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“We’re not dabbling in science for our own gain, you self-righteous fucking idiot. We’re doing it to help women. To help female-born wolves hide in plain sight. Do you really think that after Morgan we just moved on?” His laugh is bitter, and I freeze. “We’re not like you four. We didn’t cower away from what happened. We didn’t hide or pretend she never existed. And we certainly didn’t decide to follow mummy and daddy like you fuckers did. We mourned her. We made a plan, and we fucking followed through.
“So whilst you sit here catering to what your parents wanted, we are making waves. We are helping protect the next generation, and the one after that. Morgan’s situation was an unavoidable casualty because we were children.
“But now, we’re not going to settle when there are people out there who need our protection.”
“Holy fuck,” Orion says, regarding Oliver. “Cousin’s finally got some balls.”
“He might. But I wonder if he has the evidence to back it up.”
“You being on our lands is a direct break to our treaty. You’re dishonouring your family.” I mention the last part deliberately, as his jaw clenches.
“My family is in tatters. I can count on one hand the number of people I trust. But my family, including the two girls in your car. Maia is Ryan’s?—”
“She was never his,” Alex roars, charging towards Oliver as he jumps out of the car. I debate on stopping him, but as Alex swings for our cousin, I decide not to. The crack of his nose fills the air, blood dripping down his face. “Maia is ours, you fucking bastard. She’s not your anything.”
“She’s not yours, either,” my cousin cackles. “I sense no true claim.”
His blood smells weird as it drips down his face. Almost like it’s tainted. Poisoned.
There’s the hint of canine, the strong scent of his bloodline, but there’s that underlying sort of bitterness.
It’s tangy and hurts my nose, and I don’t understand it.
“It’s wrong,” Orion agrees. “Not decaying, so he’s not dying. Sadly. But there’s something off about him.”
“Our mate might not want him dead.”
“No, I doubt she will,” Orion says, and my eyes dart over to where Maia is sitting up now in the backseat of the car. Seb’s glaring at her, in his own way, and she’s likely begging for information.
“Do you sense much?” Ben asks his cousin.
“Do you, runt?” Oliver replies, cracking his nose back into place. The blood has stopped pouring, but he doesn’t bother wiping it off his face.
Alex swings his hand back, ready to hit him again, but I grab it, shaking my head. “Don’t.”
“Why?” Alex demands.
“Because there’s something deeper happening than we can sense,” I say, and he frowns. “He knows Morgan’s not dead.”
“No shit.”
“I’d rather be the runt than defective,” Ben replies with a shrug. He’s the one least fazed about Oliver’s return, likely since they were the closest two as children. “And we haven’t claimed our mate, Oliver, because, unlike you, we respect her, and we’re content to have the marks she has given us.”
“What do you mean?” he demands, and Ben tugs his shirt down, displaying the silver scar. “That’s… wow. That is what she meant when she claimed you were bonded.”
“We’re giving her time to grieve our cousin,” Ben continues. “As horrifying as that is.”
“And yet, he was a vital part of the creation of our daughter,” Maia says, her voice strong as she gives Ben a warning look. Three identical glares are hit towards Seb for letting her get out of the car, but he’s getting Phoebe out of her car seat so he doesn’t even give a fuck.
“Bastard,” Orion says, and I can’t argue.
“Do not insult him.” Maia’s tone is stern as she takes a step towards us, and it takes me a second to realise she’s not referring to Seb, but Ryan. “I understand you’re all wolves—at least sort of—but I’m not, and I’m very cold. So can we please take this discussion inside?”
“He’s not to be trusted, Maia,” Ben says, shaking his head.
“And you’re telling me four incredibly strong werewolves can’t contain the half-werewolf thing that he is?” She cocks a brow, looking between us all with a feigned confusion.
It would work if we couldn’t feel what she does, and so strongly at that.
