Chapter 24 #2
I knew what it meant. I’d only felt like this a couple of times in my life, and every time had been an absolute shit show.
I’d dubbed them my “rut storms.” The ruts themselves were more intense and lasted longer, but that wasn’t the dangerous part.
The dangerous part was that when the rut faded, I wasn’t stable.
I’d be stuck in this limbo state, overstimulated and exhausted until something small set me off all over again.
Last time I’d had one of these, I’d injured my own packmates.
They’d pulled me out of the rut cages and dragged me home. Given me food and water, cleaned me up and bandaged me. I’d woken up and broken three ribs, a femur, and given one of them a concussion.
After another week of rutting and two weeks recovering in the hospital, I’d finally come back to the world. I’d cleaved as soon as I was well enough.
Guess it figured.
I’d just had the happiest week of my life, and it was time to pay my dues.
I swallowed, taking another breath. Feeling a bit steadier, I opened my eyes and focused on the cold of the metal railing beneath my fingertips.
It was all happening too fucking fast.
Someone knocked on the glass door behind me, and I turned as Jade heaved it open.
“Hugo? You all right?”
The words seemed to echo in my head. There was a sharp, metallic taste on my tongue.
“Casey!” I heard her call.
I blinked. I was on the floor inside, a broken lamp under my arm.
In the next breath, I was gone again.
?
CASEY
I was woken by a large crash.
I scrambled out of bed, looking around the room in alarm. It wasn’t the GPRE, though. Instead, Hugo was curled up by the door, right next to a broken lamp.
Jade was up, already taking a step toward him, but I grabbed her hand. His powerful aura was setting my teeth on edge and seemed to be flickering; at least, that was the only way I could describe the way it was pulsing in the air.
“Don’t move,” I said, keeping my voice calm. It was our first time dealing with one of Hugo’s ruts as a pack, and I wanted to do things right.
Jewel stood to my right, pale but determined. I looked back at Hugo. He lifted his head to peer at us. His face was cold, and there was no recognition as the black flint of his eyes drank us in.
“Jewel. Scent mark me,” I said.
Hugo’s eyes narrowed, but he didn’t move as Jewel edged closer to me. The scent of plum and moscato blossomed in the air, and Hugo’s nostrils flared.
“Both of you, stay here.” I took a step forward.
“What are you doing?” Jade asked, but I held up my hand.
“Trust me.”
She bit her lip but nodded. Her confidence in me settled something in my chest, and I turned back to Hugo. I moved carefully, keeping my posture nonthreatening.
“It’s okay,” I told Hugo. “I’m here to help make it better.”
Hugo growled but didn’t attack. I knew I could handle this, especially now that we were bonded. It wasn’t the first time I’d managed his ruts, though it was the first time without alpha-proof bars between us.
I finally reached him and tentatively took his hand. He allowed the touch, which was good news. His expression wasn’t giving any of his thoughts away. I murmured soothing words as I sank to my knees in front of Hugo.
Calm. I needed to let him know I was safe, that I wasn’t a threat.
I held my breath as Hugo leaned down, huffing in a lungful of Jewel’s scent on me.
There were footsteps, then Jade was beside Hugo, helping him up. Jewel ducked under his other arm, and we all ended up in a pile on the bed, clothes mostly off.
?
HUGO
I awoke to peace.
How long had it been since I felt that?
Not for years.
Not truly, and especially not when I got lost in a rut. But this time, something had found me.
A gentle voice, coaxing me from my storm.
Dark, soft eyes meeting mine. Someone who came before me, not as a threat but as an offering. They smelled like peaches, plum and merlot, of memories of an old life, a summer day spent with friends.
Submission.
Wasn’t that the goal, in the end? The reason my rage simmered and burned, because things weren’t right, because I was adrift in a world where I couldn’t find my place.
A round face and soft lips, a sweet scent that made me want.
An anchor in the storm.
It pulled away, but I held it close. I needed them, the thoughts filtering through my consciousness gaining meaning that had escaped me for years.
My anxiety eased as they settled close again. Three more scents blending with mine, together creating a vibrant tapestry that felt completely right.
Mine.
My anchor.
My pack.
I opened my eyes and found myself tangled up in soft things.
Blankets. I was surrounded by blankets, and I was in a room. The lights were off, so my vision was poor, but my sense of smell was sharper.
It was strange. I wasn’t feeling any of the usual symptoms I’d become familiar with post-rut. Instead of drained, I felt renewed.
Was this another dream?
Casey’s head rested on my chest, his sweet face softened by sleep. Jade was tucked into me on the other side, and Jewel was reclining next to her, watching us all with his golden eyes.
“Welcome back.” A smirk danced on his face. He leaned over and freed a lock of my hair that had gotten caught on my lips.
“I… didn’t hurt anyone?”
“Well, there’s a mangled side table that might disagree, but I’d say no.”
My heart was thumping in my rib cage.
Jewel skated his fingers down, running them through my chest hair. “Where would we be without our betas?”
I snorted. “Let’s not think about that.”
Nowhere good, that was for sure. We’d both faced our worst fear in the last week—succumbing to our instincts—but Jade and Casey had gotten us through it. Casey stirred beneath me. My hand came to rest on his shoulder as he gave a large yawn before blinking his dark eyes up at us.
He gave me a smile that made my heart swell. “Hey, Master Hugo. Are you feeling okay?”
“Yeah. Thanks to you.”
His ears went a bit pink. “I didn’t do much.”