Brother’s Best Friends Are My Mates novel Chapter 174

Matt

The days started to blend into each other after a while. I hated that I was having trouble telling one day from the next, but being stuck in this room was difficult. It left me with nothing to do but think

I snorted, thinking of Rain.

Rain hated to think. If Rain was here he would be pissed off that he was bored and forced to think so much. One conversation with Rain stood out to me. It was something I was clinging to even in these situations. “My head hurts,” Rain muttered, groaning softly.

I smirked. “Jesse is a math whiz. Why don’t you ask him for some help?”

Rain looked at me like I’d grown a second head. “Last time I asked Jesse for help, he ended up yelling at me because I wasn’t understanding everything right away.”

I couldn’t help laughing. “Okay, yeah, that sounds like Jesse.”

“So no, I will not be asking him for help. I’d rather fail math than be psychologically destroyed by one of his tutoring sessions.”

I raised an eyebrow. “You’re being a little dramatic.”

“I’m being accurate,” Rain shot back, poking their head out of the blanket cocoon just long enough to glare at me. “You weren’t there. He had a whiteboard. A portable whiteboard. He brought it to my house. Who even owns a portable whiteboard?”

“That’s… actually kind of impressive.”

“It was a horror movie. He had diagrams. Flowcharts. He used a laser pointer at one point.”

I blinked. “Okay, now you’re making stuff up.”

The memory had me doubling over laughing out loud.

It had been back when we were still finishing up our last year of school. The four of us had just learned that Lia was our fated mate, so we were all struggling. Throw on top of ruby, followed by school work in our last school year, and it was a tough time.

But then we had those moments where we were bonding and just having a good old time.

What I wouldn’t give to be back at the house, spending time with my family. Yes, my pack was my family. Every one of them. Lia was my mate, but all of them made up my family.

Groaning, I shifted on the floor and winced.

They had been beating me during this time and not treating me very nicely, but I didn’t expect them to treat me well. Why would they treat me nicely?

Then suddenly I heard a noise. I looked around, relief filling me. I heard the howl.

Low, distant-but unmistakable.

A grin pulled at the corner of my mouth before I could stop it. That was Moonveil. That was my pack.

They were here.

I looked up slowly, letting my gaze settle on the guard standing across the room. He’d been watching me for hours like he expected me to try something. Now I didn’t have to.

He raised an eyebrow. “What’s so funny?”

I stretched my arms out in front of me as far as the chains would allow and cracked my knuckles. “That sound? That was the last good minute of your life.”

“What?” He took a step closer, hand resting on his weapon. “You better start talking.”

“Oh, I’m talking,” I said, smiling widely. “I’m telling you to run. Or pray. Whichever’s faster.” He scowled. “You’re bluffing. No one knows you’re here.”

I laughed. “Yeah? Keep telling yourself that while my Alpha’s tearing through your front gate.” The color drained from his face, just a little. “You think they’ll risk a war for you?”

“They don’t risk it,” I said, voice low and cold now. “They start it. You took one of theirs. And Moonveil doesn’t leave theirs behind.”

He opened his mouth again, but I kept going.

“You’ve been real confident with me locked up. Brave, even. Got your little weapon, your smug attitude, your orders. That’s cute.”

He bristled. “You think this is a game?”

“No,” I said, deadly calm. “I think you’re fucked.”

I leaned forward, staring him down, just enough to make him take a nervous step back

“Are you burning this place?” I asked, eyes wide.

Rain grinned and threw his arms around me, hugging me tightly. I groaned, wincing as pain washed over me. “Rain, I love you and it’s great to see you, but you’re hurting me.”

Lia yanked Rain back, giving him a look “Matt, what’s wrong?” “Oh, they spent a lot of this time beating me, so I’m very sore.” She paled, rushing over to me and looking around.

“Tell me where it hurts. I will heal you.”

Lia did know some healing magic, but it did take a lot out of her. Right now we needed to focus on getting the fuck out of here. “Let’s get out of here, and then we can talk”

Rain nodded. “Then you’ll be able to rest. That’s why we are going to rescue you, Matt. It’ll be the most awesome rescue you have ever seen.”

“Take him outside,” Lia ordered. “I’m going to go meet up with the others to make sure we stop anyone from following us.”

Rain and I headed out of the room. He was able to navigate his way out of here, easily able to lead me back outside. When we were far enough away, he helped me sit by a tree, leaning me against the rough bark.

“Rain, thank you,” I said after awhile, tears swelling up in my eyes.

It wasn’t like me to cry, but I was overwhelmed with so much emotion right now. My pack had come to find me, protecting me and finding me after I was locked away for what felt like years.

“Dude, you know we will always protect our own.” I grinned. “How long has it been, by the way?” “It’s been only a few days.”

“Fuck, I thought it had been like a month or something.”

“Dude, no!” Rain shouted, sounding horrified by the thought that I could’ve been here for a month. But hey, stranger things had happened.

“I think I’m going to pass out, Rain,” I muttered, feeling faint.

It had been a long couple of days. It was only a matter of time before I passed out from not getting enough water, the beatings, and lack of food.

The main reason I kept going was that passing out with my captors was dangerous. Passing out while I was with my pack was the safest thing I could do.