Chapter 23
CHAPTER 23
F rank was walking back to the castle. As he did each morning before breakfast, he checked in with the enforcers who had night patrol around the area. As Beta, he was responsible for overseeing all enforcers, but as the Pullman pack lands were so big, he had leaders in each town who emailed him daily with updates. It was how the pack lands remained safe.
He stopped walking just outside of the castle grounds. He couldn’t believe he was moving back into his childhood home. He loved living in the castle, it was fun, and now he was moving back in.
He carried on walking and as he got closer, he saw a strange car parked up by the entrance. He remembered his brother had messaged him last night saying a friend of Jacob’s had moved in. He was glad Jacob had a friend from his home pack with him. Before he could reach the front steps, he saw his brother in wolf form trotting over to join him.
“Morning, is there a problem, or are you just out for a run?”
Berni shifted back. “Just out for a run. How was everything?”
“All is quiet, I’ll check with the others later. We need to get those three men to tell us everything they know.”
Berni nodded. “We do. We can go and see them after breakfast. We also need to ask Jacob if he heard his father mention the names of non-pack members. Hopefully, he overheard something he doesn’t realise is important.”
“I’ll ask him after lunch. I like Jacob.”
Berni grinned. “So do I. I’m glad he’s now here and safe.”
“I’m sure Franny will agree with you. But I wonder what Jacob will do when he’s better if he’ll take Franny off somewhere to be an Alpha.”
“Maybe he won’t want to be one. Cresswell didn’t get his whole record stripped. There’s still a note on there advising he never be allowed to lead a pack,” Berni told him. “But that’s something for another day. Let’s go and have breakfast. I don’t know about you, but I’m starving.”
“I could eat something,” Frank replied, mounting the steps.
The brothers walked up side by side and, before reaching the front door, it opened revealing Clairmont.
“Breakfast is ready, gentlemen.”
Frank walked through the door. “Thanks Clair—” He paused and sniffed.
“What’s wrong?” Berni asked him, having a sniff.
“Can’t you smell that?” he asked.
“I don’t smell anything out of the ordinary,” Berni replied.
“Neither do I,” Clairmont added. “What do you smell, my lord?”
“Freshly baked bread and the first rain after grass has been cut,” Frank told them in a daze, looking and sounding confused. “It’s coming from upstairs.”
“Let’s go and look,” Berni said.
“Maybe dress first, Your Grace,” Clairmont suggested, walking to a chair and passing some jeans to Berni, and then a polo shirt.
“Thanks. Come on, Frankie. Clairmont, we’ll be down for breakfast in a bit.”
“Very good, Your Grace.”
The brothers started walking up the grand stairs.
Frank suddenly stopped. Berni, noticing, stopped a few steps above him.
“What?” Berni asked.
“What if the scent is my mate?” Frank all but whispered, sounding stunned.
Berni’s mouth dropped open. “It’s possible. The only new scent would be coming from Jacob’s friend, Joe Buchann.”
“That means he will be quite young, maybe eighteen, nineteen.”
“You’re not exactly old, Frankie,” Berni pointed out.
“Well, I hope he likes older men.”
Berni grinned. “Let’s find out. You should be thinking about having a younger male mate.”
“You know I have no issues having a male mate, nor a younger one. I asked the fates for my perfect mate, so he will be.”
They both carried on up the stairs.
Frank followed the scents to the hospital room.
“Frankie, play it cool. Don’t pounce on him as soon as you see him,” Berni cautioned.
“I won’t.”
Fran, Jacob, and Joe were chatting and laughing.
“Breakfast should be ready any time now, Joe. It’s always laid out in the small dining room if you want to go and get some.”
“Will anyone mind me being there? I can pop down and get something for the both of you.” He paused. “Well probably not Jacob, but I can get you some breakfast, Fran.”
“Hey now, that’s not fair,” Jacob protested with a fake frown. “Robbie said I could have proper food today.”
“That was before we knew about your infection,” Robbie said from the doorway, walking in, Finn at his side.
“You do realise bacon cures everything, right?” Jacob said hopefully.
Robbie grinned. “I must have missed that seminar when I was training.”
“Ask my uncle, see what he thinks, you know a second opinion and all that,” Finn added laughing.
“Maybe,” Robbie replied. He looked at Jacob, noting his pale complexion and the pain in his eyes. “Seriously, how are you feeling?”
“Not gonna lie, doc, the pain is horrible. It feels like I have hot knives stabbing me in my stomach,” Jacob admitted. “Apart from sending me to sleep, I’m not sure the painkillers are working.”
“I can get different pain medication from the hospital when I go in. Finn, if you follow me to the hospital, I can get it and you can bring it home for either Fran or Emory to administer.”
Finn nodded. “Yep, I can do that.”
“Good. Now I’m going to shoo you all out so I can check out Jacob’s infection.”
Before anyone could move, the bedroom door opened and Berni and Frank walked in.
Joe turned and looked at the two men who walked in and gasped. His wolf stood up and howled happily. The man standing next to the Alpha was his mate.