Jackson spoke. “No Kieran. It’s not an order but I’d appreciate it very much if you’d do this for me. As Alpha, it’s my job to make sure all my pack members are healthy and well taken care of. After what happened, especially to you, I would be neglecting my responsibilities if I didn’t make sure you haven’t suffered any long-term damage.”
Kieran knew Jackson meant well, but he couldn’t do it. He nodded but promised himself he’d find a way to avoid it. There was no way he could do it.
Chapter 3
Frank’s white-knuckled grip on his phone showed how pissed he was as he listened to his secretary tell him about recent developments regarding Jackson’s complaint against the Silver Point Pack. He had asked her to go to his house to check on things and while there she called him to let him know.Josiah! Fuck that asshole! I have underestimated him. This latest move is damned clever.Well, Jackson will find out soon. I only hope he has some way to prove his and his brothers’ innocence.“Thanks for the update,” he said to her, “and for your discretion. I’ll be back soon.”
After ending the call, Frank threw his phone down on his desk. He wanted to warn Jackson but couldn’t risk it. He didn’t know what the Alpha of the Silver Point Pack hoped to gain by this latest move, but he’d figure it out. In the meantime, it was time to talk to Lizzie about going home.Not that I want to. For the first time since he could remember, he was enjoying doing nothing but spending time with his grandpups. It amazed him how much Jake and Jessica had grown in just two weeks. He’d missed that with Dylon, and could now understand why his wife held their son in her arms for most of his first year of life.
Retirement from the High Council had flitted through his mind often during these last two weeks, but he knew unless he could figure out what he wanted to do instead, that wasn’t going to happen. He was a man who needed to be useful and busy and while he enjoyed spending time with Jake and Jessica, it could not be the only thing to occupy his life. He’d have to decide soon because he knew Lizzie wanted to live near Dylon and Cody and her grandpups, even though she never said a word to him about it. And if he was honest with himself, he was getting tired of the politics that went with his position.Grabbing his phone, he headed out to find Lizzie and the twins.
~/~/~/~/~
The boys followed Cody out of Jackson’s office, eager to begin their internships. Kieran was happy neither of his friends had been assigned to Logan although he didn’t want to think too much about why, but if Kieran was honest, he already knew Logan belonged to him. Looking up from his musings, he realized he was lagging behind and he rushed to join his friends and Cody in the kitchen.
“Hi bro, here’s your new intern, Theodore. Any questions from either of you?” Cody asked, shifting his eyes between his brother and Theodore. “No? Good, I’ll leave him in your capable hands, Dakota. Enjoy the experience, Theo.”
Cody ushered out his other two wards and led them downstairs to the hospital. Stopping in front of Colton who was sitting behind the nurse’s station, Cody waited until his brother finished entering data into the computer.
Kieran hadn’t been down here before, so he seized the opportunity to look around. Other than the desk he was in front of, there wasn’t much to see other than the hospital room across the hall. Peeking inside, Kieran was impressed at how nice it looked—soothing colors, comfortable furniture for visitors and a homey feeling that immediately put him at ease. He wondered if Logan designed the rooms but before he could engage his brain, he asked, “Yo, Colton, these are some nice digs. Did Logan design them?”
Colton finished typing before looking up at Kieran. “No, I did.”
“You? Huh, who’d guess? Not me that’s for sure. I thought you were a nurse so is this a hidden talent ofyours? Does Logan know? Oh shit…my bad, you don’t like his designs, do you? Well, I won’t tell but I think he is gonna figure it out himself.”
“Kieran! What the fuck are you talking about?” asked Cody.
“What? The room! Look at it!” Kieran said as he waved his arm at the hospital room.
“I designed them all and picked out the colors and furniture and everything,” Colton said, glancing at the room Kieran pointed to. “I took a course in college that taught me about hospital room design.” He looked at Kieran. “Wow, so you know about design? Cody, maybe you should assign him to Logan…you know, see if he has an aptitude for it. Maybe he can teach our brother something.”
“Maybe, but I put him with Zane first so maybe afterwards,” said Cody.
“Hello! I’m right here. What is it with you oversized, over-muscled dudes? Are you trying to piss me off on purpose or is it just your lack of social graces?” demanded Kieran.
“Hey Ki, I’m sure they didn’t mean anything by it,” interjected Norman, trying to calm his friend down.
“Sure, they didn’t. This is the second time today,” Kieran said.
“Sorry,” offered Colton, smirking. “Let me rephrase my question. Hey Kieran, I’m impressed you noticed my design work. I see you have a keen eye and I wondered if you have looked at any of the design work Logan has done, such as Jackson’s bedroom or Daniel’s nursery. Have you critiqued Logan’s work? Would you like to teach him about design?”
Kieran’s jawed dropped. The asshole was making fun of him. Snapping his mouth shut and narrowing his eyes, he looked at Colton and then Cody before giving them the finger and walking away. “I don’t need a babysitter. I can find my own way to Zane. Thank you very much…for nothing.”
“Ki,” cried Norman, “come back. Colton didn’t mean anything.” And when Kieran continued to walk away, Norman swirled on Colton and Cody and let his bear come forth. “You are fucking assholes, both of you. You hurt my friend’s feelings. The friend who made it possible for me to survive in that hell my parents put me in. You want to know what he did? He saved my life and Theodore’s also. And every other shifter who was chained up in Arald’s hell. You want to know how? I’ll tell you since you couldn’t be bothered to ask. Kieran unchained us every chance he got and allowed us to shift so we could heal from the crap Arald did. Go ahead, do your fucking exam and you know what you will find? Nothing! That’s because of Kieran! And you know what else? Kieran paid the price for his help! So, no, you don’t get to make fun of my friend and if I ever hear you doing it again, you will face me and Theodore. You. Will. Not. Hurt. Kieran. Again. Do I make myself clear?”
Cody cleared his throat. “Clear as glass, Norman. And no, I didn’t know that about Kieran. I only knew he was whipped and beaten many times and I assumed it was because he gave everyone extra food. As for what Kieran went through? I know, Norman. I felt every blow and every stroke of the whip that touched Kieran. I respect him tremendously and thanked the Fates many times for helping me save him. I’ll apologize to him. Colton didn’t mean anything by his crap…that’s how my brothers tease each other. I just never considered how it would appear to someone else.”Fuck! That didn’t sound right.“WhatI mean is, Colton treated Kieran as one of his brothers, so he didn’t think he would take it as an insult. But I should have realized Kieran hadn’t been here long enough to know that, and for that I’m sorry, to him and to you, too.”
“No, Kieran doesn’t know it,” Norman continued. “You may have felt the physical blows…whatever that means. But did you hear the verbal blows Arald gave Kieran? He was treated far worse than any of us. We at least had a bed to lie down in. Kieran slept in a fucking cage every night, unable to stretch out but forced to curl up like a dog. It was a four by four-foot cage, assholes. All those years, every fucking night! He is the strongest person I have ever met. Far stronger than the biggest Alpha bear in my den. And far stronger than either of you two.”
Colton spoke. “Norman, I’m sorry. I never intended to offend Kieran. Honestly! Cody is right. I was teasing Kieran, the same way I tease any of my brothers. I promise you, I will make this right with Kieran and I won’t do it again.”
“You don’t owe me an apology,” Norman said, then giving a hard look at Cody, continued. “You of all people know what we went through…what Kieran went through. Theo and I were wary of coming here, but you know why we agreed? Because Kieran said he trusted you. You! And what the fuck do you do? You treat him as a child, someone who can’t make a decision, someone who needs an overgrown dog to take care of him. Well, he doesn’t need you or this pack. He has us and we will take care of him and show him proper respect. I’m talking to Theo and Kieran tonight. If they want to leave, we’ll be leaving in the morning.” And with that, Norman stormed down the hall and up the stairs.
Colton was stunned.How the fuck did they get to this point?Glancing at his brother, he was shocked to findCody very pale and shaking violently, Colton could hear his brother’s teeth clattering. “Cody? Cody? What the fuck? You’re shaking. Sit down here. Are you all right? You want me to get Ian?” asked Colton. “IAN, I NEED YOU!”
Norman’s words sent Cody into a panic and he called for Dylon through their mind link. He’d fucked up so badly.What was I going to do if they left? How stupid can I be?He failed the first assignment the Fates gave him.Why? Suddenly, he felt his mate sending love through their life thread along with reassuring words through their mind link.Where is he? I need him now.
Dylon rushed up to them and lifted Cody into his arms. “My pet, I’m here. Everything will be all right,” Dylon crooned as he sat down hugging his mate. He looked up at Colton asking, “What happened? Did he have a vision?”
