Chapter 8
Chapter Eight
Ileft Breezy with Lyric. Kellen had made sure there were five guards with them, but I’d noticed Syn was nowhere to be found.
The alpha’s sister not being on the property had to be bothering him, so I’d made sure Shaw and Parker were two of the five, knowing they’d make damn sure their sister was protected, before going in search of my best friend.
Brien Mattice, standing in the bar with a scowl on his face, wasn’t who I’d expected to see, but I figured it was inevitable.
I bit back my first instinct of snarling.
It wasn’t the old man’s fault he’d married a crazy bitch who’d nearly beaten their child to death.
At least the elder Mattice had finally woken up before the bitch had killed Breezy or damaged her beyond repair.
“Brien, what’s up? You looking for your family?” I asked, refusing to act anything other than the confident wolf I was. I respected Breezy’s father, but I still outranked him.
The man shook his red hair. “I came to see you. How’s my baby girl?”
“She’s fine. We called Doc Davalari to run some tests on her blood, but we’re hoping that Kellen can get some answers from the little bitch we captured.”
It still galled that I couldn’t be there for the questioning, but I knew I’d have slit her throat if I didn’t like what she said.
“Good. Breezy’s been through enough in her life. She deserves to be happy.” He shifted on the balls of his feet. “You plan to make her happy, son?”
I laughed. “I’d kill anyone who dared to take her sunshine away.”
Brien nodded. “I failed her more than once. Ignored my gut, thinking that a mother would never harm her child. Especially a mama wolf. I mean, whoever heard of such a thing?” He turned pleading eyes up at me.
“Shaw and Parker tried telling me something was wrong with their mama, but I denied it. I loved her with my entire being. She showed so much devotion to the boys and me, but once Breezy was born, it was like this gorgeous little thing was too precious for words. Shaw and Parker wanted to protect her like all cubs, and it seemed to piss their mama off. I thought it was that disease that humans get,” he paused.
“Anyways, it didn’t get better. The boys and I took over caring for Breezy after we noticed their mama wasn’t feeding her anymore.
She’d gotten so tiny that a stiff breeze would’ve blown her over.
That’s where her nickname came in. It seemed to make my mate happy if she didn’t see the babe.
Things got better once Breezy got older, or so we thought. ” Brien wiped his eyes and turned away.
I knew what was coming, but my heart still hurt for my mate.
“We had no clue all this time my mate was hurting Breezy. I came home early one day after the boys, and I had been gone on one of our trips. I swear to you, I had no clue until I saw my baby lying on top of that table, her back a bloody mess. It’s a miracle she was alive, and that I didn’t kill my mate for what she’d done. ”
“Why didn’t you kill her? If it were my child, I’d have killed her.” I growled.
Brien looked at me. “Would you have? Put yourself in my shoes and imagine if Breezy all of a sudden became different. Or maybe my mate was always that way. I don’t know.
I just know she was my truemate, and then suddenly she was a monster, but inside she was still my mate.
The only one for me. However, I couldn’t stand to look at her.
What she did was unforgivable, but I couldn’t take her life.
I stared at my children and realized it was them or her.
I chose them, hands down. So I exiled her.
I haven’t seen hide nor hair of her in twenty years.
Imagine what it’s like to have a mate and not have a mate. ” He pressed a fist to his chest.
“I don’t know, man.” I ran a hand over my face, feeling older than my thirty-five years. “I need to talk with Kellen. If you want to see Breezy, she’s down with Lyric and your boys. We’re on lockdown here, I assume you realize. Nobody is allowed to leave.”
The old man nodded. “Yeah. I came when Shaw called. Coti allowed me to come in after a thorough search. Damn wolf is just this side of crazy himself.”
I couldn’t help but smile. “Tell Breezy I’ll be back to see her in a little while.
If she needs me, holler out.” I tapped my head, wincing at the pain the other wolf couldn’t hide.
I couldn’t imagine what it would be like to never be able to connect with my mate.
That short period when Breezy was unconscious felt like an eternity to me.
I waited till Mr. Mattice disappeared around the corner before I went in search of Kellen.
My eyebrows winged up as I entered Kellen’s and my office to find the men Rowan had brought in, along with Rowan, sitting around the war table.
The chair to Kellen’s right sat empty since it was mine, a glass tumbler waiting to be filled.
Damn, but I had a feeling I wasn’t going to like what happened next.
“All right, let’s just lay it all out. What am I not gonna like, boys?”
Sully’s electric blue eyes glanced up from his spot across the table. His mixed heritage was obvious with his dark skin, short-cropped black hair, and baby-blue eyes. “I ain’t been a boy since I left my mama’s belly, son.”
“Ignore Sully. He tends to be melodramatic.” Coyle folded his massive arms in front of him. “I, on the other hand, was never a boy. My mama said I came out screaming like a motherfucker.”
I thought Sully and Coyle could be brothers except for their eyes. Coyle’s were as black as night.
“We done with the chit chat, ladies?” Kayan said from the other end of the table. The Polynesian was clearly the leader since Rowan had stepped down from the Phantom Team. Grunts of assent were given from around the room.
“Good,” Kellen said. “I didn’t get a whole lot from the little wolf, but I do know that your mate was specifically targeted.” My heart nearly stopped as I listened to what Kellen told me he’d learned.
“So they have humans and wolves working for them?” I asked, needing to be clear. “Do we know their numbers? Location?” My wolf threatened to come out. It took monumental effort to keep him locked down. The need to race out of the room and see for myself that my mate was safe pounded at me.
“Go see to your mate, Xan. For now, we are going to work up a plan of action. With what we have here, I can guarantee it don’t matter if we are outnumbered, they don’t outman or outwolf us.” Kellen’s claws lengthened. His blue eyes became those of the alpha.
I was sure the men in the room had no real idea what they were dealing with when it came to the leader of the Iron Wolves, and for their sake, I hoped they never crossed him or the pack.
“I’m going to do just that. I won’t be worth shit unless I can reassure myself and my wolf she’s good.
Even knowing she’s with her brothers and dad, I can’t shake this feeling that something is off.
” I downed the glass that kept getting filled thanks to the guy named Oz.
With a final salute of my empty cup, I stood and left without a backward glance.
Need and want sizzling through my veins.
The closer I got to the temporary quarters where Breezy and I would be staying, the more excited I became. All three Mattice men stood as I entered, their expressions relaxing when they recognized me.
“Have y’all been given a room yet?” The thought they’d be sharing a wall with my mate’s family didn’t sit well with me.
Not when I planned to fuck the shit out of her.
My cock strained against my pants. It had been too long since I’d been inside her wet heat.
The thought of suppressing my urges was like a physical pain.
My cock, already thick and throbbing, was impossible to ignore.
My new family seemed to understand and left with a few words, ones I couldn’t recall. Mating heat. I was sure that was what was pounding in my veins.
Breezy shifted on the sofa. “Are you okay?”
“No, no I’m not. You gonna kiss me better?” Her eyes traveled down my length, stopping on the erection barely contained by my jeans. Her pink tongue came out, licking at the mouth I’d fantasized about on more than one occasion, biting into her bottom lip.
“I’ll do better than kiss your boo-boo.”
My mate stood, then grabbed my hand and led me to the bedroom. Lust had me following like a whipped pup. Her sin-inducing ass swayed in front of me, and I couldn’t wait to have my dick in her mouth, my seed spurting over her tongue while she wrapped those lips around me.
“I can hear your thoughts, you know?” She got up on the bed. “I may not have any practice at this, but what I lack in actual doing, I will more than make up for in wanting.” She reached for the snap of my jeans, easing the zipper down, and letting my cock spring free into her waiting hand.
Slowly, she stroked the length of me, holding my gaze while she did.
I fisted my dick at the base, holding the need I felt bubbling up to come and come now back.
Her eyes dropped to the bead of moisture on the tip, and like a kid in a candy store, she licked it up with greed.
Her multi-colored hair reminded me of cotton candy as I let my hand sift into the back, holding her in place, anchoring her where I wanted her.
There was no need as she set up a suck and slurp, her gaze on mine while she brought her other hand up to cup my balls.
“Fuck, suck me harder. Deeper, Breezy.” I rocked up on my toes, holding my breath while she took me to the back of her throat.
My own eyes were fixed on where my dick disappeared between her plump lips.
I’d imagined what it would be like to have her mouth on me, but the reality was ten times better.