Muriel knew Gracie must be grieving Daniel’s death along with the rest of them. Her children shared the same twin connection Muriel had with Samuel. Her daughter must miss that bond, must miss her brother. But Gracie refused to share her grief. Refused to release it. Just held it tightly to her chest and drifted through the peripheral of Muriel’s life.
“…the mother gifts each of us in different ways…”
Muriel tuned back in to Olivia, trying to focus on what the other woman was saying. They paused in front of the swinging blue door that separated the interior of the emergency room from the waiting area.
“Has Samuel mentioned what the Blue Moon Mother gifted to me?” Livvy asked, an uncomfortable look on her face as she shifted from foot to foot.
Did she think Muriel would be jealous because of Olivia’s gift? To be fair, at one time, she would have been. But Daniel’s death had taught her to treasure the important things in life—love and family. Nothing else mattered.
“You mean your gift of connecting heartmates?” Where was Olivia going with this?
Olivia nodded, but the uncomfortable expression sank deeper in her eyes. “Yes. That. I can see heartmates. And here’s the thing Muriel. Out by the utility vehicles, when you were talking to O’Neill, I saw the threads stretching between you two.” She reached for Muriel’s fingers and squeezed. “You and O’Neill are spirit mates.”
Chapter six
Day 24
Shadow Mountain Base, Alaska
A son?
Daniel was—had been—my son?
O’Neill rocked back on his heels, a static buzz heating his mind.
No. Not possible. He and Muriel had only gotten together that one time and he’d worn a rubber. She’d been on birth control. Ananvaacouldn’t have been conceived that night. Besides, the youngling hadn’t borne the slightest resemblance to him. Daniel had been tall, with dark hair and eyes. He looked like his motherand hisAnisbecco.If O’Neill had been his father, wouldn’t there be some resemblance? At least a hint of it?
No. She must have lied.
Except...he’d never known Muriel to lie. Nor could he see her lying about something so monumental.
The static buzzing in his head was so thick, he barely felt the steel fingers clamping around his elbow.
“Come with me.”
Even through the buzzing, O’Neill recognized the tight voice. Wolf. No doubt the vise around his elbow belonged to Wolf too. He glanced down. Sure enough, the fingers digging into his arm with enough force to turn them white were attached to Wolf’s hand.
“Now,” Wolf snapped.
Oh yeah, Wolfie was pissed. He must have heard Muriel’s confession. But if it were true…if Daniel really was his son, wouldn’t Wolf already know? The two had been thick as thieves back then...wouldn’t Muriel have told him? Or if she hadn’t told Wolf, she must have told her brother, who’d passed the news onto his best friend.
It was inconceivable that Wolf wouldn’t know Daniel’s parentage. Yet judging by the dude’s flinty face and icy eyes, he’d been as out of the loop as O’Neill. Nor did Muriel’s announcement please Muriel’s old crush—like at all. No surprise there.
O’Neill yanked his arm free and took a step toward the emergency room doors. He had questions. Muriel had the answers. He didn’t even get a second step in, before Wolf’s vise-like grip yanked him back again.
A surge of rage pushed through the buzzing. Wolf had no right to keep him from Muriel...to keep him from the truth. His fingers clenched. Pivoting, he drove his fist into the bastard’s face. Wolf’s head rocked back. Black fire flooded the ebony eyesglaring at him. Without letting go of O’Neill, he drew back his free arm and let his fist fly.
O’Neill ducked as the sledgehammer masquerading as Wolf’s fist headed for his face. He didn’t quite evade the blow, but he took the punch on his forehead, rather than his nose. Good thing too; if it had landed on target, Wolf would have broken his nose for sure. Again.
His adrenaline surged. The impulse to strike, to hammer Wolf into the ground, swamped his self-control, overrode his common sense. He squared his boots and lifted his clenched fists. Wolf followed suit. But before either of them had a chance to throw the next punch, Wolf’sjavaaneeshoved his way between them.
“We don’t have time for this fucking bullshit,” Winchester growled, shoving O’Neill back. “For Christ’s sake, we’ve got zombies in the isolation tank, nanobots vibrating their microscopic butts off, and the apocalypse coming in fast.” He twisted around, slammed his palms against Wolf’s chest, and shoved again. “We’ve got more important problems than whatever bullshit you two have going on.” He dropped his arms, but remained in place, separating the two of them. “Snap out of it. We need to talk to Benioko.”
O’Neill sucked in a deep breath, forcing the rage back. Winchester was right. Still…he scowled, glancing toward the ER. He needed to talk to Muriel.
He needed to know if Daniel had been his son.
“Bro.” Winchester’s gaze lifted, catching O’Neill’s eyes. “Your woman’s pissed and grieving. Give her a chance to settle before you go after her.”
