Of Runt (Redone)

Chapter Thirty~Four

I had been with Wen for years before he disappeared- well left. For years he was my only source of escapism from my family. I guess I know why Irwin never made me leave if I was with Wen, he knew who he was and I was the joke.

Before then I thought we were happy together, obviously since we wanted to become mates when I turned eighteen and even filed early for approval. I never went a day without him until then. However in the years he's been gone I've come to realize I never truly needed him. I can protect myself, I can make my own decisions and I only needed him because I thought I was weak.

I am not. I never was.

To him I had always been the helpless runt. I was someone he could save, someone he needed to need him. It was unhealthy for us, toxic. My friends wouldn't have said anything about it in fear of me getting punished. Vic, poor Vic, had to watch this happened with his half brother.

However at times Wen was a good mate. He was caring, he cooked, he hung out with my friends. He got me my job as a tracker. Perhaps that was all Ghost.

Was Ghost the kindness?

Is Wen the possessive narcissist?

"Reagan?" Archer calls out. I look up from the tray with tea and cups on it to meet his glowing eyes...

Wen now has similar eyes. Eyes of an Alpha. Had I always been blinded to see that he was meant for more? That Wen was supposed to be a leader and not someone just surviving. With me, back then, that's all we were doing.

I set the tray down before taking a seat on an ottoman. Wen has changed in other ways now as well. His dark brown hair is short, he has stubble along his jaw, a scar on his throat. His slender frame now covered in muscle much like Archer...

His brother.

I guess with thinking of Wen as the past I could look past it. I could fool myself into thinking it wasn't real but looking at the two of them. I do catch some similarities. Strong jaw lines, the slope of their noses, arch of their brows...

I lean over to the coffee table and start pouring myself some tea. Just the scent of it bringing me some sort of comfort. "Why are you here?" I finally ask, my voice much stronger than I expected.

Wen doesn't answer me, his gaze still on Archer. "I thought Ghost was joking when he told me. You know, a way to get back at me like brothers do." Wen laughs, but it seems cold.

However I don't miss the brow twitch from Archer. When confirming that Ghost is somehow their brother comes as a surprise to him. The situation is complicated and he needed more than mine and Ghosts word. "Wen," Archer warns.

"First you stole my father and now you're trying to steal my mate?"

My stomach knots at his words, at the hate filled gaze in his eyes. "I'm not your mate." The words come out more venous than intended but it still strikes like I wanted.

He whips his head in my direction, eyes wide. "Like hell you aren't. Archer himself approved our pairing." His hands fist as he straightens himself.

"And she nineteen, a year after what was set forth for your-"

"She's still eighteen for three more hours."

This time I scoff. "So what? You plan on dragging me to a body of water and forcing me to take sacred vows with you?"

"No alpha would approve that," Archer adds.

Wen rolls his eyes. "You forget, Ghost is-"

"Not an alpha, he swore fielity to me," I snap.