Jackson stared at the empty spot for a moment, knowing he wouldn’t breathe easily until all of them were back home where they belonged. But in order for that to happen, he needed to focus on the upcoming rescue. Turning on his heels, he headed to Dylon’s office to join the group gathering there for their last-minute briefing.
~/~/~/~/~
“Holy smoke!” Theo exclaimed, looking up at the Silver Point Alpha’s house. “This is where we’re gonna stay?”
Smokey’s eyes shifted from the enormous house to Tristan, who was now standing next to them. “Hey, thanks for taking us in,” he said, holding out his hand.
Grabbing it, Tristan shook it and said, “Maybe you should wait until you see the inside before you thank me. We haven’t had time to do any renovations; however, it’s clean, and my pack members won’t bother you. And if it’s all right, I figured Mac and Ollie can also stay here so if there’s a problem with the cub, they’ll be close by.”
Giving Tristan a grateful look, Norm said, “Thanks.”
“C’mon,” Heath said, opening the front door. “Let’s get you guys settled in.” Stepping inside, he flipped a light switch before walking into the living room. “I had the kitchen pantry and fridge stocked with staples, but just let me know if you need anything else. As for the bedrooms, I figured you’d need the biggest bed, so that would be in the primary suite. The sheets are new, along with the blankets, and the bathroom has fresh towels.” When no one answered him, Heath turned around andfound their guests standing in the living room doorway, staring up with shocked looks on their faces.
“Holy shit!” Smokey mumbled.
“What’s that on the ceiling?” asked Norm.
“Are they nude?” asked Theo.
“I don’t think so,” Smokey answered. “I can’t see their junk.”
“My father had a high opinion of himself,” Tristan said, standing behind his guests. “Like he was a god and thought angels should surround him…hence his version of heaven on the ceiling.”
“He was no fucking god,” Smokey growled.
“No shit!” exclaimed Tristan. “The first time I saw this, the only thought I had was to tear this fucking place down, but then my very smart mate convinced me to keep it because the pack needed it. I finally agreed, but only if we got rid of all the pretentious bullshit.”
“Hmm,” Smokey murmured, looking around. “The bones are good. This could become a gathering space for your pack members.”
“That’s what I think,” Heath said. “Make it a welcoming place for everyone in the pack and not just the Alpha.”
“But that will have to wait,” Tristan said. “C’mon, time to show you the rest of the house.”
Chapter 28
When Jackson arrived at Dylon’s office, he noticed that all the rescue team members had arrived and were listening to Dylon’s briefing regarding the mission. It was a well-crafted plan, and Jackson had high hopes of it succeeding. If not, he’d have to find another way. Of course, if Theo’s parents were complicit in the Alpha’s scheme to have Theo and Norm arrested, that was another matter. It would be devastating on many levels, but most of all on Theo and the well-being of his cub. Mentally shaking off those dark thoughts, he turned his attention back to the group as Dylon finished.
“Questions?” Dylon asked.
“Yeah…what are their names…other than Theo’s parents?” asked Colton. “It would help me put them at ease if they needed medical care.”
“Wesley and Heather,” Ollie spoke up.
Nodding, Colton said, “Thanks…also, I see you have listed me as the medical team leader, but I think Mac would be better, as he can assess each patient and assign them to whoever he thinks can best treat them.”
“I don’t have a problem with that,” Dylon said. “What about you, Mac?”
Glancing at Ollie for a moment and seeing his nod of approval, Mac agreed. “That’s fine…according to Oliver, both parents are in rough shape, so my goal is to get them stabilized and back here asap for further treatment as needed.”
“That’s the plan,” Dylon said. “A fast in-and-out before their Alpha realizes they’re gone.”
“The only potential complication I see is if they shift while we’re treating them,” Mac said. “Their bears’ first reaction will be to shift to protect themselves.”
“Ian mentioned that,” Dylon said, reaching behind him and grabbing two metal collars. “These prevent shifting, so as soon as Sawyer cloaks them, I’ll snap these on. You won’t have to worry.”
“Good,” Mac replied.
“Anything else?” asked Dylon, looking at each member of his team.