Chapter Two
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WHEN PETER BLINKED his eyes open, everything hurt.
Well, he was only able to blink one of his eyes open.
The other was swollen shut, and he groaned, tempted to roll over and hide his face in the pillow but knowing it would be better if he didn’t.
If he thought his face hurt now, it would be even worse if he did that.
He just wanted to scream without anyone hearing him and becoming alarmed. Surely, that wasn’t asking too much.
But he didn’t want to freak Vincent out any more than he had last night.
He’d been exhausted, and his body had reached the edge of what it could take before it collapsed, but he’d needed to warn Vincent that Lou might come after him.
If he used Peter and Vincent’s name, someone might even let him inside pack territory, and that was the worst thing that could happen.
Peter was sure that Lou would find his way into pack territory eventually.
He was smart, and he’d lost his favorite toy to terrorize.
He also knew that Peter would come straight to Vincent if anything happened.
He didn’t have a family, and Vincent was his safe place, something that had always angered Lou.
Peter didn’t think that Lou had ever actually believed that something was happening between Peter and Vincent, but he’d been happy to use the excuse.
Not that he’d needed one. His favorite excuse had been that Peter had provoked him, that it was somehow his fault. Peter had always hated that, but he’d known better than to argue.
He still wasn’t sure where he’d found the strength to run.
He knew that if he’d stayed, he probably wouldn’t have survived the next beating.
Lou was getting worse, hitting him harder and for longer.
He was starting to leave scars, and that wasn’t something Peter wanted to live with.
In fact, he never wanted to think about Lou ever again.
Unfortunately for him, this mess wasn’t over, but if he was lucky, Lou would eventually forget about him.
But he wouldn’t do that before trying to get him back first.
A soft knock on the door startled him. He sat up, wincing at the pain in his ribs. He croaked something and pressed his hand against his chest, and when Vincent opened the door, that was how he found him.
He rushed to Peter’s side. “Are you okay? What’s going on?”
“I’m fine. I just moved too quickly.”
Vincent’s expression was grim. “He really hurt you this time, didn’t he?”
Peter didn’t ask him why he used those words.
As much as he’d been trying to hide what was going on with Lou, Vincent wasn’t an idiot.
He’d seen and even hinted that he knew. Peter had brushed him off because he didn’t want Vincent to be involved, but that plan was out the window now.
Vincent was involved, and Peter knew him well enough to be sure that his best friend would find a way to make Lou pay.
He wouldn’t be the only one. Where Vincent went, so did Ronan.
And the man was a wyvern shifter.
Peter looked down at the blankets. “I thought he was going to kill me,” he murmured.
“You looked like he might have when you got here. I’m glad you realized you could leave, though. You’re safe here.”
“For now.”
“Oh, I have no doubt that he’ll try to come after you, but he won’t know what hit him if he does. I’m not the only one who’s pissed about this. Ronan wanted to go after him last night, and while I haven’t talked to Camden for long, he wants to do something, too.”
Peter shook his head but quickly stopped because that hurt, too. “He doesn’t need to do anything. This isn’t his business. I’m not a pack member.”
Vincent arched a brow. “Aren’t you?”
“Just because I’m your friend doesn’t mean I’m a pack member.”
“Maybe not, but Camden and the pack are very proud to help any rare shifter who needs anything.”
And Vincent knew what Peter was. He was the only one who did, as far as Peter knew. He’d lost his family, and he hadn’t dared tell anyone but the one person he trusted with his life. “I don’t think I can tell them.”
Vincent sighed and reached over to squeeze Peter’s hand.
“I know you don’t trust them. You don’t know them, and this has to be scary.
You know how many shifters they’ve helped, though.
Even my mate is here thanks to them, and they rescued him from a cage.
If there are people you can trust, you’ll find them here.
The many rare shifters who live with the pack are proof of that. ”
“I know,” Peter whispered.
“But Camden will never force you into anything. He also won’t decide not to help you if you don’t tell him. You’re my best friend, and as far as he’s concerned, that means you’re a pack member.”
“I’ll talk to him,” Peter said. He didn’t know what he’d tell Camden, but he didn’t have to decide right now. “I need to apologize for crashing into pack territory unannounced. Hell, I need to apologize to you for invading your home.”
“You never have to apologize for something like that, not with me, and I suspect not with Camden, either. You needed a safe place, and you found it. I’m more than happy to let you stay here for as long as you need.”
“I’m sure Ronan will have something to say about that.”
“He does. We’ve discussed it, and he agrees. This is your home.”
Peter was going to cry, but he didn’t want to. He suspected it would hurt like hell if he did. “Thank you,” he whispered.
“I’m not going to tell you that you should’ve come to me sooner,” Vincent said gently, still squeezing Peter’s arm.
“I’ve never been in the situation you’re in.
I don’t know what it’s like, and I would never judge you, especially not for something like this.
I just want you to know that whatever you need, Ronan and I will do everything we can to give it to you.
I just wish that you’d come to us sooner.
I knew that something was wrong, and I wanted to help, but I didn’t want to push you. ”
Peter’s eyes burned. He swallowed, hoping that would be enough, and he resisted the urge to reach for his face. He wasn’t sure he wanted to know how bad things were. “I wanted to tell you,” he whispered.
“Did Lou stop you from doing it?”
“He threatened you and Ronan, but I never thought he would actually come after you.” But Peter was starting to wonder if he’d been wrong about that. Lou was getting worse, so anything was possible.
Lou liked winning. He liked to be in control. He wouldn’t have that with Vincent and Ronan. They wouldn’t let him do what he’d been doing to Peter since they’d gotten together. They would stand up to him, and Ronan might even eat him.
Now that wasn’t a bad thought. With Lou dead, Peter would know for sure that he was safe. He would know that Lou would never come back for him. He’d never ask Ronan to do something he didn’t want, but maybe he could scare Lou a little bit.
But that might backfire. There was no way to know what Lou would do if he found out what Ronan was or how many rare shifters lived with the pack.
The pack was no doubt doing their best to protect everyone, but it might still be dangerous.
No, Peter couldn’t risk it. It was best for him to stay as far away from Lou as possible and hope that his boyfriend would let him go.
Well, ex-boyfriend. There was no way Peter was going back to Lou, no matter how much Lou would want him to.
It wasn’t like Lou would want that because he was in love with Peter or missed him.
No, he’d just miss having someone to terrorize and hurt, and that wasn’t something Peter was willing to give him anymore.
The thought of standing up to Lou was terrifying, but Peter didn’t have to stand up to him alone.
Vincent would do it for him, and even though part of Peter didn’t want that, another part was relieved.
His problem had always been that he couldn’t stand up to Lou.
Now, he wouldn’t have to. He would have someone who would stand up to Lou for him.
The thought made him feel loved, and he leaned closer to Vincent.
Vincent didn’t hesitate to wrap his arms around Peter carefully.
It reminded Peter of last night, when he’d sobbed on Vincent’s shoulder.
He was tempted to do the same just now, but he wasn’t sure he had any tears left in his body.
His eyes sure were trying to find out, though.
“You’re safe here,” Vincent promised. “You’re surrounded by people who will protect you, whatever happens. You don’t have to worry about Lou anymore. I promise he’ll never hurt you again.” And even though Vincent couldn’t actually make that promise, Peter believed him.
* * * *
brADEN HAD BEEN PLEASED to see how seriously security took their job when he’d arrived in pack territory.
It had still been dark, but even though it was early in the morning, they’d stopped his car and had checked to make sure who he was.
They would have done so normally, too, but he’d been able to see how sharp they were, like they knew they needed to look out.
They knew he was coming, though, so getting in had been a breeze.
The same wouldn’t go for the jackass Peter was running from.
He wouldn’t get in through the main entrance, that was for sure.
That didn’t mean he couldn’t get in at all, unfortunately.
Braden stepped out of Remi’s home and looked around the forest from the porch.
There were too many entry points. Peter’s ex didn’t have to get in through the main entrance.
If he was smart, he’d walk around pack territory for a bit, find a spot in the forest that the guards didn’t patrol, and get in there.
It was impossible for anyone to keep an eye on the entirety of pack territory.
It was too massive, and most of it wasn’t lived in.
It was a space shifters needed to run and be themselves in their animal form.