Chapter 76 Chapter 76
Reynard sped out the door and downstairs.
Brendan followed behind him, but Zale grabbed him and pulled him back. “You two have ‘gotten closer’, hm? What the hell were you thinking?” he hissed.
“Look, it just happened recently, really recently, we’re still trying to work it out–”
Zale almost choked on the air around him, startled. “Work it out? Have you lost your mind? You’re a Rogue, and he’s a Warrior, the best of the best.”
“It’s hard to explain, we both bonded with Suki and then when she was attacked with that substance, it showed us a connection that both of us were in denial about being there.”
“Two people can’t bond with one female wolf…?” He shook his head and rebuked, “Two male werewolves can’t bond together, so what the fuck are you doing?”
Brendan exhaled an excruciating groan. “I swear to you, I have no idea how or why all this shit is happening. All I know is that I’ve been a lot happier and more in control of my powers since those two became a part of my life.”
Zale clenched his jaw. “Has she been taken because of you?”
“What?”
“You never told me your story as to why you’re a Rogue. So tell me, was Suki taken because of you?”
“No!” Brendan exclaimed, “I have no idea who took her or why, I swear it.”
Zale towered over Brendan and snarled, “If I find out differently, you’ll discover the true power of the son of Alpha Wilder.”
He swallowed thickly and nodded. “I would never do anything to hurt her.”
“Good. Now get downstairs.”
As they both emerged downstairs into the main room, where Machiavelli conducts his meetings, Zale moved to sit by his father, and Brendan lingered outside the room, staying out of sight from everyone. Though there weren’t many people in the room – the Alpha, Suki’s father, other council members and a few guards – Brendan chose to keep a low profile with the touch of his shadow magic.
Yet, even with the shadow magic, there was one person who knew he was there.
‘So you’re happier with us in your life, aye?’ Rey asked smugly down the bond, leaning against the other side of the wall to Brendan.
Brendan’s cheeks became fiery hot. ‘You weren’t meant to hear that.’
Reynard laughed down the bond and hummed, ‘You should just tell him the truth.’
‘I can’t,’ he murmured.
‘If you could tell me the truth, and I’m slowly coming to terms with everything that’s going on between us, I’m sure your best friend would understand too.’
‘What if I lose him?’
‘Brendan,’ Rey tittered. ‘I heard how annoyed he was, but I think you’re reading his emotions wrong.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘He’s your best friend; he was there for you when no one else was when you were kids. Yet you never told him when you experienced the bond with Suki, or anything about all that’s gone on since?’
‘It wasn’t just my secret to tell.’
‘True, but that’s likely why he’s annoyed – his own friend wouldn’t talk to him.’ Reynard looked over to him and gave him a sympathetic smile. ‘I know Suki would agree that you should tell him everything. Then he’ll understand you better and forgive you. He’ll keep your secret.’
‘How can you be so sure?’
Through the bond, Rey embraced Brendan in a way to comfort him. ‘You just have to trust that your friendship is stronger than that.’
Brendan sighed.
Cassandra, seated at the round table, looked around. “Is everyone here who needs to be?”
“I believe so,” Alpha Wilder said. He knocked his fist on the table once, loudly and strongly, silencing the whispering conversations of all those in the room. “Thank you for all being here so last minute. We have much to discuss and little time due to the urgency of finding Beta Machiavelli’s daughter, Suki.” He placed a hand on Machiavelli’s shoulder. “Brother, if you could share the information you’ve gathered first.”
He nodded and inhaled a deep breath.
‘I didn’t realise Suki’s dad had information too,’ said Brendan.
‘Neither did I.’
“As you all know, this hasn’t been the first instance of a werewolf losing their power,” Michiavelli’s voice banished all tremors of sadness and fear for the disappearance of his daughter. He showed strength like a true Beta. “A while back, another werewolf in our pack was injected with a serum and lost their powers temporarily. What the Alpha and I never shared was that I wasn’t only on the hunt for alliances for our pack, but also communicating with other packs who had encountered the same thing.”
A few council members murmured between themselves.
One leaned forward to speak. “How many others have experienced this?”
“Of the packs I’ve encountered, each one had at least one werewolf lose their powers temporarily.” He sighed and pulled out a file full of paper, taking one and passing the pile around the room. “But that’s not what we should be concerned about. I created a timeline of all the incidents – when they occurred and how long it took for them to return to normal.”
Reynard was one of the last to get a paper. He quickly scanned it. “The duration for werewolves healing from the serum is increasing.”
“Correct, son,” Michavelli affirmed. “If you all refer to your papers, you’ll see one of the first incidents occurred at Moonstone with that poor male wolf; his symptoms only lasted a day or two. However, in other instances in other packs, the restricted access to people’s wolves is increasing – the most recent one not getting their wolf back until three weeks later.”
“Three weeks?!” Brendan stormed in.
Rey rushed in front of him and pressed his hand firmly on his chest, pushing him back.
He snapped, “When was that last case?”
‘Brendan, stop,’ Reynard pleaded.
“The most recent case was about two weeks ago,” Machiavelli warned. He exhaled and continued, “It appears that, at the rate these cases are going, whoever is initiating these attacks is aiming to make this serum permanent.”
Releasing his hold on Brendan, Rey stepped forward. “So… what does this mean about Suki?”
“Depending on how much more developed the serum is, Suki might be powerless for at least a month, if we’re lucky.”
“And if we’re not lucky?” Brendan questioned through grinding teeth.
Coming to a stand, Machiavelli scowled, “Then my daughter may never connect to her wolf ever again.”