The Broken Wolf
Chapter 130

“Hey, we’re here,” I hear Seth say gently in my ear, gently nudging me awake. I sit up from where I had been leaning on him and stretch, looking around. I smile as my eyes land on my old packhouse and the familiarity makes me smile. I didn’t realize just how much I had missed home until I was back here.

I see my brother step out of the packhouse in a pair of sweatpants, no shirt or shoes in sight.

“Robbie,” I say with a smile, throwing open my door and rushing up the stairs to him. He quickly catches me and wraps me in a huge hug.

“I’ve missed you, Molly,” he says quietly, not releasing me. “It’s been so quiet around here without you.”

Finally, he releases me, holding my shoulders and looking me over. “He’s treating you well? Acting right?”

I can’t help but giggle. You’d think he was joking since they’re pretty good friends, but he’s very serious about his inquiry. “Yes, Robbie. He is.”

“I heard he knocked you up…” he says, not really a question or a statement.

I beam at him brightly. “Twins! You’re going to be an uncle!”

He smiles at me, pulling me in for another quick hug as Seth walks up behind him. “Glad you guys made it here safely. You had me worried,” he tells Seth as he releases me and the two hug quickly.

“We didn’t have any issues. I don’t think the therapist was anything to worry about, most likely just someone nosey about how royals live,” he says, stepping back and putting his arm around me. “I didn’t want to take chances, though. Thanks for letting us come early.”

“Of course. Anytime, really,” he says and looks at me. “You can come whenever you want. With or without him. I’m going for a run now. Just link me if you need anything, kiddo.”

“You alright?” I ask him, finding it odd that he’s going for a run this late, though maybe he was just waiting for us to get here.

He nods with a sad look on his face. “Stella has been around a LOT since you left. She’s stepped up and is helping out, which is great, but I can’t say anything and its… just… frustrating. You were wrong about her birthday. She’s still not of age, but I’ve been trying not to look it up. Knowing will just make it worse.”

I nod, understanding how hard it probably is for him. “Between smelling her every day and the stress of running the pack, I’m barely hanging on most nights. Just a few more months, though.”

“She’s a really good wolf,” I tell him. Honestly, she’s the most perfect mate for him.

He looks at Seth, but he doesn’t say anything. A look passes between them, but I can’t place what it is.

“Seth needs to come with me,” Rob finally says abruptly.

I giggle a little. “Alright. I’ll go unpack. Have fun,” I tell Seth, placing my hand on his chest. He looks down at me, but he looks really unsure. “I’ll be fine, really. Besides, Oliver will probably be up there as soon as I tell him we’re here.”

“Alright,” he says, leaning down and kissing me on the forehead. “You’re sure?”

I nod at him with a smile. “Super sure. Someone has already taken our bags. Really, it’s no big deal.”

Mom and Dad walk up and give Rob a quick hug before we head inside.

“You’re in your old room,” Rob calls out. “The one on the Alpha floor, not downstairs.”

I walk upstairs just behind mom and dad, feeling weird to be walking back to the Alpha floor, but also happy to be home. Nothing has changed since Robbie took over- literally nothing. I can’t wait to see what Stella does once she becomes Luna.

Mom and Dad tell me goodnight, and continue down to their room at the end of the hall.

“Do you need me to do anything to your hair? I don’t want to ruin all my hard work from earlier,” mom asks.

I shake my head. “I’m fine mom. The tea Lily gave me really seems to be helping.”

She smiles and nods without another word as dad leads her into their bedroom. I can see on my dad’s face just how tired he is and I wonder why. I know that he’s been on high alert, but surely he wasn’t while we were at the palace.

I open the door and walk into my old room. It looks like I was wrong and my brother HAS changed something. He’s replaced the old full-sized bed with a king and I send a silent thanks to him for thinking of that. I wasn’t looking forward to trying to sleep next to Seth in such a small bed. He’s had the room painted a pale blue, the wall with a fireplace having a blue wallpaper with a white floral print with tiny little birds. The ivory curtains hanging almost reach the floor. The bedding is a light blue and white and the headboard and chairs are royal blue velvet. I look around and smile. It’s welcoming, and calming. It’s not the room I had as a kid anymore, but it feels like somewhere I’d like to be. I smirk, knowing why he’s done this.

Did you decorate for me or preemptively for Stella?

I wanted her to have somewhere her own, just incase she acts like YOU did when she realizes I’m her mate.

I can’t help but smile at that. My giant, handsome, Alpha Brother, is afraid that his mate won’t want him.

She’ll want you. I’m sure. You won’t need all of this.

He doesn’t say anything else, but I know that he feels a bit better that I’ve reassured him. I think hard, trying to remember when her birthday actually is since I was wrong before. Perhaps that’s made things worse for Robbie. I got his hopes up and then he had to wait even longer. Maybe I’ll just go check the calender in the kitchen now. I’m sure it’s there, because that’s how I kept up with it since I couldn’t remember.

I abandon my unpacking and head downstairs, walking the familiar path through the packhouse until I reach my kitchen, stopping as I grab the handle to smile. I’ve missed my home and my family, but I have really missed my kitchen. Slowly, I turn the silver handle and step inside, reaching to turn on the light when I smell him.

I cross over to what was my office and gently knock on the door. “Get in here!” I hear my best friend exclaim as he catches my scent, knowing it’s me at the door.

“Hey,” I say with a giant smile as I step inside the room. He hasn’t really changed anything, and it feels so good to be home.

He stands up and walks around the desk, wrapping me into a hug. “I’ve missed you so much!”

“I’ve missed you, too!” I tell him, pulling back and sitting on the side of the desk. “How has it been?”

“Good,” he tells me, sitting back down in the chair. “We all miss you, but it’s all running well.”

I smile, happy that they all have been able to continue working with no issues. “That makes me really happy. Robbie’s been alright to work with?”

Oliver laughs. “He’s probably more cooperative with me than he would have been for you.”

“That’s true,” I tell him, glancing at the calendar on the wall. I walk over, looking at it. It’s November 12 and I don’t see her written on this month. I lift a page, glancing through December and find it. December 2.

“What are you looking for?” Ollie asks.

I turn to tell him but catch myself, realizing I can’t let that slip out. “Nothing. Just wanted to see something.”

“OK…” he says, looking at me weirdly as I sit back down. “You smell different. Maybe your scent changed when you shifted.”

I shake my head at him, surprised he can smell it. I look at him with a smile and place my hand over my stomach. He looks at me curiously for a moment when he finally realizes.

“Really?!” He asks, a huge smile on his face.

I nod enthusiastically. “Twins! But don’t say anything yet. There have been some… issues.”

“Issues? What happened?” he asks me, clearly concerned.

I start to tell him everything- about Seth’s uncle, and the challenge. I tell him everything! About halfway through though, I feel like I should be in pain. I’m not, but I think I should be.

Seth. I think something is wrong.

I got hurt. Are YOU in pain?

No, but I think I can feel that you are.

I’m just fine, Love. Your brother had some issues he needed to fight about. It’ll be healed by the time I’m back.

I continue catching up with Oliver, telling him everything that has happened. He tells me all about the kitchen and the newest gossip. Apparently, the entire pack has noticed my brother hasn’t been with any shewolves recently, though they think he’s just overly stressed from becoming Alpha and dad leaving so often.

“You know something,” he says to me and I can’t help but laugh and smile. “Oh, come on. Tell me!”

“I can’t, not this,” I tell him with a smile and giggle.

That’s how Seth finds me, just sitting on the desk catching up with my best friend. I turn to look at him and he’s got a giant cut above his eye that’s half healed and he’s covered in bruises.

“What the hell?” I ask him, eyes wide as I walk over to check on him.

“Your brother is… frustrated,” he tells me, his face serious. “He has some… feelings… about how I discovered you were my mate, but continued to be with others.”