Chapter 28: Brock’s Secret Art
Lily Carter POV
The wooden wolf crashed to the floor as Brock spun around, his face going bright red. I stood frozen in the doorway of what I thought was an empty storage room, staring at dozens of beautiful wooden animals spread across tables and shelves.
"Lily! I... this isn’t..." Brock scrambled to pick up the carved wolf, his huge hands surprisingly gentle as he held the delicate figure. "You weren’t supposed to see this."
I stepped inside, my mouth hanging open. Tiny rabbits sat next to fierce bears. Graceful deer stood beside playful otters. Each carving was perfect, showing every detail from whiskers to fur patterns. But what shocked me most were the three human figures in the center of the main table - Aiden, Caleb, and Brock himself, captured in wood with amazing skill.
"Brock, these are amazing!" I whispered, reaching toward a small fox. "Did you make all of these?"
He pulled the fox away before I could touch it. "It’s nothing. Just... stupid hobby stuff."
"Stupid? Are you crazy? These are the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen!"
Brock’s jaw tightened. "Warriors don’t make pretty things, Lily. I should be practicing or protecting the pack, not playing with wood chips."
The pain in his voice made my heart hurt. "Who told you that?"
"Everyone knows it. Alpha men fight. We don’t sit around making things like... like some omega housewife."
His words stung, but I could see he was hurting too. "Is that really what you think omegas do? Make decorations?"