Chapter 9 - Crying Wolf

The snarled words uttered through fangs and passed towards him with glaring glowing white eyes made Ezekiels breath drop out of him like he had been struck in the core.

“WHOA! Wait...Hold on!” Ezekiel tried to interrupt. “Mate, you....You have a Mate!? Nate what the hell man!? i mean where is she? Who is she!?” he asked his brother in rapid and shocked succession. "Is she in our Clan?"

Ezekiel was completely floored. Nate was mated? When. Who. And why was he only now learning something so important about his own brother?

Yes Nate had always been a mystery. Yes he had always had his secrets....but a hidden Mate!?

How was it even possible?

Dammit!? This is just like the fact that he has an immunity to poison! Why is Nate hiding this shit from us? Or is he only hiding it from me? Mom, Dad and Walter all seemed to know that Nate was immune to toxins....so do they all know about this unknown Mate too?

Ezekiel’s mind raced with questions that would find only a few answers.

Almost as if he had heard Ezekiel’s thoughts in that moment Nate sat back and slowly sneered, his expression dangerous and closed off.

“Oh, Fuck me! I never meant to say that!” Then Nate cast Ezekiel a cold and hateful look that was so unlike his brother that Ezekiel flinched. “Stop looking at me like that Ezekiel! WE both know there’s shit in my past that I don’t talk about. And with good reason!”

Nate snarled in a bitter tone that shocked Ezekiel into silence. “My Mate is none of your concern. What you know about her is all you need to know! Nothing! And before you even ask....Nobody else in family knows that I have a Mate except for me...and now you know it too.”

Nate bit his lip a feral, almost frantic look filled his eyes. “I... I never even intended to speak of her, but my Wolf got a little wild just now.” Nate frowned and then growled. “Don’t you ever mention her again! Don’t talk about this to the others Ezekiel! She is none of your business! Pretend you never heard me speak of her. Got it!” Nate tapered off his demanding and desperate words and his brother stared at Ezekiel for a moment. His eyes conveying the white gaze of his Wolf.

“Nate...Why?” Ezekiel tried to speak, but with a terrible snarl and a bearing of his fangs Nate cut him off.

“NO!” Nate shouted in clear warning. Then seeing the shocked expression on Ezekiel’s face, Nate sighed and continued in a much softer tone. Sounding guilty he almost whispered. “Please...Please....Ezekiel don’t ask me to explain. If you pry into this....she could die. Do you understand...? Stop!”

Ezekiel looked into his brothers eyes...and saw the wolf there gazing back. But instead of the sly, fun loving, dangerous hound of the night.....Ezekiel saw staunch fear in Nates eyes. Fear that seemed to mirror the fear that had shown in Mantilo’s eyes after their mother had been injured. True fear.

Ezekiel felt the undeniable buzz of curiosity and questions tickling his heart and mind, but for sake of his brother Ezekiel shook of the questions and said. “I understand Nate. I won’t pry...but if you ever need to talk about it...I want to listen.”

Silence followed his words and in the silence Ezekiel felt his brother slowly unwinding. Finally Nate bowed his head and replied. “Thank you....” he seemed to whimper and for a long moment after that nether of then spoke.

But soon enough Nate shook off his strange mood and lifting up his head Nate smiled. That hollow, but happy smirk settled across his slim mouth.

It was a simple smile that Ezekiel was starting to realize hid something dangerous and powerful. Something opposite to the playful smirking character that Nate had always seemed to be. This smile hid his real brother. Hid the wolf and the man.

Still, as if nothing had exchanged between them but a summer breeze, Nate chuckled flashing fangs and easily went back to his earlier subject.

“The point I was trying to make is that there is something growing. Ezekiel.....weather you have noticed it or not...your words are very telling. Your actions even more so. The physical connection between you and Brandon may not be fulfilled, but I still feel a connection there. So just know that you don’t have to worry about me stealing him away. Only a fool would try to pursue Brandon. And I’m not as foolish as all that.” Nate stopped and sniffed the air, then growled, gossamer white eyes piercing as he looked Ezekiel in the eyes. “Small things are different about you too. Your scent is even changing.”

“My scent?” Ezekiel questioned breaking away from the compelling and almost threatening eyes of Nate. With a deep inhale of his wrist, just besides his palm, Ezekiel took in his own scent, then he shook his head in denial. “I don’t smell any differences.”

Nate shrugged away his denial easily. “It’s no different than Brandon. His scent is changing too but he wouldn’t notice. Your both starting to smell...identical. It’s subtle. But no one else except for me seems to notice.” Nate scoffed and rolled his eyes. “But really...What more do you expect from a bunch of kitty cats?”

At this point Ezekiel felt that he was allowing himself to be pulled in by Nates words and dramatic actions. Maybe Nate words made some since, but a lot of what Nate had said so far was just too unbelievable.

Was Brando affecting his family in some unforeseen and powerful way? It seemed unlikely...and even more so it seemed like a fairy tail.

Nate had the bad habit of talking as if he made the world go round. His confidence, bravado and light nature were often a boon, but it was also terribly alluring and manipulative. Ezekiel knew when to cut his brother off before the Willy dog could lead him astray with his mysterious nature and skilled tongue.

Crossing his arms over his chest Ezekiel hissed. “Nate...I think you’re getting way ahead of yourself.” Ezekiel softly pushed. “I really don’t smell any different. And I definitely haven’t Marked Brandon. Physically or otherwise. Maybe I will one day, but....as of right now....we aren’t even together! The stuff you’re saying....I would have noticed all of this before if it was all truly happening.” ” he explained.

Suddenly Nate snorted outwards like a dog that was terribly bored. Without another word he jumped to his feet and clapped his hands. “Your right! I think I am getting ahead of myself aren’t I? “Nate quipped, then he dropped his hands, turned and walked over to his plate of eggs and soda on the opposite counter. “Half that stuff I said was just bullshit! I was totally fucking with you lil brother.” Nate openly teased as he spoke across his shoulder.

Ezekiel dropped his head and groaned. Suddenly Ezekiel believed that Nate was also lying to him.

Feeling suddenly confused Ezekiel hissed in expiration. “Which half was bullshit Nate?” he asked as Nate started walking out of the kitchen.

“The half that wasn’t the truth of course....” Nate called back cryptically as he passed the thresh hold, turned the corner and disappeared.

Somehow exhausted and also left not knowing what to think about Brandon or Making or Mating, or Nate or anything!

Ezekiel roared out. “You such a fucking asshole, why do you have to be so bizarre all the time!”

“Ezekiel!!” Walters’s voice suddenly called out across the room. Surprised Ezekiel looked across the room and felt a small flush of surprise tickle him....because for the first time....Ezekiel realized that Walter had been standing far across the room, in the back of the kitchen.

Walter was dressed in jeans and a dark black t-shirt. His hair and mustache looked freshly shaven, and his cool brown gaze held an odd not of sincerity as Walter pushed up off of the door frame that he had been leaning against like a giant statue.

“Walter how long have you been in here....” Ezekiel started to ask.

But with a strong rumble Walter spoke across him and the words he spoke were so unpredictable that Ezekiel nearly gaffed.

“Ezekiel I can hear something heavy in your soul....If you want to talk Is there anything you need to get off your mind? I am willing to listen and lighten your load.”