Unscentable
Chapter 62

Piper POV

Piper woke up to a darkened room. She was feeling completely hollow to the point her stomach was actually aching right that minute. Heard Harper whining inside of her mind, could feel her pawing gently at the edges of her mind. They were starving hungry. She'd not eaten dinner, crashed out not long after Harper herself had. Now it was late, in the middle of the night.

'Food. Harper told her.

'Agreed.' Piper answered that ache in her stomach was horrid.

'Starving.' Harper piped up again.

She turned her head as she sat up in the bed, could see Brandon was sleeping there in the bed next to hers.

Even noticed he had his pyjamas on, looked about the room. There was no-one else in here, Brad must have put him to bed and actually left the room. She was thankful for that.

Got out of the bed, they should have left something to eat for her, surely. Turned the lamp by the couch on and looked around. No food still, not even snacks or fruit, sighed and shook her head. So much for that, she had told him there was no food in here. Thought Brad would have left something for her to eat. Clearly not.

She was going to have to go and get something herself, though she did not want to leave Brandon alone in this room. What if he woke up? Would he get scared or panic that she wasn't in the room?

Piper did not know the answer to her questions, Food, I'm hungry! Harper huffed at her hesitation to leave the suite, and as if on cue, her stomach growled loudly at her, bit her l!p. What to do? Food was a must.

Harper had been healing her all day and was in need of energy right now. It was their hunger pains that had likely woken both of them.

Was going to have to risk the trip to the pack-house kitchen. Well, at least she knew where it was, and at this late hour there would be no-one around either. Not that Harper seemed to care or be concerned at all right this minute about running into other wolves, her hunger was out weighing everything else.

Stood at her bedroom door, as she opened it quietly, glanced back at Brandon to make sure it hadn't woken him, flicked the door lock to stay open so she could get back in, quietly, and then stepped out into the hall, the decision made to go and replace food which they would bring back an eat in the room. Anything would do, just grab whatever she saw, regardless of what it was.

There was no-one out in the corridor, the lights were off bar two one at each end of the hallway, Bradley clearly wasn't concerned about her running away or coming to any harm. Otherwise there would have been some sort of detail on her. Closed the door with a quiet click.

Heard the sound of a door opening, she bit her l!p. Perhaps she was being watched, turned in the direction she'd heard down the corridor to her left. Stood and stared at the sight of Hadley coming out of a door down there. Hadn't laid eyes on that girl since the day in the alleyway.

Realised it was the Beta's suite she was coming out of, she was carrying a pair of shoes in one arm as she stepped right out of Cooper's room, looked to be sneaking out, in fact, her hair was messy and she was just wearing a tee-shirt.

Saw that girls head whip right around, her eyes wide, though she did not look directly at Piper, but at Bradley's room instead, and it dawned on Piper. She'd been told she smelled like Bradley, his scent was now hers. Hadley had smelled Bradley and that whip of her head was because the girl was sleeping with the Packs Beta and she thought her brother, the Alpha, had just busted her coming out of Coopers' room all dishevelled and likely smelled like him too.

Piper just stood and watched, till that girl's eyes found her in the hallway. It didn't take long a few seconds, saw her bite her bottom l!p. Piper had heard the comments about Hadley having a boyfriend, that the wolf himself was paranoid about the Alpha's reaction to her new boyfriend.

Yes, it was very likely that Cooper was highly paranoid about Bradley replaceing this out, and he had good reason to be. He was doing his own Alpha's little sister. From recollection, she was just on 18 and Cooper was the same age as Bradley. Oh, the man had every right to be concerned about his Alpha replaceing out.

Raised an eyebrow at the girl, but said nothing, saw Cooper a moment later step into the doorway of his room, still buttoning up his pants, looked right at her, frowned at her in fact. It was pretty clear that neither of them had been expecting anyone to be out here in the Alpha corridor at this hour.

Watched with full curiosity as the two of them looked at each other, likely having a quick conversation via the mind-link as to what they were going to do about being caught. Then Hadley glanced at her and hurried off down the hall and disappeared down the omega stairs.

Cooper was walking right towards her "Inside Piper."

"No, I'm hungry and so is Harper."

"I get you something, but we need to talk." He commented, and opened her room door.

"I don't care Cooper," she commented softly, not wanting to wake Brandon. "What you do or who you do it with." and she didn't. What others did was none of her business.

"So you won't...say anything." He asked just as quietly.

"No." Piper shook her head "That is your problem to sort out"

She now understood why he had been in the hotel lobby talking to Hadley on the phone, hadn't wanted Bradley to over hear whatever it was they were talking about, likely lovers talk or something like that. "Good." was all he said on the subject. "I'll go and get you something to eat."

"Be quick. We're starving, no dinner."

"Right." He nodded and was gone.

Piper was curious as to how long that had been going on. They were obviously not Mates, there wouldn't have been an issue if they were, their relationship would just have been accepted by all. She could well imagine that Brad wasn't going to be happy about it, and that's why no-one knew about it. Why her boyfriend 'Cooper' was paranoid, he was going to get his a's kicked when Brad found out.

Cooper came back in record time, less than five minutes. "You might want to shower, you scent of Hadley." she commented as she took the plate of food.

Hadley had been missing, well unreachable, cutting of mind-links to her during the afternoon. She'd not seen Cooper all day either. That was odd for where the Alpha went so did the Beta normally. Unless that man had been with Hadley all afternoon.

He was frowning at her as she stood looking at him, said nothing for a long two minutes while she stood and ate a pair. "You really won't say anything?"

"Nope, not my place too." She shrugged and saw his frown deepen as his eyes moved to her neck. Ah! She was Marked by Bradley, the Luna so to speak. It was her place. "I don't care, Cooper." she shrugged and closed the door on the man.

She didn't particularly care either, was not going to involve herself in that man's mess or Hadley's choice of lover either. She didn't know them, or how their relationship had come about or when it started.

Certainly had not been out there in the hallway looking or snooping around, had come across that little scene by pure chance, it was an accident and nothing more. But she was willing to bet those two were going to be more than paranoid about her outing them to Brad. Hmm, she had leverage over the pack Beta and an Alpha at that. That was an interesting turn of events.

Sat herself down on the couch with the plate of food. There were several pieces of fruit, two sandwiches and even a piece of cake. Looked like he'd just grabbed anything and shoved it on a plate, like what she had been planning on doing.

Looked at the clock. It was just after four thirty in the morning. Ate everything on her plate, it was likely that the Alpha and his unit would get up for training at five, even though it was dark outside and likely bitterly cold, wolves ran hot, so they would get up and train regardless till the snow started falling.

Cooper and Hadley had been cutting it close to getting caught by their Alpha, she supposed, though they might be counting on him being distracted by having Brandon and her here.

Bradley had certainly gone out of his way to tell her and on more than one occasion he wanted her. Though he was unhappy about the way she'd been Marked, he was not going to take it back, would not be accepting a rejection from her.

Got up and lit the fireplace, it was a bit on the cold side in here, stood and let the warmth from the fire relax her. Harper was settled now she had food in her belly.

Wondered if Brad would let her go and buy warm clothing for her and Brandon, though she did not believe he would let her outside of this pack at all, especially with Brandon.

No, that man was probably expecting her to try and leave the minute she was healed up, so he was unlikely to allow her to go into Helena and do some winter shopping. Likely thought she wouldn't come back at all.

Sighed she had three businesses to run on the west coast. How the hell was she supposed to do that from here, had a home out there in Portland. Brandon had school and friends out there as well. He had told her that he liked his friends. Wondered what she was going to do about all of this 'Harper?' She asked her wolf.

Harper's thoughts and opinions needed to be taken into account, she'd lost the ability to shift from their life here inside this pack, had not wanted to come back here anymore than Piper herself hadn't.

I don't know!' was the reply.

'You have a preference at all? Though Piper knew her wolf had been quiet the whole time here, she also knew that Harper had also been watching Brandon with Brad, and she'd actively watched Brad on the agility course. Hadn't felt pain at seeing him either, not like she normally would, that as new to them.

"Not really!

Waiting on Aspen, Piper thought to herself. Brandon was clearly happy here. Just one bloody day inside the pack and already happy. Sighed, thought it would have taken more time than that. They must really have bonded on that plane at some point.

Aspen, however, from all reports, was not happy. If they were a rogue pack as Brad suspected, then it could very well be likely that Harper was indeed waiting on Aspen's decision. If he said 'no' it was going to be a 'no' from Harper, that much Piper was certain of. Brandon got up at 6 stretched and yawned before getting out of his bed. She smiled at him from the couch.

"Sleep well?"

"Yes I did." He smiled back at her "Dad said you were out cold, though.."

"Though?" She prompted him.

"He sounded worried about you."

"I'm fine. I was just tired is all."

He hugged her. "Aspen is really happy that your okay, just like me."

"He's awake?"

"Yes, slept all afternoon and night."

"How often is Aspen awake?" Piper asked him. She'd been meaning to ask him that question for a little while now.

"Most days now, it used to be like two or three times a week, but now it's every other day or every day now. It kind of depends, I think."

"On what's going on around you." it wasn't really a question, more of an observation.

"Yes." he nodded.

"You might want to talk to Aspen about your father."

"Why?"

"Why? He picks you up all the time and from what I heard, Aspen might not like that."

"Oh, alright." He nodded and hopped off the couch and ran for the bathroom.

He came back and climbed back onto the couch next to her, happy it seemed like normal "Hey! You ate breakfast without me." he pointed to the empty plate on the coffee table.

"I did not, that was a midnight snack. I woke up starving. you." she poked him. "I didn't bring me any dinner."

"oh sorry."

"Hmm, starved me." she flopped down on the couch.

"I nearly starved to death," pushed herself up a little and then flopped back down but on top of him this time "My own son, starving me."

He was laughing and shoving at her "you were sleeping."

"Oh," she feigned horror, "I nearly fainted from hunger." threw her arm over her face. "Oh the pain and suffering, my own child, starves me." "Mum." He laughed down at her.

Piper smiled up at him and made herself comfortable, her head in his lap. Refused to move at all when he pushed at her. Just smiled.

"Mum, I can't reach the remote." He was trying to get the TV remote off the coffee table and couldn't not with her on him. She reached out for it herself, feigned not being able to reach it either, "Muum," he whined, and she accidentally on purpose knocked it off the other side of the coffee table and onto the floor.

"Oh the horror" she laughed, "neither can I."

Started laughing even more when he squirmed and really started trying to get out from underneath her. She squirmed and wriggled just as much till he was practically in hysterics over her antics.

Even Harper was fully amused and chortling inside of Piper's mind. Then they were up and had the boy pinned down on the floor as he dashed off to get the remote, and he was a little ball of arms and legs squirming everywhere trying to get away. Pinned him right down and blew the biggest raspberry on his tummy.

"Stop." He was yelling at her while laughing.

"Never." She and Harper stated together, fully amused. They did so love to tickle their boy and hear him laugh.

"Well, good morning, I see."

Piper's eyes lifted up and she found a smiling Brad leaning on the door frame to her room. He had opened the door but not come into the room. She'd not heard him knock but then, that would have had to compete with Brandon's laughing and squealing. "Help me." She heard Brandon call out to his father.

She may have looked up but was actually still tickling the boy.

Saw Brad's eyes move towards the boy and shake his head. "No. it's good to see you two like this, so happy. I like it."

Piper stood up and released the boy.

"Don't stop on my account, it was very cute. My family, all happy."

"What brings you by?" Piper asked him.

"You Piper. Why else would I be here? I wanted to see you. My eyes were met with a wonderful sight to see.

"He was smiling right at her "Breakfast?"

"Don't you have training?" She sighed, already pushing her to go downstairs again.

"No, I've left Cooper in charge of that."

She saw Izzy squeeze passed him and into the room. He didn't move at all and she didn't seem to mind pushing passed him.

"Did I miss, tickling the boy? I heard laughing."

"What? No!" It was Brandon and his eyes were wide, then Izzy was after him. Piper could only smile at them. Poor boy never had a chance when they were all together, watched as Brandon climbed up and over her bed with Izzy in hot pursuit. He ran round the bed and then around the couch, Izzy chasing him only half-heartedly, letting him keep his lead, but her hands were out the whole time, wiggling her fingers at him, as he ran away laughing from her.

After two laps around the couch, Brandon shot towards Brad, all arms out "Daaad." pleading for the man to help him, it seemed.

Heard Brad laugh and then watched him scoop the boy up, step right into the room and popped him right up onto his shoulders to sit safely out of reach, and he was, the man was a good foot taller than both she and Izzy.

Izzy came to a stop, hands on her h!ps. "No fair." She pointed a finger right at Brad "You're too tall," and then came and dropped herself down on the couch next to piper, who'd sat down to watch them. "Does everyone get up so early here?" "Yes," Piper laughed. Izzy was not a dawn riser.

"Ladies, let's go and have breakfast." Brad announced, "Duck son," he said to Brandon and stepped right out of the room with him.