Page 17 of Warwick

“What’s been going on, Warwick?” Atticus asked. “Spill all because we can’t help unless we know what’s going on.”

“When did the issues start?” Damien asked.

I took a deep breath, trying to remember when I’d first started noticing issues with my beast. It had been going on for a while now. “I’m not sure. A few months, at least,” I told them. “I can’t remember when the problems started, really.”

“Did you first notice the issues before or after we went to South America?” Damien asked.

That one I could answer. “Before. So maybe a month before then? I can’t give you an exact date.” I thought about when my beast first started giving me fits. “I’d been out for a run. It was evening, after work. I’d felt restless, and I thought a run would help. I went out, had a good run, but then picked up on a scent.” I remembered my beast wanting to follow the scent. “I followed it because my beast is an asshole, and he wasn’t taking no for an answer.”

“What was it? Do you know?” Atticus asked, his voice filled with concern.

I shook my head. “Another shifter, I’m sure. I couldn’t tell you who though. I’ve caught that same scent several times since, but I don’t know who it is.”

Damien leaned forward to look around me at Atticus.

“What else?”

I tried to think about every time my beast was upset with me. “He seems to really want to go to the omega clinic. I think that’s just because we’re rescuing omegas, and my beast thinks they need to be protected.” I shrugged. “That’s what we do. We rescue and help those that need it.”

Atticus and Damien were both quiet for a moment before Atticus spoke up. “Was there anything that caused you to call me this evening? What were you doing before you called me?”

That was very easy to answer. “I was with Cecil.”

“Who is Cecil?” Damien asked.

“Cecil? As in Alpha Vitomir’s great-grandson?” Atticus asked at the same time.

“Yes,” I told Atticus. “I was out for a run, and I found Cecil attacking a tree. He was quite upset. I tried to talk to him because my beast wanted to make him feel better.” I didn’t want to share what Cecil had told me about his parents, so I left it at that. “We were talking, and then Alpha Vitomir showed up. He was talking to his grandson for a bit and then asked me to make sure he got back to the transport building.” I ran my hand down my face. I’d not taken him to the transport building though. I’d tried. But my beast instead controlled my magic and brought us here. I was actually quite surprised by that. “Alpha Vitomir left. I started walking with Cecil, and then I used magic to take us to the transport building.”

“Where were you?” Damien asked. “Was it a far walk or something?”

I shrugged. “Maybe twenty minutes for him. He’s short.” I looked over at Atticus. “The issue is that I tried to take him to the transport building. But my beast took control and brought us here. He got mad at me for some reason, and I told him where the transport building was. He left, and that was it. My beast wanted me to follow him, but I managed to keep him here. I called you right after.”

Atticus stared at me. When he continued to stare at me with a look of disbelief on his face, I scowled. I turned to ask Damien about it, but I found him laughing, which only confused me.

“What the fuck, Damien. You’re not supposed to laugh at me.”

“Please tell me you’re not that oblivious,” Atticus said. “You can’t be that clueless after everyone knows what Damien and I both went through with our beasts when we found our mates.”

I looked at Atticus, not understanding what he was talking about. Not really. “Sure, I know you had some issues when you met Brice”—I turned toward Damien—“but you and Ledger didn’t take long to get together.” I looked back to Atticus. “What’s the problem? I don’t have a mate.”

Damien started laughing again.

“Fates help us. Because apparently, we’re all going to need a whole lot of extra help,” Atticus said under his breath. I could hear him clearly though. “Warwick, think,” Atticus said. He shoved his finger into the middle of my forehead and glared. I shoved his hand away and returned the glare.

“Don’t do that. It pisses my beast off.” I wouldn’t ever try to hurt Atticus intentionally, but I also didn’t want him to provoke me with my beast being so irritated lately.

“He really doesn’t get it, does he?” Atticus asked. Damien had finally stopped laughing. He moved from beside me to in front of me on the floor.

“Warwick, I’m going to say this in the most basic way I can so there is no room for misunderstanding.”

I scowled at my packmate. “I’m not an idiot.”

Damien shook his head. “No, nobody is calling you an idiot. But it seems that since we hellhounds weren’t originally given mates, we lack the ability to scent them when they’re finally picked for us. Atticus spent a decade apart from Brice.” Damien rolled his eyes. “I wasn’t exactly quick to pick up on the fact that Ledger is my mate.”

“What does that have to do with how my beast is acting?”

“Cecil is your mate, Warwick,” Damien blurted out. “That’s why your beast has been drawn to the omega clinic. Not to protect the omegas—your mate is there. He’s telling you to go there because you need to meet Cecil. Our beasts have known and recognized our mates before we did.” Damien pointed to his chest and then to Atticus.

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