Filed To Story: Their Bullied and Broken Mate by Teri Petry
Her words were like music to my ears, and even though my heart hurt, I knew she was right. “Thank you,” I said into her hair. I noticed it had started raining, and I released my mate so that I could stand. “Thank you, but I need to get him out of the rain. I will take him to the Morgue to be prepared for his send off. It will be done with honor, and after the rain has stopped. We will send him back to the moon goddess with dignity.” I stated, and bent over to pick up my best friend. I carried another person I cared about to the hospital, but this time it was to the morgue, not the ER. I laid him on the gurney and wheeled him down the hall. I was numb, and all I wanted was for him to open his eyes and tell me it was a prank. I knew that wasn’t going to happen, but I wished it anyway.
Once in the morgue, the smell of embalming fluid filled my nose, and I almost wretched. I pulled a chair next to his gurney, and just sobbed while I talked to him. I could feel his spirit around me, I just wished over and over it would re-enter his body. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you bro. If I were fighting by your side, instead of dealing with bullshit in the cells, you would still be here with me. Who is going to laugh at my lame ass attempt to be funny now? I love you man, I always will.” I laid my head on the gurney and held his cold hand. “Goddess, please take care of my friend. Watch over us while we mourn his death, and please guide us to victory over battle to avenge him.” I prayed to the moon goddess.
I heard the door to the morgue open, and footsteps coming my way. “Loki?” a sweet voice called out. Through swollen, red eyes, I turned to my mate and brother. “We just wanted to check on you, and say our goodbyes as well. Can we join you?” I nodded my head and pulled her onto my lap. Liam pulled up a chair beside us and we all joined hands.
I still had one of my hands holding onto Nick’s, and Liam placed his on top of mine. “Bro, Nick’s death will not go unavenged. I promise you. Mel did everything she could to save him.” he said. My head snapped at her and yelled, “What the hell? What do you mean she did everything she could to save him? Why was she even out of the bunker? Are you telling me that my best friend died because my mate couldn’t take an order to stay put?” I was angry. I knew I was being irrational, but those were the thoughts filling my head. I pushed her off my lap and started to pace around the room.
I noticed she no longer had her casts on her body, and I demanded answers. She spoke up and said, “Ruby couldn’t stay still. She felt your pain and took over for the most part. She knew you were hurt, and started to force a shift. I wasn’t able to stop her and if I hadn’t gotten out of the house and that bunker when I did, I don’t know what she would have done. I have small nieces and nephews there I had to protect, and I had an injured mate I needed to get to. When I got outside, I was surrounded and Nick came to my rescue. He would fight them until they were near death and I finished them off. We worked as a team, but if you want to blame me for his death, fine. I can’t stop you. He did die trying to save me, like the amazing friend and Gamma he was.” After she spoke, she took off running out of the room. I felt like shit for blaming her, and I didn’t know how to fix it right now.
The Smells
*Callum POV*
The explosion went off without a hitch, and hopefully it took care of what it was intended to do. It was mainly just for a distraction, but if it injured or killed the Alphas, then even better. Once the chaos pursued, I rushed down the hallway trying to sniff out my mate. I knew they were here, it was just a matter of finding them. Finally, coming to the door with no window, the smell of tangerines and sage overwhelmed me. I ripped off the door, and stood face to face with a short blonde with big blue eyes.
She jumped into my arms, begging me to save her, and I put her down instantly. I took a step back, and she retreated onto her cot. “You don’t want me? I know you are my second chance mate, but if you don’t want me, just kill me please.” She begged. “I’m not going to reject you, I was just looking at you. Who put those branding marks on your body?” I demanded her to answer. “It was Jason Carter. He said the letter M would remind me of the horrible things I did to his sister, Melian.
They branded all of us who were imprisoned because of her. Her brother, Thomas, my first mate, looked much worse. They killed him in the end. Until you showed up, I thought I was next. So, before they find us and kill us all, can we just get out of here? We can discuss all of this later. Please?!?” she cried. My heart broke for her, but the rage I felt made me want to turn around and finish those bastards off. I still didn’t understand why they protected this girl like she was a china doll, and I still don’t see how a little bullying justifies sentencing someone to death. It’s not like she was anyone important.
I picked her back up and decided to carry her. She was nearly naked and had no shoes on her feet. I could barely sense her wolf, so I knew she had been being dosed with wolfsbane. That meant no shifting for her. As I exited my mate’s cell, I told George to move his ass so we could get out of there before they found us, and I noticed he had a large gash in his neck. “You OK to continue? I don’t have time to wait for you if your wound is going to slow you down, my friend.” I asked him. He nodded his head and told me to lead the way, and we rushed until we found a door. My mate told me that it was an exit she had escaped from before, and it was always unlocked. It opened into an area that was at the edge of the forest , and we dashed into trees before we could be seen. After running for close to 15 minutes, George started to move slower. I screamed at him to hurry and he fell to his knees.
He was bleeding out, and I decided to put him out of his misery. George was one of my oldest friends, and I wouldn’t allow him to suffer. I knew it would destroy his mate and kids, but he was going to die either way. I just couldn’t let it happen at the hands of the alpha twins. I placed my mate down on her feet and went to speak with my Beta. “George? You are bleeding out, my friend, and you won’t be able to move much further.” He closed his eyes and whispered, “Do it Callum. End this for me. I would rather it was you.” Taking a deep breath, I extended my claws and ripped my friend apart. It was probably overkill, but it was better to make it quick and instant than to just finish slicing his throat and letting him die slowly. I heard voices in the distance and could sense one of the alpha twin’s aura getting closer. I told my mate I was going to shift and for her to climb on my back and hold tight.
We were getting the hell off Blood Moon’s territory as quickly as possible. Thankfully, she was obedient and did what she was told, and as quickly as she could. Once she was secured on my back, I took off running. When I put a lot of distance between us and the alpha twin, I slowed my pace. We were close to where we left our cars before the attack, and I wasn’t going to fully slow down until we reached them. Hopefully, some of my pack warriors made it back to them as well.
Most of the cars were still where we left them, and it meant that some of my men got away. They were instructed to return to Dark Star, and await my order for further instructions. I put my mate down, and grabbed a pair of sweatpants for me, and a t-shirt for her. She climbed into the passenger seat and strapped herself in. When I got into the car, she was taking deep breaths with my shirt over her nose. “What are you doing?” I asked her. She gave a slight laugh and said she wanted to see what I smelled like without the hint of blood and sweat. “You smell like chocolate and raspberries, it’s mouth watering.” she smirked. “I probably smell horrible to you,” she stated and I had to let out a laugh. “You are seriously laughing and talking to me about smells? We are running for our lives at the moment. Are you always this blase when things are serious?” I asked.
She shrugged her shoulders and replied, “If I were still locked in that little box of a room I would probably be more panicked. However, I am not and I am safe in the car with my mate on our way to Goddess knows where. So I’m just trying to lighten the mood.” Her way of thinking made sense I guess, but I didn’t feel like I could be as calm and cool until we were further away. I tried to make small talk while looking in my mirrors cautiously. I learned more about why she was locked up, what her favorite food was, her favorite color and music. Just some of the basics. I also learned that her favorite dessert was chocolate cake with raspberry filling. How convenient. When we finally reached Dark Star, and the car stopped, I turned to look at her. “We are home. Let’s get you inside to get fed and washed up. I also want the pack doctor to look you over. By the way, you smell like tangerines and sage. Those smells are also my favorites.”
I gave her a slight wink and got out of the car.
Guilt
*Melian POV*
New Book: Returned To Make Them Pay
On her wedding anniversary, Alicia is drugged and stumbles into the wrong room—straight into the arms of the powerful Caden Ward, a man rumored never to touch women. Their night of passion shocks even him, especially when he discovers she’s still a virgin after two years of marriage to Joshua Yates.