Unscentable
Chapter 39

Bradley POV

He was going to have to touch her skin on skin, but she was covered a long sleeve silk blouse and slacks, had no choice but to slide his hand around her neck, prayed that she did not see it as a threat, but Harper was angry and about to take on Eddie, had already kicked the man full rogue aggression was poring out of her wolf.

It was his only option left open to him. He couldn't have them going into a full rogue fight or flight and that was exactly what he was seeing, he knew it was going to happen, but if, as he suspected, their Mate Bond was intact, his touch should actually be able to calm her. The minute his hand slid along her neck, he knew he was right. She was so damned hot to touch, just like before, just like that night in his bed, he could already feel his own heart rate increasing, hearing her gasp "No." he knew she too was realising they were still bonded to each other. There was no doubt anymore.

He and Benson felt Harper practically vanish, Piper's whole body felt different to him, all the coiled tension was suddenly gone from her body instantly. "Shh." He shushed her, wanting her to calm down, did not like seeing or hearing the pain she had as a child, and teenager surface. It had also triggered her instantly into an angry, aggressive response, "I have you Piper." he told her softly.

But already his eyes were closed, touching her was starting to affect him, like it had done that night. He could also hear her heart rate as it tripled in speed, reacting to his touch or to her own fear of it. He wasn't sure which it was, pulled her tighter to his body, wanted to be closer to her, "Stop." she'd gasped, but he couldn't slid his hand slowly down her neck, his finger tips tracing along her carotid artery, feeling her heart rate.

Felt both her hands on his arm to try and stop him from touching her, but he couldn't, didn't want to, every part of him wanted to touch every part of her, "Let me go," he heard her.

"I'm not going to let go." he sighed softly, didn't want to ever let go, "Goddess Piper." she was like a bloody drug, and just one simple touch and he was hooked, desperate for more. Benson pushed forward, drawn to her as much as Bradley was, as much as he had that night to "You feel so damn hot." they both told her, speaking together, and then his mouth was on her neck, a soft but firm k!ss, she tasted so damned good to them.

"Bradley." it was Eddie yelling right at him, his eyes flicked right open and only then did he realise what he was doing, the liberty he was taking, he let go instantly and stepped back away from her, his breathing was quickened and his hand felt like it was on fire, but didn't burn him.

His eyes moved from his hand, so very hot from her touch, looked right at her, he'd screwed up and royally so, lost damned control of himself and she was freaked out he could see it in her expression, in the way she was staring at him.

"I'm sorry Piper." he apologised, not only did he know he had to, he wanted to, he knew she didn't like being touched, that she was not at all ready for that, trying to explain it to her, how she felt to him, he couldn't even replace the words "Our bond is still intact Piper, we are Mates I know it." he finally managed to get out.

"No." he watched her shake her head, and he wondered for a moment if this was what every man felt touching her, is this what Timothy meant, why the threat.

"I rejected you." she said quietly.

Relief flooded right through him, as he heard her actually say those words, it should have hurt but it didn't, because it confirmed to him that she was his actual Mate, his Goddess-Gifted Mate, she openly admitting to rejecting him, confirmed everything.

"I never accepted it." he told her and he meant it. He never had, how could he, when he didn't know who or why? "I never will accept it." he corrected his statement, and he was not going to. She was his Mate and their bond was still solid, still in tact. He could win her over, just needed time and he had plenty of that on his side.

Saw Eddie's hand reach out to touch her, just his fingertips. He was on the move very slowly, trying, Bradley believed, not to attract her attention while she stood staring at him, his finger tips to the edge of her hand, the southern drawl that was produced by Eddie was deep and rich, the heaviest accent that Bradley had ever heard come out of the man. He was using everything he had on her, wasn't going to risk her getting away from him this time. Watched as the man's hands slid right into hers and she stood staring up at him, he had her. Finally, his Gamma actually had control of her.

Pulled her right into his chest a moment later, looked relieved to Bradley to finally be able to not only locate this woman, but ease her pain and fear. To hear her sob right into him as he just stood there.

Hurt Bradley and Benson more than a little, they knew why she was in pain. Because of them, their screwed up Mate Bond. It was likely she'd never allowed anyone to touch her, not ever. Certainly not a wolf and he understood why. She didn't think everything would be okay.

Was a little jealous to see his Mate in the arms of another man, but did not interrupt. She needed this moment, was in all likelihood actually bonding in someway with Eddie, her actual Gamma. Bradley was not at all surprised to hear real relief in Eddie's voice. "Finally I can replace you." the man had searched high and low for this woman. Had thought that he was broken as a Gamma, it was likely that deep down, Eddie was worried Piper would always elude him.

She was very confused, admitted it, Eddie wanted to take her back to her room. It was likely he knew she was overwhelmed, but at that same time she seemed to desire answers about her confusion. Watched as Eddie looked down at her, take the slightest of steps back but kept his hands on her arms, kept that contact. There was less southern drawl in his voice, but it was still there only slight now. She was calm or as calm as Eddie needed her to be.

Asked her exactly what she didn't understand and he saw her eyes move right to him, he'd stayed on the other side of the room, there was currently a lounge between him and her, he didn't want to loose control with her again. Needed to keep his hands to himself. Just one word, he'd been expecting his name to come from her l!ps, but yet again it did not "Him." And then to clarify her statement about not feeling any pains of betrayal, that's why she knew her rejection worked, it would likely seem that way to her. Saw her eyes move back to him, when Eddie offered for Brad to explain that to her himself, it was better for her to hear it from him. He did want to be the one to tell her that. So he explained it to her as best he could. That he'd never touched a single she-wolf since she left, because he didn't want to cause her anymore pain, didn't want to risk it, and he had not.

She just stood staring at him, trying to decide if she believed him probably. Though no pain of the past 8 years should speak for itself, especially now that she herself knew their bond was still there.

"It's a lot to take in Piper." he told her and he knew for her it was, she had run from him already. Hurt by the sight of Hadley on his arm, was likely still trying to believe if that was true in itself. "I'm sorry, I'll touched you like that, I didn't mean to loose control like that." He looked right at his hand, that had been on her neck, the sensation was gone now, and already he missed it.

"You feel hot, burning hot to me and it." how did he explain it to her, he felt intoxicated just by touching her "Sets off my need too." damned near sighed, but managed to hold it in, he'd wanted to Mae the hell out of her and if Eddie had not been in the room, yelled right at him in that warning tone, that he had lost control and was scaring her, he likely would have "Mate you." he finally said, it was the truth and she needed to hear it, and he honestly wanted to tell her. So he simply did, told her what he believed. "I might not be able to scent you, but I can't control myself when I touch you, that is the bond I'm guessing. How I feel it on my end." he was damned sure it was too.

He'd never experienced anything in his life that even came close to how she made him feel, maybe that's how you knew you were a Whitlock Mate.

"She doesn't feel hot to me." Eddie commented, and Bradley was actually glad to hear that. Another thing that lead him to believe she was his Mate, openly admitted he'd rip the man's head off if he touched her like that.

Heard Eddie's very amused tone "So possessive already." and his man was not wrong about that. Even though he let Eddie take her from the suite, he already knew, that yes he was going to be very possessive, so very protective of her, she'd been through so much, and he needed to make sure that she was looked after, now.

Had to replace away to stop her from being invisible inside the Pack, she did not want to go back to being invisible, like she had been. When he sat and really thought about it, who she was now? Piper Harper lead a very public life, was known by lots of humans, Izzy had not been wrong, Piper Harper had never hidden herself.

Had been out there in the human world, creating a life where people recognised her and all of the time. She did interviews, both in magazines and on TV, for all to see, likely socialised with the very wealthy was known not just in the States, but all over the world. She was not invisible to the humans, and that comforted her, she fit into their world, much better than into her own.

Felt like everyone in her world had abandoned he, not just the Pack, but her own family, she didn't seem to care for the Whitlock's at all, claimed they to had abandoned her. Bradley frowned, suddenly curious about that.

His father had thought that Piper had gone back to her mother's pack, but clearly she had not, surely someone in the Whitlock family would have felt Jewel sever from them and die, been on the look out for Piper, called his father and asked after the child. Why hadn't they?

Alpha Timothy had recognised Aspens eyes, but had not recognised Piper herself. She was his cousin, but there was no family bond, but cousin could mean twice thrice removed, it could mean anything. Could literally state she was his cousin because she was simply a Whitlock and so was he, who he claimed to be? Bradley was going to have to ask him, himself.

He had no idea what he was going to do about his past with her, could only try and start a fresh he guessed. She hadn't fled the room, likely a good thing, and she had walked out more or less in a calm state, but that could have been Eddie keeping her that way, he didn't know not really.

Eddie strolled back into the room and he nodded at Brad "She seems confused, but there is not much I can do about that. Worried Brandon was going to see her upset state. When we got back to the room." "She's worried it will set Aspen off?"

"Yes." Eddie nodded "and you think I have control issues. You were gone in less than 10 seconds of touching her."

"Mm," Bradley nodded "kind of feels like...she's a very intoxicating drug. The minute I touch her." he shook his head "I'm going to have to watch myself."

"Yes, I don't think she is ready for that Brad." Eddie agreed with him.

"I know, not for a while."

"How'd Benson feel?"

"Hungry.. I guess you could say."

"Did he want to Mark her?" Eddie asked, sounded more curious than anything else.

"I don't know, he definitely wanted us to Mate her." he sighed "He's quiet, worried about Harper."

"That's a whole other issue. Her wolf." Eddie shook his head "I don't know, I could sense her, but I don't think I could reach her, likely retreated all the way back inside of Pipers mind." "You can normally feel the wolves?"

"Yes, they actually have less resistance than the human counterparts, to my charm. Are the first to feel calm and drawn, want to roll over and submit. Not Harper, barely sensed her. It's odd." "Going to take a while is all." Bradley nodded.

"But at least she admitted she was your Mate, and I can tell you she felt the Bond. The minute you touched her, Harper left like a shot and she freaked right out.

Feeling all that tingly goodness. They really did believe their rejection was in effect, came as a hell of a shock that it wasn't."

"Still need to get her home though."

"Yes, don't rush it, might not be willing yet." Eddie commented quietly.

"I know she's not. But we can't stay out here forever.

"I wouldn't advise pushing her, might see yourself rejected again."

"I'll not accept it like the last time." Brad shrugged "I'm not giving up my Mate without a fight."

"It's probably going to still be a fight, though hopefully now not a physically one."

"Did seem like Harper was spoiling for a fight." Brad frowned "She's all aggression, and I know that bothers Benson a lot."

"Her wolf was in as much pain as Piper was." Eddie sighed.

"How are you feeling Eddie...you looked relieved yourself to finally get a hold of her."

"You have no idea, it is a relief, that woman turned me inside out, but now I got her. Kind of weird, can't use Timber's senses on her at all. Have to actually look at her."

"I know, it's what I'm doing. Switch off all my wolf senses to focus on her, hard to do, when its such a natural thing to do, that its automatic, have to actively focus on not using them." "Yes, agreed." Eddie nodded "So what now?"

"Do you think she'll bolt?"

"Not likely, she has both Brandon and Izzy to consider, they're her family. Now she knows about your bond, likely hole a few days, can't run, she knows that you and I will just track and hunt. There's no point in running" "Can't hide from me anymore."

"What type of watch do you want on her? There's not enough of use to do rotating shifts on all the exits?"

"Do you think Izzy, could be convinced to report any movements?"

Watched Eddie as he really thought about that question "I don't know to be honest, they're really close. Like sisters, I'd have to say. You could try talking to her, but.."

"I know Benson scared her."

"I'm, and she saw you're eyes change colour" Eddie commented with a nod.

"Maybe 6 hour shifts at the front of the hotel entrance, would do." Bradley sighed and wondered right this minute if he should have taken West up on his offer of extra men, though that plane only seated 9 comfortably, so would have only been able to accept 2 men.