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CHAPTER15
“Are the Jamenson dinners always this loud?” Brandon asked as he leaned toward Brie. The Omega of the Talon Pack was one of the brothers that she didn’t know well, but she was trying. He also happened to be sitting next to her during her first Brentwood family dinner.
“Louder,” she answered back. “They used to be at my grandparents’ house, and when everyone started having babies, they just added more room around the table.” She paused, that familiar pain piercing her heart. “Then when Kade and Melanie became the Alpha pair, dinners began at their house. There are seven siblings plus their numerous children. And then of course the enforcers and others sometimes visit. It’s never quiet.”
Brandon’s eyes narrowed for a moment, and that pain she’d felt before slowly leached away. She put her hand on his arm and shook her head.
“You don’t need to take that away. I’m used to that pain by now. Its part of who I am.”
“Sometimes I don’t even realize I do it,” he answered honestly. As the Omega, he wouldn’t have been able to feel someone being in pain without helping, but she didn’t want him to be overwhelmed either.
“You’ve only been at this for thirty years, right?” she asked. Only might have sounded sarcastic to a human, but it was different for wolves.
“Yeah,” he answered. “All of us came into our powers at the same time and relatively late in life. Theothersdidn’t want to give up…duty.”
That made sense. The hierarchy usually went over to the next generation—the Alpha’s children and sometimes some outsiders—once both parties were ready. Unless, as in the Redwoods’ case, death changed the game. In the Talons’ case, the prior ones were too selfish to allow a healthy Pack to grow.
“Well, you all have experience now anyway,” she said, trying to ease the awkwardness.
He gave her a small smile before it fell from his face. She’d grown up around an Omega who’d been through hell and back so she understood the pain of Brandon’s burden made it hard for him towantto be around others. She wouldn’t push him as long as he didn’t look like he needed a reprieve.
Gideon’s hand came around the back of her neck, and her wolf perked up. He kept his attention on Mitchell as the two of them spoke, but the mere fact that he couldn’t keep from touching her made her heart swell.
Each of the Brentwoods had their secrets, and one day Brie hoped they felt comfortable enough with her to share them. Or at least some of them. After all, she didn’t need to know everything. She only wanted to feel as though she was part of the family. She was getting there at least. Soon everyone was leaving, and she found herself standing outside on the doorstep talking to Walker. Gideon had gone to Mitchell’s place with Brynn to discuss something about the ongoing hunt for Leo. She knew the lieutenants were around her, felt their presence, so she wasn’t truly alone.
He might have been one of the youngest since he was one of the triplets, but as with Brandon, Walker’s responsibilities made him seem far older. While there was an odd innocence around Brandon that she couldn’t put her finger on, Walker seemed as though he kept his secrets close to his heart.
The Healer looked over his shoulder and lowered his voice. “I have been remiss in my duties, Brie.”
She tilted her head. “How do you mean?”
“I never asked if you needed some form of birth control once you moved in.” He didn’t blush or sound embarrassed, but she could tell from her wolf that this wasn’t a comfortable topic for him. Mostly likely because his brother, his Alpha, her mate was near.
She bit her lip and shook her head. “I…I’m not on anything, and we haven’t talked about it.” Stupid, she knew. It wasn’t as though they could get diseases, and they hadn’t used condoms because, at first, they needed the connection, and now…well, she hadn’t wanted to. “Let me talk with Gideon about this. We’ve been stupid not to.”
Walker gave her a small smile. “You’re newly mated and the Alpha pair. Of course you’re going to want children. The only matter is timing, and now that I’ve made you uncomfortable, I’ll leave you to your mate.”
She shook her head then gave the Healer a hug. “Thank you for looking out for us. Since we wolves can’t have children outside of a mating, it’s not something we think about.” She cursed herself. “Though my mother raised me better than that.”
Walker patted her cheek, and she smiled. “No worries. If you and Gideon didn’t subconsciously want children, you both would have stopped it. It’s the way of the wolves.”
With that, he left her on the doorstep, confused as ever. In this day and age, accidental babies were a thing of the past usually, but she should have thought ahead. She put her hand on her stomach and shook her head. She’d talk with Gideon, but she had a feeling he’d feel the same way. Pregnancies, despite the size of the Jamensons and Brentwoods, were rare in their world. Each birth was a blessing from the goddess.
“Brie?”
She turned on her heel at the sound of an unfamiliar voice, her mouth dropping at its owner. “Iona?”
The other woman ducked her head, keeping her gaze below Brie’s. “I didn’t realize it was a family dinner night. I’ll come by another time.”
The fact that this woman who’d once shared Gideon’s bed and had been slated to mate him had lowered her gaze puzzled Brie. She didn’t know what to think of Iona and yet had never had a conversation with her. She shouldn’t have let her emotions and whispers from others cloud her judgment, but she’d done just that.
“It’s fine. Is there something you wanted? If you’re here to talk to Gideon…well, I don’t know if my wolf will allow you to do that right now.” She might not be dominant, but shewasthis woman’s Alpha female.
Iona raised her face but didn’t meet Brie’s eyes. “I understand, and if I was in your position, I would do the same thing. I’m actually here to apologize.”
Brie blinked. “Huh?”
The other woman cracked a smile. “Yeah, I guess it’s a surprise to me too. I just wanted to let you know that what the elders cooked up wasn’t my idea. They’re my dominants, so I had to do what they said since they called it a Pack matter. I know Gideon isn’t my mate. I was a little peeved when he shut down our relationship.” She winced. “But it wasn’t anything like what you and he have now. So I’m sorry if I caused you any pain.”
