Edge of Redemption

“EDGE! In my office. NOW!” My brother, Alpha Griffin, barked out while storming up the hallway of BluTech, the cybersecurity firm he founded with his two betas, Volt and Blitz.

Rubbing my forehead, I pushed away from my desk with a growl. Something had his panties in a twist, and I had a feeling it was his mate, Sonnet Tyler, the wolf-dragon hybrid who seemed to have turned two wolf packs and a dragon colony upside down.

Sauntering toward his office, I gave his secretary, Audrey, a flirty smile and a wink. She giggled and then cringed when Griffin growled from his office.

“I’m waiting, Edge!”

Damn, he was in a mood. It was so much better when he was getting laid regularly. At least then he wasn’t on my case for every little thing.

Stepping into his office, I cocked my eyebrow. His tie was loosened, his jacket thrown over a chair, and his hands were tunneled through his hair while he read through a report on his desk. He looked up and threw the report across his desk.

“Explain.” I winced. He really was in a pissy mood.

I picked up the paper and almost cringed. I had stopped wondering a long time ago how Griffin always seemed to know when I was in trouble. This was a police report from Hudson Valley. A human city about forty minutes from our northern border. It wasn’t the first police report with my name on it, and it probably wouldn’t be the last.

“You know how it is, Griffin…” I started, but he growled again, so I changed tactics.

“Look, I didn’t know the bitch had a boyfriend. She came onto me; what was I supposed to do? Walk away from an easy lay?”

“Drunk in public, assault, destruction of private property. Over twenty thousand dollars in damages. When in the hell are you going to grow up?” Griffin wasn’t impressed. Then again, Griffin has been riding my ass since I was fifteen.

Our father was seriously injured and his beta killed in a rogue attack, leaving our pack, Blue Stone, reeling. Griffin was nineteen at the time and away at college. He quit school, came home, and took over as pack alpha. Since then, he’s been a thorn in my side. We were four years apart in age, but he tried to act like my father sometimes.

I loved my brother. I was just frustrated that he never took me seriously. I hated that he still saw me as that fifteen-year-old pup devastated by our father’s injury. Sure, Dad survived. But he wasn’t the same. The traumatic brain injury left him childlike and needing constant care.

I drew in a deep breath and tried to keep my temper under control. “Look, she told me she was single. She wanted me to fuck her. I did. Her boyfriend showed up. He thought he could whip my ass; I had to prove him wrong. It wasn’t my fault. I’ll pay the damages, and everything will be fine.”

Griffin slammed his hand onto his desk. “You will remain in the pack for four weeks. I am sick and tired of your bullshit.”

“You’re trying to ground me? I am twenty-seven years old. You cannot order me to stay in the pack!”

“I am your alpha. If you try to cross through any of the pack gates, you will be hauled to the cells and left there until I say. Now, get the hell out of my office.”

I stormed out, and for good measure, I slammed his damn door closed. He was such an asshole! Audrey gave me a suggestive smile. “My break is in twenty minutes. I could help you calm down.”

I knew she had been after Griffin for years. She really didn’t stand a chance with him. First, Griffin had Echo St. Claire in his bed. That was a weird situation with some kind of bond between them that I’m not sure anyone really understood. Now, he has the hybrid in his bed, the lucky bastard. I would have given anything to have Sonni tumble into my bed. She was independent, smart, and sexy as hell.

“Thanks, Audrey, but I’m leaving. If the asshole asks, I’ll be back after lunch.” I enjoyed sex and probably would have taken Audrey up on her offer, except yesterday Ranger, my wolf, scented my mate.

I was in a crowd in Millville, of all places, and before I could find her, the scent vanished. I didn’t expect to find my mate in a human city. I hoped that didn’t mean she was human. I know other wolves have had human mates, but I didn’t want a weak mate.

I hopped into my Escalade and headed toward Millville. I had a feeling my mate was in that city for a convention. There was a home interiors convention that drew a huge crowd to that city each year. I had been about a block from the America’s Center where the event was being held when I scented honey and lavender - my mate.

Walking into the crowd at the America’s Center, I grimaced at the overwhelming smells. 

Potpourri, perfume, body odor, fried food, and stale air assaulted me from every direction. I have always been sensitive to smells, but this was overwhelming.