CHAPTER 9
W here the fuck was Briar?
Blood rushed through Grady’s veins. He strode through the streets, gaze flicking around for any signs of his younger brother.
When Grady had turned up at the Christmas markets, he’d noticed the lack of baked goods Briar should have brought with him.
“Where’s Briar?” Grady had asked. But his siblings hadn’t seen their brother.
His heartbeat raced as panic flooded his body. The muscle beneath his eye fluttered rapidly. Grady had seen Briar set off from the bakery with two crates.
So where was he now? Had he been hurt en route? Had he been set upon and attacked like Grady had been a few nights ago?
Grady quickened his pace before breaking into a run as he made his way through the streets in the direction of the bakery.
Forest spirits, please let him be there! Please let him be safe.
Despite the frosty air, sweat clung to his skin. Grady didn’t know why Briar would be at the bakery. But he prayed he was. Or maybe he was back in the forest with the dog. Who knew?
This was just like when Briar had been fourteen, when Grady hadn’t been paying enough attention and Briar had gone missing for a week.
What if something happened to Briar?
The metallic scent of blood tingled in his nose and throat. A crunching sound resonated in his ears.
No. Grady shook his head. Briar would be fine. Grady just needed to find him. Then everything would be fine.
But where the fuck was he?
When Grady reached the bakery, the door swung open for him, sensing his urgency. But the bakery remained dark; no one was inside at this time of day.
“Briar!” Grady yelled, running around. “Briar!” But he saw no one.
Panting, he ran out the back and almost straight into Uzoth, who had just landed in the alley.
“What is wrong?” Uzoth tucked his wings behind himself and stepped towards him.
“Briar is missing.” Grady strode towards the stairs to the apartment. Then he spun towards Uzoth. “Did you see him? Did you see what happened to him after he left?”
Uzoth’s brows furrowed. “I did not. I was overlooking your sister’s home earlier. I have been trying to keep an eye on all your siblings. I apologise that I did not see him.”
Grady had turned before Uzoth finished speaking and sprinted up the stairs. Uzoth followed. The apartment door flung open. When he reached Briar’s door, he opened it.
Despite the darkness of the room, he could see movement in the bed.
He’s here. He’s safe. He’s not lying dead in the street in a pool of blood and broken bones.
He sagged with relief. But a moment later, his fists clenched as anger roared inside him.
“Briar, where the fuck were you tonight?”
The shadow in the bed stirred. “Ummm,” Briar said sleepily.
“I saw you leave the bakery with the crates. What happened?” Grady couldn’t hold in his annoyance. “And now I find out you’ve just been lying in bed whilst we’ve all been worried and looking for you? What is wrong with you, Briar?”
Suddenly, a figure that was not Briar rose from the bed and strode towards Grady. “Don’t you talk to my mate like that!” the figure snarled.
Grady stumbled back.
What the fuck?
“Wulfric!” Briar called out. “It’s all right. It’s just?—”
Uzoth stepped in front of Grady, wings unfurling, blocking Grady’s view of the room.
“Stand down, puppy,” Uzoth said. “I have fought far greater enemies than you.”
Stumbling, Grady rushed to grab and light a lantern from the main room. Then he raced back into the bedroom, holding up the lantern.
“Cauldrons and cockmonkeys! What the fuck is going on in here, Briar?” He stared at Briar, who stood naked except for a sheet he held over his dick. He had a hand placed on a tall naked man’s chest, holding the man back from Uzoth.
But if Grady were a gambling man, he’d put his money on Uzoth to win a fight between the two of them.
Grady stared at Briar. It didn’t take a genius to work out what Briar had been up to when he had been meant to be working at the Christmas markets.
Grady set the lantern down on a side table. “Briar, who is this man and why is he in your room?” Then he saw the bite marks on Briar’s neck. He froze, playing through what had been said.
Mate. Puppy.
Grady groaned. “Briar, did you fucking mate a werewolf?”
A short while later, Grady left his younger brother with his werewolf mate, Wulfric, in his room. Grady dropped onto the chair by the cold fireplace.
“Fuck me.” Grady rubbed his temples. Then he gave an exhausted laugh. “Fucking Briar and his fucking large sick dog that turns out to be a werewolf. And he promised me just a couple of days ago that he’d try and be less reckless and more responsible. And now he’s mated. My little brother is mated to a werewolf.”
Closing his eyes, Grady dropped his head back against the chair. “Maybe it is a good thing. I’ve always worried a lot about Briar. He can be absent-minded. He forgets the time and where he is meant to be. He gets lost in a book or just gets lost. Now he has a werewolf looking after him, so I can worry less.” Although, he doubted it.
Then he thought of what Briar and Wulfric had told him. Briar had been attacked earlier by Isaac and Kevin, the men who worked at the butcher not far from them. Grady gripped the armrests. Thankfully, Wulfric had saved Briar. He’d scared those arseholes off and seemed certain they would not trouble Briar again.
Still, he wanted to go around and thrash the shit out of those bastards.
“I am sorry,” Uzoth said. “I failed you.”
Frowning, Grady looked at him. “What?”
“I believe I have seen these…butcher boys,” Uzoth said. “They speak to Briar sometimes. He does not stop to speak with them.” Uzoth paused. “I considered they bothered him. But I do not understand human body language so well, so I was uncertain.”
Uzoth lowered his gaze. “I should have put a stop to it. I should have told you. I should have ensured your brother was safe.” His hand clenched. “I should have protected him. I should have been watching out for him.”
Grady leaned forward and gripped Uzoth’s arm. “Hey. You can’t be everywhere at once. You were watching over Ordelia’s place, right?”
Uzoth nodded. His gaze was on Grady’s hand. “I have been trying to look out for you and your kin.”
“Thank you. I appreciate that. But I have nine siblings. You can’t look after all of them.” Grady gave a harsh laugh. “Trust me, I’ve tried.”
“It used to be easier,” Uzoth said. “When I protected alongside my brethren, we could keep watch over larger spaces. Now it is just me. It is not so easy.”
“Don’t be too hard on yourself.” Grady’s tan skin contrasted with the grey of Uzoth’s. “And thank you for defending me against the werewolf.”
Uzoth raised his gaze. “I would not have let him harm you. I pledge that I will do everything in my power to keep you safe.”
Grady’s throat tightened. Grady always looked after others. And here Uzoth was, looking out for him. His gaze focused on Uzoth’s lips with the fangs peeking out. What would it be like to lean forward and kiss those dark-grey lips?