“Want me to wait?” Jamie asked.
“Nah, go ahead. Probably nothing important.” Tanner waved him off.
Jamie waved back and he, and the rest—except Ben—went down the steps.
Eric dumped the last of the bottles into the recycling bin, and then he and Ben headed for the stairs as well. Just as they got there, though, the knock sounded on the door and a scent Eric had hoped to never smell again hit him. Eric and Tanner exchanged looks as Tanner approached the door.
“Cariño?”
Eric frowned and turned to Ben. “It’s Kim.”
Ben blinked. “It’s… what?”
Shaking his head, Eric frowned. “Kim.”
“Why…?”
“I have no idea,” Eric said, turning back as Tanner opened the door.
“Kim,” Tanner greeted her, though his tone was anything but welcoming.
“Hello, Tanner!” She gave him a too-bright smile. “I heard my mate is back!”
Even with Tanner’s back toward him, Eric knew Tanner’s eyebrows were up. “Your mate?”
She nodded several times. “Yes. I heard Eric was back and he’s staying with you.”
Eric scowled, especially when anxiety and fear hit him across the mate bond. He sent calm back to Ben and looked over at him. “I got this. Don’t worry. Remember, I love you.”
Ben hesitated, glancing toward the door and then back at Eric. “If you’re sure.”
“I don’t want you to have to hear her shit. I’ll catch up.”
With one more glance at the doorway, Ben nodded. “Okay, cariño.” He sent a glare toward Kim, then leaned in and kissed Eric. If it was a little territorial, Eric wasn’t going to call him on it.
When Ben was on his way down the steps, Eric turned toward Tanner and Kim. He stepped over, his scowl deepening as he crossed the distance. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing here?”
She blinked at him, then glanced at Tanner. “Can we talk alone?”
“Hell no. I don’t want to talk to you at all, but if you insist on standing here, Tanner can certainly hear anything you want to say.”
She frowned, then brightened. Eric studied her critically. She looked… worn, frazzled and slightly… off. He ruthlessly squashed any sympathy he felt for her and scowled even harder. It didn’t seem to faze her.
“That’s all right! I’m so glad you came back. As soon as I heard, I hurried here to you. Get your things! I have a hotel room we can stay in until we find a house.”
Eric blinked at her. “What in the gods’ names would make you think I want anything to do with you, much less that I’d go with you?”
Yet again she seemed taken aback. “I’m your mate! Of course you would.”
Eric shook his head. “No, you’re not. First, you broke that bond, but second, I’ve found my destined mate. I wouldn’t leave him for anything.”
Her eyes got huge. “Destined mate? I thought—”
“Whatever you thought, you thought wrong. Ben’s my mate.”
Her nostrils flared, and Eric figured she was sniffing to find out if they were mated. In that moment he seriously regretted not claiming Ben yet so she would have had no choice but to recognize their status as mates.
“But… that can’t be! I don’t know who Ben is, but he can’t be your mate! I am! And…. He’s a guy!”
Tanner sighed and Eric echoed it. “Don’t. Just don’t with that.”
That seemed to surprise her too, but she shook it off quickly. “Whatever. Just tell him—”
“I’m not telling him anything except that I love him.” Eric paused when he sensed Ben’s worry. He again sent calm back, realizing his anger was getting the better of him and Ben had sensed it. He raised his eyebrows at Kim’s shock. “Just go. Get the hell out of here. I told you, I want nothing to do with you. I have Ben. We’re destined and happy.” Eric ignored the little voice poking him about the “happy” part. “And even if I didn’t have him, I wouldn’t want you.” He shook his head again. “I can’t believe you can think otherwise, after what you did.”
“But—”
“Enough. I’m done. Have a nice life,” Eric said, shutting the door in her face. He turned away, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, then a second.
“Nicely done,” Tanner said.
Eric opened his eyes again. “Thanks. It… felt good to tell her off.”
“I don’t doubt it. Where did she get the idea you’d want her?”
“No clue. She looked a little nuts.” Eric scowled again. “She’d have to be to think that.”
“Yeah, I noticed that too.”
Eric frowned. “My fuckin’ parents. I bet they called her. Probably told her I’d want her because they didn’t believe me about Ben either.”
“Imagine their faces when she tells them you didn’t.”
Eric grinned. “Oh, that’ll be priceless. What I wouldn’t give to be a fly on that wall.” He paused. “Hey, did they leave like you told them?”
“Yeah. I just checked yesterday. House is empty. I called my dad to make sure he knew.”
“Good. Fucking assholes.” Eric struggled with himself, struggled with the fact that, aside from Ben and his friends, he was alone. He reminded himself that he had family in Tanner, Finley, and all the others, even if it was a chosen family.
Tanner looked away briefly, and the surprise on his face had Eric turning around. Kim was gone… but her clothes—torn clothes—lay in a heap on the sidewalk. “What the fuck?”
“No idea. Guess she took off.”
Tanner shook his head. “Let’s go run. She’s not even worth your time.”
“No kidding.” Eric sighed, then pushed the scene out of his head. It’s time I put her completely behind me. “I really need that run now. Let’s go—” He was cut off when a wave of fear slammed into him. He looked up at Tanner. “Something’s wrong with Ben!”
Neither hesitated, but bolted for the steps. Eric didn’t even stop to strip. He shifted as he hit the doorway, his clothes falling in tatters around him, and leaped off the back porch, Tanner right behind him. Hang on, baby. I’m coming to get you.
WHEN HE got knocked over, Ben didn’t think anything of it at first. He’d been working with the other wolves for a while on his fighting, so he’d gotten used to being randomly knocked over. His first assumption was that it was Finley. The black streak had hit him the way they always did.
It wasn’t until the jaws clamped around his hind leg and bit down that he realized his mistake. The crunching sound barely registered under the pain that hit. He yelped, twisting around and trying to kick with his other hind leg. The wolf had him pinned, though, and he was having trouble even moving, much less getting out from under it.
Fear he couldn’t control took over. He struggled even harder, panic threatening to make things worse. The jaws let go, and before they could find another place to bite, he managed, even with the broken leg, to get out from under it.
When he was on his feet and finally staring down his attacker, he remembered to take in the scent.
Kim?
He bared his teeth at her, the growl deep in his chest surprising even himself. What the hell was he going to do? If she wanted to, she could kill him. He couldn’t fight, still hadn’t even come close to mastering that.
And why was she fighting him? What did she think it would accomplish?
He wasn’t getting any answers while they were in wolf form, and he didn’t trust he’d be any better a fighter in human form. At least as a wolf, he had weapons. Teeth and claws he barely knew how to use, but weapons nonetheless.
To his surprise, though, she backed up, and a few seconds later, he was staring at her naked human form. He thought about shifting, but he was still slow on a good day, and with the injury, he was afraid he’d be even slower. If she shifted back before he could, she’d easily have the upper hand. So he stayed where he was, in his current form, watching her carefully.
“My mate says you’
re his mate. I know better.” She gave a smile that sent a chill down Ben’s back. Something wasn’t right about it. Ben wondered about that, but he couldn’t afford to let himself get distracted by it. “You can’t be mated to a man. And I don’t believe for one moment you’re bonded, much less destined.” She shook her head. “He’s mine. And as soon as you’re out of the way, he’ll realize it.”
“Kim!” Eric called.
Ben looked over at his mate, and that was a mistake. Within seconds she was on him again, her claws raking over his side. Lines of searing pain tore across his left side, and he struggled with it. He couldn’t stop another yelp, but he managed to hold some of it in. He couldn’t hide the pain from Eric, but he’d be damned if he let her know the full extent of it.
Out of the corner of his eye, Ben could see the other wolves and Quincy lined up next to Eric, all of them growling. Quincy looked frightening, and Ben was glad that wasn’t aimed at him. He was equally glad to know the jaguar was backing him. They all were. His pack. The truth of that settled into him, and he felt better knowing that even if he couldn’t do this, even if he failed, she wouldn’t get away with it.
“Back off, bitch,” Eric growled.
The distraction was what Ben needed to get on his feet again. She turned toward Eric, and Ben used that moment to pounce. His leg was killing him, but he managed to get his weight behind it and knocked her over, then bit down on her leg.
He would not give her a chance to beat him.
“Don’t, guys. Just wait.” Eric actually chuckled. “He’s pissed and determined, I can feel it. He can do this. Let him.”
Eric’s words, his encouragement and confidence, filled Ben. Despite his lack of faith in his abilities, hearing that Eric had it for him flipped a switch in Ben. He let go of her and backed up, pacing around her as she got up again. She glanced at Eric and managed to look surprised, even in wolf form. She brought her attention to Ben again, though, limping as she moved, growling low in her throat.
Trust your wolf. He knows what to do. Chad’s words came back to him, and Ben mentally stepped back, finally fully giving his trust to his wolf.
Let’s get her.
He leaped again, aiming for her throat, but she moved and he caught her front leg instead. She let out a yelp, though, so he knew he’d at least hurt her. She struggled, snapping at him and catching his shoulder, biting down, and he heard another crunch. At this point there was so much pain, though, he couldn’t separate it from the rest, so he ignored it the best he could and focused on her.
It didn’t matter what she did, though. He refused to back off and moved to get a paw onto her chest. However, only a few seconds later, she managed to get out from under him somehow and moved away.
It pissed him off. He was tired of the game, tired of dancing around her. He refused to let her win. He would not leave Eric.
Making a concerted effort to put the pain away for the moment, he stalked toward her, still growling, and yet again jumped. The pain in his leg got through his block briefly, but he ignored it and knocked her over once more. This time he got his teeth around her neck.
She struggled, kicking out with her hind legs, getting a scratch across his belly, but he ignored it and squeezed his jaws. Still, she didn’t give up. It took all he had to keep from snapping her neck and instead add just a little more pressure. She stared up at him, and he met her gaze. Something not quite right was in her eyes, beyond the determination, the anger. He might even say wild, but that didn’t seem right either. Off was the best he could come up with. Not quite sane, maybe.
They held there, suspended, for an eternity. Their gazes were locked, not the slightest twitch of muscles from either of them. He wouldn’t kill her—that wasn’t who he was, even with the wolf in the forefront.
But he refused to back down.
He didn’t know what did it, what changed, what happened, but one minute she was staring at him, and the next she went limp, baring her neck completely.
When Tanner appeared next to him a moment later, in human form, Ben released her and moved away.
As the relief hit, so did the pain, and everything went black.
Chapter 17
ERIC WASN’T sure he actually touched the ground between where he’d knelt and where Ben lay. “Miles!” he shouted, without taking his eyes off his mate. He vaguely heard Tanner telling Kim to shift, but he paid no attention to it. Ben needed him. “Baby?” If he sounded a little panicked, he doubted anyone would blame him.
He reached out to touch, but he was afraid to. Blood matted Ben’s fur everywhere, the scratches across his side and belly looked horrible, and both his hind and front legs lay at odd angles. He didn’t know where all Ben was hurt, but the pain was obviously bad, based on the unfiltered amount coming across their bond. It wasn’t physical for him, but the mental was still bad enough. So Eric was terrified of making it worse.
It was only by virtue of the fact that Ben was panting, even though unconscious, that kept Eric from truly losing his shit.
When the human Miles knelt next to him, Eric pulled his hand back. Miles shook his head. “It’s okay. You can touch him. His head is fine, and most of that’s her blood, not his. And your touch will help.”
Eric swallowed and laid his hand on Ben’s head. Ben moved just a little, but it didn’t do enough to stem the fear and panic in Eric—fear and panic he was sure, even unconscious, Ben was sensing, but he couldn’t stop it. With a pounding heart, Eric prayed harder than he ever had before. “Diana, our divine goddess, hear my prayer. Your aid is needed, your blessings sought.” A hand lay on Eric’s shoulder, and he glanced over to see Jamie next to him. As he continued, more voices joined his. “See us safely through the trial ahead. Lend us your strength, your wisdom, and your fortitude. We honor you, our Goddess Divine.” Eric swallowed hard, trying to stem the panic growing as Ben stayed unconscious. “Miles….”
Miles looked up, catching Eric’s eye. “He’s got fractured ribs, two broken legs, and a good number of scratches. But if we’re careful getting him back, he should heal fine.” He rested a hand on Eric’s arm. “Really. He’ll be okay.”
Eric took another breath that wasn’t deep enough. After checking with Miles, who nodded, they carefully got Ben’s limp body into Eric’s arms. When he was standing, he saw Miles to one side and Jamie to the other as they started walking.
“Quincy and Chad are staying to watch over Kim with Tanner,” Miles said.
Eric nodded, grateful Miles and Jamie were with him. Their calming influence and the feel of Ben breathing were all that was keeping him even semicalm. Each of them had a hand on him, and that also helped, though he really was only vaguely aware of anything not Ben.
Eric couldn’t care less what happened to Kim, except to hope she paid for what she’d done to Ben. He’d do whatever he had to in order to make sure of it. He didn’t even care, anymore, what she’d done to him, but hurting Ben, going after him, was inexcusable.
Eric moved through the trees, both Miles and Jamie still with a hand on him. Jamie’s voice continued offering prayer to Diana, and as he did, wind shook the leaves. Eric focused mostly on his steps, being careful to not jostle Ben and make the pain worse, and he appreciated the prayers on their behalf.
But when Jamie and Miles both stopped, Eric looked up in confusion. It wasn’t until he saw the figure on the path just ahead that he realized what was going on.
“Holy… is that?” Jamie whispered.
Eric nodded, though he couldn’t manage to reply verbally. He stared at her a long moment, desperately trying to remember how to speak. He dug around, struggled, then finally found his voice. “He’ll… be okay?”
She smiled at him and stepped closer. One hand ghosted over Ben’s head, and a breath shuddered out of him before his breathing calmed. The pain coming across their bond eased significantly, and Eric released a small sigh. He wouldn’t be completely relieved unless and until Ben woke up and was okay. Eric looked down at the jagged, o
pen scratches still covering Ben’s side and then back up again, frowning.
“He will be fine,” she said, touching Eric’s cheek next. “And so will you. You are ready, no longer lost. Let go.”
Then she turned to Jamie. “You didn’t need to see me. Your belief is stronger than so many.” She chuckled. “But know your devotion means more to me than you could begin to understand.”
A few seconds later, she was gone.
“I… that was….” Jamie looked over at Eric, then back at the spot where she’d stood. “I….” He shook his head, looking somewhere between shock and tears. “Let’s get Ben back. I can faint later.”
That actually brought a chuckle out of Eric as he started walking again. He continued to focus on his steps, moving carefully. Diana had lessened Ben’s pain, but he was still hurt, and even with her help, Eric could make things worse.
He understood why she hadn’t healed Ben completely. You are ready, no longer lost. Let go. Ben would recover. Eric needed to see that, and he would. And it would be what he needed to know she was right about the rest.
ERIC LAID Ben on their bed, worried at how bad the scratches and breaks looked. In all his years as a wolf, he’d managed to never get more than a couple of minor injuries. Rest and food in the tiny den he’d made his home had been all he’d needed. The ones on Ben seemed horrible. He believed Diana and Miles, that Ben would be okay, but his wounds sure as hell looked bad, and the contradiction made it difficult to do anything but worry.
“I need clean water, towels, and something to use as a brace for each leg,” Miles said, snapping Eric out of his worry for the moment. “If I don’t get them set, I might have to rebreak them and that would suck.”
“I’ll get it,” Jamie said, laying a hand on Eric’s shoulder. “You need to stay close.”
Eric nodded. “Thanks,” he managed, his voice rough.
Miles disappeared into the bathroom, and Eric heard the water turn on. Eric couldn’t take his eyes off Ben, though, and didn’t pay attention to Miles. A moment later, Miles came back, followed immediately by Jamie, and Eric moved enough to let them both in. He stayed close, though, and kept one hand on Ben the whole time Miles worked, unwilling—or unable, he didn’t know—to let go.
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