Chapter Five
Agony seared over his skin, and a scream ripped from Brandon’s throat. He rolled to the side, trying to get away from the animal’s fangs, but it was too late. It bit into his side, tearing the flesh away from him. He held up his arms as it went for his face, and he screamed again, the beast’s teeth digging in.
The wolf—he could clearly see it was a wolf now—left him on the ground, bleeding and in pain and jumped at Brandon’s two brothers. Shock covered their faces as they tried to fight off the wolf, but it was too late. Soon, the three of them lay on the ground, blood covering them as they each tried to catch their breath.
The wolf in front of them blinked, its eyes full of remorse as if it had just come back to itself rather than the monster it had become.
Brandon looked at his two brothers again, wondering why Walker and Kameron were wearing such different clothing and why things felt…off.
Pain seared his side once more, and he woke up.
Woke up.
Brandon lifted a shaky hand to his face and wiped off some of the sweat. Hell. That had all been a nightmare. Yet it had been the most vivid dream he’d ever experienced. It felt as if it were a memory, not something he’d just made up. But that couldn’t be the case.
For one, he had more than two brothers. He just happened to be triplets with Kameron and Walker. Plus, he’d never been in a fight like that alongside the two of them. He’d felt weaker during the dream, almost human. None of them had been wearing the right clothes, and even the forest around them had looked off…younger, maybe.
Plus, he had a feeling the wolf attacking them had been trying to change them yet hadn’t known how. That made no sense, though because he and his brothers had been born and not made.
Brandon pressed his head back into his pillow and tried to shove the weird dream from his mind. Watching Avery almost die and then having Gideon bring her into the Pack with freshly made bonds must have triggered the weird dream. As for why Walker and Kameron had been in it, well, he’d always felt more of a connection to them than the others in his family. They may be fraternal triplets, and at their ages, even the two to six-year age differences between them all didn’t mean much, but he’d shared a womb with Kameron and Walker.
It counted for something, even if he couldn’t explain it.
But then again, he was the Omega of the Talon Pack, there were lots of things he just knew and couldn’t explain.
Brandon once again ran a hand over his face. His body had broken out in a clammy sweat, and his vision kept blurring. Hell, he felt like he did whenever the wards buckled, and he knew that wasn’t good. Whatever had caused that dream had truly fucked with him.
He felt as if someone had hung him up and wrung him dry and yet he hadn’t actually been in a fight the night before. It had been Parker doing all the heavy lifting while Brandon had stood guard over Avery. It had made sense at the time since Parker was slightly more dominant than he was, as well as a better fighter. But then Brandon had seen how weak the other man had looked afterward. He hadn’t mentioned it and hadn’t said anything to the others, but Brandon was worried.
Both of them were walking a fine line, and yet he wasn’t sure what they were going to do about it.
Just like he wasn’t sure what they were going to do about that kiss.
Shit. He hadn’t meant to kiss Parker like that. He hadn’t meant to kiss him at all. Ever. Just because his dick happened to want the other guy, didn’t mean he did. Both he and Parker were looking for their mates, and it was clear now that they weren’t it for each other.
The moon goddess always showed their wolves who their potential mates were. That’s how it had always worked.
And nothing had happened between the two of them that indicated they could be mates. Meaning that kiss had just been in the heat of the moment, and since neither of them wanted a fuck—as Parker had put it—there was no use going down that road.
He rubbed his hand over his heart. Only…only something was different. He could remember the first time he’d seen Parker after he’d come back to the country, the first time they’d been near each other in years. There had been…something there. Something he couldn’t quite understand, but then it had vanished as quickly as it had appeared.
Brandon forced himself into a sitting position, ignoring the aches and pains throughout his body. There was something different with the Pack bonds. He’d noticed it for the first time when Shane had come into the Pack. Shane hadn’t been changed the normal way because of something General Montag had done to him, and because of that, Shane wasn’t exactly a normal shifter. When they’d introduced that into the Pack, the bonds between each of them had altered slightly.
This wasn’t the first time something like this had happened, of course. The Redwoods had done something similar, but nothing to this extent from what he could glean from their bonds. And even with his former Alpha and the hierarchy, they’d forsaken their duties for so long that the moon goddess had begun to shun them—not even allowing them to have an Omega to help heal their emotional wounds. He’d never blamed her for that decision, not when he knew that any Omega at that point in time would have died under the onslaught of betrayal brought on by their former Alpha.
But for some reason, Brandon had a feeling that something far deeper than Pack bonds had been changed. There were more bonds than just those between the hierarchy—the Alpha, Heir, Omega and so on—and the rest of the Pack. There were also mating bonds.
He closed his eyes, praying he was wrong.
Because if something had altered the mating bonds, or rather, how mating bonds were made, then the entire basis for how shifters found their other halves would be forever changed.
He shook his head and got out of bed. He was probably just overreacting because of the dream. That and Avery and Parker, of course. He had far too much on his plate, and was now trying to make things worse by overthinking.
He strode naked to the bathroom so he could jump in the shower and wash off the sweat from his dream. His body still ached, but he had things to do today. While he wanted to go straight to Avery and check in on her, since she’d been unconscious the last time he’d seen her, he had to check in with Brie for their weekly visits. Since she was pregnant with her first child and a submissive at that, she needed a little extra care right then. Gideon was protective as hell, and Brandon knew that sometimes Brie just needed time to breathe. Since he was the Omega, it was his duty, and privilege in this case, to help.
He quickly took a shower and got dressed so he wouldn’t be late. He’d slept past his alarm again, and knew he’d have to grab a protein bar on the way out. Knowing Brie, she’d have a baked good of some sort for him to munch on, as well.
He ran into Parker in the hallway and froze. He hadn’t seen the other man since the kiss and wasn’t sure what to say. He wasn’t about to apologize, but acting like nothing had happened didn’t seem right either.
“I’m off to see Avery and check if she’s awake yet,” Parker said instead of good morning.
Brandon nodded. “I’ll be by after I check in on Brie.”
Parker’s eyes widened. “Is she okay?”
“Yes, but we do weekly meetings to check in on each other and the Pack. I’m sure your Omega does the same with the pregnant women in your Pack.”
Parker visibly relaxed. “Yeah, Drake does. Maddox still goes around with him too most times since he still feels such a strong connection to us all.”
Brandon couldn’t help but smile. “You’re lucky you have so many Pack members who want to help.”
Parker swallowed hard. “I guess.”
Brandon let out a breath. “I guess I’ll see you when I get to the infirmary.”
Parker nodded. “I don’t plan on leaving her side if I can help it.”
“I’ll be there soon.” He turned and walked away at that, hating the awkwardness between the two of them. Hell, they’d always had this weirdness, but now, it was worse. It didn’t help that they were forced to live together thanks to his meddling Alpha, either.
The feeling in the den was tense as usual, and he did his best to untangle some of the worst parts as he made his way to Gideon and Brie’s. His wolf did a lot of it without Brandon’s help since it was so instinctual, but sometimes, the threads of emotions needed extra care.
Brie opened the door before he could knock, and he couldn’t help but smile at her. She’d always been soft and beautiful, a fierce submissive who protected her dominants even if they didn’t think they needed protecting. Now, she was even more radiant and about as big as a house.
Not that he’d mention the last part to her or Gideon. Ever.
“Brandon,” she said with a smile. “Gideon just left to talk with Kameron and Mitchell about the rogue, but I’m glad you’re here and didn’t have to cancel.”
Brandon leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to her cheek. He didn’t hold her close in a hug anymore since Gideon was more territorial than usual given her advanced pregnancy, but he could at least get away with bussing her on the cheek. And Brie needed touch, even with her big, bad Alpha of a mate growling next to her.
“Should you be standing?” he asked, sidestepping the rogue conversation for now. He’d help on that front if they asked, but he knew his role in the Pack, and Brie was the main focus, at least for this hour.
She rolled her eyes, exasperation evident on her face. “You sound like Gideon now.”
Brandon smiled despite his rough morning and led her into the living room where she’d set out fresh pastries and homemade orange juice. If he wasn’t afraid of Gideon ripping his face off for doing so, he’d have been jealous at how much Brie took care of what was hers. Gideon was a tad possessive with his pregnant mate.
“I’d be more afraid if it were Walker who told you to get off your feet, not Gideon. He always says that.”
She maneuvered herself to the couch, and he didn’t help her. She might be a submissive wolf, but she still had fangs.
“He’s all broody and won’t let me help him with anything.” She gestured toward the food. “Eat. Though I didn’t make it as he told me to sit down on my pretty ass this morning.”
Brandon choked on the pastry he’d just put in his mouth. “So did Gideon bake this?”
Brie narrowed her eyes. “Is it burned?” They both let out a soft laugh. “Of course, he didn’t do this. He can cook, but he can’t bake. Mom sent these over from the Redwood den.”
Brandon leaned back on the couch and smiled, his wolf content in Brie’s presence. He might be the Omega, but he was still a dominant wolf. Being around someone of Brie’s power and inner strength soothed him as much as his ties to her would soothe her wolf.
“I forgot your mom runs the bakery within the den.”
Brie smiled widely as she ran her fingers over the swell of her belly. “I learned to bake at her side in that place. It’s been open for as long as my mom and dad have been mated. I’ve been thinking about opening one here, but I just don’t think I’ll be able to find the time. I know we’re in the middle of a hundred things that are far more important, and a bakery doesn’t seem like much of a need. But, sometimes, we need the domestic side of life to remember what we’re fighting for.”
Brandon frowned, thinking. “There are wolves in the den that usually live outside during times of peace. They had to give up their jobs and homes in some cases because they weren’t safe where they were. I know some are trying to fit in, but not all are doing it as well as they’d like. You should talk to Mitchell. He might know of a few that could help you get things going, or at least feel like they’re needed.”
Brie’s eyes lightened. “Mitchell would know exactly who I need.”
“He’s the Beta. It’s his duty. And I think his wolf needs to work on something like that instead of death and war.”
They were both quiet for a moment, aware that no matter how hard they tried to worry about den matters, the outside world would always be looming around them.
“Are you going to tell me what’s going on between you and Parker?”
He schooled his features, annoyed with himself that he’d forgotten how perceptive this submissive wolf was. “What do you mean?”
Sadness lingered in her eyes for a bare moment before she let out a soft sigh. “If that’s the way you want to play it, I understand. But I have a feeling it’s not only Parker your wolf is confused about.”
Brandon didn’t say anything in response, his silence enough of an answer for her it seemed. He stayed with Brie for another hour, knowing they both needed the time together so they could settle. They were only two members of the Pack, but two of the pivotal members in terms of its health. With Gideon’s wolf in constant demand, his brother and Alpha needed his mate as well as the rest of his hierarchy to be healthy and intact. Only Brandon wasn’t sure any of them could be truly whole anymore.
He pushed those thoughts from his mind and made his way to the infirmary after leaving Brie. His wolf came to the forefront as he walked, surprising him. Not because his wolf was there, considering that with his powers, his wolf was always working on some thread of emotion, but because his wolf seemed to truly care about what happened to Avery.
Hell, Brandon cared about what happened to Avery, and he knew it wasn’t only because she’d been under his care when she left him and Parker, only to be attacked by a stranger. He wasn’t sure what to make of it, but he knew he’d have to figure it out soon. Between dealing with Parker and now Avery, his head hurt, and he hadn’t even spoken to them yet.
And he sure hadn’t dealt with that kiss.
He nodded at Walker as he walked through the infirmary doors but didn’t stop to say hello. If his triplet needed him, Walker would call on him. The Brentwood clan might be secretive beyond measure most of the time, but they were slowly learning to rely on one another.
Avery lay on her bed, pale but almost fully healed. Thanks to the shifter DNA now running through her veins, she wouldn’t even end up with a scar from the attack unless somehow a witch’s magic or a special salt were rubbed on the wounds. Those two things were the only ways he knew of for a shifter to scar, and he thanked the goddess that neither of them had been used on Avery.
She’d been hurt enough from the attack, and being forced to look at a daily reminder would be too much. Of course, she would now share her body with the soul of a wolf and would have to deal with the aggression that came in waves from that. He wasn’t sure where she’d lie within the hierarchy—dominant, maternal, submissive, or somewhere in between—as their human forms and personalities didn’t always mesh with what their wolves needed. There were shy dominants, and outgoing submissives like Brie, but those weren’t the norm.
None of that mattered at the moment, though.
Avery had to be strong enough to survive her first full moon…and she didn’t have a lot of time to heal beforehand.
“Brandon.”
At the sound of her ragged, soft voice, he looked up and focused on her face. She was pale, fear within her eyes, but alive. He had to focus on that. Anything else would just make him insane.
The fragile bond that lay between them, which told him that she was Pack to his Omega, burned—newly made and tenuous at best.
Parker cleared his throat from the bedside, and Brandon finally looked over at the man whom he’d done his best not to think about all day.
Why was this so awkward?
“I brought sandwiches and soup from the house,” the other man said softly. “I didn’t know when you’d show up, but I brought some for you, too.”
“Walker said I could eat whatever I want and even get out of the infirmary and into…well, I don’t know where,” Avery said softly. “But I don’t have to sleep here after tonight for what it’s worth.”
“You can stay with us,” Brandon blurted. He hadn’t known he was going to say that until it was already out of his mouth, but now that the words were out there, he couldn’t take them back. And, honestly, he wasn’t sure he wanted to.
Parker gave him an odd look as if assessing him before nodding. “There’s enough room,” the other man said after a moment.
Avery’s eyes were wide. “I don’t even know you. Why would I move in with you? Hell, everything’s moving too fast. I feel like I’m two steps behind and never going to catch up.”
The worry and fear that bled off her in waves slammed into him, and Brandon did what he’d been born to do and took care of them. He wrapped himself around the emotional cords and brought them into himself, his wolf taking care of the rest by fading them into the complicated network of bonds he held for the Pack. His own psyche would absorb whatever came at him, but he wouldn’t show that he felt what the others did. Not always.
Avery’s eyes widened. “You’re taking my pain,” she whispered. “Stop it. I need that so I can remember that this isn’t what I signed up for. And you shouldn’t hurt yourself because I’m hurting.”
Brandon stopped and moved to sit beside her bed. “It’s my duty.”
“I don’t want to be your duty.”
Tension filled the room, and Brandon shifted on his seat.
“Let’s all get something to eat,” Parker said, ever the mediator. “Full bellies will help us think.”
Brandon took the offered sandwich and bit in, letting the mustard and roast beef pull him out of his mood. “I wasn’t aware I had roast beef in the fridge at home.”
Parker grinned. “Leah stopped by with groceries since she said you’d probably only have protein shakes. She wasn’t wrong.” He met Brandon’s eyes, studying him. “Though I don’t think she knows why you only drink those these days,” he whispered.
“Will you tell me why?” Avery asked, and Brandon pulled away from Parker to look at her. Why was it that he couldn’t focus with either of them near? And, hell, put the two of them together, and he almost lost control fully.
Brandon didn’t answer her, but he wasn’t sure she wanted an answer right then. She played with her soup, her brows furrowed.
“I’m a wolf.” Her words contained so much confusion, so much hollow pain, he wasn’t sure his own wolf could handle the onslaught.
Brandon set down the rest of his meal, not in the mood to eat anymore.
“Yes,” he answered, though her words hadn’t been a question. “Someone not of our Pack attacked you outside our home, and now you’ll shift.”
“We couldn’t let you die,” Parker added, his words rough. “Maybe we should have,” he said after a moment.
Brandon growled as Avery let out an involuntary gasp.
The other man held up his hands. “Shit. I didn’t mean it like that. I meant we took the choice out of your hands. Gideon had to bring you into the Talons so Walker could Heal you enough that you’d be able to survive your wounds. Not all those who are attacked and bitten to near death survive, but you did.”
And she wasn’t out of the woods yet, though he wouldn’t say that. Walker would have already told her when she’d woken up, as his brother never hid the details of what would come next. But Brandon didn’t want to throw that in her face again.
Avery studied her hands, and Brandon did the only thing he could at that moment—he reached out and put one of his hands on hers. The connection was immediate, warmth and a shocking intensity he couldn’t quite name shooting through him. Avery’s gaze flashed to his before going to Parker as the other man gripped her other hand.
Brandon swallowed hard, the circuit the three of them made almost overwhelming.
Yet his wolf refused to tell him if they were potential mates. How could this be? He’d never felt anything like this, and yet he was in the dark.
Something had happened to the mating bonds, and he needed to figure out what that was. But before he did, he needed to ensure that Avery was okay.
“The full moon is in two days,” Brandon said softly, bringing Avery’s gaze back to his. He could find peace in those eyes, he knew, if he only looked long enough—if she only gave him enough time.
“You’ll change then,” Parker added. “There’s no way around it. Are you ready for that?”
She met both of their gazes. “I don’t have a choice, do I?”
Brandon frowned. “You don’t.” Anger boiled in his veins once more. “Not anymore. A wolf not of ours made that choice for you, and we manifested it into being so you would breathe again.”
Avery looked down at their clasped hands, concentration on the parts of her face he could see. “I said I would help you…help your people, your Packs. Now, I guess I will help myself, as well.”
At her words, Brandon’s wolf howled in respect, and his gaze shot up to meet Parker’s. The other man’s eyes glowed gold, and their wolves reached out as if needing one another for a purpose Brandon had yet to name.
This woman, this wolf to-be, was so damned strong. Stronger than the two others in this room, and he had a feeling she didn’t even know it.
No matter what happened next, what happened between the three of them, he knew Avery would go on to do great things. She was Pack now, one of them.
She was wolf.
And a small part of him whispered that one day soon…she might be his.