Chapter 6

Spencer

I had ordered Chinese, and we were sitting on the couch as we ate. The TV was on but muted, some comedy show was on. But we weren't watching the TV. I sat cross-legged on the couch, facing Andrew.

"Tell me everything from the start."

"Alright." He cleared his throat. "The moment Marianne arrived at Idris's party, I knew something was off. When Axel walked up to her and uttered the word Mate, I was frozen on the spot. Because I was so sure, you would be it. And I knew he thought so too, until that moment." He took in a breath.

"I knew Eveline had a niece in another pack, but she never discussed it with me to let her come over. I was blindsided by it all. I managed to get Marianne out of the house that night and he seemed to come out of it. He went to see you, but you were already gone. After that, she had her claws on him. With every passing day, she thought she owned the place and everyone in it. I had to put her in place too many times to count. I kept him from marking her for as long as I could, saying that school was more important right now and that he didn't even know the girl."

"So, for three years, I had pushed it off. Every time, he came home, I had sent her away on 'Luna duties.' But two years ago, they accepted the bond and marked one another." My heart broke again like it was just yesterday after hearing it. I knew it happened, of course, I thought it happened sooner, but still hearing it...

"They don't have an emotional bond. I've seen that boy in love." He looked pointedly at me, I looked away. "And I know he's not in love with her. I'm not sure he even likes her."

"That happens sometimes."

"I know, but this is different. He just doesn't care about her. She only seems interested in money and power, that much is obvious. I try to keep her out of sight as much as possible. I heard Marianne and Eveline whisper right after they accepted the bond. They didn't hear me come home, so they weren't using the mind-link.

Marianne said, 'He finally accepted the bond. I thought I was going to lose it. You said it would work instantly, Auntie.'

While Eveline replied, 'With strong wolves, it can take a while, especially if they loved someone else. It took a while before he got over that she-wolf bitch even though he's Mated to you now.'

"After that, Axel came home, so drunk he could barely walk. So, he made enough noise to make them shut up. But ever since then, I tried to eavesdrop on their conversations, try to look in Eveline's phone. But she has a good lock on it. I've only managed to intercept a few messages.

Eveline: I need more. The Alpha is getting out of it.

Reply: Come over in two days, I'll get you enough to last six months.

"A few of messages in the same line, nothing really incriminating or giving me the information, I needed."

I thought it over. Everything he had said. It was a lot, could it really be possible to fool a wolf of a Mate? It seemed unlikely to me, but something was going on. And I would find out. For Andrew, for the pack. "Is there someone else you talked to about this?"

"Only Axel's Beta."

"Idris? You trust him to betray his best friend?"

"When Idris came back with Deacon after their night in the woods, he went absolutely livid. He started shouting and cursing. At Axel, at me, at everyone that crossed his path. He didn't care who we were. He only cared about you. He turned into his wolf and started to search for you. But since he just got his wolf form, he wasn't fast enough to track you down. He didn't speak to Axel for a month. And I don't think he has spoken a single word to Marianne to this day. He doesn't believe she is his Mate. I informed him of my suspicions the moment I had them. He was the one who suggested I come here."

"Alright," I nodded, frowning slightly. "I'm not sure I believe it's possible to fool a wolf of his true Mate, but I do believe something is going on. And I'll do anything in my power to unravel it. My plane lands on Saturday evening. We need a plan to get Eveline's phone and laptop, Marianne's preferably too."

"Her laptop is the easy part. The phone will be trickier, she's glued to the damn thing."

"We'll start on the laptops then. We don't want to rush it, or our cover will be blown." I put my half-eaten bowl of Chinese on the coffee table. "Uhm, what will the reason be for my return after five years?"

"Oh, that's easy. Benjamin is turning eighteen and he officially invited you to his celebration." He pulled out an envelope from his pocket. "You seem to have a way into the Henning men's hearts." He winked.

"Eighteen." I breathed. "I can't believe he's turning eighteen."

"That's nothing, I'm turning fifty." He huffed.

I snickered. "You look good for a fifty-year-old, Andrew Henning, don't worry. And once Eveline is out of the way, you can find someone who truly loves you."

He frowned. "You don't think she loves me?"

"To be honest, I've never seen love in her eyes. And if she is plotting something, it seems like she's power hungry." I cocked my head, thinking something over. "When did you get sick? How long after they marked?"

"A month." He sat down his own bowl and looked at me a little wide-eyed. "You think -"

"I wouldn't rule it out."

"FUCK!"

My eyes nearly fell out of its sockets. I've never heard him curse in my life. I grabbed his hand. "We'll get to the bottom of this, big Andy. I promise."

Axel

My father arrived back a few days later, looking utterly exhausted. But there was something else about him. Astrix jumped to the front of my mind, his ears perked up the moment he walked into the dining room. I was eating breakfast with Marianne, Eveline and Benjamin when he got back.

What was that scent he was carrying? It smelt female, it smelt divine. Astrix purred inside my head at the scent. Did he have a lover? Was my father cheating on Eveline? No, he would never do that. Even though they had been unhappy for years, he wouldn't do that. There was something familiar about the scent though, but I couldn't place it.

"How is Cavanaugh?" I asked.

My father shrugged and I knew enough. Normally he would go on and on about the game and how he had beaten his old-time friend. Now, nothing. Instead, he turned to his second son.

"How is the planning going, Benji?"

"Brilliant! Everything is ready. I got the RSVPs from everyone but one -" He eyed our father.

"She's coming."

Benjamin glanced from our father to me and back. "Really?" His voice hopeful, a beaming smile stretching over his face. My father simply nodded. Who were they talking about? "Does she know the dress code?"

My father chuckled. A light and honest sound that I haven't heard for a long time. "Yes, she knows about the ball gowns."

"Who are you talking about?"

They both glanced at me, blinking a few times. My guess is they were having a conversation through the mind-link.

"An old friend of Benjamin, who moved away a few years ago."

It wasn't a lie, but it wasn't the complete truth either. I could feel it. I couldn't ask anything more as Benjamin started going on about his celebration. Marianne reached over and intertwined our fingers. I tried not to flinch. She batted her eyelashes at me.

Are you alright?

Fine. I grunted.

She pressed her body closer, making her scent intoxicate me. Do you wanna fuck?

It has been a while since we fucked, months actually but it wasn't something I missed. But her scent filled all of my senses and Astrix howled in my head. Bathroom, five minutes.

She purred as she stood up from the table and left the room. I followed not long after. She was waiting for me in the bathroom. Her short skirt left nothing to my imagination. But I turned her around, bending her over on the washer and lifted her skirt. I pounded into her without giving her a second glance. Pounded until my release came, but I wasn't thinking about her at that moment. I thought about the female scent that lingered around my father. For years I felt unsatisfied after my release, but now with that scent still lingering, I felt just a bit more satisfied.

What the fuck is wrong with everyone? It was the day of Benjamin's celebration and instead of excitement, they were nervous. Benjamin, my father and my Beta were sitting around me in my office. I could smell their nerves coming off them.

"It's a day of celebration, why the fuck are you all so nervous?" I snapped.

"I'm nervous because I wonder if I'll find my Mate tonight." My brother said without hesitation.

"I'm nervous, I won't like them if he does." Again was left unsaid by my father.

"I'm not nervous," Idris said. He had masked it after I called them out on it. He masked it well, but it was too late, I had already smelled it. I raised my eyebrow at him. His phone chimed, he glanced at it and stood up. "I'm heading out. I'll be back in time for the party." He said. I could feel excitement radiate out from him. Then he slipped out of the room and was gone.

Spencer

Being here again, standing at the terminal with my suitcase, my eyes scanning for a familiar werewolf made the memories resurface of the times Axel had picked me up. I shook my head clearing it from the painful memories.

"Spencer!"

I craned my neck and there he was. Idris. A head taller than all the others there, he was beaming at me. He pushed himself through the crowd and swept me up in a bone-crushing hug.

"I can't believe you are actually here. Lycaon, how I have missed you."

"I've missed you too," I said, blinking away the tears.

"Come, let's get you home. You can tell me all about your fancy big city life on the way there."

I chuckled but my heart constricted at the word home. I looped my arm through his as we made our way out of the airport.

After driving for an hour, we arrived at the closed-off community. Idris squeezed my hand. "It will be okay, Spence." I nodded, not being able to speak. "You will be staying with me and Deacon."

Good, I didn't think I would be able to stay with my parents who lived across the street from the Alpha. I stepped out of the car and looked at the beautiful cottage. As Idris came beside me, holding my suitcase, I said. "I never got to tell you, but you and Deacon, that was a pleasant surprise."

Idris laughed loudly. "You are telling me." He opened the door and stepped aside to let me in. "I never had any interest in men, neither did Deacon. But the moment I stepped into that garden and sensed him, I knew I was never going to let him go."

I hugged him sideways. "I'm happy for the two of you." Idris opened his mouth, probably to say something about me finding my Mate even though I was engaged, so I quickly added. "Where is Deacon?"

"He and Lore are out shopping." He rolled his eyes, an easy smile on his lips. "You will see him tonight."

"I need a release," I said, my nerves getting the better of me. "Want to go for a run?"

He gave me a lopsided grin. "Are you finally going to show me your wolf?"

"Her name is Kai. Are you ready?"

He grinned and nodded. Three, two, one.

We shifted and the next moment our wolfs were in our place. Kai looked at Idris's wolf, Malacai. He was dark brown and much to my and Kai's amusement, smaller than me. Malacai cocked his head as he took in my wolf form. He probably saw similarities that I tried to ignore for the past five years.

You are big. He said instead.

I laughed, happy he didn't say anything about the markings. We nipped at his paw before Kai bounded to the back door, Malacai on our heels.

Too bad he has a Mate. Kai said. He's a handsome wolf.

That he is. But now we run!

Yes! Kai said before running even faster, straight into the woods. Idris had a hard time keeping up with us, and after hours of running, he lost me. I could hear him howl in search of me. So, I let Kai howl into the air so he could find us.

Axel

I was nose-deep in reports on the other packs when that howl reached my ears. A howl so loud and fierce, it shook my bones. Astrix suddenly became restless in my head, trying to figure out where it came from.

Want to go, He said or more like whined inside my head.

We don't even know who that is. I've never heard that howl before.

Sounds like someone who knows how to play. He purred.

That it does.

It has been ages since Astrix had a wolf to play with, in a not sexual way. He had Moira, Marianne's wolf if he wanted, but he didn't have one to just goof around with. But the celebration is in less than two hours, we can't go out searching for the wolf.

Astrix whined and kept pacing inside my head. Restless and on edge.