Bethany [Eminence Shifters 3] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour)

by Ashley Malkin

  Samson knew the punishment meted out by Finn would still be less than the disgusting excuse for a human deserved for his years of cruelty. However, the bear had chosen his own death today when he’d thought to harm not only Samson’s mate, but the Alpha’s. He deserved a very slow and painful death.

  That was ultimately why Samson had chosen to leave him with the Alpha.

  Chapter 25

  Bethany sat quietly in Samson’s arms as they drove back to their home later that evening. The afternoon had been horrifying. It had all gone wrong in the space of five minutes, and it had all been her fault.

  Her unease at not finding Melanie and Dane outside the diner had turned to fear when she’d been hauled off her feet by a blood-soaked Dane and bundled into Jason’s truck as it skidded to a halt outside the diner.

  As if that hadn’t been enough of a shock, she’d then learned that sweet, innocent Melanie had been abducted, by Stuart Gibson. The man was a nightmare, and having experienced the depths of his depravity and cruelty first hand, she’d been sick with dread and guilt.

  The abundance of ex-military in the pride, coupled with Melanie’s ability to communicate telepathically with her husbands, had proved invaluable in the coordination of her rescue. Samson had intercepted them within minutes of her being taken.

  Once Melanie had been reunited with Dane and they’d been assured that their baby was unharmed, Bethany had begun to withdraw.

  It was quiet in the truck now, and it afforded her time to think. She could only think of one solution. She knew what she had to do. She had to leave before anyone else was hurt.

  Stuart had been the lesser of the two evils stalking her. He was alone and unaided and had still been able to abduct Melanie. She and the baby were lucky to have come out of the experience unharmed.

  What will happen when Cristian Renta arrives for me?

  He had unlimited funds, and likely a small army of killers at his disposal. Eminence would drown in blood if he came here looking for her. She couldn’t let these wonderful people be put in any further danger. She had to lead the monster away. She wouldn’t be able to live with herself if she caused any further harm.

  Her shudder of fear and apprehension had Samson squeezing her tighter against him. His arms were warm and solid around her, his scent musky and arousing. It was a place where she knew she was safe, a place she knew she belonged. A place she never wanted to leave.

  “Are you cold, kitten?” he said, kissing the top of her head.

  “Is your arm sore?” she asked, running her fingers lightly over the scabbed scratches that ran the length of his right forearm.

  “It will be fine by morning. We heal fast,” he said, smiling reassuringly at her.

  “I’m so sorry,” she said softly, hating that he’d been hurt, hating that Dane had been hurt, hating everything that had happened, but mostly hating that she was going to hurt them even more.

  “You must know that none of this is your fault, Bethany,” Michael said from the front seat. She huffed in reply.

  Samson growled, and it rumbled through her body. When she looked up at him, she found he was staring at her, his jaw tense and his mouth set in a rigid line.

  She would have to stay away from Samson. She got the eeriest sensation that he knew exactly what she was planning. He was scary-good at being a spy.

  She would miss him. She would miss them all.

  * * * *

  It was nearly dark by the time Jason pulled to a stop outside their home. The promise of a wonderful day had been denied to them by the actions of the deviant nurse.

  The fact that he’d turned out to be a shifter had meant that his fate was in the hands of their Alpha. Finn may have shown him mercy and relinquished him to human law enforcement, had he not also planned on killing the Alpha’s mate and unborn child.

  Jason would not spare any sympathy for the man. His actions warranted no such emotion. But he was concerned for Bethany. She’d been quiet the whole afternoon. She seemed unwilling to accept that none of them blamed her in any way, that she was not responsible for anything that had occurred.

  Samson carried Bethany into the kitchen and sat with her on his lap.

  “What would you like for supper, kitten?” Samson said. “It’s Jason’s turn to cook tonight. Just tell him what you feel like.”

  She sighed deeply before answering, and slid from Samson’s lap. “I’m just so tired. I’d really just like to take a shower and go to sleep.” She looked around at each of them, unshed tears shining in her eyes. “I’m sorry.”

  “No need to apologize, sweetheart,” Jason said. He hated seeing her look so defeated. He walked to her and wrapped her in his arms. She felt smaller, and somehow more fragile. “We’re here if you need us, Bethany. I hope you feel better when you wake.”

  “We’ll leave you a plate of whatever Jason cooks,” Michael said. He embraced Bethany from behind, kissing her lightly on the lips.

  “Thank you, Michael,” she said, slipping out from between them and walking swiftly to the bedroom. They heard the door close softly behind her.

  “I don’t like this,” Samson said flatly.

  “She just wants to be alone for a while,” Jason said. “She has a lot to process after today.”

  Samson grumbled to himself and stalked to the door. “I’m taking patrol again tonight. Watch her. I’ve got a bad feeling.”

  “You’ve always got a bad feeling,” Michael said, slapping Samson on the back. “Go. Keep the bad guys away from our girl.”

  “I intend to,” Samson said, as he stomped from the room.

  “Seriously though,” Michael said, “do you think she’s okay?” Michael turned to Jason, his expression now serious.

  “I think I’d be more concerned if she wasn’t upset by the day’s events. She’s a deeply caring person, and she’s very fond of Melanie already. It’s normal that she’s feeling traumatized over what happened.”

  He fixed a simple meal of chili and rice, leaving bowls in the fridge for both Bethany and Samson, should they want them later. Michael wanted to spend some time contacting his sources for any word on the hunt for Cristian Renta. He’d been captured on the hospitals CCTV and was now wanted for questioning in the US for the death of Doctor Jenkins.

  So far, no leads had turned up on his current whereabouts. Jason was certain that Michael would be up all night in his search, so he decided to get some sleep.

  He pushed the bedroom door open a fraction to check on Bethany. The room was dark. The slow, rhythmic sound of her breathing was all he could hear. Her sweet scent filled the room, making his heart race as he breathed the scent deep into his lungs. His blood began heating and his cock filled in response.

  Reigning in his rampant desire to go her, he closed the door. She needed rest. He needed a cold shower. His cat bristled along his skin, angry at being denied its mate again.

  Just for tonight, he assured them both.

  * * * *

  She’d dressed in jeans, her warmest sweatshirt and sneakers as soon as she’d come to the bedroom. Then she’d opened the door to the porch and pulled the curtains closed, before climbing under the covers of the big bed.

  She hadn’t had to worry about falling asleep. Her mind was swirling with anxiety over what she planned to do. She knew, realistically, that she only had a slim chance of slipping away. She had no feasible excuse for sleeping fully clothed, so her escape would be thwarted before it began if they decided to join her in bed.

  When she heard the bedroom door creak open, she pretended to be sleeping. She’d become quite adept at feigning sleep in the six years she’d spent in the institution. She just hoped she was a good enough actress to fool shifters.

  The door closed without anyone entering. She’d made it through the first challenge. She’d been certain they’d check on her at some stage. Now that they had, it was time to go.

  Carefully creeping to the porch door, she slipped behind the curtain and looked outside. It was dark ou
t, only a slim moon illuminating the night. Luckily, her poor shifter genetics had still gifted her with great night vision and she could see no one in sight.

  Steeling her resolve, she left the only place in the world that she really wanted to be, and ran into the night.

  She ran for what felt like hours, running north, away from Eminence, into the dense forest that bordered the Reeds’ property.

  The massive trunk of a fallen tree loomed up on her in the darkness, blocking her path. She stopped to consider how to get around it. Her breath was sawing out of her lungs. She was hot and she was thirsty. Bending over, she braced her hands on her knees as she tried to catch her breath. The air was cold on her sweat-damp skin and her breath was misting in front of her as she panted.

  As her breathing slowed, she took stock of her situation. She may have gotten this far, but she really needed to find a road. She couldn’t run all the way to the next town. She needed to hitch a ride. Plus, she may have been running in circles for all she knew. If she found a road, then she’d be sure she was going in one direction.

  Trying to quiet her breathing, she looked closer at the massive tree trunk. It may have been a trick of the moonlight as it filtered through the canopy of trees, but she thought she saw something moving. The air was still and cold. Nothing but the scent of the trees and the undergrowth in the air.

  She watched as it moved closer to her along the top of the fallen tree. It moved with the silent grace of a large cat. As it grew closer, she could see the faint glint of light reflecting from its eyes. It was a cat, and it was huge.

  If it had been one of her men, they would have approached her immediately. They wouldn’t just watch her or frighten her like this. Unless they were mad at me.

  She shook her head in denial of that thought. They wouldn’t do that to her. They might yell at her, but not this, which led to the only logical conclusion. This was a real cougar.

  Unsure of what to do, she ran.

  * * * *

  Samson had spent a fruitless evening patrolling the town. There had been no sign of any strangers wandering around and no word that any of the other patrols had spotted any either. He’d have preferred to be at home with Bethany. Something in her demeanor when he’d left had made him wary. Her feelings of guilt and anxiety were to be expected, but there had been another emotion playing across her expressive face that he hadn’t been able to identify, and it was annoying the fuck out of him.

  Jason had called him two hours ago, to say that Bethany was sleeping and that he was going to sleep in his old room so as not to disturb her. Samson’s unease had only increased since Jason’s call. If I was home, I’d be sleeping with her in my arms.

  “Fuck. That’s it,” he said out loud. His vague feelings of unease suddenly brought into sharp focus by that thought. She was planning to run. She’d been apologizing all afternoon, not just for Melanie being put in danger, but for leaving them.

  As he pulled his cell from his pocket, it started to ring. I’m too fucking late. He felt it to his very marrow. She’d already run.

  Glancing at the caller ID, he saw it was Cooper. Cooper started talking as soon as Samson picked up.

  “Caine has reported in from his patrol north of your property. He came across a small woman with short blond hair running through the forest,” Cooper said.

  “Thank God he found her,” Samson said. He was feeling angry that he’d realized her plan too late, but relieved she’d already been found.

  “Don’t thank anyone yet. It’s not good news, my friend,” Cooper said, his tone severe. “She spotted Caine and ran. He said she was terrified.”

  “Where is she?” Samson said, his voice a garbled growl as his canines descended.

  “Caine followed her, but unfortunately, she reached the highway and had managed to hitch a ride with a passing truck before he could shift and talk to her.”

  “Which way is she heading?”

  “She’s headed for Brooklyn. Drake has already picked up Caine and they’re only a few minutes behind her.”

  Caine and Drake Prentiss were paramedics in Eminence, and good men. Samson was glad they were so close behind Bethany.

  “Max is on the way to take over your patrol. Jason and Michael have been notified. Call if you need us, Samson. We’ll come.”

  “Thank you, Cooper.” He hung up and called Michael as he ran for his truck.

  “We’re leaving now, Samson,” Michael said as the call connected. “What the fuck is she thinking?”

  “She thinks she’s keeping the town safe,” Samson heard Jason say. Michael had him on speaker phone.

  “He’s too close for her to be alone, Samson,” Michael said. “My contacts at the state department have confirmed he hired a private jet in San Diego.”

  “Fuck,” Samson said, “the only airfield around here is in Brooklyn.”

  “I know. She’s running straight to him,” Michael said, his voice strained. “I’ve told Caine. He knows what to do.”

  “They’ll find her and keep her safe,” Jason said, trying to reassure them all.

  Samson climbed in his truck and drove out of Eminence. She was at least forty minutes ahead of them, even if he drove at full speed.

  He should have realized sooner what Bethany was planning. His mate was kind-hearted, but misguided. He just hoped he had the chance to spank her cute butt for not talking to him about her fears. She wasn’t alone anymore, as she had been all her life. She had to learn what it meant to be a part of a family. He prayed she got the chance to learn.

  Chapter 26

  Bethany sat at an all-night diner, sipping a scalding-hot coffee and counting her blessings.

  When she’d run from the cougar in the forest, she’d been in a blind panic. She’d run as fast as she could in the opposite direction of the huge cat, and run straight into the highway.

  She’d only been on the road for a minute or so when a truck passed. She couldn’t believe her continued good luck when the truck had stopped for her as she’d waved it down.

  When she explained she’d had a fight with her boyfriend and walked off, the kind trucker had given her a lift to the next town. Her hands were still shaking from the overload of adrenaline coursing through her veins, but she blew on her coffee and tried to calm down.

  She’d had her tip money from The Sunshine Club in her jeans pocket still, so she had enough money for bus fare tomorrow and for coffee all night at the diner. She just had to sit tight until morning. No more going into the forest, though. She shuddered as she remembered her lucky escape from the cougar.

  A tall man with short red hair approached her table. He was wearing camouflage-patterned fatigues and a khaki T-shirt. He looked imposing. He walked like a soldier. Like Samson.

  “Excuse me, I don’t mean to startle you,” he said, a smile on his face, “but your men would like me to sit with you until they can get here, Bethany.”

  Her cup crashed to the table, hot coffee spilling into her lap. She stood on reflex, and backed away from the table. She was considering running when he handed her some serviettes to dry her jeans.

  “I’m sorry I startled you in the forest earlier. I didn’t mean for you to see me. You have very good eyesight.” He smiled at her again, and mopped her spilled coffee up with more serviettes.

  If it was him in the forest, and he knew her men, she just didn’t know what to think. Could she trust him? If he was one of Cristian Renta’s men, he wouldn’t know about shape shifters, or her men. Her head was spinning. Run, or stay?

  As if sensing her turmoil, he pulled out a cell phone from his pants pocket and held his hand up, palm out, motioning for her to wait.

  “Samson, Bethany needs to talk to you,” he said, handing her the phone.

  Taking the phone from his hand, she took a step back before putting the phone to her ear and speaking. “Hello.”

  “Bethany, I was so fucking scared,” came Samson’s angry voice.

  She took a deep breath, relaxing a litt
le, but still watching the man in front of her closely.

  “Bethany, are you still there?”

  “Samson, I’m sorry. I can’t come back yet. People will get hurt,” she said, unshed tears starting to clog her throat. This was much harder now she was talking to him. “I miss you already.”

  “You don’t understand, Bethany. We think Renta’s already in Brooklyn,” Samson said. “The man there is one of our pride. His name is Caine. He and his brother will keep you safe until we arrive.”

  Bethany didn’t hear anything else. She swiveled her head to look around at the diner she’d thought was a safe haven not a minute ago. There were only a few other patrons scattered amongst the mostly empty tables. None seemed to be paying any attention to her. She took that as a good sign.

  Caine took the phone from her hand and spoke briefly to Samson before ending the call. “Why don’t we get you cleaned up, then we can go and wait with my brother, Drake, in our truck.”

  He ushered her toward the back of the diner where the restrooms were. The spilled coffee had cooled now, but she would welcome washing her hands and face. She was feeling clammy with the shock that Cristian Renta may already be here.

  As she reached for the door to the ladies’ room, it was pushed violently open, slamming into her. The whole right side of her face exploded in pain as she was went flying back against Caine’s chest.

  She heard the sound of raised voices, but the throbbing pain from her face was all-consuming, it prevented her from discerning what was being said, or who was speaking.

  She was wobbling on her feet when she was picked up and thrown over someone’s shoulder. She tried to focus past the tears of pain leaking from her eyes. She could only see a man’s jacketed back, but she could smell him. He smelt revolting, his body door nauseating, but familiar.

  He was the man who’d drugged her in Tijuana. Cristian Renta had found her.