Chapter 16
The Audacity
“ T hose motherfuckers had the audacity to come for my mate,” I snarl as I walk into Kendrick’s office.
“What? Who?” Reilly asks as he and Kendrick look up from some maps they’re peering over.
“Those fucking hunters. They showed up at Taylor’s workplace.”
“Where is Taylor now?” Kendrick asks as he stands from the war table he keeps in the room for others to be able to stand around as his desk won’t allow anyone to get near it.
“She’s with a few of the she-wolves in the kitchen,” I reply.
“Why leave her with them?” Reilly asks.
“Her thoughts became a blur to me out of nowhere. I thought letting her get to know a few of them would give her a chance to learn more about mind-linking even though they can’t link with her. Besides, who do I trust more, other than you guys?” I grumble.
“Her thoughts were a blur. How?” Reilly asks with concern.
I take a calming breath. “You know what, I think she was thinking of the fourth sister. This Lee. I could hear them, but the visual thoughts were a blur.”
“I know what he means,” Kendrick says. “Some of Ray’s thoughts are still a blur to me when it comes to Venus.
“When I fell through time, I didn’t see anything she saw concerning Venus. Only the parts of the past concerning me. I was going to brush it off as an effect caused by Venus’s presence but now, I’m thinking that might not be the case.”
“So you haven’t seen Lee in her thoughts?” Reilly asks in frustration.
“No, brother. I’m sorry. That’s a blur to me.”
Reilly runs his hand through his hair and blows out a breath. “It’s not your fault. I will find her. If she’s my mate for sure, I’m bound to find her.”
“Back to the hunters. I don’t like it. Taylor and Billy still have lives outside of the clubhouse. If they are intent on drawing us out through our mates, why haven’t they attacked?”
“Because they’re not fucking idiots. You feel me?” I bite out.
“He has a point. Even if they are original kings, they’re no match for us. It would be suicide to attack one of us. Besides, do we know that they’re not attacking? Billy took care of the bastards who showed up at her place and Bradan said something scared them off before he got into it with them at that diner.”
I snort. “They did throw a weak-ass attack at me today while I covered Taylor. I ate that shit right up. If I didn’t have her in my arms, I would have put their asses to ground. She was my priority.”
“As she should be,” Kendrick says.
“They are targeting what they think is our weakness. We should talk to Ardan. I think it would be best if we did more than train them in their magic. Some combat couldn’t hurt.”
“I’m not letting Taylor out of my sight, but I don’t see the harm,” I say.
“I was thinking the same thing. I will talk to Ardan when he and Billy return. I’m sure he will agree.”
I nod at Kendrick’s words. He returns to his seat and fixes his gaze on the map in front of him.
“What’s going on here?” I ask as I look down at the map.
“Reilly has an idea. He wanted to look at where in the city we all found our mates to see if there was any correlation that would help him find his.”
“Anything?” I ask with hope in my voice for him.
“Nothing,” Reilly breathes.
Taylor
“So I’ll be able to mind-link with everyone who pledges allegiance to the brotherhood?” I ask as I sit in the kitchen peeling potatoes with the little group Bradan left me with. He introduced me to them before he went to find his brothers.
“Yes, just like with a pack. We can’t communicate with wolves outside our pack, but anyone who pledges to our alphas can mind-link with us,” Tala says. She’s a she-wolf from one of the Sapphire packs—I think the New Moon pack.
“But you guys have three alphas and technically three packs, right? Can all three packs mind-link with each other?”
All three she-wolves I’m getting to know are from the Sapphire packs from what I’ve learned. There’s the Crescent Moon pack, the New Moon pack, and the Full Moon pack, all known as the Sapphire packs.
Tala, Sienna, and Nika each represent one of the packs. They work here as representatives for their alphas. Tala says they do most of the cooking during the afternoons and evenings.
I’m learning there’s a whole system here within the club. The brothers have a lot of responsibilities. It’s a lot more intricate than riding bikes and fucking around.
“Yes, but that’s different. Our alphas are triplets. Our packs were once one. They are also of lycan blood. I think that has something to do with why the link was never severed between the three packs,” Sienna says.
“Keep in mind not all species can mind-link. The only reason we can intercommunicate as a community is because of the kings. They use their magic to connect the brotherhood and all those who serve it,” Tala says.
I take a moment to decide if I should ask them about what happened earlier. I think Bradan wanted me to talk to them to learn how to mind-link better, but that doesn’t mean he wants me to reveal how much I suck at it.
“Um … well, have you guys ever had link interference?”
“What do you mean?” Sienna asks.
I chew on my lip a bit. I’ve surprised myself by how much I’ve come out of my shell to talk to these women. However, I can feel myself receding into my shell.
“We’re a safe space. Bradan is like one of us. The packs have a lot of respect for him. He’s very close with our former and current alphas. You can trust us,” Tala coaxes.
I give a small nod and rub my palms on my scrubs. “Bradan mentioned my thoughts blurring to him. I get the feeling that’s not normal. He seemed a bit agitated. I was just wondering if it’s something I did wrong.”
“I doubt you did anything wrong. It’s magic. It can be unpredictable at times. A number of factors can affect it.”
I think over her words. I was a little panicked after Bradan was attacked. I had also been steaming over Angel showing up at my work talking shit.
“I guess that could be it,” I murmur.
“You know you’re welcome to ask us anything you’d like to know. That’s why the VP left you with us. You have to have questions about your mate,” Nika says.
They’re really nice she-wolves. They all have been kind. I have so many questions, but I don’t want to be rude or come off as ignorant. Sienna gives me a smile of encouragement.
“It’s natural for you to have questions. This is all new to you. An all-new world if we’re honest.”
“I have sooo many questions,” I admit.
“What would you like to know?” Tala asks.
“What else can you tell me?”
“Well, wolves run hot, much like Bradan,” Tala says. “If they are cold, they’re sick, or something has poisoned them. I believe it’s the same for him. There are a lot of similarities between him and our wolves.”
“Yeah, I hear he’s as insatiable as our lot,” Nika snickers.
I blush and look down into my lap. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to talk about that kind of stuff with anyone. It feels too intimate, especially with the way Bradan fucks. No one needs to know about that.
“Don’t be shy. Sex is a part of all our natures. I know when I find my fated mate, I’m not going to be able to keep my hands off him,” she says.
“Well, good thing you showed up when you did. I was planning on challenging Seraphina if I didn’t find my fated mate at the gathering since I didn’t find him in my pack when I turned eighteen,” Tala says.
I believe she’s the youngest of the three. I look her over as I take in her words. She’s at least a foot taller than me. While I may have more ass than she does, she’s a lot bustier than I am.
“Child, please,” Nika snorts. “You can’t tell that man has a type? While I wouldn’t have minded watching you kick Seraphina’s ass, you wouldn’t have stood a chance with the VP.”
“You got that right. Now she … she’s his type to a T ,” Sienna says as she jabs a finger toward me.
My face has broken into a full blush. Tala is pretty. I wonder if Bradan would have turned her away.
“Look, her cheeks are turning purple. I was only joking. Let’s change the topic,” Tala says, saving me.
“What’s the gathering?” I ask.
“Our alphas haven’t found their mates. Every two years, the packs hold a ball and invite the unmated wolves from packs around the world. My sister found her mate about five years ago at one. I’m holding out hope for next year,” she says.
“No one thinks it’s strange that no one from our packs has found a mate since that year?” Nika muses.
Tala shrugs. “Like I said, I’m holding out hope. The moon goddess hasn’t forsaken me.”
“I’m not saying she has,” Nika says quickly.
“I always thought you would be mates with Beta Eric,” Sienna says.
“Well, since he ran off to train at the Fire Moon pack and hasn’t been back for the last three years, how would I know if he was?” Tala says.
“You always say that as if it was by choice,” Sienna says.
I lose focus on their conversation as I think back to Tala’s words about going after Bradan for herself. I can’t help wondering if she would be more his type. I knit my brows as my thoughts return to Angel’s words about my small breasts and Bradan losing interest. I think of the fire fairy from yesterday.
She was petite like me, but she had more breasts than I do. Not a whole lot, but enough to be noticeable. I find myself a little sad as I wonder if I’m truly enough.
“Everything about you is enough,” Bradan says in my ear as he comes up behind me.
I close my eyes as his smoky scent surrounds me. I want to kick myself as I realize I didn’t close my thoughts back off from him. A shiver runs through me as he licks the shell of my ear.
“We need to talk,” he growls in my ear. “I don’t think I’m making myself clear.”
“I’m still helping out here,” I squawk.
“We can handle it from here. It was nice to meet you,” Sienna says and winks at me.
“Oh, okay. It was nice to meet you all as well. I hope I get to see you around sometime.”
“She will see you ladies soon. Thank you,” Bradan says.
I stand and Bradan pulls me into his arms. The next thing I know, we’re in our bedroom. My stomach rolls a little. I’m still going to need to get used to that.
Bradan reaches under my chin and lifts my head, tilting it back with his thumb. I look into his eyes and that sexy, heated gaze is there. I bite my lip as I stare back at him.
Damn, I think I’m about to be in trouble.