21. Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-One
Heath
M y gaze and my body trap Stanly. My snake is eager for the kill. The drive was torture, wondering what he was doing to Juliana. Seeing her bloody and chained snapped every ounce of my control. My human side wants to end it quickly so I can take care of my mate, but my snake wants to prolong the agony. He dared take our mate. He has to pay.
When I reached the house, the fire was out, and Sally messaged as she tracked Juliana. I was surprised when everyone followed, ready to defend our bond. I ignore the surprise my shifter causes. I don’t care who knows as long as I have my mate safe. I have never felt such terror. Losing her isn’t an option.
Slowly releasing my venom, I relish Stanly’s cries and wrap around his stomach. It burns through his clothes, and the stench of burning flesh irritates my nose.
“I’ll leave,” he whispers. “I won’t see her again.” Too late for that. I circle his shoulders and place my head in front of his, flashing my fangs. His eyes plead with me, and his lips tremble. My snake doesn’t give a fuck. I hold still, and my eyes swirl. “What…is…happening?” Stanly gasps.
“He’s enhancing the pain,” Micah states. He has seen me in my shifter form and knows my tricks.
“No,” Stanly whimpers, the burn increasing. It begins to eat away at his skin and enter his bones. His eyes lose a little bit of life, instead filling with resignation. His lips part, and no cries escape. His capability to speak is gone. This is the stage in the process in which his body and mind don’t know how to comprehend what is happening to him.
My skin brightens even more as the poison flows into him. The gurgles increase. I am melting his body from the outside in, and his legs can’t hold him up. As he falls, I don’t lose my grip. He’s dying, and it soothes all the dark places inside me. I will never allow someone to hurt Juliana.
“He’s melting,” Saphira mutters.
“So wicked,” River says. My snake is happy to give this demonstration of what we can do. Even though they are my friends, it is a threat to everyone, showing them how far I will go to protect.
Stanly is still alive, but barely. When he is on the edge of death, I strike, and my fangs enter his neck, pushing my venom into his brain. I hiss as I pull back. Retreating from his body, I shrink slightly and turn toward my mate. My venom stops at my will.
“River, you might want to move,” Quinn warns.
“Shit,” River says, shuttering as I slither closer. “I am not a fan of snakes. I’m torn between protecting her and staying away from the snake with killer skin.”
“He won’t hurt me,” Juliana says firmly. Sally slides away, grabbing River’s arm as she passes.
Afraid to scare her, I decrease my body even more and wrap around her leg. She doesn’t move, trusting me and my animal. Once I reach her knee, I unwind, crossing her lap. I’m surprised as she reaches out her hand. I take her offer, circling her wrist and moving up her arm. I flick my tongue across her cheek, cleaning the blood from her skin.
“I don’t think we should be here for this,” Roxanne whispers.
“It does seem rather personal,” Sally whispers back.
“Should we go?”
“Fuck no,” Sally answers. I shiver as Juliana glides her fingers over my skin.
“Thank you,” she says, and I nudge my head against hers. “I would love to spend more time with your snake, but I need your human arms right now.” I scrape my fang over her jaw before dropping to the ground. My snake is satisfied meeting our mate in such a personal way, so it only takes a thought to shift back.
“Alright,” Kingston says. “Time to go.” I look over my shoulder with a lifted brow. Maverick steps in front of Saphira, shielding her from my naked body.
“Fuck, no,” Sally grumbles. “It’s just getting good.”
“We will wait outside,” Micah says, pulling his mate.
“Hunter,” I say.
“I’ll get your pants from the car,” he responds, and everyone quickly files out. Sally and Roxanne trail behind everyone. I shake my head when Sally winks on the way out.
“Did I scare you?” I ask, turning back.
“No.”
“It was a risk,” I whisper, placing my hands on either side of her neck. “Killing him like that in front of you.” Maybe I also wanted her to see every part of me.
“He deserved it.” She takes a deep breath. “I was really fucking scared.” I press my forehead to hers. “And so stupid.” I jerk back. “I shouldn’t have left the house.”
“No, you shouldn’t have,” I agree. “You were trying to save Rylee.”
“Yes.”
“Boss.”
“Yeah.” I drop my hands and take the clothes from Hunter. “Warm the car. You can drive.” He nods and leaves. “I need to get you home. Are you in pain?”
“Oh, yeah,” she groans, pressing her hand to her head.
“We should go to the hospital.” I dress quickly.
“No. I want to go home.” She grips my jacket. “And never leave.”
“I won’t complain,” I drawl and slide my arms underneath her. I hold her lightly against my chest, fearful of hurting her further, but move quickly across the room.
“We’ll stay behind,” Maverick offers as I step outside.
“Don’t worry about the mess,” Saphira says, smiling.
“Thank you.” I take a moment to see all the shifters and vampires waiting for us. I doubted their loyalty to me. The panthers wait by their car, and I’m grateful to them. Rylee is in the care of a shifter doctor who has known them since they were young. Ryker, Bash, and their mates stand behind all the vehicles. The wolves hold their mate between them, talking with the cowboy cheetah. More dragons stand with Roxanne and Sally. Quinn, Micah, and their mates lean against the car the lions came in. This family, which I still don’t fully understand, has shown their devotion to the bond and the safety of mates.
“Boss?” Bane is holding the back door of the car open.
“Yes.” I doubt Bane and Hunter understand the extent of the family they have become a part of by just being here. “Sally,” I start, and she looks at me. “I am indebted to you.” Her eyes widen and then become wicked.
“Remember, he has a mate,” Juliana says, smiling at the rabbit.
“Damn, that narrows it down,” Sally pouts. “I’ll get back to you.”
“You do that,” I smirk and walk to the car. Carefully placing Juliana on the seat, I move back, and I’m surprised as she pulls my hand fiercely.
“Don’t leave me,” she whispers.
“Never,” I hiss and kiss her head. “I’m getting in the other side.” She nods, and I shut the door. “Drive fast,” I instruct Hunter and walk around the car. The vampires disappear as I open the door, and everyone else separates into their rides.
“I’m riding with you, cowboy,” Sally says, skipping beside him. “Is Saylor ready to pop yet? You’ve been hogging her. She misses me. I’m ready for a visit.” She continues to chatter and I smile before sitting beside my mate.
“Turn up the heat,” I say. Juliana is shivering. I slide next to her and put on her seatbelt. The shock is hitting her and her body is trembling. “Lean on me.” I cup her knee and carefully wrap my arm around the small of her waist. Her head lands on my shoulder, and her cold hands slide between my shirt and jacket. Her breathing evens once she is bundled against me, and her body relaxes. I press close and gratefully bask in her presence. “Be ready to move on the mom. She had a role in this,” I instruct Bane. Levi told us about his conversation with their mom, admitting he told her about me. It was too late as I was racing to find Juliana. He wanted to come, but I convinced him to stay home. I promised to update him. “Message Levi. Tell him she is safe but needs time. I’ll let him know when to visit.” Bane nods and gets his phone.
The extent of their mother’s involvement is unknown to me. What her punishment will be depends on the role she played. There are many ways I could ruin her life. She fucked with her daughter for the last time. Juliana can affect my decision, but my big-hearted mate may let her off too easily.
Luckily, Stanly didn’t go far from the house. He underestimated the town he was in and the shifters who would defend the family. I hadn’t given much thought to him or his past with Juliana. I barely noticed him before the night we met. Levi always had him near, but I didn’t know the extent of their friendship. When Hunter delved into Juliana’s past, I realized how much I overlooked him. Once he hacked into Stanly’s social media, his obsession with my mate became clear. She was clueless about his love, and I knew his dedication had grown to dangerous levels. His accounts were filled with pictures of her, more than a friend of her brother's should have been. I’m dreading the conversation with Levi, not because I am sorry Stanly is dead. I’m going to hate seeing the emotion as Levi realizes the man he idolized for much of his life was hiding his true nature.
One of the many reasons I have tried to avoid personal attachments. Micah and Quinn were a surprise, as was my friendship with them. Rylee became my sister naturally, and a ball of anxiety is sitting in my gut. She was in the living room when I arrived, but I resisted going to see her. My priority was my mate. She needed me more. Rylee will heal, but Juliana is human, and any injury could cause her death.
“Heath,” Bane says, and I blink. “We’re here.” I notice we are parked in front of the house. Micah and Quinn are standing on the porch. I wait until they leave the car and remove Juliana’s seatbelt, but she doesn’t wake. Hunter opens the door, and I pull away.
“Heath,” she mumbles.
“We’re home.” I quickly get out and speed to her door. The scent of smoke is thick in the air, irritating my nose. “I’ve got you.” She wraps her arm around my neck as I lift her.
“Shit,” she hisses, her other hand pressing to her head. “My head is pounding.”
“Go to your brother,” I tell Hunter and Bane. “I’m sure he’s worried. Take the car.”
“Keep us posted,” Hunter says, and I nod.
“Take care of her,” Bane says and walks away.
“He likes her.” Hunter smiles at Juliana before following his brother.
“The Doc is waiting,” Quinn says.
“Doctor?” she asks as I carry her.
“He’s been with Rylee. He’s a shifter,” I say. Micah opens the door, and I walk through. “He’ll check you out.”
“I sent him downstairs,” Micah says. “I assumed she would want to be down there.”
“Yes,” she confirms. I concentrate on getting her to our room. “Have you met him?”
“No.” Walking down the stairs, I feel relieved to be in my domain. “They trust him.”
“I’ll love him if he can stop my headache,” she says.
“I won’t turn down a pretty girl.” I stop at the bottom of the stairs and study the man the words came from. He looks ancient. His body is agile as he smiles and walks down the hall to the bedroom. “My name is Estes.” I reach the doorway, and he’s sitting at the end of the bed. “I have known the panthers since they were little.” He tilts his head. “I remember treating a snake. He was near death but recovered rapidly. You are rare.”
“You know.” I stop beside the bed, gently placing Juliana on the covers.
“Of course. I knew the scent when I walked into the house. It’s not something I would forget.” He turns, laying his arm over his bent knee. “Your sister will be fine. She is sleeping but mending. Now, who is this.”
“My mate, Juliana.”
“Nice to meet you, dear. Human still,” he hums.
“Your scent is unusual,” I say. It’s a mixture of different animals, and it is odd.
He shrugs. “Yes, but we aren’t here to talk about me. What hurts?”
“He hit me on the back of the head,” she says, and I grip the bed frame. “He punched me in the face.” The metal bends slightly.
“Maybe you should step out, son.” Estes lifts his brows.
“No,” I state, loosening my fingers.
“I respect the bond. I won’t make a move on your girl,” he grins and winks at Juliana. “I would like privacy with the patient, and it would be a shame if you broke the bed. Rylee would love to see you.” I glare.
“Heath, it’s okay,” Juliana says. I look down. “He won’t hurt me. I’m worried about Rylee. Can you check on her?” I grind my teeth but concede.
“Call out, and I will be here.” I bend and kiss her lightly.
“I will.”
“Hurt her, and I’ll kill you,” I threaten.
“I have no doubt,” he smiles, and my eye twitches.
My body rebels as I walk to the door. I know the threat to my mate is gone, but it doesn’t make it easier to leave her. Her worry for Rylee is real. She knows I want to see her and judge for myself of her progress. Juliana’s scent is filled with pain, but also I can smell her ease at being in our home. I refrain from stomping up the stairs like a child. The doctor is old as fuck and demands my respect.
“Kicked you out,” Quinn guesses as I enter the kitchen. He’s sitting with Micah at the table.
“Yes.” I hesitate to look in the living room.
“She’s been sleeping,” Micah says.
“She asked about you,” Quinn says softly, and I press my palm to my chest.
“What did he do to her?” I ask.
“She has a nasty gash on the back of her head. His skin is under her nails. She fought hard,” Quinn explains. I nod, knowing she would do nothing less. “She was bruised on her torso, but they are healing quickly. Her hand was broken,” Quinn growls. He is a defender of women, and I know it affects him.
I close my eyes briefly and then walk to the couch. Grinding my teeth, I wish I could kill Stanly again as I see Rylee’s swollen eye. They didn’t mention the black eye and fat lip. Carefully, I sit on the edge of the couch, reaching over her to grip the cushion. I’m still not comfortable with the ache in my heart. Rylee means more to me than I thought possible. For years, I tried to keep the distance between us. I didn’t want to love her. The meaning of love was too big, too involved to be a part of my life. Blood meant nothing to me since my family was dead. I loved them, but the gap they left in my heart was too much trouble to fill. I didn’t see the fox coming. I’m thankful she snuck into my life and my heart.
“You look way too serious.” I focus on her face and deny the emotions caused by her eyes opening. “Is Juliana okay?”
“She is with the doctor.” I ease my expression. “She’s hurt, but I don’t know the extent.”
“He knocked me out before I could warn her.”
“How do you feel?”
“Like I was in a fight with five men,” she groans.
“The Doc said you’ll recover.”
“What does he know?” She smiles. “I’ll be fine.”
“What happened?” I don’t want to ask, but she needs to discuss it. She doesn’t bottle things up anymore, swearing it’s healthy to let it out.
“You left. I decided to go for a walk. You know I don’t like sitting,” she says. I tilt my head. “It was quiet. I was enjoying the solitude, and suddenly, I heard something. When I turned, a man was behind me. I didn’t have time to prepare. His fist flew at my face before I could compute what was happening.” I look away, and my hand tightens. “Heath, I froze.” I turn back. “I fell to the ground, and I froze. I couldn’t move or defend myself. It brought back all the memories, and I couldn’t do anything. That’s when he punched me in the stomach. I lost my breath, and all of their faces flashed across my vision. Then he started talking about Jules, and it snapped me out of it. He wanted her, and I couldn’t allow it. We fought, and I couldn’t get the upper hand.” Her eyes fill. “I couldn’t let him take her. The things he was saying about her were disturbing, and I could see the rage in his eyes. He must have hit me on the back of the head. Everything was blurry, and I passed out. The next thing I remember is Quinn carrying me into the house.” She squeezes my hand. “If I had stayed in the house, he wouldn’t have got her. It’s my fault.”
“Fuck that,” I growl, leaning forward. “He’s to blame. He took advantage of your loyalty to her and her need to protect you.”
“How did she know I was in trouble?”
“I don’t know. We haven’t had time alone to talk.”
“And you don’t really want to hear the details,” she says. I roll my eyes. “I know you. You love her.” I jerk my hand away. “Heath, it’s okay. You should. She is your mate.”
“I couldn’t fucking protect her,” I hiss, turning away, my elbows on my knees. I cup my hand in front of my mouth. “I should have known it was him.”
“Hey,” she whispers, sliding her hand in the crook of my elbow. “As much as you like to know everything, sometimes there is no way to. You say not to blame myself; that goes for you too.”
“I don’t like this feeling,” I whisper, rubbing my face.
“What? Love? Worry? Panic?”
“All of the above.”
“Give in, brother.” I turn my head and look at her. “You can. It’s obvious that you love her. You can’t protect her all the time. Shit happens.” She lifts her arms, motioning down her body. “I’ve been fighting men and women in the ring. The circumstances were extreme, and I lost to a coyote. I’ll never live it down.” She curls on her side. “You finished your mission. All of them are dead. It’s time to find your happiness.”
I exhale harshly. “She’s everything.”
“Of course she is. That’s how it should be.”
“Are you going to stay?”
“I think I’ll like it here. He can’t take away my new family. Sally said I could stay with her until I find a place.”
“I want you to be happy,” I confess.
“Same,” she says softly.
I clear my throat. “Do you think you can shift?”
“Maybe. I’m going to call Sally.”
“You can stay here tonight.” She pushes up, and I frown.
“I’m healing. Once I shift, I’ll be fine. You need time with Jules.” She leans against the armrest. “Go.”
“Rylee—” I don’t want her to push herself.
“Heath, brother, I love you.” She cups my shoulder. “I don’t want to hear my brother have sex. I’m going.” She pushes. “I wouldn’t be able to look you in the eyes again. Sally said she would be thrilled to have me. I have her number. Don’t worry.”
“Call me if you need anything.” I straighten.
“I’ve been through worse, and I’m stronger than I look,” she reminds me. I look down into her determined eyes and press my thumb to her chin.
“I know you are. I love you, too,” I say. She blinks rapidly, and I drop my hand. “Wait until she gets here.”
“We’ll make sure she is safe,” Micah says. I feel no shame knowing they heard our conversation.
“Go to your mate,” Quinn rumbles. “We’ll lock up after Sally arrives. I’m sure Elijah is ready for her to leave.” I smile softly. Elijah complains, but she is family, and he loves her as much as all of us.
“Thank you for being here.” I walk away, ready to be near my mate.