Talons

Chapter 86: The Damaged

Colton’s POV

Dolton arrives today and I’m oddly anxious about his return. Orlin still comes and goes, and with twenty-three barely seven months away, I feel like my life is over. My father, on the other hand, has pulled out all the stops. 

He is spending like there is no tomorrow, and he has even had some of our omegas go shopping for gifts my brother will give to Raven.

Jessica has become jealous, but I feel that she is getting what she deserves; a healthy dose of reality. If Dolton and Raven decide to stay, which my father is pushing toward, then I will be my brother's beta, assuming he doesn’t send for his own to join him.

Worst case scenario, I’ll be an alpha male without a pack or title, and I wonder how Jessica will feel about me then. She too has seemed to catch on to this, because she suddenly has been encouraging me to work harder, and train more. 

For the sake of Carter and Mandy, who would also be put out, I do, but both understand the situation I’m in, and they are willing to stick by me through anything.

My father links me, and I sprint to his office where my brother and I embrace one another tightly with deep laughter to fill in the awkwardness of the emotion we are feeling. He left when we were thirteen, so we haven't seen one another in over seven years.

“What is this?” I tease, tugging at the beard hanging from my brother’s face. I can tell that my father hates my brother's visual appearance; he looks like he is about to raid and plunder a village.

“This is the lady killer,” my brother declares.

“Where is mom?” My brother winces, and I realize she didn’t come. “Pack duty?” I say, hoping to shift the topic, and my twin jumps on the excuse I gave him.

“Holly loyalist.” I pretend to be scornful, but in reality, Holly is the surviving heir; she deserves the title.

As if our words summoned her, my cousin bursts into the office, and jump-kicks my brother, who starts laughing as he grabs her ankle and slams her into a wall.

“Ass,” Holly grunts, and I help her up. She is annoying, but she’s still our little cousin, and I think Dolton was too rough with her.

“That is the difference between an alpha and a mistake,” my father says, making Dolton scowl while I roll my eyes.

I ask Holly if she is okay, and she nods, but I know she is badly hurt based on her facial expression. My father’s office is lined with solid oak bookshelves, and Dolton did not hold back.

“You’ve gotten soft,” my brother teases, and Holly gives him the finger. “I used to have to break bones before you gave up,” he continues, and I stare at my brother; for the first time ever realizing that he is just as screwed up as I am.

“Yeah well, our grandfather sent me to a soft pack, so it's inevitable.” I chuckle at my cousin's comeback because in a way, she isn’t wrong.

Holly has been pampered from the moment she stepped foot onto pack grounds with the sole purpose of having her give up on her hopes to challenge my brother, if what just occurred is any indication of her strength, then she doesn’t stand a chance.

“Go get yourself looked at,” I instruct, and my cousin nods before limping away from us.

“You’ve changed,” Dolton comments, and I shrug. 

“A Lot of f*cked up sh*t happened on this side of the ocean.” My brother chuckles, patting my shoulder roughly as he drapes his arm over me. 

“Show me where all the freaks are. I want to play around a little before I meet with Raven.” That statement wipes the smile right off my father’s face.

“You will do no such thing. Raven is of alpha lineage. She can and will reject you if she finds out that the first thing you did when you got back to the states is stick your-”

“Relax,” Dolton interrupts harshly, making me laugh. “Aren’t you going to be late for your flight?” he questions. Our father is going overseas, leaving us in command, likely wanting to see who takes charge.

“What has your mother been teaching you?” he asks, and I realize that Dolton hasn’t gotten the same ‘s*x based’ training I received. I start laughing as I take in my father’s expression, he is clearly disappointed, and I’ve never been happier in my life.

Raven’s POV

Dolton is back, and by coincidence, his arrival aligns with Luke's twenty-fifth birthday party, so there will be other people around. I’m freaking out because Jack is invited and he’s already sent me flowers, obviously thinking he has a chance, but there is none. 

My sister is also freaking out because she’s afraid the event will draw General, and while we have the assurance that the man is in Siberia right now, she has worthy cause for concern, which is why Robin made the event a Masquerade party with a limited guest list, while Lark doubled the guards, and their pay, to make up for the inconvenience.

That aside, I’m trying to look and feel my best so that when my mate sees me, he won't even think of a rejection. I can only hope that Jack doesn’t cause trouble tonight, because I don’t want this moment ruined.

I have already invested so much into Dolton that, unless there are two of him, it would take him years to use the gifts I’ve bought. 

"But what if he isn’t our mate?" Gigi asks.

“Then we do like B said, we let go and move on.”

Robin’s POV

Raven is taking her sweet time getting ready, while everyone else is working to set up and to keep B calm. She wants to leave because she thinks that General may show up, but we have it on good authority that the man is in Siberia with his ‘other mate.’

My sister is conflicted because she wants to celebrate Luke at his milestone, but she is also scared for our safety. 

Since she has returned to pack territory, B has been paranoid about things we all feel shouldn’t matter. She has been so low key that most of our members don’t even know she’s here.

Whenever she is not inside of our parent’s cabin with Ducky and Corbin, she is in her room, using furniture as weights to workout. Our grandparents also take a huge chunk of her time, but I think B is overreacting.

“You need to relax,” I say. "You are making me anxious, and mom just linked me that she needs help.” B nods, and I gesture for her to follow me into the kitchen. “This is what I’m supposed to get done.” My mother had actually told me to do it myself to honor my mate, but B needs a distraction.

She immediately gets to work, but the smell of citrus hits me hard and I gag, making my sister scream loudly.

Luke comes running into the room in just a towel, and my sister respectfully turns to face the wall, still shouting.

“She’s pregnant again,” she says, jumping up and down in excitement that makes my mate tilt his head at me.

“Babe,” I say in a whining tone. I feel like I have only just gotten Corbin off breast milk, and I’m not ready to have another little one nibbling at my n****e.

“Shh... relax.” Luke says. We both know better than to doubt B’s words. “Didn’t I take care of you last time? I’ll do even better this time, okay.” I sniffle, and my mate scoops me into a calming hug.

I know that he wants three children, and I plan to give them to him, but I at least wanted a full two years in between.

Luke gets clothes on, and B gives me a hug, rubbing my belly in a way that makes me feel for her.

It wasn't too long ago that she tried to kill herself and for a wolf, that’s hard. She had to purposefully leave the knife she used inserted into the wound to keep the blood flowing, but that would also make the blood drain slowly.

She had been so depressed back then, that seeing how happy and excited she is right now, makes me emotional, another sign that she is right, I'm pregnant again.

Sadly, the excitement is short lived; after my mate declared that a baby is exactly what he wanted as a birthday gift, and telling my parents the news, B slips right back into panic.

Just an hour before the guests are set to arrive, my sister is still dressed in oversized clothing that I refuse to let her wear, although my father, Luke and Lark think she looks fine; an absolute lie.

I drag B into my room, where Miracle has already pulled together things from everyone's closet.

"I can't do this," my sister says, and I remind her that her face will be covered. 

When that doesn't work, Miracle gives B a flask of wolf whiskey and while I have never known her to drink, she downs the entire contents, making my cousin and I panic.

Rhea's POV

Sylvia and I feel amazing! The music is good, the air feels good and all she and I want to do is dance. I feel so free that I wonder why I haven't started drinking sooner. 

Miracle hands me another drink and I down its contents, vaguely aware that my brother and Luke are watching me with angry expressions.

I dance up to Emma and Robin, who are laughing hysterically, and pull them to dance with me. Their mates collect them quickly, but Miracle joins in their place.

She is probably a bad influence because the next thing I know, I'm twerking on a table and Lark is grabbing at my ankles, trying to get me down.

I'm laughing so hard that I eventually fall, but one of my favorite songs comes on and I find myself swaying seductively, making my brother rub his face roughly. 

I don't pay attention to him for too long because whoever is choosing the music is playing my jams right now, and all I want to do is enjoy myself.

As I'm dancing, a set of strong arms wrap me, and I look back to see Jack. 

"What’s your name?" He whispers huskily, and I lift my mask just enough to change his lustful expression into one of shock. 

Our closeness doesn't last long because Luke comes to put an end to it, for which I’m actually grateful.