His Plump Mate (by Buchanan) novel Chapter 27

**Rebel POV**

After the evening meal had settled, Austin grasped my hand firmly, leading me toward his office. Renz, Lacy, Jessup, and Jane trailed closely behind us, their footsteps echoing in the quiet corridor. As we walked, a flicker of movement caught my attention from the corner of my eye. I halted abruptly, causing Austin to turn and glance back at me, concern etched across his features. “Excuse me for just a moment, babe,” I said, my voice steady despite the unease stirring within me.

I turned back, feeling the weight of everyone’s gaze upon me, and there she was—Ceraline, the she-wolf who had become a persistent thorn in my side. She was attempting to sneak a peek from behind a doorframe, her intentions shrouded in secrecy. Roxie, my fierce inner wolf, was poised to unleash her fury on this nuisance. “Ceraline, why are you lurking in the shadows? What schemes are you plotting now?” I called out, my tone sharp.

“Oh, Luna,” she began, her voice dripping with feigned innocence, “I was just hanging around.”

‘Lie,’ Roxie interjected, her voice a growl in my mind. I immediately established a mind link with Austin, alerting him to the deception and the impending storm of revelations. Roxie was gearing up to expose the truth, and I sensed something far more sinister lurking beneath Ceraline’s facade.

“You’re not convincing, Ceraline,” I replied, my patience waning. “I detest liars. So let me ask you again—why are you hiding, and what are you really up to?”

“Well, I noticed that all the ranked members were heading into a meeting, and I simply wanted to know what it was about,” she replied, her eyes darting nervously.

‘Half-truth,’ Roxie confirmed, her tone laced with disdain.

“For what purpose?” I pressed, my stance firm.

“Honestly, I was just being nosey,” she admitted, but I could see the tension in her throat as she swallowed hard. She was clearly anxious about something.

I quickly mind linked Austin, instructing him to keep everyone behind me. Channeling my aura, I pushed it outward, compelling Ceraline to kneel before me. “Tell me the truth, Ceraline. Why are you so desperate to uncover what we’re discussing?”

I could sense her internal struggle, the battle between her instinct to conceal and the inevitable truth bubbling to the surface. I clasped my hands together in front of me, locking my gaze onto hers, waiting for her to break.

Her teeth clenched as she fought against the pressure, but finally, she surrendered. “I wanted to find out so I could report it to Alpha Cullen,” she confessed, her voice trembling.

Austin let out a low snarl, a warning rumble that echoed through the room, but I quickly mind linked him, urging him to hold back and allow me to handle the situation.

“Did Alpha Cullen approach you?” I inquired, my voice steady, though my heart raced.

“Argh, no! I want you out of the way, and I went to him to help me get rid of you!” she shrieked, her desperation palpable.

The growls of Lacy and Jane filled the air, and I quickly instructed Austin through our link to keep them behind me, promising to explain everything later.

“What did you promise him?” I pressed, my curiosity piqued.

“I told him I would report anything I found out about you that might help him get to you,” she spat, venom lacing her words.

“Since when have you been reporting to him, Ceraline?” I asked, my mind racing. I had only been here about a week; there shouldn’t be much to divulge.

“Since yesterday afternoon,” she replied, her voice barely above a whisper.

“Is that why you wanted to be part of the Luna Guard?” I surmised, piecing together her motives.

“Yes,” she admitted, the fight in her fading.

I had enough of her evasiveness. “Do you want to ask her anything?” I mind linked Austin, my frustration simmering.

“What have you reported already, Ceraline?” he snarled, his eyes dark with anger.

“Austin, please, I did what I did for us,” she pleaded, desperately trying to sidestep the question.

I unleashed my aura on her once more, pressing down with an intensity that left no room for defiance. “What have you reported, Ceraline?”

With a pained scream, she finally relented. “Argh, just that you were in the hospital all afternoon! I didn’t know why, and he told me to find out. That’s why I was trying to follow you all.”

“I already did, darling,” he replied, his tone reassuring. “As soon as that witch mentioned it, I reached out to the good doctor. She confirmed that nothing has been entered into the system yet, so we’re safe. The records are under lock and key.”

A breath I hadn’t realized I was holding escaped my lips. The fewer people who knew about my past, the better.

We reached Austin’s office and closed the door behind us, creating a bubble of safety. We all settled into our seats, with Austin pulling me into his lap, a comforting gesture amidst the chaos.

He began, “Lacy, Jessup, and Jane, Rebel’s past is riddled with abuse from her family. You may not realize this, but I am her second chance mate as well.”

Their eyes widened in shock, the revelation hitting them like a thunderclap.

He continued, “The reason for this meeting is that Rebel has never once in her life seen a doctor. Anytime she was injured, sick, or needed anything, she had to figure it out on her own.” The three of them growled in response, their anger palpable, but Austin pressed on. “There’s more to her medical history, and we need to uncover it. Rebel’s father trained her privately in the back of their house. She received her wolf early, and her training commenced at a young age. However, her father instilled in her the belief that breaking bones was a part of her training.”

“WHAT?” Lacy, Jane, Jessup, and Renz erupted in outrage, their snarls echoing in the room.

“What the hell, Austin! He was breaking her bones when she was just a pup?” Renz exclaimed, disbelief coloring his tone.

“And he didn’t even provide her with medical attention?” Lacy added, her voice trembling with fury.

“How did Luna heal then?” Jane asked, her eyes darting to me, seeking answers.

“Where is that bastard now, Alpha?” Jessup demanded, his expression hardening with thoughts of revenge.

A warmth spread through my chest at their concern, a feeling I had scarcely known before.

“Rebel, darling, would you like to explain what you told Dr. Hadley?” Austin prompted gently. “I believe it’s important for everyone to be fully informed.”

I took a deep breath, knowing that this was just the beginning of a long and revealing meeting. I nodded, steeling myself for the revelations to come.