Finding Faith (Return of the Dragons)

He wondered if her dragon had told him they were mates. If she already knew, maybe that was why she was able to let go and just be herself when it came to him. Mates felt the same magnetic pull, and they still fell for each other quickly, even if they didn’t know what they truly were to each other yet.

And it seemed like that had been the case when they first met, but the past few days had been a whole new level. If she knew, that could be what changed things for her.

He just didn’t know if he should bring it up yet. If she didn’t know, he didn’t want that to be what sent her running.

Exhaling heavily, he scrubbed a hand through his hair. He’d never been this indecisive with anything before, and he was driving himself nuts with it. But then, he’d never been with someone who’d experienced what Olivia had, either.

Fuck. Maybe he just needed to man up, find his balls, and stop worrying about what was too far, or what question or truth might send her fleeing from him.

Pops would have a field day if he knew how the Silverback, the alpha of their people, was acting toward a woman, mate or not.

Good thing he never had any intention of the old bastard finding out.

He drove through the gates, his mind still full of his mate as he made his way to his home. Throwing the truck in park, he noted absently that Lindsey’s car was still gone as he walked up the porch steps. He’d half expected her to walk in on him and Olivia, and he was glad for whatever kept her from coming home yet.

He loved his little sister living at home, where he could know for sure she was safe, but that could make for some dicey situations when he convinced his mate to move in.

And he would. It might not be today or even next month, but eventually, she’d be in his home with him, at his side where she belonged.

“Hey, asshole.”

Growl ripping out of his throat, he spun, searching for the intruder he hadn’t noticed lurking while his mind was so full of Olivia. When he laid eyes on him, he froze in shock, hardly able to believe his eyes.

“Axel?”

“Yep. You know, I could have slit your throat about a hundred times just now. You were so damned preoccupied you never noticed me. Going soft in your old age?”

“Why are you here?”

Axel snorted. “No warm welcome back, huh? Figures.”

Shaking his head, he ignored his brother for a moment, unlocking the door and walking inside. Flipping on the light, he took in his first look at his brother in thirteen years. They both looked like their dad, so they had similar features and builds.

But Axel’s hair was lightened by natural blond streaks, and he had blue eyes, not brown. He was sporting a thick, dark blond beard, and he was even more muscular than Cody now, and he was covered in tattoos.

“I didn’t mean it like that, and I think you know it,” he finally replied. “I haven’t seen or heard from you in ten years, Ax. I didn’t think you were ever coming back.”

“You know why I left.”

“I do, but that doesn’t mean you had to completely sever all contact with me. So, why now?”

Rubbing a hand through his hair, he glanced around in silence before meeting his eyes again. “I heard about what happened the other night. Thought maybe you might need some help.”

Brow furrowing, Cody studied his brother closely. “And how did you find out?”

Axel hesitated. “Lindsey,” he finally admitted.

His frown deepened at that. “You’ve been talking to Lindsey? You kept in touch with her after you left?”

Another long pause. “Yes.”

A shaft of betrayal pierced his chest, and he turned away, walking to the window at the back of the house. His mind was whirling with different thoughts and emotions, flickering by so fast he couldn’t grasp them.

After a few long moments of silence, he heard Axel exhale heavily as he moved to follow him. “Look, Cody. Dad dying fucked both of us up. And he’d been the only person trying to keep Pops from making us fight it out for Silverback. I knew it would get worse, and I couldn’t take anymore of it. I had to leave.”

“I know all of that. It was in the note you left, because you couldn’t even say that shit to my face before you took off in the middle of the night. If you had, I would have told you that you could have Silverback. I wanted my brother more than I ever wanted the title.”

“You were firstborn. It belonged to you, and I never wanted it at all. But all that shit you just said, that’s why I didn’t tell you to your face. And it’s why I didn’t stay in contact with you.”