31. Chapter Thirty-One

Chapter Thirty-One

Shay

Cringing, I watched the pretty E.R. doctor, who looked vaguely familiar, tie off the last stitch in Bennett's arm. She had introduced herself to me as Dr. Meg Farrell, looking me over and saying, Well, you look better than the last time I saw you .

"Good as new," Meg gave Bennett a fond smile. "Even with shifter healing, it's probably going to scar."

He looked at the four thin lines of black stitches down his forearm. "I'm not worried about it. Can we go home now? We need to check on Lucas."

She frowned at him, and I interjected. "Lucas is with Asher and Gabe. He's shaken up, but he's okay. He knows you're going to be alright. There's an officer parked outside their house in case Edward comes back."

It went without saying that if Edward was stupid enough to show his face, I had no doubt my brother's cheetah, or his mate's Kodiak bear, would be able to handle the situation.

During the ambulance ride to the hospital, Bennett had told me Edward had been watching us for the better part of a week. Which explained the eerie feeling I had a few times, that someone was watching me but could never pinpoint who or where they were. I finally brushed it aside as my own anxiety and nothing more.

"And I would prefer you stay here a few hours for observation," she gave him a sharp look, holding up her hand before he could protest. "I've already been in touch with Lily and she's in agreement with me. I know you aren't spotting or cramping, but we would both feel better to observe you for a few hours. Let the adrenaline rush get past, and then we'll decide if we'll spring you."

Grasping his hand in mine, I rubbed my thumb over his soft skin. "Let them make sure the pup is okay."

"Fine," he huffed, resting back against the elevated bed. "Has there been any word on Edward?"

Shaking my head, I sighed, "No. Alex called though, while they were cleaning your arm. He was furious. Apparently, Edward's lawyers were aware he had walked away from rehab a week ago."

Bennett's eyes were wide. "And they didn't think to let Alex know? Those bastards! They know you have a restraining order against him."

Smiling at his feistiness and his anger over the situation, I brought his hand up and kissed it softly. Meg had left and the nurse was just finishing bandaging Bennett's arm.

"I think they thought they would be able to find him and get him to go back, before they needed to inform anyone. They swore to Alex they never divulged my address to Edward. But he's not stupid. All they would have to do was leave him alone for a minute with the file, and he would have found it."

Bennett's face was a weird combination of pissed off and worried. Reaching out, I smoothed the frown lines from his forehead. "I hope they find him before he hurts someone else, Shay. He was really fucked up. The alcohol fumes were practically seeping from his pores, and who knows what else he was on."

Nodding, I silently agreed with him. Sadly, I knew this wasn't the first time Edward had been behind the wheel while under the influence.

"This hasn't helped his case, that's for sure," brushing a lock of his nearly black hair off his forehead, I grinned ruefully. "Alex is out for blood. He's such a nice guy, but wow, can he get scary. I wouldn't want to be Edward, or his lawyers, when he gets done with them."

Bennett nodded. "Alex is really good at his job, and he genuinely cares about all his clients. It's why he does pro bono work. He wants to make sure victims get a fair fight."

"How are you feeling?" Covering his little bump with my hand, I rubbed the hard mound gently. "Do you need me to get you anything? Something to eat or drink?"

He smiled, watching my hand covering our pup. "I'm good. We can get something when they finally let me go." His voice rose on the last words, and like a siren's call, Meg popped her head through the curtain.

"Keep it up and I'll tell Lily you need to stay the night," she threatened.

Bennett gasped, "You wouldn't dare! "

"Try me. Look what I brought you," she moved the curtain and Seth rushed in, looking frantic and pale. He rushed to Bennett's side, hugging him fiercely.

"Oh. My. Goddess," he exclaimed, sitting on the other side of Bennett on the small bed. "Asher called me! That mother fucking asshat!"

Turning angry eyes my way, he pointed a sharp, brightly painted pink finger in the middle of my chest. "I blame you for this. If anything would have happened to my bestie my cougar would tear you a new one!"

All I could do was blink at him, then blink some more.

"Yeah…about that," Bennett grabbed Seth's finger off my chest, and twisted it.

"Ow! B, let go!" Seth whined, pulling his hand back.

"Keep your cougar away from my tiger," Bennett warned.

Seth's raven dark brows rose, and he looked me up and down with an appreciative gleam in his eyes. "Tiger, huh? I figured cheetah like your brother. Figured Lucas took after his other…he who shall not be named."

He almost looked impressed, and I shook my head a bit smugly, "Not a cheetah. And…he who shall not be named is a wolf."

"My mate is a gorgeous white tiger," Bennett sounded almost dreamy, "Seth, you should see him. He's stunning. All white, except for his black stripes, and these gorgeous blue eyes." He cupped my face, his thumb lightly rubbing the skin near my eyes. "Fucking beautiful, and fierce. I bet the neighbors two streets over heard his roar."

Blushing at my mate's praise, I ducked my head shyly. "It's a recessive gene. My mom was a tiger, but a normal one. So is Lucas. Orange and black, I mean. Normal. I shouldn't have blue eyes either, according to genetics, they should be brown like Asher's. But," I shrugged, "here I am. Mom carried the recessive gene from someone in her line."

Heavy footsteps sounded outside the curtain, and a few seconds later, Sheriff Beckett peeked around the corner. He motioned for me with his finger, indicating I should leave the cubicle and go speak with him.

"Hopefully they caught Edward," Bennett whispered, looking somber, the light mood broken by the reality of the situation and why we were here.

Leaning over, I kissed him softly. "I'll be right back."

I had no intention of leaving Bennett any longer than necessary.

"Watch him," I instructed Seth, "he wants to go home, and will probably try to talk you into breaking him out of here."

Seth gave me a jaunty salute, "Not on my watch."

Following Becks, we went into a staff break room that was currently empty. "Did you find him?"

Becks blew out a breath, his nearly black eyes bleak. "We lost him in the woods. He made it to where he had left his vehicle, but we managed to get the make and model and partial plate. We called it in once we circled back to Bennett's."

Running a hand through my messy hair, I tried to stay calm. "So he's still out there? He could come back and try to harm us? Try to harm Bennett? I need to get back to him."

I really thought they were going to catch him, and this nightmare would be behind us. I wasn't about to leave Bennett defenseless in a hospital cubicle, that Edward could just walk right into.

Becks grabbed my arm, halting my hurried trip to the door. "Shay, my other officers spotted his car on the highway and pursued him. "

"Okay," shaking off his hold, I needed to get back to my mate. "And did you catch him?"

Becks' dark eyes held my gaze, unflinching. "A high-speed chase ensued, and Edward lost control of his car."

All I could do was stare at him wide-eyed, barely breathing, barely comprehending the words he was quietly telling me.

"He went down a ditch and hit a tree head on. He wasn't wearing his seatbelt, and he was traveling at a high rate of speed."

My eyes had started some kind of rapid-fire blinking that I had no control over, my heart pounding so loudly in my ears, all I could hear was rushing air.

"I'm sorry," Becks' tone was quiet, but steady, "Edward was ejected from the vehicle. He didn't make it."

"What?" My knees trembled and I grabbed onto a hard chair in front of me. "What?"

Becks eased me into the chair, his hand on my shoulder. "His body has been transported here, but we still need you to make a positive identification, if you are up to it. It's best if a mate does it."

Shaking my head, I mumbled, "I'm not his mate. Not anymore."

Through my haze, I saw Becks nod. "I understand. We can wait for next of kin to get here. Would you be able to give me that information?"

He was talking slowly, clearly, like he was afraid I didn't understand what he was saying. Maybe I didn't. Maybe this was what shock felt like. Dazed, and hazy, and not quite real.

"I'll do it," I whispered, my hands clenched together tightly. Digging my nails into my skin to make sure I wasn't dreaming. That this wasn't another one of my nightmares. That this was really happening. "I'll I.D. him."

Becks gave my shoulder a sympathetic squeeze. "There are other ways."

"No," standing shakily, I was grateful for his steadying hand, "no. I need to do this. I need to see him with my own eyes. I need to make sure the monster is really gone."

I had no idea how long I had been sitting on the padded bench outside of the morgue. Long enough for my ass to go numb. Actually my entire body was numb.

Body trembling, silent tears ran down my face, as I sat in the gloomy hallway, alone.

Vaguely, I heard the elevator ding from the opposite side of the long hall, followed by soft footsteps that I paid no attention to.

"Shay." Looking up at my quietly spoken name, I was barely able to see through the wetness of my eyes.

Bennett stood there, holding out a hand to me, the white of the bandage around his arm bright in the gloom. "Let's go home. "

A strangled sob ripped from my throat, and I grasped his outstretched hand like it was a lifeline. Bennett stared into my eyes, cupping my cheek. Even with me seated he was only a couple of inches taller than me, but just enough that I had to look up at him.

"I didn't want it to end this way," I whispered roughly, shaking my head. "Not like this."

"I know," he said, just as quietly.

"I don't even know why I'm crying. Why am I crying? He doesn't deserve my tears."

"You're crying because you're human. And you're a decent, kind person." Bennett pulled me to him, and I grasped him in a tight hug, burying my sobbing face against his small, rounded belly. He gently carded his fingers through my hair, his lips kissing the top of my head, and I sobbed louder.

"Shh," he whispered, continuing to stroke my hair. "You're crying because you loved him once, and because he was Lucas's father. Now let's go home, my love. Let's go home."