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I could smell them, but something else caught my beast’s attention, and it was as if that was all that mattered.
She was all that mattered.
The only thought in my mind was finding her, my mate.
I hadn’t realized who I was running toward until it was too late, but even with my beast’s instincts, I hadn’t realized why I was hunting until after I’d shifted back. My beast isn’t happy with me, mad that I let our mate go…
I hadn’t told them because I couldn’t explain or understand it myself. We don’t have mates like that. According to old history, we may have once upon a time, but I’d never believed that. None of us had. It’s a crazy idea to think the universe decides who you will be with forever.
What would happen if you were paired with someone you hated or never met? No, it was only a fairytale told to children to make the idea of mates sound magical.
Yet, my wolf had thought the opposite, so much so that he was willing to hunt her down and mark her on the spot. I’m not sure I could have stopped myself had I caught her. The thrill of the chase, mixed with the desire to have a mate, had felt intoxicating even as I fought against it.
Thankfully, Garrett had been there. As much as I didn’t trust the guy, I owed him one. Serena isn’t a fucking toy, and my wolf has no business trying to force a mating bond with her, especially when Storm just did the same shit less than a week ago.
How do you explain any of that without sounding like a fucking crazy person, though?
You don’t.
Which is why I’d played dumb, despite the annoyance it caused my brothers and the disappointment I saw in Lyle's eyes. I didn’t have another choice, not really.
But regardless of that, they’re still here with me. I know that’s largely because of Rena, though. Despite what I put her through today, she seems the least upset with me, which only makes me feel worse.
I don’t deserve her friendship, let alone anything else. We promised to protect her, but more often than not, I failed. I know I’ve hurt her over the years with Harlow, and she doesn’t deserve that, but no matter what happens, she’s always there. I tried to move back home a few years ago, to ensure Harlow didn’t have access to her, but Rena wouldn’t hear it. She didn’t want me to leave, and as much as I knew it would be for the best, I couldn’t do it. I wanted to stay with them. They’re my family, my best friends, and in the end, I stayed, selfishly.
“Pike, honey,” my mother’s sugar-sweet words pull me from my downward spiral, and I blink to find her right in front of me. Her hands go to either side of my face, checking me over like she has since I was a child before she lets them drop and wraps me up in a hug. She may be small, but she’s fierce, and her hug squeezes the air from my lungs.
“Hey, Ma,” I choke out with the little oxygen I have. She moves away as quickly as she came, making her way around to each of the guys and greeting them in much the same way before turning and finding Rena standing near the doorway.
My mother is nice enough if you’re the right person. She can be sweet, even. But she’s never been one to keep quiet about how she feels, including her dislike of us hanging out with Rena. At first, she’d thought it was cute, thought we were taking pity on her, but as we got older and she stuck around, my mother’s opinion quickly shifted to reflect my father’s.
Serena is below us because she’s without an element and a prey shifter. Add that to the fact that she had no memory and was found in the woods, and she was my father’s worst nightmare. ‘Only after status, that one,’ he’s always said, even though that couldn’t be further from the truth. But he refused to even give her a chance.
Meanwhile, he all but worshiped Harlow and how amazing she was—always trying to get us to bring her around, inviting her and her parents to dinner for years. She was perfect in his eyes. Born from a predatory family, with status and their own wealth, she was perfect in his eyes.
Who gave a shit if she was a fucking psycho and tried to burn people alive? Of course, he didn’t know that part, but even without that bit, she wasn’t great. She was a bitch at best. She just knew how to play people, including all our parents.
“Come in, come in. Everyone is already at the table. We’ve been waiting on you.”
I don’t miss the side eye she shoots me with her comment about waiting. I ignore it as she waves us toward the large dining room at the back of the house. We never ate there when I was growing up. It would be stupid when there were only eight of us, but for these monthly dinners, it’s perfect.
The others slowly follow along, only minorly dragging their feet, and I can’t blame them. Shit, I could hug them just for coming after everything else.
Despite Lyle’s glare telling me to get going, I hang back, waiting for Serena. If the others are dragging their feet, she’s fucking crawling, and guilt sours my stomach, knowing how miserable she is every time we do this. I’ve told her a hundred times not to come, told all of them, but she insists on being here for me.
“Hey, buns,” I say, keeping my voice down so nobody overhears me. “How you doing?” I ask, despite being able to see how she is from the look on her face. I want to hear her say it. I almost wish she would yell at me. At least if she were angry, I would know what to do. I could beg and plead for her forgiveness, but I’m not sure how to fix this.
“I’m fine, Pike, don’t worry about me,” she says, forcing a smile I know she doesn’t feel, and I almost laugh. As if that’s even possible.
“I’m so sorry,” I say in a rush, reaching out to cup her cheek in my hand. Her skin is soft, and I can’t stop myself from rubbing my thumb along her cheek, almost in awe.
My beast stirs at the feeling of her, but I push him down. This is about Rena, not us.
“I know, Pike, but don’t worry about that right now, okay? I’m not mad, and you need to stop beating yourself up about it, regardless of what Lyle or any of them say.” She reaches up, resting her hand on the back of mine and leaning into my touch. “Let’s just get through tonight. Everything else can wait.”
Her words loosen something in my chest. Leaning down, I press my forehead to hers, breathing her in. I half expect her to pull away, but instead, she chuckles, pressing up to rub her nose with mine, and I chuckle as well. She’s more than used to my wolf and the need for physical touch. It’d be hard not to be after all these years, but for once, that has nothing to do with this. I simply want to touch her.
“Pike!”
