Page 12 of Claimed by the Wolf (Wild Fated Shifters #1)

brYNN

N o. Oh no. This isn’t happening. This has to be a bad dream.

My brother’s panther eyes flash green, then gold, his head turning into a sleek black form as he falls onto all fours, ready to attack.

Desperately, I whip my head toward Nox, but his gaze locks with my brother’s. To my chagrin, Nox shifts too, the pair squaring off in their animal forms.

“Stop!” I cry out.

The idea that they might fight over what just happened is appalling.

Connor releases a low whistle and stalks into the house with a snide laugh, but his uneasiness is tangible. He doesn’t want to choose between the Alpha and his packmate, not in a situation like this. But he’s pissed off, too.

“I guess your sister’s all right,” Connor tells Brax sarcastically, eying me with venom in his eyes. “In fact, I’d say she’s better than all right. She’s fucking the Alpha.”

Nox whips his attention toward Connor and snaps his teeth.

He recoils, his hands up. “What the hell did I do?”

I wither under his stare, but Nox stands protectively between us, his paws extended as if he’s ready to pounce if Brax steps one foot closer.

“Please!” I beg my brother. “Let’s just talk?”

Brax finally tears his furious expression from Nox’s, and in tandem, they morph back into their human forms, but the cloud of suspicion remains between them as Connor tosses Brax the tatters of his ripped pants. Nox finds his shredded clothes, and I exhale.

“What the fuck is this?” Brax spits out, his hazel irises popping as his nose raises, understanding flooding his face.

The air is thick with our combined scent, our mate bond undeniable.

“Are you fucking kidding me? The two of you?” Brax roars.

Connor wrinkles his face in unison. “Dammit, Nox!” he curses, looking over his shoulder.

Brax closes the front door quickly, and I step back, cinching my robe around my waist tightly.

“What about Emeric? What about Willow Grove?” Connor yells. “Are you trying to start a war?”

“Get dressed,” Nox orders me.

I swallow thickly, hurrying back toward my bedroom to put some clothes on. But I keep the door open to listen, my head spinning in the aftermath.

“You’re fated mates?” Brax chokes.

Haphazardly, I dress, barely noticing what I’m putting on as I keep one ear to the door.

“How long have you known?” Brax demands. “How could you just give her to Emeric?”

“Slow down!” Nox grumbles. “Connor. Go wait outside.”

Connor mutters something I can’t hear, but before the front door opens again, Nox’s voice whips out. “And don’t even think about calling anyone to let them know about this.”

“Obviously, I won’t tell anyone,” Connor barks back defiantly. “But do you really think everyone isn’t going to find out? I can smell it all over you both! There’s no way in hell you’re hiding this shit from the pack, or from Emeric.”

“Show some respect!” Nox hisses.

I finish dressing as fast as I can. The tension in the house is reaching a palpable level.

Zipping up my hoodie, I rush out to join the others again as Brax and Nox face off.

“Stop,” I beg them.

“Wait for us outside,” my brother tells Connor again, and the enforcer huffs, spinning around to storm out of the house, slamming the door in his wake.

Brax stares at us in dismay. “I can’t believe this! Do you know what you’ve done?”

“You don’t need to worry?—”

Brax’s scoff cuts Nox off, and he looks accusingly at me. “You both lied to me.”

Shamed, I hang my head, fiddling with my fingers.

“We didn’t lie,” Nox counters sternly. “There was no need to say anything because Brynn is still going with Emeric.”

His words stun my brother, who gapes openly at us.

“What?” His stare rests on me. “You agreed to this?”

I avert my eyes. “Yes.”

“How?” Brax throws his hands up like he’s given up on us. “How is that going to work exactly?”

“You didn’t notice our bond,” I remind him quickly, moving toward him to place a placating hand on his arm.

Aghast, he stares at me again. “Holy shit! How long have you known? How many years has this been going on?” He turns, fixating his eyes on Nox. “And how can you just give her to someone else? What’s wrong with you?”

The disgust in his voice makes Nox wince.

“It just happened, and we tried to resist it…”

“Not hard enough,” my brother growls, his eyes flashing.

Nox turns away and ambles toward the window to look into the night pensively.

“We’ve talked about it, Brax. Everything is going to be fine.”

“There’s no way Emeric will take you now,” he snaps. “Your bond is too evident.”

I frown. “You never noticed it before.”

“That’s because the scent wasn’t noticeable before.

But that was probably because you two hadn’t had sex yet!

” Brax cuts me off, and his scowl deepens.

“And you can be damned sure that Connor won’t keep this secret forever.

” The betrayal he feels is evident as he shakes his head and takes a step back, his hands still raised.

“I can’t look at you two right now. You’ve put us both in the worst possible position.

” He points a finger at Nox. “You, especially. I told you this was a bad idea!”

“You think I don’t know that?” Nox raises his voice.

“Well, you'd better find a way to fix it!” Brax grumbles. “Because that party is tomorrow night, and Emeric is going to know you’re trying to give your mate to him. I don’t want to be around to see how that plays out. He’s going to think we’re sending her as a spy.”

He spins around to stomp out of the house, leaving Nox and me alone again.

My heart leaps into my throat as I wait for Nox to say something, anything at all. But he doesn’t, and he continues to stare out into the night silently.

“Nox?” I venture toward him, my hand extended.

“Don’t,” he tells me warningly.

I freeze in place. “Don’t what?”

“Don’t touch me. We went too far.”

I inhale sharply. “It’s a little late for regrets and backpedaling now,” I remind him quietly. “You heard what Brax said. The scent is out there. The pack will know.”

He remains silent, and I draw in another breath. “Nox…”

He turns and looks at me, the devastation on his face stealing my words for a moment. Without another word, he brushes past me and heads out the door, the deafening silence enough to make me crazy. And to remind me again how utterly alone I am.