Chapter 96: Chapter 96
Katie POV
Gabriela storms into Stella’s room the moment Kane and Axel close the door behind them. I look at her and swallow. Let us get one thing clear. I might be strong enough to shove a man into a wall, but this woman makes me rattle in my shoes. She is not called Luna for nothing.
“Is she okay?” Gabriela looks at Stella with unblemished love, which catches me by surprise.
“Yes,” I nod, laying a sleeping Stella into her bassinet. “She hasn’t seen anything. She was only startled by the noise.”
“Good,” Gabriela nods and motions me to follow her into my room. “Now, do you want to tell me why the hell a vampire is in my house right now? And why has your boyfriend gone catatonic?”
“Boyfriend?” Braden asks, surprised. “This is the guy?”
“You should be resting, not talking,” I scold, waving him off.
“Oh, for goddess’ sake,” Gabriela takes my hand and drags me into the living room, away from the boys.
“I’m serious, Katie,” she says, lowering her voice so it is barely above a whisper. “Having a vampire here could put us in deep shit.”
Yeah, well, duh. Everyone has made that pretty fucking clear.
“I didn’t bring him here,” I whisper back. “He just showed up. Mason was supposed to be away, and I think when he saw me with Braden, he just ... lost it.”
Gabriela studies me for a moment, like she is waiting for me to say more. No way am I confessing that it is probably my fault that Mason went big, bad wolf on Braden. Or that I fondled her sons ... sort of, and that is the reason for Mason’s jealousy and hasty reaction.
“I’m sorry,” I say softly. “I’m not trying to come here and screw up all your lives.”
“I don’t blame you for any of this,” she says, reaching out and placing a hand on my shoulder.
“Thank you,” I say, and when I look into her eyes, I believe her. There is an understanding that no one else has offered me before.
Gabriela drops her hand as hasty footsteps come our way, and we turn towards the door just as Kane and Axel storm inside.
“We need to get Braden out of here,” Kane says, a wild and terrified expression on his face. “Now!”
Mason POV
What the fuck had I done?
The rage I felt when I saw Katie with Kane and Axel was still so fresh, and when I saw Braden in her bedroom, I did not think. Colt took over completely. I finally had someone I could channel all my fury at. A vampire, a natural enemy to wolf shifters.
But now ... I am horrified by what I have done.
Not only did I technically kill a vampire, but I did it on Constantine territory. If Kane and Axel decide to throw me to the Council, who knows what they will try me with?
They can claim that I brought a vampire to Constantine. That I am the troublemaker. I will probably be locked up for life. Or executed.
At some point, I hear Kane’s voice in the other room, and I realise I have been lost in my own thoughts for goddess knows how long.
I look around. The room is empty except for Braden and me, and he gives me a weak salute. At least the guy had a sense of humour. I amble out to the living room to see what is happening.
“Father ran straight to Gustav to tell him we kicked him out of the house,” Kane explains to Katie and Gabriela. “He said if Axel or I screw up one more time, we’ll be investigated by the Council. They’re looking for any reason to strip our titles.”
My ears perk up. Even though I know I am in the deepest shit imaginable, if I somehow find my way out of this, maybe taking Kane and Axel down would be simpler than I thought.
“Who else would be Alpha?” I ask, and everyone turns to look at me.
Axel and Kane’s eyes narrow, as if the sight of me disgusts them. It must be so sweet for them that their screw-up with Katie is overshadowed by my mistake.
Kane scoffed.
“Not you,” Kane scoffs. “If that’s what you’re thinking.”
“You don’t even live here,” Axel adds coldly. “It doesn’t concern you.”
Katie looks from my brothers to me with a stoic face, and I cannot tell if she agrees with them or not. Even though things are over between us, I still secretly hoped that we could work things out.
“It would likely be Father,” Kane continues.
“That can’t happen,” Gabriela says sharply. “Your father should never be in power again.”
At least we are all on the same page about one thing.
“We’ll cross that bridge when we get there,” Gabriela finally says, waving her hand through the air. “Right now, we must figure out where to take Braden.”
“I’m starting to wonder if we even need to take him anywhere,” Axel says, and even Kane looks confused.
“Mason did this,” Axel shrugs. “If we pin it on him, then he and Braden both get in trouble, and so does Dad for giving birth to the bastard.”
A low growl echoes through my chest, and Katie shoots me a warning look. I take a deep breath, prepared to plead my case rationally, but Gabriela jumps in before I can say anything.
“It’s better for everyone if Braden survives and walks away quietly,” she says firmly. “We don’t want to start another war.”
Arguably, Axel’s plan made the most sense. It is probably what I would have done in his situation. So why is Gabriela helping me?
“I agree,” Katie says quietly, and I look at her, surprised. “I know Mason didn’t mean to do this. He deserves another chance.”
Her words are manna to my soul. Maybe there is a chance for reconciliation after all. Kane and Axel both let out something between a sigh and a snarl. Of course they want to get rid of me, the cheating motherfuckers.
“There’s no fucking cure for this!” Kane exclaims, throwing his hands up. “So where are we supposed to take him?”
“I know a place,” Gabriela says. “Everyone pack a bag, we’re going to see a witch.”
