jaycee and Sheila stepped into the kitchen, helping her.
“Why don’t we talk outside? Cecil doesn’t need to hear any more today.” Tug and Rory moved outside with the men.
He turned and glanced at the doctor. “Did you get it?”
The doctor nodded and reached into the bag, pulling out two syringes. “Are you sure you want to do this? Once we inject you, there is no going back. Your wolf will be dominant, but the snake will be there.”
“Yes, I want it. She needs us.” Tug rolled up his sleeve, as did Rory. “What about children? When you inject us, will her venom kill us if she were to bite us?”
“From what I’ve read of her file, the venom in Cecil didn’t affect the others who were also injected with the same DNA. As far as children, there should be no problem. The children will have some of the same DNA, but it won’t be as strong as the parents.”
“Good. When will the change start?” Tug said as the doctor 45
pushed the needle into his vein and injected the serum into his blood.
“Immediately, from what I read in Cecil’s file.” He turned and injected Rory as Dane, Mark, and Remi stood and watched.
The serum was cold as it moved through his veins. His stomach clenched and he grabbed onto the truck. “Shit, this stuff hurts,” he snarled as his knees buckled and he fell to the ground.
Cecil stepped outside. Her eyes got large and she screamed. “No!
What the hell did you do?” She flew off the porch, but Remi caught her and carried her into the house, kicking and screaming.
“They can’t! Why are they doing it?” she cried.
Tug tried to turn his head to Rory, but once again his body jerked.
Fangs started to descend and his skin itched as it grew cold.
“You’re almost there. From what I read, it took her about ten minutes to change.” The doctor watched and waited. “The venom doesn’t get that strong for a couple of days, but you’ll be protected from hers now.”
Sam came around the corner and waited. Remi came out of the house, shaking his head. “You have one pissed-off mate. Jaycee and Sheila have her cooking right now, but she is going to blow again when she sees you two.”
Tug grunted as once again he tried to stand. Each limb felt like gel. His legs wobbled and he locked them in place. He threw his head back, glaring at the sky. “I’ll kill them, I swear, Remi, if I get my hands on any of those scientists.”
“I have a feeling you’ll have your chance. Rory, how are you feeling?”
“Like I’ve been run over by a snow plow,” he said, standing. “The senses are a little screwed up, but the wolf genes are slowly taking control again. The only true difference I feel are the fangs.”
Dane coughed in his hand. “Well, I’m afraid your tongue is a little different.”
“What?” He moved slowly to the side mirror on his truck, sticking out his tongue. “Well, damn, it’s narrower, but it’s not totally like a snake’s. It is a little longer, which could be good.” He grinned.
“Yeah, if she ever forgives us.” Rory glanced at Dane and Remi.
“So, how much danger is she still in now that the lab is known?”
Tug leaned against the truck, scanning the area.
“We can’t know for sure, but instead of wanting her back, they might try to exterminate her,” Dane said. “She is the one who got away, so to speak, and from what the records indicate, one of the first to be able to control the snake somewhat.” Dane nodded toward the door. “You two had 46
better go talk to her. Jaycee says she is ready to come out here again.”
On shaky legs, Tug and Rory made their way back into the house, followed by the others. Cecil sat at the dining room table, her hands covering her face. “How could you do this? Don’t you know there is no going back?” She looked up at them, her eyes all swollen and red.
Rory picked her up and sat her down in his lap as he took her seat.
He pulled up a chair and sat in front of her. “There was no choice, Cecil.
You are our mate. What you go through, we go through. You’ll never be alone again.” He cupped her cheek, rubbing his thumb on it.
“Why would you allow them to do this?” Cecil demanded of Remi. “You’re their alpha.”
Remi smiled. “I’m afraid they wouldn’t have listened even if I did say anything, but they are right in what they did. I would have done the same thing if it was Jaycee.”
“Are men just totally warped or what?” Cecil asked Jaycee, who laughed.
“Honey, they are all warped and believe me, all three of them would have done it.”
Cecil shook her head and got up, going to the patio door. “I should have died with my family. At least then, both of you would have had a normal life.”
Chairs fell to the floor and growls filled the room. Tug grasped her shoulders. “I don’t want to hear that ever again, do you hear me?” He shook her. “Would you have Rory and me without a mate for the rest of our lives? What about all those they saved because of your information?
Don’t they deserve a chance to live?”
Glancing around the room, she nodded. “I just wish both of you would have talked to me first. This affects us all.”
“Yes, it does, Cecil. We didn’t want you going through this alone.” Rory pushed his hand through his hair.
“But don’t you see? I’m still alone. You have the DNA in your system, but I have to live through the years of isolation, torture, and the memories of my family dying. No one can wipe that all away.” She moved to the kitchen, pulling the baking pans out.
“Cecil…”
“No, Rory. You did this, and I understand what you were trying to do, but no one will be able to understand what was done to me. The nights where I cried for hours on end just wanting to die, because they made me watch my mother being impregnated…” She slammed down the jar of sauce she took out of the bag.
“Baby…”
47
“Stop. Don’t you think I see how Sam looks at me, wishing I was Mom or Dad?” Sam stepped forward, but she shook her head. “It’s okay, Sam.
I
wish it was me there instead of here. Excuse me.” Cecil ran out of the kitchen and up the stairs, slamming the bedroom door behind her, leaning against it. She couldn’t catch her breath. Tears streamed down her face as she slid down to the door, collapsing on the floor. “Momma, I’m so sorry.”