Page 3 of The Guardian's True-Mate

“Terrick,” Mom said.

“No,” I shook my head.

“Cardian,” Mom sighed. “I know your brother has had his troubles, but he’s settled down now. I won’t share his personal information, but he’s been through the wringers.”

“You mean talking to his dead dad and all,” I leaned back.

“Did he tell you about that?” she asked me.

“Not exactly. I just chose to believe he wasn’t insane, and he must have your sight,” I shrugged.

“That is true,” Mom nodded. “I know I’m asking a lot of you, but you are a trained guardian. You took the oath to protect the future of this coven near and far. I speak to you now as your mother and the High Priestess of the Lost Fang Coven. I speak to you now because you’re a guardian and I expect you to keep the silence of the Order of the Sharp Fangs.”

“Who’s trying to kill him now?” I rolled my eyes.

“No one that we know of. Terrick’s mate is pregnant, Cardian. Particularly pregnant.”

“Is that your way of saying hormones have made him crazy?” I arched a brow.

“No and never say that about a pregnant person. One day you’ll have a mate, and you’ll want to crush someone’s soul to dust if they say that about them.”

“Well, unless my mate trespasses through your garden I doubt I’ll meet them,” I chuckled.

“You might be surprised at who you meet while on assignment.”

“Hey! I didn’t agree to go!” I said, pushing my chair away from the table.

“You did when you took the oath, Cardian. Now, remain seated while we discuss this, please.”

Sighing, I narrowed my eyes on her. Almost every Alpha took the oath and trained to fight. It was a long-standing tradition within the coven. I did as was expected of me and now it decided to come back and bite me on the ass.

“Your brother is expecting four children. His mate is on bedrest,” Mom said.

“Four?” I sighed.

“Yes, and if the medical professionals are to be believed, two of them may have inherited his newly acquired genetics.”

I groaned. My brother was an asshole because he was apparently haunted and either he or the ghosts scared the other vampires in the coven. He was antisocial unless you were his full sibling like Salta. Mom, in all her wisdom, sent him off on his own where he promptly wrecked his car and technically killed himself. Some old god of the wolves or dragons took pity on him and cursed him with a pit hound. Well, one way or another, I didn’t know the ins and outs for sure, he and his mate beat the curse and the pit hound stuck around.

“There are a lot of guards who would gladly volunteer to go,” I pointed out.

“Why aren’t you one of them?” she asked me.

I rubbed the bridge of my nose. Why wasn’t I one of them? If it were any of my other siblings, I’d be pissed about having to go, but I’d gladly go. It was a paradox, but it was true. Terrick made himself into a loner. I didn’t do that.

“Because if Terrick had any use for me, he’d have made it known by now.”

“You forget how young he is,” Mom said. “He doesn’t have your centuries, Cardian. Compared to you he’s practically still a child.”

She had me there.

“Why me?”

“Because Sheldon is an omega and hasn’t taken the vows you have.”

“And the rest of them are mated off,” I shook my head. “So, you’re banishing me now.”

“I am doing no such thing,” Mom said, her voice lowering into the serious tone she used when someone cut her with their words and she didn’t want to admit it. “I’m asking you because you are his family too. I cannot leave the coven and go usher my grandchildren into the solid world. I’d like to have one of us there. Whatever Terrick has done to you or hasn’t done for you, Scott and the children have nothing to do with that.”

---