“Good idea,” Emmy said. “I don’t think our DNA needs to be in any kind of database. I’ll talk with Coach and see what this is about.”
“Probably something from corporate,” Chris tossed out.
“Probably,” Gabe said. “So what were you all talking about?”
I squirmed a little in my seat. I wasn’t sure if I was ready to dive back into the full moon ceremony topic with the man I was supposed to be walking into the woods with. Thankfully, Emmy saved me by tossing out another subject entirely. “Talking about our game coming up Friday. Should be interesting.”
“I saw that,” Dyl said. “I thought Harrison wasn’t going to match us up with the Sharks anymore?”
Emmy’s face scrunched in anger. He looked pissed. His dark, hooded eyes were intimidating when he had frustration sharpening his gaze. “I thought that was the case too. Apparently, it would have cost close to seven figures to break contracts and reshuffle the calendar. Coach also talked to me about it. He’s bringing in extra security for the game.”
A chill crept down my spine. “Is this because of me? It didn’t start until I joined the team, right?”
It was a thought I couldn’t shake. For some reason, Viktor seemed to have it out for me. So much so that it was causing all this shit between the packs. But why?
“That could be a possibility,” Yuni answered. She steepled her fingers and placed them against her lips. “However, it’s not the only possibility.”
“What is it about me, though? Why?”
“That’s a good question,” Emmy answered. “We thought it might be a territory thing, but it does seem like there’s some sort of special interest in you.”
Dyl put a finger up, then retracted it.
“What?” Yuni asked. “What were you going to say?”
“It’s kinda stupid, but with fated mates, what if… has there ever been more than one?”
That made me arch a brow. Gabe stiffened like an ironing board had just possessed his body. Yuni looked like she was about to answer with a flat out no but paused. Her lips scrunched. “Hmm, actually.”
“There’s no way,” Gabe immediately said. There was a sharpness to his tone. “That’s not it. Has to be something else.”
I erred on the side of believing Gabe. I couldn’t imagine this being because I was destined to be with either Gabe or Viktor. Or both? No. Even the idea of it made my stomach roll. “I’ve been around Viktor, though, and I’ve never felt what I feel for Gabe.”
“Which is also interesting because it shows that even humans can feel the tug of a fated mate,” Chris noted.
“Yes, that’s something that wasn’t quite known yet.” Yuni took another sip of her wine.
“So if it’s not me, then what is it?” Another thought struck me. “Or maybe it’s not even Viktor? Maybe it’s someone else?”
Emmy nodded at that. “That’s another possibility we need to consider. But who?”
Gabe was about to say something when his phone started to ring. “What’s Ashley want now—fuck. This is from the nursing home. I think my sister needs me.”
Without a second thought and before Gabe had evenanswered the call, I was grabbing my phone and getting ready to leave with him.
The nursing homewas lit by sterile white lights balanced by a soft yellow paint on the walls. The nursing station was wide, curving around a hallway in the center of the small facility. There were photos of the residents on various outings and celebrating different birthdays pinned up on a large corkboard.
I was looking through them when Gabe came down the hall, wheeling a frail-looking woman who I instantly recognized as his sister. They had the same bright blue eyes, albeit his sister’s were red from crying and weren’t as sharp as Gabe’s.
When we arrived, the nurses had said she was really distraught. We could hear her crying out for Gabe from down the hall. It was a heart-wrenching cry. Like she was deathly scared of something and just needed her brother around. My chest clenched tight. I didn’t want to already get emotional, but I hadn’t been prepared for how tortured she sounded.
Gabe went ahead to her room, telling me to hang back. The shouting pretty much stopped immediately. Five minutes later, I could hear some laughter. It was a bubbly and light sound. Such a contrast to the panicked yelling.
“Hey, Eli, meet my sister, Lily, or Lils as she’s known on the streets,” Gabe said as he stopped in front of me. I crouched down and offered her a wide smile, grabbing her bony hand in mine. She wore a rosy pink shirt, blue and purple flowers stitched around the sleeves and collar.
“It’s great to meet you, Lils. I’m Eli.”
She didn’t say anything, but she didn’t need to. She looked down at her lap, hiding a smile. “Let’s go to the courtyard. She loves it out there.”
