Blood Moon: Bought by the Mafia Alpha

Chapter 43: Adan is Mine

Brenna

If I left now, I wouldn't be a part of strategizing for the attack, but I had no desire to stay in the same room with Adan right now, either. But he had a point. I can't help what he did before I came along, and neither can he. But it doesn't make it any easier.

I crossed the room to the door and opened it. "Mason, you can come back in now."

He peeked his head around the corner, arching an eyebrow. "Do I need to raise a white flag?"

I sighed, shaking my head. "No, the coast is clear... for now." I glared at Adan as I headed back to Mason's desk and looked over the diagram. "It's a solid plan, but we should attack from this angle." I pointed to a spot on the map.

"Really? Why?" A crease formed between Mason's eyes as he looked at the makeshift map over my shoulder.

We went on to discuss strategy and battle plans but neither Adan nor I mentioned Hailey. How were we supposed to get past this? I knew we would eventually, but it wasn't going to happen overnight.

By the time we finished, we had a solid plan of attack. I just hoped we were the ones who struck first and not them.

There were too many children in this Pack. Too much to lose. Then my mind went to the warriors. Even though I hadn't known them long, they had quickly become a part of my family, not just my Pack.

"Well, I'll see you tomorrow, Mason." I started to leave, but Adan stepped in front of me.

"Have dinner with me tonight."

I looked at him as if he were the last crazy man on Earth. "You have got to be kidding me."

"No." He clenched his jaw. Obviously, he wasn't used to being turned down. Well, there was a first for everything.

I shook my head. "I need some time, Adan. I'll see you tomorrow."

Before he could say anything more, I headed out and closed the door behind me. Then I ran up the stairs as quickly as possible, headed toward Magenta's suite.

I needed to speak with her, but it was a good excuse to have some time away from Adan. He acted like this was no big deal, but it was so much more. He had made a clean break with Hailey, which was good. But if he had children, there would have been no way I could have taken him away from them. I shivered at the thought.

As luck would have it, he didn't. But I still needed time. Time to process. Time to figure out what this meant for us. Just... time.

I had no idea exactly which condo was Magenta's, but I knew it was on the floor below ours. On the way up, I met two male shifters coming down.

"Excuse me. But which condo is Magenta's?"

They stepped aside to let me pass.

"The last on the left on the fifth floor, My Queen," one replied as I walked past.

"Thank you." I hurried up the next two floors and quickly knocked on her door.

I looked around, fully expecting to see Adan walking down the hallway behind me as footsteps resonated from inside Magenta's suite, growing closer.

She opened the door a moment later. "Well, hello, Brenna!" She tilted her head to the side, a crease between her eyes. "Did we have an appointment this afternoon?"

I shook my head. "No, but the full moon is coming in a few days, so I thought we should plan."

She nodded, a smile lighting her lips. "Actually, it's the day after tomorrow, so it's good that you came." She stepped back, opening the door wide. "Come on in, and we'll talk."

I breathed a sigh of relief as she closed the door behind me. I wasn't running from Adan. Not really. I just needed a moment to let everything sink in. I couldn't switch gears that quickly.

"Make yourself comfortable, and I'll order us some lunch." She lifted her cell phone off the counter and dialed the number.

"Would you mind if I make some tea?" I needed something to do, and I didn't want to sit idle. When I have a lot on my mind, I handle it better when I'm active. I think better that way.

A smile lit her lips. "I would say that I'll take care of it, but I think you need something to do. Am I right?"

I chuckled. "I'll definitely have to be careful of my thoughts around you." It was a pain that she could read minds. There were literally no secrets I could keep from her. As much as I tried to control my thoughts and feelings, I was an open book.

"We'll talk over lunch." Then someone picked up on the other end, and she ordered us lunch.

Wolves have excellent hearing. So good that I could hear the kitchen staff talking on the other end but pretended not to.

As I started fixing tea the human way, I couldn't help but think of Adan. Could Hailey really have loved Adan that much, not being Mates? But I already knew the answer.

Humans fell in love all the time and didn't have an actual Mate, per se. I guess they did, but it was different. In movies, there was always the stereotypical scene of someone seeing the love of their life across a crowded room, and they fall in love and marry. If that wasn't finding your Mate, then I didn't know what was.

"He loves you."

I turned, and Magenta was leaning against the door frame.

"And it's not because of the Pull of the Mate."

"But he just met me." I set the teapot on the stove and turned it on. "And he's known Hailey for fifty or sixty years. For humans, that's a lifetime."

"Not for us." Magenta took out a serving tray and started with the cups and saucers. "Brenna, you must understand. He was never with Hailey. He saw many women, and he made no promises to any of them, including Hailey. She knew he was waiting for his Mate, yet she continued seeing him."

"So, he was telling the truth."

Magenta nodded, laying napkins and spoons on the serving tray. "He may be many things, but a liar is not one of them. He never lies to anyone."

I nodded understanding. A part of me couldn't help but feel sorry for Hailey, but like it or not, Adan is mine.

***

A/N: So, what would you do if you were Brenna?