Chapter 3 - Silvercloud

I groaned, rolling my shoulders as I sat up. Great, I fell asleep at my work table again. I yawned and rubbed my face, bits of wires and scrap metal falling out of my beard. Not the first time I’ve done this, and it won’t be the last. I looked around the table to see if I had made anything in my sleep. And sure enough, there was something that wasn’t there last night. 

I cocked my head as I raised the metal dove. The exterior was platinum with etchings, making it look like a metal totem. I squinted and tried to look inside some of the etchings that went straight through to figure out the function of the Dove and could see computer parts. I frowned and turned the bird in my hands as I tried to understand what I had built.

“What are you?” I questioned, holding it so I could look into its eyes. “Tell me your purpose, turtle dove.”

At the word ‘turtle dove,’ the eyes glowed green, and the wings of the metallic Dove tried to open in my hands. I had to let it go and watched as it flew around my bunker. I furrowed my brow as I watched it find a perch on a beam, watching me. I’m not sure what it’s supposed to do or why I built it, but at least it didn’t explode. As I stood, intending to inspect the robotic Dove further, my phone started to ring somewhere in the bunker.

“Crap. Where’d I put my phone?” I groaned as I started moving things around to find my phone.

“Silvercloud, make sure you get to the office today. Isis and I are dropping Persephone off shortly.” A soft voice cooed.

I furrowed my brow, looked around, and realized it came from the Dove. “You’re connected to my phone?” I blinked. “What are you?” I found myself questioning again.

“I am DOVE. Dynamic Operating Voice Experience.” Dove answered. 

“And you are linked to what exactly?” I questioned as I started rummaging around my bunker for clean clothes. I cannot be late arriving at the office today. John would have my head if I didn’t show up and left Persephone high and dry for a way back. 

“Everything. I am connected to all your systems.” Dove answered.

“That doesn’t sound like a good thing. If that were true, anyone could use you to access my data.” I frowned, realizing this bird was a massive security breach waiting to happen. 

I gulped as I realized just how dangerous this bird was. Why the fuck would I have made this thing? If Logan or John found out I made something like that, they’d smash it and then me. I’d have been better off building a bomb. At least then, it wouldn’t place the entire pack in danger.

Hell, it isn’t just the pack in danger. Any supernatural being I’ve ever documented would be in trouble if this information got into the wrong hands. Just because the Adio guild has turned over a new leaf and only takes down the supernatural beings that are an imminent threat to humanity doesn’t mean there aren’t other hunters out there or even other supernaturals who’d love to get their hands on this intel. 

“Tell me that you have security protocols so not just anyone can ask you questions and get into my data.” I grimaced, trying to stay hopeful that I used some safety protocol even in my sleep.

“I am voice-activated to only respond to requests from Jonathan Silvercloud. No other voice recognition has been approved.” Dove answered.

I sighed in relief and slipped on my sneakers, ready to go to the office. “Good. Stay in the bunker and keep not answering anyone but me. But first, do you know where my phone is?” I asked as I checked my jeans pockets to be sure I didn’t have it on me.

“Understood. Your cell phone is….” Dove turned its head, and a green glow scanned the room. 

Suddenly it flew from its perch straight to a shelf. I grimaced, waiting for it to crash. Instead, it hovered in front of the shelf and used its feet to grab my phone from one of the top shelves and fly it over to me. Okay, that was impressive. I could have made something useful in my sleep. Helper birds. I could see a use for this for anyone with a disability. Maybe I mentally modeled her after Aislinn’s raven Morpheus. 

“Thanks, Dove. Stay here. I’ll be back later.” I assured it as it flew back to its perch. 

“Going into power save mode,” Dove announced as the green glow of its eyes faded.

I sighed as I climbed out of the bunker, locking it for extra security. As I started for my car, Jaci was on high alert, pacing around in my head. 

‘What is it? Do you sense something bad coming? Is it about Dove?’ I questioned. 

Jaci has a sixth sense. He knows when bad things are coming, but not always with pinpoint accuracy. According to John, it’s probably something I inherited from my mother, a shaman of my birth pack. Either way, I generally trusted Jaci’s gut on things. 

‘No, it’s not about the stupid bird. Don’t you smell that?’ Jaci rolled his eyes.

I furrowed my brow and took a deep breath. I could smell the soft, warm summer breeze as it carried all the smells of the plants and wildlife of the forest around my bunker. And then it hit me. It was subtle, lingering in the air, so not a recent scent. It smelled like a new car—that perfect balance of coffee beans, clove, cedar, and leather.

In an instant, I knew what the smell was and why Jaci was all antsy. That smell is like no other. It’s the smell of my mate. Holy shit, I found my mate! I need to follow my nose, leading me straight to her. But one major problem, the smell is coming from the opposite direction I need to go.

‘Hey, where are you going? We need to follow her scent.’ Jaci questioned as I forced my feet toward my car.

‘The smell is going in the direction of the pack. We’ll find her later. If we don’t show up today, it won’t matter that we find her because John and Logan will kill me.’ I reminded him as I opened my restored and modified midnight blue 64 Aston Martin DB5 that, trust me, has more gadgets and toys than every James Bond car combined. 

‘Fine. I don’t care how much you say you don’t care about finding her. I know you care. We find our mate as soon as we drop off the visiting she-wolf. She is here, and we are not missing this opportunity for anything short of direct Alpha orders.’ Jaci warned. 

‘Fine. I’m pretty sure if I tell them I’m heading out to find my mate, none of them will stop me.’ I assured him as I pulled out of my hidden garage and headed for my office.

“Text Kurt,” I instructed my onboard computer. 

“Texting Kurt.” The computer voice responded. “What is your message?”

“I’m on my way. How does your friend take her coffee?” I asked.

“Message sent.” It only took a couple of minutes before I got a response.

“New message from Kurt.” The computer announced. “Don’t tell me you fell asleep in your lab again. Just make sure you get there on time. And from what I remember, she drinks quad shot caffe macchiato, which means a quad shot espresso with frothy milk.”

“Do you want to reply?”

“Yes.” I nodded. “I’ll let Shikoba know. I’ll be in the office soon.” 

“Message sent.”

“Send work email from Jonny Weaver to Shikoba Thorn.” I trusted that the email would get to Shikoba and that she’d handle things for me. “Grab me a quad shot caffe macchiato for Persephone Fayte, please.”

Twenty minutes later, I was scanning my badge and entering the state-of-the-art Silvercloud Industries building. I had the building designed with my company only in mind. None of the existing buildings in Portland fit what I wanted and knew I’d need for my company someday. So, this sleek and modern was constructed, checking all the boxes for what I wanted and needed.

“Morning, Mitch!” I waved. I smiled at the security guard, who looked at me in horror.

“Weaver? I thought… weren’t you fired?” Mitch questioned, stopping me from passing through the security door.

“Uh, nope. I’ve just been working remotely. I was told to come in today. Something about interns and one being assigned to me.” I shrugged, playing my role.

Honestly, these people need to relax. Until I blow the building up, there is no harm and no foul in my mishaps. And even then, if the Kinsley brothers can forgive me for blowing up part of the packhouse, my employees can get over a fire.

“They… they’re assigning you an intern?” Mitch looked pale. “I hope they have good life insurance.” He muttered as I scanned my badge at the door.

“What?” I asked, even though I heard him.

“Nothing. Just stay out of trouble. And don’t work with anything flammable today, please. We’ve had a long streak of no incidents in the building while you were working remotely.” Mitch sighed. 

I rolled my eyes and continued into the building. I selected several floors in the elevator, but in the specific order of 1, 10, 20, and 18. It’s the exact date that I was named Delta of Bloodmoon after shifting for the first time. By entering that order of floors, it triggered a hidden security measure. The camera in the elevator switched to show a loop of me standing there whistling when the elevator took me to the 30th floor, where my Silvercloud office was. I wanted to check in with Shikoba before I went to Jonny Weaver’s office.

Shikoba looked like a proper businessperson wearing a black pencil skirt, blue pinstripe button-down blouse, and black blazer, and her hair was in a neat bun giving her a very polished and professional look. She makes me look like a damn slob in my ripped black jeans and faded red tee with my unkept beard and hair in a messy man-bun.

Shikoba immediately greeted me by signing, “Welcome to the office, Silvercloud. The new interns are scheduled to meet their mentors in twenty minutes. As requested, Miss Fayte is assigned to you. I ask that you use restraint while you are here for her internship. You do not want her to discover your secret, and I do not want to deal with another emergency evacuation.”

That’s another reason I know Shikoba will never tell my secret; she is mute. “Ye of little faith. I swear I’m going to have a complex.” I rolled my eyes as I responded.

“Did you add that extra order of a quad shot caffe macchiato for Persephone?” I asked. “Kurt said it’s her preferred coffee drink.”

“I didn’t get additional instructions beyond the agreed-upon coffee and donuts at the welcome meeting.” Shikoba shook her head.

“Crap. Oh well. Probably for the best, wouldn’t want anyone to feel like Persephone’s getting special attention.” I shrugged, not worried that the email didn’t go through.

“Yes, that would be best. Miss Fayte is not supposed to know who you are. And you wouldn’t want the other interns to think she got in on nepotism.” She agreed.

“Unless something urgent comes up, don’t reach out today. No reason someone as important in the company as the CEO’s assistant would be talking to a worker bee like me.” I instructed as I went back to the elevator.

My phone buzzed in my pocket, and I checked my texts.

Kurt: Just dropped Persephone off. Good luck!

I chuckled and checked my newest text.

Shikoba: Good luck today.

I chuckled and glanced back at my assistant as she returned to her computer. Why does everyone seem to think I will need luck dealing with Persephone? It’s not like I’m a weird hermit who can’t get along with others. I’m very personable. There isn’t a person in our pack that doesn’t feel comfortable approaching me. And I generally get along with everyone. So unless this Persephone is some brat needing an attitude check, we’ll get along fine. Or that’s what I thought until she showed up in my Jonny Weaver lab, and all hell broke loose.