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“But Oliver is not,” Topher says quietly.
“I don’t—” I start before, as always, my eyes roll in the back of my head.
I didn’t want to be awake for this reveal, anyway.
48
CHRISTOPHER
“We’ll discuss it after lunch,” I say, looking out the window as the trees and buildings pass us by. Ben sighs in the back of the car, but I ignore him. He’s been whining all night because he’s been missing Maia and Phoebe.
He’s not the only one that’s sad that they weren’t home with us, and I’ve hit my limit with his whining.
Seb’s been far more grouchy than usual, since he’s missing his mate and child, and even Alex has been less rational than usual. We can feel every single emotion she experiences, every wave of happiness, every sour tinge of panic.
The bond we share is amazing in that regard.
“And yet, it lets us feel the distance,” Orion whines. It’s a little embarrassing to admit that my wolf has whined far more than Ben has.
But he’s correct. We can feel the difference now that she’s not right next to us. Before the bond, it was a slight hum, a niggle of discomfort, any time that we were apart.
And now, it’s like a part of me is in agony, ripped away, missing. It’s like my limbs are not gone but empty, full of static. Having her not by my side whilst I’m gone for work is bad, but Orion and I know that we’re coming home to her.
But with her not even in the house? It’s been hard.
Especially with her rollercoaster of emotions since we’ve hung up on her. She’s up and down, and I don’t understand the anger and the confusion. We’ve tried calling, but she’s not answered us yet.
Some of this tension that my brothers are feeling can be blamed on the situation with Morgan as well, though. We’re on oppositional sides, and each of us have our own feelings to process.
“Some of us are crying like little bitches that she moved on without us,” Orion says. “And some of us are logical adults.”
Last night was a much needed regroup. We got the tension off our chests, had a play around in our wolf forms, and then started digging on Emily Jacobs—Morgan Grey. We didn’t find much, other than her payslips and one photo of her mostly hidden by an umbrella. The bright blonde hair was there, though.
She’s got a team that handles the public side of Howling Hope, like Maia told us, whilst our cousin runs everything in the background. The foundation's reach has grown since she became the head six years ago, and it’s amazing to know that she’s been so successful.
Even if she had to fake her death to make that happen.
“You good?” Alex asks, and I nod, not bothering to answer him.
“Liar. We miss mate. We need mate. Mate and pup. Pup and mate.”
“We’re going to get them now, O,” I say, not arguing with him.
“It’s time for us to mark her.”
“No, it is not,” I hiss, clenching my fists as my teeth elongate. The feeling burns my gums as an ache fills me.
Orion and I have been at odds all night long.
He wants our mate marked and bedded. Claimed as ours. So nobody can dispute it. So that she feels the full force of the bond. So that she finally becomes one of us.
He’s not happy enough to accept that she wants us, as proved by her marking us.
But Maia is not ready for that, and I won’t push her past what she can handle.
“Are you okay?” Alex asks once more as he turns the car down onto Maia’s street.
I nod, not trusting myself to speak, as I wait for my teeth to shift back. Orion’s trying to fight me, but he’s not going to overtake me.
