If it was just us here though, would he give in so readily?
I’m stopped from thinking over that question when I feel the prick of a needle at the crook of my arm, and then pure euphoria when his blood hits my veins.
My wolf, silent up to this point, lets off a small whimper that I would second if I was capable of anything. I’m not. All I can do is breathe and try not to groan like a nymphet when the power of his blood streams through me.
My face stops hurting almost immediately, and I feel a slight reduction in swelling around the eyes. It’s not an immediate cure though, and ten minutes later, after forcing Blain to stop, I have to take stock and be grateful for the fact that I can now see, even if what I see in the mirror across the bed is monstrous.
My cheeks, if you can even call them that anymore, are so purple they’re almost black with bruises and my eyes are Rockyesque in their size. While my lips have shrunk a little, I still resemble a freaking trout, and yep, I am missing all four top front teeth.
Yeah, I am so not ever getting beat up again, I think, as Blain helps me sit up and rest against a stack of pillows.
“Bee?”
“Grogan came by an hour ago and sedated her. The wretch was practically hysterical when I carried you in here. She must have found a crumb of feeling somewhere in this house,” he muses, making me clamp my lips shut on a laugh. “Don’t, bria. You don’t have to think about what you look like after the ordeal you’ve been through. They’ll grow back by morning.”
“Trust me, I know. My back molar is already loosening with new tooth growth. I hate this part,” I moan, pushing my tongue back to fiddle with the descending tooth.
As shifters, we have a lot of advantages like re-growing teeth that are knocked loose. It itches and burns like a bitch though, so I am not looking forward to glamming my dental work up right now. Not with the rest of me, feeling like one throbbing contusion.
“At least you get new teeth, bria. You could have died,” he says softly, the finger at my chin forcing me to look up at him and meet his anger filled eyes.
He’s trying so hard to be soft with me right now, and I think, in this moment, I love him for it, but underneath the effort is pure rage, unlike anything I have ever seen before.
“I, he said that I’m a traitor and a whore. I just never thought…,” I whisper, tapering off when he grinds his teeth hard enough I hear it.
“I will find them, Jules. I vow it, and when I do, I’ll rip them apart for daring to lay a finger on you.”
Aw, that is so romantic!
Hannah…
Okay, fine, I’ll stay out of this, but you’re telling me everything!
I snort, roll my eyes, and look up at Blain, taking in the bare chest, barely closed jeans, and the pale cast of his skin. The male looks like hell and is so at odds with the usually put-together elite I wish I could smile right now. I like it. I like that he’s not all buttoned up, and for right now, I’m just glad that as elite as he is, he’s a monster when he gets pissed. I could feel sorry for those assholes that hurt me but honestly—I just don’t.
“Don’t do anything to mess with the pack right now. Please. My dad is still having you investigated, even if Logan has taken leave to be with Hannah. Chances are he’d put someone else on it and—”
He rolls to his feet then, shoves a hand through his hair, and turns to look down at me with repressed anger shining from his ice blue eyes.
“It is my responsibility to make them pay for touching you. You’re mine, Julia, my female—”
“But not really! Look, I know we’ve talked about…everything, and it’s the way it needs to be, I get that! All I’m asking you right now is not to make more trouble for us. The moment you go after anyone pack, Dad will be on you, Blain. Please, I’m begging you, don’t make it worse.”
“Julia—”
“I can’t let this happen! Please. You’re, I mean, I don’t want you to get into more trouble over this, Blain. I mean, things have been okay with us, right?” I ask uncertainly, making him pause and sigh before he sits again and takes my hand.
“They have been. At least I was hoping for a different conclusion to today,” he says ruefully.
I manage a close-lipped smile and nod, looking down at the hand I have in mine and stroking over his smooth nails. I like holding his hand, but I like even more that he seems to just reach for mine without thought.
“Me too. I…I’m not good at this stuff, as you’ve probably already noticed, but I would like to try, and to do that, I can’t have you behind bars for killing two pack males that we cannot prove are guilty of anything yet,” I explain, hoping that this will get through to him.
Blain sighs, looks down at me, and shrugs without answering. I’m taking that as a yes, mostly because I don’t think I have a choice here, and only slightly whimper inside when he kisses my lips softly and pulls away to stalk to the door. The moment he opens it I see everyone stream back in again, and this time I get to see the horror on their faces when they get another look at me. Okay, so I’ll probably need more blood before I look ok again.
It’s while I’m hugging Hannah with Logan leaning down with her in his arms that I see something I never thought I would, my brother talking to Blain in the corner.
Oh hell.
“Jeeeesus, those animals did a job on you! You look like the blob from that old horror movie—”
“Hannah—”
“What! She does, Logan. When I find that sonofabitch bastard, I will—”
“Do nothing because you are not going head hopping to search for suspects! Althea told you to remain calm and think only of the young and—”
“And I can do that just fine from the couch,” she argues, her voice trailing off when he turns and walks away to make room for Beeber and Brig, who just seems to have appeared out of nowhere.
“Hey, little sister,” he murmurs, leaning in to kiss my cheek and peer down at my face. “You okay?”
“Jesus Brigger! Of course, she isn’t okay. Just look at her face, man,” Beeber mutters, wincing when she sees my eye where I know blood has pooled in the eyeball.
“I’m okay. Blain got to me before they could do more damage,” I say, smiling when he goes down to his haunches while Beeber flits off to go talk to Hannah, who is still arguing with her mate.
“I heard what you said to Blain, actually Hannah was eavesdropping, and she linked me into the conversation,” he murmurs, keeping his voice low so that no one hears. “You can’t ask that of him, Julia. A male has the right to avenge his female.”
“But I’m not his,” I whisper, leaning closer. “He doesn’t want to mate me and complete the Fating and—”
“It’s too late for that, Jules. You’re in heat. The scent may be weak right now because your body is trying to regroup, but it’s there. He just blooded you as well, and from a male point of view, nothing beats scenting your blood in your female.”
Yeah, I kinda get that, and yet when I look across the room and see him arguing with Bear I don’t see a male who wants this, I see one who has been pushed into a corner by other’s, by their actions.
“I’ll try to keep that in mind,” I promise, muttering a curse when a tooth falls out and I feel the new growth of the molar that I spit into my hand.
Brig laughs, gently ruffles my hair and leaves me alone while everyone else plots in their own corners.
Not plotting exactly, Juju, just making some plans. Say, did you know that Cass has developed an empathic ability since she mated?
Wait, what?
Oh yeah! She’s being very hush hush about it since its freaking her out, but it’s true. Banner’s tracing her lineage to try and find out who her dad was because we suspect—
That he was shifter?
Bingo! That so totally explains why she never got sick when she was a kid and all that. Fingers crossed. Anyway, so she’s like into feeling shit these days, and I was thinking, maybe she could go around town and talk about your attack, ma
ybe feel some people out and then give me a heads up!
I groan, looking over to meet her eyes and groan again when they sparkle.
Logan said you need rest. You shouldn’t be planning to do this kind of thing in your condition.
Oh poppycock! I am more than capable and eager to do this. I’m bored. Fred went on a hobo bender two days ago and slogging through his mind is like swimming in a bottle of whiskey. I need entertainment, and plus, well, I really, really wanna find these males and make them suffer.
Leave it alone, Han. I’m okay—
Yeah, but what if you hadn’t been? What if you weren’t on the phone with Blain at that precise moment and they kept hurting you? They could have killed you, girl. You get that, right?
Yes, but—
No buts. Not one “but” unless it’s those monster’s asses in the electric chair! They need to be taught a lesson.
Hannah—
This could have all been avoided if you just did what I told you and told Blain how bad things are for you in town. You shouldn’t have to avoid walking through the street just because people are assholes and you sure as hell shouldn’t have been in the woods alone for someone to attack you.
I always walk alone in the woods. It’s my hobby.
Well sister, you’re shit out of luck now because I would bet my bloomers that brother of mine won’t let you so much as fart without being at your side a second later.
Oh God.
Look on the bright side.
Oh yeah? What’s that?
If he’s with you all the time, then you can have a lot of sex and—
Don’t even talk about that right now. I just spat out a fucking tooth. I’m not exactly feeling the mood here.
Pfft. You’ll heal by tomorrow afternoon the latest, and then you’ll be in the mood. The heat won’t hold off forever, especially not with his blood in you.
Is this supposed to be a pep talk because it’s not working. I feel like a baboon violated my cranium and then left teeth marks behind.
She doesn’t answer, just smirks at me before Blain stalks back to tenderly inspect my face.
“First tooth?”
“Of many,” I moan, dropping the offensive thing in the wastepaper basket beside the bed.
He chuckles though it doesn’t reach his eyes and rests his arms on his knees.
“I need to get everyone out of here so that you can rest. No, don’t argue because you don’t want to be rude. I don’t give a fuck.”
“We can hear you, Blainton!” Hannah yells, making him smirk and raise a brow.
“I know that, Hannah. That’s why I said it. All of you, get the hell out, so my female can rest and heal. Bear, I’ll call you tomorrow, if I decide I trust you and Brigger. Tell that fucking jackal of yours to stop talking to my past lays, they’re too fucking idiotic to give him information.”
Brigger grumbles a curse and throws him the finger before I’m bombarded and kissed. It takes ten full minutes to clear the room, and then it’s just us. Alone.
Chapter Twelve
Blain
I watch her sleep.
I’ve been awake all night, sitting in the chair beside the bed just going over everything I discussed with Bear Silverton. I don’t want to think about the shitstorm that’s coming my way, or what will happen if I let it reach me.
All I can let myself do is take in every slow healing that happens as I watch her. Her eyes have eventually stopped swelling and sunk back to normal and the bruising is yellowing and fading after I gave her more blood.
Right now, I feel tired and yet completely satisfied with myself because all the healing, the peaceful sleep that my female is having right now, is something I did.
I healed her and held her until she fell into a healing sleep. I warmed her all over and felt her contented sigh when the pain faded. This is all me, and for the first time in my miserable life I know what it is to accomplish something.
This has meaning. This, right here, knowing that I am responsible for this female, makes me feel both terrified and stronger than I have ever felt. I want to be here when she wakes and make sure she knows that I am here.
I listened to Hannah last night, swallowed my anger and resentment that Julia didn’t come and speak to me, and promised myself that I will sort out the situation in the pack no matter what.
Refuse service to my mate? They’ll bleed and kiss her fucking feet whenever she deigns to utilize their stores. By the time I’m finished with every single one of those filthy bigots, they’ll pray for Julia’s patronage of their stores.
My first instinct is to give in and break into my wolf, to go out and hurt everyone for even thinking they can hurt her. I can’t do that though, and not just because I don’t want to be on the spot with a gun pointed at my head right now, but because as much as it galls me to back down in any way, I can’t afford for anyone to pull that trigger with Julia in my life.
I could give a fuck if I die, or if her father turns around and points fingers at me. He’ll either find something or not, and I’ll face it. With her though, I find myself hesitant to leave her alone, without my protection.
She deserves more for choosing me than to be hurt and abandoned, all alone and with no one to show her how wanted she is. Right here and now, I admit to myself that I want Julia Silver—no, not Silverton… Seers.
She’s mine. Mine to care for and protect and mine to raise up to the levels of happiness that she deserves. I’ve spent the last three days not knowing how to proceed in this relationship because she blindsided me by not only caring for me but my nutbag mother as well.
I looked at her, really looked for the first time, and realized that she is a good person, a kind and loving person, who just wants to be loved and wanted in return.
It amazes me that she’s adjusted so easily to her family, tossing her into the gutter, and while I know that she hurts, she’s shown a strength I respect by picking herself up and forging ahead.
With me. She’s forging ahead with me, willing to accept whatever little I will give her because she’s chosen me. The elite. The villain.
Sighing, because I feel like shit just thinking about what I said to her, I lean back and smile at the way she snuffles in her sleep and spits a tooth out.
It lands in my lap, the broken white shard falling right against my crotch and I laugh so hard I feel my gut ache. Talk about getting her teeth into me.
My laughter must wake her because she blinks and peers over at me, her sleepy look of bewilderment urging me to hold up the tooth and grin.
“Oh hell. How many?” she mumbles, sitting up with a groan.
I don’t bother to remind her that I undressed her after everyone left and wiped her down before covering her with the sheet. Hell no. I may be wanting to be better, but I am just a male, and right now what I see is breasts, nipples, and the very top of her cleft when she swings her legs to the side.
“Three, but the second was merely root, so really, two and a half,” I crow, chuckling when she pouts.
“The last time I spat up that many teeth I fell out of a tree I was forbidden to climb, and my mom went nuts. I hit so hard I snapped my jaw and spent the next seven hours not only spitting up teeth but wearing a bandage that tied my jaw in place so that it could heal straight.”
I have my own tooth story, but somehow I doubt she’ll enjoy hearing that I lost them for three days because just as soon as I grew a new one, Father would bring his boot down on me again.
Instead, I smile and toss the tooth into the bin beneath the nightstand, watching her rub at her temple while her breasts sway temptingly in my face.
“Oh hell!”
“Don’t hide under the covers on my account, malina, I was enjoying the view,” I murmur, snorting when she peeks her head out and blue eyes gaze at me with uncertainty.
“My face looks like a fat person’s ass after they try to fit in a phone booth.”
“Now bria, that’s not quite accurate.”
; “Close enough! How can you be looking at my boobs when I look like roadkill?” she mutters, sliding up to clutch the covers to her chest.
“Be reasonable, malina. I am newly recovered, my Fated is in a bed, naked, and I haven’t had sex in weeks,” I drawl, grinning when her eyes narrow and she shoots me a glare.
“Oh, weeks? How awful for you.”
“Doubly so when you consider I’ve made you come three times now, smelled and tasted your—”
“Okay!”
“And through it all you’re in heat and so fucking delicious just the scent of you is like a taste,” I purr, leaning over to plant my hands beside her hips and look down.
Our faces are close enough that I feel her breath over my lips and only just resist the urge to kiss her because her mouth is still sore and in need of time to heal.
Instead, I lick her lip and relish the flavor of her moan.
“But, and I’m being a gentlemale here, I want you fully healed and at your best when I finally take you to bed. Hours, malina. We’ll be there for hours,” I vow, enjoying the way her breath speeds up as her nipples go hard and tight.
“Blain.”
“Rest now. It’s not dawn yet, you still have a few hours before the new day arrives.”
“I’m not sleepy anymore. Besides, you can’t just sit there all night and watch me. Come lay down with me and talk to me,” she offers, scooting over to the other side of the bed to make space.
I should refuse, hell it was hard enough for me to not touch her sexually while I held her until she slept. I’m on a hair trigger as it is, and the more time heals her, the stronger her heat scent becomes.
Shit.
Huffing, I lay down, being sure to keep on top of the covers and space between us. Julia doesn’t seem fazed though, just settles down on her side to face me and watches me with interest.
“Tell me why you did it.”
“Ju—”
“No, don’t bother to try and deny it because I was there, remember? I saw you at Glenhaven even if you were careful to cover your tracks. I know who you are, Blain. So I ask again, why?” she says softly, her eyes holding mine without judgement or recrimination.
Greyriver Shifters Page 106
