Page 84 of Mated By the Pack
“I’m as eager as you are, even though I just claimed her,” Caleb growls. “But you still need to listen.”
I calm myself and take a step back, nodding to Calla. There’s nervousness in her eyes. It’s important, but she’s hesitant to share it.
“Go on, Calla,” I say, pulling a chair over and sitting down. “The floor is yours.”
My brothers aren’t as quick to settle, but Knox finally sits down, and Jace tears himself away from our mate with the need raging in his eyes. Caleb just looks stoic.
He’s already heard it and thinks it is more important than claiming, marking, and breeding our mate. Right now, at least.
We should probably hear it too.
CHAPTER 24
Calla
I’m nervous as I stand in front of my mates—four of the five wolves, all giving me their undivided attention, except there’s more than just lust lingering in their gazes. Curiosity. Worry. I guess Caleb’s reaction justifies it. He’s finally talking to them again.
“Okay, so, Caleb already punished me for this, and I realize it was a mistake not to tell you,” I say, looking down. “I’ll start at the beginning.”
I’m as detailed as I was when Caleb was using the leather strap to get the truth out of me. Not that he had to. I’d already realized I need to be honest with them. Caleb nods along to my story, while the others look stunned. Vance isn’t here to hear everything, but that might be for the best. He’d be overjoyed, and I’m not sure the others are going to have the same reaction.
“I’m confused,” Jace grunts. “Silas is alive, but he’s trapped in this place called The Aether? Where all souls go when they die.”
“He’s not exactlyalive,” I clarify. “He’s a lost soul. Some of your brothers are with him, but I didn’t get to meet them. They only appeared as wolves and were like ghosts. Not Silas though. When I’m in The Aether, he’s as real as the four of you are.”
“And the only way to let him move on is for our pack to grow,” Knox says. “Easy enough. Wolves only carry a baby for a few months before they give birth.”
“I’m not a wolf…” I say, my eyes getting wide.
“No, but you’re going to be knocked up by wolves,” Jace chuckles. “Who knows how long it’ll take before you’re ready to pop.”
“Vance would eat this shit up,” Knox sighs. “But I don’t know what kind of ancient connection we could have. You said The Aether is broken because there are too many lost souls due to mankind fucking around with nature. Wouldn’t we be part of that? We were made in a lab.”
“I don’t know.” I shrug slightly. “Maybe it’s more complex than that.”
“Well, unless Silas gives you an answer the next time you go to The Aether, there’s no way for us to know,” Gideon says. “Our mom never really talked about that kind of stuff when we saw her. Dad… that’s about all he talked about, but he was focused on the science.”
“Yes,” Knox grunts. “He didn’t care about much else. He didn’t even like it when they educated and trained us. He just wanted us in the lab, creating his grandkids. Or at least trying to.”
“That doesn’t matter. They’re both long gone,” Caleb mutters. “No reason to start unpacking all that bullshit. What matters isthat Silas needs our help. And the quicker we breed our mate, the quicker he will have a chance to move on. We couldn’t protect him while he was alive. We can at least give him the dignity of moving on to this… Eternal Paradise.”
“An Eternal Paradise does sound nice,” Jace remarks. “But only if Calla is there.”
I blush a little and look down. They don’t seem angry. That’s somewhat of a relief.
“You healed us,” Gideon says, standing up and walking over to me. “And now we know with absolute certainty you are our mate. But you’re not off the hook yet. I think you need a little more punishment for not telling us this sooner.”
“Caleb already punished me,” I groan. “You saw the marks.”
“Don’t argue, little girl,” Knox growls as he stands up. “You’ve got five mates, not one. Vance doesn’t have your scent yet, but the rest of us do, and I agree with Gideon.”
“Don’t keep things from us, mate,” Jace murmurs, walking closer. “We’re not angry with you, but it would have been nice to know our bloodline is responsible for healing the world before we came rushing into Haven North to exact a little revenge for you—not that I mind the idea.”
“I know,” I admit. “I just had so much on my mind, and there was never a great time. I was worried about having to tell my friends I wasn’t coming inside. When I heard Clyde forged a letter, I lost it for a moment. I wasn’t thinking clearly.”
“We’ll help you get clarity,” Gideon assures me, grabbing the front of my pants and pulling me closer.
Gideon unfastens his pants. Knox and Jace close in on me, trapping me between the three of them. Caleb just watches, but I can see the intensity in his eyes. He’s ready for more, too. The brothers slowly undress me, and I don’t fight it. Jace turns me around and holds my arms in front of me. I don’t have to ask why, but that doesn’t make the stinging slap across my ass from Gideon any easier to take.
