“Have a seat,” Jackson invited, sitting down with his mate on a love seat.
Ian picked a club chair near Oracle and waited. This was Jackson’s show and he knew it. Looking around, he still didn’t see any one else which surprised him since it was customary in a small pack to have every member present when a new wolf entered their territory. Shit, now his wolf was whining.About what?Ian didn’t have a clue.
“Welcome to the Blackwood Pack, Dr. Wallace. Steel and I are so thankful you could help us out. Colton is not here at the moment; he’s down in Mexico, helping set up a new hospital and clinic for the shifters down there. The rest of my brothers are in Seattle for a mini vacation and should be back by Thursday.”
Colton in Mexico?Oh shit, my wolf is not happy.He thinks Colton is in danger down there and wants us to go there.Huh? No way. From what Oracle told him, Jackson was fiercely protective and he had three Dire Wolves on his side. So his wolf was wrong. Colton couldn’t be indanger because Jackson wouldn’t allow his brother to go somewhere danger existed. But the idea of his wolf being wrong didn’t sit right with him. Even with their disagreement about Ian taking a mate, he trusted his wolf and had relied on him more than once to avoid trouble. “Is Colton working with Dr. Luna?” Ian asked, hoping to reassure his wolf.
“Yes, he is. Do you know him?”
“I do. He’s a good doctor. I’ve worked with him in the past and learned a lot from him.”
“Well, Colton isn’t working there in a medical capacity; he’s helping Slate to get the equipment set up at the new hospital and clinic because Dr. Luna is busy with all the attacks on the shifters. And then, there’s the fire that just destroyed most of the old hospital, so they need Colton’s help.”
“Attacks? What Attacks?”
Steel spoke up. “For the last several months, Mexican Wolf shifters have been attacked regularly. Only a few fatal ones so far, but the number of them has been slowly increasing. My brother Slate is down there trying to figure out who’s responsible.”
Fucking damn! My wolf is right. Colton is in danger. Something is wrong down in Mexico and it isn’t the attacks.He knew these shifters. He wouldn’t find nicer, kinder, gentler ones anywhere. That was their problem and had led to their being killed by ignorant assholes. They’d finally retreated to the mountains and survived—but barely. Thanks to the gods, Dire Enterprises had started to help them.
“Do you know which predator is the attacker?”
“It’s a wolf shifter, but we can’t figure out why since there aren’t any territorial, economic or political issuesdown there. But the attacker has silver-tipped claws which prevent the victims from healing without medical help.”
Don’t stick your nose into it, Ian chastised himself, but his wolf had a different plan so he asked, “That’s a dangerous situation down there. Is Colton protected? Why did you let him go?”
Steel could feel Jackson tense up at Ian’s implication that he put his brother in danger.Fuck this doctor! How dare he question Jackson’s actions? What the hell’s wrong with him? He’s supposed to keep Jackson calm and here he is upsetting him.
Steel’s anger rose, but was stopped when Jackson squeezed his hand and said coldly, “Dr. Wallace, while I appreciate your concern about a member of this pack, you shouldn’t be. Steel will show you to your room and dinner will be at six. Please feel free to check out the medical facilities on the lower floor. I believe Colton left a file for you.” Rising, he left the room without a backward glance.
“Dr. Wallace, if you would follow me.”
Ian stood and, turning to Oracle, said, “See you at dinner,” before leaving.
Maximus, who was quiet during it all, turned to his wife and asked, “What just happened?”
Oracle smiled mysteriously, “My dear, you are watching Ian come to terms with his need for Colton.”
“I got that, but when did Jackson become so, so…”
“Alpha?”
“Yes,” said Maximus, “I know that sounds dumb because he’s an Alpha, but this is a new side I haven’t seen before.He put Ian in his place. Not that he didn’t deserve it, but…our Jackson?”
“Yes, our Jackson. Amazing isn’t it, like seeing a flower bud begin to open.”
Maximus studied his wife, wondering what she knew as the Oracle. But it was useless to pester her about her knowledge of Jackson; she would tell him when the time was right.
~/~/~/~/~
Ian paced his room, ignoring the exquisite décor, trying to deal with his wolf. Jackson had firmly put him in his place and he knew why. He was wrong to imply that Alpha Blackwood was not concerned about Colton’s safety. Of course Jackson was. His wolf had made him speak rudely. But he knew better.Why, oh, why did he say that? Damned wolf! No more!Oracle was counting on him to take care of Jackson. Not upset him.
Jackson wasn’t the only one affected by his comments. For a moment there, he thought Steel was going to shift. Ian saw the signs and panicked, knowing he wouldn’t be a match for the power of a Dire Wolf.Fuck! Oracle!What must she think of his rudeness and breach of pack etiquette? He must apologize to Jackson and his mate.Maybe before dinner.Yes,I can mend the bridge instead of burning it on my first day here.Feeling better after deciding on a plan, he left his room to check out the hospital.
He lost his way a few times as he navigated through the floors of the magnificent house but sniffing familiar medicinal scents, he found the steps leading down to the lower floor. Following his nose, he found the exam room and then spied the ultrasound machine in the corner.Ahh, that’s right. I need to check the file to see when Jackson is scheduled for the next one.He continued hisexploration and when he finally found the office set up for him, he saw the file Jackson spoke of on the desk.
He opened it and started to read. He was astounded at the thoroughness of Colton’s notes about Jackson’s pregnancy. It was a gold mine of information, filling in Ian fully on the development of the pup.Shit, this alone would be worthy of publication in the Paranormal Medical Association Journal.Now his curiosity was peaked.Who was this man and where did he go to school to learn such thoroughness?And then the realization hit him—he couldn’t pick up his scent.
Ian sniffed the folder, nope nothing there. He decided to sniff further as he chuckled to himself. Walking into the exam room, he could smell Jackson and Steel but no one else. The ultrasound machine also yielded no results. Entering Colton’s office he drew a blank as well.What the fuck?Colton was a timber wolf like Jackson and he should be able to pick up his scent.But come to think of it, there were no other scents in the house except for the four I met this afternoon.Why didn’t I realize the missing scents earlier? Yeah,I know why…my wolf…keeping me on edge about the danger Colton was in. Dammit.A conversation with Oracle was necessary. And very soon.
