Page 23 of Blinded
CHAPTER SIX
BAYNE
I glanced to my side, watching as Brett did a great job of eating. Granted, it was fried chicken, and we were all using our fingers to eat, but he'd managed to find the other small side dishes on his plate with me only having to tell him once where they were. He struggled a few times to keep the pasta salad on his spoon, but he was slowly getting the hang of it. I was so proud of how hard he was trying to make this all work.
"More tea?" Corta asked from beside us.
"Please." I smiled.
"Me too, please." Brett wiped his mouth with his napkin. "Do you guys always eat like this?"
Josh laughed from across the table. "When Corta and the women cook, we do. It's why so many of us stick around here for dinner."
I smiled at Kurt's mate. "You live here, that doesn't count. But I agree, I tend to eat here more than at home. Corta's kitchen never lets us down." I leaned closer to Brett, whispering even though I knew everyone around could hear what I was saying. "We're better eating here than have me cook."
Brett laughed. "I'm sure you're not that bad. Between the two of us, we can figure out something."
Corta grinned. "My wolves are always welcome at my table."
Kurt glanced over at me as he ended the call he'd been on. "That was Cohen. The doctor will be here tomorrow afternoon to see Brett."
I felt a wave of nervousness hit my mate. Wishing there was a way to make it easier on him, I reached over and gripped his thigh. "This is a good thing. We'll have some answers. Maybe he can fit you for the prosthetic eyes quickly and you won't have to wear the patches all the time."
Brett nodded, but didn't say anything.
I hated that no matter what we did, he would never see again. "We'll be here." I reached for my corn on the cob. "Brett and I hiked up the mountain today and let him get the scent of the area."
Kurt's eyes widened. "And?"
"I recognize one of the human scents, sort of." Brett set the chicken leg he'd been eating down.
"Sort of?" Kurt asked.
"I know I've smelled it before, but it was mixed with something. The best way I could describe it is it was a secondary scent. Like if Bayne had been wearing your shirt and been there. I could smell a strange smell I didn't know, but it was mixed with a light tang of one I did."
"Do you remember where you smelled it the first time?" Kurt looked hopeful.
"No, I know it was here in Montana. So, it had to be somewhere I went with Bridger, but I'm not sure where. I mean, we hit the bar, a couple stores, dropped by a couple of his friends' houses. Hell, it could have been someone I passed on the street for all I know. I'm just sure I'd smelled it before." Brett leaned back. "As soon as I'm a little more confident getting around, I want to go into town and hit some of the same places I went with Bridger. Hopefully, I can smell it again."
"So far, that's the best lead we have. Don't push yourself too fast, but go with it. We'll take anything we can at this point." Kurt draped his arm around Josh. "If you want, Josh and I will go out with you. Make it a double date."
"Thanks, I'd like that. It will give me a chance to get to know you guys better. Especially since I'm hoping you'll be willing to accept me into your pack soon." Brett covered my hand with his.
Kurt smiled. "I was hoping you'd want to stay here. You're welcome into our pack as soon as you feel ready. We can do the ceremony anytime you want. I have a feeling Pete was expecting this. He tried to tell me that you were needed there. That your pack was hurting for men."
Brett laughed. "Honestly, he said that?"
"He did. He said the women weren't able to find partners and birth rates were down." Kurt watched Brett closely as if wanting to see his reaction.
"That's bullshit. Half of our women are pregnant. Pete has over forty children. He breeds with the single females as long as he can. He hates men in the pack because the women will pair up with them just to keep from having to sleep with him again." Brett's angry scent was strong enough for everyone in the room to smell. "He tried to force my sister to his bed, and then he fined my father thousands of dollars when she left town and refused his request."
Kurt growled softly. "How old are the girls he's forcing into his bed?"
"He's smart enough to wait until they are eighteen, but even then, it's rape if you ask me. Very few go willingly. It's only to protect their families and a fear of upsetting their alpha. They've been raised that this is how it is. Our men tend to leave, not willing to deal with Pete's ego."
"No one challenges him?"
"A few have but lost. He is powerful, just not smart or decent. It's easier to move on than deal with him. I almost didn't come back from California, but I wanted to be there if my parents or sister needed me. Now, with my blindness, I'm no use to them anyway." Brett ran his fingers over his eye patches.
