Scent : Animal Senses Series Book 2

Chapter 19

19

Gage hung up and turned to the two men walking toward him. Noah had a guarded look on his face. Gage had no one to blame but himself after growling at him earlier.

The easy-going expression on Blair's face faded as they got closer. He was always able to sense another shifter's mood. "What did we miss?" he asked cautiously.

Jamming the phone into his pocket, Gage shook his head, trying to decide where to start. "More than I'd like." He gave Noah a nod in greeting, hoping the informal acknowledgment would be all that was required to put him at ease again, or as much as Noah could be. "Cooper had a talk with Kelsey."

Blair paused in his step and looked at him. "What did he tell her?"

"Everything."

Blair swore under his breath. "Even about her folks?"

Gage nodded.

Noah looked from one to the other. "What about them?"

Blair looked to Gage asking permission, he gave an abrupt nod.

"Tomas senior's men killed her parents. We're pretty sure they were going for her mother at the time."

Noah spun, his back facing them and paced a few feet away. Stopping he put his hands on his hips and dropped his head down. "Fuck," he uttered viciously. A breath later he stiffened and was composed again.

Gage had to wonder if they'd beat him into masking his emotions or if he'd learned how to do it to cope.

"Is she all right?" Noah's voice shook as he asked.

Not sure how to answer, Gage decided the truth was best. "I'm not sure. It was a lot to take in."

"There's more?" Noah looked over his shoulder at him.

Nodding, Gage crossed his arms over his chest. "He told her about mating," he blew out a breath, "and about me."

"Well shit!" Blair shook his head, a look of disbelief on his face. "When I suggested telling her, I didn't mean everything in one sentence."

"I had Jake take her home..." he glanced at the tree line, silently hoping they'd come back so he could find out more, "he came back and took off." He motioned to the clothes on the ground.

"Shit!" Blair threw up his hands and then waved them around. "Have you talked to her?"

Gage shook his head. "No. I didn't want to crowd her. I messaged her and she doesn't seem to be in a talkative mood."

"Fuck," Blair gripped the sides of his head and closed his eyes. "Seven fucking years we tippy-toe around things only to have it blow up..."

"I'd like to go check on her." Noah interrupted.

Blair stopped and dropped his hands; he looked from Noah to Gage.

Gage ignored the startled look on Blair's face. He had fences to mend with the man now looking at him. He also knew Kelsey would be less likely to rip a strip off Noah because he hadn't been hiding secrets from her. He nodded slowly. "Let her know you're there, if she wants to talk, she'll come to you."

Blair gave him a startled look.

Exhaling, Gage dropped his hands and jammed them in his pockets. "Noah won't be on her blacklist," he waved a hand between Blair and himself, "we will be. We kept a lot from her for too long." Blair sighed, his expression fading into defeat. "And, if anyone will recognize Tomas's associate's scents, it's going to be Noah."