Page 112 of My Broken Mate

“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 ahealthyinterest 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’treallyafraid of you.”