Chapter Ten

Red

Fear stole my breath and I couldn’t get my shaky limbs to move, to get up off the floor where I’d fallen at the loud banging on my front door. The scent of the stranger had done the rest.

I wanted to be brave. I had been brave. But the memories of fighting off the attackers and how they’d taken my brother to a boiling pot were too much to fight past now I was on my own. I needed my mate.

We’re coming, baby.

I whimpered and clung to those words, barely able to take my next breath despite how my lungs hurt with the need to fill them with oxygen.

I could hear my clock ticking in the kitchen, and I counted the seconds, hating each and every one when I felt so helpless. Every second felt like an eternity.

Twenty-two.

Twenty-three.

Twenty-four.

Where are you? I cried out, skin crawling like it did when ants sometimes invaded the patch.

Two minutes, baby. I’ll be there in two minutes. I’ll wrap you in my arms and kiss all your hurts away. No one is going to touch you but me, I swear.

It was hard to cling to the conviction that came through, but I tried and whimpered while listening out for any noise.

Bang. Bang. Bang.

A fist hitting wood made me jump. “I know you’re hiding in there! Fucking coward. We should have put your brother in the pan, so you knew what to look forward to!”

Go away. Go away. I don’t want you here. The words were all in my head as I screamed them, my throat squeezed so tight I couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t swallow. Spots of white danced in front of my eyes as I lurched forward, placing my head between my knees.

I can’t breathe.

I can’t breathe.

Panic clawed at my insides as the words sank in. Who was threatening me? Why me? What had I done to them? The world faded at the edges and my chest burned with the need to allow air into my lungs. My body wasn’t listening. It wanted the darkness, but I fought it because what if the monsters came in and took me from my goat?

Gordon. I was sure I wailed it, but nothing was making sense.

Seconds, baby, I’m seconds away. Count with me. Come on, I need you to focus on my voice. I know you can.

He coaxed, cajoled and shouted at me as I fought to do as he wanted. The first breath did nothing to release the tight band holding my chest hostage. The second one wasn’t much better. I was shaking hard enough that my head banged on my knees.

Count, Red. Come on, do it for me.

Three.

Was that loud?

Did he hear me?

I can hear you. I’m at the back of the house. Just count another breath and I’ll be there in the shake of a goat’s tail.

The sound of the back door unlocking unleashed another breath and then the scent of Gordon surrounded me, and the shaking became epic as the relief at him keeping his word, being here to protect me, rushed through me.

“I got you. I got you,” he soothed, kissing my hair as he wrapped his arms around me, his kneecaps pressing into my back. “It’s alright. Take another breath. You can do it.”

I could, now he was here. I could do anything if he just stayed right next to me.

Drew’s voice came from a distance. “Whoever it was at the door, they’ve gone. I can’t see a car. But I can smell they aren’t rhubarb. They’re also not lion shifters from our old pack. Do you think Amell has gone to another pride for help to capture a rhubarb?”

I didn’t care who they were as long as they left me alone. I repeated their threats to Gordon through our link, unable to speak aloud.

“Shush, it’s alright.” Gordon rocked me as much as he could while kneeling behind me, with me glued to the floor. “We’re gonna figure it all out.”

“I’ve called the sheriff, he’s on his way.” This was Leonidis.

“T-thank y-you,” I managed to stutter, feeling dreadful to be caught like this, but unable to do anything about it, so I kept my head where it was.

Leonidis patted my knee, I could smell it was him. “We’ve got your back. All the pride has. We all have our fears. There is no weakness in knowing what they are and seeking support from your friends.”

He sounded so knowledgeable, I managed to raise my head and look at him. “Are you sure?”

“Yes. It might take time, but you’ll control it and learn to live with it. Just be kind to yourself.”

I wasn’t sure I could do that. I didn’t feel I could do anything at the moment.

Gordon pressed a kiss to my temple. “Then I’ll be kind to you until you’re ready to be kind to yourself.”