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CHAPTER16
Brynn found herself standing by one of the two entrances into the den, her body shaking. It might have been because of what she’d seen in the torture chamber they’d found Brie in, but Brynn knew better.
It was because of the wolf she was here to meet.
When they’d come upon Iona bleeding in the road, still gasping for breath, Brynn’s mind had gone into overdrive. The other woman and the lieutenants had killed most of the wolves that had taken Brie, but they hadn’t been able to stop Shannon from kidnapping the Alpha female. They knew the identities of the traitors, but they weren’t sure who else was on the other side but hadn’t fought. Iona would live from sheer will alone, and the fact that she’d fought to save Brie brought her up slightly in Brynn’s book, but things had gone to hell soon after.
They’d rallied the troops and followed Brie’s scent to Leo’s torture chamber. Brynn had been able to think through the rage to contact the Redwoods about what happened once they got back. She should have done sobeforethey’d run after Brie, but she was thinking only of her Packmate and the consequenceswithinthe Pack, not outside of it.
That wasn’t a mistake she would make again.
Brie and Gideon were locked in their home, and Brynn knew they needed the privacy. They were not only newly mated, but Brie had almostdied. Walker had Healed her so she might only be sore at the moment, but it had been a close call in the grand scheme of things. Once Gideon’s wolf could breathe again, Brynn and the rest of them would meet to strategize, but what they didn’t need was anyone freaking out even more.
And that just might happen when Finn showed up.
Finn.
That damn wolf.
While the rest of the Redwoods might have wanted to come to ensure Brie was safe and sound, Finn had somehow convinced everyone to allow him to come with only his cousin Charlotte. Finn was the Heir, and Charlotte was one of Brie’s best friends and cousin. Plus, the woman had apparently been through hell on earth when she was a child, so she would be able to help Brie if she really needed it. Somehow the rest of the Pack was staying behind, relying on Finn and Charlotte to tell them everything. She wasn’t sure how he’d done it since Brynn knew Jasper and Willow, and they wouldn’t normally step aside when their daughter was in pain.
They must have trusted Finn a hell of a lot.
If only Brynn could do that.
It wasn’t the fact that he was the Heir to another Pack. No, that was something she could deal with. It was the fact that she’d met him more than once now, and the damn wolf hadn’t acknowledged her beyond the fact that she was a Talon.
He didn’t stiffen around her, didn’t breathe in her scent. He didn’t reach out and need to touch her.
Instead he acted as if there was nothing between them.
Maybe there wasn’t. Not to him.
Finn and Charlotte pulled up and she raised her chin. “Finn. Charlotte.” She knew her voice held ice, but she couldn’t hold it back. If she gave into what her wolf felt, she’d break and she refused to be that person.
Charlotte, a beautiful woman with long dark hair and dark eyes smiled at her, though Brynn saw the strain in them. “Thank you for allowing me to see my cousin, Brynn.” She hugged Brynn quickly then pulled away so Finn could come up to them.
Brynn sucked in a breath at the rage in the man’s eyes. She knew he was a strong wolf and Heir, but she’d never felt the wolf like she did now in his presence.
“Where is she?” Finn bit out, not bothering with pleasantries.
“Finn, stop being an ass,” Charlotte snapped. “Brie is fine and we’re going to go make sure of that fact so our wolves and the rest of the family don’t go crazy. What happened isn’t Brynn’s fault.”
From the accusatory look in Finn’s eyes, Brynn wasn’t sure the man believed Charlotte’s words. Guilt threatened her, and she knew Charlotte was thinking the same thing. Brie had almost died on her watch, and Brynn would never forgive herself if it happened again. She’d find Leo and Shannon and gut them.
Not that she’d explain herself to Finn. She shouldn’t have to. He was a Redwood wolf, not a Talon. He didn’t mean anything to her.
Or at least he shouldn’t.
“Let me take you to Brie so you can stop puffing out your chest and growling,” Brynn snapped, pissed off that she’d let this wolf get to her.
Finn inhaled through his nose, his nostrils flairing then let out a deep breath. “I apologize for snapping. You don’t deserve my wrath. I appreciate that you’ll take me to Brie.”
“Follow me.”
So formal. As if there wasn’t anything between them.
Brynn bit her lip hard, letting the pain wash over her so she wouldn’t feel the pain inside.
