“Then why I do feel like I’ve just ran a marathon and lost,” Daya muttered sarcastically.
Brianna went over and got a bottle water bringing it back to Daya who accepted the bottle with a nod before taking a long swallow.
“Because it is going to feel like that until we retrain the muscle in your leg.”
“And that sounds like so much fun,” Daya remarked on a heavy sigh.
“Is she complaining?” Kelsey asked entering the gym in her own workout outfit.
“Just started,” Brianna teased getting a rueful chuckle from the woman being talked about.
Daya shook her head admitting reluctantly, “I don’t like the fact that my leg doesn’t want to do what I want, and it screams in pain with something that was easy before the attack.”
“If you follow my advice, and the routine I’ve set for you, then your leg will improve,” Brianna coaxed. “It may even be stronger than before, so stop sweating what’s happen and work on overcoming it.”
“Easy for you to say,” Daya shot back, but her lips turned up in a smile and although pain lingered in her eyes, her smile was filled with gratitude.
“I’ll work out with you,” Kelsey offered, and Daya groaned but she didn’t argue when they started again although Brianna slowed the pace some for her.
An hour later, Daya was done her leg screaming at her, and Brianna finally called it a day.
“We’re done for the day,” Brianna relented watching Daya groan in relief before she fell back on the mat where they were exercising.
“We worked hard,” Kelsey breathed out laying back on the mat arms stretched out to the side of her.
Daya chuckled weakly closing her eyes and taking a few deep breaths.
“I’ll make us some lunch,” Kelsey offered pushing herself up, and Daya let out a soft sigh before doing the same thing watching with envy when Kelsey hopped up even though her exercises had been more strenuous.
With Kelsey and Brianna’s aid, they headed for the kitchen which was empty.
After helping Daya to sit down, Kelsey went over to the refrigerator to get sandwich meat out glancing over at Brianna.
“Is it true that you lost your mate a few years ago?”
The question was met with complete silence and Daya shifted a surprised look at Brianna who had stiffen in her chair.
“It was three years ago before I joined this pack as their pack doctor,” Brianna admitted a shadowed look on her face. “I left my pack and my family when I chose to be a pack doctor like my father, and since he was still the pack doctor, I decided to let the Council place me in a pack that needed one.”
“That’s where you met him,” Daya surmised in a soft voice getting a brief smile from Brianna.
“He was a good man, and he made my heart throb every time we were in the same room,” Brianna revealed, but Daya caught the brief flash in her eyes.
“But,” Daya amended quietly turning her eyes to the counter top.
Kelsey glanced over at Daya before shifting back to Brianna who paled after that single word.
“Brianna, were you happy with your mate?” Kelsey asked in a low voice walking over to the counter.
“I was, at first,” Brianna said in a low voice. “But, then we were busy especially with rogue attacks and such, that we didn’t have time for one another. He helped a few injured loners who ended in the middle of the fight and brought them back to the pack…”
“One of them was a woman,” Kelsey suggested a hard look in his eyes.
“He apologized, he felt sorry for the pain he put me through,” Brianna protested. “But it hurt, and then he went out for the last fight never coming back. The she-wolf who he had cheated with ended up pregnant, so…”
Kelsey gasped her eyes widening in shock, and Daya seeing it was confused.
“What? What am I not getting?”
There was silence in the room until Kala’s soft voice filled with sadness, and anger, echoed around the room.
“Because although she-wolves and male wolves can have sex, if it isn’t their mate there is no chance of the woman getting pregnant,” Kala revealed while Brianna and Kelsey nodded their head.
Daya frowned for a second until understanding dawned. “She was his second mate?”
“Yes.” Brianna closed her eyes and swallowed after she answered.
“It is rare that a male wolf meets both his first and second mate around the same time,” Kala explained coming farther into the room. “But with the attacks, and chaos, I guess there was no helping it.”
“Or maybe,” Daya said slowly a thoughtful look on her face, “it was meant to be. After all, Brianna hadn’t met her second mate yet.”
The three of them turned to Brianna who eyes widened at the statement. She turned to Kala who started to grin and nodded her head slowly.
“It is possible that Alec is your second mate,” Kala informed walking over to put a hand on Brianna’s shoulder when she slumped in her chair.
“But that’s the reason Alec has stayed away for the past year and half,” Brianna reminded.
“Alec,” Daya and Kelsey uttered together after sharing a brief, bewildered look.
“Alec is the Beta of the pack, but after Brianna came here to be the pack doctor and they met, he chose to go to the other packs who may need our help,” Kala confirmed taking the seat next to Brianna while Kelsey took the hint and poured her a drink too.
“We felt it the first time we met, and yet I was cautious, but Alec hadn’t even met his first mate,” Brianna told them.
“What if you were his first mate?” Daya asked glancing over at them.
Brianna shifted a look at Kala who frowned and tilted her head to the side, but it was Trevor who answered standing in the doorway getting their attention.
“She may be, but since she had a mate before, Alec doesn’t believe it is possible.”
“Is it possible, though,” Kelsey continued with a look from Daya, “that just because Brianna found her first mate, doesn’t mean that she isn’t his right?”
“It could be possible,” Trevor admitted slowly before shaking his head. “But it is rare for someone who already met their mate to be the first mate for someone else unless…”
“Unless,” four voices chorused.
“Unless the man she met wasn’t her first, but second mate,” Trevor concluded watching four eyes stare at him in confusion eliciting a chuckle. “Both connections are strong and yet there is one way to tell if the person was the first mate…”
“How?” Daya promptly asked while the others nodded even Kala who had never heard it before now.
“If he got someone else pregnant,” Trevor informed with a sly grin, and Daya gasped while the others stared at him in shock. “I heard you talking, and although I wished you had informed me of this after you came to get to know us, I understand why you didn’t.”
“So, he was my second mate,” Brianna repeated in shock glancing around at the others.
“From what you have stated, I believe so,” Trevor replied with a shake of his head.
“So, does that mean Alec…?” Brianna began only to stop glancing up a look of hope on her face.
“Yes, you are Alec’s first mate,” Trevor confirmed with a nod of his head.
Daya watched the excitement flash across Brianna’s face before a look of defeat followed, and Kala sighed while Kelsey muttered angrily under her breath.
“But Alec won’t believe that, and he won’t come home until he finds her.” Brianna’s voice filled with hopelessness.
Daya found herself holding her breath on her friend’s words finding her thoughts going to Garin although she shook it away since the situation wasn’t the same.
“No, it isn’t,” Trevor remarked getting her attention, and her mouth dropped open in shock since it was almost as if he read her mind.
He started laughing, and Kala remarked with a smile. “You were readable, sweetie, even I had an idea what you were thinking.”
Turning her attention to them, she was stunned to see Kelsey and Brianna nod their head in agreement.
“I have news, though, which was my main reason for looking for my mate.”
Kala frowned turning to look at him while the other three shared a look before doing the same.
“Alpha Leonardo called me to let me know that he is sending our group back to us,” Trevor reported walking over to them glancing over at Brianna. “But it depends on whether anything happens within the next few days, and two will be staying behind…” He hesitated briefly catching the look of understanding on Brianna’s face. “Alec has already volunteered.”
Daya paled shifting her attention to Brianna seeing the tears fill her eyes and she put a hand on her arm while Kelsey swore loudly putting her glass down hard, and it was a wonder that it didn’t break.
“I will know more by the end of the week,” Trevor said quietly.
Brianna smiled and using one hand wiped away the tears that were sliding down her face.
“I need to do a few things in the infirmary,” Brianna replied getting up from her chair.
“I’ll go with you,” Daya offered moving slower, but following her. “I may not be of much use, but I am a certified nursing assistant, so I can help with small things.”
Brianna hesitated, but nodded her head before giving her aid, and with a nod of their heads, the two of them left the kitchen.
“Why can’t he see what he is doing to her?” Kelsey questioned angrily.
Kala sighed closing her eyes, and Trevor let out a deep breath. “He doesn’t want to hurt her. At the same time, he doesn’t realize that by not being here is hurting her just as much should he find his mate.”
“But if they are first mates…” Kelsey asked in confusion.
“Once he met Brianna and felt what all do when they meet their mates, he was excited, but he also knew about her other mate,” Kala explained shaking her head slowly. “So, instead of sticking around to see where it went, he left within six months of their meeting.”
“He never learned the truth,” Kelsey realized.
“Brianna wouldn’t have either if Daya hadn’t asked her about it,” Kala replied. “Unlike most of us, who didn’t ask because we knew it was a sore subject, Daya listened and hearing what Brianna wasn’t saying, had the guts to ask.”
“No one would’ve learned the truth,” Kelsey breathed out in astonishment.
“Unfortunately, it doesn’t help in the end,” Trevor grunted. “Alec won’t return home until he finds his mate even though she is waiting right here for him.”
Later that evening, Trevor answered his phone absently lifting his head when Garin responded asking about Daya.
“She is all right, Garin, sore but that is to be expected since Brianna has organized a routine for her,” Trevor spoke bluntly a lot on his mind which Garin caught onto asking about it.
Trevor hesitated briefly before going on to explain what he learned that afternoon expressing his frustration with the whole issue especially concerning his Beta.
Garin listened without making a comment, but when he hung up the phone a few minutes later he sat there in thought before coming to a decision.
Getting up from the bed, he headed out of the room going down to the office where he knew that Alpha Leonardo was still working if he was anything like Trevor.
Garin wasn’t wrong knocking on the door and getting a grunt to ‘come in’.
“Alpha Leonardo, may I talk with you about something?” Garin requested before he even stepped fully in the room seeing the way the Alpha’s eyebrows lifted although he sat back in his seat waving Garin into the room. “I have something to discuss with you.”
“Go ahead.” Alpha Leonardo put his hands together staring at him intently which unnerved Garin, but he started to speak first explaining what he learned from Trevor watching Leonardo’s eyes widen slightly before nodding his head for Garin to continue.
Garin talked for almost an hour straight watching Leonardo’s expression at his words.
When Garin finally stopped, Leonardo got up from his chair and walked around his desk to stand in front of the doors leading out into the yard hands clasped behind his back.
“Are you sure you want to do that, Garin?” He asked without turning around. “I thought you had a young woman waiting for you.”
Garin shifted his gaze to the wall a slight frown gathering between his brows. “Right now, my wolf and I are confused,” he said slowly. His wolf grunted at his words but didn’t utter a word while Garin continued. “I think staying here will help us to clarify a few things.”
“I know,” Leonardo said turning around to meet Garin’s startled eyes. “But if it is what you want to do, then I can’t stop you especially when I think Alec needs this push.”
Garin smiled in agreement while Leonardo stared at him before he sighed and went back to sit behind his desk.
“I just hope that your young woman understands,” he remarked with a single shake of her head. “Go on, and I’ll send for Alec in a few minutes.”
“Yes, sir, and thank you.” Garin bowed his head slightly and walked out of the room quietly.
Alec is going to be pissed, his wolf said with a note of delight at what may come.
If someone doesn’t do it, then Alec will merely continue avoiding the issue of him and Brianna, and after what Alpha Trevor told me, I think it is a wise decision, Garin explained heading for the hallway frowning when he caught Whitney’s perfume.
“Damn,” Garin muttered a dark frown on his face which he cleared when he turned for the stairs just as Whitney was descending from them.
“Garin,” she cooed with a fluttering of eyelashes.
Garin studied her intently from her long blond hair and green eyes before drifting his eyes over her dainty, but sexy body, and he felt a brief stirring of excitement. What astonished him, though, was his wolf’s silence although he was aware of Garin’s perusal.
“What can I do for you, Alpha Female?” Garin kept his voice polite and respectful.
Whitney’s eyes flashed at him and her mouth opened when Ralph called out sharply from the top of the stairs. “I thought you said you wanted a drink, sweetheart.”
“I did,” she called back with a slight giggle. “Fighter Wolf Garin and I met when I was coming down.”
She turned sultry eyes to Alpha Ralph and Garin, watching her, was surprised when that brief flare of excitement he felt a few seconds ago had disappeared leaving him unmoved especially when Whitney turned those same sultry eyes to him.
“Good night, Alpha Female.” Garin gave her a slight bow of his head before he walked past her up the stairs meeting the hard eyes of Alpha Ralph. “Good night.”
Garin was at his door when Alec stepped out of his room, and with a nod at Garin, headed down stairs.
Garin winced walking into his room and shutting the door behind him making sure to lock it before going over to the bed where he picked up his cell from the side table.
Sitting down on the edge of the bed, he dialed a number committed to memory and when the soft, but weary voice, answered he felt something inside him relax.
“Hi, honey,” he greeted in a husky voice.
“Hi, Garin,” he heard Daya respond back in a delighted, but weary, voice.
“Daya,” he said hesitatingly worry suddenly filling him at what she would think about his choice. “I…”
He stopped again, and then sighed loudly over the phone. “I talked with Alpha Trevor.”
Alec frowned going down the stairs wondering why Alpha Leonardo sent for him. Passing Alpha Female Whitney and Alpha Ralph who were in a heated discussion, Alec gave them a brief nod of respect without saying a word heading for the office.
Knocking on the door, Alec clenched his fists in a tight grip hearing the Alpha’s grunted ‘come in’.
Going inside, he watched Alpha Leonardo lean back in his seat watching him intently.
“Close the door, Be
ta Alec,” Alpha Leonardo ordered, and Alec raised his eyebrows at the term of address since he hadn’t been called that since their introduction to each other.
“Yes, sir.” Alec did as requested before going over to stand in front of the desk.
“Fighter Wolf Garin came to see me,” Leonardo started, and Alec gave him a confused look to which he merely chuckled. “He volunteered to stay with one stipulation.”
“What is the stipulation, sir?” Alec asked a muscle in his jaw tensing at the news since Garin hadn’t spoken to him first about this sudden decision.
“The stipulation was that you go home,” he stated eyes narrowing slightly.
“What?” Alec was shocked at the turn of events shaking his head slowly. “Garin has someone waiting for him…”
“So do you,” Leonardo interrupted without hesitation. “From what I’ve heard this evening, you’ve had someone waiting for you for almost two years now.”
“I’m waiting to find my mate,” Alec retorted in a hard voice.
“Yet, you have someone waiting for you back home. What makes you think she isn’t your mate?” Leonardo asked bluntly, and Alec’s eyes widened at the question.
“Because she already had a mate who died a year before meeting me,” Alec was just as blunt although his tone went rough with emotion.
“And,” Leonardo questioned making Alec frown in confusion.
“And,” he repeated before shaking his head. “Brianna is my second mate, and if I should meet my first, then I will hurt her deeply.”
Leonardo nodded his head at his argument. “But are you not hurting her now? There is no guarantee that you will meet your first mate as you surmise.”
“What do you mean?” Alec asked catching the last end of that sentence confusing both him and his wolf.
Leonardo sighed. “No wonder Garin made the stipulation.” He closed his eyes as if thinking about something before they flashed open hinting he made a decision. “Garin gave me his reasons and told me about the young woman waiting for him, but he has some issues of his own to work out, so he believes that by staying here he will come to a definite conclusion. I agree with him while at the same time, I think he is right about you. You are going home, Alec, and that is my final order.
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