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“Didn’t wanna fucking inside man, Benji,” Mongrel yelled. Then his voice dropped to a hushed rumble as the rage fell out from under him. “I wanted you to grow up before you were forced to become a man is all.” Only heartache remained as my mate flicked the safety back on and tucked the weapon into his jeans. “Wanted you to be sure that this was the life you wanted.”
“I was already a man, Mongrel,” Benji growled. “When I heard talk of them gearing up for another auction, I didn’t have a Goddess-damned choice and you know it. Did what I had to do. And I’d do it again. For them.” He pointed a hand at the people we’d rescued, swung it to encompass Sasha and finally looked down at his mate with wonder. “For her. Blood Moon Goddess led me to her, Mongrel. That’s how I know what I done was right.”
“We’re family, Benji. You shoulda come to me first. Told me your plan.”
“Oh yeah?” Benji replied. “Would you have let me go?”
“No.” Mongrel smirked with a shake of his head. Benji was like a little brother to him, he wouldn’t have risked his kin for anything. After all the shit they’d gone through, last thing he wanted was to be at odds with his only remaining flesh and blood. “C’mere man, it's been too long. We’ll find her, alright? But together.”
My gruff mate pulled Benji into a hard hug while my wolf flopped down in relief, basking in our beta’s quiet joy at having his cousin in his arms again.
Grimm sent Benji a small nod when the kid shot a furtive look in his direction. The message was clear. The prospect wasn’t out of the dog house yet, but his powerful declaration had gone some ways to helping the higher ups in our pack understand his impulsive actions.
“Go get your girl some breakfast,” Mongrel grumbled. “Both of you are way too skinny.”
Now that the drama was done, everyone went back about their business. It was the MC way. The humans, though clearly shaken, did their best to follow suit. Hurrying through their breakfast in the calm which came after the storm. I had a feeling it would be a while before any of them would leave food on their plates.
To prevent them from choking in their haste, I gave my table a dramatic sigh of relief.
“Drama, am I right?” I earned a few muffled giggles and a couple of eyerolls before I started explaining the rules.
However, Addy—who was only half listening as she cleaned her nails with a silver knife—cut through my explanation. “Who is this Blood Moon Goddess y’all go on about then?”
I put a pin in the rules and gave the girl my undivided attention. She wasn’t looking at her sister but it was clear enough why she was asking.
“The Soul Reapers believe she’s the one who rules the Blood Moon. Her power calls her warriors to battle, demanding we purge the earth of evil. As a reward, she leads the way to our fated mates.”
“So,” Addy mused. “She’s fallible, then. Like she makes mistakes?”
"The Blood Moon Goddess doesn't make mistakes," I growled, the omega in me rising to the surface.
She pegged me with a serious, no-bullshit look. "I think Winter would beg to differ with you there."
“What the Bone Crusher Prez did to her ain’t a claim. Asshole was trying to force one, but the magic didn’t take.”
“And Carbon?” Addy sneered.
“He might surprise you,” I sighed but didn’t shirk from her dead-eyed look. The girl was far too-knowing for her age, however my kind had earned that distrust. I slid my gaze slowly toward Talia and Benji as they bent together over their food, lost in their own world. "We’ll have to wait and see, won’t we?"
Suddenly, an all-too human growl cut through the hubbub from across the room. Sasha and Grimm were standing toe-to-toe across the dining room, glaring each other down.
“Excuse you?!” spat Sasha, loud enough to shut everyone up. Uh-oh. Our little kitten had her claws out again, only this time she was sticking them into our Prez. “It’s my fucking uncle. I’m going with and there’s nothing you can say to stop me, alpha.”
“That’s right. I am alpha and Prez here, Sasha. My word is law. You’d best remember it.”
With a barely suppressed snarl, Grimm dismissed her and stalked away. His fury lashed through the pack bond as he stomped passed our booth. He paused at my side only long enough to bark a command. “Get what we need and get it fast, omega. I’ll be taking a long ride with your mate to deal with this shit.”
I kept shuffling and nodded, baring my neck in respect.
“So, what did I miss?” Viola smirked.
The slamming of the Prez’s office door reverberated through the silent bar as Viola slipped back into our booth and handed me my phone with a grateful smile.
“Oh, you know,” I shrugged. “Same old MC bullshit.”
Viola’s eyes danced as she took in the scene. “Looks like.”
I followed her shrewd gaze.
