Page 5 of My Broken Mate (Healing Bonds #1)

Chapter three

Sean ‘Hot-Ass’ Temple

*SEAN*

O nce Remy has left to meet his friend, I walk straight to my other brother. “Gabe,” I say. “What happened today?”

He blinks at me, looking sincerely confused. I already asked him during dinner when I saw that Remy was missing, and he had the same confused expression then. “What do you mean?”

“Remy has been awfully quiet; I haven’t even seen him until now. Did you argue with him?”

Gabriel blinks. “No.”

“Did you say anything? Scold him?”

Again, Gabriel shakes his head, looking even more confused. “Of course not. He just showed me his paper, and he did really well. I told him about Evander’s request for him to tutor his little sister. I thought we agreed that would be good for him?”

“Yes, we agreed on that,” I say, frowning.

I think it’s going to be beneficial for all of us to have more connections to the other packs, especially our neighbors.

My father preferred us to keep to ourselves, but I disagree with that notion.

We need to have allies, and we need to build strong bonds with other packs.

Alpha Joel is new and probably looking for allies as well.

He challenged the old alpha and then completely changed the way the pack runs, for the better, I might add.

He has lost some former, overly conservative and elitist allies.

But to me, it made him more interesting.

Someone who stands up for his beliefs and doesn’t care what others think. If he and I can find a common ground, it would be truly beneficial for both of us and our packs.

However, this isn’t the reason Gabriel and I wanted Remy to tutor Alpha Joel’s younger sister. Remy has been locking himself in more and more, barely talking to anyone. There are days like today, when I don’t even see him because he hides in his shell.

Gabe and I are worried about his health.

Maybe being forced to leave the pack grounds and interact with Alpha Joel’s family will help. Gabriel has told me that his friend Evander is a nice, gentle person and that their household is funny and relaxed.

“And you are sure nothing happened?” I push. “I just can’t believe his weird behavior comes from nowhere.”

Gabriel shakes his head. “Nothing. I would know!”

Out of the corner of my eye, I can see how Levi shifts around nervously, and I narrow him with a glare. Willing my annoyance down, I try to remain calm. “Spit it out,” I demand.

“Just a little squabble,” Levi says.

“What?” Gabriel seems to be honestly surprised. “No, we didn’t argue at all.”

I force Levi to spill what happened, and he shortly summarizes the talk that went down between my two younger brothers today during lunch.

“Gabriel!” I exclaim. “This is so being you again. I know you don’t mean ill, but he probably thought you were trying to get to him.”

“I was just making conversation,” Gabriel says.

By the pitiful look in Levi’s eyes, I assume he sees things similarly to me. “Alright, I need you to pull yourself together and be a good older brother to him. He is barely around us and most of the time avoids us.”

“And you think it’s my fault?” Gabriel says, sounding defensive now. “As far as I’m concerned, you aren’t doing so great either. Your only saving grace is that he looks up to you.”

I feel a wave of anger washing through me, but I will it down.

My eyes must give it away, though, because Gabriel shrinks back for a moment.

When he notices me having it under control, his stance relaxes.

However, something about the way he just reacted hurts.

“What do you think I would do?” I ask, momentarily changing the subject. “When I got angry?”

“Nothing,” Gabriel says. “Sorry, Sean. I know you wouldn’t…” He admits. “You are not Dad.”

“I’m trying really hard not to let my temper slip in any way so that the pack won’t fear me like they did our father,” I say shortly. “If they see that my own brother is scared of me, I don’t know what else I can do.”

“It’s not like that,” Gabriel argues. “I’m not scared of you! It’s just… fuck… yes, you are an alpha. And the last one we had happened to be a brute. You know, yourself, what he did when he got angry. It’s a trauma response.”

I sigh. “Alright. So, what about Remy?”

“I think everything I say to him is wrong,” Gabriel says quietly.

“Well,” I say, not sure what to tell him now.

Social cues have never been his strong point.

I know him well, and for me and his friends, it’s easy to read and understand him.

But Remy comes from a different place of understanding.

Sometimes when Gabriel says something, I can see Remy standing there, a blank expression on his face, while his whole existence seems to be shrinking back to the corner of the room.

But it’s not like I’m that great at conflict solving either.

“Maybe you are right, and I’m not the right person for this. ” I sigh. “What do you think, Levi?”

Levi pinches the bridge of his nose. “Unfortunately, Alpha, I don’t think I’m too good at that either.”

“But at least you notice the cues,” Gabriel says. “So, at least kick me or link me when you notice I’m going wrong.”

Levi furrows his brows. “I think he notices when we link behind his back.”

I frown. That’s something I haven’t considered until now.

Remy doesn’t have his wolf yet, and it’s beyond worrying for us that his wolf spirit hasn’t awakened.

He is an alpha’s son, and never has it happened before that an alpha’s child doesn’t get their wolf.

Gabe and I try not to make too big of a deal of it in front of Remy, but he is incredibly smart, and he for sure is noticing how worried we are.

Our pack doctor tells me it might be a trauma response. I’m not sure if that’s all the reason, because Gabriel and I still have our wolves. Maybe it’s the age…

Maybe…

Oh, fuck it, I don’t know.

“Then let's proceed with giving subtle signals,” I say. “Instead of linking. Even if he notices these signals, I think it’s still better.” I pause. “Unfortunately, I’m not here tomorrow, and Levi isn’t either. Gabe…”

“I know, I know,” he groans. “Maybe I will invite Lyle over as a surprise. Then I can’t mess up.”

I hate that it has come so far that we all have to walk on eggshells around each other.

I love my brothers and would do everything to protect them, and I think they would do the same for each other, but we just have trouble voicing it.

We didn’t have the option to be too close as children, all of us pretty much in constant survival mode, but I wish we could grow through our trauma now and get closer.

Well, Rome wasn’t built in one day.

I retreat to my office now with Levi to go through some details for the meeting tomorrow. It’s supposed to be a nonchalant meeting, but I know some of these alphas. It’s never just a casual meeting for them, and I’d rather die than show them any weakness.

I do hear the door eventually, noticing that Remy arrives home.

He looks a bit lighter than before, much to my relief.

He wishes Levi and me a good night, as usual, very polite while doing so.

I wish he wouldn’t feel the need to be that polite towards us.

Sometimes it feels like he doesn’t believe he has a place here.

“Are you ready?” It’s a short night altogether, and Levi and I have to get going early in the morning.

Levi grins. “As ready as one can be after such a short night.”

“I am counting on you,” I tell him. “You are good in tense situations.”

“You think it will be tense?”

“I can’t tell yet. But when new alphas are introduced, it’s somewhat…” I ponder.

“A pissing contest?” Levi offers.

His words draw a smile from me. “That’s one way to put it.”

“I’ll have your back, Alpha,” Levi says. “That’s what I am here for!”

We have a few stops on our way. I need to visit our family company and sign some documents before heading to the bank to talk about our father’s estate.

We still haven’t sorted through everything.

My father never trusted anyone, which makes it so much more difficult to go through his documents and several bank accounts now.

Around lunch, Levi and I finally head to the alpha meeting.

They have rented the city hall, masking it as some business event.

Gazing in the mirror, I check that I look presentable in my suit.

I tie my hair back to give myself a neater image.

Once I look like I fit in perfectly, I step inside.

Several alphas greet me, more than one approaching me to talk.

It’s exhausting because all they want is a piece of the fortune we have, and I know it.

My pack is easily the biggest in the area, and the warriors are well-trained.

Our security system is equally good, thanks to the money we make.

Levi and I make some polite, meaningless small talk before finding a place to sit down. From there, I check the alphas who drop in one by one. There are very few new faces, new alphas. I recognize Alpha Joel instantly, though.

My father would have said he sticks out like a sore thumb, but I think he is more like a fresh breeze.

These alpha meetings always were keen on hierarchies, symbolizing where everyone sits.

Coming from a strong alpha lineage and one of the most prestigious families, I sit at one of the best tables.

Alpha Joel, however, doesn’t seem to notice this rule, as he waltzes right towards me, shoves one of my father’s former allies to the side, and drops down on the chair next to me with a grin.

“Hello!” he beams. “I’m Joel.”

Before I can answer, another alpha, who was originally designated to sit here, approaches him. “Excuse me,” he snarls. “You are at the wrong table.”