Her Brother, Her Mate
Chapter 43

Parker POV

After a great night’s sleep, my mate sleeping in my arms, and an easy morning with Carli, I’m walking onto the training field with a huge smile on my face. That smile quickly disappears when I make eye contact with the triplets. Matt seems to be a decent guy, just like Carli said, but the other two are about to get their asses handed to them.

I need to put them in line now, make an example out of them, because I’ll be damned if I let them or anyone else continue to think they have a shot at my mate. She is my mate. I have less than 10 hours now until she fully feels it too.

“Line up!” I yelled, waiting a few seconds for everyone to fall in formation. Beta Anthony was all too happy to let me run this training session. He had his hands full with covering for Gamma Tommy. This class has mostly non-active warriors, the ones not on regular rotation for guard duty, and the ones who need extra training.

I run them through the normal exercises and stretches, then break them into groups for sparing. I put Matt with a group of she-wolves, having him help them with their footwork, then made Mitchel and Marcus join a small group with just me.

“Listen, dude, if you’re holding a grudge because of last night…” Mitch starts but I cut him off with a growl.

“Alpha. You call me Alpha. Not dude.”

“Okay Alpha,” he says sarcastically, snickering to his brother. He’s going to pay for the attitude he’s giving me right now.

“Shift,” I tell them.

“What?” Mark asks, confused. This isn’t a wolf form training session, but I figured I’d give them a slim chance. Both of them in wolf form against me.

“Alpha, I had a late night, and I’m not really in the mood to-”

“Shift!” I commanded, stopping Mitch in his rant. They both grit their teeth as the command washes over them and strip before shifting.

Everyone stops what they’re doing and turns to watch in confusion. Matt was tutting his tongue and shaking his head, not in the least bit surprised.

I toy with them for maybe 10 minutes, making them do most of the damage to each other as I dodge and block their attacks. After they are too injured to go any longer, Mark is the first to submit, bearing his neck to me and whining, b***d dripping from his torn ear.

Mitch doesn’t give up so easily, even though both his brothers are urging him too. His shoulder is dislocated and not able to heal properly. I have to pin him on the ground, his throat in my jaws, before he howls in rage but concedes.

“If either of you lay your filthy hands on my mate again, you’re through. Do you understand?”

“Yes Alpha!” They shouted in unison.

“Good. get your injuries looked at and get out of my sight,” I growled, watching as they both limped away. I shift back, then slide my shorts back on.

Matt came running over to me as I started walking towards my water and towel on the sidelines.

“They go after Carli again?” he asks, smiling like he already knew the answer.

“They’re lucky to be alive,” I sneered.

“Ah, they’re harmless. Carli has been turning them down, and all the guys down in our pack really, since I can remember. She didn’t want to ruin relationships in our pack when we found our mates. She doesn’t s**t where she sleeps. Casey was kind of a c**k block too.”

“Were you one of those guys?” I asked, lifting an eyebrow. He laughs, shaking his head.

“No. Warrior girls that can kill me with their pinky if I f**k up aren’t my thing. Lilly and I started dating during our freshman year and ended up actually being mates. She’s been it for me,” he smiles brightly.

“That’s like a miracle. What if you dated for 4 years just to replace out you weren’t mates?”

He shrugs, “I don’t think about that. I was always drawn to her. I think I always just knew.”

“That’s rare for non-ranked wolves. Do you have some rank in your bloodline?”

He laughs nervously, “Ah, you might not know this, but my dad is human. Maybe on my mom’s side, but we don’t follow our mothers’ lineage in our pack, so I don’t know.”

Matt is a decent guy, and a good fighter. If his wolf senses are strong enough to sense his mate at 14, he may just be qualified to be a gamma. I know that’s something that’s been stressing Tommy out, not having anyone to replace him. Casey was the strongest option but he’s firm about moving with his mate so she can finish school. Courtney said Florida was nice to visit, but it wasn’t home, so I doubt we can talk him into staying.

If dad wasn’t so prejudiced about certain things, like human mates and strong women, Matt could be a strong contender. I’ll have to call my grandparents later and see what they think.

I released the class early. Everyone was too distracted thanks to my fight with the Meyers boys. I was walking towards my truck when I got a mind link from Tommy.

“You on your way back?”

“Yeah, what’s up?”

I can sense his annoyance in the link. “Carli drove off like a bat out of hell, pissed about something. I saw her coming out of your dad’s office and was wondering if you knew what happened or where she went?”

I g*****d out loud. What did my parents do now? “I don’t know, but I’ll replace out.”

I tried to reach Carli through the mind link, but she had a block up like she always does when she’s mad. I pick up my phone and call her instead, and to my surprise, she picks up.

“Hey, where are you?” I asked. I can hear her deep, angry breaths through the line.

“Driving,” she mutters.

“To where?”

“Gym.”

I sighed in relief, starting my truck. “I’ll meet you there.”

She hangs up, not saying anything more, and I know she’s pissed. What the hell did dad do?

The pack gym is connected to our warrior building, and it takes me less than a minute to get there. I probably could have walked but I was already in my truck. Carli pulls in right when I get out of my truck, and ‘bat out of hell’ describes her driving perfectly. Yep. She’s pissed.

To my surprise, when she sees me she runs into my chest, wrapping her arms around my waist. I chuckle softly as relief floods me. Whatever my dad did, she’s not mad at me for it.

“You okay?” I asked, rubbing my hand up and down her back.

“No,” she grunts, her face pressed to me as she takes deep, calming breaths.

“Want to talk about it?”

“I want to f**k something up,” she says, squeezing me tighter.

“Anything specific?”

“Your f*****g father,” she growls. I scowled, pulling her closer to me as I squeezed her in my arms.

“What did he do?” I couldn’t keep my malice out of my voice.

“The a*****e tried to command me to move back in with them and stop being a warrior.”

A growl rips through my chest. How dare he. How f*****g dare he try to force anything on Carli she didn’t want. No wonder she’s so hell bent on gaining her freedom.

She scoffs, “The command only didn’t hold because he called me Clarissa again. I almost renounced the pack, I was so….so f*****g pissed. Why the f**k is he so f*****g twisted? Why can’t they just leave me alone?”

“I know, baby girl. I’ll deal with it. Can you promise me to stay here until I get back?” I know she’s careless when really pissed off, just like last night, and I’m scared she might try to prove herself right now by doing something reckless.

“I’ve got a date with the punching bag. I’ll be here for a few hours,” she snarls, making me relax some. I kissed her head, then let her go.

“I’ll be back.”

She nods, then storms off into the building. Goddess help whoever gets on her back side today. Warriors in her path are practically jumping out of her way from the fierce look on her face.

On the drive back to the packhouse, I call Tommy using my hands-free.

“You replace her?”

“She’s at the gym, destroying a sandbag and probably anyone who tries to talk to her. Dad tried to command her to do something he shouldn’t have. I’m on my way now to deal with him.”

“What the hell did he try to make her do?” he practically yells.

I sighed, running a hand through my hair, “Move back in with us. And to quit being a warrior.”

Tommy growls furiously in the line, “How f*****g dare he! You know that’s that woman’s work! She tried to f*****g demand me make Carli move in with them last night. She’s been a b***h to my mate and I’m f*****g through!”

I can see now where Carli got her potty mouth. He’s livid and he has every right to be. Dad had no right. I’m not standing for it either.

“I’m pulling into the parking lot now. I’ll deal with him.”

He cuts the line. Dad keeps going too far. Mary too. I can’t let them continue leading like this. It’s not right. Not just for Carli, but for everyone. An alpha should never force their will on someone like that. Being a warrior is Carli’s pride. It’s been her identity for most of her life, the only identity that she could be sure of, and he tried to take that from her.

I storm into the packhouse, people clearing out of my way as I stride menacingly for my dad’s office. I can hear shouting as I neared it, and know Tommy beat me to the punch.