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“I know some of you have questions as to why you are here again, and I’m going to put it plainly. If you have an issue with Lorena, keep it to yourself. That’s your own problem, and this may include her, but it affects the entire pride, so keep that in mind when I say what I’m about to say.” He looked around at shifted eyes, but they all stayed locked on him. Not one dared to glance at his human sitting behind him.
Good.
“Okay, now what I am going to say will need to be repeated to the next shift that relieves you. Daryl, you need to be in charge of letting everyone on duty know the purpose for this detail as well as any of the ones who are not going to be changing shifts. The reason needs to be out so the whole pride is aware of the lingering threat to us.”
Now he knew he had their full attention. He felt the ears perk up and bristle at the mention of a threat to the pride. That’s exactly the reaction he was hoping for.
“Now, that son-of-a-bitch Sonny intends not only to kill me but to take over the pride. I have no doubt that is his end game. He sees me as a threat, and that means he plans to overrule you all as well. You know his reputation as well as I do, and we aren’t going to stand for it. He will run this Leone pride straight into the ground, destroying everything we have stood for and have accomplished.”
He gestured behind him. “Lorena has been the one brave enough to feed him false information to protect us, but it has come at a cost. He has singled her out and attacked her father, and that means he has attacked us, whether you like it or not. We stand for nothing if we can’t even protect the human trying to help us undermine this piece of shit. Do we want that reputation as a pride?”
A solid no chorused through them. Anger was prominent in their eyes, and they were getting worked up over his speech.
There would be a fight ahead for them, and he needed all of his members attentive and ready for any ambush. To his liking, they were reacting accordingly. He was a proud alpha at that moment.
“Good. Now, you all will be the first watch. Stay as inconspicuous as possible and remain alert to all things. Sonny could have his own men lurking about. Be on your toes and listen to your inner lion. Everything goes through Daryl or me. I’ll have my phone on at all times from here on out. I want this threat eliminated before they can make another move against us. Understood?”
They all nodded affirmatively and took up their places.
With a feeling of satisfaction, Thomas walked back over to Lorena and held out his hand. “Now, I can take you home.”
* * *
He knewLorena was well beyond exhausted just from knowing her, but now she was running on fumes that were non-existent.
Her eyes had bags under them. Not only that, but she had let her façade of strength wane since they left the hospital. Her inner struggle was cracking through.
Thomas pulled up to her house. She hadn’t seemed to register that they had even stopped driving. She stayed staring out the window, looking but not really seeing.
He got out and walked to her door, opening it for her and then helping her out of the car. She accepted easily, in a zombie-like trance.
No words were spoken between them as he walked her to her door and led her inside.
He didn’t want to worry her, but he did a quick surveillance of the place as she found her way to the bathroom. He wanted to make sure she was secure, especially in her own home. Lorena was too tired and beyond comprehension to deal with any type of threat, no matter how minuscule.
“I need a shower” were her first words once she had registered where she was. She walked into the bathroom but didn’t shut the door all the way.
Thomas heard a sob emit from within.
He wanted to let her have her privacy, but his need to comfort her overruled that.
He cautiously entered the bathroom and found her holding on to the sink, trying to catch her breath. Thomas wrapped her in his arms and felt her give in to her emotions as she let herself go and wept against his chest.
“Shhh, it’s okay. I’m here. I promise we are going to do everything we can to get you and your father out of this. I swear to you,” he murmured against her ear.
Her shuddering cries slowly calmed as she gripped his shirt. Thomas rocked her lightly, letting her cling to him.
He walked her over to the shower and turned it on until steam emerged from the shower head. He kissed her forehead. “Why don’t you take a shower and let the warm water soothe you? I’ll be right here.”
She looked up at him with her beautiful deep brown eyes. “I’d feel better if you joined me.”
“I can do that,” he replied, kissing her gently.
Thomas undressed slower than Lorena, occupied by watching her discard her clothes.
She stepped in, and he watched the steam rise from her body. She visibly relaxed as the warmth seeped through her.
He finally entered behind her, shutting the glass door.
