Unscentable
Chapter 69

Brad POV

Bradley watched as Annabella and Piper came out of his office. Relief flooded through his entire body at Annabella's words "All is well." though from the impassive look he and Timothy alike got from Piper, he knew she was well and truly controlling her facial expression, just shook her head and then walked away.

Couldn't read how she was actually feeling.

Saw Timothy nod at him, the man himself seemed very relieved, they had known each other for a long time, before he was the Alpha even. They had helped each other out, done business together, seen their wolves go to each others packs after full moon mating balls.

Neither one of them actually wanted to Duel the other, to the death. It was likely that neither of them even knew who would win against the other. They'd never fought against each other before, not even sparred against each other at this point. Bradley could feel the tension around him, and not just from his own father, but his entire Unit ease off.

No-one wanted an Alpha Duel.

It's not over Brad.' Edward told him via the mind-link.

Brad turned and frowned at the man, it was over, the conversation was done and all was well, there was not going to be a duel, everything was good.

'Piper and Harper, may have looked fine. But they are not. Anger is welling off of them, they're mad about something. Bradley sighed, he should have known that impassive look on Piper's face meant trouble was brewing.

What exactly she was mad about he wasn't sure. She had been annoyed by the end of dinner, something there had set her off as well. Hadn't had the chance to find out what that had been either. From dinner straight to that meeting with Annabella. Though from the comments he'd gotten at dinner, about wolves' earnings being rolled into the packs funds to help make it more prosperous; though he had decreased the amount to just fifteen percent, a few years ago. The major pack companies that his father and brothers still ran, the law firm and the construction business earned well.

The pack was happy and secure, he'd actually wanted to drop that percentage right down to nothing. But this father wouldn't actually allow him to do so, there were pack laws and wolfen laws that had to be strictly followed and all wolves within packs must contribute.

Piper had earned herself one hell of a living outside of this pack, and that money was rightly hers and she wasn't willing to give it up, it seemed. Though once she actually became the Luna to the pack.

Was Mated by him, things were likely going to have to change, she was not going to like that, and Brad was not going to bring it up at this point. Needed to keep her happy and calm still. Though from Eddie's words that wasn't happening tonight.

It did not take long for Edward to bolt away from him and up the stairs, they were all still in the foyer when he shot off up to the stairs, at full wolf speed. Brad cursed under his breath. It had to be Piper, went after the man, found him standing right outside the Luna Suites door, practically leaning on the door, his eyes were closed, the suite Brad knew was sound proofed, the man was not listening, he was using all his Gamma ability to sense out what was going on in that room.

Brad could see Izzy with Brandon, down the hallway near Eddie and her room. The boy was holding on tight to her hand and looked upset, 'in a rage' came an unknown female voice inside his mind.

Who else would it be?' She sounded annoyed.

It shocked him to hear her inside his mind. She'd not been initiated into the pack, though Annabella did stated Fade could connect with anyone she so chose to, so he guessed Izzy could too.

'About what exactly?' He had no actual idea. Walked towards her, he was not going to get past Eddie, no one was and if she was in a rage, it wasn't advisable either.

Eddie would also know when it stopped.

Brad could see that Brandon was also watching the door to their room. He didn't even attempt to reach out for Brad, didn't want his father, was happy enough with Izzy for support, it seemed. Got to sort this little pack of theirs out. "She said she wanted to punch you in the face." Izzy looked right at him.

He raised an eyebrow at her. "Why?"

"I don't know, stated you did nothing. Then.." she shrugged "Asked me to get Brandon out of the room. Harper was losing it."

Brad frowned right at her, Harper was losing it? He did not know what to make of that. Now understood why Eddie was glued to the door, he was trying to sense out his Luna's mood, which of course, would be much easier if she was a pack member. Brad stood with Izzy and Brandon, and waited like they did. Though it appeared to him that Piper had enough sense about her to get Brandon out of the room before her wolf lost it, was likely in a full rogue rage in there, over something he'd done. Watched as Eddie opened the door slowly and looked inside, before actually stepping inside and closing the door behind him. Sighed she was likely calm enough, he supposed, connected himself to Eddie via a mind-link so that he could hear what was going on inside that room, needed to know himself.

Eddie didn't shove him away or block his attempt, didn't seem all that bothered by the slight intrusion, his need to know what was going on. Heard Piper state that Harper was mad, sighed to himself. He'd seen Harper in a fully ticked off all rogue aggression before, kicked Eddie good and proper, sounded to him like that had happened again, though why?

Didn't like hearing Piper state that she didn't want him or Benson anywhere near her at all, that Harper wanted to punish him. They hadn't even done anything wrong that he was aware of. But the words 'furious at her Mates' he had to hold back a smile. That meant Harper thought of not just Benson as her Mate, but Bradley too. That was a huge relief to both him and Benson.

Heard and felt Eddie's amusement and happiness. "At her Mate's huh?" and nearly chuckled himself when she told him to shut it. They were going to accept him and his wolf. This made him and Benson very happy. Though what had ticked her off?

'Eddie ask her what set Harper off? Brad asked the man but got ignored, which made Brad frown. She was not calmed all the way down, he thought, and disconnected from the Gamma, he might need to use all his focus on her still. Looked at Izzy and Brandon "Mum's going to be fine." He told the boy "calming down now."

"I don't understand." Brandon looked up at him.

"Neither do I yet." Brad answered him honestly Eddie will find out. She just needs a few minutes."

"You should ask yourself. Shouldn't always rely on Eddie." Izzy muttered, up at him.

Brad wondered if that was all Izzy or a little of Fade in there, likely a bit of both he thought. They always seemed to have a bone to pick with him. Alpha defiance and that streak to protect Piper pushed through.

"I will, when she calms down Izzy."

"You know, I never once saw her mad, till you came along."

He looked right at her and sighed "It's complicated."

"I get it. Fade has explained it to me. Still you should talk to her yourself. It would be better and you'll not always be able to rely on Eddie. What if he's not here and she looses it?"

She had him on that one but there was nothing to do about it. "She doesn't want to see me in there right now, otherwise I would go in Izzy."

Saw Eddie come out of the room, look down the hall towards them, at Izzy and Brandon and then head off in the other direction, came back a few minutes later with a dustpan and broom. "Eddie, I can have someone else do that." He told the man.

"Piper doesn't want that, stated it clearly, will clean up her own mess." He was only in the room for a minute before he came out again. "I would leave it for now Brad, she's still mad at you." "What did I do?" he asked, and still had no idea.

Eddie shook his head, "Your guess is as good as mine." Then he hugged Izzy and smiled down at her. "Come on, let's go raid the kitchen, Brandon, what's your mum's favourite junk food?" "Caramelised popcorn."

"Well, let's go see if we have some." Brad sighed, the man was trying to sweeten her into calming down. "The theatre room will have the mixing's for that Eddie."

It seemed Piper liked caramela lot. He watched the three of them go, walked down the hall and stared at her door. The only reason he wasn't pushing it open was because he'd heard her himself state they didn't want to be near him right now.

Stated he was their Mate, but also didn't want anything to do with him right this very minute. It had to be something to do with Annabella. Perhaps those questions were too invasive and she was upset about them. Brad knew that they would be and didn't warn her about what to expect.

Piper had asked him why the meeting and he'd not really answered the question, though only because he had not wanted her to think, that he was trying to get her to answer any of those questions in his favour.

Was leaning on the wall next to his own Suite's door when the three of them came back 20 minutes later, fully loaded up with junk food and milkshakes. Eddie held the door open for them and waited for Izzy to put her stuff down and come back to take the other stuff from Eddie.

He didn't go into the room himself.

Brad couldn't see Piper in there at all, though he knew she had not come out of the room, he'd not moved at all, just in case she did come out while there was no-one watching her.

Brad looked at Eddie when he closed the door. "In the shower," he commented, "I suggested a movie night. Just the three of them, might seem more like they are back home in Portland."

Brad nodded and said nothing, she'd only been here and awake for a day and a half. It was going better than he planned, but she could very well be overwhelmed and he'd not know it unless she actually told him so.

Saw Eddie smile right at him. "Just needs a bit more time, it will all be fine. Harper claimed you to Piper, Piper verbalised it. So just be patient."

"I am being." Brad sighed "Do you have any idea?"

The man shook his head, "Might want to talk to Annabella, she came out of your office mad," Brad nodded and headed off to find the woman in question. Likely be in the suite he'd allocated to them for their visit. That was where he found her a few minutes later. She smiled right up at him.

"Come in, son."

Brad blinked at the word 'son', then realised that, on a technicality, she could actually call him that. She was related to Piper, and an Elder at that. Which meant once they were mated, he too would be related to this woman.

"Harper went into a full blown rage, after your meeting," He stated, didn't beat around the bush.

"Hmm," she nodded. "To be expected, it is the usual reaction from about sixty percent of she-wolves, after our conversation."

"What? Why?" Brad was frowning now.

"Why? I should think that would be obvious! But in your case...you didn't warn her about the topic. Why not?

"You wanted the truth. I was not going to sway her." Brad answered honestly.

"Interesting. Most in your situation, do try to explain, including telling what the punishment is. Your Mate Bond will generally outweigh everything else and" she shrugged, "Make your Mate state, what needs to be heard, not what actually happens." "I didn't do that."

"I'm aware. Good for you son.. from my point of view not so much her wolfs. You could have died tonight and didn't tell her this, didn't pre-warn her."

"You told her what the punishment was?"

"I didn't need to, as soon as I told her Timothy would punish you. She and her wolf figured it out very quickly. As most do. Anger is the natural result of not being told about the consequences."

"So she's mad at me because?... I didn't tell her, didn't try to sway her?" He frowned.

"Mm, it's a catch 22, if you had warned her, she'd be mad at you for trying to get her to state what might not have happened. On one hand, they can understand why you said nothing, but on the other hand, if she'd stated she didn't consent and you just took what you wanted from her, you'd have been Alpha Duelled to the death. They would or could have lost their Mate, before even getting to claim them."

Bradley sighed. It seemed that no matter which way he approached this he would still be in the bad books with Piper and Harper." You could have warned me!"

"Why would I do that? You should have seen it coming. Especially with a Mate who is half claimed and a rogue." shook her head at him, appeared she believe this.

He frowned right at her and Annabella simply stared right back at him, didn't seem concerned at all. "Leave her be, its good rages over this, means they are willing to be your Luna. Though a warning for you Bradley. I've seen she-wolves tear into their Mates for this very thing. Damned near killing their Mates in a fury over not being told about the consequences, I'd say the only thing saving your a*s from a beating, is the fact that your Mate up there has a child's feelings to consider." "Seen any Alpha Duels?"

"Yes once, Timothy's father." she nodded, "the man still lives, you realise."

"I do, and the she-wolf?"

"In our Pack, her Mate was killed. She'd already rejected him by then," shrugged it off "It happens on the rare occasion. But as we told you, most Whitlocks stay within our own pack."

"I heard."

"You look after my great granddaughter and my great-great grandson now, won't you?"

"I will protect them at all cost Annabella. I promise you this."

She smiled right up at him "Good, good. Now I will be visiting regularly, likely come and see them when you hold Mating balls, an excuse to see them. I'll make myself a chaperone for the pack." she chuckled "I kind of like it here."

Brad smiled down at her. "Come and stay for a while, if you like."

"I might just do that." She nodded.

Brad made his way back to his office, a chaperone shook his head. Got the feeling that woman wanted to be here all the time, and he would let her. She was half arctic wolf herself and with Fade, being all Arctic wolf. It was highly likely she wanted to be closer to her own kind. Missed the arctic wolves, she'd said.

He would leave Piper and Harper alone for now, probably for the best, seeing that Harper wanted a piece of him, or to punish him, for not telling them about the possibility of that Duel. He'd not wanted to sway her, not wanted her to feel obligated to lie about that night and didn't want her to stress about the outcome of it either.

Just wanted her to go in there and answer honestly.

Bradley was going to have to apologise for her being blindsided and then for not telling her why he'd chosen not to tell her beforehand. Explain it to her as best he could and hope that she could understand, though from what he had heard through his link to Eddie, it was all Harper that was mad, not Piper. Maybe one understood and the other didn't.