With the final warning, he turned and stalked from the chief’s office.
“Dog, keep an eye on President Martinez.” Lawe activated the clip at his ear as the door slammed behind the other man. “If he leaves the building, I want to know where he goes. Lock jamming on all communication devices he attempts to use and inform me immediately if he attempts to contact any Council sources.”
“Affirmative.” Dog’s reply came back immediately.
Breathing out heavily, Rule turned back to the Martinez family, his gaze going to the man who could have been his grandfather. If he had been born a man rather than a Breed.
Orrin sat down slowly, his gaze meeting Rule’s, those endless dark eyes filled with nearly forty years of misery.
“You came to this office when first you arrived and spoke to my son, to request the help of the Navajo Nation in finding a rogue,” Orrin whispered, shaking his head. “In your eyes I saw a carefully veiled contempt, and I agreed with Ray’s suggestion that nothing good could come of helping you.”
“He convinced us all, Grandfather,” Audi spoke then, the title Orrin had given him use of when he was but a boy slipping from him as he stared at the old man in regret.
There was love here now, Rule thought. The tendrils of deceit and malice that he hadn’t been able to pinpoint finally identified. Now, only love and aching regret remained.
Orrin nodded slowly, still holding Rule’s gaze.
“I have ached for the day that if the children of my daughter existed, they would come to her family. That they would reach out and allow us to extend to them all the love we felt for our precious Star, and more besides.” A tear slipped past his cheek. “I would pray that the day would come that you would extend me your hand, grandson, and grant me the chance to show you the truth of my words.”
Rule glanced at Lawe, knowing his brother had hoped this would be the greeting they received when they first arrived.
Lawe nodded slowly. Rule turned to him and slowly extended his hand. “I look forward to knowing you, sir.”
To that, Orrin smiled sadly. “Ah, my daughter’s son, I look forward to knowing my grandson.” He turned to Lawe then, took his hand and whispered, “Both my grandsons, as well as the women they so love.”
Orrin turned to his family then. “Liza, could you, Chelsea, Claire and Isabelle step into the outer office with your and Claire’s mothers?” Audi Johnson asked heavily as he slowly moved his arm from where he’d held his wife to his side.
“Come on, girls,” Jane Johnson ordered, holding her arms out to Claire as Terran released her. “Let’s let them talk.”
“About us?” Isabelle rolled her eyes, but kissed her father’s damp cheek and did as Audi asked.
When the room had cleared of all but the Martinez men, Audi Johnson, Lawe’s mate, and the four Breeds, Orrin clasped his hands on the desk and breathed out shakily.
“Audi, you must tell them all that you know,” he ordered, lifting his gaze to meet his grandson’s. “Then I will tell them of a ritual that was enacted on two young women whose souls were already passing, and lay to sleep the souls of two young women who would have died otherwise. Perhaps then, they will know how to protect these children who are so much a part of our hearts, no matter their names, no matter from where they came. They are ours now, and we will not give them up, our children, especially our daughters, without a fight.”