Screw My Childhood Sweetheart His Alpha Brother Marked Me First novel Chapter 88

Chapter 88

Mason sent me a reassuring smile. “No one expects that. But I had to explain the circumstances of your change to the Quad, the four leaders of the council. They are naturally curious about you. I told them when you were up to it, we could have a conference call.”

“Okay.” I tugged on one of my bracelet’s strings, twisting it around my finger.

“They’re also going to try to help us find out your father’s identity.”

Father. I’d had one of those. Not by birth but by choice. Only it seemed that choice had been rescinded. When I’d finally checked my phone last night, I hadn’t seen any missed calls from him. It was as if he’d completely forgotten I existed. A burn flared to life in my chest, but I forced myself to focus on the conversation at hand. “Do you think this council can find him?”

Mason scrubbed a hand over his stubbled jaw. “A rogue wolf who isn’t in our DNA system is rare, but they have other

resources we don’t.”

I pulled the string tighter around my finger. “Could they help us find my mom?” There were so many questions only she could answer. I knew others wanted the who and where, but I only wanted the why. Why she had given me up and walked away. Why she, like so many others, couldn’t seem to love me. Why she kept me from this whole world.

Mason’s lips pressed into a thin line. “I’d like to find her ourselves, but the council’s network is much more vast than our own.”

I studied him for a moment. “You don’t trust them, do you?”

Mason’s eyes widened the slightest fraction. “These are powerful shifters at the top of the hierarchy. There are always games to be played.”

Only this time, it was my life they were playing with.

I leaned back on the steps of the deck, tipping my face to the sun. I could tell there was a chill in the air, but I couldn’t feel it like I normally did. My workout pants and long–sleeved shirt were plenty warm enough.

The guys had mentioned that shifters didn’t get cold the way humans did. The knowledge that I was different now made me feel twitchy. As if I needed to run a few miles to burn off the excess energy/thrumming through me. Energy fueled by a million different kinds of anxiety. Fires lit from worry, fear, the unknown.

Footsteps sounded behind me, and Anson lowered himself to sit next to me. He bumped my shoulder with his. “Hanging in

there?”

“Yeah.” It might be by a thread, but that thread was strong.

A flash of movement caught my attention Vaughn’s broad form striding away from the lodge. He hadn’t said a single word to me at breakfast, only scowled. Yet, even with the anger flowing off him in waves, something in me had relaxed in his presence. It only stoked the frustration brewing inside me. Vaughn was like a drug. I knew he was bad for me, but my body craved him.

“He’ll come around,” Anson said softly.

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Heather Marked Me First!

Chapter 88

“Sure.” I pushed to my feet. “Ready to teach me to kick some ass?” Hitting something over and over might make me feel better. Maybe we could put a picture of Vaughn’s face on a practice dummy.

Anson stood and grabbed a large duffle bag off the deck. “I was thinking we could practice out here. We’ll do hand–to–hand combat training, but I want to start with shifting.” He looked down at my outfit. “That might get ruined.”

I muttered a curse under my breath. “I’m not going to stand around naked for the whole world to see.”

Anson’s lips twitched. “As much as I would love to see that, I was thinking you could wear this.” He pulled a sort of cloak out of his bag. “It has snaps. That way when you shift, you won’t tear it. Saves on clothing bills.”

“Makes sense, I guess.” I took the soft cloth from his hand. “Be right back.”

I ducked inside to a bathroom off the lounge area. I made quick work of changing into the cloak and folding my discarded clothes in a pile. I paused before opening the door. I felt oddly exposed. My body was covered, but simply the knowledge that I was naked underneath had me blushing.

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