Chapter SixtyBrennan
Chapter Sixty
Brennan
C aroline was here. Fuck. What was even worse was that my family knew –and the only person who thought to warn me was Katie.
Dessert was being served. We still had the family dance and the main program, and then we could leave.
Seeing my ex brought up so many emotions, and not the ones I expected. I sort of pitied her new pack. But, she’d gotten what she wanted–wealthy alphas.
I also pitied her , because she didn’t seem happy either. If she were happy, she’d be flaunting her pack and belly, not taunting Evan.
But Caroline could be one petty bitch when she wanted.
“Grace.” Wes shot up out of his chair, expression stricken.
Evan stood up at about the same time. “Something’s wrong.”
Frowning, I looked around the ballroom, as fear shot through my bond with Evan. “Caroline’s not in her seat.”
Wes was already halfway to the door, with Evan behind him. I joined them. I was not letting Evan face her without me.
Troy stopped us. “The program's going to start.”
“It’s Grace, get out of my way,” Wes growled, ready to elbow him.
“Fine.” He stepped aside. “But not you,” my brother added to me.
“If you had told me that Caroline was coming, none of this would have happened. If something happens to Grace, so help me.” I pushed my older brother aside, aware that people were watching. Fuck them.
We ran out into the foyer, where the reception had been earlier.
“GRACE,” Wes yelled, clutching his chest. “I think she’s this way.”
“What the fuck did you do, you bitchnozzle? Hiro, call emergency. Marcos, you know first aid, right? Grace!” Riley screamed from some place I couldn’t see.
I saw two of Caroline’s alphas run through a doorway that led to a balcony–the same direction as Riley’s scream.
“Get away from my mate,” a male alpha growled at her.
“That bitch fucking pushed her. Grace did nothing to her,” Riley yelled back even as the alpha towered over her.
Two of Caroline’s alphas and Caroline were crowded onto a small balcony. Riley stood toe to toe with Caroline.
Where was Grace?
“Step away from the teenager,” I growled. Protecting their mate was no excuse to intimidate a child.
“Grace.” Evan darted down the stairs, fear continuing to roll through the bond.
“What the fuck did you do?” Wes took a step toward Caroline, scent spicy with anger.
“We were just talking and whoops.” One hand went to her mouth, the other was wrapped around her belly. “Your mate’s clumsy.”
“Grace, hey, stay with me,” Evan said from the staircase. “Jett, Jett, I need your help.”
“I’m right here.” Jett slipped past me and ran down the stairs. “Don’t move her.”
Wes’ face contorted in anger as he lunged. “You bitch–”
I grabbed him before he committed a crime–or her alphas made a move. “Don’t touch her,” I growled. “Riley, go help Evan. Now.”
“Don’t threaten my omega,” the one that smelled like copper warned, moving in front of her.
“She hurt Grace. Grace has done nothing to you.” Wes strained against my grasp.
“She did not,” he snapped back.
“Stop it right now, Wes. Control yourself,” I growled quietly. The law wouldn’t be on our side, even if she weren’t pregnant.
Caroline shrugged, tucked behind her two alphas. “We were talking . It's not my fault she can’t walk in heels.”
“Pretty sure that’s not what happened, oh, and he got here after me,” Riley called.
The alpha bristled. “My mate would never.”
“Spencer, get Lexi and Katie for me, please?” I asked, smelling him behind me, positioning myself in the doorway to block Caroline’s exit.
“I’m right here,” Katie said from behind me.
“I’ll get Lexi,” Spencer said.
“Emergency’s coming,” one of the teen boys said, now sitting on the top stair with a crying Riley, the other joining him.
I could feel the panic from Evan, the concern from Jett, as Wes went to Evan and Jett.
“This is all a misunderstanding. Cari wouldn’t push anyone. Now she isn’t feeling well. We’re taking her back to the hotel,” Rolf said.
“You’re going to stay right there until we figure out what happened,” Katie said, helping me block the doorway. “Caroline, what the fuck? Grace is Wes’, not Bren's.”
Caroline rolled her eyes. “Why would I hurt her? I told you, she’s clumsy.”
“Hmm, I wonder. You’re a petty bitch who can’t get over the fact that Brennan didn’t choose you.
So, over and over, you’ve made him pay for it.
You were the one who dumped him, remember?
What, you expected him to give up everything and travel with you?
Chase you across Europe and declare his love?
” Katie fired back, expression contorting into a sneer.
Hurt filled Caroline’s face as her tulip scent soured. One of her alphas growled.
I gave her an incredulous look.
“You wanted to travel. You said that you didn’t want to be tied down after you got your degree.” So, I went to graduate school, built up my business, and went on with my life.
“She wanted you to chase her. You didn’t. Then you found Jett,” Katie said. “I’m guessing that she came to your wedding intending to fix the biggest mistake of her life. Only instead, you met Evan, ruining all her plans for a happy reunion.”
“You replaced me,” Caroline spat, clinging to her alphas.
I frowned, confused. “You said that you didn’t want me.
I thought you were my match, and you rejected me .
Even when I offered to wait, you didn’t want me to.
So, I let you go like you asked. I didn’t set out to find Jett–or Evan.
It just happened. When you came back from your travels, I gave you a job, and let you into our lives.
I even thought that there could be a place for you in our pack. ”
Anger filled her eyes as I stared at her.
“That was all fake? Some grand plan to ruin my life because I let you do what you asked?” I blinked. What? I couldn’t wrap my head around all of this.
“I just needed a few years to travel–and I came back and you were getting married. I’m worth so much more than some beta and an overgrown oaf of an omega.” Her eyes teared, and the alpha, who smelled of copper, put his arms around her.
“You don’t need them, they don’t know your worth. Don’t worry. You have us,” Rolf soothed.
“Don’t call my mates names. Cari, you told me not to wait.” I was perplexed. I’d done exactly what she asked, and it made her mad?
Katie cackled. “Your plan backfired, you manipulative cow.”
“Stop telling lies about my mate,” the copper-scented alpha growled.
In many ways, I was glad that I hadn’t mated her straight out of university like I’d wanted. I loved Jett. If he hadn’t been such a stubborn asshole after my accident, I…
No. I wasn’t going to think about that very dark time, other than it had brought me Jett.
And Evan? While Caroline, on the surface, was the quintessential omega we were taught that an alpha should want to be with, Evan was everything I needed.
“Katie, Bren, you’re needed in the ballroom, now ,” Troy hissed from behind me.
“We should go,” the copper-scented alpha said. “Excuse us. Our mate is tired.”
“Troy, if you’re not here to help, go fuck yourself.” I turned to Caroline. “I was willing to share everything I built with you–my pack, my business, my mates. You could have been part of it, but you chose to hurt those I love.”
Which I realized almost too late.
“I don’t know what happened, but our mate is happy now, and I don’t appreciate whatever this is you’re doing,” Rolf grumbled. “Let us pass.”
I focused on Caroline; the anger threatening to explode inside me.
“Happy? If she was happy she wouldn’t be causing trouble right now.
You put my omega in the hospital. Twice.
You stole massive amounts of money from the pack.
Tried to destroy my business. Threatened my pack to the point that I had to get a restraining order against you—and let’s not forget the sex tape.
All for what–you wanted me for yourself, and if you couldn’t have me, no one could? ”
It seemed so petty.
“Of course I did, dumbass.” She scowled.
“You did?” Rolf looked at her.
“He rejected me, so I ruined him.” She shrugged.
His head went from side to side. “Oh. Good job.”
Good job? Fucking shit, she really did find mates perfect for her.
“I don’t even know what I saw in you.” I shook my head. Wow, I’d wasted so much time and energy on her.
Rolf growled at me. “It’s your loss.”
Sure. They might be her match but she still didn’t seem happy.
“Emergency is here. They came in through the garden.” Evan buried his head in my shoulder as his pain and sorrow barreled through me.
Spencer was on the stairs with Riley and the teenagers. Troy seemed to have disappeared. Good riddance.
“We’re leaving,” the copper-scented alpha said.
“Hold on, we need some statements,” the officers told him.
“You called the police? It was an accident. How could you?” Caroline shrieked, tulip scent growing spicy with anger.
“There is no need to question my mate,” Rolf snapped.
“Bren, Evan,” Spencer called.
I turned my back on her, taking Evan’s arm and going over to Spencer. The officers could handle Caroline.
“We’re needed. They’re taking Grace to the hospital,” Spencer said, helping Riley stand and putting an arm around her. Her anise scent was salty with sadness.
The taller boy gave Riley a hug. “We’ll get your homework if you’re not at school tomorrow, okay.”
“Yeah, text us if you need us,” the other added.
I think that was Marcos, the one who’d been over to the house. Riley nodded, makeup smeared.
We went down the stairs, where the paramedics were wheeling Grace out of the garden, Wes holding her hand, a stricken look on his face, laundry scent no longer fresh, but sour.
Jett joined us. “Wes is going with Grace. Spencer already called for our limo so it can take us to the hospital. Do I even want to know what happened?”
“All I care about is that Grace is okay.” My heart thudded in my chest as Evan clung to me, terrified, scent sour, as we crossed the garden and went into the lobby of the hotel.
“Brennan, where are you going? Emergency is here? What’s going on?” My mother strode across the lobby looking pissed.
“Caroline pushed Grace down the stairs. Something that wouldn't have happened if you had told me that she was coming. Grace is being taken to the hospital.” I stood firm, putting myself between her and the rest of my pack.
“Wes has it handled, get to the ballroom. It’s not over.” Her hands went to her hips.
I shrugged and strode toward the doors of the lobby, where I could see a limo pulling up at the bottom of the stairs as the ambulance took off. People were watching along with the press that wasn’t allowed inside.
She stormed over toward me when she noticed that I hadn’t followed. “You’d abandon your family? You know how important this dinner is.”
“My pack is my family, and they need me more than you do. We’ll be at the hospital. I’ll let you know how she is,” I replied as everyone left the lobby.
Spencer turned and looked at me. “Coming?”
“Absolutely.” Without looking back, I exited with my pack.
Riley, Evan, Jett, Spencer, and I got into the limo, and I closed the door, ignoring my mother, who was running down the stairs.
“Let’s go,” I told the driver.
The weight of a thousand planets lifted off my shoulders as the Hotel Gladiola faded into the distance.
“Oh, I’m going to pay for that. But there’s no other choice.” I rubbed my temples.
Evan put his head on my shoulder. “Damn straight. I can’t even figure out why she wouldn’t want us to go to the hospital. She’s the one who has us playing happy pack in public . ”
“The timing doesn’t suit her, since happy family is more important than happy pack. It’s all about image. Well, that and control. I’m so tired of it.” Being forced to go to these dinners. Her dictating everything.
I was done.
Jett squeezed my shoulder. “This is a long time in coming. We have your back.”
“If she cuts the funding for the scholarships, we’ll figure it out,” Evan said. “I like the idea of starting our own foundation.”
“Me, too. I think we should go forward with it, regardless.” Spencer rolled down the window since the limo was filled with concern.
“Thanks. I’m so glad I have you.” My pack. My everything.
We got to Mercy Hospital and found Wes pacing the waiting room.
“I will fuck shit up if she’s not okay,” Riley grumbled.
I hugged Riley to me. Same.
People were looking at us, but we were all still in our finery.
A doctor finally joined us. “Wes Lawson?”
“That’s me.” Wes stood.
“She sprained her wrist and fractured a couple of bones in her foot. Everything else is fine, though we’d like to keep her overnight for observation,” she told us.
“Can we see her?” Evan asked.
“Of course. Follow me.” The doctor led us through the emergency room to where Grace was.
“You’re here.” Grace’s face lit up, and she sat on the bed, still in her silver gown.
Wes, Evan, and Spencer were immediately at her side. Riley texted someone.
“Of course we are,” Wes told her.
“Did that bitch push me? I can’t remember.” Grace made a face. She had a fabric splint on her wrist. A removable walking cast on her foot peeked out from under her dress.
“I didn’t see it but I think she did,” Riley told her.
It wouldn’t surprise me. My phone rang. My mother. I ignored it. Jett put his arm around my waist. Grace was going to be okay. Thank goodness.