Chapter 7
FRANKLIN
We passed six empty bedroom suites. I knew where my brother was heading though—where she needed to be to appease my bear, and apparently his too. We’d always left the suite between mine and Vance’s free for when we had mates or cubs. It was the safest place in the whole den.
That was where we would put our wayward wolf.
If anyone said anything about it… well, let’s hope they didn’t.
I didn’t know how I was going to explain the fact that we were installing an outsider in a spot reserved for the matriarch of our sleuth, but that was the joy of being top of the hierarchy—no one really asked questions.
I ignored the questioning looks and the outright gasps of surprise from our sleuth mates as we walked the den’s halls.
It was Vance’s job to answer questions, and my job to follow orders, and he’d told me that I was to find her a more comfortable bed.
I wanted to take her to mine, but I didn’t think that was what our Alpha meant.
I wasn’t above being purposely dumb though.
Finally, at the quiet end of the den, I raced in front of Talbot to open the door to the suite. It was nice, all made up and clean like someone checked out yesterday, and not like it had been empty for over five years since Vance became Alpha.
It was a suite for a couple rather than the bachelor ones we had. Even Vance’s room was only half the size of this. He didn’t believe being an Alpha put him above the rest of his people.
Obviously, that was rare enough in the shifter community. Dawn’s story was the perfect example of that.
A sad fucking tale that Vance, Talbot, and I had seen far too often in our line of work, but it hit harder when it was her, my Dawn.
Talbot walked her into the room, and she gaped, staring at the lush furnishings.
We liked to be fluffy and snuggly, and it was often exhibited in our dens, with lots of soft faux furs and overstuffed comforters on our huge beds.
The rug was fluffy, and the blankets were fluffy.
Hell, one of the other males in the sleuth had lined his walls with fluffy fabric so he could rub against it in the nude.
Jeff was weird. We should all try to be more like Jeff.
Talbot laid Dawn softly on the bed, but she immediately sat up. I was trained to watch for physical tells in an opponent, so I didn’t miss the slight flexing of her fingers into the mattress, the shuddering breath that shook her shoulders, or the way her wide eyes cataloged the room.
“This is nice. I don’t think I’ve ever slept on a bed like this.”
I mean, it was pretty generously topped with faux mink blankets and shit. Talbot smiled. “A California king?” We were big guys, we needed big beds.
She shook her head. “One with a mattress. I’ve always had a bedroll on the floor.”
I sucked in another breath through my nose and pasted a neutral expression on my face. I was going to kill him. I didn’t care what Vance said. I was going to track her piece of shit Alpha down and sever his head from his body.
Talbot was a lot more serious than I was. He was smart, and maybe a little more emotionally aware, at least according to our mother. I was the fun one, but I didn’t feel like fun today. I felt like wrath incarnate.
Talbot gave her a soft smile. “Let me show you the rest of the suite. Most have their own little kitchen in case you don’t want to face the insanity of the dining hall.
” He opened a set of doors that had been built into the wall to show a small sink, a few cupboards, and a mini fridge.
“We’ll stock it with anything you want. Chocolate, cupcakes, uh, steak? ”
I laughed and threw a pillow at his head. He tossed it back, and I ducked, letting it hit a painting of a bear in the forest that hung on the stone wall.
“As I was saying, unfortunately there’s no ensuite bathroom in here, but only me, Franklin, and Vance use the bathroom in this area, so, uh, don’t even worry about that.
We’ll give you all the privacy you need.
” I hadn’t seen Talbot this lost for words in five years, but he plowed ahead, handing her a remote.
“This controls the lights and the TV, and this button calls for help. If you need us, we’ll be here in a heartbeat. ”
“Thank you,” she whispered, and I walked over to the bed and pulled the blankets back, helping her shuffle beneath them.
“Come on, sunrise. You need to rest.” She scoffed at the silly name but did as she was asked.
She climbed beneath the fluffy covers with a sigh.
“It feels like being hugged by a cloud.” I wanted to hug her too and show her clouds were overrated when she could have me, or hell, I’d shift into a bear, and she could have the best of both worlds.
She looked up at me, her eyes wide and vulnerable, even though her hair was greasy.
Maybe I should get someone to help her shower?
Would she let me, or would that be weird?
No, that would definitely be weird. I blinked away the thought as she continued speaking.
“Actually, do you think I could have some chocolate? I haven’t had any in years.”
Talbot was gone in an instant and back before I could even say yes. He handed her his peanut butter cup stash. Like the whole jar.
Holy shit, he did still love her. “Here you go.”
She took it and hugged it to her body, then she smelled herself and scrunched her nose. “I stink.”
I wanted to tell her she smelled like roses and home, but that would be a lie. She smelled pretty fucking bad, considering she’d been trekking toward us for so long. The doctor had cleaned her off a little when he did surgery, but it was quick and out of necessity.
“We’ll run you a bath,” I said, then I paused. “Would you like us to get you one of the females to help you? You’re still pretty weak.”
“No!” That one word was harsh, and it cracked around the den. She shrunk back, like she expected us to beat her for the outburst. “I’m sorry,” she whispered, “but I don’t…” Another shuddery breath, and I gritted my teeth so I didn’t roar in frustration.
We had failed her so badly. I had failed her so badly. I didn’t prevent her pain, but I could have. I could have saved the girl who smiled in the sunshine and laughed at Talbot’s shitty jokes. If only I hadn’t been such a chickenshit.
Talbot reached out and put his hand on hers, kneeling in front of her. “It’s okay. We’ll run the bath and make the bubbles extra big, and then we’ll just hang around outside in case you need help.”
I wanted to tell her we could hop in there with her and make sure she didn’t slip beneath them and drown, but I didn’t.
Nudity wasn’t a big thing for shifters. We still had women’s and men’s bathrooms, because no one wanted to see some elderly bear scrubbing his saggy balls in the showers.
I mean, I was still forced to see it, but at least we could protect the women and children from that sight.
There was a heap of difference between getting naked to shift for a run and seeing the girl of your dreams naked in the bath though.
Finally, she nodded, and Talbot raced out to get the bath running.
I stepped forward, picking her up in my arms. “Let’s get you something clean to wear afterwards.
” I headed toward my den. I should have left her in bed and gotten her what she needed, but I didn’t really want to leave her alone.
I walked a few feet down the hall and stepped into my room.
We didn’t lock the doors here, even though they were all fitted with deadbolts.
I set her on my bed, and she looked around. “This room smells like you,” she murmured, her fingers stroking my blankets.
“I’ve lived here since I moved out of the family den.” I looked around and tried to see the room how she did. Luckily, I’d cleaned it the other day, so there was only the stray sock where it shouldn’t be, and all my cups had gone back to the kitchen.
I pulled out a drawer and grabbed a hoodie. It was basically going to be a dress, but it would be cozy. I gave her some clean boxers straight out of the packet to act as shorts, so it was a whole aesthetic. Tomorrow, I’d see if I could track down some proper girl’s clothes for her.
I tucked them under my arm and walked over to heft her into my arms again. It wasn’t really a heft. She was so light that I knew she was malnourished. I could feel the pointed bones of her hips beneath my fingers.
I tried not to think about it so I didn’t scare her again by growling.
When we made it to the bathroom, Talbot had the bubbles running so high, they were basically overflowing the deep tub.
He grinned, and I knew he probably tipped half a bottle in there, but it was worth it for Dawn’s awed gasp.
I was going to make it my life’s mission to squeeze as many of those sounds from her lips as possible.
I walked to the edge and lowered her to her feet. She wobbled, and her knees gave way. A frown crossed her face, followed by sadness.
“Don’t worry, we’ll fix this. Talbot, close your damn eyes.” My twin did exactly what he was told. I lifted her and set her on the edge of the bath. “Dip your toes in. How’s the water?”
The soft sigh of happiness told me everything I needed to know. “Perfect.”
I grinned and saw Talbot’s smile pulling at his cheeks too, even though he had his hands cupped over his face.
“Good. I’ll close my eyes and take your gown off, then you can slide right in and hide beneath the bubbles.”
She nodded, and I closed my eyes. Tugging at the edges of her gown, I slid it down over her sides, trying to ignore the indrawn breath she emitted when my fingers touched her skin.
I held out my arm, and she used it as a handrail as she climbed slowly into the bath.
I listened for the light splash of her entering the water.
“Are you okay? Can I open my eyes?”
A little squeak had me opening my eyes anyway, and I watched her cling to the side of the bath. “This is kind of deep, and I can’t swim very well.”
I stepped toward the edge, her body hidden from view by the insane amount of bubbles.
I grabbed her hand with mine. “It’s deep because sometimes the bear needs a bath too, you know.
Here, hold my hand, and I’ll pull you to the step.
” She held on with complete trust, and that thing in my chest that had been torn open by her brutalized arrival began to mend. “I won’t let you drown.”
Not in the bath, not in the pain, and not in bad memories.