“I’ll talk it over with my sons and get back to you. Do you have any preference as to where you’d like to go?”
“No sir…except some place out of the country.”
“Would this be a permanent move?” asked Slate.
“Yes, at least for the foreseeable future,” Carson said.
“Is there a deadline for your departure?” asked Slate.
“Not really, but I’d like to leave sooner than later,” Carson replied.
Maximus rose, signaling the end of the meeting. “Understood. In the meantime, please proceed as per your recommendations on the grant applications.”
After his bosses left the room, Carson slumped back in his chair and took a deep breath. A small smile formed on his face before expanding to a wide one as he realized neither Maximus nor Slate said no to his request. Gathering up his stuff, Carson felt happier than he’d been in a long time. He was on the right track.
~/~/~/~/~
Two hours later, Mac closed the last medical file, dropping it onto his desk, staring at it in stunned disbelief. Thinking back to his conversation with Sawyer and Robin about the power of the Shaman, he realized it was nothing compared to what he’d just learned.An Alpha/Omega hybrid…two of them…mated to Dire Wolves who are apparently no longer extinct. Holy shit, Daniel is one of them! My second cousin is a Dire Wolf.
Shuffling through the files again, he pulled out the Shaman’s, flipping it open.Another male omega with powers given to him by the gods...I’ve never seen anything like this before.Momentary panic hit him as he realized the enormity of the responsibility before him.What if I make a mistake? What if something happens through no fault of my own? Then what? What about Hunter if that happens? Will my cousins blame him for my failure?
“The answer is ‘no’,” Colton said, leaning against the doorframe.
Startled, Mac looked up. “You can read minds, too?”
“I don’t have too…you were thinking out loud.”
“Fuck!”
“You read about Jackson, right?”
“Yup…I’m still trying to wrap my head around it…an Alpha/Omega hybrid…how fucking rare is that?”
Colton smiled. “As far as I know there are only two in the world…but getting back to your concerns, Jackson was dying and there wasn’t anything Ian could do to help him. None of my brothers, me included, had any thoughts about blaming him for what was happening to our Alpha. It’s life…and my brothers and I know only too well how shit can happen.”
“Butyousaved him.”
“Yes. It was the first time I used my power…the power I never wanted…but when I was standing there, watching my brother’s life ebb from his body, it all became very clear to me why I was given it. And in that moment of clarity, I thanked the gods and Fates for deeming me worthy enough to receive Raphael’s power.”
“I don’t have your power.”
“No you don’t, but it doesn’t matter. My power is only one method of helping someone, it’s not the only one. For instance, no matter how much I want to help my mother, my power is useless on her. But look at what you did. You kept her alive after her sister died until Kieran could help her. I read your notes…I know what you did and, frankly, I’m in awe of your skills. You did everything possible and then, when none of it worked anymore, you went outside the box and tried new things, all in an effort to keep her alive until she got here. I know how impossible it is to keep someone alive who doesn’t want to live, and yet you did it for months.”
Embarrassed by his cousin’s praise, Mac’s cheeks grew red. “She’s family,” he muttered.
“True,” Colton said, tilting his head, studying his cousin. “You should know I’m very protective of my mate…Alpha genes and all that…especially now that he’s pregnant.”
“Totally understandable.”
“But you should also know I’m very happy Ian will be under your care.”
“You are? Why? Frankly, I don’t know why I was given this assignment; there are far more experienced doctors in Frontline,” Mac said.
“Yes, I know, but Oracle picked you and she’s never wrong,” Colton chuckled. “If she knows you’re capable enough to handle Dakota’s Dire Wolf pregnancy, then I have no doubt you’ll deliver three healthy pups for Ian and me.”
“That’s what worries me,” Mac frowned. “I know nothing about a Dire Wolf pregnancy.”
“Neither did I. But Ian sent me a bunch of stuff which I’ll dig out for you and you do have Jackson’s medical records as a guide,” Colton assured him.
