Chapter 26

Back in the woods, Nicholas watches Beryl leave, his head flooding with thoughts and emotions. When she’s out of sight and earshot, he turns his heated glare on Brian, who looks mildly back at him, prepared to read his brother’s lips, knowing neither of them care enough to learn to sign.

“What the hell, Brian? What’s going on out here?” He’s vague but almost frantic, and doesn’t really know why he’s so upset. But the moment he had seen Brian and Beryl sitting together, laughing in that clearing, he had become uncontrollably furious.

He storms over to the bench where Brian is sitting, and uses his height to loom over him. Brian, used to Nicholas’ domineering behavior, reclines, propping his feet on the bench where Beryl was sitting moments before.

Brian sighs, knowing what is coming next. He’s seen his brother struggle with his feelings for Beryl for weeks now, and hadn’t said anything to him, yet. Maybe he should now, he thought to himself, seeing the craziness in Nicholas’ eyes.

“What the hell, what?” Brian tilts his head, speaking lazily, and feigning confusion. He knows exactly what’s wrong with Nicholas, but he drags it on anyway, maintaining his relaxed expression and posture.

“What’s wrong Nicholas? You jealous?” Cheney laughs behind him, even though he can admit to himself that he was a bit jealous when he saw the two of them together in the clearing. He’d had no idea that they were spending time together.

Cheney takes a moment to consider Brian, thinking about their laughter together, appreciating the smile on Beryl’s face when she spoke to Brian, but wishing it had been him she had been looking at. He shakes his head, coming back to reality.

“What? No, shut the fuck up. You’re being stupid.” Nicholas fires back at Cheney, spinning around to face him. Cheney saunters over to his brothers, leaning lazily on the back of the bench.

“Aw is little Nicky jealous? Does he want Big Beryl all to himself now? Well, you know that’s no fair, big brother. She’s supposed to belong to all of us. How’s that going to feel? You going to take her after Brian and I have both had her too?”

Cheney is joking, but his words have run through his mind many times. Their father had told them, and they could feel it from their wolves as well, that they had an intense connection with Beryl. He wasn’t sure what it meant, but it make him uncomfortable, and when he was uncomfortable, he joked.

“No. How could I be jealous of something I have no interest in? What a stupid thought. Beryl is just an inconvenient nuisance. She means nothing to me. I’m just concerned for our dear, sensitive brother here.” He looks down, coldly at Brian.

“Why are you hanging out with her? What ridiculous crap is she filling your head with?” Nicholas practically spits his words into Brian’s face, unable to control his emotions.

“Really, Nicholas. That’s what you’re going to to go with? You can’t come up with anything better?” Brian sighs and throws his head back in exasperation.

“You know you’re going to have to come up with something better at some point. You’re starting to sound unbelievable.” Brian knows how his brother feels about Beryl, but he also knows he’s fighting hard against those feelings.

“You idiot.” Nicholas growls, and holds himself back from hitting his younger brother. “You have no idea what you are talking about.” He speaks slowly, almost like he’s trying to convince himself too.

“It’s ok to have feelings, big brother.” Cheney says sarcastically. “We all feel things sometimes.” He bats his eyes at Nicholas, faking innocence.

Nicholas’ sour look in response make Cheney burst out laughing, and Brian joins in, almost rolling off the bench.

“Fuck both of you. You’re both fucking stupid. Cheney, you pretend to be such a hard ass, but you’re the softest of us all. Brian, you’re just as blind as you are deaf. You don’t see how she’s using you to get to us. I forbid you to see her like this again! Father has to be wrong. There’s no way that fat bitch could ever be our mate.”

He continues, trying to get all of these thoughts out of his head. “How could she even do that, huh? Tell me how that makes sense? She going to have all of our kids? Be all of our mate? Really? It’s a mistake. Father’s wrong. He has to be. There’s no way she could be mated to any one of use.”

By the end of his tirade, he’s yelling and his expression shows disgust. He’s worked himself up into a flush, and doesn’t even know why he’s so upset.

His mind is reeling with the thoughts that have been plaguing him since Beryl came into their lives. How could she possibly be anything to them at all?

When Nicholas is finished with his angry speech. Cheney huffs, stares at Nicholas in defiance for a moment, and then leaves.

Brian stands, facing Nicholas head on. Brian, usually the passive brother, who never butts heads with Nicholas, is looking at him with heat in his eyes.

“You can forbid me all you want, but until Father passes, you’re still just my brother. You’re not MY alpha. I don’t have to listen to anything you say.” Brian knows that he would never be able to take Nicholas on in a fight, but some things are worth standing up for.

Brian has become good friends with Beryl, and refuses to let Nicholas bully him into loosing that friendship. “You need to figure out what’s going on in your head, and quickly, brother. You can’t keep on like this. It’s not good for anyone.”

Nicholas looks at Brian in confusion, pretending not to understand what his brother is saying, but he knows deep down that Brian is right.

Brian walked slowly out of the clearing, half expecting Nicholas to attack him, preparing himself just in case. Nicholas didn’t move though, he was too caught up with the multitude of emotions rushing around in his head.

Deep within his soul, though he, and the wolf that whispered to him, knew, she was who he would end up with. Knowing this didn’t keep him from fighting it though.