Guardian Wolf Ch. 05

Patience babe! In a few short months, we will have our chance and I swear to you I will not stop until you are pregnant. Gods! The thought of you swollen is...ugh...we have to get out of her soon or I will take you here and now.

Now who is the one who is impatient?

Everything about you makes me impatient for your body. If I could work my will you would remain barefoot and pregnant for all eternity.

Let's start with the first set and work our way from there, okay?

MMMMmmmmkaaay!

James and Rachel spent the next few minutes talking with Dmitry and Jennifer while Dieter busied packing guns into their cases and ammunition into spare boxes. Soon they bid their goodbyes, marking the lateness of the hour. After a few cursory goodbyes and words of congratulation, they were out the door and on the road towards Seattle and Wolfe Industries.

************

James pointed the large SUV towards a nondescript off-ramp on the southbound I-5. Wolfe Industries sat upon several acres of prime real estate just outside the metropolitan Seattle center. During the last seventy-five years, Wolfe Industries had become the focal point for the latest in consumer electronics and cutting-edge military communications hardware. His grandfather and now his father had successfully built a company on a solid foundation of ethical ingenuity and integrity; together they had maneuvered the company past several pitfalls that would have destroyed lesser companies.

One of his father's greatest lessons to James was this:

"Businesses come and go, empires rise and fall but a man has only one moral integrity; lose this and you will eventually lose it all. No business or enterprise is too great to sacrifice one's moral self. Financial ruin comes and goes, businesses are created and destroyed, and the world will fade with history. All temporal things eventually return to the dust from which they came. But if a man holds steadfast and maintains his honor, then his legacy will stand the test of time; this is what it truly means to be immortal. Honesty, integrity, loyalty, compassion, and a strong work ethic; build your life upon these principles and you can withstand anything that comes your way. It is far easier to rebuild a company than to regain one's honor; be strong, be wise, be the Alpha you were bred to be, my son," his father had often spoken these words.

James often confided in his father about his own personal fears and apprehension of the future. He would often remark upon his doubts and shortcomings with Robert and his father would council him in what was most important. James feared the future and his ability to be a successful leader; he so looked up to his father and his grandfather. His greatest fear was disappointing them.

"I know I often wax philosophical James and much of what I say sounds better coming out of a fortune cookie than my own mouth. But you must always be aware of your fears and use them to your advantage. Your grandfather often said to me, 'a man without fear is a fool. A man cannot defend from what he does not fear.' Be aware of your fear, but do not let it control you. Allow others to help you and rely on your mate always. They will be the ones who will aid and defend you against the things you fear most," Robert said.

James was still deep in thought when he pulled the SUV up to the west security perimeter. A large man he instantly recognized came out to greet them.

"Evening Dill, didn't know you were working the late shift. How are Wendy and the girls doing?" James asked as he greeted his second cousin.

"They are doing great James. I see you are here to bother the old man. Best be warned though, he is in a meeting with the legal department. You know how his mood gets when he is in a room filled with lawyers. Your father may be the most powerful male in our clan, but I sure as hell wouldn't want to be placed in a closed room with those sharks. Just a fair warning to you both," Dill said this with a laugh.

"Rachel this is Gus's eldest son Dillon. Everyone just calls him Dill or Pickle for short," James said with a grin.

"It's very nice to meet you Dill. Don't worry about James, I'll protect him from his father if the need arises," Rachel said as she giggled.

"Pleasure to meet you, madam Alpha. I am sure James can handle his father. It is the tiny 100 lb. girls you need to protect him from," Dill said as he snickered, "Uncle Thumper told all of us what Summer and Autumn did to you. Mighty disappointing, if you ask me."

"Shut up Pickle!" James tried to not laugh, "You know I was out numbered two to one. Besides, Thumper taught his girls to fight dirty. It is hard to defend yourself when you are blindfolded, you know!"

"And yet you still got your ass handed to you by a couple of girls. Even together you outweigh them by at least sixty pounds," Dill goaded as he twisted the knife.

"Yeah, yeah...blah, blah. Just ring the front desk and let Goober know we're coming, okay?" James said, still trying to hide his smile and failing miserably.

"Righty-O! Tell my brother tomorrow is my turn to sit inside on my ass. He can come out to this poor excuse for a shack and freeze his nuts off," Dill grumbled.

"Heater is still on the fritz?! I thought maintenance fixed that already?" James asked surprised.

"They did. But the piece-of-shit human contractor who built this thing did a piss-poor job on the wiring; everything he used was cheap and poorly insulated. There was a power surge earlier today and it fried the new unit. Your father is going to call the Archer clan in the morning; he said this was the last time he sent a human to do a Werewolf's job. He also ordered the rest of the security perimeter guard shacks double checked as well. Everything that idiot was contracted to build is going to be under scrutiny. I smell a lawsuit coming down. It sounds to me like your father is going to bury the poor schmuck. That's what the bastard gets for using cheap materials," Dill said.

"How come we didn't use the Archer clan in the first place? Don't we use them exclusively?" Rachel asked.

"Most of the time we do babe. But when those idiots from Grigor's flunky squad broke in, they destroyed part of the security perimeter here at the west gate. At the time Alpha Walcott was stretched so thin he was unable to begin work for at least a month. So instead of waiting, Dad had companies bid on repairs. The numb nuts, who shall remain nameless, who won the bid unfortunately has been dismally disappointing and, most likely, won't be a contractor for very much longer. Dad doesn't deal well with incompetence; it is one of his biggest pet peeves. It is one thing to fail; it is another thing to fail because you are stupid," James said with a shake of his head.

"I'll say 'hi' to Goober for you and let him know the good news about tomorrow Dill. Are you going to be heading to Europe with Dmitry as part of my dad's security detail?" James asked.

"Yeah. That Dmitry is a sharp kid; loyal to a fault and willing to go way above and beyond the call of duty. When you take over, you make damn sure that kid sticks around. He is worth every penny your father pays him and more. He is excellent with a rifle and damn near the Devil with a pistol; I won't be surprised when he finally knocks Dieter of his throne. He is spooky good! We'll be taking off next week for Athens for two weeks before heading to the old folk's home in Oslo to visit your grandfather and grandmother. Rumor is he is trying to convince them to come for Christmas to meet Rachel," Dillon said.

"Oh goodie!" James said with a roll of his eyes.

"What's wrong with your grandparents?" Rachel asked.

"Nothing, really...err...my grandfather is just really...eccentric these days. After abdicating the throne he and my grandmother Elizabeth moved back to Oslo to be close to our clan origins. There are these 'retirement' communities set up all over Europe for former Alphas and their mates. They were set up about a century ago for those leaders who didn't want to live under their clan law anymore. The supernatural go there to be 'off the grid'...you know...they want to be away from the human world as much as possible," James said, somewhat ambiguously.

Dill spoke in explanation, "they are pretty much hermits anymore. They have isolated themselves from the human world almost entirely. Most of them have ruled during periods in history when the human race was at its shittiest; James's grandfather Edward saw first-hand what Hitler did to the Jews at Auschwitz. Stuff like that tends to drastically change your view of mankind. They have come to dislike and distrust the humans and want a refuge that is free from human influence. After a while, all this time away from the humans has made them just a wee xenophobic; they are a bit contemptuous when they do venture out into the human world. The last time James's grandfather visited the clan is shortly after Amber's kidnapping. Edward and Robert nearly came to blows over Dmitry being allowed to live; Edward wanted the kid executed immediately. His de facto acceptance into the Wolfe clan was deeply upsetting to Edward and he saw it as a sign of disrespect to all that he had accomplished for the clan. He and Robert have not spoken since. Robert and Maggie are going to Oslo for a couple of weeks to mend fences. Robert almost forbade Dmitry from going, but the boy was adamant about facing Edward. I don't know what is going to happen, but if it is anything like last time I doubt it will be pleasant."

"Thanks Dill. I couldn't have said it any better," James said after a moment of quiet contemplation.

"Let me know how it ends up when you get back," James said in parting.

"Don't worry. If it goes as bad as I fear it may, you won't have to hear it from me. It will be all over the compound before their plane touches down at the airport," Dill warned.

"See you back at the compound Dill-man," James said as he and Rachel moved the Excursion through the large checkpoint.

"Ten-Four big guy," Dill said.

************

Rachel and James drove in silence the last half mile from the security checkpoint to the main building. After finding a parking spot relatively close to the door, James exited quickly to help Rachel down from her side of the truck. James, ever the gentleman, opened the door to his father's offices and ushered Rachel into a large reception area.

"Hey James, how goes it?" a man from behind a security desk said in greeting.

"Not bad Goob. Pickle wanted me to remind you that tomorrow is your night to sit in the ice box," James said with a laugh.

"Shit. It was so fucking cold the other night, too; by the end of my shift I didn't know if I was a boy or a girl anymore. I swear my balls receded into my body to find the tiniest source of heat, it was that fucking cold!" Gabriel grumbled as he walked towards the pair with a clipboard.

"It's not like you are using them right now; by the way, when is Jamie scheduled to pop?" James asked as he showed his employee ID bag and signed in on the roster.

"Same time as Mary and Amy; Thumper and Adam have a pool running with Gus to see which of our wives pops first. Jamie was the first to know she was pregnant, so we are hoping she is the first to deliver. The pot this year is over a thousand bucks. That will go a long way in diapers and new toys for the triplets we are expecting," Goober said proudly.

"You're betting with each other to see which mate delivers first?" Rachel asked incredulously.

"Gus and Thumper do it every heat cycle. It gives the expectant fathers something to do other than pass out in the delivery room. They tend to keep their wits about them more when there are stakes on the line. More or less, it is just an excuse for Thumper and Gus to gamble with each other. Rachel this is Dillon's brother Gabriel, but everyone just calls him Goober. Where did you get that name anyway Gabe?" James asked.

"You remember the old seriesThe Andy Griffith Show?When I was a kid, I really liked George Lindsey's character Goober. My mom even made me his trademark hat he wore all the time. I wore that damn thing everywhere and the kids picked up on it. Everyone started calling me Goober at school and the name just stuck. Even mom slips up once and a while and calls me Goober instead of Gabriel. I still have that original hat at home squirreled away in a place of honor. I told Jamie I wanted to make a set for all three of the triplets when they are born. She said there was no way in Hell she was giving birth to a trio of Goobers and she sure as Hell wasn't going to dress them to look that way," Goober said with a laugh.

"Smart woman," Rachel said as she signed her name on the visitor roster. She handed the clipboard back to Gabriel and he handed her a visitor's pass in trade.

"Yes, she is. She keeps me in line whenever I get one of my less than stellar ideas. By the way, keep that badge visible at all times. You will be walking through some sensitive areas and not all of the security may know who you are yet. It shouldn't be a problem with James by your side, but we all take the security seriously. The attack two years ago really threw us for a loop and we have been regretting it ever since. Besides, all the security tonight is pack and they will smell who you are instantly. Just be polite and responsive if you are approached without James around. We are all a little edgy as of late, what with your father getting ready to leave and all. Things always run just a bit more smoothly when he is around, you know?"

"I'm sure everything will be just fine. Besides, you guys have me, Kyle, Digger, Adam, and a host of other people to help if the shit hits the fan. Take it easy Goober and worry about watching my Dad's ass in Europe. Speaking of which, I'm going to go see just how many lawyers Dad has killed tonight," James said laughing as he ushered Rachel through a secure door with his ID badge.

James and Rachel walked through a large maze of hallways, each leading off to more secure areas; the hallways always dead-ending with a security guard and a door with a secure access point. James happily pointed out certain areas to Rachel and promised he would give her a more in depth tour after they got back. He introduced every security guard by name to Rachel and all were polite and respectful to their future Alphas. They accepted and were delighted to meet Rachel. A couple she recognized from the other night at the Rites, but couldn't remember their names immediately. They spent a few minutes chatting amiably with certain guards before heading to his father's offices. They finally came to a large and ornate set of double doors. James showed his employee ID to the attending guard and introduced Rachel. The guard happily notified Robert of his arrival and buzzed the pair through the checkpoint.

Robert and his legal team were busily going over some last minute business in the conference room when James and Rachel entered. Robert was delighted for the distraction that pulled him away from the monotony of legal documents and the endless droning of his lead council.

"James, Rachel...glad you are here," Robert said as he lowered his voice to the pair, "Really! If I had to listen for a minute longer I would have fallen asleep. Ryan is an excellent lawyer, but he has the personality of packing Styrofoam." James and Rachel snickered quietly at their father's comments.

"Everyone you remember my youngest son James. This is his may....I mean fiancée Rachel. Rachel this is Adrian Ryan the head of our legal department and lead council. The other two are his junior, but still excellent associates: Mr. Allan Rothmore and Mr. Isaac Hershbaum," Robert said in introduction.

All three gently nodded their heads and murmured greetings and salutations. Robert quickly bid the junior lawyers goodnight and said everything looked to be in order for his departure Monday. Mr. Ryan said he would file the necessary paperwork first thing Monday morning before their departure.

"Mr. Ryan is kind enough to stay and witness the signing of the restraining order against Jayden Michaels. All that is required is your and Rachel's signature and the order will go into effect midnight tonight for twelve months. Judge Matthews has already signed and Mr. Ryan and I witnessed earlier yesterday morning. But first there is an item of technicality that we must address. The order is undersigned Rachel Wolfe. Since you are technically still Rachel Merchant, you cannot sign the restraining order until you sign this first," Robert said producing a marriage license.

Rachel happily looked at James. This was really happening. She was not only mated to James for eternity, she would now be lawfully his for all time as well. She quickly snatched the offered pen from Robert's hand and signed the document in a flurry. She squealed happily and turned to give James a smoldering kiss that nearly buckled his knees. This turned James several shades of red making Robert laugh loudly. James quickly followed and added his signature besides his lawful wife's adorable hand writing. Robert immediately handed the document to Mr. Ryan to be witnessed and notarized.

"Congratulations you two," Adrian Ryan said with a full smile on his face, "please forgive my rather rude greeting earlier. Robert insists I act like the proverbial stick in the mud in front of my junior colleagues. They, unlike I, are not pack and therefore are blissfully kept in the dark of private pack business. He thinks it adds a layer of mystery and ambiguity to my true nature if I act like I have...what was the term you used Robert...the personality of packing Styrofoam...was it?" Adrian said with a sideward glance at Robert.

"And I must say Adrian you perform the necessary role most admirably," Robert said.

"Now that all the legal mumbo-jumbo is out the way, you may head home to your darling mate Clarissa and your two lovely baby girls Adrian. I am sure you are anxious to get home since tonight marks the end of the physician mandate isolation from your wife's body, does it not Adrian?" Robert goaded forcing Adrian to blush profusely.

"Yes it does Alpha. Clarissa is most anxious for me and says she has something special in store for me. So if I have your leave, I am off then," Adrian said a little too excitedly as he gathered his things and sprinted for the door. He knocked the security guard over as he returned from his hourly rounds. Apologizing profusely Adrian was again off as he shot down the nearest hallway towards the exit. All three laughed loudly at Adrian as Robert helped the confused guard to his feet.

"Anxious mate," Robert said as recognition and understanding crossed the guard's face.

Robert ushered his son and now official daughter-in-law back into his office, closing the door behind him.

"Now that you are my official daughter-in-law, James and I have a couple of gifts for you," Robert said with a smile.

"Give me that ugly pink abomination you call a cell phone babe," James said as he raised his right hand.

"Hey! It's actually kind of cute, in a girlish totally not my style sort of way," Rachel said with a smile as she handed said abomination to her mate.

"You know...Wolfe Electronics has its own line of cellular smart phones that are totally customizable with removable covers and face plates. James designed this one especially for you Rachel," Robert said as he handed the phone to James.

James removed the SIM card out of Rachel's old phone and placed it in the new model. He handed the new phone to Rachel who was extremely pleased. The new smart phone had a larger and sharper LCD screen over her older model. The skin was dark black with Type O Negative's classic band symbol stamped across the back plate. She turned on the device and was further pleased to find a selection of gothic wallpaper and ringtones that were definitely more to her liking.