The warmth of Ezekiels touch remained for too long. The trickle of awareness in Brandons heart and the awkward silence between them didn't fade, but with the days till his freedom counting down and food on the horizon Brandon tried to focus on anything but the magnatisum of the Shifter walking beside him.

Or the secret need inside of him. The enemies behind him. Or the uncertainty waiting before him.

Unexpectedly the kitchen was already occupied when Brandon and Ezekiel came into it. Lander, Nate and Walter stood in the middle of the dining room. Half eaten breakfasts consisting of scrambled eggs and toast called to Brandon as he made his way into the room on Ezekiels heels.

With his eyes only for the stove Brandon didn't exactly notice anything amiss until he and Ezekiel had both pilled on fresh eggs, crispy bacon and more bacon onto their plates and taken seats at the counter-top. Brandon took a moment to glance at the brothers.

They were all gathered with their tall backs turned away as they all looked at something Brandon guessed was extremely compelling.

With Nate standing just a few feet in front of his other brothers. All of the brothers looked, fresh from the hunt. And much like Ezekiel, they carried a restless, frustrated air that circulated just beneath the calm and playful expressions on the three brother's faces. The buzzing live wire nature of predators ready to be let free.

But unlike Ezekiel, it appeared to Brandon that while Ezekiel had went up to Brandon's room, the rest of his siblings had spent the morning washing up for patrols.

All of them were sporting hair slicked back as if they had just emerged from the shower, matching white tee shirts that did everything to enhance the hard bodies hidden beneath them, and simple pairs of faded jeans and work boots.

For the first few minutes all Brandon could really focus on was the food, but after that.....Brandon happened to look up in time to catch a glimpse of what it was that had all of the older brothers enraptured.

IT was a broom.

Confused Brandon scoffed and shoved one last spoon full of eggs into his mouth before he turned to Ezekiel.

"What are they doing...? Having a staring contest with the broom"? He whispered at Ezekiel in confusion, periodically casting his elder brothers looks. "Are they waiting for the wood to blink or something?"

A slow large smile spread across Ezekiel's handsome face, before he shook his head and looked back down at his plate, without offering any explanation for what was happening or why.

Suddenly Nate threw his hand up into the air....and slowly brought it down back level with the broom all while shouting to the heavens. "I command thee to move! By the strength of the Moon I compell you!!!!"

Ezekiel choked on his food and started coughing and laughing hard. And Brandon gaffed with him, a random and uncontrolled laugh bubbled up out of Brandon before he could stop it and he had just covered his mouth when Walter, Nate and Lander turned around to look at him.

Suddenly in the cross hairs of all of the brothers Brandon didn't want to talk, but with a slight shrug, Brandon dropped his hands and shook his head.

"I'm sorry...to laugh." He apologized trying to drop the smile on his face and not quite managing to make it fade away. "But what are you doing over there Nate?" He asked gesturing to the broom.

"It looks like your trying to cast a spell or something?" Suddenly something clicked for Brandon and he let out a soft breath. "Oh....!" He said. "Does all of this have something to do with your little abilities?"

As he spoke all of Ezekiel's brothers had turned form their huddle and crossed the room to stand around the countertop.

Once they were all settled around him and Ezekiel it was Nate that responded to him " Little abilities? So, you're familiar with the fact that we have these abilities?"

"Yeah sure...but I only know a few things about Lander....and Ezekiel too." Brandon replied glancing about Nates face.

The piercings in his eyebrows made him look decidedly exotic and more dangerous then the soft smile on his face revealed.

Two toned eyes warmly gazed back at him, on white and off black pupils and irises seemed to carry the secretive glow of another being. The Wolf.

While the old ugly scar that stretched over his eye and down his left cheek caught Brandon's eye in the soft morning light that was pouring in from beyond the windows. At the apex of his chest a glimmer of a chain caught the light.

A small necklace dangling at the hem of his shirt with, a strange piece of jewelry afixed to the end intrigued Brandon. He peaked over the edge of Nates clothes to better see the pendant. The jewel was strangely glossy for all that it was shaped like a simple tooth.

His face...his wounds? Looks like whatever hit him really must have hurt. I wonder... Who cut him so hatefully? And most Shifters heal fast. Why didn't that wound heal after he was cut?

Brandon found himself silently wondering as Nate's eyebrows rose up, indicating that he was still waiting on Brandon's response to his question.

It was Ezekiel that gave it.

"A little while after he arrived, Brandon got a front row view to my ability to manipulate memories." Ezekiel said to his brother, his blue eyes glancing up from his food. Internally Brandon was glad that he glossed over the fact that Ezekiel had used those abilities simply to lull Brandon to sleep. At this point Ezekiel lifted his fork and waved it at Lander. "A little while after that mister charming here..." Ezekiel said. "went and told Brandon that he could read minds....and that I'm a Reaver."

With a gasp Nate turned his eyes one Lander who looked both bored and irritated with the direction of the conversation. "You what!? Lander you aren't supposed to just bring up stuff like that in NORMAL conversations! What's wrong with you!?" He growled at his brother clearly upset on Ezekiel's behalf, only for Lander to roll his eyes and ignore him entirely.

Choosing to interrupt Brandon bit his lip and said casting Ezekiel a quick glance Brandon continued. "Well, it didn't bother me finding out about the Reaver business...."

A kind smile spread across Nate face as his gaze slowly transferred from glaring at Lander and back to Brandon.

"I'm glad to hear that..." he suddenly intoned, adjusting himself in his seat so that he was leaning on one of his elbows and his other arm was lengthen outwards as Nate gestured first to Brandon then towards a window all while speaking. "You are obviously an open minded individual..." He said, still smiling softly. "But...there have been plenty of Shifter's who have literally run away from Ezekiel when they found out what he was."

Surprised at this Brandon looked at Ezekiel and with nonchalant shrug Ezekiel smiled back at him, before he glanced back down at his food and took a bite.

It seemed to Brandon like the act was done more to hide Ezekiels eyes then because he truly wanted to take a bite of his food. For the first time Brandon wondered what Ezekiels life had been like. He wondered what growing up with the shame and embarrassment of being a Reaver had felt like. Had the man been ostracized because of his blood? Had he been alone?

Shaking his head Brandon muttered. "I don't care what he is....he hasn't done anything to harm me."

Ezkeiel brothers chuckled. While Ezkeiel continued to eat in silence.

"You are definitely open-minded for a mortal." Walter suddenly rumbled to Brandon shocking him and pulling him out of his own thoughts. Brandon had only heard the elder guardian speak a handful of times since meeting him. "They were fools to fear Ezekiel. He has a gentle heart."

Internally Brandon felt something inside agree with Walter. Only fools would fear someone so kind, so charming....so beautiful.

To chases away these kind, but unwelcome thoughts Brandon cleared his throat, turned his gaze back to Nate and sighed. "So basically...." He started to recap. "I found out about Ezekiels abilities and I know about Landers abilities as well, but that's about all I know. Can you tell me about yours Nate?"

With little to no hesitation Nate dipped his head and simply responded. "What would you like to know about exactly?"

"Um..." And here Brandon stopped, a slight hesitation forming. For a second he wondered if his questions were rude or too invasive. Only a few weeks ago these men had been nothing but strangers...and in a few more days they would be nothing but old acquaintances. But Brandon did want to know more. He found it hard to deny the itch of curiosity. But beyond this was the fact that Brandon could tell that none of the brothers seemed offended by his questions or his slight familiarity with them.....

In fact they seemed to be using the questions that he was asking as a way of feeling Brandon out. Learning more about him, as he also learned more about them.