Page 62 of Brock’s Mate

When the meeting broke up, Brandon called Brock to stay behind. Brock hoped he wasn’t going to get reamed out again; he was in no mood.

Brandon remained standing, leaning his hips on the edge of his desk, arms folded. “How are the ribs doing?” he asked.

“I’ll live.”

To his surprise, Brandon said, “I fucking hate doing that. You don’t deserve it.”

Brock was blindsided by the emotion that rose up in him. He must be more tired than he thought. “My wolf was losing it,” he said. “You had to. I get it.”

It was true. Brandon took his responsibility as alpha seriously, which meant not letting anyone in his crew spin out of control. For their own safety.

Brandon gazed at him—gazed into him. Brock could feel his alpha energy, but it was surprisingly… gentle. Like Brandon tending his wounds last night.

He could have let any of the others do it, but he’d done it himself.

The alpha said, “I know we’re not a wolf pack, but I still feel like you belong here, with us. I just wish I knew what the fuck to do to get you to feel it.”

That floored Brock. “I know you have my back.”

“And yet, when you found Desi, you didn’t bring her here. You didn’t even call me.” Brock could sense his energy. Not angry. Frustrated. And hurt.

Brock couldn’t meet his eyes. “I didn’t want to drag you into my mess.”

Brandon unfolded his arms and ran his hand through his hair. “I was raised a Bad Blood,” he said, “and this is my crew. Mine. You all are mine.”

The fierceness of his tone made Brock look up in surprise.

Brandon went on, “We’re brothers now. Family. Your mess is my mess. I will take on the Council, or the dark wolves, or anyone else to help you deal with it. I’ll lay down my life.”

Brock had no idea what to do with the enormity of that gift. He said helplessly, “Brandon…”

Brandon said, “I hope having a mate will finally make you feel that.”

He stepped forward and took Brock by the shoulders, rubbing the side of his face against Brock’s in a rare cat-shifter gesture of affection. Then he left without saying another word.

Chapter 24

Over the next few days, Desi tried to settle in with the Wild Blood Crew. She knew she was here at least until she and her wolf for sure had an understanding, and the Council would certify her A-Okay or Reasonably Sane, or whatever their standard was for not locking her up.

But everybody else was acting like she was here forever.

It felt weird—she was so used to being a loner.

When she was first on the streets, at thirteen, she’d had to find other groups of kids to hang out with, for safety. She’d soon learned that there was always a price to be paid for that safety, and she’d learned to make sure the cost wasn’t too high.

But these people were different. They were nice to her; they provided food and shelter and beer and laughs. They included her in movie nights and games. They didn’t seem to want anything in return.

Desi didn’t know quite what to do with that.

She didn’t know quite what to do with Brock, either. Well, sometimes she did—the sexual charge between them was still so intense, it took her breath away.

He was fiercely attentive in bed. Out if it, she’d often catch him watching her, observing, as if trying to find out everything about her by using x-ray vision.

It made her feel important, and also way too visible.

He didn’t mention the mate thing, or their conversation the night they came here, He didn’t talk at all about the future. They worked with her wolf every day, and sometimes Kitty worked with them. Desi’s wolf liked having another female wolf around, although she tried to boss Kitty, which made Kitty laugh, which then sent Desi’s wolf off in a huff. But she always came back.

Titan also helped out sometimes. He had some kind of weird way of looking into what they called the spirit world, so he could see Desi’s wolf and talk to her, even when she wasn’t manifested. But not inside her mind, like Brock did. It was very confusing.