BirthStone by Sydney Addae Page A

about her mate taking the shot was a different matter in the young
woman’s mind.
    “We grow up in one another’s minds, it’s
like we’re one but different,” Lilly had explained. After going
back and forth with the four of them, Jasmine had finally dropped
the subject, realizing she would never get it.
    Backing up, the ripe odor made her nose
itch. She hit the wall and moved to the right of it. “Get some
rest, Rone, and I’ll check on you both later.”
    “Thanks, Ma,” he whispered.
    “Thanks, Mom,” Rose said, her voice a little
stronger than her mate’s.

Chapter 5
     
    Detective Pete Jennings sat at his desk
staring blindly at the blank form on the monitor. La Patron had
spoken to the Captain, who had cleared the way for him to return to
active duty after his sudden absence. Three and a half weeks ago he
had been laid up on an operating table dying because he had no idea
his wolf was dying, or how to fix with the problem. All his life he
had been taught if he just ignored that side of his personality, it
would go away.
    When he was a teen, his mom had signed him
up for a program where he was given bi-annual shots. At the time he
didn’t think much of it. There were no side effects that he was
aware of and he felt fine. By the time he left for college, he no
longer thought of the animal co-existing inside him. He should have
known better, it’s a miracle he made it as far as he had.
    Every once in a while his head would hurt or
he’d become nauseous, but those episodes became less over the
years. He shook his head at his ignorance. According to the doctor,
he would have been dead by the end of the year. His wolf had been
that ill. And once his wolf died, he would have simply dropped
dead.
    Over the past few weeks Froggy had drilled
every bit of history of the wolf nation into him. He’d been
surprised that Silas Knight had been appointed to the position of
La Patron by the Goddess, the Supreme Being all wolves believed in.
According to Froggy, Silas was the equivalent of the President of
any country. An alpha of his training and choosing led every state
in the United States. Under Silas’ reign the wolf nation had grown
stronger and prospered. He wore the title of the Alpha’s alpha and
ran the world’s largest pack.
    Initially, Jennings had balked. The things
he had heard about the Patron over the years didn’t add up. But as
Froggy trained his wolf, Jennings’ mentality underwent a
transformation. His wolf traits superseded his human side. He
embraced the simplicity of pack rules, and craved the comfort and
camaraderie of the local pack. During training he met other
half-breeds like himself from various walks of life, male and
female. And for the first time in years, he knew where he
belonged.
    “Merriweather has been calling and wanting
to talk to you,” Captain Samson said, placing a file on his desk.
“While you were out, I assigned the case to Mirrs, but he never did
anything on it. Now that you’re back, see about wrapping this
up.”
    Jennings glanced at the file with a sense of
foreboding. Neither he nor his wolf cared for Merriweather. Robert
had been a hired gun who lost his life on the case. Instead of
being glad no one had pressed charges against the criminal, the
family tried to force Silas’ hand in his own yard. Knowing what he
now knew, it sickened him how Merriweather used the law with no
regard for justice or honesty.
    “Yes, Sir.”
    “He wants to meet with you to show you some
information he has discovered. His phone number and address are in
the file.” The police captain paused. “How are you feeling?”
    “I’m good, thank you, Sir.” He glanced
briefly at the Captain, who frowned at him.
    “Good, good, glad to have you back,” the
Captain mumbled as he strode off.
    Jennings wiped his nose. His newly acquired
acute sense of smell and the Captain’s cologne made his eyes water.
Mentally, he dialed back his senses like Froggy had taught him so
he wouldn’t