Bronx’s POV
After about fifteen minutes of failed attempts to try to convince Kas to come out from under the bed, I call Lenora and a nurse to help coax her out.
I go to my room to shower and change while they do that.
Lenora meets me out in the hallway before I can go back into Kas’s suite.
“Is she alright?” I ask, searching Lenora’s eyes for the truth.
“Yeah, but that whole thing exhausted her. She is back in bed sleeping.” She admits, shoving her hands in her pockets.
“Bronx, I know I told you to be here and be with Kas, but maybe you should go get some sleep yourself.” She looks at me sympathetically.
“I can’t believe you were so distracted that she was able to break your nose. You have to take care of yourself if you’re going to take care of her.”
I sigh in frustration and rub my hands over my face.
“I’m fine, Lenora.”
“No. You’re not fine. An eighty pound she-wolf just broke Bronx Mason’s nose. Does that sound fine to you?” Her tone is forceful.
“I’ll stay here for a few hours. You go get sleep and get your head straight.”
“Fine. But if anything else happens to her, Leni-”
“It won’t. Now get the Hell out of here. Go get some sleep. You look like shit.”
I go back to my room and lay down.
I take off my eye patch and rub my hands over my face again.
3
“Do you think our mate will be okay?” Saint whimpers.
“I hope so, buddy. I hope so. I haven’t even had a proper conversation with her and I just want to spend every moment with her.”
“Yeah. What are the chances the Moon Goddess would mate us with someone else who has scars?” He muses.
“She does everything for a reason.” I mindlessly touch my fingers on the place where my left eye used to be.
“I’m not tired, Bronx. Let me out. I wanna go for a run.” Saint sighs. Visit g.com for the full chapter.
“Yeah, that’s a good idea. Mind if Ghost and Crusher come along?”
“The more the merrier.”
***
We run at breakneck speed until we get to the river.
We shift back to our human forms, grab some shorts from the lockbox at the edge of the woods, and sit on the river bank.
The river has a high iron content which makes the water turn red with rust.
It looks like blood, hence the Blood River pack name.
Not nearly as ominous as the rumors would have you think.
“So break it down for me, Bronx. What’s her deal?” Reggie asks.
I light a cigarette and explain everything I am able to piece together from Lenora, the Silver Moon pack, what happened while I was at their packhouse, and what the doctors said.
“So that’s it. She was a slave. She didn’t even want to be referred to as an omega, according to Lenora. Silver Moon’s doctor said she has no family. The Alpha and Luna and others in the pack have been abusing her mentally and physically for years.”
Thinking about her mistreatment still boils my blood.
“Other than the doctor, who was completely insane, and the nurse who Kas seemed to trust, there wasn’t a single wolf in the pack that the Elders spoke to who had not either hit her or said shitty things to her.”
“Lenora said her scars are intense.” Milo says quietly after a minute of silence.
“Yeah, like Freddie Krueger intense.
Our doctors called the marks on her back ‘keloid scars’
.
They are thick and raised up like big bumps.
Usually only humans get them.
Imagine how damn strong you have to be to go through abuse like that and live.
She was just a kid.
She didn’t have anyone, not even her wolf to help her through any of it.” I rub my hands on my face and look at them.
“And those are just the physical scars. The emotional scars, who knows how deep they go. The brain can be a twisted place.”
“We know man, we have been through it with you and we will be right by your side for this as well.” Reggie claps his hand on my shoulder.
“We’re always here for ya man… and your mate.”
“Thanks, man.” I force a smile.
We all sit for a while longer, taking in nature while I finish my cigarette.
“Bronx, I’m not trying to add more pressure, but you need to talk to the Elders. Find out what to do if she isn’t well enough to become Luna. You only have nine months left.” Milo says.
“Summer Solstice. Don’t remind me, man. I know. Let’s see if we can get her out of her current state first. I don’t know anything about her, only that she is my mate. Once we are sure she even wants the pressure of being a Luna Regent. Then we can think about the pack’s future.”
“Well, that and putting up with your dumb ass, Bronxy.” Milo says with a smirk, breaking the serious tone of our conversation.
“Fuck you, Milo.” I smirk back.
We sit around and talk for a while longer before we all shift into our wolves and head back to the packhouse.
I get a quick shower and go directly to Kas’s room.
“Nothing to report, Alpha.” Lenora stands and salutes me.
“Knock it off, Lenora. How is she?” I ask, looking at my tiny sleeping mate.
Why does she have to be so tiny and fragile?
It makes her even more adorable.
“Honestly, she has been tossing and turning and even whimpering a bit in her sleep.” Lenora puts her hand on my forearm.
“Bronx, you should lay down with her. Having her mate next to her will help calm her down. Trust me. Milo and I are most content when we have physical contact. Even if it’s just holding hands.”