Page 11 of Wolf Betrayed

“Shut up, Brandon,” Bram growled. “Not all of us are Omegas and good with things like this.”

“If we brought in Charlotte, she might be better at it,” the second voice, the one that held all that power, said slowly. There was a hint of something Shane couldn’t understand in the other man’s voice but whatever it was seemed to raise Bram’s hackles. Shane could feel it.

“You aren’t our Alpha, Gideon,” Bram snarled. “She doesn’t need to be part of this. You saw her before.”

Her. Charlotte. Could she be the bearer of the sweet and floral scent? Shane didn’t know, but listening to them fight like this was giving him a headache. Though, really, he already had one so it was just making it worse.

Shane cracked one eye open and forced himself not to close it again when bright light practically blinded him.

“There you go,” Walker said from his side.

Shane couldn’t see the other man, or anything other than blinding light for that matter, but each of the men in the room had a distinct voice so Shane could tell them apart. And now he even knew their names. That had to count for something since everything else was out of his control.

It took him a few more minutes, but soon he was able to keep both eyes open. He started to take in all he was seeing. Two men stood at the end of his bed, and from their facial features, blue eyes, and light brown hair, he figured that they were brothers. Gideon and Brandon. His gaze tracked to the left, and he knew this Walker had to be their brother, as well. The three looked so much alike it was a bit scary.

When he finally allowed himself to look to the right, his body stiffened despite the calm he so desperately craved. This one was Bram, the one that had helped him fight through the pain with just his voice and presence alone. He couldn’t afford to ask why right then as he was trying to keep conscious, and was aware that he wasn’t exactly safe from those who might want to hurt him for the crimes of his former boss.

Bram had startling brown eyes, and they studied Shane’s face just as he studied Bram. Bram’s dark brown skin was stretched tautly over his cheekbones and firm jaw, and he’d cut his black hair so short there was only a bare glimpse of it over the crown of his head. Shane’s hair had once been that short in boot camp, but he’d been allowed to let it grow far longer than regulation length when he’d been working for Montag.

He hadn’t understood at the time that it was because Montag wanted his men and women to blend into the human population to be able to kidnap wolves and the people he’d wanted to change into shifters.

Shane had never been part of that, and while he was grateful he didn’t have blood on his hands, he knew he wasn’t completely innocent. He should have found out about Montag’s true intentions long before things had gotten as far as they had. People died because Shane hadn’t known the truth.

And now he would have to face this Pack and all the Packs out there with that knowledge.

“Drink this,” Walker said from his side, and Shane pulled his gaze from Bram. “You’re dehydrated, and since you kept moving, we couldn’t keep an IV in you for long.”

Shane frowned and looked down at his arms and legs. They’d shackled him to the bed with thick chains. In fact, now that he looked closer, this wasn’t a normal hospital bed, but rather one that had thick metal bolts around the sides.

“You were hurting yourself,” Brandon said softly, his gaze on Shane’s. “The beds are for shifters when they get hurt and can’t control their wolf. It keeps us safe, and keeps the patient safe.”

“We can unchain you now,” Walker said as he checked Shane’s vitals. “As long as you control your need to bang yourself into walls and things, you’ll be okay.”

Shane snorted, then coughed. Walker sighed and gave him more water. The coolness soothed his parched throat, and Shane was grateful.

“Don’t snort or laugh or yell,” Walker said. “In fact, take a bit before you talk. You’ve been out of it for four days, and you’ve been screaming for most of it.”

Shane drank more water with Walker’s help as the others unchained him. Something inside pushed at him, but when Bram moved closer to unchain his wrist, that inside thing calmed ever so slightly.

Gideon, the Talon Pack Alpha studied his face. “I brought you into the Pack. Do you remember that?”

The memory of Gideon cutting his palm resurfaced and warmth slid over Shane. “You…” He cleared his throat. “You made me Pack?”

Gideon nodded. “The moon goddess, our patron and the one that created our people long ago, told me to. She doesn’t normally speak to us, and the fact that she did tells me you have important information for all of us. Or maybe you’re important for another reason. I don’t know exactly, but we brought you into the Pack because the bonds that hold us as one were needed to keep you alive.”

Bram let out a curse, and Shane did his best not to stare at the man that intrigued him so.

“How does that work?” Shane asked roughly. “And thank you.” He paused. “Thank you.”

Gideon shrugged, but Shane had a feeling he wasn’t as nonchalant as he seemed. The man held the power of an Alpha, and Shane had been able to feel it even through his haze of pain.

“You saved my brother’s life. Saved that of his mate. We’re even.”

Shane shook his head and tried to sit up. Walker immediately moved to help him. He didn’t like lying down while the others stood around him. He was already feeling weak. He didn’t want to be truly helpless.

“You risked your Pack for me, so no, we aren’t even.”

Something like pride filled the Alpha’s eyes, and Gideon nodded. “Then earn your gift. As for the bonds, each wolf is connected to each other through bonds, though some not as strong as others. Not everyone can feel them, but the network of them added together creates a Pack. The healthier the wolves, witches, and humans in a Pack, the stronger the connection. As Alpha, I feel those bonds more than any other. It’s my job to rule, to protect, to aid.”

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