Page 45 of My Broken Mate (Healing Bonds #1)

Chapter thirty-three

The Tornado Of Destruction

*GAbrIEL*

M y ears ring, a dull pain in the back of my head alerting me that I landed somewhere. But fuck, my bones hurt, and… why am I lying on shards of glass?

“Gabriel!” Remy yells, jumping up from his bed and hurrying towards me.

“Don’t!” I blurt out. “Too many shards.”

Before I can even fathom what just happened – I must have come swinging right through Remy’s window into his room like a complete lunatic – the door rips open and Sean jumps inside, his eyes dark in anger. “Get away from my”—he halts abruptly—“brother.”

“Hi,” I say awkwardly. “I can explain!”

Sean’s stare moves from me, still sprawled on the ground, to the broken window, and then to a very shocked Remy on the other side of the room.

“Are you insane?!” Sean blurts out. “What are you doing? What happened?”

“He just came flying into my room,” Remy says.

Sean stares at me. “What?”

“I found the old rope ladder and wanted to give it a try,” I say, realizing how stupid all of this sounds. What was I even thinking? I must have been possessed.

“Are you telling me that you went to the attic, found that old thing and then decided to climb out the top window of the packhouse without even testing the ladder beforehand?”

“If you put it like that, it sounds a bit stupid.”

Sean walks over to me, pushing the shards away and pulling me up. He looks me over, frowning when he sees the cuts on my arms. “What are you, the tornado of destruction?”

“I was just trying to—”

“Oh please, shut up and sit down away from this mess. Remy, you too, keep an eye on him!”

Remy looks like a deer caught in headlights. He was about to gather some of the shards but drops them again.

Sean pulls us both to the furthest corner of the room, away from the mess, before he leaves, returning with a broom and bucket, starting to gather the shards.

“We can help,” I suggest.

Sean glares at me.

“On second thought, I am fine where I am,” I say.

“You are such a chicken,” Remy mutters.

“Excuse me,” I splutter. “If you hadn’t been all dramatic like an emo-teenager and hid your mate, I wouldn’t have—”

“—played Tarzan?” Remy ends my sentence. “And swing down from the roof into my room?”

I am not sure what to say when, to my surprise, Sean suddenly chuckles. I can’t remember the last time I actually heard him laugh. I am inclined to believe he’s having a nervous breakdown. Remy must feel similarly because he eyes Sean anxiously. “Are you… alright?”

“By the goddess,” Sean grins. “Remy is right. What were you thinking? You literally swung into his room. Where is your Jane, Gabriel?”

A smile curls around Remy’s lips, and I suddenly feel like a weight has lifted off my shoulders. I didn’t even know it was there until now that the weight feels less. All it took was seeing my brothers laugh and realizing how little fun we have together, despite living next to each other.

“You two are insane.” Sean puts the broom aside and walks over to us.

Kneeling down in front of us, he pulls us into a hug.

It comes as such a shock that I can only stare at him.

“I know we are dysfunctional, and any therapist would have a field day with us,” Sean says.

“But you are my brothers, and I love you.

That's all that matters.” He gazes around the room.

“And I am afraid you will need to move into one of the guest rooms, Remy.”

A rare smirk curls around Remy’s lips. “Maybe I like the fresh air? And Kata can visit me secretly that way. Apparently, Gabriel found a way to do that.”

“The first part gets a veto from me,” Sean says. “You can sleep anywhere but here. However, Katalina is welcome any time.” He gets up. “Let’s get out of here,” he says. “I will prepare us a drink and call the pack doctor to check on Gabriel.”

“How are you going to explain that to him?” Remy asks.

“At times like this, it’s beneficial to be the alpha. One look and no one asks questions.”

*REMY*

The pack doctor just left a couple of minutes ago after patching Gabriel up. Fortunately, all his injuries are minor. He did crack a few ribs, and his ankle got twisted, plus he has some cuts from the glass shards, but his wolf will heal him fast.

Above all, however, I just can’t help but think how hilarious this whole situation is. After the whirlwind that was the dinner at Kata’s place, and then the drama at home, this just feels like the incident we all needed.

As promised, Sean fixes us some drinks before we settle down in the living room.

Gabriel, as the self-proclaimed hero of the night, gets the sofa while Sean and I take two of the comfortable chairs.

Just sitting there makes me realize that we’ve never done this before; we’ve never sat together and just hung out with each other.

It gives me a stitch in my chest when the realization settles in that Sean was right.

It’s not all their fault. I feel like the child in me, the hurt and broken little boy, never truly grew up and left.

He is still inside me, and whenever I face a strained situation, I fall back into these old patterns.

Hiding away, scared and anxious. I don’t know how to do it, but I need to let go of this inner child in me.

“The drama,” I say into the silence.

Gabriel snorts. “For real.”

“Let’s just never tell anyone,” Sean suggests.

“Why? You prefer keeping your broody, dark image?” Gabriel says.

“Well, I will let go of it if you are ready to explain how you swung from the attic into your brother’s room like Tarzan,” Sean says.

The fact that he can deliver this line without even moving a muscle in his face is a whole different level of mind-boggling.

He must have noticed me staring at him because his lips tug slightly into a smirk.

“On second thought,” Gabriel says. “Let’s make a pact of silence.”

“No way am I keeping this from Kata,” I chuckle. “Or from Lyle or Kiki. I am dying to tell them!”

“In all honesty,” Sean says, amused. “I am not so sure if I can keep it a secret either. Poor Levi deserves to know, and I may have a good friend who would love a good laugh, too.”

Gabriel sighs. “Well, to be honest, Evander and Ayden would appreciate the story. But that’s it. No one else but our closest friends. For anyone else, none of this ever happened.”

I don’t have the heart to tell him that once a couple of people know, some of the truth will always slip through eventually.

“If anyone else asks,” Gabriel continues. “I fell down a staircase.”

“That’s always been a good excuse,” Sean agrees. “Although, ran against the door was my favorite.”

“Yeah, a classic,” Gabriel says.

While listening to them, I take a sip from the drink. “Wow, that’s a strong one.”

“Yeah, I figured we need it now,” Sean says.

“You should have fixed Remy a non-alcoholic beverage,” Gabriel mutters. “He is too young.”

Normally, his words would annoy me, but after everything that happened, I felt weirdly relaxed.

Kata was right. He is just a bit weird but, apparently, doesn’t mean anything bad.

I don’t even need to say anything before Sean stares at him and says, “Did you hit your head? Do I need to tell the pack doctor to come back?”

“I am just saying…”

“Gabe,” he snorts. “He is an adult! And may I remind you that I picked you up from a party once. You were drunk… and sixteen.”

“I want to hear more about that story,” I say.

Gabriel groans. “No, you don’t. But Sean did save me back then. I think Dad would have killed me. He always hated me the most.”

When Sean doesn’t react to his words, I figure it must be true. “I can’t remember that,” I admit.

“Did he ever beat you?” Gabriel asks me before he furrows his brows. “Just… imagine I filtered my words properly, okay? And didn’t come off like a prick just now.”

“We don’t want to pry,” Sean helps me out. “But Gabriel and I never really figured out how he was with you.”

It’s the first time ever they have asked me so directly. Like a flash, I can see my mom in front of me, shoving me behind her. I try to shake the feeling off, together with the memory. “I am sorry,” I say. “I don’t think I can…”

“It’s okay,” Sean says.

“But I feel like being an adult tonight,” I say. “So, hit me up with the therapist you wanted me to visit anyway. I am starting to think I need him more than the team of doctors around me.”

“I can do that,” Sean says, tapping his lip thoughtfully. “So, you are able to feel your wolf spirit?”

“Not fully,” I admit. “But he is definitely there. I can feel him, unlike before. And there are tingles when I touch Kata. It’s real.”

“That’s fantastic news,” Gabriel says. “He will only get stronger now that you have found your mate. Better mark her, yesterday.”

“How about you give him time to do things at his own pace,” Sean says.

“I know I should have told you,” I admit. “I just didn’t want to raise your hopes and then disappoint you again.”

“What are you talking about?” Gabriel blinks. “Why would we be disappointed?”

Sean swirls his drink, his eyebrows furrowed. “What do you mean by ‘ again’ ?”

“Sorry?”

“You said ‘ again’ . When were we ever disappointed?”

“You are very,” I pause, “Alpha,” I say. “And I mean that in the best sense possible, and Gabriel is a genius. And I am just Remy.”

“I am not a genius,” Gabriel argues. “In fact, I am very flawed.”

“Me, too,” Sean says.

“No, I agree with Remy here. He is right, Sean. You are absolutely perfect.”

“You two are being silly. I am absolutely not perfect.”

“You are the textbook alpha,” Gabriel argues. “Exactly how he is supposed to be.”

Sean looks at us. “I’m gay,” he says bluntly.

At that, Gabriel almost spits his drink out again. “What?” he coughs, before sitting up abruptly. He groans slightly when he does so. “I had no idea!”

“Me neither,” I exclaim.

“No one does,” Sean says. “Well, aside from Levi and those I get involved with.”

“How did you manage to hide it for so long?” Gabriel gapes. “I can’t hide anything to save my life!”

“Survival instinct,” Sean says. “No one could find out, or I would have ended up dead. I just got used to hiding it.”

“But… didn’t you date a girl once?” I ask. “A while ago, when Dad was still alive.”

“It was a cover,” he says shortly. “She was in on it for a similar problem. Dad was happy to see me have a healthy interest in women, and her parents were happy, too.”

“But why didn’t you come out later?” Gabriel asks quietly. “You could have told us.”

“Old habits die hard,” Sean says, sipping at his drink. “That’s what I am talking about. You have this image of me in your mind, which just isn’t me. You need to stop putting me on a pedestal. It’s exhausting, and I can’t always deliver in the way you want me to.”

“We don’t expect you to deliver anything at all,” I say. “It’s just hard to read you.”

“He is right, give up control sometimes,” Gabriel urges.

“And have you scared of me again?” he asks.

At that, neither Gabriel nor I have an answer. What are we supposed to say? “I think you should still do it,” I say. “Gabriel and I will need to adapt. Our reactions are our own problem. We aren’t really afraid of you.”

Gabriel nods before eyeing Sean expectantly. “So?”

“I can try,” Sean says. “But don’t expect any major changes fast. As I said, old habits die hard.” He pauses. “Talking about old habits. Let’s try something new.” Sean puts his drink aside and turns to me. “I want to try to reach out to your wolf. Is that okay?”

I nod, ready to try something new. The sooner I have answers, the sooner I can mark Kata. There is no chance I will give up on my wolf now that I know he is there.

Something flashes in Sean’s eyes as his wolf comes forward. For a while, nothing happens until I feel a dull ache in the back of my head. Trying to fight against it, I press my hand against my head.

“Sean,” Gabriel says.

“No, don’t stop!” I exclaim. “It’s not the worst headache I’ve had!”

Sean doesn’t say anything and keeps going.

I can feel him push more against my mind, probably trying to link me or maybe having his wolf try to establish a link to mine.

We are brothers after all, and with that, we have a special connection.

Beads of sweat form on my forehead, running down my neck, until the dull ache turns into a splitting headache.

Sean pulls away.

“I am sorry,” I gape.

“No, don’t be. He is definitely there. I had him for a moment.”

My eyes snap open, momentarily forgetting the queasy feeling in my stomach and my headache. “Is that true? You felt him?”

“No, I didn’t just feel him,” Sean verifies. “I actually was able to see him for a moment.”

“No way!”

“He has built strong walls,” Sean says thoughtfully. “But we are getting closer to finally making him let them down.”

He is there! Well, I knew he was, otherwise, I wouldn’t have been able to connect to Kata and feel the mate bond. To have Sean verify that he isn’t only a distant existence in me, but has an actual form, makes this even more real.