“Positive! Will you two take care of the twins for us? Steel, please book us a flight to Edinburgh immediately and figure out how we can get to the airport fast. It’s amatter of life or death. We’ll be ready to go in ten minutes,” Dylon said. Without waiting for a reply, he and Cody rushed to their bedroom to pack.
It suddenly hit Jackson that Dakota might die. Looking at Steel, he knew his mate felt the same about Slate. “Babe, what if Cody and Dylon can’t save them?” Jackson whispered, refusing to give weight to his words by not saying them out loud.
“Mo chroí…believe…we must believe…we have to believe everything will turn out all right,” Steel said, taking his mate in his arms, gathering him tight to his chest, and giving Jackson a kiss on his forehead. “Now, let’s help them so they can save Dakota and Slate.”
Jackson nodded, then stepping back, said, “Go book them a flight, I’ll check on the twins and make sure they’re all right. Meet you back here in ten minutes.”
Steel was dialing his phone, watching as Jackson headed toward Cody’s suite. As soon as his call was answered, Steel tersely explained he needed a helicopter at the pack house in twenty minutes and a private jet to take Cody and Dylon to Edinburgh. Then he headed to see his mother.
Knocking on Cody’s door, Jackson opened it, walked in and saw his brother packing two bags. “Hey, I thought I’d move the twins’ portable cribs into Daniel’s room while you’re gone, if that’s okay with you.”
Cody thought for a minute, then nodded. “That’d probably be for the best. It’s just been in the last week they’ve felt more secure here and the bond they have with Daniel will help them when they realize their parents are gone.”
Jackson ran to Cody, tears forming in his eyes as he pulled his brother into a hug. “Don’t feel guilty, Cody,”Jackson said, “I know how hard it must be for you to leave your pups but I promise you, Steel and I will make sure they have lots of love and attention and Daniel will make them feel safe because he’s so protective. And you know Carson and Zane will fight over whose turn it is to play with them. Trust me, when you return, they’ll be over the moon to see their daddies again.”
Dashing the tears from his eyes, Cody looked at Jackson, thankful his brother understood how he felt. “Thanks,” said Cody, “I know they’ll be taken care of. It’s just the first time I’m…we’re leaving them and I never realized it would be so hard.”
Holding Cody’s hand, Jackson said, “Of course it’s hard, sweetie, you love them so much. I know how I’d feel if the shoe was on the other foot and I had to leave Daniel. But the good thing is, you have Steel and me to fill in for you until you get back and they’ll be so spoiled, trust me.”
Sniffling, Cody nodded. “I know.”
~/~/~/~/~
Steel knocked once, then walked into his parents’ suite. Spying his mother reading in a chair next to the window, he sat down opposite her. Then he burst out, “Mother, Cody had a vision about Dakota and Slate being in danger, so much danger they insist on leaving as quickly as possible because, as Dylon said, it’s a matter of life or death.”
Oracle didn’t look up from her book when she heard Steel speak. Instead, she closed her eyes, and said a prayer to the gods to please save her son and Dakota. Fighting back tears, she kept her head down, asking, “When are they leaving?”
“Mother did you hear me! Your son is in mortal danger! What I want to know is if he’s going to live! And will Dakota survive? Mother will you please look at me,” Steel demanded.
“Why are you raising your voice to your mother, son?” asked Maximus as he walked into the sitting room and stood next to his wife.
“Because Slate’s life is at risk and she won’t look at me or answer my questions,” Steel said.
“You know as well as I do if your mother won’t answer your questions it’s because she can’t. Steel, you were raised to be better than how you’re behaving right now. Stop berating your mother for things she has no control over and apologize,” ordered Maximus.
Embarrassed at his father’s rebuke, Steel said, “I’m sorry Mom. My only defense is my worry about my brother and his mate.”
Oracle raised her face, tears rolling slowly down her cheeks, pain reflected in her eyes. “Would you please tell Cody and Dylon I would like to speak with them before they leave?”
Steel was unnerved. Never in his life had he seen his mother cry. Shaken to the core, dread filled his mind at what might happen to his brother. Incapable of speaking lest he break down, Steel nodded as he rose and, kissing his mother on the cheek, left the suite, needing time to compose himself before Jackson saw him.
Maximus watched his son leave, then, turning to his wife, scooped her up and carried her over to the love seat, placing her on his lap. Her sobs hurt him deeply, but he could do nothing except hold and comfort his mate as best he could. Time after time, he’d seen the impossible situations being an Oracle placed her in, and while attimes, he wished she wasn’t one when he saw her suffer, Maximus was very proud of her ability and loved her deeply. Her honor was beyond reproach; she was the voice of the Fates on earth. But when she suffered during times like these, it was painful for both of them.
~/~/~/~/~
Cody was crying as he cuddled Jessica in his arms, kissing her all over, then whispering how much he loved her and promising he’d be back. After handing her to Dylon, he picked up Jake, cuddling and kissing his son, giving him words of love and a promise to return. Then, wiping away his tears, Cody took Jake, followed by Dylon and Jessica, to Jackson’s study where the twins were placed in the playpen with Daniel.
After blowing kisses to their pups, Cody and Dylon joined Steel for a briefing about their travel arrangements. Along with credit cards, cash and other documents, Steel handed them a letter for Groose, informing him that Dylon was in charge.
“Thanks,” Dylon said, “I’ll call you once I’ve assessed the situation.”
“I appreciate that. My mother has asked to see you before you go; you have about ten minutes before the chopper lands,” Steel said.
“Okay, we’ll go see her now,” Dylon said, then he and Cody were gone.
Steel had avoided looking at Jackson since he left his mother, but when his mate walked over and gave him a hug, he finally looked at the face of the man who he loved with every fiber of his heart.
“Babe, what did your mother say? Is it bad?” asked Jackson.
