Chapter 9
The next morning, Jasmine rolled over and decided not to get out of bed. With a lazy sprawl, she inhaled. The smell of bacon teased her nostrils.
“Now they cook,” she grumbled, and covered her head with a pillow. Her ex-husband had been a wolf or dual-natured shifter as they called themselves. Her sons were wolves. It still boggled her mind, and she’d made them prove it. They’d changed right before her eyes into huge animals.
Even then she saw Tyrese and Tyrone through the sad eyes of the beasts they’d become. Her sons, she’d given birth to them, breast-fed them, changed their diapers, and loved them unconditionally. Nothing had changed other than her feelings hurt because they’d kept her out of the loop.
A knock hit her door. “Mama?”
“Hmmm?”
“Breakfast. You want it in there?”
“No.”
There were muffled sounds on the other side of the door.
She smiled, crossed her legs, and placed her arms beneath her head.
“Uh, no, you don’t want your breakfast in your room, or no, you don’t want anything to eat?”
She wasn’t hungry, but they were trying so hard to make amends. “I’ll eat at the table.”
“Oh… okay. I’ll put your plate on the table, then.” She chuckled at the disappointment in Tyrese’s voice. Apparently, they’d been hoping she’d let them in her room like she did when they were younger and wanted to apologize. Nope. They were now adults and had made that argument one time too many. Swinging her legs over the side of the bed, she stretched and headed for the shower. They could wait a little longer.
Ten minutes later she walked into the living area. Her sons jumped up and met her as she walked to the table.
“Morning, Mom.”
“Morning.” She sat without looking at them.
Tyrone placed a warm plate with cinnamon raisin toast, bacon, eggs and hash browns in front of her.
She bit the inside of her lip to keep from smiling. They were pulling out all the stops. Hungry, she took a bite of toast and a sip of orange juice. The only sound in the room came from her.
Intent on eating her meal, she ignored Tyrese as he sat across from her. “Good?”
“Yes, thank you.”
He frowned.
Tyrone took the other seat at the table. “Do you want us to move out?”
The fork froze. Curious, she looked at him. She hadn’t thought about that, but maybe it was time. “Do they have more rooms?”
Tyrone bit his lip and turned away, but not before she read the pain in his eyes. She placed the fork on the table.
“Mom, I… we are sorry for not telling you everything, it was wrong. But please don’t shut us out of your life. Not that.” Tyrese took her hand. His eyes filled as he tightened his hold. “I can’t lose you. Tell me how to make this right, how can I make it up to you?”
It was time to set a few things straight. It pissed her off that she wouldn’t be able to hold onto her anger any longer. They’d been wrong, but she couldn’t allow them to suffer like this.
“We don’t live together. We haven’t in over a year. That’s the reason I asked. As far as what you did… it hurt. I mean it hurt buckets knowing I’ve been a part of your lives and didn’t know my own kids.” She shook her head, allowing the pain to pass through this time. “I still can’t believe how you pulled it off, but you did. I guess if I hadn’t stumbled across Callum, I still wouldn’t know.”
“The penalty for telling humans is death, Mom. Not just for the wolf, but for the human as well. We couldn’t risk you like that,” Tyrone said his voice low and filled with sorrow.
“Last night, you didn’t mention that.” She searched his face for the truth, and the fact that she now felt the need to do that, hurt.
He looked surprised. “I didn’t? Sorry. But that’s the first thing dad taught us. Never let the humans discover who we are.”
She grimaced. “Yeah, that’s me. Just a human.” No matter how true that designation proved to be, she despised it for becoming a dividing line between her and her sons.
“Mom.”
“It’s not like that.”
Her head snapped up to look at Tyrone and then Tyrese. They looked away as she spoke. “It’s exactly like that. And it always will be.”
The quiet filled the room until Tyrese stood, took her plate and placed it in the sink. “If you want us to move out, if that’ll make you happy, we will. I don’t want to, but I want you happy.”
Tyrone picked up her hand. “Be mad at me, but I’m not leaving. Not now. There’s time later on for us to be separated again, but not now.”
“You’re a brat.”
His lips curved into a smile. “True, but I’m your brat.”
“For now. One day you boys will have kids and I’m going to remember this day.” She rubbed her hands together.
“It’ll be awhile, so don’t get too excited,” Tyrese said as he retook his seat and her hand. “I love you, mom. I don’t ever want to see you look like you did last night. Whatever it takes to make you happy, I’m on board.”
“Me too.” Tyrone kissed the back of her hand.
“I love you both. You know that and figured I wouldn’t kill you because of that. Don’t get it twisted. I’m hurt and angry. In my mind you chose him over me and nothing you say will change that. But because I love you no matter what, I’ll allow you boys to stay here until Jayden finds me a smaller place of my own or I leave, whichever comes first.”
“Why?”
“Why?” She paused, marshalling her thoughts. “Because it’s time for me to do things I’ve always wanted. School or art classes. I’ve been putting things off for years. But the last few months I’ve been thinking about it more and more. I’m the only person who can make lasting changes in my life. Now that I know you have a group of people who’ll watch your backs, it’s a good time to make changes of my own, that’s all.” She paused, frowning. “How much longer do we have to stay here?” She looked at Tyrone and then Tyrese.
“I’m not sure. Silas and his team are doing research into your background, and dad’s. They’re trying to understand how you were able to get pregnant from dad. It doesn’t happen, since he’s… you know.”
She nodded. Uneasiness swamped her. “There’s more to this than what you told me last night, isn’t it?”
“Yes. Humans and wolves don’t mate. They don’t have kids together. It goes against everything wolves know and it’s worse because Rese and I are healthy, strong, potential Alpha wolves. Not weak or insane. They’d never heard of half-breeds surviving, not growing up healthy as we did. They’re not sure if it was our environment or dad’s genes or a combination. But it’s different and they have to study those differences to decide how it’ll impact their way of life.”
She nodded. “Why didn’t they just kill us?”
“Silas thought about it, they would have if we hadn't agreed to come here for testing and observation.”
“What?” She snapped. “I was kidding.” She looked from one to the other, neither smiled.
“Sorry.” Tyrone looked across the room.
“Are we in danger?” She hadn’t felt threatened, but then she didn’t realize she was living in a place with wolves either.
Tyrese pulled his earlobe and looked at her. “No, but there’s a small problem.”
Her stomach dropped. Whatever it was, it wasn’t small. Tyrese never got nervous. But when he did, he pulled his earlobe. “What is it and don’t lie to me, never again. Don’t lie, just tell me straight.”
He coughed, glanced at Tyrone, and then back at her. “Did something happen yesterday while you were saving Callum?”
“What?” She couldn’t follow the change in conversation.
“Yesterday… did you feel different? Strange? Did something happen while you were with him?”
“I… I’m not sure I understand what you mean by feeling different.” She struggled, trying to remember. “He was moaning and in pain. I felt bad for him. It reminded me of when you boys got hurt.” She shrugged. “What? Why’d you ask me that?”
There was a knock on the door. Tyrone jumped up so fast, she blinked. She craned her neck to see who was at the door.
“Morning.” The deep timbre of Silas’ voice touched her in places she’d forgotten existed. A tremor slid through her and settled in her core. Closing her eyes, she bit down on her lower lip as heat pooled between her legs along with a pulsating ache.
“Mom… mom,” Tyrese called as he shook her.
A low growl filled the room, pulling her from her side journey. As though in a fog, she looked across the room and blinked.
Tyrone and Tyrese had pressed Silas against the window.
She stood.
“Sit.”
Affronted, she placed her hands on her hips and gave him her what-did-you-say look. “Excuse you?”
“Mom, please can you sit back down? Please?” Tyrese begged while standing in front of Silas.
Shocked and concerned, she sat and crossed her arms over her legs.
“Thanks,” he said, sounding more relieved than the situation warranted. After a few moments of listening to deep and heavy breathing, she peeked at the window. Tyrone was bent over, resting his hands on his knees. Silas’ hands braced against the window frame, his nose pressed next to the screen. Tyrese stood in front of the other two, breathing hard as though he’d run a marathon.
“What’s going on?” she asked, confused by their actions. “Did I miss something?”
Tyrese waved at his brother. “Stay here.” Tyrone nodded as Tyrese walked to the table and sat. “The conversation we were having before Silas came in, remember?”
She nodded.
“You’d asked what else was going on, I was trying to understand what happened yesterday.”
She frowned, trying to follow him. “Yesterday?”
“Yeah.” He rubbed his neck and licked his lips a few times.
“Just tell me, Rese.” Her nerves couldn’t take much more of his hemming and hawing.
“You are throwing off what the other wolves consider a mating scent. Something must have triggered it yesterday. I’m—”
Her hand flew up to the base of her throat. “A what?”
He took a deep breath and then released it in slow degrees. “A mating scent. Pheromones or something like that, and it’s like a red flag.”
She shook her head. “A red flag? That doesn’t make sense.”
“Mom,” Tyrese said, his voice wobbled, and then he straightened in the chair. “Your body is throwing off a scent or signal to the wolves that you want to have sex.”
Her hands flew up to her mouth as her eyes widened.
“They smell it and it drives them crazy with lust. Rone and I don’t, but Silas did when he walked inside.”
“Oh my God.” She covered her face remembering her lust-filled thoughts a minute ago. A thought hit her. “Wait, what does this mean?” She paused, her eyes narrowed. “Is this why you and Rone are still here? The reason you’ve been here all morning?”
“Part of it. We couldn’t leave knowing you were mad at us anyway. We planned to talk to you about this and discuss the best way to handle it.”
“Handle it?” She didn’t understand what they expected her to do. She couldn’t control her thoughts.
“Silas, is there a way to stop this?” Tyrone asked the man standing behind him.
“It’ll stop when she’s no longer in need.”
“Damn,” Tyrese said.
“Watch your mouth,” she said automatically while thinking over Silas’s comments. “In need? Is that what this is about?”
“Mom…”
“Shush, Tyrese. I’m talking to Silas.”
“I believe so. You have to understand, we don’t know how things work with you. We are blind in a lot of ways. But when our bitches are in heat, a hard fucking session would clear up the situation.”
“Hey, watch it. You’re talking to my mom,” Tyrese said, standing, jaw clenched.
“Correct, she asked me a question, and I answered her, not you, Pup. Today is not the day to try me. I am walking on edge here. There are wolves circling below, should I leave and let you deal with them?”
“Tyrese stay out of it. Mom and Silas are talking.” Tyrone crossed his arms over his chest and looked out the window.
“The fact that I was thinking of having sex has got you like this?” She couldn’t believe that was all it was to it. “If that’s the case how do you guys get anything done?”
“Are you ovulating as well?” Silas asked, his face turned to the window.
“I don’t know. Does it matter?”
“Yes. Your body is primed and ripe during that time. But this feels different, I’m not sure why, but it’s stronger, more potent. Even my wolf is not immune, and that is rare.” The bite in his voice spoke of his displeasure of the situation.
“Okay, so if I have sex…”
“Ugh,” Tyrese groaned.
“Stop it son. I’m trying to solve a serious problem. I don’t want to get hurt and I don’t want you boys hurt either. So unless you have something positive to add to the conversation, keep quiet.”
He nodded but turned in his chair.
“So having sex will fix this?”
Silas inhaled and then released it. “I don’t know. Perhaps. That’s what happens with our females. You… you seem unaffected, that’s not the case with bitches. They ache and need fulfillment in the worse way.”
His words conjured up images that struck at her core. She bent forward.
“Damn it, Silas. Stop talking.” Tyrese grabbed her around her waist and drug her into her bedroom.
“Please, calm down, Silas. I can tell your wolf is close to the surface. It’s because she’s responding to you, isn’t it?” Tyrone asked nervous.
Silas tried to speak around the teeth crowding his mouth. He’d never lost control like this and he didn’t like it, not one bit. She was human for shit’s sake.
“That may have something to do with it,” Silas growled. The little tease wanted him, and his wolf responded to her siren call. He didn’t want added complications by linking himself to her.
“Silas, I don’t want to lose my mom. When you first got here there were two wolves downstairs, now there’s more than ten. No way Rese and I can hold off all of them. Please, tell me how to fix this. She wouldn’t be in this mess if it weren’t for me.”
Silas understood the misplaced guilt on the young wolf’s shoulder. And he knew they’d die to protect their mother. But it wasn’t that simple. “Get your brother out here, but leave your mom in her room. I can breathe and think better with her in there.”
Tyrone nodded and sent his brother a message through their link. A minute or two passed before the bedroom door opened and Tyrese came forward.
He stopped a few feet from them, crossed his arms and braced his legs apart. “Yeah?”
“Silas wants to talk to us and we should hear him out.”
Tyrese nodded. Something loosened in Silas’ chest. He didn’t want to destroy either of these young wolves, but they had to agree to stand back if they didn’t want their mother to be raped by one of the circling wolves.
“Your mother wants me. That’s the reason her pheromones spiked when I entered the room. Once we opened the window her scent hit the compound and now there’s a collection of randy wolves downstairs. Jayden is trying to contain them and I have warded the door.” He pointed to the entrance. “We cannot punish the wolves for being themselves anymore than we’d punish your mother for her desires.” He paused, watching Tyrese’s fist open and close.
“I can take her, drain off her energy.”
“Take her?” Tyrese asked, his eyes narrowing.
“What word would make it easier for you?” Silas snapped, growing frustrated. Despite what his wolf wanted, he wasn’t too keen on lying with a human. He didn’t speak to them, let alone touch them.
Tyrese turned away.
“Is this the best solution?” Tyrone asked, his brow furrowed trying to work through this complicated problem.
Silas resisted the urge to run his hand through his hair. “Like I told your mom, I don’t know. This shouldn’t be happening at all. I don’t understand why she’s affecting our wolves in this manner.”
Tyrese turned, stuffed his hands in his pockets, and looked at Silas. “Would you talk with her, explain everything and give her a choice? I can’t do it. This… this is my mom and I can’t, don’t, see her the same way you do. Maybe, Rone is right and we need to step back and let the two of you work things out.” His lips twisted in a rueful expression. “You may be right in your assessment; she didn’t seem upset at the idea of the two of you.”
Silas appreciated the level of trust from the young wolves and their ability to think along rational lines in the midst of conflict. They’d make fine Alphas one day. He nodded and walked to the door. Before opening it, he looked back at them. “It might be better if she doesn’t know you’re out here, listening, if you get my drift.”
The twins’ faces dropped and they all but ran to their rooms.
He chuckled.