SWAT Team One and the Social Worker (26 page)

anyone knowing?” Trey stated.

“What do you mean, Trey?” Kyle asked.

“We can feed her any information she needs through our

telepathic connection. No one knows we are capable of this. It will

help give her the confidence she needs to fulfill her destiny and

position as royalty and eventually an elder of the circle.”

“That’s a great possibility, but right now we have to focus on

keeping her safe. Let’s remember why we were called to come here.

There have been burglaries and illegal and secretive investigations

into Crespin and our own family, the Valdamar. Someone, could be

Fidelis himself, is seeking a takeover,” Dustin thought out loud.

A rumble of outrage traveled through the room.

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Chapter 17

“Why should I keep you alive?” Fidelis asked as he held his claw

against Frederick’s throat.

“Please, please don’t kill me. I’ve served you all these years and

raised my daughter as any wolf of the royalty would raise a future

queen. She is a warrior, she is a goddess, and everything you ask for

in a mate.” Frederick pleaded for his life.

Fidelis let the blade of one claw cut against Frederick’s jugular,

causing a small cut.

“She can’t even shift. She may never be able to.”

“She still has Crespin blood in her. I read the history of the circle

and the methods to gaining access as an elder. With Crespin blood

you can mate Samantha and gain power not only in the circle but

amongst all packs,” Frederick screamed as Fidelis grabbed him tighter

and let him see his long, sharp teeth up close.

“How can you be sure she will even come to you when you call

her?”

“She will. She has always been an obedient child. She has a kind

heart for those in need. She won’t let anything bad happen to me. If I call and ask her to help me as my daughter, she will.”

Fidelis released Frederick, tossing him to the ground.

“You need to call now. Your lack of safety measures in contacting

me and doing business has cost you. The Valdamar, Stevens, and

Preston clans, as well as other government officials, are investigating us and our dealings. This means that Lord Crespin feels threatened, so let’s see if you can get Samantha here. Then I can determine whether

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to kill you or keep you around.” Fidelis shifted back to full human

form.

Frederick stared at Fidelis. A giant at six feet five inches tall with shoulder-length black hair and crystal blue eyes, the man was

intimidating. Bulky muscles and a scar against his right eye added to

the intimidation.

“I got her to leave New York. I will get her to come to me now.”

Frederick flipped open his cell phone.

* * * *

Samantha tossed and turned in her sleep. She went over

everything that had been going on. She saw Al, then she saw

Frederick and felt guilty for knowing the truth when the man had no

idea that he wasn’t her father. He still deserved credit and respect for raising her. She couldn’t just forget about Frederick as if he never

existed. Despite his behavior today and the fact that he was shacked

up with that slut Samara, she felt obligated to at least patch things up with him. He was in danger because of what Alex injected into her. It

had to be why there were burglaries and break-ins in the surrounding

pack homes. She had family here that she never knew existed between

her grandparents and now Al. Poor Al. How difficult it must have

been for him to know he had a daughter, yet he couldn’t be with her.

Sam was saddened by that. Just as it seemed everyone around her had

been holding in secrets or were knowledgeable about information

pertaining to her life, yet they didn’t warn her or share.

She wouldn’t let them tell her what to do anymore. When she met

the brothers and nearly jumped them with such sexual desire, she had

no idea what was wrong with her. Now it made sense. She was a wolf,

she was their mate, and this was the process. But knowing after the fact kind of pissed her off. Then there were her grandparents, who

knew she existed, yet allowed their daughter to keep away instead of

fighting with her mother Alexis and making her see that they loved

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her despite the marriage. Poor Marie and Lord Crespin, they looked

white as ghosts when she stated that perhaps Al was her real father. It was as if something clicked just by her stating the possibility out loud.

They were thrilled to have their granddaughter back but even more

joyous to know that she wasn’t Frederick’s child. Why was that?

What else were they not telling her?

Ted had lied about Alex’s death. That fact alone should make her

hate him. She trusted both Alex and Ted with her life, yet neither of

them were confident enough to trust her in return and share their

secrets? Now she was supposed to turn around as if nothing happened

and forgive and forget? What about the damn chip somewhere

imbedded in her body?
What the fuck!

The tears stung her eyes, and the anger filled her belly as Sam

threw back the covers and stood up. The room spun a little, but that

was most likely from the lack of sleep and not the foreign object that had remained undetected in her body for two years.

Son of a bitch, Alex! How could you do this to me?

She thought about him, and her body no longer warmed at his fine

military looks and fun personality. Instead, she felt detached.

Sam pulled on a pair of jeans and a T-shirt. Listening by the

doorway, she knew the brothers were there talking. She heard their

mumbled voices. She leaned her head against the door and listened.

They were blocking her, so she couldn’t hear their thoughts.

What are they hiding from me? Can I trust anyone?

The sound of her cell phone ringing startled her. Quickly she

walked across the room to her bag and opened the phone.

“Hello?”

“Sammy, baby…it’s Daddy.”

Her chest tightened as her mind first thought about Al and then

realized it was Frederick on the phone. The poor man hadn’t a clue

that she wasn’t his daughter. Now what?

“Hi.”

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“Ahh...It’s so nice to hear your voice. I acted like a total moron

today when I saw you, Sammy. I was angry and jealous and just upset

that we missed so much time together when you left for Dallas and

then New York.”

“You were the one who pushed me to go for the job in New York.

You said there was nothing left in Dallas for me.” The thought made

her nauseous with sadness. Her heart was broken when Alex died, and

her father showed no heart at all.

“I was dead set against you getting intimately involved with the

Preston boy. He wasn’t good enough for you, Sammy.’

“You didn’t even give him a chance.”

“I knew things about him that you didn’t know.”

“Like what? He didn’t have a lot of money because he was a

soldier? His family owns a cattle ranch? What, Daddy? What did you

know about Alex to not think he was good enough for me?”

“You’re special, Sam. You are meant for so much more. Gosh,

why are we even talking about this? You have not one but five wolves

from a very authoritative and superior pack claiming you their mate.

My daughter mated to wolves is not what I ever expected for you. But

if you’re happy, then I will learn to live with it.”

Sam gulped the lump of emotion in her throat. She was

overwhelmed with confusing information of who to trust, who not to

trust, and what the hell she was doing with her life. She was at a

crossroads. Now she had to figure out which way was the right path to

take.

Her father was there for her up until she was twenty-one. Then he

was there for her on and off over the following two years. It wasn’t

until she was in Dallas and living in the same apartment that he

abandoned her.

Abandoned? Why did she think of her father as abandoning her?

“Sammy, are you all right, honey?”

Sammy cleared her throat.

“I’m overwhelmed with information and emotion right now.”

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“You mean about Samara?”

Samantha tried to swallow her anger.

“I never liked her dad. She had a reputation as a slut and a user, so

to see her with my father, yes, I am a bit angry.” Her father was silent a moment.

“That’s understandable, Sammy But I’m a grown man, and you

remember the old Samara. She’s matured and has changed. I’d like to

think I had something to do with that.” She heard his sincerity and

attempt at lightening up the situation, but she wasn’t taking the bait.

Samara appeared as if she had the ability to land any man she wanted.

“Listen, why don’t we get together and talk? I want to make up

for my behavior today, and I have some other things for us to talk

about. Things that I should have told you years ago.” Sam tried not to get upset. Now what?

“What kind of things?”

“Well, I’m certain you have met your grandparents. They don’t

care for me, and that’s understandable. I took their daughter away

from them, but it was what your mother wanted. She had been

involved with another young man, and things were getting too

serious. We met, fell in love, and she wanted nothing more to do with

her parents. Alexa felt controlled, which made her feel out of

control.”

“But she visited them when she had me. Why would she do that?”

“They told you that?”

“Yes.”

“She felt obligated to let her parents see you. But when she got

there, they were even more determined to insult her and the baby

since I am human, not wolf. That day they were brutal to her. She was

so upset she ran from their home, through the woods, and was

attacked. Somehow she and you both survived. It was all their fault.

After that she vowed to never return.”

Sam felt sick to her stomach. Every time she engaged in a

conversation someone revealed an old story. Then someone

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contradicted the story and supposedly told the truth. Sam wondered

who the hell was being truthful.

“Anyway, I want to see you. Can you come here now?”

“Now? It’s nearly eleven and dark.”

“I can send a car for you.”

“No. This can wait until tomorrow morning.”

“Your mates don’t trust you enough to let you out of their sight to

see your own father for an hour? I’m not liking this, Sammy.”

She sensed that fatherly tone and cringed.

“My men will be fine with me seeing you. I will come by

tomorrow.”

“Will they be with you?”

“We’ll see.”

“Until tomorrow, Sammy.” Then she heard him hang up the

phone.

The bedroom door opened, and Donny stood there.

“We thought we heard your voice. What are you doing up?”

She turned her phone toward him.

“Someone called you?”

“Who?” Adam asked, joining them in the bedroom.

Sam turned away from them and sat down on the edge of the bed.

“Samantha?” Adam called to her.

“My…dad.”

Both men looked at one another then at her.

“Al?”

Sammy shook her head.

“Frederick!” Donny exclaimed, nearly growling as he took a step

deeper into the room.

Sam grasped the edge of the bed and cringed at his tone.

She was glad her hair was so long because it now covered her face

from their intense looks. She heard the others enter the room. The

brothers could be intimidating one at a time, but together they were a force she knew she would lose against.

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“What’s going on?” Dustin asked, and Donny and Adam

explained.

“What the hell did he want?” Kyle joined in.

“I don’t care what he wanted, she shouldn’t be talking to him,”

Trey stated, sounding furious.

“He’s my father, Trey, why wouldn’t I talk to him?” she

responded, her voice cracking at the end.

“He’s not your father,” Trey countered, moving closer and placing

his fingers underneath her chin to make her look at him. She refused

to and stared at the floor.

“Sam, look at me,” he demanded.

Slowly, she raised her eyes. They all stared at her. Dustin and

Adam with their hands on their hips, Kyle and Donny took positions

on either side of the bed near her, while Trey held her stare.

Trey raised his eyebrows at her, and she absorbed his muscular

arms and the long, thick fingers that held her chin. He was sexy and

handsome, a soldier just like Alex was. Alex said he wanted to protect her, and so did the brothers. Her father hadn’t trusted Alex, and look where he had gotten her? Her father didn’t seem too upset with her

relationship with the brothers although he did say it wasn’t what he

had planned for her.

“What did he want?” he asked her.

“He’s my father, Kyle, he wants to see me.”

“No!” Adam yelled along with Donny and Kyle.

Sam jumped then stood up from the bed. She stood toe to toe with

Kyle, who had over a foot and then some on her, but she wouldn’t