Fractured Silence (Talon Pack Book 5) Read online

  Parker raised a brow, and Brandon had a feeling they both knew that what he’d just said was a lie. From the curious glances they’d given each other since they’d first met, he knew they were both interested, but as he said before…he wasn’t going down that path—not with someone who couldn’t be his mate.

  He just didn’t have the time.

  “Glad I won’t be in the way, then. Is this where you want me to stay?”

  He didn’t want Parker anywhere near him, but Brandon kept that to himself. “Yeah, sorry about the mess. I’ve been throwing things in here after I work out since the guest shower has better pressure. I’m not the tidiest of wolves.”

  Parker let out a soft laugh. “I’m not as tidy—as you put it—as some of my family either, but I’ll do my best to keep whatever mess I make contained to this room.” He paused. “Again, I’m sorry for putting myself in your way. I just…I just need to stay away from my family.”

  Brandon’s brows rose. That was the exact opposite thing he would have expected Parker to say. The Jamensons were all close. Like annoyingly close and caring. Of course, they hadn’t gone through what the Brentwoods did with their previous Alpha—Brandon’s father. Each Pack had their own wars, but they’d come out stronger because of it. Brandon was only just now seeing their true strengths as his family rose from the ashes of their past betrayals.

  “You going to explain that?” Brandon gritted out.

  “You going to explain why you look like death warmed over?” Parker shot back.

  Brandon raised his chin, annoyed to no end with this wolf for just existing. “Thanks for that. Does wonders for the self-esteem. Here’s your fucking room. You get the general idea. I have things to do other than welcome the crowned Redwood prince into my home. I’m sure you can find your way around.”

  With that, he stormed around Parker, being sure to run into the man’s arm with his shoulder. He’d spent far too long just then staring at the man and finding him attractive, but apparently, Brandon wasn’t good enough for Parker.

  He cursed under his breath and made his way to his room, stripping off his shirt as he went since he still needed to shower. He shouldn’t care if Parker found him attractive or not. Hell, it shouldn’t matter at all. Yet, for some reason, he was beyond annoyed and even a little hurt that he didn’t sense an attraction.

  Maybe his Omega bonds were truly on the verge of making him insane if this was how he reacted to a mere taunt.

  “Shit, Brandon, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to lash out like that.”

  Brandon turned as Parker stopped in the doorway, his gaze on Brandon’s chest rather than his face. At least that reaction seemed to assuage the hurt of whatever had happened back in the other room, but it didn’t do much in terms of Brandon’s confusion. What was going on with him?

  “It’s fine,” Brandon bit out, nausea washing over him. It wasn’t a reaction to Parker, but something far darker. His legs shook, and sweat poured down his back, his hands going clammy. “Shit.” His knees finally gave out, and he fell forward, only to land hard against Parker’s broad chest.

  “What’s wrong? Talk to me.”

  Brandon gripped Parker’s biceps, resting his forehead on the other man’s collarbone as he fought to catch his breath. “The wards,” Brandon gritted out, panting. “They’re having another flare.”

  “I’ve got you,” Parker said softly, holding Brandon to him, steady, unyielding. “What can I do?”

  Brandon hated relying on anyone and would rather do this on his own—whatever this was—instead of letting a wolf that continually got under his skin help him. Yet he wasn’t sure he had a choice at the moment, not when he was this weak.

  With each roll of the wards, his body felt as if it were being torn apart. He didn’t understand why his connection to the failing wards seemed to be stronger than the others’, but he wasn’t in a position to do anything about it. Until they could find a way to ensure that the witches could strengthen the wards and keep his people safe, his reaction to their failing would continue to happen.

  And there was nothing he could do about it.

  Yet he couldn’t lie and say that having someone to lean on, even if only for this moment, hurt. It was the exact opposite, actually. Was this what it was like to have a mate? To have someone who would be there for you no matter what pained you?

  Another crash of unending pain and bile rose in his throat.

  No, this wasn’t like a mating, not even close. This was just the one time he couldn’t hide his reaction to the failings of the Pack’s magic. His body shuddered as the ward flare ended and the dimming of his vision dissipated. It would seem hiding what he’d been going through for months wouldn’t be easy with a roommate.

  Parker looked down at him with an intense focus in his eyes.

  Easy, hell it might not be possible at all.

  It took a few more minutes, but finally, Brandon was able to stand on his own. Why Parker hadn’t simply lain him down on the ground, Brandon didn’t know, but his wolf had enjoyed the way Parker held him close. If he hadn’t been confused about what was going on between them before, he sure was now.

  “Better?” Parker asked, his voice low.

  “Yeah.” Brandon cleared his throat and pulled away, putting sufficient distance between them. “Thanks.”

  “I’d say no problem, but it seems to be a pretty big problem. Don’t you think?”

  Brandon let out a breath. “It’s the wards, Parker. Just let it be.”

  “So the others don’t know that every time your wards flare, threatening to fail just like all the other wards in the country are threatening to do, you end up passed out in excruciating pain?”

  “Just let it be,” he repeated, his voice pleading.

  Parker searched Brandon’s face before seeming to come to some kind of agreement within himself. “For now. But if it gets worse, you tell me. And if it happens again when I’m in the house with you, call for me. Or, hell, I’ll probably hear you anyway so just let me help you get through it.”

  “And if I don’t agree?” Brandon bit out. He didn’t appreciate being backed into a corner.

  “Then I go right to Gideon or one of your other brothers. Hell, I’ll call Brynn since she’s mated to my cousin and I see her more than I see the rest of you. I know you’ll probably hate me for forcing this on you, but you can’t do this alone.”

  Brandon let out a curse. He didn’t see another way out of this, and his wolf had needed the help. He didn’t have to like it, though. “Fine. I need to shower…like I was planning to do.”

  Parker searched his face but didn’t object. “I’ll start unpacking.” He paused. “Thank you again. I…I needed to be close to my family, my Pack, my den, but not too close.”

  Brandon narrowed his eyes, impatience crawling up his spine. “You’re going to have to tell me what you mean by that at some point.” He held up his hands when Parker opened his mouth to most likely object. “Not now. But soon. Holding in whatever you’ve been hiding for too long will only hurt you in the long run.”

  Parker looked at him for a moment before shaking his head, a small smile playing on his face. “You’re one to talk, Omega. Go shower. I’ll unpack. Then we’ll see where we’re at.”

  Brandon watched the other man walk away, aware that everything had once again changed now that Parker was living under the same roof as him. Another wave of nausea hit him, and he turned, scrambling to the bathroom to empty the contents of his stomach. His body shook, and he dry-heaved until there was nothing left. He kept his eyes closed, sickened at how weak he felt because of the connection a goddess—whom he had never met—had put on him. If he were any other wolf, he’d be healthy and whole, able to fight and protect his family. Instead, he was weak, still healing from the gunshot wound he’d received in battle, and annoyed about a new and unbonded wolf in his territory.

  When a cool washcloth pressed to the back of his neck, he wasn’t surprised. He just leaned in to the touch, t
aking what comfort he could.

  “Again?” Parker asked.

  “No,” Brandon croaked. “Same wave, just the aftermath.”

  “Shit,” Parker mumbled. “This is killing you.”

  “We’re all dying,” he said dryly. “Just some faster than others.”

  Parker froze by his side before moving the washcloth to Brandon’s hand. “You seem to have stopped shaking, so a shower might be in order. I’ll meet you in the kitchen when you’re done.”

  Unnerved, Brandon looked up and once again watched Parker walk out of the room. There was something seriously off about that wolf, yet Brandon couldn’t put a finger on what.

  Annoyed with himself for once again showing weakness to an unknown wolf in his territory, Brandon pushed himself up before stripping off his jeans and underwear. He walked naked to the shower and turned on the spray, sighing when he remembered the lack of water pressure in this bathroom. That was why he usually showered in the guest room. It looked like he’d have to find a way to fix it in here or he’d never be able to truly enjoy a shower in his own home.

  He quickly went about his business, washing off the sweat and stink of being sick and dressed in a pair of sweats, keeping his chest bare. He worried for a minute if he should put a shirt on since he had a guest, but he pushed that thought out of his mind. He barely had a sense of who he was these days and didn’t want to lose the only thing he had left—his space. So he decided to do what he normally did around the house and go shirtless. Parker would just have to deal with it. He quickly brushed his teeth and sighed, knowing he had to leave the bathroom soon and stop hiding.

  Hungry, he went into the kitchen and made himself a protein shake. While something else might have been tastier, his body was in need of more nutrients than usual these days. Remembering the dark circles under Parker’s eyes, he made a large batch, aware he might be crossing a boundary but not particularly caring. They weren’t real roommates, weren’t lovers or mates. Providing food for another wolf was an act that could be construed as something neither of them wanted, but he did it anyway.

  He was just pouring the second helping into a glass when Parker walked in, his hand rubbing over the hard ridges of his abs through his thin shirt. Though Brandon had never touched Parker’s stomach, he knew they’d be hard. Hell, he knew all of Parker would be hard.

  He quickly adjusted himself in his sweats. And that was enough of that line of thinking.

  “Thought you could use a shake,” Brandon said after a moment.

  Parker met his gaze and nodded. “Thanks.”

  They both sipped, their gazes never leaving one another, and Brandon knew that each of them held their own secrets. He just didn’t know what to do about it.

  Brandon’s phone beeped, breaking their connection. He looked at the readout and frowned. “Gideon wants me at the sentry gate and says to bring you with me.” He tossed back the last of his shake and looked around for a spare shirt before belatedly remembering that he’d cleaned up the place for Parker. “I need to put on some shoes and a shirt, and I’ll be ready to go.”

  Parker frowned. “He’s not my Alpha,” the other wolf said.

  “You’re here at his pleasure,” Brandon put in. “And Gideon orders everyone around.”

  Parker shook his head. “Sounds like pretty much every dominant wolf I know.”

  That made Brandon smile. “Pretty much.” He ran back to his room and pulled on the first shirt he could find before sliding on socks and boots. It took him a little longer than it would have if he’d thrown on sneakers, and the boots probably looked ridiculous with his sweats, but he wanted to be prepared in case he had to leave the den for an emergency with whatever Gideon needed.

  “Let’s go,” he said once he came back into the kitchen.

  Parker nodded, and the two of them quickly made their way to the sentry gate as instructed. The Talon den wasn’t as large land-wise as the Redwood den since the Pack wasn’t as big, but usually, people drove from place to place if it was a long enough distance. Thankfully, Brandon’s home was closer to the sentry gate than most of his siblings’.

  When they arrived, Gideon was already there with Kameron—their Enforcer—and a few of the Lieutenants including Shane, their newest recruit.

  “What’s up?” Brandon asked, Parker on his tail.

  “There’s a woman outside who says she wants to speak to the Alpha,” Gideon answered.

  Brandon frowned. “Is she human?”

  “Yep,” Kameron put in. “And, well…we wanted to gauge your reaction when she tells you who she is.”

  Brandon’s brows shot up. “I’m only connected emotionally to the Talons.”

  “Yeah, but you’re a hell of a lot more empathic than the rest of us,” Shane added.

  “Okay.”

  “Bring Parker with you,” Gideon ordered before looking at the other man. “You’re not empathic, but you’re a good judge of character and have met more wolves and those connected to wolves than any other person I know.”

  Parker frowned along with Brandon but gave a quick nod.

  Confused, Brandon moved toward the gate to see who was there. Because the wards protected them from outsiders, whoever was on the other side wouldn’t be able to see him until he slid through to the other side. From the way the others acted, he knew this wasn’t a trap, but there was still something hinky about it. Back in the day, when the wards were working perfectly, humans wouldn’t even be able to sense that they were there but would automatically be compelled to go the opposite direction. But as his body’s weakened state attested, the wards were anything but healthy.

  Brandon slid through the wards, Parker at his side, and exhaled roughly at the sight of a gorgeous woman with long, dark hair and bright, green eyes. She was all curves and strength, and if he didn’t know better, he’d have thought her a wolf. She had what looked to be a camera bag at her hip and a backpack on her back. There were two sentries beside her, keeping guard.

  When the two wolves moved forward, her eyes widened, but she didn’t take a step back.

  “You’re not the Alpha,” she said after a moment.

  Interesting, Gideon hadn’t been out to meet her, then. Since the Unveiling, any Alphas that had been revealed were easily recognizable thanks to the media. He must have only looked at her through the wards, keeping his distance until he knew what was going on. That was a true test for an Alpha—allowing others to stand beside you while you made sure the den was safe.

  “No, I’m not,” Brandon said smoothly. “But why don’t you tell me who you are.”

  The woman’s jaw clenched, but she gave him a tight nod. “I’m Avery Montag.”

  The last name made Brandon freeze, ice filling his veins. “Any relation to General Montag?” The man who had single-handedly massacred over a hundred wolves and started a war; a conflict that had taken Montag’s life but was still ongoing. The man had not only studied wolves by torturing them before ending their lives, he’d also created a serum that was supposed to create shifters. Only it hadn’t worked as intended and had nearly killed Shane in the process.

  Montag was also the man who had been in charge of the latest attack on their den, bringing a freaking tank to try and destroy their wards. If they had truly fallen, their weakest and most vulnerable would have had one less layer of protection against those who would see them dead.

  “He was my father.”

  “Shit,” Parker whispered, so low that only a wolf would have been able to hear. Brandon had a feeling, however, that Avery knew what their reactions would be.

  “I want to help,” Avery rushed out “Please. I just want to help.”

  Brandon studied the woman, unsure what the hell all of this meant. She could be here for any number of reasons, yet his wolf wanted to trust her. Why, he didn’t know. But what he did know was that things had just gotten truly interesting.

  And interesting for a dying wolf could only mean one thing.

  Disaster.

&
nbsp; Chapter Three

  Avery Montag did her best not to lower her gaze from the two hulking men in front of her, though she didn’t meet their eyes either. She’d read about wolves and their dominance games. She was just a human, and there was no way she wanted to challenge them by just meeting their gazes. However, she also refused to lower her chin in a sign of true submission. That left her with her head held high but her eyes not directly on theirs. She just hoped that was good enough.

  “How do we know you’re not here to finish what your father started?” the larger man asked, his voice almost a growl.

  She did her best to ignore the insane shivers that rolled over her at the sound of his words. There was clearly something wrong with her if she was thinking about how sexy they both sounded instead of running away from the big, bad predators.

  “I’m not my father.” She’d said that to herself countless times, whispering it in the dead of night when she had nothing left. She’d thought it for years, using it as a talisman to ward off the darkness before her mother had been killed. Then, when she’d lost it all, she’d said it daily—only never aloud to another soul.

  Until now.

  She wasn’t her father. She wasn’t a monster.

  She was just a woman who needed to atone for the sins of her father.

  Nothing unusual there.

  The other man tilted his head, studying her as a wolf might. These two clearly weren’t human, even though they looked it. They were too large, too in-tune with everything around them. How anyone could mistake them for anything but…more, she didn’t know.

  Of course, no one knew she was different either—even if she were a special kind of unique.

  She was good at hiding what she was. She had to be. Only now that she’d put herself in the middle of a war she wasn’t sure she fully comprehended, she had a feeling she wouldn’t be hiding for much longer. As she’d said before, these two saw too much.

  And they would soon be able to see her if they looked hard enough.

  The smaller one—if you could count the six-foot, muscled man in front of her small—frowned.