Chapter 36
“Why is your mate staring at me?” Fionn asked, during a lull in their conversation. “Did I do something wrong?”
“My tiger mate?” Alex asked, glancing quickly at the window where Glenn had been standing guard all afternoon. “Nope…that’s just his secret agent look.”
“Your mate’s a spy?”
Nodding excitedly, Alex asked, “Can you believe it? When he told me, I was over the moon. I mean…what are the chances I would ever meet one much less have one for a mate?”
“Astronomical!” Fionn giggled.
“Exactly! You want to know my code name?”
“You go on missions with him?” Fionn asked, his eyes nearly popping out of his head.
“Well…not yet, but I will. Right now, he and wolf mate are trying to find the people who are hunting me.”
“You’re in danger?” Fionn asked, his dragon shining in his eyes at the news Alex’s dragon was being pursued.
“Not with my two mates protecting me,” Alex said, grinning.
“Does Hunter know about this?” asked Fionn.
Shrugging, Alex replied, “I’m not sure…but he’ll probably know soon if he doesn’t now.”
“Do you mind if I tell him?”
“Nope.”
“Good…he should know just in case my dragon is needed to help your mates take down whoever is after you.”
Alex’s eyes widened. “In that case, you’ll need a code name too…for instance, Snow White is tiger mate’s handle…”
“He’s named after a Disney princess? Are you kidding me?”
Giggling, Alex said, “That’s what I said when I found out, but according to my mate, it’s because he’s a White Siberian Tiger shifter…Sawyer is Nighteye and I’m Delicious Surprise. Smokey, another secret agent who works with my tiger mate, came up with it.”
“Smokey? Like Smokey the Bear?”
“Yup…he’s a grizzly bear shifter, so it’s a perfect name, dontcha think?” asked Alex.
“Yeah…I’m a white dragon but I can’t think of anything that clever for me.”
“Why be limited to who your animal is? Sawyer’s name has nothing to do with his wolf,” Alex said.
“Ooohhh, that’s a good idea…I’m gonna be Lord of the Elements sometime in the future, but have no idea when.”
“Hmm…”Alex mused, going through possible names in his mind but rejecting all of them. “I can’t think of any right now, but I will. It took me a while to come up with Nighteye for my wolf mate, but it was worth it in the end because he loves it.”
“I’ll ask Hunter, also,” Fionn said.
I’ll do the same with my mates…and if they can’t think of a good one, I’ll asked Smokey and Ghost.”
“Ghost? Like a real ghost?” Fionn asked, his eyes grew big at that thought. “I never met one…wait…are they even real?”
Shrugging, Alex replied, “Don’t know, but Ghost…his code name…is another secret agent who works with my mate.”
“Oh I get it…he can disappear…like a ghost,” Fionn said, grinning.
Laughing, Alex shook his head. “Good guess, but that’s not it. Ghost is a Black Siberian Tiger shifter. At night, he blends into the shadows…”
“Like a ghost!”
“Uh-huh,” Alex agreed. “Wait till you see the setup he has in his house…it’s like out of a spy movie…a hidden room filled with computers and gadgets…very James Bond-like.”
“Maybe I can see it when we get back home,” Fionn said. “That’s if you’re going to live there.”
“I am…as far as I know,” Alex replied. “According to Sawyer, Mac is the only doctor he trusts.”
“Ian is good, too. He was the one who helped me when I was rescued.”
“Good, then my wolf mate will be happy I have a back-up doctor,” Alex said.
“When are you gonna make me an uncle?”
Grinning broadly, Alex said, “Mac’s not sure how long it will be because I’m a dual shifter. But I hope my cub is born sooner than later.”
“Why?” asked Fionn…then catching a glimpse of his brother’s two mates at the window looking at them, added. “Never mind…I got it now.”
Following his brother’s gaze, Alex grinned, waving at his mates before turning back to his brother. “It’s Sawyer who’s freaking out the most.”
“Really? I’d thought it was Snow White seeing how he’s going all hulk-like on you being out here with me.”
“You’d think, but nope, he’s laid back about the whole pregnancy thingy.”
“Well at least one of them is,” Fionn murmured.
Watching his brother, Alex saw the moment when Fionn’s mind went someplace dark. Feeling Fionn’s pain, Alex grasped one of his brother’s hands, interlinking their fingers together. “Hey, where did you go just now?”
Closing his eyes briefly, Fionn just shook his head.
Talking about Alex’s pregnancy made him realize that killing their father also had the unforeseen effect of hurting his nephew.
And he was sure his brother would change his mind about forgiving him when Alex realized the consequences his child would suffer because of what he’d done.
Wrapping his other arm around Fionn’s waist, Alex murmured, “I’ve been thinking about all the secrets in our lives…”
“Yeah, there were a lot…”
“Right…well, I think it’s time for that to end. What do you think about making a pact to never keep secrets from each other…ever again?”
“About everything? Like everything…if you catch my drift.”
Chuckling, Alex shook his head. “Not everything…just stuff about us being brothers. I feel like I’ve been cheated since I didn’t know you when I was growing up…
and there’s so much more to learn about you that I just think if we can agree to tell each other everything…
even stuff that isn’t great…it’ll help make up for the time we lost.”
His brother’s suggestion resonated with Fionn.
His decision to keep Alex a secret from his mother wasn’t sitting well, especially after meeting him.
It would look as if he were ashamed of his brother—which was exactly opposite of how he now felt.
After experiencing the repercussions of his father’s secrets, he realized Alex was right.
Honesty would help strengthen their brotherly bond. “Sounds good,” he agreed.
Squeezing his brother’s hand, Alex said, “Tell me what is…”
But before he could continue, Fionn blurted out, “I’m so sorry your son won’t have a grandfather.”
Finally realizing the cause of his brother’s distress, Alex lifted their joined hands, placing them over his heart.
“You listen to me, Fionn, and listen good…our father was not a good person. I know he was trying to protect me, but he never should have done it at your expense. He was your father, too, and even though he felt tricked into bedding your mother after they’d separated, Artur had a responsibility to you.
And instead of living up to it, he blamed your mother for all his fuck-ups in life.
Shit, even after she died, he still wasn’t satisfied cuz he tried to kill you, too.
I hardly think that makes him a good role model that I’d want to have for my son.
” Alex gritted his teethe at the very thought of it before continuing.
“There will never be a day I’ll regret his death because in order to do that, I would have to forget what he did to you…
and I can’t, nor will I…ever. I may not have had the childhood I would have liked, but I survived…
same as you. And I believe there’s a reason why the Fates brought us back together…
so please, please don’t let our father hurt you anymore. ”
Smiling tremulously through his tears, Fionn nodded, taking his brother’s words to heart.
Alex was right, it was time to move on. The sun was finally breaking through the darkness that had obscured his world for so long.
There was now so much good in his life: a mate who not only loved him but encouraged him with his art, and a brother who was everything he ever wished for when growing up. “Thanks…big brother,” he said, softly.
“Oh my gods, that’s right…I’m older than you!” Alex laughed. “So I can boss you around, right?”
Groaning, Fionn murmured, “I created a monster.”
“But a brotherly monster,” Alex said.
Before Fionn could reply, a loud rumble filled the air, causing him to chuckle. “I think your cub is telling us he’s hungry.”
Rubbing his belly, Alex grinned. “He’s not shy in letting me…and everyone else…know.”
“Definitely not,” Fionn said, starting to rise. “We should head over to the chateau. According to my friends, you are about to be wowed.”
“Wait,” Alex said, his voice betraying his nervousness.
Raising an eyebrow, Fionn paused, watching his brother chewing his lower lip. Sitting back down, he asked, “Everything okay?”
“Uhm…there’s something I need to tell you,” Alex muttered. “It’s about not keeping secrets.”
“Okay, but can you stop eating your lip? I’m afraid there won’t be anything left by the time we sit down to dinner.”
A bark of laughter escaped Alex as his tension eased. “My mates will thank you, since they sure love to kiss it.”
Returning his brother’s smile, Fionn asked, “What’s got you so uptight?”
“Uhm…I just thought you should know I found my grandfather…he’s from my Omega father’s side of my family.”
Fionn’s eyes grew big. “Wow! That’s great! Wait…this is good, right? He’s not an asshole is he? Cause me and Hunter can make sure he never bothers you again.”
“No…no…no…it’s all good, I mean he’s good,” Alex said. “You…uhm…you know him because he works for you…well, he works at the winery. It’s Henri.”
“Henri? The driver? Who picked you up at the airport? That Henri?”
Nodding, Alex replied, “I don’t know the whole story yet, but apparently he’s been searching for his son Jean-Luc…my Omega father…for years.”
Frowning, Fionn asked, “Why wasn’t he there for you after his son died?”
“Henri didn’t know he was dead…or that his son had fathered me.”
“Hold on…so Henri’s son was the man who caused my father to abandon my mother?”
“Uhm…according to Oracle, they were Fated Mates,” Alex said, twisting his fingers together. “I don’t think they had a choice…like I didn’t with either Sawyer or Glenn.”