Echoes of Fire (The Mercury Pack #4)(64)
Mouth tight, chin up, Kathy tried staring her down. Madisyn met her gaze boldly, itching to slice out her claws and rake them over the woman’s face just as her cat wanted.
“I’ll give it you,” Kathy began, “you handled that situation well.”
“You didn’t. You made a big mistake today. Not with me. I couldn’t care less how you feel about me. But Bracken cares. He cares about how his pack treats his mate, and you shit all over his feelings. And for what? Just because you’re bitter that a pallas cat once kicked your ass?”
Kathy waved a dismissive hand. “This isn’t about my past experience with your kind. This is about Bracken. If he’d brought home a mate who would be good for him, I’d have been so damn happy I’d have nearly cried. Because if anyone deserves happiness, it’s that wolf. You . . . I like you, Madisyn, I do.”
“Huh. Can’t say the same about you right now.”
“But I don’t think you’re what he needs.”
Bristling at that, Madisyn folded her arms. “Tell me, Kathy, what does he need?”
“Sensitivity. Compassion. Patience. Support. Someone who can bring him back to us. Back to life. We came so close to losing him. His heart was beating, but he wasn’t there. He wanted to die. You’re not the most sensitive or tolerant of people, Madisyn. I mean, look at you. You know your own mate is deeply wounded, but you’re making him work for this relationship. Making him move slowly.”
“It’s called building something, Kathy.”
“You could let him claim you. You could move onto his territory and become part of his pack. But no. You won’t. You care more about your independence than you do his soul.”
“I never said I wouldn’t allow him to claim me. I also never said I wouldn’t move here or join the pack. I just refuse to move too fast. And what would be the point in rushing it anyway? You can’t force a mating bond to snap into place.” In fact, rushing things could very well delay the process.
“Which I’m thankful for, because I truly don’t think you two are right for each other. He didn’t even want you until he realized you were mates.”
Fucking ouch.
“He could have easily cruised through life without you. Could have found contentment with someone else. Someone who would be good for him and could bring the old Bracken back to us.”
Cat hissing and spitting, Madisyn took an aggressive step forward. “Now you’re just pissing me off. You’re saying I’m not the sensitive, supportive person he needs, but I’m not the one treating him like he’s broken or not strong enough to pull himself out of whatever pit he fell into. I’m not the one who won’t accept him the way he is now or who tries to handle him—a fully grown dominant male—with kid gloves. I might not pander after him, Kathy, but that’s because he doesn’t need me to. And it would only insult and hurt him if I did.”
“That’s just—”
“The more you treat someone like they’re broken, the more they’ll feel like they are, and the less capable they’ll be to help themselves. Maybe your need to smother him comes from a good place, but it doesn’t help him. Just because he’s not the same as he once was doesn’t mean he needs fixing.”
Kathy shook her head. “You don’t know him like we do, so you can’t possibly know what he needs or what’s good for him.”
“I know that what you did today wasn’t good for him. By trying to fuck me over and work against what all your pack mates are trying to achieve, you betrayed every one of them. You didn’t care that Shiloh would get caught up in this. You didn’t care how it would make Bracken feel, because all this was about you and communicating how you feel. I’ll never forgive you for hurting him, which I’m sure doesn’t bother you. What should bother you is that I’m not sure he’ll forgive you for that.”
“You’re right. I won’t.”
At the sound of Bracken’s voice, Kathy spun to face him. Madisyn had already sensed his presence, just as she’d sensed that he wasn’t alone. Behind him were Shaya and Nick. None of them looked happy.
Kathy licked her lips. “Bracken—”
“I don’t want to hear it.” Bracken held out his hand to Madisyn. “Come here, baby.”
Crossing to him, Madisyn placed her hand in his. He pulled her to him, but not to his side. Instead, he urged her to stand behind him. Silently snorting at the protective move, she snuggled into his side and splayed her hand on his abs. Not just because she sensed he needed the emotional support, but because she didn’t entirely trust that he wouldn’t lunge at Kathy—something he’d later regret. Much, much later.
Glaring at Kathy, he said, “You fucked with my trust. Worse, you fucked with my mate. And for what, Kathy? What did you hope to achieve? You had to know it wouldn’t run her off. Were you hoping she’d fly off the handle and attack Shiloh—something that could potentially cause such a rift between Madisyn and Harley that not only would Madisyn get fired from the club, but the pack might not accept her? Was that your goal?”
“No,” said Kathy. “I wanted you to see Shiloh again. I wanted you to remember what it was that first attracted you to her. You haven’t given her a shot since your family . . .” Wincing, she let her sentence trail off. “Be honest with yourself, Bracken. You want her more than you want Madisyn, or you would never have pursued her when Madisyn was right there in front of you. What you felt for Shiloh was so strong that it overrode whatever draw you might have felt toward your true mate. But you’d forgotten that because you’re rarely around her anymore. I just wanted you to remember. She would be so much better for you.”