Page 42 of Broken Chains

As if on cue, Peyton walked out of the back kitchen and someone at the diner bar whistled and called her over. She brushed it off, got what she needed from the front, and left without even looking my way.

A low growl rumbled through my chest as my eyes narrowed on the guys. I grabbed the edge of the table and held on to keep myself grounded, wanting to go over and rip that guy’s throat out, some redheaded cocky shit. I gritted my teeth and took a deep breath, trying to calm myself.

“I take that back. Clearly there’s something there,” Wyatt said

Thomas turned to follow the path I was staring and laughed. “Austin’s harmless, and an idiot. He’s just being, well, Austin. Calm down,” Thomas said, and let his Alpha powers flow over me.

“I’m fine,” I snapped, embarrassed I’d let it slip to begin with. I worked hard to control my feelings for Peyton and the turmoil my wolf had suffered since the first moment I laid eyes on her. Only being near her curbed the aggression, and apparently a room full of males I didn’t know was not helping things one bit.

Zach had turned in his seat to stare at me. “You really don’t know what a true mate is, do you?”

I hated feeling subpar, like the biggest idiot in the room. My father wasn’t exactly a wealth of knowledge. He had never prepared any of us boys for anything in life. I’d had to learn everything from other people or the hard way on my own. I had always hated feeling like everyone else knew something that I should and didn’t. This was no exception.

“Tell me what you feel when you look at my daughter,” Zach said.

Thomas laughed. “Dad, no. You are failing miserably at this. Look man, here’s how it goes. You know the stories of how shifters came to be, right?’

I shrugged. “Some.” I had at least pieced together enough from other people’s stories to keep up in that conversation.

“Okay, well, then you know that God himself created shifters for a purpose. And that he handpicks one mate for each of us. Only one. I’m not even talking sex here. I’m talking about that one person in this world that completes you. Your soulmate, if you prefer.”

Wyatt jumped in. “When you see her for the first time, you just know. Something wonderful just happened. She smells better than anyone you’ve ever met. She’s the most beautiful woman you’ve ever laid eyes on. Your wolf usually makes it very clear, too. My wolf was constantly reminding me with mine, mate, and things like that.”

“Definitely, mine, too. Not to mention the adrenaline kick,” Thomas added.

“And the added aggression. Sometimes it was downright hard to control my wolf and I’m not an Alpha. We had always been at peace until I laid eyes on Kate,” Wyatt said as he grinned and winked at the woman across the room.

“Shit!” I mumbled. Maybe there was something to this true mate stuff.

“So you are feeling it?” Thomas asked.

“Of course I’m feeling all that, I mean look at her. She’s gorgeous, sweet, and she’s done more for my family than anyone ever has,” I confessed. “Why the hell do you think I keep fighting against it?”

Thomas and Wyatt gave me sympathetic looks moments before they cracked up laughing.

“Look, I hear you. I really do,” Thomas said. “I’m not exactly thrilled with having to deal with Luke all the time for you two. I don’t love the idea of anyone in my pack, but especially one of my sisters, falling for a Larken, but the truth is we can’t control who our one true mate is, and I wished to God Lily and I hadn’t wasted time fighting our bond.”

“Wait. You fought it, too?” I asked, surprised.

“Oh, don’t get me wrong, I always had a thing for Lily, but she thought I was the biggest douchebag on the planet. She wanted absolutely nothing to do with me at first. Be thankful Peyton’s being a hell of lot nicer about it. Lily was downright evil.”

Zach and Wyatt both laughed and nodded their heads.

“I knew your father, you know.” Zach surprised me by changing the subject. “We grew up together. He was always an asshole, son. I’ll admit I was a little leery when I first heard, but honestly, I’ve been leery of everyone my girls have mated. First, I feared Liam would keep Maddie from us when all we wanted was for her to come home at last. Then we learned that all the troubles Elizabeth faced were caused from an unresolved bond with Cole Anderson, you really think I wanted him anywhere near my daughter? Gage was a complete unknown at first and once his past was revealed, I can’t say I was thrilled about that, either. And Bran, the reasons he ever came to town would make a grown man shudder, yet they’ve all worked out exactly as God intended.”

“Sir, I appreciate that, but if you truly knew my father, there’s no way in hell you’d want me near your daughter. I am not good enough for her and someday she’s going to realize that.”

Thomas rolled his eyes and I watched as he mouthed the same words his father spoke as if I wasn’t the first to hear them.

“Saying you aren’t good enough for Peyton is like saying God didn’t know what he was doing when he matched the two of you. I don’t argue with God, son.” Zach looked over at Thomas with a frown as Wyatt tried desperately not to laugh. “If she’s your one true mate, you’re only hurting her and yourself by fighting it.”

It was a heavy moment and a lot for me to consider. The gravity of our conversation was lost on a high-pitched squeal, though, as a woman with short, blonde hair, highlighted in pink, ran over and immediately unbuckled Eve from her car seat.

My wolf went on edge and I tried to move to intercept, but Zach held me back.

“Why didn’t you tell me you were babysitting?” she said, smacking Thomas on the arm as she gave Eve kisses and talked to her in a weird baby voice. “How come Auntie Lily never gets to babysit? We’re gonna go have a talk with Peyton and tell her that’s some bull-poopy.”

“Uh, slugger, hate to disappoint you, but I’m not babysitting,” Thomas said.

---