Enigma

Chapter 12

"Noah?"

"Yes?"

Noah and Lillian stood near the pack house, waiting for his brother and Jake to arrive.

Lillian looked around, her blue eyes wide. No one was in close hearing distance, people going on their usual business in the late afternoon. Lillian dropped her voice to a whisper, leaning towards him. Her scent tickled Noah's nose.

Noah took his attention off the group of pups playing nearby and found himself leaning closer without a conscious thought. Her next words took him off guard.

"I can mind-link."

He blinked, once, twice. "Say that again?"

"I said, I can mind-link," Lillian repeated in another low whisper. "With the twins, I can mind link."

She tapped her temple. Noah licked his lips and turned his entire body to face her. "Since when?"

"Since the day we got here," Lillian said, and told him about the first time the twins had spoken to her that way. "I didn't want to tell anyone else before running it by you first. Should I keep it a secret?"

The trust her words belied made warmth unfurl in his chest. Noah scratched his beard and nodded. "Yes, for now."

Familiar voices got closer. Noah straightened up, his eyes focused on the two alphas on his territory. "They're here."

Lillian turned. Unable to stop himself, and not wanting to, Noah moved to stand closer behind Lillian, her scent branding his lungs. The need to announce that she was his to outsiders was compelling.

But he resisted the urge to put his hand on her shoulder. She would chew him out, no doubt.

Benjamin was escorted by Jake, and Jensen by Sean, from the borders. Benjamin's expression was strained, his loss taking a toll on him. His hair was a blond mess, and his eyes dark with an anger that rolled off him in waves.

Jensen spotted Lillian first. His nostrils flared as he took in her human scent. Noah had already told the other alpha about Lillian, but unlike Benjamin, it was Jensen's first time seeing her. His green eyes shifted from Noah to Lillian in question as their group of four finally stopped before them. Jensen always saw more than Noah liked him to.

"Ah, the human," Benjamin said, anger leaving room to his usual playfulness. "It's very nice to meet you awake."

He smiled, a smile that had charmed many women, and held his hand out for Lillian. It seemed even under dark circumstances, Benjamin's flirting nature couldn't take a break. Noah took a step to the side and forward to stand next to Lillian.

Lillian glanced at Noah for a second with a frown, but she shook Benjamin's hand.

"Benjamin was there when we found your car," Noah explained. Benjamin winked, his grin disarming.

"Oh. I see." Lillian said, retrieving her hand from Benjamin's. Her voice was colder than usual. Noah almost smiled at the intrigued expression in Benjamin's face. She wasn't falling for his charm. Jake coughed, his lips suspiciously curled.

Jensen greeted her with a nod, his gaze calculating.

Minutes later they were settled in the meeting room. Noah stood at the head of the table, his hands braced on the back of the chair. Sean, Jake, Eva and Liam, their senior tracker, were all in attendance along with Lillian and the two alphas.

Jensen and Benjamin looked confused by Lillian's presence. Noah didn't need to explain himself to them, but he knew he would have to do it later to ward off their incessant questions.