14
"Jared," Tommy said as he knocked on the door again. "I'm sorry to interrupt y'all, but I need to talk to you about something."
Jared turned and looked at Tommy where he stood in the doorway, his expression serious for once instead of jovial and joking.
"What's up, Tommy?"
"It's about Alpha Jordan-" he began.
"Schmuck," Angel muttered under her breath, causing Jared to look at her quizzically. She just shook her head at the question in his eye.
"You caught that too?" Tommy asked her.
"Caught what?" Jared asked as he looked back and forth between his brother and his mate.
Angel looked up at him as he stood beside her, one arm wrapped around his waist before glancing back at Tommy. Sighing, she nodded her head and looked down at the ground. "Let's head to your office, and have a sit down."
Jared laced his fingers with hers and tugged her down the hallway, Tommy following behind them. Once they reached the office, Jared released Angel's hand and took his seat behind his desk, accidentally bumping the computer mouse and waking the screen up. He glanced at the computer screen, noticing a flashing email icon as he adjusted himself in the seat before motioning towards Angel and pulling her into his lap when she came near.
"What's that?" Angel asked, nodding towards the screen when she also noticed the flashing icon.
"I don't know," Jared said as he clasped his hands as they were encircled around her. "Probably spam. I'll check it later."
"Go ahead and check it now. We'll wait."
Jared glanced at Tommy, quirking an eyebrow in his brother's direction, asking if he minded with a single look. Tommy nodded and Jared reached one hand for the mouse to click on the icon to open the email program. He frowned as he realized the email wasn't spam, but a messege from another alpha.
"What is it?" Angel asked as she noticed the furrow his frown caused between his eyes.
"It's an email from an Alpha in California," Jared told her as he clicked on the new email and opened it.
"Why would an Alpha from California be writing you, " Tommy asked, walking over to read over Jared's shoulder.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
TO: ALPHA MICHAELS
FROM: ALPHA WILLIAMSON
SUBJECT: UNKNOWN FEMALE
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Dear Alpha,
I am writing you in regards to an email you sent out to an acquaintance about an unknown shifter you recently came in contact with. They didn't have any idea who the girl was, but forwarded the email on, thinking someone else might be able to identify the young lady. I received the email and was shocked when I opened it.
A little over eighteen and a half years ago, I met my mate, Rebecca. She was a beautiful young thing, with blond hair, ice blue eyes, and a smile that could melt your heart. We both recognized each other, and made plans to marry once she turned eighteen. We did, however, go ahead and complete the mating bond.
Her younger brother was not pleased with this because she was in line to become Alpha, and unless she renounced the title, it would merge our two packs. She did not step down, and he tried to convince her father our arrangement would not work and wanted him to make him the pack heir. Their father did not comply with his son's wishes.
Two weeks before our wedding, Rebecca went missing. Her father, as well as I, searched relentlessly for her, but we never found her. I was especially heartbroken. Rebecca had recently confessed she was expecting our child.
The young lady you described in your email sounds an awful lot like my dear Rebecca. I was wondering if you had any more details you could share with me so that I might be able to know if she was my beloved mate's child. Rebecca had a small birthmark on her left breast that looked somewhat like a strawberry. Does the girl you saw have one there as well? Any other information you might have found out that you could share would be greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
Alpha Derrick Williamson
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Angel gasped as she read the email, her hand automatically raising to cover her own left breast. Jared turned to look at her, a question in his blue eyes as his gaze met hers. She nodded. She also had a small birthmark in the shape of a strawberry.
"What do you think this means?" Tommy asked. He, too, had read the email, and seen Angel's reaction. "Do you think it's possible that his mate and Robert's sister are the same woman?"
"Anything is possible," Jared said as he sat back in his chair, his arm still around a stunned Angel. "What do you think, Little One?"
Angel jumped when Jared spoke to her. Her mind had been reeling since she finished reading Alpha Williamson' s email. If what he claimed to be true really did happen, then that meant she could possibly be this man's daughter, she realised. Shaking her head, she brought her attention back to Jared, and why they had come into his office in the first place.
"Send him my picture, and see if he says I resemble his mate," she said before taking a deep breath. "One thing's for sure; his story and Robert's story are remarkedly similar. The women they lost are both named Rebecca, both women match my discription, and they both disappeared around the same time."
"You know what it will mean if it turns out they're the same woman, don't you, Little One?" Jared asked as he quickly sent a response.
"It will mean that not only is it possible that I might be the niece of an Alpha, but I might also be the daughter of one as well."
Jared nodded in agreement. "It would explain your ability to shift in mid-leap like you did in the forest the other day. I just thought it was because Robert really is your uncle, and that you have strong Alpha blood in your line. But if Alpha Williamson is your father, that would make so much more sense."
Angel looked at Jared quizzically before she opened her mouth to ask him what he meant, but Tommy cut her off bevore she could speak.
"Angel can shift mid-leap?!"
Angel nodded again, a small frown creasing her forehead. "Can't everyone?" she asked, looking back and forth between the two brothers in confusion.
"No, Little One," Jared said as Tommy shook his head in wonder. "Only powerful wolves, usually ones who are Alphas, or their betas can shift that fast. It's a survival trait. We have to be able to defend our packs long enough to allow them time to shift so they can either run to safety, or join us. It wouldn't do for our leaders to have to take precious moments to shift. Those few moments could be the difference between life and death."
"Oh," Angel said. "Yea, that makes sense. I just thought every wolf could shift that quickly. I never really thought it was something especially special about me."
"Nope," Tommy said, shaking his head. "Only the bestest of us can pull it off. That's pretty awesome, bro," he said with a wink at Jared. "Not only is your mate a white wolf, but it seems like she's wicked strong as well. We'll have to test you, Angel. See how well you match up against the enforcers."
"What's so special about being a white wolf?" Angel asked, looking between the two men in the room. "And how did you know we're mates? We haven't completed the bond yet."
"The way you two look at and act at around each other is a pretty good give away," Tommy laughed, causing Angel to blush as she glanced at Jared, trying to guage his reaction to Tommy's declaration.
When Jared just grinned at Tommy, Angel cleared her throat. "So what's special about wolves?"
"Black wolves and white wolves are extremely rare," Jared spoke this time. "Only about one out of every three thousand is a white wolf. Blacks are even rarer. Usually they're Alphas, or their mates."
"But we're getting off topic," Tommy said as he nodded back to the computer on the corner of Jared's desk. "If Alpha Williamson's Rebecca is the same Rebecca as Robert's, then why didn't Robert say anything about it this afternoon?"
"Because he's a douche," Angel replied without thinking. Jared glanced sharply at his mate, but Tommy spoke before he could.
"Glad I'm not the only one who thinks that, sis."
Jared glanced back and forth between his brother and his mate, hoping one or the other would say something more. When niether of them spoke for several moments, he gave a weary sigh. "Okay, what's up? Why don't we like Robert, other than him being a douche?"
"There's something off with him, Jared," Tommy said as he looked at his brother. "When you two were talking, he kept staring at Angel."
"What's wrong with that?" Jared said, wrapping his arm around her waist. "Angel is beautiful. Besides, he had just met a woman who could be his neice."
Tommy shook his head as he spoke. "That's not it. The look he gave her was full of malice, not awe. Then, when you two started whispering, he turned to his enforcers and spoke quietly with them. I don't know what they were talking about, but from their body language, I could tell it wasn't just about the Thunder."
"Not to mention, he couldn't wait to leave once the doctor took her samples,' Angel said from her perch in Jared's lap. " If he truly was a concerned brother looking for his sister's daughter, then why didn't he stick around and try to get to know me?"
"Hmmm," Jared hummed as he scratched his chin in thought. "You might have a point." He glanced up at Tommy. "Try to find everything you can on the man. Let me know what you find out."
"I'm already on it, bro," Tommy said before explaining how he took pictures of the older Alpha's vehicles and tags. "I've also sent the pictures out to our enforcers and told them to be on the lookout. We don't want him coming back without us knowing, just in case he tries to start anything."
Jared nodded at his beta, dismissing him just as his computer let out a ping, anouncing an in coming email. Tommy stopped in his tracks and walked back into the room as Jared wiggled the mouse again to bring the screen to life. It was a reply email from Alpha Williamson.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
TO: ALPHA MICHAELS
FROM: ALPHA WILLIAMSON
SUBJECT: UNKNOWN FEMALE
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Alpha Michaels,
I would like to come visit you and the girl. She looks exactly like my mate, and I have no doubt she is our daughter! I would be willing to do anything you required to verify her identity. I can be on the next flight out, if you allow. I'd only need for you to grant me and two of my enforcers permission to your territory. I await your answer.
Sincerely,
Alpha Williamson
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Jared looked up at Angel after he finished reading the newest email. Her mouth was set in a determined line as she read and re-read the short missive. After she finally finished looking at the screen, she met his eyes and nodded her head.
"Let him come," she said with a shrug. "I'd rather get this over and done with, plus, we can see if he's as douchy as Robert. Better to know all at once if I'll be ignoring two new relatives, instead of just the one."
"I wonder why he only wants to bring two enforcers," Tommy said as Jared quickly typed a reply allowing the new Alpha and his enforcers access to his territory.
"I'm not sure," Jared said as another email hit his mailbox. He gave a short laugh as he read its contents. "He's already purchased his tickets, and they will be here this evening. I guess he wasn't joking about getting the next flight out!"
"Do you think we should set up a couple of the guest rooms for them?" Tommy asked his older brother. "I know Mom would have already ordered it done, but I don't know if it would be smart."
"I know, Mutt. I know. I miss them, too," Jared replied, glancing down at the floor as memories of his parents played across his mind. Both boys were so lost in their thoughts, neither one of them noticed the look of sorrow that crossed Angel's face.
Clearing her throat, Angel brought Jared and Tommy's attention back to the present.
"Tommy, prepare at least two guest rooms," she said, taking over. "The two enforcers can share a room, if needs be, but the Alpha should have his own. Is there a cook here?"
Tommy gaped at her as she started giving out orders. Jared looked at her also, surprise evident on his face. His mate was taking over her Luna duties.