“Because I didn’t want to worry you about it until I had more information. At that time, I didn’t know Silver Point wanted to mine gold on the land,” replied Steel.
“Don’t give me that crap,” Jackson said angrily. “I’m your Alpha, and you know what you did was wrong. I decide whether something is important to the pack, not you. So, stop the bullshit. I won’t have you making decisions for me.
“You may be the dominant wolf in our personal relationship—and I have no problem submitting to you—but you arenotthe Alpha of the Blackwood Pack, so you need to get your head straight about your role in this pack,” snapped Jackson.
“What’s more, Steel, you put me in danger today.” Jackson heard his mate gasp, but continued, “If you’d told me about Khan that day, I’d have told you he was my cousin. I don’t know if he took part in the massacre but at the very least he knew it was going to happen!”
Jackson liked some of his cousins but he didn’t like most of the Silver Point Pack because he always sensed a streak of cruelty running through them. But who he liked or didn’t was moot now, since nobody could be trusted in that pack anymore.
Steel was horrified?his mate was right. He’d put Jackson and his brothers in danger by not telling him about Khan. If he’d done what his father had advised and not kept quiet, none of this would have happened. It was only by pure luck his mate was able to get away before he was discovered.What a clusterfuck! And I’ve no one to blame but myself.
“You’re right.” he said, sighing heavily. “I’m sorry and I promise to tell you everything from now on, babe.” He reached over and put his hand over his mate’s hand, needing to feel close to Jackson. He hoped his mate would forgive him for his mistake.
Jackson was still fuming inside even though he knew Steel was just trying to protect him. But this was the closest he’d come to a member of the Silver Point Pack since the massacre and even though Khan didn’t see him, the whole episode brought back the fears that had taken root in his heart after he heard about it.
What made it worse was that only yesterday he’d found out why Silver Point killed his family. His anger over their motives was still too fresh and hadn’t settled yet. Jackson wondered if Khan participated in the killings; in his heart, he hoped not.
He, Kahn, and Logan were all about the same age and became close as they grew up. Jackson knew his cousin was supposed to be away at school when the massacre occurred but now wondered if Khan came home early to take part in it.
Even if Kahn wasn’t one of the killers—did he know what was being planned? Jackson huffed. As if that mattered, because if Khan knew and did nothing to warn Jackson’s father, then he was just as guilty as those who did the actual butchery.
As they drove on, Jackson intertwined his fingers with Steel’s, drawing his mate’s hand to his mouth and kissing it. He loved him with every fiber of his body, realizing if he continued to be angry over Steel’s actions, he’d be guilty of hurting his mate over an innocent mistake.
His mate had apologized and Jackson hoped Steel learned his lesson about not keeping him in the dark. Turning, he smiled and looked at his mate. “Well, luckily we escaped by the hair on our chinny-chin-chins!” he giggled. Steel started to laugh and the tension broke.
Chapter 23
Steel appreciated his mate’s effort to lighten the mood between them on theway home after what could have been a disaster. But the episode had strengthened his resolve to question everything that might endanger his mate and unborn pup. Driving up to the pack house, he felt the move to his land couldn’t happen fast enough. He only hoped his mate thought the same.
Cody, Colton, and Carson were sitting on the porch drinking beers. Steel got out and opened Jackson’s door for him. “You guys here to help carry in the mountain of food we got?” Steel joked. The brothers grinned at each other and Cody yelled back, “Nah, we thought we’d just watch you get your exercise today. Ya know, keep you strong for the bedroom activities we hear at night.”
Jackson’s ear tips turned pink and before Steel could reply, he said, “Don’t worry, bros, we got this covered. I guess you need more chores to do if you have all this free time to sit around drinking beers in the middle of the afternoon.” Jackson turned, reaching to take a bag from his mate, but before he could, the three brothers pushed them both aside, grabbing bags from the back of the Range Rover. “You guys go in,” Cody said, “we got this.”
~/~/~/~/~
Steel and Jackson were sitting in the den, waiting for everyone to come in for the short meeting. One by one, the brothers arrived, claiming their favorite places. When they were all seated, Jackson began.
“As you know, Steel has been investigating the Silver Point Pack, trying to figure out what was so valuable about our land they felt they had to kill for it. Well, he’s found the answer.” Jackson handed Logan copies ofSlate’s email with the application which he passed out to his brothers. Jackson waited while they read the documents. The reactions were swift in coming.
“Those sons of bitches!!!”
“Is this for real??”
“We have to kill them!!!”
“What the fuck???”
“Why???”
Jackson heard his brothers heatedly talking over and to each other. He gave them time to vent their emotions then, holding up his hands, said, “Enough.” After they fell silent, he spoke. “I know how you feel but we’re not going to kill them—at least not now. We wouldn’t stand a chance against Silver Point—they’re a much larger pack. Instead, I’ve decided on a different course of action.
“Tomorrow, I’ll be faxing a complaint to the Universal Paranormal High Council against the Silver Point Pack for the massacre of the Fox River Pack. As soon as it’s received, our uncle will get a call from the Council informing him of the complaint.” Jackson looked at each of his brothers before saying, “That should make him back off about hunting us, at least until this is resolved.” Pausing to see if his brothers had any questions and, when none were forthcoming, he continued. “In addition, according Slate’s email, since he feels we’re in even more danger than before, we’ll be moving to Steel’s compound. The house is big enough for all of us and he’s going to hire a squad of enforcers to patrol his land so no intruders can get close to any of us.”
Cody exchanged glances with Colton and Carson then asked, “Why can’t we stay here and the enforcers patrol this land?”
Dakota broke in before Jackson could answer. “Is there a kitchen there outfitted like ours?”
Jackson answered Dakota first. “Yes, you’ll find everything you need in Steel’s kitchen.” Then he hesitated slightly before going on, because he knew what he was about to say would affect Zane the most. “Cody, today while we were shopping, I almost ran into Khan, our cousin. And Steel tells me he and Maximus ran into him on the Fox River Pack land when they were there. While one time might be a coincidence, two times is a pattern—and one I don’t like. Steel’s land is further north and his house is surrounded by 200,000 acres which are fenced. That’s a safer place for us until this mess is sorted out by the High Council.”
