Chapter Two #2
Unfortunately, that made them vulnerable, but that was why Braden was here.
He took a sip of his coffee and started making a mental list of what was needed.
The first thing was to talk to Peter and Camden.
Braden needed as much information as possible on the person Peter was running from, and he was sure that the alpha would want the same.
He and Camden also had to discuss how more security should be implemented.
They’d been supposed to meet today, anyway, so that shouldn’t be a problem.
Braden hadn’t been planning on being in pack territory this early, though, and it left him a few hours with nothing to do.
“We’re headed out early,” Remi said from behind Braden.
Braden turned to look at him. “How early?”
“Once you’re done with your coffee.”
“The appointment with Camden wasn’t until later.”
“He already texted. He and Toby are awake, and they want to see Peter. Camden thought that you and I should be there, too.”
“Won’t that spook Peter?”
“I think he’s afraid of one specific person, so probably not.”
Braden wasn’t sure about that. His sister had been afraid of most people after what their father had done to her.
She hadn’t known who she could trust not to hit her.
After all, her own father had. The only reason he’d stopped hurting Braden was that Braden had become taller and bigger than him once he hit his teenage years.
Even before then, things hadn’t been as bad as they had been for Penelope.
Their father had only started drinking when Braden was eleven.
But this wasn’t Braden and his sister they were talking about. Braden didn’t know much about Peter, but he might react differently. Even if he didn’t, they still needed to talk to him and find out what was going on. It was the only way to keep him safe.
He drank the last of his coffee. “Let’s go,” he told Remi.
He’d followed his friend inside the house. He gave Remi and Pembroke a few moments to say goodbye, but he was impatient. By the time Remi was done, Braden already had his jacket and shoes on.
Since pack territory wasn’t that big, they walked to Camden’s house.
It only took them a few minutes, and they arrived at the back of the house.
Braden could see people in the kitchen from there, and he wasn’t surprised when Remi climbed the back steps and knocked on the kitchen door rather than walk around the house.
The door opened almost instantly. Toby, the alpha mate, waved at Remi and Braden to come in. Remi moved like he was at home here, and in a way, he was. He’d been living with the pack for a little while now. He truly was one of them.
“Peter, I don’t know if you know Remi and Braden,” Toby said, gesturing at them.
“I met them yesterday,” Peter murmured.
He was sitting at the kitchen table, looking down at his hands.
Braden wasn’t sure if it was because he didn’t want them to see his face or because he was afraid of them.
Even like this, though, Braden could see how swollen Peter’s face was.
There was a bruise on his cheek, his lower lip was split, and his eye couldn’t open.
Braden turned to Toby. “Aren’t you a healer?” he asked, trying not to sound rude.
Thankfully, Toby smiled at him. “I am. It’s easier to heal people who agree to it, though. Peter’s a little stubborn.”
“I just don’t want to bother you,” Peter said. “The pack has already done enough by welcoming me. You might get in trouble because I’m sure that Lou is going to follow me. I don’t want to bother you even more.”
“I wouldn’t have offered if I wasn’t willing to help you,” Toby said. “To me, healing is like breathing. It’s a part of me. In fact, looking at you like this and knowing you’re in pain bothers me more than the thought of healing you.”
“At least let him heal your ribs,” Vincent said from where he was sitting next to Peter.
Peter turned to glare at him and hissed in pain. When he reached for his torso, Braden realized that Vincent was right and that something was wrong with Peter’s ribs. If he’d been beaten, they might be cracked, or worse.
“Peter, please,” Toby murmured.
Peter’s shoulders slumped. “All right. You can heal me.”
Toby grinned like he’d just been told he’d won the lottery.
He went to crouch next to Peter’s chair, and when Peter started to turn toward him, he stopped him with a firm hand on his thigh.
He then moved that hand to Peter’s ribs, and Braden looked away.
It didn’t feel like he should be watching.
Although, he was sure that if he shouldn’t, Peter and Toby would’ve gone to another room, but still.
He didn’t want to make Peter uncomfortable.
“Take a deep breath for me,” Toby ordered.
Braden heard Peter do just that, then sigh in what sounded like relief. “That’s better,” he said.
“Good. You shouldn’t have waited for so long. Hell, you should’ve had Vincent come and get me yesterday when you first got here.”
“It was late, and I was fine for one night,” Peter reassured him.
When Braden turned to him, it was to see that Toby wasn’t crouching next to him anymore. Peter’s eye was less swollen, and while the bruise was still there, it was faded, as if it had happened days ago. He looked much better, and Braden hoped he also felt much better.
“Is everyone here?” Camden asked as he strode into the kitchen. He nodded at Braden, then wrapped an arm around Toby’s shoulders and kissed his temple. “I see that you’ve finally convinced Peter to let you help him. Good.”
“It’s going to be much easier when you tell him he’s officially a pack member,” Toby said. He turned to Peter. “Not that it was ever a question whether or not you were, but I understand that everything feels easier when it’s official.”
“Why would you want me to be a pack member?” Peter asked.
“Why not? You’re Vincent’s best friend, and from what I know, it’s not like you have anyone else. Don’t you want to be a pack member? Because if that’s the problem, we can forget about it.”
Peter bit his lower lip. Braden couldn’t look away, even though he felt bad about being transfixed by the gesture. Peter wasn’t trying to seduce anyone, but Braden still wanted nothing more than to reach for him.
“I want to be a pack member,” Peter said. He looked around the room. “But I think that first, you need to know what’s going on. Once you know everything, you can decide.”
Toby and Camden glanced at each other. They didn’t say anything, but Toby slid into the closest empty chair, while Camden moved to the counter to pour himself a cup of coffee.
Since Remi sat down, too, Braden followed, sitting a few chairs down from Peter.
From here, he could still see him quite well, which might prove to be a problem if Braden was an idiot about it.
He was here to listen to Peter’s story. He was here to help Peter.
And that was what he’d do.
* * * *
PETER HADN’T THOUGHT the situation could get any worse, but he’d been wrong.
He told himself not to panic. He was surrounded by people who would never hurt him, no matter what happened. He didn’t know most of them, but he knew he could count on Vincent, and that was who he tried to focus on.
It was pretty damn hard to ignore that his mate was sitting at the table, though.
He swallowed and looked down at his hands.
When he’d been here to help Vincent move yesterday, he’d mostly avoided the other people.
He’d known that Lou wouldn’t be happy with him, even though he’d hoped to be wrong.
He hadn’t expected Lou to react the way he had, but he should have.
Maybe part of him had known and had been focused on that.
But he’d seen his mate. He hadn’t realized why he felt like he needed to talk to the guy until now, though. He wasn’t sure why he hadn’t connected the dots sooner. Of course that was why he wanted to sit next to Braden. Of course it was why he suddenly felt safe.
He couldn’t know if he truly was safe, unfortunately. He didn’t know his mate. The fact that Braden was here with all these people who’d promised to protect Peter was a good thing, but it still didn’t make Peter feel any better about it.
What was he supposed to do? He couldn’t tell Braden that they were mates. He especially couldn’t tell Braden that when they were surrounded by people. Peter didn’t know how Braden would react, and he wasn’t sure he wanted to find out. He’d been through enough with Lou.
But Braden wasn’t Lou. He wouldn’t be here if he was, and these people wouldn’t be his friends. Still, Peter had no idea what to do with the information. Everything else was already too much. Adding this made him want to scream.
Someone cleared their throat. Peter blinked and looked up, realizing that everyone was waiting for him to say something. He’d told Camden he would tell him everything and only then let the alpha decide if he truly wanted him to stay, but he wasn’t speaking.
It was time for him to. He didn’t think that Camden would kick him out even if he kept his mouth shut, but it wouldn’t feel right. Camden was willing to welcome him, even though Lou would be coming after him. It was only fair that he knew all of it.
“Take your time,” Vincent murmured.
Peter was glad for his best friend’s support. He leaned closer to him, even though what his kelpie really wanted was to lean closer to their mate.
“I guess the first thing you need to know is that I’m a shifter,” Peter said.
He didn’t look at anyone. They wouldn’t hurt him or be horrified by what he was, but this wasn’t something he told people.
It felt odd to be honest about it today.
The only person who knew was Vincent, and it had taken Peter years to tell him.
He could hardly believe that he was putting his deepest secret out there for these people to hear.
“You don’t need to be a shifter to be a pack member,” Camden said gently. “But thank you for telling us. I know it can’t have been easy.”