Page 118 of My Broken Mate

“You are worrying me,” I mutter.

“I think you should sit down,” Gabriel suggests.

I drop my bag and walk to the table. Gabriel pulls a chair out for me, waiting for me to sit. Once I have settled, Sean takes the folder that’s lying on the table between Gabriel and him. “I don’t know how to tell you this,” he says quietly. “Levi and I went through Dad’s belongings today. In his old office.”

He doesn’t need to explain the place. It fills us with dread whenever it’s mentioned.

“We found something, hidden in a small secret safe that was bricked in behind one of the bookshelves,” Sean explains. “I wish I knew how to explain this to you, in a way that won’t hurt you. But I don’t know how. I just know I can’t keep it from you. You need to have it.”

“What do you mean?” I ask quietly, more and more dread filling me to an extent I feel my head spin. “Just tell me,” I beg.

“It belongs to you,” Gabriel explains.

Sean hands me the folder. “It’s your late mother’s belongings and memorabilia,” he says.

His words come quicker than my mind is able to process them. I can hear that he is saying something, I can see his lips moving, but I just can’t grasp it. My gaze falls on the folder and on the pictures that are inside it.

It’s Mom.

Fuck, it’s Mom!

She… she did leave me something! I thought she just left without caring what happened to me. Dad always told me that she got rid of all the belongings before, that she burnt everything, but she didn’t. It was just another one of his cruelties.

It’s hilarious. I should have known.

I want to laugh, but my throat is constricting, not allowing any sound to leave it. Instead, I just gasp for air.

“Remy,” Gabriel exclaims, alarmed.

Sean grasps my shoulder. “Take deep breaths,” he commands.

Something pulls me as though underwater, making it difficult to see or hear anything, yet I can hear the murmur of his voice, and a sudden urge inside me to listen to it. I could swear there are eyes. Wolf’s eyes.

Are you—

The wolf disappears as fast as he appeared, and I escape the water with a gasp. Gabriel is standing next to me, a terrified expression on his face. “Are you okay?” he blurts out.

“I am…” My voice trails off. “You used your alpha command on me,” I say, turning to Sean. “It worked! Fuck, it worked.” I don’t know if I should laugh or cry. If you were able to command me, it means my wolf is getting stronger.

At the same time, the excruciating realization that my father hid my mom’s belongings from me hits again. I could have had closure long ago, but he didn’t allow it.

That bastard!

Tears sting my eyes. And of course, instead of acting like a normally functioning adult, I just had a panic attack. “I am sorry, as usual, I don’t have myself under control.”

“Don’t worry,” Gabriel mutters. “No matter what you do, it can’t be worse than your older brother punching a hole in the fucking wall of Dad’s office and breaking his hand.”

My eyes snap up. “What?” I exclaim, turning to Sean. “What?”

“I had to get it out of my system,” Sean says calmly. “It was an ugly room anyway.”

“That’s not the point,” Gabriel sounds exasperated. “Some of your bones splintered.”

“It’ll be healed by tomorrow,” Sean says. “Anyone want a drink?” he asks, successfully shutting down Gabriel’s complaint. “I know I want one.”

I grab the folder. “Me, too.”

“Let me fetch the drinks,” Gabriel sighs. “You two stay here.”