Chapter 12

Lachlan

“What’s all this about?” Silas asked when Bravo team all stopped by and found Michael there.

“Did you makeup?” Taylor asked.

“We’re working on it,” I assured her.

“The whole team?”

“I’m trying.”

She didn’t ask anything further. She already knew too much about my plans.

“With all of us up here, we’re bound to stir up trouble,” I pointed out.

“I tapped into the hotel security when we checked in. They’re blind. All they know is that all of us are staying somewhere in this hotel,” Tarron explained.

The doorbell rang about an hour later and we all braced for the worst, though I knew the rest of my team was probably back with my siblings.

Silas went to open the door looking confused.

“Woody? What are you guys doing here?”

“Kyle called me himself and said to report to the penthouse.”

I grinned.

“Charlie’s here?” Baine asked.

They all filed in as handshakes and hugs were exchanged in greeting.

“Is that your doing?” Michael mouthed.

I shrugged, but I knew this was a sign that Kelsey came through for me.

On the next ring, Silas just shook his head.

This time it was the arrival I’d been holding my breath and waiting for. Walker entered carrying Hannah as the rest of my team and all my brothers joined them.

“Lachie!” she squealed and jumped from his arms into mine.

“Thank you.”

He nodded.

The boys joined us in one big group hug as I reunited my family, or at least part of us.

“You guys are okay?” I asked them.

“Yeah.”

“Any issues?” I asked Walker.

“Nothing we couldn’t handle,” Tucker answered instead.

“Siggy?”

“Dead,” Colin said. “I’m sorry man. He was long gone before we got there.”

I sighed and nodded.

“Were they still there?”

“Not for long. We took care of it. Your kids are fine. They were hiding just like you told them to, though someone had tossed the place before we got to them.”

“It was really scary,” Hannah said.

“I’m so sorry banana. You’re safe now. Want to meet everyone?”

Before I started introductions, Echo team arrived.

“What the hell is happening?” Silas asked.

“First, this my sister, Hannah, and my brothers Toby, Tom, and Jack.” They each gave a little wave as I introduced them. “Guys this is Westin Force, or at least the four major teams. You already know Delta. These guys over here are Echo.” Starting with Elliot, they went around the room introducing themselves.

“We’re Charlie. I’m Woody, team lead.”

The rest of his team followed his example until it came to Silas. I was pretty sure my brothers all held their breath and tried not to react when Bravo was introduced.

“Oh, and we have one more.” I walked down the hall still carrying Hannah and knocked on the door.

“Hi,” Chelle said awkwardly.

“That’s Lachie’s new pet,” Grant teased. “He bought her at the auction.”

Chelle growled but I laughed.

“He’s only teasing.”

“It’s not funny. You put a damn leash on me.”

“You know I had to.”

“That wasn’t very nice. Mom says you shouldn’t even pretend like that. It’s disrespectful to our animal spirits,” Hannah informed us.

“Sorry Hannah. You’re right,” Grant said.

“This is Hannah, Toby, Jack, and Tom.”

“I heard.”

“Guys this is Chelle.”

“Chelle as in Tilly’s big sister?” Hannah squealed.

“The one and only,” I confirmed.

She looked confused. “You know my sister?”

“Well, yeah. She’s our sister too,” Tom said.

“Where’s Tilly? Is Mom and Dad here too?”

In all the chaos I hadn’t explained to them what happened.

“Come in,” Chelle said, opening her room to them.

“Give me just a minute,” I told the others.

I waited until they were all situated. Chelle had two beds in her room. The boys piled onto one while Chelle and Hannah sat on hers.

“Guys, something bad happened.”

“I knew it,” Toby said. “I knew that was the only reason you’d send Siggy to get us.

“What happened?” Jack asked.

“I’m still trying to figure that out. Some bad guys managed to hack my phone and I lead them right to the house. I’ll never fully forgive myself for it. Two men came and used tranquilizers to take out mom and dad. Tilly was hidden, but they found her too.”

“Are they okay?” Hannah asked.

“I sure hope so.”

“Is there a plan to get them back?” Jack asked.

“I’m working on it. That’s what all those guys out there are here for.”

“Taylor’s not a guy,” Hannah pointed out.

“True. My bad. Think we could talk Chelle into letting you hang out in here and watch a movie or something while we work out the details?”

She rolled her eyes. “They can stay.”

Hannah hugged her and sniffed. “You smell like Tilly. I miss her. She braids my hair.”

“I miss her too.”

“Everyone okay?”

“Go on, then. We’ll be okay,” Tom said.

“Yeah. Go on,” Jack agreed.

Toby just nodded.

When I walked back in, Tucker threw an arm over my shoulder.

“He’s had a rough run of it, but we’re here to make things right again,” he informed the others.

“Patrick told us to get back here, but he didn’t say why,” Woody said.

“Same for us, but I have a pretty good suspicion why,” Elliot said.

“Well I wish someone would explain it to me,” Silas griped.

“Come over here.” I walked to the window and pointed. “Do you all see that building right there?”

“The auction house?” Jake asked.

“No, the one just past it.”

“Yeah, so. There are several warehouses around here,” Woody said.

“Yes, but that one houses my mate and the rest of my family. There’s also an enormous crematorium and piles of dead body waiting to go into it.”

“They took the Tribes just to kill them?” Elliot asked.

“It’s easier than the slaughter you guys had to deal with if you stop to think about it,” Woody said.

“How did you find them?” Silas asked.

“I went for a walk. Headed back over to the auction and ran into Taylor’s friend Bartholomew. He’s used to getting first glimpses of inventory.” I cringed saying it. “He paid off the guard to let us in. He brought us through the crematorium room and into a hallway where I clearly smelled my mate. Her scent was strong. She’s there. We saw a large room crammed full of cages and they were all full. When I started to get sick, we left, so I wasn’t in there long, but long enough for me to be certain.”

“That doesn’t explain why we’re all here,” Silas said.

“I’m going in there to get my mate. It would be best if there was a plan for that or I may very well cause the international shitstorm you’ve all been worried about.”

“I gathered that. I mean who called us all together?”

“Oh. I did.”

“You?” Michael said.

“Called in a lot of favors for this one, huh?” Elliot asked.

“Yup and I have more lined up if needed. I’m willing to follow your leads, but I’m not sitting on this and waiting. The auction will be ending soon. Typically, they would pack up and move on at that point. Now I don’t see how that’s possible, but I’m also not willing to lose my mate or my parents over this.”

“Understood,” Woody said. “So let’s make a plan.”

It took another half hour just to agree on who would be in charge. No one understood where the hell Patrick was in all of this, but the deeper we got into planning, the more it became evident that they wanted his approval first.

Finally, I just picked up a phone and called him.

“Patrick O’Connell. This better be urgent because if this is a fecking spam call right now, I will hunt you down and kill you.”

“Uh, hi. This is Lachlan.”

“Bloody hell. What is it?”

“We’re plotting a mission and could use your help.”

“Too bad. Do it yourselves. No, not you, love. Keep pushing.”

I heard her scream through a contraction.

“Oh shit. Elise is having the baby like right now?”

“Yes!”

“Why the hell did you answer the phone then?”

“I can’t handle this fecking bullshit right now. Oh my God, I see the head. Elise, baby, I see the head.”

“Come on daddy, you may need to take a seat. Birthing isn’t for the faint of heart.”

I snorted.

“Is Elise really having the baby?” Taylor asked.

“Yeah. She’s crowing. Patrick nearly passed out.”

“Hey, that’s not funny,” Baine said. “It’s a bit traumatizing seeing a human head the size of a watermelon coming out of your mate’s private section.”

“Well, what is it?” Grant asked.

“How the hell do I know? We aren’t on video.”

“Is he still on the line?”

“Yeah.”

I listened in more closely while also feeling guilty for intruding on the moment.

“Come on Elise. Give me one more good push,” I heard the midwife, Lucy, say. “That’s it. She’s here. You have a beautiful baby girl. Patrick, do you want to cut the cord?”

There was a loud crash.

“I guess not. Micah, get in here. Patrick just fainted.”

“Oh shit.” I quickly hung up the phone.

“Do you know what it is?” Taylor asked.

“Yes,” I confirmed. “But it’s probably best if Elise and Patrick share their good news.”

They all groaned, but there was no way I was going to tell them that our boss, head of Westin Force, Patrick O’Connell, originally of the strong and stubborn Irish Clan, just fainted at the sight of his daughter’s birth.

But I would certainly tuck that bit of information away for a rainy day should I ever need another big favor like this again.

“Looks like we’re on our own for this plan.”

We stayed up late rehashing every step until each and every member present was comfortable with the plan. I knew I wasn’t going to get any sleep tonight.

At daybreak, we’d move.