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“Where are we?” I ask, breaking the incredibly loaded silence. It’s like I can feel fury coming from all three of them.
“My and Jase’s place,” Lincoln answers as he puts it in park.
“Why?” I ask.
“You’re not staying in that van after that shit tonight,” Jase answers for him. “Give Linc your shoe, babe.”
16
Riley
I’m staring at Linc and Jase’s house, teeth bared as I stride toward it. When I fluidly become my human form, my teeth are still bared. I stalk up the driveway toward the front steps, nostrils flaring, fists clenched.
The door opens before I’m there. Linc holds it open and tips his head, gesturing for me to enter.
“Why the fuck is she here?” I demand.
I know I left her in his care, but sure as fuck didn’t expect him to bring her to his house.
“Because she’s not safe in a goddamn parking lot by herself,” he snaps back. “Fuckin’ obviously,” he adds, giving me a judgmental glare that makes me want to rip his goddamn head off.
Before I fully form my next thought, I hear a car at the same time as sense movement behind me.
Tyson shifts from wolf to human form, coming up beside me. Mason’s truck pulls in, Greyson is with him.
I straighten up. My nose is that weak that I didn’t smell them before I heard them. All I smell is her. In there. Still afraid. And behind Linc’s and Jase’s scents, which makes me near rabid.
“Grey’s been briefed,” Mase advises, coming toward me. “Let’s get inside and talk.”
“We can talk here,” I fire back.
“Riley, this is bullshit,” Tyson puts in.
“Talk to me,” Grey requests, hand landing on my shoulder.
I thaw just slightly, taking in the sight of Greyson. “I haven’t seen you in days. I should be congratulating you on your mating,” I say, voice a little gruff, “but clearly I’m not in my right fuckin’ head because of shit with her. How ‘bout you talk to me? What’s the deal with your new mate? Should I say congrats or condolences?”
“Congrats for sure.” Grey smiles.
“Congrats, brother,” I say with sincerity.
His smile widens and he gives my shoulder a squeeze before his hand drops. “Thanks, man.”
“Talk to me,” I request.
“I’ll do that. Let’s go inside. Get this over with so I can get back.”
“Back to your mate?” I ask.
“Yeah,” he says.
And by his face I know he’s looking forward to getting back to her and I can’t help but feel stung.
“You left her alone? With all this happening?”
That’s fuckin’ rich coming from me after I left mine alone.
“She’s safe. Got two alphas there.” His eyes are lit with something. They’re silver. Glowing briefly. “But it’s makin’ my skin crawl to leave her in someone else’s care.”
“But is she trustworthy or…”
“Come inside; I’ll explain.” He jerks his head toward the house. Where she is.
My insides twist with ugliness.
“I’m not going in there,” I state.
Though I state it, looking rooted to the spot, the truth is that every fiber of my being is fighting to stay, fighting to not rip in there and tear her out of here, away from them. Because I smell her from here. I smell all of her. And I’ve got the worst case of blue balls in the history of the world blending with jealousy and shame. My mate is being protected by them because I left her unprotected. The epitome of a wolf shifter’s relationship with his mate is that he protects her at all costs. Though this sure isn’t the epitome of a shifter relationship.
I’m so bloody incensed right now I could easily lose it and do shit I know I’ll regret. And I’m not sure if the crux of my anger comes from what she’s done to me, how her feelings keep penetrating my anger, or my opinion of myself.
My behavior is what got her abducted tonight. I didn’t do my job as her mate. I’m fucked in the head, losing my basic senses, and I nearly lost it all, all my control, when I felt her emotions coming at me after she watched me rip that fucker apart.
“What’s goin’ on?” Grey asks.
I have no words.
He jerks his chin up. “Okay, how’s this? You’re pissed off. You’re pissed at her for what she did, rightly so, and you’re pissed off because you want her.”
My lip curls.
Mase speaks up. “You’re also probably holding back for fear you’ll hurt her or scare her. Because the image in your mind for seven years has been her frightened face as you lost her.”
I flinch.
Grey leans a hip against the banister of the porch and continues, “I had a chat with her oldest sister Vivica on the phone an hour ago. Just gonna say, that girl in there grieved even harder than you did.” He points to me. “Believe that or not.”
I scoff.
“I’m serious, Rye. Think about it. You’re out here thinkin’ it’s over, thinkin’ there’s no hope, but you’ve got the hope she’s at peace at least. It takes you time, but you find a way to move on, focus on your pack. While-” He points at the house “she’s out here hurtin’, torturing herself for the hurting you’re doing, while unable to do a fucking thing about it but wait.”
