Page 3 of My Broken Mate (Healing Bonds #1)

Chapter two

The Alpha Family Of Dark Forest Pack

*KAT*

T he opportunity to learn more about Remy arises when Ayden visits me this evening for a movie night.

We have some cringey horror movies we want to watch.

We both offer Joel and Eve to join us, but Joel makes up some weak ass excuse – I secretly think he is terrified of horror movies – and Eve says our splatter movies gross him out.

He has made a casserole for us, though, in addition to the leftovers of pizza, so that the kids will, for once, eat something healthy, as he said. I don’t complain, though, his food is so good!

While Ayden and I shovel the food in, I catch him up with everything that went down today. Ayden is so shocked by my words that the soda he was drinking comes running out of his mouth again.

“You are…” I pause. “I wouldn’t even call that drooling anymore. You are literally leaking.”

As if on autopilot, Ayden grabs a tissue and wipes his mouth clean.

“I know it comes as a shock that I agreed to give this a try,” I say. “Seeing how bad of a student I am.”

“That’s not what’s shocking me,” Ayden blurts out. “I keep telling you over and over again that you are not too stupid to study. Finally, your brothers got through to you. Awesome.”

“So, what’s the problem then?”

“Remy?” he says in disbelief.

“Yeah, Remy Temple, or something, is his name…” I pause. “I think.”

“How can you be friends with me and have no idea who this is?!” Ayden exclaims. “Didn’t I teach you anything?”

“Did you talk about him before?” I blink.

“How can you be so disinterested in any gossip?” he groans. “Yes, I talked about him.”

“Sorry, what other people do or don’t do just never really interested me,” I admit.

“Goddess,” he sighs dramatically. “Kat, his name isn’t Remy Temple. He is called Remy Floris.”

“But isn’t he Alpha Sean’s younger brother?” I ask. When Ayden nods, I shake my head. “Why don’t they share the same surname then?”

“That’s because they are half-brothers,” Ayden says. “Kat, I can’t believe it. That’s not even gossip! Everyone knows that. This is our neighbor pack and a super prestigious family coming from a long line of strong and—not going to lie—kind of ruthless alphas.”

I sigh. “You are right. Politics should really interest me more. I never really paid much attention because I never believed I’d need that knowledge.”

“Okay,” Ayden takes a deep breath. “Let me fill you in. So, just like your brother, Alpha Sean, is relatively new as an alpha. His father died two years ago, making him the new alpha. So, the father, the late alpha… The man was said to be crazy, but these are just rumors. Facts, however, are that his first mate, and mother of Sean and Gabriel, died of a mysterious illness. Then the old alpha took a chosen mate. He is said to have been obsessed with her and loved her more than anyone else. Remy is the child out of that connection.”

“But…” I frown. “There is no current luna, meaning that his mother isn’t around either?”

“Here we touch rumor territory again,” Ayden says. “Remy’s mother died, too. That’s a fact. But no one knows what happened. Some say she got sick, some said she ran and the alpha killed her, but no one knows the truth. And the brothers don’t talk about it.”

“Wow,” I whisper.

“Now, Alpha Sean – unlike his father and grandfather – is relatively popular with his pack. He is very composed and stern, but he isn’t brutal like his father was. I’ve heard his pack is very relieved to finally have a fair leader.”

“Okay, that doesn’t sound too bad,” I say. “So, what’s the problem with Remy?”

“The brothers are all super elite. Sean and Gabriel both own several real estates in the city, and Gabriel actually leads their main business. He is said to be intelligent, very straightforward and not easy to get along with. And Remy… he is super smart, also.”

“Wait… for real? How smart?”

“Top of every class,” Ayden says. “He keeps to himself mostly and doesn’t talk much with anyone.

I don’t even know if he has friends, but they are definitely all trying to befriend him.

Although, he is rumored to be sick. But again, rumor.

I don’t know if it’s a fact. He keeps everyone at a distance, though.

I had one group project with him, and he did everything diligently, but he barely talks, and holy shit, the judging looks.

I swear, I constantly felt like an idiot next to him. ”

“Okay, I need to tell Joel that I’m not going to do it,” I say, panicked. I have no problem with arrogant or introverted people, not at all, but he sounds super-elite and judgmental. He is going to crush my confidence for sure.

“No, wait,” Ayden grabs my hand. “He is really not unfriendly,” he reassures me. “Just… I don’t know. I don’t get him. But maybe the Kat-superpower will get him.”

“What superpower?” I ask.

“People like you,” Ayden says. “They genuinely like you. So maybe Remy will, too. Take this as a challenge.”

“I like a good challenge,” I admit.

“See,” he grins. “And while you are at it, you can unravel all the mysteries surrounding him.”

I laugh, smacking him. “Ideally, I will manage to get through college thanks to him.”

“That, too.”

*REMY*

Fantastic work. Very thoroughly researched . My professor has graded my paper with an A+ and added that note to it. I’ve come out on top of my class as usual, and I try to feel happy about it, but I don’t. It’s just… recently I’ve stopped feeling much at all.

My bodyguard picks me up as usual and drives me home.

This shouldn’t be necessary, but my brothers insist on it, as I don’t have my wolf yet.

I should have gained my wolf spirit when I turned eighteen a year ago, like all the others.

But I didn’t. I can’t shift, I can’t do much at all…

my senses are slightly more enhanced now, but that’s about it.

I don’t even know if my wolf exists. My oldest brother Sean is the alpha of the pack, and I was terrified he would be so embarrassed by my existence that he would send me away, but he didn’t.

He didn’t say much at all, but he made sure I saw a few experts and doctors.

All say the same: Genetically, there is nothing wrong.

I should have a wolf spirit.

So, Sean decided that I have to see a few more specialists.

I don’t know what that is supposed to do, but there is just no arguing against Sean.

I love him, and I look up to him, and I don’t want to look even more inadequate by not listening to him.

The most I can do is follow his orders and do what he asks me to do.

And part of it is not protesting against having a bodyguard.

When I come back home today and enter the packhouse, everyone greets me politely.

I make sure to return the gesture without engaging too much with anyone.

The Alpha Suite is on the top of the building, a fancy three-story suite where the three of us have a comfortable space.

There are days I don’t even see my brothers much.

Sean works a lot and takes his rank very seriously, another thing I admire him for.

I know he never wanted to walk in our father’s footsteps, but when he died, Sean had no other option but to accept the rank for the sake of the pack.

And he is doing so well.

Gabriel is a workaholic and comes home late at night, usually.

It’s better that way, though. I like my brothers, but I never know how to act around them as their weaker, wolfless half-brother.

My brain is all I have, but even here, Gabriel can outdo me.

He has always been particularly smart. It’s the reason I sometimes study through the night, to make sure to rank high.

I take my shoes off at the entrance before padding into the kitchen. My eyes feel so drowsy and tired. Rubbing over them, I grab a glass, about to pour some water into it, when I hear footsteps behind me. “Remy, you are back from your class?”

I turn around, surprised to see Gabriel at the door together with our beta Levi.

Gabriel wears his brown hair short and neatly cut, so nothing about him looks messy or out of place.

He normally isn’t at home around lunch or early afternoon.

I see folders in his hands, though, so I assume he brought work home.

“Hello, Gabriel, Beta Levi,” I greet both of them politely. “Yes, I’m back.”

Obviously, duh.

Awkward silence stretches around us before Gabriel clears his throat. “So, did you get your paper returned?”

“Yes,” I say, rummaging in my bag to find it and hand it to him.

Gabriel skims through it, reading parts of it.

I cringe inwardly – I’ve always hated my family reading what I wrote.

“Not bad,” he says. Previously, I would have felt happy about his words, but I just know him so well that I know that whenever he might praise me, he has a follow-up.

“I think your introduction and summary could be better, though.”

“I know,” I say shortly.

“Don’t be moody,” Gabriel says, sounding annoyed. “It’s just some advice.”

I don’t say anything, because what the heck is there to say? Instead, I grab my glass of water and decide to remove myself from the situation.

“Have you eaten, young Alpha?” Beta Levi asks. He always makes sure to address me formally, especially in front of the pack, so that they know and understand my rank—although it doesn’t matter much to me. “Gabriel and I wanted to eat something.”

“I’m fine,” I say, although I haven’t eaten. It’s better to starve, though, than to get into an argument with Gabriel. I just don’t trust myself around him.