Talons

Chapter 97: The Suite

Mandy's POV

For two days I avoided my future alpha. He had locked my baby cousin in a room with no food or water, intending to break her. I know that won’t work with B, but he insisted, sending me away with a command that I couldn’t refuse. 

The only reason I was able to semi-stomach what he was doing is because he too has not taken a sip of water or a single meal since the last time she ate. He did his work from outside of her room, and even delegated a task to Carter that I would never have thought he would do.

Without being told or asked, Colt had arranged for Dolton’s old room to be converted into a place for B to sleep. 

Before his brother came back, the room had been locked, but Alpha Stone wants Dolton to stay in the states, so he had everything from the room transferred into a guest bedroom, hoping to make his son feel more at home. 

Colt didn’t want my cousin to continue staying in the false guestroom, but he knew she wouldn't want to sleep with him, so he took it upon himself to have a bed brought in. He wanted to do more, but he didn’t want to waste money on things he believes they won't have a need for. 

It’s very possible that Miracle may choose to stay in the U.S. to be closer to family, so Colt needs to watch his spending now that he has a mate. I have helped him get his finances in order, but they are not as healthy as they could be.

I don’t understand how we got to this place. Even my father was there when the moon oracle told my aunt that her twins were fated to the Stone twins. According to him, the future mate bond was the only thing that kept the peace between the Iron and Claw packs.

“Ready to get her?” Carter asks. We are bringing Carly with us because we know that B won't be able to resist the temptation of holding my baby. She is still a little wary of us, so we hope it helps.

I nod at my mate, trying to push my guilt aside. I promised Colt that I wouldn't tell B about Jessica, but I’m not sure if I'm making the right decision. 

For some reason, I believed him when he said that he hates the woman, and as someone who has heard him openly envy those in our pack who have found their fated partner, I don’t think he would throw it away, but I can’t ignore the fact that he treated my cousin like a punching bag for several years of her life.

We get to the infirmary just as B is finishing the food that Miracle brought to her. Dolton is quietly sitting outside of the room, smiling while his mate rants about how possessive he is as if he can’t hear her. The man clearly isn’t offended, and he chuckles when his mate says that she can’t even shower alone.

Miracle and I aren’t related to one another because we come from two different sides of the family, but she and I have quickly bonded over making sure our little cousin is okay. She has even taken it one step further, pushing out making a decision for where she wants to live until she can confirm that B won’t need her here.

I get the feeling that there is something between them that I don’t know, something that Miracle knows, but is keeping to herself because it isn’t her story to share, and it hurts that my best friend may be hiding things from me. 

The last time she did that was when she lost her wolf, and after pressing her for weeks, she finally told me what sparked her premature shift. I wanted to run and tell my father right then, but she told me that many people would be put at risk if she said anything, and when she went into detail, I understood.

All I know now is that I won’t vouch for Colt anymore. It's up to him to prove that he can change the way he treats her, and so far, he is off to a lousy start.

Rhea’s POV

Miracle has been telling me all about Dolton, and I can’t help but to smile at her. Her mate is sitting right outside of the room, so I know he can hear her complaints, but he just finds them funny.

I have never had a problem with Dolton, so I'm okay with her being mated to him. Besides, she isn’t the easiest person to get along with and I kind of feel sorry for the man. Especially if he thinks that putting his mark on her is going to change her any. However, for some odd reason, I don't get the feeling that he wants that. 

“Gordita... you know... I was wondering, and… don’t take this the wrong way but... You weren’t afraid of my mate.” I nod at her as I take the final bite of whatever it is I’m eating. 

Mandy and Carter enter the room, and I extend my arms to Carly, who eagerly jumps into my arms. She still looks exactly like her father, and I feel bad for Mandy who did ninety percent of the work and got none of the credit.

“Well?” Miracle says, and I realize that I had tuned her out to play with my littlest cousin. I absentmindedly respond to her, and silence falls over the room. It's so quiet that it’s loud.

“What?” I ask, knowing that I’m the reason you can hear a pin drop.

“B… don’t get mad at me for saying this but... how did you know that?” My eyes land on Dolton, who has one of his eyebrows arched as he eagerly awaits my response.

I suddenly know what the issue is, and everyone is reading way too much into it. Colton started to grow facial hair around the time he pushed me into the lockers. Before that incident, I distinctly remember hearing him tell one of his friends that he would never grow a full beard because his face was ‘too pretty’ to hide.

I repeat this story, and everyone makes a sound of understanding, except Dolton who is smirking at me in a way that makes me feel uncomfortable.

As to not offend, I ask Miracle what his problem is in Spanish, and she shrugs, telling me that Dolton is oddly fascinated by my interactions with his brother. I would have asked her why, but she was stolen away by her mate, who threw her over his shoulder.

“You are a very bad mate,” he says in a lustful tone, and I cringe at his words, grateful when he starts to leave the ward.

“What did I do now?” Miracle asks, and while I can’t see them anymore, I hear Dolton tell her that she never told him she spoke Spanish.

Mandy and Carter also heard the man, and we broke into laughter after making eye contact with one another. Miracle was literally born and raised in Puerto Rico. He must not have put two and two together and it suddenly dawns on me that they have only known each other for a few days.

“B,” Mandy says after catching her breath. “What I said about Colt changing...Can you please forgive me? I was wrong for getting involved.” I don’t want to respond to my cousin's request, but my eyes land on Carter who is making the begging gesture behind her. 

“Okay, but only if Carly can hang out with me for a few hours.” Carter claps a little too excitedly, and Mandy slaps his arm. 

I know exactly what that means because it was the same exact reaction my siblings had when I offered to keep both boys for the night. The pack nannies are busy day and night, so dropping off a baby to have s*x is extremely frowned down upon, even as alpha and beta.

“Ignore him,” Mandy replies. “Are you well enough for me to show you to your new room?” I nod and follow the couple to where I will now be staying.

I step into what looks like an alpha suite, and she opens the door of a room within. I peer inside, finding the space barely furnished, but it has my basic comfort needs. 

Looking around, there is dust in a lot of places, and I get the feeling that the whole suite was put together in a rush.

“Is it okay if I clean it?” I ask, and Carter replies in the affirmative. Within a few short minutes a pack helper has already brought me an array of cleaning supplies that I set aside. “You have three hours,” I say, and before I can even blink, my cousin and her mate are gone.

I glance at Carly who is staring at the door in innocent confusion. She is clearly concerned about the way her parents bolted, and I don’t blame her. 

I get down to eye level with her and in the most soothing voice I can muster, I tell her that she will be okay. The little girl starts pulling at her ear and I realize she may be sleepy. 

I pick her up, moving into the kitchen to look for a quick snack to give her, but there isn’t anything I can just whip up, so I end up making chicken over rice. Carly must have been hungry, because she finished two bowls of the meal before yawning and extending her hands to be carried.

It doesn’t take long for me to rock her to sleep, and I lay her down in my bed before moving to my next task. I desperately need to take my mind off my situation, and cleaning will help me with that. 

I don’t know how long went by, but Mandy returns to the suite and exclaims in shock. I haven’t just cleaned, but I rearranged the furniture making the space much more inviting. 

If I’m going to be stuck on the Iron territory, I might as well be happy. The suite they have given me isn’t bad, and all I really need now are clothes and toiletries.

“I didn’t think she would already be asleep,” Mandy says, obviously forgetting its eleven pm. “She didn’t eat much today. “Wait,” she says, sniffing the air. “Did you cook?” I nod and without asking, not that she needed to, Mandy packs a huge bowl of the rice, and I’m suddenly glad I made enough for a few days. “Did Carly eat any?”

“Two bowls,” I brag.