Page 63 of Nita's Redemption

“You see that big fucker in the front? That was Seamus, our old alpha. He wasn’t above abusing his mate, his daughter, one of us pack members, or anyone. If the wind blew wrong, he could and would blame one of us, and the wrath was swift and painful. My dad was the beta, so if he alpha ordered any of us to shut up, we had to. He wielded that power like a fiery whip from as far back as I could remember. I’m sure he was every bit as alphahole when your mama came here. Hell, if you two didn’t look and smell like him, I wouldn’t have put it past Seamus to have taken your maman for himself. What about your aunt. Did she have any children from her pairing with him?” Tank shuddered to think the fucker would have any kids with his blood running around. Jaklyn and Nita were lucky and had more good than him in them.

“Well, I think we could go round and round with what ifs and theories of what might’ve happened. What we do know is that Brock is our father, and he does not have any recollection of doing what our maman thinks he did. She obviously got lucky by getting away from here no matter how you look at it, because from the sounds of it, your old alpha was unhinged and could’ve killed her or ordered you to do so.” Hurricane handed the scarf back to his sister.

Brock shook his head. “That’s not entirely true. We were mated, so he couldn’t have messed with our bond. However if he put a memory in her mind like that, it would definitely give her the ability to flee since she was pregnant. Her need to protect them would override her love for me.”

“Our lunch break is over, and my mate is waiting for me. Hurricane, Honor, I knew there was something wrong with what you’d been told. I hope the both of you can begin to forgive our father for a past he hadn’t actually been a part of. I know that it doesn’t change the fact you grew up hating him and that you both were treated horribly by the male your mother had been mated to. None of what you learned can rewind time. The only thing we can do is move forward and try to create new memories.” Tank held out his hand to Hurricane.

The clock on the wall ticked as seconds went by, and still he held his hand steady, waiting. Finally after what appeared to be minutes, Hurricane took his hand into his, but he didn’t shake it. No, his brother pulled him to him, giving Tank a hug that was heartfelt.

“I think we can skip the handshakes, brother,” Hurricane murmured.

Honor wiped her eyes, and then she was there, wrapping her arms around the both of them. “Oh Goddess, I have two jackasses for brothers, and still I feel as if I’ve been doubly blessed.”

Tank and Hurricane enfolded her into their hug, making sure she was properly squeezed between them. She gave a growl that would probably scare most males, but they were alphas. They didn’t scare easily. He looked up, seeing his father smiling the happiest he’d ever seen him in all his years. Tank motioned him over, but his dad shook his head.

“Come on, old man. Let’s hug it out.” Hurricane’s growl made Brock growl.

In a four-way hug, Tank sent a message to his mate and two best friends, letting them know shit was cool.

“You let your female and brothers know you’re fine?” Hurricane stepped back, his arms dropping to his side.

Honor slapped her brother on the chest. “One day, you’ll find your mate, and you’ll be the same way. I’ll be the one who is reminding you not so subtly that you’re being an asshole.”

Hurricane chucked his sister under the chin before hopping backward. He almost tripped over the chair then righted himself. “I’ll see all of you at the arena.”

Tank waited for Hurricane and Honor to leave before he let out a loud breath. “What’s Lorna think of you keeping these things, truly?”

If he had trinkets from other women, he was pretty sure Nita would be pissed. He and his brothers wouldn’t like finding other males’ shit in their female’s home either. Especially if those males were ones Nita had loved and made love to. A growl threatened to break free from his tight lips.

“Lorna is my truemate. While I cared for Hurricane and Honor’s maman and I would’ve chosen her as a mate, fate had other plans. When your mother and I found one another, it was a no brainer. She was mine, and I was hers, and then she was taken from me. Lorna was my second chance truemate. She is aware of my past and knows nothing can take away the love, respect, and devotion I have for her. I am blessed to have been given her and she feels the same. We vowed to always be honest to one another, and neither of us have ever broken that vow. So yes, she is aware of the things I’ve kept of both of my mates before her. That box wasn’t always right there in the hall closet. I pulled it out from the safe after our talk last night.” Brock took the box and walked toward the back of his home.

“You’re a good man, dad.”

“Thanks. Get your ass out of here and see your female before the next round of exercises.” Brock disappeared in his bedroom.

Tank left his dad and Lorna’s house, hopping down from the top of the stairs to go in search of Nita and his best friends. More than likely, the two males used their lunch break as a time to get lucky.

“Hey.” Nita stepped out from behind a tree.

He inhaled, trying to ease his racing heart. “Hey yourself. Did you eat a good lunch?”

She nodded. “And yep, I got lucky with two sexy males.”

Tank pulled Nita into his body. “Oh you did, huh?”

Nita laughed. “Yep, and I came three times.”

He eyed the three fingers she held up. “Is that all? Three times? Such amateurs.”

“You going to do better?”

Tank heard her heartrate pick up and could smell her sweet arousal become richer. “Oh, I plan to do so much better. It’ll have to be later though, since we all have to go woop some ass first.”

Nita gave a groan. “Can’t we skip and let the others show what we can do?”

Tank bent, placing his shoulder firmly into Nita’s abdomen. Her yelp and laughter was music to his ears. He gave her ass a nice swat and rub while he walked toward the arena.

NITA LOVED HAVING HER males’ hands on her. She just wished they would forego fighting or whatever the rest of the afternoon was going to entail.

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