Hearing a car pull up, I quickly duck out the front door to spot Andrei’s car pull into the driveway, parking next to Ezra’s and Mateo’s. I note he hasn’t brought his usual guards like yesterday, when he climbs out of the car. Some part of me half expects him to bring at least one person with him since he is going onto another territory, but he is alone. He shuts the car door, and I cringe at the noise before he looks over the rooftop of his car at me.
I raise a finger to my lips, telling him to be quiet. He nods before walking around his car towards me. “Is there a reason I have to be quiet?” He asks, and I roll my eyes at him before walking around the back of the house.
“Maddox took control of Ezra or something. I am not sure. Mateo fell asleep before he told me why, but they are both asleep,” I explain.
“You seem in a better mood,” he points out.
“No guards?” I ask.
He chuckles, shaking his head, following me out the back. “What, do I need protection from you, sis?” he asks, making me shake my head.
“Coffee?” I ask him, but he holds up a water bottle before walking into the center of the yard, making me follow him.
He sits on the grass, and I put my hands on my hips, staring down at him, wondering what he is doing when he pats the grass in front of him.
“Aren’t you supposed to be teaching me how to shift?” I ask him.
“What do you think I am doing?” He asks, patting the grass in front of him. He cracks the lid on his drink bottle before taking a sip. This is the most casual I have seen him, as he only has shorts on and a black t-shirt.
“How can I be your sister? I don’t understand, or is that a lie?” I ask him.
He places the cap back on his bottle before shaking his head. “No, it is the truth, though, I am a little shocked you couldn’t tell when you first met me. I recognized you instantly as a relative.”
“I didn’t even know my mother wasn’t my mother,” I answer with a shrug.
“Your scent gave you away. You smell like my bio father, although more like your mates,” he explains, waving his hand forward, telling me to come closer. I pull a face at him. “I am not doing anything. If I was going to, I would have already,” he informs me.
I roll my eyes, leaning over and sniffing him. Hmm, he does smell like my father, but it is very faint. “But wait, you tried to mate me,” I tell him, grossed out.
Andrei also cringes at my words. “No, my wolf Donnie did, I wasn’t prepared for you to go into heat in front of me, and he locked onto your scent. Our wolves don’t recognize family when they are crazed. I am into some kinky shit, but that’s just disgusting, even I have limits, Katya.”
“How are you, my brother?”
“You should ask our father when I hand him back.”
“I would rather hear your side first. My parents don’t have the best track record of telling the truth. Did he know about you? Wait, did my mom know about you?” I ask him, suddenly curious about who Andrei really is.
“I’m not sure about your mothers, but yes, he did. I will tell you, but don’t accuse me of lying. A liar I am not,” he corrects, leaning back on his hands, watching me. He tells me after I nod. “Your father, well, technically our father. Met my mother when they were both rogues.”
“My dad was a rogue?” I can’t stop the gasp that escapes me.
“Yep, so was I for ten years of my life. When I was six, dad said he was going to ask Alpha Jackson if we could join his pack, but he never returned. We thought at first that Jackson was holding him for trespassing, but it wasn’t until two years later, when we met Anthony, that we discovered he was banished from Jackson’s pack. He was one of their new warriors, he spoke of a woman, who was his mate, but she rejected him because her other mate refused to share her.”
“My mother, Katherine?” He nods.
“My mother wasn’t your father’s mate. He never marked her, so when he found his mate, he abandoned us and moved on, leaving my mother and me behind and leaving us as rogues.”
“So how come you were rogues?”
“Have your mate’s father to thank for that, he killed our pack Alpha, forcing those of us that survived to turn rogue.”
“But you’re an Alpha?” I tell him, and he nods.
“I am now, not by blood obviously, Dad was the Alpha’s Beta. We remained a pack of rogues for a few years until Anthony and a few others saved up enough to buy some land, and we made a packhouse. Everyone pledged to him, wanted him as Alpha, then when I hit 18, he handed the title down to me, making me an Alpha.”
“So is Anthony, my mom’s other mate. Is he still alive?”
Andrei nods. “Yes, while you got raised by dad, Anthony marked my mother and took her as his mate, he used to tell me stories of his old mate being some sort of healer, so I started researching. Honestly, I thought he was losing his marbles, well until I met you and I realized everything my stepfather told me was true,” he chuckles, turning the cap on his water bottle and opening it, he takes a sip offering it to me, but I shake my head. “Anyway, enough chit-chat, let’s get you to shift.”
“Wait, just one more question” He sighs but nods.
“Why do you want my venom?”
He laughs before shaking his head. “Can’t tell you all my secrets,” he teases, and I press my lips in a line. “Do you know anything about meditation?” He asks, and I raise an eyebrow at his words.
“You want me to meditate?” I stare at him, and he shrugs, crossing his legs and placing his hands on his knees.
“Hey, don’t look at me like that. It is good for you. Helps find your grounding place.”
Great, I have a brother, and he is some sort of hippy. “I will try it,” I concede, and he smiles. He does look like my father a little bit when he smiles like that, I shake the thought away.
“Okay, just copy me and close your eyes and take a deep breath in.”
I try not to laugh, but do as he says.