Chapter Twelve
A week into the treatments Tony had put in place for Bre, she still balked at the needle.
She’d even asked Tony to do his distraction thing, which had him laughing.
A friendship had started to develop, and Jonah knew Bre took those seriously.
She hadn’t opened up to many people yet.
Her brothers were still on the outside, wanting in, but Bre wasn’t there with them.
Jonah knew it hurt her, but something held her back, and whatever it was, she couldn’t let it go.
She’d also gotten comfortable with Mitch.
Jonah suspected that was mostly because his best friend refused to stay away as he’d done when she’d first arrived.
He’d even brought Quinn around more, and the two women had shared several conversations.
Bre was warming up. She was trying, and he wouldn’t let anyone force her to do anything she wasn’t ready for yet.
She’d also formed a surprising friendship with Drake.
Jonah liked the other man. Trusted him with his life, but he couldn’t say they’d ever been tight.
Watching Drake with Bre made him smile, though.
She actually joked and teased with the other man.
If Jonah wasn’t secure in the fact she’d chosen him as her mate, he might have been jealous.
As it was, he was happy she had someone else.
He knew both Murphy and Finn wished it was one of them, instead.
Maybe, it had to do with the fact her memories still weren’t shaking loose.
She had nightmares. Mostly of the surgical room where they’d medicated her to prevent her from moving then cut her open while she was still conscious and aware of what was happening.
His mate had survived horror after horror, all while being gaslighted into believing no one cared about her.
Told she was unloved and unwanted. She’d been neither.
“Are you sure you’re ready for this?” Jonah asked when Bre walked out of the bathroom, fully dressed, hair up in a ponytail.
“Nervous,” she confessed, glancing at him with a haunted look in her green eyes. “It’s time,” she said before he could tell her she didn’t have to do anything she wasn’t ready for. “I trust Tony.”
Jonah shook his head at that one. He’d been sure he’d never hear his mate say those words.
“He’s still an alpha asshole even if he is human, which I still question,” she retorted.
“Oh, he’s human,” Jonah assured her with a smile. “I’ll give you alpha asshole, though.” He cleared his throat, running a hand through his hair. “I might have been referred to that way a time or two, also.”
She moved in to him, reaching up to cup his face. “But you’re my alpha asshole.”
“I am.” He leaned down to meet her lips, deepening the kiss when she opened to him.
God, he’d never get enough of her. Through the years, he’d seen mated couples.
He’d always thought there was so much more to mating than the human equivalent of love and marriage.
He’d watched Mitch fall hard and fast with Quinn, and yes, he’d felt a touch of jealousy.
Not for Quinn. Jonah loved her but not in the romantic sense.
No, his full heart and soul belonged to Bre.
Instinctively, he knew that would never change.
“We need to leave,” she whispered as they broke apart.
He nodded, taking her hand as they left their room when all he wanted was to go back to bed and spend a few more hours worshipping his mate.
Instead, they headed to the kitchen. He almost laughed at the people obviously waiting for them.
Tony and Mitch sat at the table with coffee in front of them.
Drake leaned against the counter, apple in hand.
He easily tossed it to Bre when they entered.
“How’s my best girl?” he asked, and Jonah barely bit back a growl. From the grin both Bre and Drake gave him, he knew he’d failed at cutting it off.
“Are you joining us?” Bre asked, rubbing her palm over Jonah’s chest while chatting with Drake.
“Thought you might like a friendly face with you,” he told her, grabbing another apple from the bowl on the counter and biting into it.
“I’ll be with her,” Tony said.
Drake swallowed his bite. “I said friendly.”
Bre laughed, and Jonah felt it like warm sunshine on his skin.
“Tony’s sometimes friendly,” she offered.
“You don’t have to lie to make him feel better,” Drake said.
“Ha ha ha. Aren’t you two funny this morning.
” Tony frowned at both men as he stood, taking his mug to the sink, rinsed it then put it in the dishwasher.
“If we’re all ready to go, we should head over.
” He was all business as he turned fully to face Bre.
“There will be limited people there this morning. Tah and his mate, Abby. Murphy and Oakley. Finn. Darby and her father, Andrew Kline.”
“The watcher and his daughter who’s mated with another shifter in the pride,” Bre said. Jonah knew she’d been thinking about the meeting all night.
“They’re good people. All of them,” Tony told her. “They’ll do everything they can to help you.”
“Because I’m Finn’s and Murphy’s sister,” Bre murmured.
“No,” Jonah countered, pulling her around to face him.
“Because you matter, and you would whether your brothers were part of this pride or not.” He kept telling her that because he knew it was something she struggled to accept.
He wouldn’t stop until the voice in her head stopped telling her she was unloved and unwanted. God, he fucking hated hunters.
“Exactly,” Mitch agreed. “This pride cares. Too much at times, and I’ve seen that trust betrayed by bad people.
Human and shifter alike. Yet, they still reach out and offer help to those in need.
Compassion. Empathy. What they’ve built, are still building, it matters.
It changes lives. Saves lives. Don’t for one moment think you would matter any less to them if not for Finn and Murphy. ”
Bre nodded then took a shaky breath. Jonah sensed her nerves but knew they were something she had to overcome on her own.
He couldn’t order them away or fight them for her.
Instead, he placed his palm against the small of her back, offering her a firm touch to ground her in the present and remind her she wasn’t alone.
“Casual meeting. Breakfast buffet in the office. Darby and her father have set out all the information they think will help the most. Oakley and I pulled what we found also. There are pictures, but you don’t have to view them.
The goal is to see if anything we have might trigger a memory.
Ask any questions you want. Leave anytime you need to,” Tony said, reminding all of them what everyone had agreed to.
“The intent is to help, not hurt,” Drake added. “Besides, that big lug beside you would spill blood otherwise.”
Bre glanced at Jonah and laughed at his nod. Jonah felt the tension leave her, though he was sure it would be back.
“No bloodshed,” she warned, staring at Jonah. Then she glanced at Mitch, Tony, and Drake, including them in the warning.
“I’m a healer not a fighter,” Drake said, taking her hand and tugging her out of the kitchen toward the front door.
“Why do I find that hard to believe?” she asked.
“Because he’s lying,” Tony shared as they stepped out of the house and headed toward the parked Jeep. “He’s one of the best fighters I have. Dirty and mean.”
Drake tried to look innocent, which made Bre laugh again. Hell, Jonah would always have Drake’s back for that alone. Not that he hadn’t before, but that was battle. This was personal. Whatever support Drake needed would be given without question.
“Define dirty,” Drake said.
“No, don’t,” Brenna choked out between laughs. “I’m not sure I want to know.”
The two were still joking when Jonah held open the back door.
Bre slid inside, taking the middle between him and Drake while Tony drove and Mitch rode shotgun.
She slipped her hand in Jonah’s, entwining their fingers and gripping hard as they drew closer to the main house where the alpha, his mate, and several of the others lived.
Jonah wasn’t surprised to see Finn on the porch when they drove up. Jonah didn’t have a sibling, let alone a twin, but it wasn’t hard to see how much Finn loved Bre and blamed himself for circumstances that had been outside his control. Still, Jonah would always put Bre first.
“Okay?” he whispered at her ear.
She nodded, but her gaze was glued to her brother. Jonah knew it hurt her to remain so reserved with him and Murphy. She wanted to put the past behind her and move forward, but until she found out what inside her kept pulling her back, she couldn’t. Not wouldn’t. Jonah understood the difference.
Finn kept his distance on the porch when they walked up. “I’d like to talk for just a minute, if that’s okay.”
Jonah glanced at his mate, saw her nod. “Why don’t the rest of you go inside. We’ll be there in a minute.”
Tony looked between the siblings before heading inside. Mitch gave Jonah a nod before he followed. Drake squeezed Bre’s hand then did the same. Once it was just the three of them, Finn spoke again.
“Murphy’s inside with Oak, but we both want you to know we’ll leave if you don’t want us here,” Finn swore.
“I’m okay that you’re here,” Bre said.
Finn ran his hand through his hair.
“I don’t mean to make you uncomfortable,” she added.
“I should be saying that,” Finn countered, his gaze moving between his sister and where she leaned back against Jonah’s chest. “Whatever happens today—Something. Nothing. Anything—Murphy and I want to be here for you. We were able to keep some tabs on you while you were in Ireland, though now we know nothing we were told was reliable.”
“Don’t,” Jonah said, pausing when Finn and Bre both glanced at him. “There’s too much blame on the wrong people. Maybe, we could all do with a reminder of who’s responsible for this.”
“Hunters,” Finn replied with a growl.
“Exactly,” Jonah agreed. “They’ve taken enough from all of you.”
“Jonah.”
He loved the sound of his name on Bre’s tongue. Her green eyes overflowed with emotion. She stole his breath and made his heart race at the same time.
“I’ll meet you both inside,” Finn said, and Jonah heard the door shut behind him.
“I’m here,” he whispered. “I’m not going anywhere.”
She nodded then shook her head. Finally, she met his gaze again. “I’m scared.”
He understood what it took to pull that confession from her. She was a woman who’d been taught she couldn’t count on anyone. Yet, she was taking steps toward healing. She trusted him, and was learning to trust others. Steps.
“I’m not going anywhere,” he repeated and held her tightly against his chest until she was ready to go in.