Fractured Silence (Talon Pack Book 5)

by Carrie Ann Ryan

  He hummed against her clit even as he used his fingers to spear her. He kept his hips steady, though, letting her control how she wanted to use her mouth since this position could end up hurting them both.

  When her hips started to come off the bed, he pinned her down and growled against her clit, biting down right after.

  “Parker!”

  She came on his face, and he licked her up, needing to know once again what she tasted like when she climaxed. Before she could start sucking him again, however, he slid off her and padded around to the edge of the bed.

  “Flip over, babe.”

  She gave him a lazy look and started to roll over onto her stomach.

  “Taking too long. Need to be in you.” He gripped her by the hips and made sure she was on her stomach before pulling her down to the edge of the bed.

  “Holy fuck, impatient much?” She shot him a look over her shoulder, but laughter danced in her eyes.

  “Your pussy is wet and empty, and my dick needs to get inside you. So, yeah, I’m kind of impatient. Now get that ass in the air, and keep your face on the mattress, baby. I told you I was going to fuck you hard.”

  She practically purred and shook her hips as she lifted her butt. He gripped those hips of hers with a punishing hold and slammed into her in the next instant.

  “Holy shit,” she breathed. “A little warning next time.”

  He smacked her ass. “You got your warning, wolf of mine. And you liked it. I can feel you clenching my cock right now.”

  “Shit,” she repeated but pressed back into him so her curves were flush with his hips.

  “Now, hold on, Avery.”

  “If you say it’s gonna be a bumpy ride, I’m gonna choke,” she teased.

  “Can’t choke without my cock in your mouth.” They both laughed, and he fell that much more in love with her. Sex was supposed to be fun. Yeah, it was also sexy and sweaty and full of countless other emotions he couldn’t name, but without the pleasure that came with making someone you love smile, it just wasn’t the same.

  A grin still on their lips, he pulled out of her before slamming back home. She groaned along with him, her hands fisting on the bedspread. He pistoned into her, his body shaking as his moves became more aggressive, his wolf rising to the forefront. When he put one foot on the edge of the bed to get a deeper angle, Avery began to move with him, meeting him thrust for thrust.

  “I need to see your face,” he growled after she came yet again.

  He pulled out of her and flipped her onto her back so her legs were draped over his shoulders, and his hands were still on her hips. When he entered her again, she arched her back, playing with her nipples.

  “That’s it, Avery. Play with yourself. Imagine they’re my hands.” He grinned wickedly. “Imagine they’re Brandon’s.”

  At that image, they both screamed, coming hard as one. He pulled out of her soon after and wrapped his arms around her as he fell back onto the bed, trying to catch his breath.

  “We need to do that again,” she teased. “Over and over. Because I never knew laughing during sex could be such a turn-on.”

  He shook his head and kissed her lazily. “You’re only to laugh at jokes, Avery girl. Just saying.”

  She rolled her eyes. “You make me happy, Parker. You and Brandon.” They both sobered, and he played with her hair, needing to touch her in even the smallest of ways. “I know it’s going to get scarier, and I feel like something’s coming that’s going to change everything, but you and Brandon make me so happy. I don’t want to lose that.”

  He held her close as their bodies cooled and their wolves slumbered. “We won’t,” he promised, his mate drifting off in his arms. “We won’t.”

  He just hoped he hadn’t lied.

  Chapter Eighteen

  “I’ve never seen so many Alphas in once place,” Parker whispered in Brandon’s ear. Brandon nodded, his eyes on the wolves in front of him as he took in what danger could be lurking right beneath the surface.

  “I’m glad Avery isn’t here with us,” Brandon said just as quietly.

  “I agree.”

  “I mean, I know she can take care of herself but…”

  “But having so many dominant, male wolves around us when we’re newly mated would only aggravate our wolves.” Parker’s words were true, but Brandon had a feeling if they were to say them to Avery, she’d punch them, hard. And probably not in the arms like usual.

  They were at the older building they’d been renovating off and on over the past year. It sat in the neutral zone between the Talon and Redwood dens and had once been part of the Central den. The Centrals were no longer a Pack, so they didn’t have any claim to the land.

  Though Brandon had a feeling that might not be exactly the case after their meeting today.

  The building had also been where the initial council meetings between the Talons and Redwoods took place before they’d moved them to alternate between the dens as their Packs became more and more unified. It was also where they met with the Covens to make sure the witches were on board with whatever the wolves planned.

  Today, there were no witches or true council members present.

  Today, it was a meeting between certain key wolves of three Packs and one former Pack.

  The Redwoods and Talons were there as usual, but this time, the Aspens had decided to send their Alpha and a lieutenant rather than anyone else in the hierarchy to meet with them. That, apparently, hadn’t surprised Parker too much as he knew the Aspens moderately well, and yet knew they held more secrets than most Packs would ever hope to. Brandon hadn’t known what to say to that when his mate had mentioned it, so he’d let it pass. There were some things that the three of them would have to keep private until their mating bond settled into place. And even then, he wasn’t sure that everything would be fully revealed.

  Two more wolves were joining them today, and they had surprised the hell out of Parker. These two were former Central wolves, who had hidden most of the children of the Pack years ago under Parker’s father’s reign. Brandon didn’t know exactly how these adults had done it all those years ago, but he knew that they were the ones who had saved Charlotte’s life, in addition to countless others.

  The Centrals weren’t a Pack anymore, but Brandon had a feeling things might change. Things were shifting so fast these days that it was hard to keep up.

  “Come on,” Parker said softly, though every wolf around them could hear the words. There were no such things as whispers in a roomful of shifters with enhanced hearing. Brandon followed Parker and took a seat next to him.

  Mitchell and Gideon sat on the other side of Brandon, his Alpha’s tension at an all-time high. Brie had forced her mate to come to this because it was his duty as Alpha, even though he would have rather been by her side. She’d apparently gotten really growly and angry and had pushed him out of the house, even while kissing him on the mouth and making sure he knew he was loved and the baby would be okay. Brandon honestly had no idea how Brie had accomplished that feat, but Gideon was here now, wolf prowling right under his skin. Brie was tucked in bed at home with Walker watching her every move. If she finally went into labor, everyone would stop the meeting. Even if they weren’t getting along with the Aspens at the moment, their asshole Alpha understood the significance of pregnant mates.

  “Let’s get on with it,” Kade said after a few moments of tense silence. It had been a long time since so many Alphas had met like this, and there were technically only three of them since the Centrals hadn’t been goddess-blessed with an Alpha as of yet.

  The only reason these wolves had even been allowed to be part of this meeting was because of what they’d done for their children during the last war. They had sacrificed their lives and everything they’d once held dear to protect the young ones under their care, and for that, Kade and Gideon had allowed the Centrals to attend. Blade, the Aspen Alpha, had not been invited into the decision, as he hadn’t aided in the war.

  Bran
don wasn’t sure how Blade felt about that. In fact, he wasn’t sure what Blade felt at all. While his powers as an Omega didn’t extend to wolves and humans outside his Pack, he could usually glean some emotions from them. Blade just bled asshole through and through.

  “I still don’t know why we’re meeting in public like this,” Blade spat. “Unlike the two of you, my Pack isn’t out in the open.”

  Brandon gripped Parker’s thigh as his mate growled so low that only the two of them could hear. Parker was supposed to be the calm one of the group, and yet Brandon had a feeling Parker wasn’t in the mood to deal with Blade. Hell, Brandon wasn’t in the mood to deal with the Aspen Alpha. And dealing was kind of his thing.

  “The government knows about your Pack, Blade,” Gideon growled. “Don’t try and deny that. They’ve known about all of us for years, but it’s been in their best interests to keep it from the public.”

  “Until your old Pack members decided to fuck with all of us,” Blade shot back.

  Brandon clenched his jaw. His uncle had started the Unveiling, but Brandon’s Pack hadn’t been the only one over the past few years to be outed. It had just taken one domino to fall for more and more wolves and witches to be forced out into the open.

  “If you’re done acting like a petulant child, Blade, we can actually get things done,” Mitchell put in, his voice low.

  Brandon pinched the bridge of his nose. The only reason he was even there while most of the others had only brought one or two wolves with them was that he was here as Parker’s mate. Technically, as Voice of the Wolves, Parker was a mediator, but Brandon had never seen Parker work. He had a feeling they wouldn’t get much accomplished today no matter what.

  This was hopefully the first of many face-to-face meetings, but with the way Blade was acting, and the fact that the Central representatives hadn’t said much, Brandon wasn’t sure what the next step would be.

  Gideon growled low, his wolf so close to the surface Brandon could practically see it prowling beneath his brother’s skin. The room quieted, as if even the most dominant of predators knew they could become prey in Gideon’s midst.

  “I need to go to my mate, but instead, I’m sitting here listening to growling and rambling that won’t accomplish anything.” He took a deep breath, and Brandon did what he could to siphon off the rage and anxiety from his Alpha. It wasn’t easy with Gideon usually since his brother kept himself locked-up with everyone except for Brie, but today, Gideon was about ready to explode.

  Parker leaned forward, and Brandon squeezed his mate’s knee, sending any support he could. “The wards are failing. You know this as much as I do. And no matter what the witches within our Packs do, they cannot stop the fall. Once the wards are no more, we will no longer be hidden from those who want to watch us. To harm us. Right now, every time the wards flash, every time the magic buckles, they get glimpses of our location, and our people become less and less safe.”

  He paused and looked to Brandon.

  “And it’s not just the wards,” Brandon added. “Once this proposed agenda goes through Congress, we could lose our rights to live as we do.”

  “We’ve been here longer than this country has,” Blade growled. “And maybe it’s time they recognize that.”

  Brandon shook his head. “They do recognize that. And that’s why some of them are scared.”

  “They want us for power,” Parker said. “They want us because they either want what we have, or they don’t want us to have it at all. Those who fear us don’t understand us. And those who are on our side, who want us to live as we always have—just not under the veil of secrecy any longer—aren’t loud enough in the grand scheme of things.”

  “And even though we’ve placed our people in high-level positions around the country, it’s not enough when senators like McMaster are the loudest,” Gideon added.

  “Then what do you suppose we do?” Blade asked, anger in his eyes.

  “We stand as one. We protect one another. We find a way to rebuild the wards.” Brandon didn’t tell the Aspen Alpha about the prophecy. Though he had spoken of unity, Brandon knew if he told Blade about the prophecy, it would put Parker in danger.

  One of the Central wolves cleared his throat. “We aren’t a Pack, not technically. We have meager wards that protect the youngest—a gift from the moon goddess herself. And I don’t know what will happen to us in the future, but we stand with you.” He looked directly at Parker as he said it, and Brandon once again squeezed his mate’s knee.

  Parker was the eldest son of their former Alpha and could have been Alpha of the Centrals if things had happened differently throughout history, but war changed everything.

  “You killed our wolf, Gideon,” Blade accused. “You killed Henry, and yet we’re supposed to stand by your side? Instead of vengeance, I have to look at Henry’s murderers and sit beside them at this table. He calls himself the Voice of the Wolves, but he’s a murderer.”

  Brandon growled, going to his feet in the next instant. Gideon held up a hand, his body shaking with rage.

  “Sit down,” Gideon said low, and Brandon sat, his claws poking from his fingertips. “We’ve discussed this, Blade. Your wolf was rogue. You know this. You told me he had been missing for over a year when he came to our den. And we both know it wasn’t a coincidence. Someone was holding him until that exact moment.”

  Blade stood up, his wolf in his eyes. “I’m not going to listen to these lies any longer. Our Pack is still hidden and will be as long as you Talons and Redwoods don’t fuck it up again for the rest of us. Clean up your mess.”

  He stormed out, taking his other wolf with him, and Brandon closed his eyes.

  “Jesus Christ that man is a fucking idiot,” Kade growled once Blade was out of earshot. “We needed this meeting if only to see the man face-to-face, but hell, I don’t know how you do this, Parker.”

  Brandon’s mate snorted. “Usually, I’m on their turf, and they parade around like damned peacocks. Not all of the Alphas are as extreme as Blade, though. The man is slowly going off his rocker.”

  Brandon let out a breath. “I hope their Pack is strong enough then to deal with that.” He met his brother’s eyes, but Gideon had stiffened before Brandon could say anything.

  All at once, Gideon stood, just as his phone rang. “Brie’s in labor.”

  “Your phone didn’t even ring—” Parker started before cursing. “Mating bond?”

  Mitchell took the phone from Gideon’s hands since the Alpha was about to go wolf. “You run quicker in wolf form than human, and you’re a hell of a lot faster than our car when you get going. Go. I’ll be right behind you. Let me text Walker that you’re on your way.”

  Gideon was gone before Mitchell had even finished his sentence, Parker right behind him. Of the three Talons left in the room, Parker was the fastest and could probably keep up with Gideon.

  Brandon turned to Kade, who had a broad smile on his face. “I’ll let Jasper and Willow know their daughter is in labor, but knowing them, they already know. Those two and Brie’s sisters will be the only ones heading over right now since I figure Gideon might not do too well with so many outside wolves in his territory at the moment.”

  Mitchell snorted. “Sounds about right. Though with so many matings between us, and new babies on the way, you never know.”

  The two Central wolves stood next to their table, looks of quiet contemplation on their faces. Everything that had been said so far had been common knowledge, but Brandon had a feeling these two were soaking everything in, feeling represented for the first time in over thirty years.

  Brandon ran a hand through his hair, wondering how everything could change so quickly. One minute, they were trying to discuss a plan for the wards; the next, a new life was about to come into the world.

  “We should go,” Mitchell said quietly to Brandon before heading out without another word.

  Brandon nodded at Kade and the others before following his cousin out the door. Kade would spe
ak to the Centrals about what would happen next. Though the Redwoods had a tricky and complicated relationship with the wolves belonging to no Pack, Kade had never treated those who saved the innocent with anything but respect. Brandon wasn’t sure what would happen next with them, but he had a feeling this meeting was only the beginning. And as for the Aspens? Brandon knew Blade wouldn’t walk away as easily as he’d done today again.

  As with the Centrals…this was only the beginning.

  Brandon rolled his neck over his shoulders as he shifted on the uncomfortable chair. Why all waiting rooms in infirmaries had to have uncomfortable chairs was beyond him.

  Avery sat to his left, nervously tangling her fingers when she wasn’t holding his hand. Parker paced in front of him, worry for his cousin evident on his face. Brandon sometimes forgot that even though Brie, Charlotte, and Parker were Talons now, they were also cousins from the Redwood Pack. They’d known each other for most of their lives and were closer than some siblings were thanks to their ages.

  “First births take a long time sometimes,” Brynn said from Finn’s lap. “But it shouldn’t be too long, right?” Her mate kissed her temple and rubbed a hand over her stomach. Interesting.

  She and Finn had shown up along with Brie’s immediate family. Though Kade had said only the latter would be showing up, Brandon figured he’d forgotten that his son’s mate was also the sister of the Talon Alpha. Their families were seriously confusing sometimes.

  Every single person in this room was going to somehow be related to this baby, and Brandon couldn’t help the smile tugging at his lips.

  “What?” Avery asked. “Why are you smiling?”

  “This kid is going to have so much family watching over him or her that they aren’t going to know what to do with themselves.”