Chapter 18

Ezra

A sister.

It all made sense now—Brielle's desperation to win, the torrent of emotions that plagued her through our bond, and her overwhelming sense of failure.

She was afraid of never seeing her sister again.

Brielle told us they were separated during the Council attack, and she never found out what happened to her sister. I didn't want to say it out loud, but my analytical mind couldn't help but calculate the odds of her survival. She was a year younger than Brielle, and I couldn't imagine what she would have had to do in unsanctioned territory to remain alive.

Brielle looked me in the eye. "I know what you're thinking. She's alive."

"How can you be sure?"

Fuck, that was a dickish thing to say—I didn't need the withering looks from Valor or Korren to confirm it.

Her eyes shuttered. Goddess, I'd put my foot in it this time.

She fingered the locket around her neck like I'd seen her do in moments of thought or tension.

"I know," she said with conviction.

Why is she so sure?

Before I made the situation worse, I shut my mouth and focused on my mate.

Pain flashed through her eyes, and my chest tightened.

"It was the wrong thing to say." My cheeks grew warm. I never apologized—it never felt important enough to do so—but now, I wished I had more practice at it. "I didn't mean anything by it. I was just—" I rubbed the nape of my neck, searching for the right words, "—collecting facts."

"Ez is trying to say he's sorry for being an asshole," Korren said. "That big brain of his immediately jumps to sorting out logistics and finding a solution to problems."

Valor elbowed me in the side and whispered, "Say sorry."

"I'm sorry," I blurted out like an idiot.

Brielle's lips quivered with amusement. "It's okay. I forgive you."

Alpha Wynn cleared his throat, putting me out of my misery. "Thank you, Brielle. You've given us exactly what we need. Ezra, I'd like you and your team to continue gathering intel. We'll meet weekly for updates unless something urgent comes to light."

"Yes, Alpha."

Brielle nodded and said goodbye as we filed out of Alpha Wynn's office. When we emerged from the Alpha unit's house, we started down the path toward the south end of Hidden Creek, where the pack run would take place. The Council was a problem, but one for another day.

I looked at Brielle, noticing her steps were lighter than before. The hesitance in her eyes had faded over the past few weeks, and she offered us easy smiles and small touches of affection. I pushed my worries about the Council to the back of my mind and prepared for the impending pack run. I relished the chance to deepen our bond through our wolves.

"How are you feeling about the pack run?" I inquired.

Brielle's eyes widened. "I've never been to one, but my wolf is excited."

"Mine too, sweetling." Valor grinned. "He can't wait to get a whiff of his mate."

"Of course." Korren rolled his eyes before turning his attention to Brielle. "None of our wolves can wait. Fair warning, they might be a bit territorial."

Brielle's smirk made my cock harden in my pants. "I'm sure my wolf will be fine."

"Have you shifted much?" I asked. "I know the boarding houses put limitations on Omegas shifting."

"They do. I haven't shifted much in the last couple of years because of it, but I spent a lot of time as a wolf before the Council caught me. My wolf and I are well-adjusted—we're one," she said with pride.

"That's good to hear," I said. "It'll definitely give our wolves some peace of mind." Though not much, considering all the unmated males in the pack.

With our bond as new as it was, I doubted our wolves would settle until Brielle fully accepted us and unshielded her mind.

"How was your day with Isolde?" Valor asked. "Did you have fun getting to know Hidden Creek?"

Brielle's face brightened. "It was pretty amazing. I didn't think there would be so much to do. I mean, I'm kind of interaction-deprived after being alone for nine months, but it was great."

Valor smiled. "Did you find anything interesting?"

Korren stiffened.

"Yup. The carpentry shop," Brielle replied. "Isolde went to check on her crib, and Theron offered to give us a tour. It was the best part of my day. Honestly, the things he makes are incredible. I'm not too shabby with woodworking, so I asked if I could work there."

Brielle didn't notice Valor's smile slowly waning. I scowled at the thought of another male bringing her happiness.

"Did Theron make it seem that interesting?" Valor asked.

Way to fucking play it cool. Valor was practically pissing on her.

"He did, though the real reason I loved it so much was because of my dad. We didn't have much while we were on the run. We always had to pack light for travel, but anytime we stayed somewhere for more than two weeks, he would help me whittle or carve small projects like chairs or bedframes." She shrugged. "It was one of his few passions, and eventually, I grew to love it as much as he did. So, when I saw the shop . . . I don't know. I guess it made me think of him."

Shit, now I feel like an asshole for being jealous.

"So, I leaped at the chance. I honestly thought he would say no, but he agreed," she continued. "Tomorrow is my first day of training."

Irrational, archaic jealousy surged through my veins.

It was the only thing my wolf understood, even as my human brain recognized her need for a connection to her father.

"I'll take you in the morning," I said, shocked to hear the words leave my mouth.

"Does that mean you guys are all right with me working there?" She glanced between us, her golden eyes shining with hope.

With one look at my unit, I knew we couldn't say no—regardless of our feelings.

I'd never seen her so excited. I would do anything to keep that look on her face.

"Of course," Korren said.

Brielle gave me a small smile. "Thank you."

"No thanks necessary. You're our mate." I held out my hand, knowing there was a chance she wouldn't take it, but my heart swelled as she laced our fingers together.

"Let's go to the field before they start without us," I said.