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Ruby pushed the rest of her cookie into her mouth and started chewing just as Laramie’s mate, Em walked in and stood glaring at the man in question.
“You’re in so much trouble.” She pointed at Laramie, and Ruby almost choked as she giggled again. “Both of you, young lady.”
Ruby turned her big eyes up to Laramie.
“It’s every bear for themselves, baby bear,” he told her then looked at his mate. “She forced me, Em. Threatened to tell you I was mean if I didn’t bring her up for cookies.”
“He’s y-ing, Mama. I not say that.” Ruby glared at Laramie, hopping down and running over to Em, who scooped her up. Ruby wrapped around her and nuzzled into Em’s throat. “I tired.”
“Did you eat all your cookies and drink your milk?” Em asked.
Ruby nodded, burying a yawn in Em’s neck.
“Let’s get you back to bed,” Em whispered, putting a kiss atop Ruby’s head. “Hello, Fletch,” she called while Ruby immediately went boneless against her. “You must be Helen. Hopefully, we can find some time to chat later today. I’ve got to get this one back to bed.”
She tossed a glare toward Laramie, who merely grinned. The look they shared was pure fire, and Em’s face was flushed with color as she turned to leave.
Fletch set down two glasses of milk followed by the plate of chocolate chip cookies that had been baked earlier. Most likely by Jaeda. Holt’s mate had taken to baking since she’d become pregnant. Her twin, Sidia, who was also pregnant, sometimes joined her. Fletch figured they’d be good on baked goods at least until the babies were born.
“Eat,” he encouraged Helen, dropping a kiss on her cheek when she glanced up at him. He took the seat beside her and looked at Laramie.
“Nightmare?” Laramie asked before picking up his cup and finishing it off then rising and carrying his and Ruby’s dishes to the sink.
Helen blew out her breath while Laramie rinsed and put things in the dishwasher.
“I have nightmares from the attacks. Sometimes, no one survives,” Laramie told them. “Everywhere we go, there’s no one left. Sometimes, I see my dad. Sometimes…” He paused for a long moment. “Sometimes, I see my mate or Ruby, the baby Em’s carrying or one of my brothers or their mates. Don’t be embarrassed about having a nightmare, Helen. They get us all.”
“I…”
She stopped, glancing toward Fletch. He squeezed her hand, lacing their fingers together.
“One of the favored punishments of the guy in charge where we were kept was to chain us to the cave wall and use his whip. I was punished a lot,” she admitted. “I dreamed I was back on that wall, and the young shifter he told to count the lashes kept forgetting, so he would start all over again at one.”
By the look on her face, Fletch could tell it was something she’d lived through. Most likely, numerous times. She had scars to show for it. Fletch would kill the fucking bastard who’d done it to her. Slowly. Painfully. There was no way he could stop the growl that rose from his throat, and Helen glanced toward him. The man would suffer before Fletch let him die.
“I’m sorry, Helen,” Laramie offered. “For not finding you sooner. For not even knowing to look for you. We failed you.”
“You failed no one,” she countered. “Least of all me. You did the best you could with the knowledge you had, and when you learned more, you did more. No one would ever fault you for that.”
Laramie nodded, walked over and squeezed Helen’s shoulder.
“Thank you.”
He met Fletch’s gaze. “You’ve got an incredible mate here.”
“I do,” Fletch agreed.
“Take care of her,” Laramie ordered then left them alone in the kitchen.
“He’s not what I expected,” Helen admitted.
“What did you expect?”
“I’m not sure. Someone harder. Not a man like I just met.”
“Don’t let him fool you,” Fletch warned. “Laramie is a force to be reckoned with. He just happens to have a huge heart.”
“This is your den? The place you call home?”
