Page 42 of Aine

The woman Damien dragged out of the dining hall is standing on the front porch watching, her arms wrapped tightly around her waist in a self-hug. She wipes at her cheeks every few seconds, but I find it hard to feel pity for her.

Olivia is behind her, but her expression is one of fear and is directed exclusively at Damien’s girlfriend. Why is she scared of her?

I take another step forward to get a better look, freezing as a twig snaps underneath my foot. The noise is quiet, but it’s enough to capture the beasts’ attention. All three of them freeze and turn toward me, and the two in their animal forms back away from one another.

Damien’s girlfriend frowns and stands up straighter. “Go home, Aine. These family matters don’t involve you.” She’s quick to sneer.

I gulp, annoyed with the dismissal but too out of my element to snap back.

“What’s going on?” I ask, looking between the two beasts.

The woman sighs, clearly annoyed by my presence. I don’t understand her relationship with Damien or why Alex feels the need to fight over it, but considering Damien’s supposedly my mate and Alex is my best friend, I don’t feel it’s too out of line to inquire.

“It’s none of your concern,” the woman answers for them.

I ignore her, choosing instead to scan both Damien and Alex. Neither appears to be injured, which is good, but it’s hard to tell what’s going on underneath all the fur.

“Alex?” I ask, trying to figure out who’s who.

The beast on the right steps forward.

“My mate is of no interest to you, human.” The woman’s voice rises in pitch as she takes a threatening step off the porch.

I watch with wide eyes as both the beasts start to convulse, their bodies twisting painfully as they shift. It’s a quick transition, but I still turn away in disgust. When the noises stop I return my gaze to them, my cheeks warming as I take in their naked states.

“You are not my mate.” Alex spits at the woman before shifting his attention to Damien. “And you are a fucking idiot.”

Damien laughs, his interest in the argument seemingly gone as he turns toward me. “Go home, Aine.”

My jaw clenches as I try to make sense of the scene in front of me. Is this woman Alex’s mate? I assumed she was dead from the way he talks about her, but now I’m not so sure. And if she is his mate, what’s she doing with Damien?

“You don’t get to tell her what to do when you’re shacking up with Freya.” Alex stomps in my direction.

I back up as he approaches, my eyes darting between the three of them in panic. Damien’s body twitches with each step Alex takes, his hands clenching into fists by his sides.

“I’m notshacking up with Freya,” Damien says, also stomping in my direction. “She had no place to go.”

Alex lets out a dry laugh and shakes his head in evident disbelief. “I don’t care. She made her decisions, and now she has to live with them.” Alex’s body quivers as he speaks, making me wonder if he’s holding back another shift. “And after everything she fucking did to us? You’re my brother, yet you choose her over both me and your mate.”

They’re brothers? Why did nobody ever tell me that?

I take a step back as Damien approaches Alex and scramble to take another when I realize it’s me he’s heading to. He ignores my fear and grabs my upper arm as I stumble over a rock in my attempt to flee.

“Come on.” He drags me toward my cabin.

Alex and the woman continue to argue as we walk away, both taking turns screaming harsh words at one another. As much as I try to piece together what this argument’s about, there are too many missing elements for me to get a clear understanding.

Clearly, Damien and Alex are brothers, but I’m still unclear on if that woman is Alex’s mate and, if so, why she’s sleeping with Damien.

Sleeping with your brother’s wife was frowned upon in my village, and given the apparent importance of mates here, I’m willing to bet that sentiment is shared among the beasts as well.

“Is that Alex’s mate?” I ask as Damien pulls me up the few steps to my cabin.

He remains silent as he rips open the door and pushes me inside. I trip over my feet but am able to regain my balance quickly.

Damien’s gone by the time I turn around and, without thinking, I follow.

“Wait!” I shout, running back outside. I spot him near the treeline, his body almost entirely hidden by the foliage. He turns at the sound of my voice and frowns as he stomps back over.

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