Chapter 20

"Rio spent years in deep cover, including five years in prison. It paid off, too. My boss is in the state capitol getting a plethora of warrants and some capture orders for several high-ranking politicians, elite rich, and world business leaders. Because of the work that he did, we are getting rid of a lot of 'bad people.' Your son is a hero. A quiet hero like Jaxson. Doing things that the average American doesn't see, hear about or even consider. They have both suffered in their own way. " Amber leaned back into Rio as she spoke and felt his arms encircle her.

His dad, Anders, looked at both. Really looked at both of his sons. He saw the pain, he saw guilt, he saw loss. He saw the weight of their service to their country, and his heart broke.

Standing behind his wife and mate, he placed his hands on her shoulders and leaned in and placed his lips on top of her head. As he did, he smelt the salt of her tears and knew she had seen in their sons, what he had seen. And like him, it broke her heart.

"Jaxson?" Charlotte leaned against him, holding her coffee.

Anders and his mate, the boys' mom, turned to look at the small female leaning up against their youngest son. Their mom instantly lit up.

"Oh, Jaxson, son! She's adorable!"

"Mom, this is Charlotte, my mate. Charlotte, this is my mom and dad, Anders and Jasmine, also the former Alpha and female Alpha of the bear clan in SE Tennessee." His mom reached for Charlotte to hug, only to have Charlotte shrink back against him.

"Easy, Mom. Rio and I aren't the only ones to have been put through the wringer. Only the Lord above knew what he was doing putting two broken people together."

Hearing that Charlotte rounded on him.

"You stop that, right now, Jax! You are not broken. You just trusted the wrong person. The same person that I trusted." She said fiercely.

Someone chuckled. The brothers looking around, realized that it came from his dad.

"Son, I think you're going to have your hands full."

"Dear Charlotte, welcome to the family." Their mother said with tears in her eyes.

"You know, young lady, you look vaguely familiar. Is it possible that we know your family?" Anders asked her with a speculative look in his eyes.

"Perhaps. It's a big world out there, sir." She said with a smile.

"Dad, the back bedroom is open and clean, if you and mom want to stay a day or two." Rio and Jaxson watched their parents talk without speaking and agreeing with each other.

Just then, Hunter walked into the house. 'Hey guys, we're going into....town."

He stopped in the kitchen doorway as he observed the older couple sitting at the table. In an instant, his training kicked in and he noticed, wealth, power and the family connection between the two brothers.

"You two must be Anders and Jasmine. Jaxson has told me many great things about you." Holding out his hand to the male, he waited until Anders took and shook his hand before he kissed their mother on the cheek with a kiss. Which caused her to smile and Anders to growl low.

Hunter stepped back and smiled. Then he looked at Rio and Jaxson and said, "The guys and I are going into tow for some late breakfast, early lunch and wanted to see if you and the mates wanted to join us. But, I'm guessing not, now that your parents are here." Throwing up his hand, he waved and said, "We'll be back later."

Soon the roar of five motorcycles could be heard and felt.

"Well, this has been interesting." Jaxson leaned down and kissed his mate's cheek. "Do you and Amber feel like making breakfast or do you want it to be a cooperative effort?"

Looking over at Amber, Charlotte raised her eyebrows in question.

"We can cook. The two of us work well together. Is a simple breakfast alright with everyone?" Amber asked.

"Dear girls, please let me help. This is your house now and this is your kitchen and I don't want to be in the way. Direct me. Tell my what you need and I'll do it." Jasmine said.

"Yes ma'am.." Charlotte started.

"Nonsense. You girls call me Miney(Minnie). It's what my sisters used to call me, and it's what I would like your girls to call me that." She smiled at them and they smiled back.

Jaxson and Rio released the breath they were holding unintentionally as the women connected.

"Dad you are in for a treat. Those two can cook up a storm. Throw mom in the mix. Man! This is going to be good." Rio passed his dad some more coffee then refilled his and his brother's cup. "Come on. Let go sit on the back porch."

The three men went out and sat around the table there on the back porch.

"So, you two boys want to fill me in. Bill said something about some dark doings. How bad was it." Anders said as he eyed both sons.

"Yeah, it all started when Rio tortured Charlotte." Seeing their dad about to explode, Jaxson put his hand on his shoulder and held him down. "Let us finish first."

Rio told his and Charlotte's story until her body was found by Jaxson. The Jaxson took over and finished the story up until this morning when Bill had called.

"Oh my. Bill wasn't kidding when he said dark doings. You Jaxson, there's something you aren't telling me, son."

"My last mission, dad. It was a shitshow. It fell apart as soon as it started. Every one of my men was killed on my watch. I was the only survivor."

"Enough depressing talk, can a couple of you men help with food?" Amber said, Sticking her head out the screen door. Their father got up and went into the kitchen and helped the three women carry out a large frittata, fresh fruit, biscuits and gravy, sliced tomatoes and sliced onions. They also brought out cartons of juice and another pot of coffee.

There was very little conversation around the table while the food was being eaten. Once it was finished and dishes returned to the kitchen and washed, everyone sat back down at the table on the back porch.

"Well, Miney, did the girls tell you what's been going on?" Anders asked his mate.

"Yes dear, they did. It was heart-wrenching. But, at least, now it started moving towards the end. We'll be here with the entire clan to help guard Charlotte and provide bodyguards for Rio. It's the only way our son will not have to live with looking over his shoulder for the rest of his life." She said, leaning on her mate.

"No ma'am. You will not. We are taking this person down and then there won't be anyone to left to come after Charlotte and myself."

Anders was staring at Charlotte. "Young lady, I know you or some of your family, from somewhere."

"All in due time Alpha, all in due time," Charlotte replied with a smile.

Anders looked taken aback. Most people were intimidated by him, but this little slip of a girl, she wasn't afraid of him, in any way. The fact that she was mated to an Alpha, just solidified her mental and emotional toughness. Especially after what she had been through. When his boys told him what had been done to her, he had to make himself stay seated instead of going in there and wrapping her up in his arms. As his son's mate, she was his daughter, for all intents and purposes.

Looking at her, he smiled. She was a good fit for Jaxson, strong and not one to back down.

Realizing that his dad had been measuring his mate, he reached out and put one of his arms around her shoulder and brought her close to him, at his side.

"Dad, the clan house in town? Does anyone live it in, or is it just for the Alpha and his family?"

"Son, that house is for the Alpha and his family and any visitors that you may have. It will house up to twenty couples. There's a media room, a restaurant-style kitchen with a full-size walk-in pantry and a large dining room with multiple tables. This house was supposed to be mine and your mom's." Anders said. "However, I really like the job you have done remodeling. You can tell that you had it done with a mate in mind. Everything is updated and modern. Easy to use appliances, remodeled bathrooms and a tankless water heater for the house. Central heat and air with gas heat back up in case the electricity goes out." His dad nodded his head. "Good job."

Jaxson blushed and said, "Thanks, Dad."

Bikes rumbled up into the yard. Anders looked at his sons and arched a single brow.

"Friends, Dad. Eagle's mom had a dream and sent the guys here" His dad nodded. He had met some of his friends and he knew about Mama T. "Good enough for me."

"Thank you, sir."

Amber and Charlotte began to discuss what to fix for dinner.

"Roast." Miney cut in.

Both women looked at their mate's mom. "I sat out three large beef roasts out of the freezer earlier. We can fix them and mashed potatoes and whatever other vegetables that you girls want to."

These men will eat a lot of meat. Plus, the five others." Charlotte and Amber both agreed. "Mashed potatoes sound great. We can make more biscuits and have fresh green beans and cole slaw." Charlotte suggested.

"Sounds really good to me," Amber said and Miney agreed. The women were in the kitchen getting dinner ready for the larger group while the men went out to the barn to take care of the animals.

Hunter and the guys walked up to Jaxson and indicated that they wanted to speak with him.

Hunter, Eagle and Jaxson walked a bit of distance from the barn. Hunter and Eagle looked at each other and nodded. Turning to Jaxson, Hunter looked at his friend. "We know that you have money, your family has money. But, we have a lot of mouths to feed, and nowadays groceries aren't cheap. We want to pitch into the household budget."

Hunter reached into his pocket and pulled out several hundred dollar bills. Jaxson started to reject the money when Eagle looked at him and said, "Are you refusing my heart gift?"

"I'm sorry, Eagle. I didn't mean to upset you. I just want you to understand that this is completely unnecessary. We have enough and are willing to share." Jaxson said.

"We know this, Brother. But, we are family as well. And family takes care of it's own. You, your brother, the mates, your mom and dad, this town. Family, Jaxson. And we are taking care. You can give the money to a needy family in town if you need to, but you will take this money." Hunter said.

"Take the money, son. Your friend is right, family is family. These men are your brothers in arms. That makes them family. My grandfather, your great-grandfather told me once when I was a boy that nothing will make bonds faster than having to rely on the man or woman, next to you in a firefight."

"Family," Eagle said.

Jaxson reached out his hand and Hunter put the money in his brother's hand.

"We have animals to finish taking care of. Let's go." Jaxson said.

"I don't know anything about taking care of any kind of animals," Hunter said, his eyes wide.

"Come on, I'll show you how to clean stalls and feed horses. Eagle, come on. I know you know how to help me. My hogs need to be fed. Take care of that for me?" At the man's nod, Jaxson smiled and led Hunter into the barn.

Three hours later, the three men went to have showers and get cleaned up for dinner.

The three women and Anders were just bringing the food out when Jaxson, Eagle and Hunter came into the house.

As they were sitting around the table, Anders looked over at Eagle and asked him a question.

"Young man, would you tell me about your momma's dream?"

"She told me that she saw a bear standing on his hind legs, upright, then saw him bending over a small build female with dark hair and shadows swirling around them, trying to hurt both of them. She said that it would take more than just the two of them to defeat the shadows. She said that a tribe would be required to do this. She said, 'Eagle, the bear needs someone to watch his back and protect his den.' Protection is what our group does for a living. We guard high-profile individuals. We specialize in prevention and can also do recovery."

Charlotte understood exactly what he was saying. Her granddad and dad would use people like them occasionally.

"You know, we are going to need lifelong security. There will be Gamma and Delta positions. We will need people that can set up different types of security, as well." Rio said, looking at Hunter in a speculative manner.

Jaxson nodded, agreeing with his brother.

Anders watched the byplay between the brothers and the military veterans. It would definitely be an interesting dynamic. The value of each one as to what they bring to the clan, is invaluable.

Rio's phone rang unexpectedly. Answering the call, surprise lit his face. "Yes, sir. I'll tell them."

"That was Nathan. He said that the arrests have started and the capture orders will be complete in less than 96 hours from now."

Everyone released a breath that was being held. Jaxson and Charlotte looked at each other and they understood exactly what this meant.

Once the final arrest was made, they could try to start a family. They could build their clan. Restore the Alpha position.

The end of the beginning was happening.

The time for them to take back their lives and to start living. Jaxson, Rio and Charlotte all. Their lives had been on hold and now they were free to live their lives.

Plans could be made for the future. Jaxson's Alpha ceremony and Rio's Beta ceremony. Amber and Rio could plan their mating ceremony an wedding and so could Jaxson and Charlotte. They could bring the clan back together and they could all begin to be a clan again and start doing things as a clan like they did when the brothers were small. Charlotte would probably never announce who she really was. That would most likely be a closely guarded secret to keep her and the alpha family safe as well as their future children and grandchildren. The world would never know that she existed. They didn't need to. Her identity would always be Charlotte Wilson and that is the name that she would marry Jaxson under.