Bas really couldn’t take much more. The meeting had been torture for his bear.  He constantly had to adjust his breathing and stance just to maintain.  It was now or never. He needed to talk with Jacks and get the hell out of there.  Wyatt had slapped him on the shoulder on the way out of the room, and Bas lunged at the man.  It was instinct, but the look on Wyatt’s face, like he had hurt him, nearly gutted Bas.  He wanted his life back to normal.

The problems with his bear had gotten mildly better when Peyton and Wyatt moved into one of the empty cabins.  At least now Bas was getting a little sleep because he didn't have to listen to their nighttime antics.  Sometimes having enhanced senses just sucked.  When Peyton would try to talk to him, his beast would smell Wyatt all over her and the fucker would go off, tearing him apart on the inside to change and go after Wyatt.  Bas knew he was hurting Peyton's feelings by walking away from her most times, but he didn't have any other choice. 

It was almost worse when Wyatt walked into the room.  He started to avoid him too, trying his damnedest never to be where either of them was. But that was pretty damn hard when his job required him to have daily contact with Wyatt.  Peyton was a little easier to avoid, but he felt like shit for doing it.

The bruin in his body thought of her as a little girl, not a grown woman that was happily mated.  As far as the beast was concerned, it wanted to lock her away like a princess in a tower.  The whole thing was just fucked up, and he was the first one to admit it.

Shit, this whole thing was probably his fault. His mind had created separate boxes for all the things that mattered to him in his life.  Peyton was one, his human brothers another, the Team and NAC, and then everything else. Maybe if he hadn’t kept everything so separate, his beast would realize how wrong its feelings were. 

Wyatt had asked him if he had thoughts of Peyton as anything other than brotherly, and the truth was he didn’t. That was why his beast’s reaction was freaking him out.  Neither the beast nor the man wanted Peyton as a mate, but the beast also didn’t want her with anyone else either, and that didn’t make any sense. 

He could only think that if maybe he had introduced Peyton to the Team sooner, not kept her separate for so long, his bear would have had the time to acclimate to others being around his sister.   Shit, maybe he should have just brought one or two of the guys and brought them along on one of his trips to visit her. Bas still felt ashamed of himself for allowing and keeping Peyton hidden for so long.  The members of Alpha Team were a part of his family, but he also had two other families.  One with Peyton and one with his brothers.  What he couldn’t figure out was why he had the need to keep them all so separate in the first place. 

Peyton didn’t even know his human brothers by blood, and they lived less than a half an hour away from the house she had lived in for years.  His brother knew about her but kept their distance to appease Bas.  His brothers on Alpha Team met a couple of his blood brothers while in the service, but that was just a fluke. Bas could remember wanting to get the hell out of there as quickly as possible.  Not because he was ashamed of any of them, but because he honestly believed that all his lives needed to be separate. 

The bitch of it was he never once considered how any of them felt about it either.  Ethan had human brothers, and he and the guys often hung out with them if they were in the area.  Shit, they had even spent time with Eli’s brother before the whole betrayal thing. Maybe he needed to work on more than just his beast and figure out why the hell he kept putting people he cared about at a safe distance.  

The fact of the matter was that Bas was afraid his mind was slipping, that the process of going rogue was starting. It freaked him the hell out.  His first instinct was just to end it before one of his brothers and teammates had to do it for him.  His second was to run to get away from the cause of his malfunction and try to get a handle on it.  His third was to do his best to stick it out and deal with it.  The latter one was the one he had initially chosen, but he didn’t know how much longer he could keep it up. 

His only hope was to get through this meeting without drawing blood and ask for a reassignment for a while.  Shit, it didn’t even need to go that far if he could get granted some leave time. Then, just maybe, he could figure all this out.  He hoped that his Alpha would understand and agree, but looking at the man currently staring at the ceiling like it held all the answers, Bas honestly doubted it.  Jacks had one mission now, and that was to keep the women of Alpha Team safe.  Bas believed in the mission himself. Shit, one of them was his very own sister, but that also caused the problem.  If he went rogue, then Peyton would have to witness it, and he didn’t want that. 

That’s why he was standing in the conference room, looking down at his feet, trying to get the courage to tell Jacks what was going on.  Bas needed the advice and guidance. He just felt like a pantywaist for having to ask.  Bas wanted to go to Cash, but the fucker was acting all strange and broody. That left him with only one option; Jacks. 

The bastard was an excellent Alpha, but besides his mate, Ryleigh, he had zero compassion.  His motto was and always had been to take it like a man.  Bas usually got behind that, but this time taking it like a man meant hurting both his best friend and his sister.  How the fuck was he supposed to deal with that?

Bas needed a second before he approached Jacks and made his request.  Not wanting to look at the man in question while he gathered his thoughts, Bas focused on his scuffed-up combat boots.  After a few moments, Bas looked up and noticed that Jacks was watching him but had remained quiet, allowing Bas the time to make up his mind about what he was going to do.  He had two choices; ask or leave, and Jacks wasn't going to influence his decision either way.  The fucker didn’t even say anything, just raised his eyebrow.  It was like he was saying, “get on with it, or get the fuck out,” typical Jacks.  Damn, he knew Jacks wasn’t going to make this easy. Once Bas told him what he had planned, he was pretty sure the big guy was going to go off.  Jacks had one main thing on his mind lately, Ryleigh, how to protect her and keep her safe.  He was even willing to let Dalton give up his true mate, Emma, to make that happen.  How was he going to feel about Bas’ little problem?

"What’s going on, Bas, I can feel your beast, and I got to tell you, I’m not liking the aggressive vibes he is putting off.  I thought if I gave you enough time, you would get it under control, but that doesn’t seem to be happening."

Time to nut up, Bas thought to himself. Fuck, this was going to suck.

"Yeah, about that… Listen, I know we are on lock down and that all the girls are a priority right now, but I need to take some time away." 

The fucker didn’t even say anything, just looked at Bas with that scowl like he was trying to figure out if he was insane or something.  The truth was that Bas wasn’t that far off from thinking the same thing.

Bas continued, "Listen, I get it the timing sucks, but if I don’t get out of here one of two things is going to happen.  Here is the deal. I’m not stable and if I stay here blood will flow, or you’re going to have to take matters into your own hands.  My bear is tearing me apart." 

"What do you mean,” Jacks demanded. “Why is your bear tearing you apart and why in the hell would we bleed Wy?  Fuck, you two have always been close all your lives and you gave those two your blessing.  What the hell, man, do you have a thing for your sister?"

"Fuck no, asshole!  I fucking knew this was a mistake." Bas turned around to leave but couldn’t get his feet to move; he needed this.  He needed Jacks to understand and agree with what he had planned. 

"Peyton is my sister and I don’t have any other “feelings” for her beyond that. It’s the fucking beast.  He thinks of her as his in a very platonic way.  I don’t get it either, but I need a fucking break.  The walls around this place aren’t that thick and every time I hear them together, or shit, when one of them walks into the fucking room, it takes everything I have in me to keep the beast under control.  I don’t expect you to get it. Fuck, I don’t get it.  I just know that if I can’t break this tension with the beast soon, the alternatives will be much worse.  Get me?"

Jacks rubbed the back of his neck and started shaking his head.  Bas was just about to leave the room. Goddam Alpha always thinking he knew better. 

"Okay, why don’t you head on down to see your brothers for a week or so,” Jacks suggested.  “You can even hitch a ride with Cash and Ryleigh. They are headed that way in the morning anyway.  Mia and Ryleigh have some tests they want to run on the baby, and they need to document the pregnancy or some shit.  They can’t do that here because our supplies and equipment are limited.  It will make me feel better with two of my men in the area since I have to stay back here with Kenna." 

Jacks continued, "You could also check up on a lead we have of a possible Franklin creation.  Her name is Shelby Thomas.  She is in that general area.  Maybe you can kill two birds with one stone.  Get your time away and see if we are on the right track with hunting these women down."

"I’m all for going down to see my brothers, that was my plan anyways,” Bas responded.  “Helping out with Rye would be a bonus.  But I gotta ask, what do you want me to do about this woman?  It’s not like I can just walk up to her and say, hey, mind giving me a blood sample so I can forward it to my friend?  What exactly are we talking about here Jacks?"

"Damn, you’re all turning into fucking drama queens” Jacks snapped. “Fuck no, I don't want you to go up to her and ask for a blood sample.  I want to you watch her and observe her movements.  Do the fucking job you are paid to do and surveil the woman.  The plan about bringing in an outside agency to obtain the blood samples has potential, but I want to get a read on one of these women.  Figure out if she is the real thing or another plant like the woman Kayden is currently dealing with. And while you’re at it, get a fucking attitude adjustment.  I’m giving you leeway here, but that only goes so far.  Get me?"

"Yeah, I’ll grab the chick’s file and come up with a plan of attack," Bas assured. 

Before he left the room, Bas walked over to Jacks and extended his hand. When Jacks stood, and took it, Bas pulled him, slapped his back, and said, " I appreciate this, Jacks. I know it’s not the best time, but I need this.  I’ll get what you need on the girl and get my shit together, Alpha. Thanks." 

Jacks did the same half hug thing, slapping Bas on the back and then pushed him away to stare him down. 

"Not a problem, dude, but I expect you to do your job and get your shit together while you’re doing it.  We have too much at stake and are going to be a man down.  I will give you this time to try and figure it all out on your own. But know this, if you can’t, I will take matters into my own hands."  

"Understood,” Bas responded. “I will get with Cash and help finalize all the details."