Page 141 of A Broody Mate for the Human

“True words,” Noah exclaims.

We chat for a bit longer. Other pack members walk by and talk to us, too, and I’m relieved to see that although some eye Dave curiously or don’t know how to talk to him, they don’t disrespect him directly.

Eventually, the gathering dissolves, and Esme, Hayden, Dave, and I make it back home. As we live next to each other we decide to sit in the garden for a while and chat, just the four of us. Hayden and Dave go inside to fetch something to drink. We didn’t have the time to go shopping yet, so we only have the bare minimum at home.

“Esme,” I say earnestly once we are alone, remembering how Dave told me I should talk to her. “I wanted to apologize to you once more for being such a bad brother for failing you.”

“You didn’t fail me,” she emphasizes.

“We both know I did.”

“Oh, Raphael.” She sighs sadly. There is a long pause between us before she turns around to face me and puts a hand on my arm. “I heard you scream,” she says quietly, confusing me for a moment before she clarifies. “Sometimes, when father hit you, you would scream. And then one day, you didn’t make any sound anymore. I was so scared he might have finally broken you. I believed he had. And when you agreed to that deal with Alpha Troi, I thought I had lost you to him forever, but you snapped out of it, and that’s all that matters.” She pauses. “Not everyone can go through that amount of abuse and still remember what’s right and wrong.”

“It’s not your fault he beat me,” I say quietly.

“No, it’s not. But it’s not like I tried to save you or help you.” She looks at her fingers. “If you think you failed me as my brother. I also failed you as your sister.”

“We deserved so much better,” I say bitterly. “Mom deserved so much better.”

She rests her head against my shoulder. “At least we found our happiness now.”

I nod. “Let’s just hope it remains that way.”

“Yes, I feel scared though. Troi is still after us, and Alpha… Everett probably too.”

It’s the first time someone mentioned Everett’s name around me again. I tried to refer to him as my old alpha, not saying his name, hoping I would forget it. But I guess I can only forget him once we have dealt with the threat and can live peacefully.

Liam said he would kick their asses and that they wouldn’t be a danger to him and Red Claw. Still, I can’t help but feel anxious. I don’t want them to hurt the pack I just found a new home in.

Chapter forty-six

Bennett

*JUN*

“Isittrue?”Lucabasically jumps into my arms when I open the door for him. He wraps his legs around my waist and peppers me with kisses. “Dave’s a member of the pack?”

“Yes.” I chuckle. “An official member. He and everyone else already pledged their loyalty to Red Claw and Alpha Liam.”

Luca grabs my face to make me look up at him before he bends down to kiss me. “Pity we have to leave.” He pouts, making me laugh. To imagine how shy he was when we first met.

“I really don’t want Marcel to hate me.” I grin. “Let’s try to be on time. I’m meeting your big bro after all.”

Luca’s eyes light up when I refer to Marcel as his big brother. I know his actual older brother was a psycho who constantly hurt and abused him. Marcel finally gave him a place to belong. I let him down on the ground again with a reluctant sigh before grabbing his hand. “Let’s go.”

Luca nods eagerly, entwining our fingers while we walk to my car. We’re meeting Marcel for burgers. I actually wanted to go to a fancier place to prove to him I’m worthy of looking after Luca, but Marcel claimed that after days in the wild he is craving burgers. It seems like his mission to Blood Snow, and then being lost somewhere in the middle of the snowy mountains, wasn’t the greatest experience… food-wise. Luca loves burgers, too, and wanted to try a new place, so it’s a win-win situation.

On our way to town, I fill Luca in on everything that transpired today and the day before. Luca wants to know all the details about Dave’s mate, and I tell him what I know.

“Wow, so he is not just any rogue,” Luca muses. “Rather a mysterious, broody werewolf with an intense past.”

“That’s so Dave to snag himself such a guy.” I laugh. “They’re great together, though. I’ve never seen Dave like that before. He has eyes for no one else but his mate, and well, his mate obviously is head over heels for him.”

“He deserves it.” Luca smiles. “After everything that happened, he can finally be happy.”

“Yes,” I agree. “I always had a feeling his fate would lead him to another werewolf. He is one of the kindest people I’ve ever met. And Raphael, his mate, seems to really cherish him for who he is.”

As it should be, I think. My heart jumps in joy for my best friend having found his happiness too.