Page 60 of My Broken Mate

“I just felt there is something you aren’t saying.”

“You are very perceptive,” he says. “A good trait for an alpha.” He sighs. “But I can only tell you what I once told you: You don’t bore me, you are attractive, and I don’t mind this friends-with-benefits situation. But I am not looking for a mate, I am not looking for a partner. I want this to be very clear to you.”

I shrug. “You were very clear the first time. Fine with me.”

“Then we have a deal.”

“More than one actually,” I add with a grin.

Sean snorts. “You really are a piece of work.”

“You are not the first to tell me,” I chuckle.

“So, did you make any new business contacts?” he asks me while we make our way back to the gala. We haven’t been gone for more than half an hour, so nobody really seems to have missed us, except for Sean’s brother Gabriel, who walks towards us now.

“Sean,” he says. “I was looking for you.”

“Joel and I had a short meeting,” he says with his usual straight face.

“Sorry, it took too long,” I say, with an equally straight face.

“Did something happen?”

“No,” Gabriel says. “I just didn’t know where to look for you.”

“I believe both of you aren’t acquainted yet,” Sean says. “This is Alpha Joel, one of our new allies and”—he pauses, as if he still isn’t sure, but then just continues—“a friend.” He pats Gabriel’s shoulder. “And that’s one of my younger brothers, Gabriel.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Gabriel says, shaking my hand.

“Now I know all three of you,” I say.

“And what’s your verdict?” Gabriel asks with a serious expression. Man, no one has ever asked me something like this with such a serious face. He really wants to have an answer.

“Well, you are all very different,” I say. “But equally likeable.”

“You haven’t even talked to Gabe for more than a minute,” Sean points out.

“Some things you just know,” I say. Before either of them can oppose further, I wave towards my own brother. “Eve, come here!”

When my brother joins us, I make sure to introduce him as well. He and Gabe already know each other well, and Sean met him during the one meeting we already had, but I want him to know my family on a more personal level. “Did Kata already go home?”

“Yes, she, Ayden and Fiona left half an hour ago,” Eve says. “Most of the younger ones have already left.”

“Just us boring ones remaining,” I chuckle. “I can see why this would bore them to death.”

“Remy went home, too, didn’t he?” Gabriel asks.

Sean nods. “Yes, he wasn’t feeling very well. I made sure he got home the moment he could.”

Gabriel instantly looks worried, more so than I expected. Someone feeling a bit unwell usually isn’t something of too much concern for wolves, but by the look Gabriel and Sean exchange, there is probably something I am not quite aware of. Well, it’s not my place to pry.

“So, did you?” Sean asks me, successfully changing the topic back to what he originally wanted to know. “Make any important contacts?”

“I talked to some alphas,” I say. “Networking isn’t easy when you are from a pack with a bad reputation.”

“We have a bad reputation, as well,” Gabriel says.

“Man,” Eve chuckles. “Sometimes you are really tone-deaf, Gabe. Your pack has the right bad reputation, ours doesn’t.”