Chapter Six #3
They moved closer to the trees, and Peter was once again distracted by where he was putting his feet.
The forest came so close to the lake here that if he and Vincent put one foot wrong, they would end up in the lake.
Maybe it wouldn’t be a bad thing, after all.
The weather was warm enough, and Peter couldn’t remember the last time he’d been for a swim, especially in his kelpie form.
He yearned for it, almost as much as he was afraid of letting his guard down.
Something grabbed his arm and pulled hard. He stumbled, crying out as he tried to keep his balance. His side hit a tree, pushing the air out of his lungs. He sucked in a breath, but the hand was still clinging to him, and he automatically tried to push it away.
Peter panicked. The memories assaulted him, reminding him how hurt he’d been the last time something like this had happened. Lou had made him bleed. He’d made him hurt. He was going to do it all over again.
Because there was no doubt in Peter’s mind that this was Lou, even before he turned to face the person holding his arm.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” Vincent snapped as he grabbed Peter’s other arm and pulled.
Peter felt a bit like a rope in a tug-of-war, but Vincent’s gesture reminded him that he wasn’t alone. No matter what Lou said or thought, he wouldn’t win this. He wouldn’t hurt Peter again.
But instead of letting go, Lou’s hand tightened to the point of pain. The panic Peter was feeling turned to urgency, and he shifted before he could think better of it.
That apparently had been the right thing to do because Lou yelped and finally let go. He stumbled back, and that was probably because it wasn’t as easy for him to hold a horse’s arm as it had been to hold Peter’s in his human form.
“What the fuck?” Lou breathed out.
Peter turned to face him. As a kelpie, he was taller than Lou, and for some reason, noticing this made him smile. He didn’t have fangs to scare Lou with, but Lou still took a step back. His eyes were wide, and he’d gone pale.
He looked good, but then, he always had. It was one of the first things Peter had noticed about him. Lou was a good-looking man, and he knew how to use that to his advantage. It wasn’t going to help him here, though. Nothing would help him here.
“Since when are you a shifter?” he asked Peter. “What did these people do to you?”
Vincent snorted. “He’s always been a shifter, you asshole.”
“He never shifted before.”
“Because you’re a dickhead who hates shifters. Why would he shift in front of you?”
“I’m his boyfriend.”
Vincent smiled, looking delighted. “You’re not. He dumped you the day he left after you hurt him, and he’s been living his best life with his mate. He doesn’t even think about you, Lou. To Peter, you’re just part of his past, and not even a good part.”
It probably wasn’t a good idea to antagonize Lou the way Vincent was, but Peter wanted Lou to feel hurt, and while he doubted that would happen, at the very least, Lou would be angry. He’d lost his control over Peter. That was the reason he’d been with Peter, not love or affection.
Lou took a step toward Vincent, his hands closed into fists. Peter recognized his expression, and he knew what was coming. He wouldn’t allow his ex-boyfriend to hurt his best friend, though.
He moved forward. Part of him yearned to turn around and dive into the water, but this was more important. He could swim later, maybe even with Vincent. First, though, he’d kick Lou’s ass.
“Peter!” someone called out.
The voice was enough to give all of them pause. Peter recognized it. How could he not when he’d woken up to it this morning?
Part of him panicked, but he reminded himself that Braden knew how to defend himself.
He would kick Lou’s ass if Lou so much as looked at him wrong.
Hell, he’d probably try to kick Lou’s ass anyway.
He was pissed at what Lou had done to Peter, so he wouldn’t be surprised if he wanted a bit of revenge.
“We’re by the lake,” Vincent called back. He didn’t look away from Lou. He might despise him, but he knew that Lou was dangerous.
Of course, that was the moment Lou decided to act. He lunged forward, aiming for Peter. Peter had no idea what he was going for. He couldn’t think he could actually move Peter in this form, could he?
Peter felt Lou’s fingers brush against his mane, but before anything else could happen, Lou was jerked back. Both him and Peter looked at Vincent, who’d grabbed Lou’s arm but quickly let it go. Lou took a step toward him, looking angry, and Vincent cocked his fist.
Peter watched with wide eyes as his best friend punched his ex-boyfriend right on the nose.
Lou yelped and reached for his face, and Vincent took a step forward as if he was going to hit him again.
He was swearing and shaking his fist, so Peter knew he’d hurt himself.
He didn’t want Vincent to have to do it again, and while seeing Vincent punch Lou had been satisfying, he knew that Lou wouldn’t take this lying down.
He placed himself between the two. He could hear someone crashing through the trees, and he grinned, both at the sound and at the sight of blood seeping through Lou’s fingers.
For once, it was Lou’s turn to bleed.
* * * *
WHEN brADEN BURST THROUGH the trees, the first thing he saw was blood. His heart raced, and he prayed that Vincent and Peter were okay. Thankfully, it looked like all the blood came from Lou, who was holding his face and yelling.
Braden made a beeline for him, knowing that Camden and more pack members were following him. When Lou turned toward them, he dropped his hands and went deathly pale. Braden had no idea what their group looked like, but he had a good imagination, and he loved that they were intimidating Lou.
He wasn’t afraid of the asshole. He never had been, and if he’d had a choice, he would’ve gone out there and told Lou exactly what he thought of him.
He’d understood that would only make everything worse, which was why he hadn’t done it, but now, Lou was here, right in front of him.
Maybe he could give him a piece of his mind.
It was obvious that someone already had.
Since Vincent was shaking his fist, Braden had a good idea of who it had been.
It wasn’t a surprise. Peter might hate Lou, but he was in his kelpie form, and he knew how badly he could hurt someone like this.
He wouldn’t do it, no matter how he felt about his ex.
Peter was gorgeous. Braden hadn’t asked him much about his kelpie form because it had been a sore subject.
He could imagine that Lou hating shifters had something to do with it, and he’d known that Peter would talk to him when he was comfortable enough to do so, so he hadn’t pushed. He wasn’t disappointed, though.
Peter’s kelpie form was sleek and massive.
He moved with a grace that shouldn’t go with his size, but then, he was a horse shifter.
He was completely black. Even his mane was black, echoing the color of the water of the lake they were standing in front of.
He was clearly agitated, and when Lou moved, Peter placed himself between his ex and his best friend.
He was clearly ready to do anything in his power to protect Vincent.
“Go to Peter,” Camden ordered. “We’ll take care of Lou.”
Braden didn’t hesitate. Even though he wanted to punch Lou, that wasn’t what mattered.
What mattered was the man standing there on four legs, watching Braden with what Braden thought was apprehension in his eyes.
Since Lou hated shifters, Peter was probably afraid that Braden wouldn’t react well to seeing him like this.
“Are you two okay?” Braden asked as soon as he reached them.
Vincent grimaced and raised his hand. “I’m pretty sure I broke something. That fucker’s face is hard.”
“I can take a look, or you can go back to Camden and Toby’s house and have Toby check you out. That would probably be the smartest thing to do because I’m not a paramedic.”
“Yeah, I’ll probably beg him to heal me because this shit hurts.”
“I bet it was satisfying, though.”
Vincent grinned, all pain seemingly forgotten. “You can bet your ass it was. I’ve been dreaming about punching the asshole since the first time I met him. It was about time someone did.”
“Well, you can be proud you got to do it.” Braden turned to see several guards just hanging around, watching Lou. There were so many of them that there wasn’t anything else for all of them to do. “Go with one of them back to Toby and Camden’s house.”
Vincent nodded and walked toward the closest guard. Finally, Braden turned his attention to Peter. He half expected Peter to shift, but instead, his mate ducked his massive head closer to Braden.
Braden took the gesture as an invitation. He raised both of his hands and cupped Peter’s cheeks, marveling at how soft the hair was. “You’re gorgeous,” he murmured. “Are you okay?”
Peter huffed and nodded. His nose bumped against Braden’s cheek, making Braden smile like an idiot. His mate was okay, though. He could relax.
“Step away from him!” Lou yelled.
It took Braden a moment to understand what was happening. He turned toward the man, exasperated. “Seriously?”
“He’s my boyfriend,” Lou snapped.
The man’s hair was all over the place, and there was blood on his lips and chin.
He was clearly doing his best to put distance between himself and Camden.
It wasn’t working, though. Camden wouldn’t allow him to leave just because he asked nicely, and he certainly wasn’t going to. Lou wasn’t a nice person.
Since Peter was safe and Lou had been caught again, Braden stepped closer to Peter and wrapped an arm around his neck. He grinned when he kissed Peter’s cheek. He knew what he was doing, and he found it amusing when Lou started screeching.
He, Camden, and Remi had discussed what would happen if they got their hands on Lou again.
They’d known they couldn’t let him go this time.
They had the first time, and he’d come right back.
No, this wasn’t something to be left to human authorities.
Camden would deal with Lou the way an alpha would, and Lou had no idea what he was in for.
To be honest, neither did Braden. He hadn’t wanted the details, and while he didn’t think that Camden would hurt Lou, no matter how much he deserved it, he knew the man well enough to be sure that once he was done with Lou, Lou would never bother them again.
“Stop touching him! He’s mine!”
This was apparently enough for Peter, who shifted back to his human form.
He was very much naked, and from the way his clothes looked where they laid on the ground, they wouldn’t be of any help, so Braden quickly took off his t-shirt and handed it to his mate.
Peter gave him a grateful smile and quickly pulled it over his body.
It only took a few seconds, and when he was done, he made a beeline for Lou, startling Braden.
“Just shut up,” he snapped at Lou, who blinked at him like he hadn’t expected that to happen. He probably hadn’t. He was used to Peter being much more meek and malleable.
“I’m not yours,” Peter continued. “I’m not even Braden’s, even though he’s my mate. I’m my own person, and I’ve made my choice, and it wasn’t you, Lou. It could never be you because you’re an asshole.”
“That’s your mate?” Lou asked, which wasn’t what Braden had expected. To be honest, he didn’t understand why Lou was still insisting that he and Peter were together. He hated shifters, and Peter had proved that he was one. Shouldn’t Lou want to leave as soon as possible?
“Yes, Braden’s my mate, and he’s a thousand times better than you. He’s never hurt me, and he never will.”
“You can’t know that. I love you, baby. I’m sorry if I hurt you, but I promise it won’t happen again.”
“Damn right it won’t because I won’t let you. I’m done with you, Lou. Once you leave, I won’t ever think about you again.”
Braden knew that probably wasn’t true, but he wasn’t about to call Peter out on that. Peter deserved to deal with Lou the way he wanted.
“And you won’t have to worry about him coming back,” Camden said.
He nodded at two guards, and they grabbed Lou’s arms. They started moving him backward, but Lou wasn’t making it easy.
Braden stepped forward to intervene, even though he probably didn’t need to, but Lou made it unnecessary.
He jerked forward, maybe to get to Peter again, and he slipped on the wet stones that littered the side of the lake.
He fell forward, hitting his face and screaming.
“That looks like it hurts,” Braden calmly commented.
“He shouldn’t have been an idiot,” Camden said. The three of them—Camden, Braden, and Peter—were watching Lou screeching. The man was barely trying to get up. Maybe he hoped that Peter would worry about him, but Peter looked like he was done with his shit.
Peter held out a hand to Braden. “Let’s go home.”
“We can do that,” Braden told him with a smile. “I can’t wait to get my t-shirt back.” Braden winked so that Peter understood what he was doing. Peter grinned. There was a slight uneasiness to it, but when he looked at Lou, it faded. “I’m not surprised you can’t wait to get me out of your t-shirt.”
Lou tried getting back to his feet, but Camden had had enough. He grabbed the man himself, hauling him up and giving him a good shake. Lou screamed again, but Camden didn’t care.
“You won’t ever have to worry about him again, I can promise you that,” he told Peter. “I’ll make sure he can’t get anywhere near you.”
“I trust that you will,” Peter said with a smile. “Thank you.”
“Now go home and enjoy the rest of the day. You deserve it.”
When Braden squeezed Peter’s hand, Peter answered with a smile. Braden pulled him away, and together, they listened to the fading sounds of Lou finally giving up.
He was out of their lives, and it was for good this time.