Jake showed up with a new-looking toddler seat, and Gage strapped it in. “In you go, princess.” Rylee looked around the four-door truck with wide eyes and held her stuffed doll. Soon, he’d be helping to put Rylee to bed every night. He may not share her DNA, but she was just as much his daughter. He couldn’t imagine loving a youngling any more than he loved Rylee.
Gage climbed in the front seat next to Avery. For the first time, he had his mate and youngling together, and they were going to face the first of her demons together.
Chapter Seven
Avery chewed her lower lip as she watched Sam drive, and Gage stared out the window while holding her hand. They surrounded her like two sentinels that were ready to destroy anything that tried to harm her. Something drastic had happened since last night, and she couldn’t put her finger on what it was. She could feel them both, and something told her that Sam and Gage were much more than they appeared to be. If she looked hard enough, she could see their power emanating off them in waves, like the heat radiating off a hot blacktop highway. More than that though, she had a feeling of peace and contentment flowing through her. Last time she’d experienced this feeling was when Rylee was born.
She glanced down at Gage’s hand entwined in hers and tried to analyze this change in her emotions. She should be terrified of this appointment and shaken to her core over her car. Instead, she only felt their strength and love. She swallowed the lump in her throat. They loved her, and they would stand in front of hell itself to keep her and Rylee safe.
Gage squeezed her hand as if he knew the amazing revelation she’d just had. His smile was both predatory and loving. “It will be okay, I promise.”
“I know.” For the first time in her adult life, she trusted someone other than herself. She knew they would take care of her and Rylee. She didn’t know how, but she did.
She understood them both in ways she never could have imagined. Gage was lighthearted, but his enemy’s mistake was to underestimate his good nature for weakness. He was lethal power contained in a friendly demeanor. Sam was pure power, and he didn’t bother with niceties. He’d just attack whatever enemy was foolish enough to mess with him. Was it going to be enough to save Rylee from her therapist?
Sam’s hand rested on her thigh and tightened as if to say it’s going to be okay and asked, “Where do I turn?”
“Exit forty-six and then follow the road to the medical building on the right.”
“So, what happened to Rylee?” Sam asked. They’d never pried before, and even now Sam sounded concerned, not nosy.
Avery took a breath. That trust she had in them enveloped her again. It was time to get the failure that consumed her off her chest. She couldn’t go forward without them knowing why she was a terrible mother and why she was so resistant to letting them in her heart.
Wasn’t Sam some sort of cop though? She’d not had much luck with them, but Sam was different. She could convince him not to go any further with this information. Nothing good ever happened when the cops started poking around in her life.
Gage’s hand let go of hers, and he set it on her thigh. He ran his hand along her jean-clad leg in a comforting gesture. “Tell us, love. We’re fated mates, and we’ve already claimed you. We’re in this through thick and thin.”
Avery glanced over into Gage’s soft brown eyes. They were so full of compassion that a dam broke in her heart and pain twisted her chest. “I hurt her.” She put her free hand over her face.
“What? I don’t believe that,” Gage whispered.
“She didn’t.” Sam’s tone was full of confidence. “Whatever is eating at her, it isn’t anything she did to Rylee.”
The truck slowed to a stop on the shoulder of the highway. Avery turned her head to glance at Sam. Was he going to make her get out? He turned to her and cupped her chin in his hand. “You know, I could make you tell me what is going on, but I don’t want our relationship built on that. I want you to come to me with your own free will. I’ve given you all this time and freedom to come to us willingly. Now, what is this nonsense about you hurting Rylee?”
Avery glanced back, and Rylee’s head rested against the headrest of the car seat. Her eyes were closed and her breathing was slow and steady. She hugged her favorite doll, one of the few toys they could take with them after they ran. She turned her gaze back to Sam.
She ran her tongue over her lip and took a deep breath. “When Rylee was two, I met a man, Collin. He was so nice to Rylee and me. I’d been a single mother since I found out I was pregnant and her dad suddenly decided that playing daddy wasn’t a part of his plan. I thought Collin was the one that would be her daddy. He was great until I moved in with him. He took all my money and controlled my friends, and after I had no way out, I find out he is some biker hit man.”
“Did he beat on you?” Sam’s eyes glowed, actually glowed, and she stared at them, mesmerized. Holy shit, I don’t think I’m in Kansas anymore.
After a moment, she blinked, and his eyes were back to their normal deep brown color. “No.” Avery folded her hands in her lap and concentrated on her own fingerprint pattern. “He did yell and scream a lot and made threats, but he never hit me or Rylee. He did start throwing things, and I read a domestic violence pamphlet about abuse. He was following a pattern, and he was escalating. He’d gone from verbal threats and name calling to throwing things.”
“So, how do you think this means you hurt Rylee?” Gage asked while he stroked his thumb over her knuckles lightly.
“I made a plan to leave. A woman at a shelter gave me some advice on how to stash money even though he took all my paycheck from the bar. I pulled a little out of my tip money and at the grocery store here and there. I was too slow though, and six and a half months ago, he came running in holding some bag full of money saying he had to run. Some other bikers showed up at our apartment and started shooting. Collin used Rylee as a shield and killed a few of the bikers that came after him. He threw her.” She sobbed harder. “He threw my baby, and she was right next to a man with his brains all over the wall and floor. She was screaming so loud and reaching for me, but this long-bearded biker had me by the hair. I couldn’t go to her, and another guy picked up Rylee by the back of her neck and forced her to watch as he shot one of Collin’s injured friends in the head. They died right in front of her, screaming and gushing blood the entire time. She’d always had anxiety, but that broke her.”
Avery started shaking as she heard the gunshots all over again and covered her face. “It was my fault. I should have seen it back when Collin was trying to get me to move in with him.”
Both Sam and Gage wrapped their arms around her. “No, none of this is your fault.” They both held her and whispered beautiful words in another language she didn’t understand. They were like a soothing balm to a burn though, and soon the pain started to lift.
Once she had calmed down, Sam lifted her chin to meet his gaze. “Thank you for trusting me with this. We will talk about this more later tonight, when Rylee is distracted better. Now, let’s get this meeting over with.”
* * * *
Avery sat next to Rylee and rubbed her back and Gage held Avery’s hand as they waited in the sterile, silent office. There was nothing in the office to put a child at ease. If anything, it increased Rylee’s fear.
Sam paced the office where they waited for the human to come out. Rylee sat and stared straight ahead. He could see her shutting down before his eyes as if she was anticipating her execution. When the woman came out, Rylee’s anxiety increased, and she pulled farther into her shell. Sam bristled.
Rylee was a sweet and loving little girl, and he suspected this woman had exacerbated her anxiety, but he needed proof. He couldn’t just turn her into the board on a suspicion, and it would physically drain him to use his abilities with mental manipulation to get them to go along.
Instead, he placed his hands on Rylee and tried to calm her with his own energy. He had no way of telling her she’d be fine in a way she would
understand. She was only four years old, a little older than an infant, and her mind was still that of a baby.
She leaned into his touch, and like two puzzle pieces fitting together he found himself connected to her, much like mates were, but different. It wasn’t uncommon for a female to have a youngling, and male Lycans bonded to a child through the mating bond of their mother. He closed his eyes in wonder. The gods were indeed smiling down on him. It usually took much longer for a youngling to make this connection, especially a fully human child. He placed a blanket over her consciousness and felt her relaxing. He opened his eyes and lifted her chin. Her gaze was unfocused, and her jaw was slack. Perfect. She would not be further traumatized by whatever happened today, and when they were done, he would remove his shield over her.
“Come on, Rylee,” the therapist—Tina Dryers, by her nametag—said.
Sam grinned as the therapist sat Rylee down and started in on her. He listened to her threats and stories about what would happen if she ever spoke about what would happen if she ever revealed the truth. “The biker men are going to come and kill you and your mama.”
Gage turned toward Sam. “Fuck. No wonder she’s a mess.” His eyes glowed as an outward sign of his fury. Sam could feel the burning in his own eyes that betrayed the fact that he was not human. “She’s deliberately making her worse.”
“Yes, and we’re done here.”
He stormed into the office, and Tina stood up. “Excuse me!”
“You’re done, bitch. Get the fuck away from my daughter.” Sam barely restrained himself from knocking the woman out.
“Get out!”
Sam picked up Rylee and glared at the woman. “The only reason I am not killing you where you stand is because you’re a woman. I’ve never harmed a woman before, but, lady, you’re pushing me.” He stabbed into her mind and found the reason sitting near the surface. She could get a lot more money out of the insurance company if Rylee needed inpatient care.
She opened her mouth as the blood drained from her face.
“Gage!” He turned away from her before he lashed out at her. He was far too angry to deal with her justly, and he’d made sure she couldn’t harm Rylee this time. As her father, he didn’t technically have the right of retribution. He’d let the council deal with her.
He heard Gage murmur something to Avery. He could hear Avery’s soft hiccupping cries. No wonder his dear mate was so on edge. He would comfort her as soon as he dealt with this human piece of trash.
Gage walked in and shifted from one booted foot to the other, glancing back to Avery as she stood in the room with her arms wrapped around herself. Sam knew the desire to comfort their mate, but this woman needed to be dealt with.
“Once I am done, take her to Wyatt downstairs.”
Tina backed up a step and then two. “Who—what are you?”
Sam let his Lycan side show more. “I am judgment, human.” He took ahold of her mind again and ripped any memory of Rylee and Avery from her. The shadows would still be there for a healer of the mind to find as evidence, but he wanted his mate and youngling gone from her consciousness. She cried out, holding her head. He wasn’t gentle at all, and he didn’t plan to be. This woman had used his youngling for profit. He could see it clearly now in her memories, and Rylee wasn’t the first child she’d used. Then, she abused her authority to force parents to bring their children to her. She was a menace that needed to be dealt with, and their justice wouldn’t just give her a slap on the wrist and release her. The fear and anxiety she’d caused an innocent and injured youngling was appalling. He forced himself to leave her mind before he turned her into a drooling vegetable.
“Get her out of here.” He shoved her hard enough that she impacted Gage’s chest with an umph.
“What is going on?” She shook her head and blinked her eyes as she tried to shake off his grip on her mind.
“Go with Gage,” he commanded her, using Vampire compulsion to force her to obey him. Even though she’d not known it at the time, she was committing a crime against Lycans with how she harmed Rylee. He would hand her over to the Supernatural Council for judgment, which would probably involve tampering with her memory and reprogramming her. She would then be put to work with an occupation that would help the very people she’d harmed.
Like a puppet on his string, she followed Gage out of the clinic. He walked out of the room and went straight to Avery. Her face was red, and tears still pooled in her eyes.
“It’s over, darlin’.” He pulled her into his embrace and kissed the top of her head.
“How?” She turned her head and followed Tina as she walked out following Gage.
“I ended it. She won’t hurt Rylee or anyone else again.” Her muscles released tension she probably didn’t realize they held, and she cried once again into his chest. He pulled her to the chair and sat down with her. He adjusted Rylee in his lap. Her eyes were half-closed, and her limbs were like limp noodles.
“What’s wrong with Rylee?” Avery lifted Rylee’s hand, and it was limp in her hand.
“Nothing at all, darlin’. I just helped her to relax so Tina couldn’t harm her anymore.”
“Did you give her something?”
“No, it’s just a mind trick I know. It’ll wear off in a little while. She won’t remember any of this.”
Sam pulled his phone out of his pocket and sent a text to his pack’s healer, Chiron.
Who can help me with my youngling? She witnessed a violent shootout where several humans died, and now she doesn’t speak.
Congratulations, Alpha! We all knew you and Gage were courting the female. I am delighted you have finally mated. How old is your youngling? How long ago did this happen?
She’s 4, and about 6 to 6 and a half months ago. This human therapist made her worse, and threatened to take her from us.
Take her from you? Is she violent or trying to hurt herself?
No, she’s just afraid and doesn’t talk.
That is the most absurd thing I’ve ever heard. Bring her to me tomorrow. I will see if there is a physical reason blocking her speech, or she just needs help processing the trauma. Younglings are resilient. She should be making progress by now.
I want to bring her to my home to keep her safe.
Try to keep her life as normal as possible until I see her. Her safety is the most important, but no major changes until I can do a full examination. I will see you all tomorrow morning.
Gage came back in, and Sam put his phone back in his pocket. “Let’s get out of here. Rylee deserves a Happy Meal after dealing with this whack job.” He pulled Avery into a standing position. “She wasn’t helping Rylee at all. She was just taking the insurance money for treating her and made plans to try and make more money off her.”
“Stupid bitch,” Avery said as her muscles tightened and she shook. “She kept threatening me to call the police.”
“It’s okay. She won’t hurt anyone again, I promise.”
* * * *
Sam kept his hand on Avery as he pulled the truck into the Burger Shack. He could feel the blanket of fog lifting from Rylee’s mind, and her gaze was more alert as she blinked. He wasn’t sure how he was going to help his mate and daughter, but he would spend his last ounce of strength making them well. He parked the truck, and Gage got out to open the back door and get Rylee out.
“Come on, sweetheart. Let’s get something to eat.”
Avery pulled at the seatbelt and turned her tear-filled eyes to him. “I’m not hungry.”
Sam could feel her guilt as well as see the anxiety written all over her face. He didn’t need to try and brush her mind to know what she was thinking. “You’ve done a wonderful job with Rylee.” He hoped she believed him as he held her hand.
Avery let out a harsh laugh. “Yeah, wonderful. I bet I’m up for mom of the year.” She burst into tears, and he pulled her close to him.
“Nothing that has happened is your fault, Avery.” He willed her to believe him. She was so hard
on herself when she didn’t have to be. It was hard to be a parent today and harder still to be a single parent. It wasn’t a crime to want something for herself.
“Oh, yes, it is.”
Sam stared with an intense stare and shook his head.
“Don’t try to tell me that I’m innocent. I hooked up with a guy in a biker bar and thought he’d be my hero on a motorcycle and he’d carry Rylee and me away to a happily ever after.” She let out a self-reproaching snort. “Of course, he wasn’t a good guy. Good men don’t like dirty whores like me.”
Sam’s first instinct was to pull her over his lap and spank her ass red for daring to talk about herself that way. He could clearly see how she envisioned herself though. She truly believed what she said and worse. She saw nothing she did as good, and years of shame and self-degradation fueled her condemnation. Sam gently gripped her chin and lifted her face. He flooded her with as much of his energy as his ability allowed. If only she could see herself as he saw her. She was a pure spirit who put herself last most times. The few times she’d tried to claim a little warmth and love for herself from a man, he’d used her. Those worthless excuses for humans were the villains here, not Avery. He met her gaze and said, “You are none of those things. You are beautiful beyond measure, both in body and spirit. You’re one of the strongest women I’ve ever met.”
She shook her head as tears dripped off her jaw.
“Oh yes. You have a determination that is rare among humans. You survived a violent gang that executes anyone who dares to defy them and saved Rylee, as well. You moved as far away as you could and built a life with her. You really do not understand what an accomplishment that is, do you?”
Tears were flowing down her face. “What the hell do you know about me? Do you know I screwed a guy in a bathroom the night Rylee was conceived? I was too drunk to even stand up, and the most I remember from that night, besides it hurting, was falling on the bathroom floor. He didn’t want to hang around with a bartending whore and raise a kid, so he left. I’ve had a few flings since then, too. Everyone knows I’m nothing but a—”
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