Chapter 21

Brielle

It was strange to have Erza beside me without any of our previous awkwardness. Maybe it was our time as wolves or the confession about my past, but something had finally loosened, and the analytical look in his eyes had softened into something more familiar and trusting.

The crunch of leaves punctuated our stroll toward the carpentry building. Feeling the weight of his stare, I looked at him out of the corner of my eye, an easy smile already curling my lips.

"What?"

He glanced away, color rising on his face.

Ezra wasn't prone to blushing, and the sight stroked my ego. It did something to me to know I could make a man like him nervous.

"I just wanted to say I'm sorry. About your sister," Ezra said, keeping his eyes on the path ahead.

"It's fine. You don't have to keep apologizing. If I'm being honest with myself, I'd ask the same question in your position."

I hoped he would drop the subject. Yes, thinking of Blythe was hard, but I was still keeping secrets. I tried to put it all out there, but I couldn't tell them about the carvings—about the birds that led . . . Goddess, I hoped they would still lead me to her.

The words burned my tongue and turned to ash in my mouth.

"I'm not great at apologies," Ezra said. "But I also don't want unspoken things between us, Brielle. I'm just asking you to hear me out."

Confused, I replied, "Okay."

He blew out a frustrated breath. "I know I wasn't the most welcoming mate. And honestly, I didn't trust you. I knew you were hiding something from us, and I wasn't sure what it was or what it could do to us. But after the Alpha's questioning, it made more sense to me. You were afraid for your sister, and I can't fault you for that any more than I can fault you for not giving us your truth when we were still strangers."

He rubbed the back of his neck, and his genuine remorse pinched my gut. I took his hand, threading my fingers through his much larger ones. "It's all forgiven, Ez. No worries."

He brought my hand up to his mouth and kissed my knuckles so softly I could have imagined it. "I hate secrets, Brielle. And knowing you were keeping something from us triggered my defenses. In my mind, I couldn't risk allowing my emotions to distract me from a possible threat. I couldn't be fooled by someone I trusted again."

"Who?" I whispered. Ezra had never been this open with me, and it might have been selfish, but I wanted more. "Who broke your trust?"

"What do you know about Hidden Creek before Wynn challenged his father for Alpha?"

"I know it was hell for everyone. The only ones safe from the fire were the males kissing the Alpha's ass."

"That pretty much sums it up." He took a deep breath. "My father was one of those ass-kissers. I didn't know it at the time—no one did. The Alpha wanted it that way, so he had a spy to report intel on the pack. In public, my father acted like he hated the Alpha. He raised me to believe that what was happening was wrong, and he protected my mother from most of the ugliness. I never questioned him. Even when his words didn't match his actions, even when I caught him in lies, I believed him." His scowl was so deep I thought it would leave permanent lines in his face. "When Wynn gathered those loyal to him and set the plan to expose his father in motion, I made a mistake. Something in my gut told me not to trust my father. I didn't listen to my instincts and informed him of the plan. By the time we returned, all of the Omegas had been incinerated."

I blinked back tears. The regret and self-hatred in his voice seeped into the bond, weighing it down like rocks in the pockets of a drowning man.

Ezra blamed himself for their deaths.

"It wasn't your fault," I whispered.

"I didn't lock them in the room or start the fire, but I sparked the idea in a madman's mind. I trusted someone I shouldn't have, and innocent females paid the price."

I stared at our joined hands and fought the urge to sob. Ezra was baring his soul to me, but his faith in our bond would turn to hatred when he found out I'd withheld a small piece of the truth.

My wolf grumbled in annoyance. I couldn't fault her; I was growing annoyed with myself too.

"You didn't have to tell me any of this," I said.

"I did. I can't ask for your trust if I don't give you mine in return."

Fuck, did that hurt—almost as much as it warmed me, softening my sharp edges.

The orange carpentry building was like a neon sign between all the greenery, and though Ezra's tight grip on my hand was subtle, I felt it, nonetheless. It was the same stiffness that came over my mate when I talked about Theron the night before. I pretended not to notice it then, but I wasn't sure I could now.

"You have a problem with me working there?" I asked, hoping the question came out casually.

His reply was short, clipped. "No."

He definitely wasn't happy about it, but he was taking me anyway.

Thoren stood in front of the entrance with an easy smile. "Ezra," he said, earning a grunt of acknowledgment from my mate. "Brielle. I have to say I'm surprised you showed up."

I scoffed playfully. "Do you think I get into discussions about wood grain and sanding methods for fun? Nope. This is serious."

"Well, I'm glad I finally have one committed worker."

"What time will she be done?" Ezra asked with a bland expression, his hand still curled around mine.

"I'd say four is a safe bet," Theron replied.

"What will you be doing today?" Ezra pressed.

"We'll go over jobs, tools, ordering procedures, and fulfillment." Theron turned his attention to me. "I've also got a project for you."

I beamed, excited to see what he had in store.

Ezra growled.

There it was. Territorialism. I wanted to roll my eyes but knew it wouldn't help. Instead, I slipped my hand from Ezra's and turned to face him.

Theron's hearty laugh made my lips twitch.

Instigator.

I stood on the tips of my toes and cupped his cheek. "Thank you for dropping me off."

His icy gaze thawed as he looked at me. Before I could pull away, he fisted the back of my hair and pressed his mouth to mine. The kiss was dominating—a reminder of who I belonged to. I should have felt pissed, but a primal part of me craved it.

Ezra broke our kiss. "I'll see you at four."

"I'll take good care of her," Theron said, laughing.

Ezra grumbled and gave me one last glance before he left.

I spun around to face Theron. "Something tells me you were goading him on purpose,"

"Absolutely," he confirmed, leading me inside. "It's not every day I can get under Ezra's skin. Gotta take my chance while I have the opportunity."

***

The shop was a dream. Dad would have loved it. When we were on the road, he spent most of his free time whittling and describing the furniture he would build for our mother or projects he took on for friends and neighbors. He always said working with his hands calmed him like nothing else.

He must have passed that trait on to me.

Theron was meticulously organized. Building materials were on neat shelves to the right, and tools and binding materials hung to the left. The orders came through the office and were assigned based on specialty and interest. Besides Theron, four other guys worked in the shop. Each of them was kind and more than happy to show me their current projects.

Halfway through the day, Theron took me to the main floor to show me my assignment. I approached a large structure covered with a white cloth and raised an eyebrow.

"I remember you mentioning you whittle," Theron said. "Is it possible that skill extends to other types of carving?"

I didn't bother to hide my smile. "It does."

He yanked the cover off a nearly complete crib. "Then the side panels are yours to design."

My eyes widened. He wanted me to work on the crib for the Alpha unit's pup.

"Are you sure that's okay?"

"I think Isolde will love it." Theron shrugged. "Don't tell anyone, but I'm shit at carving, so you're helping me save face here."

I bumped him with my shoulder, not believing him for a moment but willing to play along. "In that case, count me in."

"That's what I like to hear." He set the panels on a table and walked to the metal supply shelves for pencils and an electric rotary. "We're happy to have you here, you know."

"Am I that obvious?"

"I think it's a normal feeling, being wary. I can't imagine coming into a pack after never being in one. We're not meant to be alone. But, it's only natural that you want to find your place."

Theron's presence was familiar, like being with my father again. "I do," I admitted.

His eyes met mine, concern turning them into warm pools of chocolate. "How do you think that's going?"

I looked around the shop, letting my budding hope bloom. "Pretty good."

And it was.

***

Korren stood behind me as I measured the wall. Half an hour ago, the medical unit called in an order for some custom shelves for their supply storage.

I was surprised when Theron gave me the assignment because I'd only been working for him for two weeks, but I was excited to prove myself.

My mate's delicious scent threatened to distract me as I grabbed a leveler and pencil from my pack. "Did you want the unit to be floor-to-ceiling?" I asked.

"Yes. We need at least six shelves and a few drawers for the smaller items."

I marked the wall, careful to keep the spaces between them even.

I felt the heat of Korren's body before his warm breath brushed my ear. "How long do I have you for?"

Anticipation hummed in my blood. The smoky lilt of his voice hit me between my legs.

Pull yourself together, he's talking about work,I chastised myself.

Goddess, a few nights of unbridled attention, and I was practically panting from the sound of his voice.

"About an hour more today, then a week or so once I start," I said, breathing through a wave of lust.

Korren's nostrils flared, and a slow, languid smile spread across his lips. "I can work with an hour."

He walked to the door and stopped to look over his shoulder. "Coming?"

I nodded, following him out the door.

Korren's office was three doors down. Unlike the sterile rooms I associated with medical offices, Korren's space looked like a blend of a greenhouse and a cozy reading nook. He led me to a cluster of overstuffed, brown leather couches gathered around a gleaming coffee table.

My eyes widened. "Did you get me lunch?"

"Baked Ziti," he answered with a smile. "From Roman's."

Roman was the owner of one of the five restaurants in the pack. He made the best pasta dishes, which wasn't a surprise, because he made all his noodles from scratch.

"Yum," I said, rubbing my hands together as I sank into the cushions. "I feel spoiled."

"Not nearly enough," Korren replied.

He handed me my container, along with a fork and a bottle of water.

We dug into our food with gusto. I noticed that whenever Korren used his healing ability, he ate more.

"Does healing take a lot of energy?"

"Yes and no. For smaller issues like checkups and minor wound care, I barely feel it. Larger ailments and bone breaks take more energy."

"Eating helps?"

"And sleeping. It gives my body time to recharge after a long day."

I considered his words. "Are there any limitations to your gift?"

"Full of questions today, aren't you?" He studied my face, his eyes full of warmth.

"Sorry, you don't have to answer if you don't want to." I took a sip of my water to cool my flaming cheeks.

"No, ask away. I want you to know me," he reassured me. "All healers have limitations to their abilities. When we reach our limits, our bodies shut down."

I scrunched my brows, unsure if I was understanding correctly. "You pass out?"

"That's one way to look at it." He laughs. "It's more of an induced hibernation. It's the body's way of protecting itself since the power to heal comes from the healer's life force. It's why we can't resurrect the dead."

"You'd die," I said.

Korren tipped his chin in agreement. "And there is no guarantee that it would work."

"Has anyone ever tried?"

"Yes. Before the Black War, the Queen of the Silver Fang pack came down with a deadly illness. The Alpha King called on all the healers in the area, searching for a cure. When it became clear that she would die, the Alpha King grew desperate. In a state of madness, he imprisoned his healers and forced them to bring her back. One after the other, they fell, giving her all their life force. Even so, by the morning, she was gone."

Horror turned my blood to ice. "How many? How many healers died?"

"Six."

Goddess. He'd killed six healers.

"Since then, packs have kept their healers close, and none have risked a revival." Korren sat back in his chair, legs spreading wide. "Can I ask you something, love?"

"Yes, anything," I said, my mind still working through the tragedy of the unnamed healers' deaths.

"When you spoke to the Alpha about the Hunt facility, you mentioned Councilman Raza choosing certain Omegas. What did you mean?"

A chill ran up my spine. The horrified faces of those girls as they were dragged from their rooms in the middle of the night still haunted me. Everyone knew what he was doing—and what all the guards did once he finished.

"They called them leftovers." I met Korren's steady blue gaze. "The councilmen and their guards aren't supposed to touch the Omegas, but they do. Councilman Raza looks through the newest charges and chooses the ones he likes. They're usually the meekest—the ones who cry and are too scared to fight back. They're taken in the middle of the night, and he has his way with them. After he's done, he passes them to his men. Sometimes for hours, but occasionally for days. Either way, the end is always the same. After they're . . . used, they're put down."

Anger rolled off Korren. "How do you know?"

I wrung my fingers, and he reached across the table and took my hands. The touch spoke for him, saying, I'm right here.

"They made us listen. There are speakers installed in each cell, and they play the audio when it happens. It's a threat to toe the line, or else."

"Fuck," Korren hissed. "I'll let Ezra know so he can look out for it on the feeds."

Silence fell as we retreated into our own thoughts.

"Do you think we'll be able to do it?" I finally asked.

Korren held my stare, emotions flaring like fireworks in his eyes.

Fury. Determination. Contempt.

"I think there's nothing the Council could do to stop us."