Chapter 18 #2
“You raped her, you fucking monster,” I said with a snarl.
“No, I don’t want to hear you brag about that.
I would vomit all over before taking your fucking head before the guard could react.
” I snorted when they both froze. “I’m not just a lion but a man who grew up in one of the roughest packs in the world and as part of the mob.
“You’d be dead before this nice guard could even blink.
I’m that fucking deadly even with my fucking lion bound.
” I felt better when Kenneth swallowed loudly.
Good, now I had a card to play. I leaned over on the table and gave him my evil smile I’d perfected for years.
“And I will come back if you so much as utter that evil.
“If you tell one soul such things—such horrors you committed against my mate. Look into my eyes and see it, Kenneth. See your death because fuck, would I enjoy it. I would fucking love it and tear you apart. Aurora is dead to you and it’s best—”
“You’d be in prison and—”
“Yeah, wouldn’t be my first time,” I drawled, chuckling when his eyes went wide.
“Oh yeah, fucker. You better look into who I am before you even think of fucking around with me. I have piles of favors owed me.” I stood with a smirk.
“Including enough powerful people that I’m fairly sure I could get off with temporary insanity. ”
“I’d vouch for it,” the guard muttered, shrugging when we both looked at him. “I’m not even a shifter, but if someone bragged about raping my mate…” He adjusted his neck like he couldn’t even fathom it.
“Exactly,” I agreed, focused back on Kenneth. “She’s dead to you, right?” I snarled when he hesitated and slammed my fist down onto the table, knuckles first so it would hurt.
I didn’t care. I wanted it to hurt so I kept control.
And it worked because the metal table dented and broke.
“Aurora’s dead to me,” Kenneth said from the floor with a groan. “I’ll never speak of her again unless I’m required to by officials. And nothing personal.”
Oh right, his hands had been cuffed to the table. Fun outcome I hadn’t been going for.
“Good boy,” I purred. “Smart move for once, Kenneth.” I glanced at the guard and shrugged. “Bill me for the table.”
He snorted, but I felt bad for the worry I scented. Yeah, he was going to be spanked for that.
I’d fix it or make it up to him. Handling Kenneth was more important.
I left and was shocked at who I found waiting for me.
“This can’t be good,” I sighed, scrubbing the back of my neck to let out the tension I was now feeling.
“Chill your fur,” Gerald Woods chuckled. “I’m here to check on you and help.”
He really was. I could sense that, but he was still a lion which put my lion on edge.
Something he immediately noticed. “And you need help with this.” He gestured to my body knowing I would catch on.
“Lions aren’t your enemy, Creed.” He sighed when I snorted.
“Yeah, fair, and skepticism isn’t unhealthy.
I’ve seen too many assume they were safe because they were with their own species and we know that’s bullshit. ”
“Or just trusting other shifters which I’m the poster child for how stupid that is,” I agreed, chilling a bit and reminding my lion he had helped our mate. “I don’t know how to change it.”
“I don’t have the answers either, but you’re not the first loner lion I’ve brought back before they went feral,” he said gently. “We recognize our own.”
I studied him closely. “I find that shocking given the Woods pride is—”
“Come on. You’re too smart to believe bullshit,” he grumbled. “Just like the NYC pack is prosperous because of the good leadership and everything boasted there.”
Yeah, more than fair and I said as much. “So, what are you proposing?”
“Let’s start easy. Your lion needs to see another lion as a friend—that we can be.
” He pushed when I hesitated. “It helps me too. I don’t have a great relationship with my family, and I need other lions to keep me from becoming a loner.
I’ve got a place in Atlanta safe to run.
Let’s just get some energy out and—you need it after this. ”
Yeah, I really did. So I accepted, thanking him for helping to make this happen and checking in. That was beyond decent of him.
I talked to him about what happened and where my head was as we headed to the portal. Then as we went to where he said it was safe to let our lions out. I felt better when Gerald admitted he would have had to do the same.
But also noted what he was saying seemed specific. He wasn’t just talking vaguely. Someone in particular was behind his words.
Not your business, and you’ve got enough on your plate. He can tell you if he wants. Don’t stick your nose in shit.
The run was good and exactly what I needed. My lion started off not great, but when Gerald’s lion kept it together and made it clear he didn’t care if my lion acted out—completely not even engaging in comparing dick sizes like normal lions—my lion chilled.
He seemed even a bit embarrassed he’d started it. Good. That was what I wanted from my other side. We were better than that, and while I understood he was going through too much… We should be better than that.
I was very, very glad I got that extra energy out when I arrived home and had an unhappy mate waiting for me.
“So you know,” I hedged, trying to get a read of her.
“I know you were at the prison where I’ve been told Kenneth is, yes,” she said coldly.
“And no, I wasn’t spying on you. I did the phone thing you showed me.
I was going to see if you were close to the store to get me something I needed since you were running errands and I didn’t want you to go out of your way for one thing. ”
That was so sweet even if it bit me in the ass this time. Of course she wouldn’t want me to be inconvenienced to help her in feeding me.
“I was going to tell you,” I promised.
She froze in her chopping. “I believe that or I would be beyond a bit salty with you. In the future, I hope there would be some sort of communication about these types of things. I don’t believe I’ve shown you that I am unreasonable or—”
“No, not at all, but you hurt even hearing his name, Aurora,” I said quietly. “Just hearing Kenneth’s name makes you flinch.”
And to prove my point, she did. I wasn’t going to say anything, but she nodded, acknowledging that she’d done it.
“Still, I don’t like feeling that we’re not on the same team.
You have said over and over again that it is incredibly important to you.
We agree it’s important.” She glanced at me quickly, but I saw the anger and hurt.
“Imagine how horrible it would have been if I was informed by someone else. Plus, you didn’t take a guard. ”
“Yeah, fair,” I sighed as I sat at one of the stools. “More than fair, though I didn’t realize I was taking a guard already. I thought after I was unbound and vulnerable.”
“Then I will get you something to clean out your ears because I specifically said now because my family will still be a threat against you,” she replied.
And it turned me on. I cleared my throat and tried to keep my head.
But she caught it. Slowly lifting her head from her task and not hiding her surprise. “Truly?”
“Yes,” I admitted, not seeing a reason to deny it. “Call me on my shit, Aurora. Plus, you’re upset because you care about me. All good things, my mate.”
She let out a long, heavy breath and nodded before chopping away. “Good. Yes, good. I felt valid, and—my therapist will be happy that I was able to articulate that and break my molding.”
That made me frown. “Fuck that she’s happy. You be happy about it. I am. I’m so proud of you.” I bit back a smile when she blushed. “Do you want to hear about it?”
She was quiet several minutes, leaving me to painfully suffer while watching her move onto other cooking tasks. “Not specifics, but I would like to know why you thought you needed to see my ex-husband. The one you got me free from. I cannot see the logic or need.”
“Fair. More than fair, and my answer isn’t being dismissive, but you’re not a man, Aurora.” I shrugged when she gave me a frustrated look. “I’m being honest. It was petty. It was stupid, and honestly I’m not sure why I went. I…”
Her annoyance melted some. “What, Creed?”
I let out a long breath this time and grabbed a drink from the fridge. “I think I went to see that he didn’t have a hold on me. That… I don’t know.”
“Did you get what you wanted out of it?” she hedged.
I took a long sip but then sighed. “I don’t know. I’m not—he’s not the boogeyman. He’s terrified of me, so that was good.” I gave a half shrug when her mouth fell open. “I’m way more terrifying than him. Just not to you. Never for you.”
“I suppose that—yes, I guess men must measure proverbial penis size.”
I sighed again. She wasn’t wrong and I deserved the jab, but it wasn’t all that accurate either.
Or maybe it was.
Still, I wasn’t going to give her specifics, but I did tell her that I had no plans to go back. That I just needed to see the reality instead of Kenneth Reed through her fear and trauma.
No matter how valid that fear and trauma were.
“I understand that. I absolutely do.” She gave me a hurt look, but the anger was gone. “And I wouldn’t have objected or tried to interfere. Please don’t go behind my back again.”
Shit, her being disappointed in me was so much worse than yelling or breaking things like I was used to. “I’m sorry. I won’t.” I cleared my throat and squirmed when she simply gave a sharp nod. I decided to tell her about going for a run and talking with Gerald.
“So you weren’t with Kenneth this whole time?” she hedged, some of the tension I hadn’t noticed leaving her shoulders.
Oh shit. Oh fuck. She thought I was talking to her ex-husband for hours.
Yeah, she should absolutely be disappointed in me.