Family and friends are hidden treasures. Seek them and enjoy their riches.

Wanda Hope Carter

Oliver was furious.

It didn't happen often. He was easy to get along with most of the time. He never held a grudge for long.

But right at that moment he was considering ton ever speak with Luke again. Or at least not speak to him for the next decade or more. Somehow he doubted though that that was going to be possible, so he let out his frustration on a poor fir that hadn't done anything to him.

*You always had a flair for the dramatic,* his mate snorted from a safe distance, and while normally Grace would be able to get his mind off whatever was bothering him, right now she was also pissing him off. Badly.

*Is this funny to you? Kyle beat Daphne half to death, Grace! Her bone stuck out of her fucking leg! Do you know how much strength you need to break a femur? A LOT!" He mentally rounded on his mate and then went back to decimating the fear, wood flying everywhere.

As much as Ollie would prefer to actually do that to Kyle, a tree was the next best thing.

*No, this isn't funny. He hurt a member of our pack. He hurt your little sister and Luke's mate,* Grace gave back serious. He stopped his attack to the tree and turned to see her. Grace head was cocked to the side, amber eyes watching him attentively.

*And while that is making you ...you are hurt because Luke didn't tell you.* Grace had always been far too perceptive for her own good. He couldn't hide anything from her. Well, most of the time he didn't even want to. He liked to tell himself that they didn't have secrets between them.

*He's my best friend,* Ollie gave back, unable not to sound exasperated. Grace just snorted.

*And he made a decision on what he thought was best for his mate. Just like it's his prerogative. She's his. She's the most important thing for him right now and he wants to protect her. That was the one thing he cared about,* Grace told him calmly. *I may not agree with how he did it but you know that Luke didn't set out to hurt you and keep you out. He wanted to keep Daphne safe.*

*I shouldn't have introduced them,* Ollie murmured pouting and he could hear Grace amusement in her answer.

*Sure,* she huffed. *It's not like they wouldn't have met either way...or that you aren't actually happy somewhere in the back of your brain that it's Luke and not Jason or somebody else.*

Ollie couldn't help but shudder at the thought of Daphne having started something with Jason. Oh god. No thanks. The guy was a man whore.

*She's too good for him,* he pouted and Grace came to his side and pressed her head against his. Her smell, similar to that of her brother wafted over him. It was fresh and clean, just that Grace's scent had the undercurrent of the ocean there so much stronger than Luke.

*She's his. Just as he's hers,* Grace answered softly. *But I agree, my idiot of a brother got really lucky with her.*

*Did you know?* He asked, needing to know. For a moment she was quiet and he pulled back, staring at her. Had she known before and not told him? That stung. *Grace?*

*I had my...guesses,* she finally admitted. *I didn't know for sure. Only after I saw him biting her...that made it clear that she was everything he had always wanted.*

A scream tore through the air and he needed to stop himself from not running straight back to the house.

That was her.

There was agony in that scream, pain and also fear. So much fear.

*She will be fine. Your dad will make sure of that,* Grace whispered. She sounded like she was trying to convince herself more than him and he could just nod.

Another scream. Choked off and then quiet. He closed his eyes, fighting against the imperative to She shouldn't be in pain. They should be able to do against it.

And they couldn't. Trying to help her, trying to help her body to heal was going to hurt her even more than the action that had resulted in the pain and injuries had.

*I want to kill Kyle,* he admitted in a whisper.

*Want to go to his house and rip out his throat?* Grace suggested, sounding like she was actually contemplating it. *Nobody can say anything against a sudden animal attack, can they?*

*Your attempts to help my homicidal tendencies are heartwarming, Gracie,* he told her, amusement lacing in his voice but shaking his head. *Your father will kill us both if we do that.*

Grace made a noise between a huff and a snort and Ollie looked at her, unable to guess what she was thinking at that moment.

*Do you really think he will let this stand? He . He may not be able to go after Kyle the traditional way...or even the lawful way but I would bet everything I have that after Thanksgiving Kyle is no longer in school and that Daphne never needs to see him again,* Grace said softly. "He is the Alpha of one of the biggest packs in the United States, Ollie. He will take care of it. One way or another. Kyle messed with the wrong girl.*

It was calming to know that. He would let the adults take care of it. And in the meantime...they would take care of Daphne.

*...want to go back?* Grace asked him and he shook his head.

*No, not yet. I don't want to brawl with your brother yet,* he told her truthfully, resulting in a soft laugh vibrating in his head.

*I doubt you can talk him into a brawl...he's gonna sit next to Daphne and spent the night staring at her,* Grace told him and he rolled his eyes.

*That's slightly creepy.*

*She's his mate,* Grace said like it explained everything and Ollie needed to agree. It did explain everything.

*When she decides she wants to be.* He finally said grudgingly. He would deal with it. Daphne deserved to be happy. And as long as Luke was on his best behaviour...

*Oh don't worry...I am pretty sure she already has a crush on him...that will come in handy...* Grace said thoughtfully and he stopped, resulting in her turning towards him.

*Don't...* He started and then broke off. *She needs to make that decision on her own. She needs to know what comes with being his girlfriend. He's the future alpha. An Alpha is only as strong as his mate.*

He loved both of them. He didn't want either of them hurt. Especially not Daphne. Luke would survive it. Somehow. He was strong, he had family to fall back on and he knew that. Daphne...Daphne wouldn't. She wasn't weak but she was fragile in ways that Luke wasn't. There were too many cracks and scars in her past for her to just move on.

*I know. But...I want him to be happy. He's my brother. I love him. He's more family orientated than I am and we all know that he wants this. So much,* Grace admitted unapologetically.

*I know," he sighed. They would figure it out. One way or another.

*Well...let's see when they get together and then we can probably expect a wedding our senior year,* his mate told him, grinning in her wolf form which resulted in all of her white sharp teeth on display and he just groaned.

Nope, not going there.

*That's not funny, Grace.*

*It wasn't supposed to be a joke, Ollie,* she deadpanned. *Maybe get your suit from the dry cleaner, I am sure you will be best man.*

His only reaction was a growl.

****

"What's that?" Her brother asked her as Leda handed over her tablet to him. She didn't comment, letting him come to his own conclusions as he swiped through the few pictures she had.

"A Children's book?" Cyril asked with a raised eyebrow.

"What do you think?" She asked him calmly. She watched his face, trying to see if there was anything there that to her that he was hiding something but the only thing she could see was his amusement about it.

"Princess Plumella and her pet dragon Buttercup," he snorted, "How very...novel."

"It's lovely," Leda gave back calmly. It was lovely and cute and everything a children's book should be. A happy world in which the problems were solved easily and taught children some needed lesson by the wayside of it.

"That's not a traditional manuscript," Cyrol commented pointedly and she just shook her head.

"No, it's not."

He looked at her then, his eyes meeting hers, a raised eyebrow. " did you find the book, little sister?"

"The niece of one of my author's did it. I looked through her sketchbook. There was more than that, but that's the most I could sneak pictures off," Leda admitted honestly, resulting in a snort from her brother.

"I want to offer her a contract," Leda told him and he looked back down at the pictures.

"Name?" He asked her absentmindedly.

"Daphne Emerson. She's the niece of Caroline Hyde," she answered.

His head moved so fast that it wasn't human any more. He stared at her and she met his gaze calmly.

That answered her question.

"How old...How old is she?" He asked her, his voice sounding nearly normal. If Leda wouldn't know her brother as well as she did then maybe she would have believed his tone of voice.

Cyril always had been good at wearing a mask.

He hid the wolf away under tailored suits and glasses that everybody knew he didn't need.

Leda did know him better than most though.

She recognised the hitch in his breath but didn't comment. Not yet.

"16," she answered easily. "She's...talented. Signing her on now could result in a lot of money for Randall Publishing in the next few decades"

"You were always good at spotting that," Cyril answered softly, swiping through the photos again. "Alright," he agreed. "Let's see what she can give us."