“What the ever loving fuck happened,” Quinn shouted, whirling on Rebecca and Ross as they came inside with Elise in tow. Swallowed a scream of equal parts anger and fear at the bloody tissue Elise clutched to her nose.
“Ronny Talbot shoved Adam in the dirt,” Elise announced, shrugging free of Rebecca’s sturdy grip that tried to warn the little girl to be careful of her mother’s wild emotions.
“Who the hell hurt you?” Tobias’ voice came from somewhere dark, a blood-soaked field of death and destruction.
“Ronny Talbot! I just said, Daddy.” Her nasal whine soggy and wet, Elise tugged a rumpled wad of tissues from her bright blue jacket to replace the one starting to drip. “It’s okay, though. I got him real good.”
“There was a scuffle on the playground while Ross went to get the car,” Rebecca said, the puckered lines of her brow and clenched jaw speaking to more than the perceived lapse of control of the situation. “By the time I turned around from helping Adam, Elise had the boy on the ground. Punched him hard enough to break his nose. He started kicking when we were separating them, got her in the face.”
“It. Was. Great, Mama,” Elise squealed, swinging her fist into the air to show the sickly blue-green of her knuckles. “I got him good for Adam, but then he was all mad at me in the car. Said Alphas don’t need protecting.”
“Please, by all that is sacred and holy, don’t be a stunted Alpha,” Quinn groaned, falling to her knees to collect Elise into her arms. “We’ll get you some ice, baby.”
“Why? It’s fine.”
“This Talbot boy,” Tobias asked, smoothing Elise’s wild mane of pale curls back from her forehead to scowl at the tissues already wet with blood.
“He’s a twelve-year-old Alpha. Half again the size of Adam,” Rebecca said, gaze sliding towards Elise. A single brow rose with a hint of admiration. Voice dropping to a low murmur, she continued, “If we hadn’t pulled her off of him, I don’t think the kid would have all his teeth right now.”
“How about instead of standing here, one of you go soothe Adam’s pride,” Quinn ground out. Clasping Elise around the thighs, she struggled to her feet with the added burden of her five-year-old. “Poor boy just had his little sister take out a bully.”
“Hey! We look out for each other, that’s what you and Daddy said.”
“Yes, I know. That does not include hitting people. I swear, Elise, you get all this violence from your father, and I don’t like it one bit.”
Leaving the two Alphas in the foyer and ignoring their snorts of amusement, Quinn carried Elise into the kitchen to get one of the many ice packs they’d acquired in the past few months. Where Adam was slow to anger, quick to think of alternate paths that would avoid a fight, Elise ran in screaming for blood.
“The Gods hate me,” she muttered at the freezer.
“I don’t think I’m an Alpha, Mama,” Elise said, spindly legs kicking in wide arcs as she admired her knuckles. “Robert Dawson said I smell pretty.”
“Elise, sweetheart, this is very important.” Quinn cupped her daughter’s chin, tilting it up until pale gray could meet the deep green so like her father’s. “Do not, under any circumstances, tell your father that.”
“Why?”
“Because he’ll kill us all.”
“Oh, okay. Can I have a pudding?”
* * *
“Sweetness, I have to—”
“If you leave this house for another Gods damned challenger, I will cut your balls off while you sleep,” Quinn snarled from the depths of the nest. Cradled by the thick pockets of heavy blankets and warm sheets, arms slapped against naked flesh as she crossed them over her chest.
“I have to take a call and then I’ll come to bed,” Tobias said, tugging the knot of his tie down as he came towards his grumpy mate. Sitting with a long sigh, he tipped his head hard side to side with a crackling pop to relieve the tension there. His hand slid up her leg, fingers exploring the warmth between her thighs. “Maybe another hour.”
“Just let it happen, sweetness,” Quinn hissed through clenched teeth, mocking him as she smacked his hands away. “It’ll be fine, little bird. Just have your heat and I’ll get you through it.”
“You’re not in heat yet.”
“No, if I was in heat, you would be fucking me like you’re supposed to be!”
“I know this is difficult for you.” Tugging Quinn forward, he brushed his lips against hers. A flick of his tongue teasing over the soft flesh before he eased her back into the softness of her construct. “You said you wanted to try.”
“That was before I felt like crawling out of my skin.” As if to prove the point, Quinn clawed at her legs, nails raking red welts over the pale skin as she scratched at the annoying tingle that simmered just below the surface.
Only his presence seemed to soothe the worming frustration that twisted through her spine. He’d remained home for the last several days just for that reason. It was always worse at night, when things were quiet and still, and she had nothing to distract her.
