The women took off in opposite directions, one taking the omegas to what appeared to be a bridal suite with enough space for them to lounge and relax. Food was promised, and she dismissed herself with a bow and great smile.
Leon handed Haze the clothes, and he mouthed them before trotting off to the bathroom, groaning with a soft tenor voice as the cricks and cracks of long-overdue shifting came.
He’d not asked, but the shower started, and everyone waited as Tack stood by the door, wand in hand at the ready to defend his covenmembers.
“What did he mean bybranded?” Nite craned his head toward the bathroom as Sheila shifted, reaching up to Leon for some clothes. He rummaged about and handed her a slip of a dress and sandals for her to wrestle herself into.
“He did a bad thing,” Sheila said before crawling up to sit in Leon’s lap.
A knock on the wall drew their attention as the wolf within let them know he could hear.
Tack cleared his throat. “Let’s not talk where he cannot speak for himself. It’s rude.”
Another two knocks, appreciation likely.
They waited patiently until Haze came out. He was a slender beauty of an omega, eyes pale like ice, hair as dark as ink. His lips were full and cherubic on a face that had a resting predatory expression. Mads’s first impression?Danger twink.
If he’d had a slightly more almond eye shape and thinner build, he could have passed for brothers with Nite. But as he daubed at his shaggy hair, the tresses falling in loose waves, like some neo gothic era vampire, a network of scars started at his throat and disappeared into the loose V of his sweater. He didn’t bother speaking as he laid the collar reverently before Sheila, just turned to Tack and gestured with his hands.
Tack gestured back but froze for a second. He still signed as he spoke, though. “Right. You can hear. Okay. So, why the brand? And what happened? Did your human do that to you?”
Haze made a pinching gesture, one of the few signs that even Mads knew,No. My wolf family did.Mads had to make guesses, but Tack translated for him.
“I don’t know this sign…” Tack made a gesture at his ear, like an F.
F-A-EHaze signed as Tack spoke for him. “I entered an arranged mating with a— Family alph—Oh jeez. Okay! So, his family arranged for him to be claimed by his half uncle. He didn’t like it and made a fae bargain.”
Haze continued to sign, lips moving as Tack nodded and signed back, asking something as if he forgot Haze could hear.
“Man, been there done that. Traded my name and asked to be free. So my master gave me away for free.” Nite grinned and Haze shot him a weary look, exhaustion plain in his eyes.
“Yeah. Okay. He says that he happened upon a fae portal on pack land and instead of reporting it, he made a bargain.” Tack silenced as Haze spoke something about a baby, death, first…
“I don’t judge you.” Tack reached forward to grab Haze’s hands, and the omega didn’t look like he wanted forgiveness or permission. Only anger lay in those eyes. Tack released his hands, as holding the hands of a signing person was the equivalent of shushing or covering the mouth of a verbal person.
Yep. Dangertwink.Mads knew to be wary of him.
“He was pregnant and didn’t want the pup. The fae offered him a bargain, firstborn son in exchange for his freedom.” Tack nodded sagely. “So when he had the pup, the fae came to take it away to be raised on the other side of the veil. He fought his mate, and they used their own teeth to rip his mate mark from his neck—branding him traitor. He can’t speak anymore because it messed something up.”
Silence spread through the room, but Haze only lifted his chin defiantly before signing a few things. “The child will be well cared for. He will be raised to be a companion to a fancy child—”
Tack hesitated as Haze spelled something out with nimble fingers moving too fast for him to take in. Tack signed something back. “Noble? Prince?”
Haze shrugged. He signed something else. “Someone important’s kid.”
Haze nodded and continued to sign. “Baron got him when he was still healing. They taught him to sign, and he worked for Baron for a while before trading him out last year.”
“No judgment, mate.” Nite sighed heavily, but the glare that he got from Haze said every bit that he didn’t need anyone’s approval. He signed a few things with a rather heavy-handed gesture.
“Okay! No, Haze. It’s fine. Nobody thinks you want our approval. You don’t have to regret it.” Tack stopped signing, holding up his hands to calm him down before the omega stepped forward and smacked his chest.
“What’s that sign mean?” Sheila blinked up.
Tack huffed and grabbed Haze’s hands before forcing him into a tight hug. “It means that he’s tough as nails and makes some damn good calls.”
The reaction seemed to surprise Haze and he pushed away from Tack with a slight tinge of pink to his cheeks before giving the finger.
“I know that sign!” Sheila perked up and Haze glanced over at her, head tilted.
