“They got too fucking close to Delaney tonight. Each prospect did what they needed to do to protect her, even though they did not know where the threat was. They acted accordingly. For that they get credits with me.”
“Me too,” I agree.
“If they could have used their powers, or saw a threat, I know the crazy fucker, Gaël, would burn the place down to protect her,” Oryn adds.
“Both Gibson and Gaël will earn their patches when they have done their time, if they survive. Having fire control and time freeze will be a great addition to the club,” Camo informs us.
“How is Delaney?” Halen asks me.
“Sleeping. I left the prospect at my door to keep a listen out for her, while I am here tending to business. She needs her rest. Fuck knows what they were chanting, but she said she felt like her life was being drained from her. The guy she works with said that she went white, like all the blood had been drained from her body.”
Pres watches me, seeing how I plan to move things forward. Those witches almost took Delaney from me. I have to fight back; no fucker hurts what is mine.
My hands clench into fists under the table, a surge of anger pulsing through me as I replay the night’s events. Seeing Delaney lie there in the arms of the prospect, looking deathly, will be a nightmare playing on repeat for me. I won’t let anyone threaten what’s mine again.
I need to take them out before they come for her again.
“Do not do anything reckless, brother,” Winger warns.
I grit my teeth, as my fangs ache with rage.
“I need to end them before they take her from me. This is my doing; they are coming after her because of me.”
“That crazy Fury came at you, Thor; it was you or her, brother,” Rush adds.
I understand what he is saying but fuck, this falls on my shoulders. I have to protect my woman after I brought more danger to her.
Delaney has already shown me that she is a strong woman, a worthy mate for me. Especially since even after everything that has happened to her, she has not freaked the hell out. No, she has stood strong and gotten on with life, albeit she knows that has earned my protection even more.
For years I kept her away from me, not wanting to add to her trauma, but from what I have seen and been told, she was strong and dealt with her shit while I was fucking up in front of her.
I knew from the second I stepped into that room that she was my mate, but seeing that it was my kind who had hurt her, I made it my conscious choice to push her away. She needed to heal and recover, knowing that what they did to her would leave her fucked in the head.
Little did I know that my mate was fucking strong and fierce, yet I got stuck in my own head, thinking that it was best to keep her away from me. The idea of causing her more harm made me angry at myself, and she was always in my line of sight and felt my wrath every fucking time.
It was never her fault, always mine.
I am a cunt and she knows it, yet she felt that connection and held onto that, while I did everything I could to break it. Seeing others find their mates, only to be hurt or completely destroyed when they died, was something I never wanted. Because of that, I knew for a long time that I would never claim who was meant for me.
Shaking my head, my fists clench harder on my thighs. My body is coiled like a rattlesnake, ready to attack.
“Breathe, brother,” is called out, and I look up to see a smirking Shift.
“Fuck off. You know that I do not breathe. Do you think you are funny?” I snap, the men laughing around the table. Even Winger’s lips twitch in amusement.
Shift winks.
“Yes,” is all he says, confidently.
“You need to lock her down, brother. She is a mighty fine mate for a prickly fucker like you. She may smooth some of the pricks out.” Rush laughs.
“What is this— pick on the vampire day?” I grunt, sinking into my seat.
“Oh, come on. What’s a bit of ribbing between brothers?” Cotton calls.
Feeling a shift in the room, I look up at Camo who is opposite me, and his stare is intense, serious.
“You know that I see Delaney as a sister. Hell, most of us in this room do.” I nod. “She is a tough chick, brother. You just did not see it. Watching the light in her eyes go out every time you fed or got your dick sucked in front of her fucking killed me. Especially after I claimed Skyla, I could see what she wanted, and you were denying her. She deserves the fucking world, and if you will not give it to her, even after all of this, then break themating bond. End it so she can move on and find some other guy who will worship her.”
