Unscentable
Chapter 58

Bradley POV

Brad was mind-linked by Eddie to tell him that Izzy did not freak out watching him shift into Timber for the first time, just tilted her head and then smiled right at Timber's large silver wolf, though he was more White than anything else only had a few silver streaks down his back and a slight slivering on his wolfs face, the rest of him was pure white.

She stared at him for a full minute and then just started to giggle. But both he and Timber had seen the flicker of blue in her eyes, before she'd giggled, indicative of her and her wolf talking to each other. Timber had rubbed himself all over her, happy with Izzy's reaction to him.

Even managed to get Izzy to run off into the woods for a little playful game of hunt the prey, she had laughed the whole time, with Timber chasing her. She seemed to be very free out there. Didn't even mind when Timber knocked her down and rolled around on the ground next to her, then popped his big head on her chest. Had cuddled him and called him a 'Se*xy beast."

That they had walked back to the pack-house side by side, Timber and Izzy, she'd rested her hand on his head the whole way, seemed very comfortable in his wolf's presence. Timber had only relinquished control when they'd come back to where Eddie had left his clothes.

Bradley was happy for the man, though there was still no answer about Izzy's type of wolf, only that it had brilliant blue eyes and was aggressive in nature, though seemed happy to let Izzy play with Timber. Then those two were off to visit Piper, that was right when Timothy had been arriving.

He'd also heard that Piper was awake, her blood work was finally good, the doctor was happy with her red cell count and blood volume, he'd want to take more blood in 24 hours to get a more accurate reading, but so far so good. That she'd been disconnected from the ECG all her readings were back to normal for her as well.

Didn't believe she needed more monitoring, but would likely still feel a bit tired, and that Harper was healing her up good from what he could see. Though Piper had disconnected herself from the leads, she didn't want him to do that. Also report that the joke he'd tried to have with her had been taken the wrong way and she'd become annoyed with him.

Stated he could visit anytime he liked.

Easier said than done, Bradley had thought, with Aspen still mad at him. He was going to try again the minute he was done with Timothy and the Whitlock Elder.

That meeting had explained a lot, but he was very unhappy about Brandon having to wear that ring so early. Really did need to replace a way to contain his wolf for as long as possible. Might need Piper and Harper's help on that one. They did have a really good bond. Bradley liked how amongst all the turmoil of what was going on around them, those two could still smile and laugh with each other. It seemed that Piper never let anything of what she was actually feeling show to Brandon, other than her happiness and love for him that Was.

She and Harper had raised Brandon to be a very happy boy, without any knowledge of her painful past.

How? He did not know! She and Harper were strong to have survived everything they'd been through, even stronger to not let it show or filter down to Brandon. She had looked out for him, wanted him to be happy and healthy, and Bradley was certain that both of them had gone out of their way to make sure none of their pain ever filter to their son. Protected him for all of that.

It really did show, that they loved their boy with all they had. He could very well be the reason, that they had survived out there on their own. Was now hoping that with time she could feel secure inside this pack, now that others could scent her, though he knew it was unlikely she knew about that right this minute, but he intended to tell her right away.

He saw Annabella and Timothy to a suite on the first floor to rest for the afternoon, they had ran along way in wolf form to get here so quickly, and rest was a good thing, especially for Annabella, though she'd simply raised her eyebrow at him when he'd suggested it, stated

"I'm no so old boy." but had gone none the less. He was headed for the pack hospital a second later.

Coming down the stairs to the pack foyer, when he saw Eddie walking in the direction of the Alpha Office, a deep frown on his face. "Eddie?" Bradley called out to him.

"Your office, Brad," Eddie had commented, didn't even miss a step, didn't look good. Something had happened, he just knew it. Closed the door to his office. "What is it Eddie?"

Saw the man look at him for a solid minute and then sighed heavily "Harper has not emerged since Piper was 20, can't anymore."

Bradley stared at the man completely shocked, felt Benson go all quiet inside of his mind. They both knew what it meant for her wolf to no longer be able to emerge. The pain they'd suffered inside this pack had caused too much damage to Harper, broken her completely till she no longer had the strength or will to shift. He closed his eyes but didn't even know what to say to this news. It had always been a possibility, something that worried his wolf and he alike at the back of their minds. Something they had declined to think about right until this moment.

"I'm sorry Brad." Eddie said softly, sounded apologetic to the ear.

"Not your fault, Eddie." and it was not. The man had hunted for her a lot, thought he himself was broken, that his Gamma ability was defective. "Harper is still with her, didn't loose her completely at least."

"Would that matter to you if she did?" there was a slight edge to his Gamma's voice, anger tinged them ever so slightly.

Bradley looked right at him, frowned, the man should know him better than that. "No it would not, Eddie." Saw him nod and then relax, leaned back on the couch in his office "I also know why Izzy tore strips off you."

"Go ahead." He was curious about that himself.

"Her wolf, already has an Alpha. Is aligned to young Brandon's wolf Aspen. So, by extension has a Luna as well. Piper being her Alpha's mother." "Ah, made Piper the Luna to their little rogue pack."

"Yep, and you were doing everything against what Piper would have wanted. Set Fade off, or maybe brought her out of Izzy." he shook his head. "Fade?"

"Mm, Piper asked me if she could punch Timothy without repercussions. I didn't know." he shrugged "Fade pushed forward and said she would do it. That got Aspen up real fast. Demanded to know the wolf's name. Wasn't afraid of her at all. Introduced herself right to Aspen, I believe her words were "Fade, Alpha. Nice to finally meet you." Then bowed her head to him. He bowed right back."

"Sweet Goddess."

"Mm, going to be a real handful. I don't know how long Fade has been with Izzy, likely awhile I'm guessing." Bradley thought about it a while, it was likely. especially if Aspen didn't react to her, he might have already felt something in the woman himself. "It's likely that Izzy just thought it was her own subconscious thoughts, internal dialogue with herself. Handling it well?

"Seems to be... but"

"But?"

"I don't know if Fade will align to you with all that's going on." Bradley sighed, the man was likely right on that, no wonder he'd been frowning when he came in, a lot to think about. Likely also worried about his own Alpha's reaction to a wolf in his pack that may not be able to be assimilated into the pack properly. One that already didn't like or was resistant to his own Alpha.

"Piper will be the key to that particular problem, Eddie."

"Likely also accounts for why she just accepted everything in her stride, had dormant wolf genes."

"Which activated when you and Timber Mated her, I guess." Bradley nodded.

"Agreed."

"What else, Eddie?"

"That's about it. I offered to take Piper for a walk around the pack, just to feel her out a bit, doesn't seem to keen on it at all. But I'm here to collect clothes for her.

I will try again. Maybe if I can get Brandon outside she'll follow."

"Motherly instincts"

"Mm, I'm hoping so." Eddie nodded.

"Alright, let's try it. Her and Brandon's things are up in the Luna Suite, do you think she'll see me?" he asked, hoping it would be a yes.

"I don't know, still seems oddly quiet on her feelings other than anger with the knowledge that Timothy is here...She seems the same as earlier, unsure as to how to feel, just confused."

Bradley nodded. "Guess I can only go and see. I'll meet you over there, go and get her some clothes. Best not to have my scent on them, might not like that at this point."

Eddie nodded and headed upstairs. Brad headed to the packs hospital. He had no idea how this was going to go, could feel that Benson was agitated himself, was prowling around inside his mind. Mates were supposed to love each other right away. Stood outside the Luna's medical suite and tuned his hearing into the room, frowned when he got nothing.

No conversation was heard, just the TV was running, didn't like it, what if she had up and left?

Pushed the door to the room open, needed to see for himself if she was still in there. The tension eased from his body the moment he found three sets of eyes on him, saw Aspen's eyes right away, sighed internally.

"Afternoon." He smiled, trying to ease the tension now in the room. This was also the first time he was in a room with Izzy and her wolf, glanced right at her, noted it was just lzzy, not her wolf Fade on the surface. Looked at her only briefly before moving his eyes to Piper. She didn't look all that happy to see him, never really did though. But she was going to have to deal with him at some point. The sooner they dealt with their issues the better it would be for everyone. "May I come in?" Bradley asked.

Getting permission would likely be the best way to go, none of them liked being told what to do, and none of them seemed to want him to have his own way either.

He had been in a room with her before and on more than one occasion, so he was hoping that would help the situation.

She was also not alone in this room right this minute, so this should help to make her feel more comfortable with him in the room. He was also hoping that if Piper gave permission, this would settle Aspen and Fade. Looking at the three of them altogether, Piper and Brandon in the bed and Izzy on the chair next to the bed.

Piper was in the middle of the two of them, both her guards, he thought. Oh yes they were definitely a little rogue pack. He was willing to bet Izzy's wolf was Beta, ranked to that little pack, and had tried to take control of the situation when her Luna and young Alpha were unable to. It was a Beta thing to do, automatically in charge with the leader out of action.

"I would prefer you to wait until I'm dressed properly." Piper stated, she was only wearing a short sleeved hospital gown, he supposed. Also, the last time he'd touched her he'd gotten carried away and so damned quickly she would recall this.

He nodded, could deal with that, it was not a no. "Eddie is bringing you clothes now." he replied and stepped out of the room to show her he would respect her wishes.

Though Bradley knew he would no longer get carried away when touching her, seems scenting her out, had taken away how hot and addictive she was to the touch.

It was weird to not feel that at all anymore, really had liked it too. Though now when he touched her he got all those electric tingles and sparks on his skin of the Mate Bond, and though to others she now smelled like him apparently, he could still smell her scent so soft and delicate.

Seems Marking her allowed him to keep that scent of hers just for himself. Bradley did like this, and he was the only one to smell her true scent. Liked that too. She was solely his, meant for no other, not even her scent.

Everyone would always know who she belonged to.

There would be no mistaking who she was, ever.

Waited patiently outside her room for her to get dressed once Eddie brought clothes for her.

To his complete surprise, Eddie stepped outside the room with Brandon right on his h!p. Bradley couldn't help but smile at the man, didn't know if it was just to get the boy and his wolf out of the room, or if it was because of the bond they had formed. "Brandon, Izzy and I will head out to the playground for a bit of fun," Eddie told him.

"Alright." Bradley nodded. He knew that Piper would be able to see the playground from her room. "Though, I would like to be the one to show you around Brandon." he looked at the boy.

Brandon looked right at him for a long minute, then nodded his head slowly in acknowledgement.

"How's Aspen?" Bradley asked. He was worried about what Lilly had told him, though with only Omegas here in the hospital, Aspen hadn't rolled his Aura at anyone, so she was likely right. "Tired, he wants to sleep...but." Bradley understood, his wolf had likely been awake all this time, ready to defend his own mother. "Benson is of no threat to your mum. I promise you. Let him sleep."

Saw the boy nod, and when Izzy came from the room, she looked right at him, he stared right back at her, Alpha to Beta he was betting. Then Eddie took her hand and tugged her down the hallway. Eddie was likely right. Fade might be a problem, walked over and pushed into the Luna's medical suite.

Piper was dressed as always slacks and a blouse, looked good in cream and soft green. He wondered if Eddie had picked that green blouse for a reason. Bradley was partial to the colour green.

Piper was sitting on the bed. He walked over to her."Piper, I'd firstly like to apologise for Benson's behaviour, Marking you without permission. Though it was our intention to claim you." he stated, wanting to make sure that she understood he wanted her, as did his wolf.

She just looked at him, didn't say anything, though didn't seem bothered by being in a room alone with him, and he was not getting any pain rolling off of her either.

That was a good thing. Likely she was, as Eddie said, still uncertain as to what she wanted, he guessed.

"Did you want to go for a walk and talk?"

"Here is fine." She shrugged at him, still not keen again as Eddie said, that man was already able to read his Luna, something Bradley was glad of. Brad sat himself on the end of her bed, looked right at her. "Ask any questions you have. I will answer them." "Is Timothy Avery still here?" Brad heard the slight edge to her voice, anger he thought.

"Yes." he nodded. "As is your great grandmother, her name is Annabella." saw her just turn and look away dismissively, had no interest in dealing with them still.

Well, he had plenty of information he could impart to her now. Perhaps better for him to do it than to put her in a room with a man she clearly didn't want to see or a family she believed abandoned her.

"Apparently your grandmother passed away before your own mother did. Part of the reason why you slipped through unnoticed."

Her eyes moved right to his. "Unnoticed?" she rolled her eyes right at him.

"I'm sorry Piper, but they have explained quite a lot to me. I do think you need to hear it. My understanding is that your mother's pendant is what causes you to have no scent. It's a magical amulet that all Whitlock's wear once their wolves emerge at 16." Watched as she frowned right at him, I let it sink in, watched her after a moment pull it out from underneath her blouse and look at it, turn it over and stare at it.

"Don't take it off" he told her when it looked to him that she was thinking about doing so, got a raised eyebrow from her ""'m likely to try and Mate you, if you do. Or that is what your Elder states. You Piper, are not unscentable, your actually highly scentable to every un-Mated male in this pack, or out of it for that matter."

"I don't understand." She sounded very confused.

"Annabella, your Elder and great grandmother, stated to me that your kind of wolf, Whitlock's, smell like you're in heat all of the time."

Watched her eyes widen as they snapped right to his, she understood right away what that meant. "What?"

"That pendant hides your scent, saved your life. I imagine a lot of times, you can't ever take it off, Piper." he sighed softly "Is dangerous for you not to wear it. Watched her for a solid minute and then saw her head whip around to look out the window. His eyes moved to it as well. He could see Eddie, Izzy and Brandon walking towards the playground, smiled at the fact that Brandon was getting a piggy-back ride from Eddie, could see the boy was laughing and talking with both Eddie and Izzy.

But he knew what Piper was thinking. "He'll be fine Piper, only once Aspen emerges fully from my understanding and then..." he sighed.

"He'll be like me. I only have one pendant, I...I don't." could hear the concern in her voice already.

"Annabella has a ring for him to wear. Brought it with her, Timothy had already told her about Aspen."

"I don't want him to be invisible." She got up off the bed and walked over to the window. "Not ever."

"He won't be." Bradley assured her as he got up and walked over to stand next to her "I won't let that happen, now that I understand, we can make sure it doesn't. We do need to keep Aspen inside of Brandon for as long as possible though, that would be the best thing."

"I know that. He's only seven. I've been trying to keep Aspen inside him ever since Timothy Avery threatened us in Whistler."

Whistler? Must have been where their ski trip had been. Bradley sighed "He went about all this the wrong way, Piper. I told him so, I was more than annoyed with him about it."

She was just standing there watching their son, down in the park with Izzy and Eddie, quiet now.

"He's got a good bond with Eddie," Bradley acknowledged.

"I see that," Piper commented.

"I'd like to have that type of bond with him."

"Not up to me."

Bradley sighed "Piper, something else, I think" he reached out and put his hands on her shoulders and turned her to face him. She didn't resist it, but he got glared at, probably still not ready to be touched by him yet. "You three are like a little rogue pack." "What?" she seemed confused again.

"One, Alpha. One, Luna and I believe Izzy or Fade, as I'm told, is the Beta to your little pack. It sounds a bit weird, but it is possible. Rogues do form packs at times and have a hierarchy."

"I'm not a Luna."

Bradley smiled right at her. "Yes you are. Not only are you my Goddess Gifted Mate Piper. I have claimed you. But you also birthed an Alpha pup. That to makes you a Luna."

She frowned at him again. "No it doesn't. Anyone can have an Alpha's child, doesn't make them a Luna."

He couldn't really argue that point of view: "You Piper, are a Luna. My Luna." He told her gently had wanted to say that for a long time now.

Watched her turn away from him and look out the window once more, wasn't certain if she didn't want to acknowledge what he'd said or wasn't ready to.

"Why'd you fight with Izzy?" Ignored his statement altogether.

"Izzy incite Benson into a full blown Alpha rage. I tried to contain him but unfortunately couldn't in the end. Izzy told both of us, basically. That she would never allow us near you or pretty close to it." he did not want to use the words Izzy had. "Benson took it as though she was actively going to talk you out of giving us a chance to be with you. Eddie saved her, but Benson.." he sighed

"became determined to claim you and then raged to claim what was his and nothing and no-one was going to stop him, regardless of the fact that you were unconscious, and they all did try to stop him. I'm sorry for how it happened, Piper. But not sorry that it happened." Watched her turn and look right at him with a raised eyebrow. "So she's isolated because?"

Bradley frowned at her now, she'd just blipped over him claiming her again, let it go for now. He would instead answer her questions. While she was willing to talk to him, this was a start. He was just going to have to work with what he got.

"So Benson and I saw something during that argument she and I had. Eddie and Cooper saw something before it as well, none of us knew what she was, just a precaution. That being said, Benson is still somewhat mad at her."

"Get over it" Piper told him flatly. "she's Eddie's Mate and was likely just very confused, about how things work, was human still."

"Yes, but still Benson needs some time. We did not want to Mark you that way."

"You can take it back." She commented with a shrug.

"I will not be. I want you, Piper. I will never take it back."

"You know nothing about me."

"True, just how stubborn you are, how much you love our son. Raised him brilliantly Piper." he put his hands on her shoulder again and turned her to face him once more, "Thank you for that, for...not letting him see how much pain you're actually in all the time." and he did know she was, had to be, saw that raised eyebrow of hers, and just knew this was her defence mechanism.

The way she was right this minute, hardly any emotion showing, she'd shut herself down to deal with him.

"I got very good at that at a young age." She shrugged "Even more so when I got older."

"Piper, I am sorry. I had no idea."

"I'm fully aware of that," she acknowledged.

Surprised him more than a little.

"I can only apologise."

"I never asked you to. Have I once asked you to apologise?" She questioned him.

Bradley frowned now, as he looked down at her. "No," he commented as he realised she had not once ever stated this was his fault, never asked for an apology"

Why not?" He was now curious.

"It was not your fault, I know that." She shrugged.

Bradley was just staring at her, so she didn't actually blame him for all of this. That was good he could build on that. Maybe she didn't even dislike him, was just closed off to everything, perhaps he just needed to get her to open up a little, to let him in, though if she didn't blame him, and he had thought she would, "Who do you blame? Surely you must."

"Cursed by the moon goddess, I suppose." Bradley sighed, "Part of me feels that exact same way too, to be honest with you. To know you suffered so much and that I had no idea all that time, what I was doing to you."

"Nothing you can do about it now." she sighed herself and turned back to look out the window.

"May I ask you something, that is bothering me?

"If you want to, your the Alpha. You'll do as you please anyway." Now that made him frown, could come back to it shook it off. "Why will you not call me by my name?"

"Honestly.it hurts us."

"I'll never leave you Piper, not a single day since your rejection has gone by, that I have not wanted you, searched for you. I have wanted no other, will not want any other."

"Thank you, I guess. Considering, I imagine I'd not have survived if you hadn't. Don't think Brandon would be here either."

"Will you stay here in the pack? Before you answer, I do understand you don't want to be here, that you have a very human life. Very public at that.. but Piper, I am your Mate and I want you here with me always."

Got silence from her only, not really much more he could expect. He knew he was asking a lot right this minute. But had to ask, wanted to know her thoughts on their current situation, she was not exactly forthcoming and she was too hard to read. "Please will you consider it."

"I guess, it'll be up to Brandon," She finally spoke.

His eyes moved to the playground, the boy was out there playing with the other children of his pack, being very sociable already, he noted that Eddie and Izzy were sitting watching him, not interfering in the boys' interactions with the other wolfen children, allowing him to form his own opinion and bonds.

"What about what you want?" Brad asked.

"Only Brandon matters. I never got what I wanted." she shrugged "I won't let him want for anything." run.

Bradley was frowning again and even Benson seemed confused by her comment. It sounded like if Brandon said he wanted to stay, she would stay. But that's not what he wanted. He wanted Piper to want to be here, for her to choose that. Would leave it for now, she had a lot to absorb and as much as he and Benson wanted her and Harper to just claim them right here and now. It was not going to happen right this minute.

"Why don't we go down to the park and watch Brandon?" he offered instead, wanted to get her out of this room and out inside the pack, he knew she didn't want that, but if she would go, it would help in the long.

He'd known this was not going to be easy, had to take it slow. One day at a time. Win her over bit by bit, get her to open up and feel comfortable first.