27. Ryan

The sun was barely peeking over the horizon when I found myself sitting at Thomas and Wally's weathered wooden table, sipping on a cup of coffee that had lost its heat some time ago. Across from me, Mai was lost in her thoughts, her brown eyes a pool of emotions I couldn't quite decipher. She'd had a deep cut on her hip from the broken glass when the car crashed, but Thomas had stitched her up last night, and it was mostly healed this morning.

Sam was still comatose. Mason was on the mend but far from fully recovered. I knew our position was dangerous, but I couldn't help but feel a sense of peace that we were back in the heart of Three Rivers. Back home where we belonged.

The clatter of cutlery and plates filled the quaint kitchen, breaking the silence. I looked up, my gaze meeting Mai's. Her dark hair was tousled, framing her face perfectly.

"We'll leave after breakfast. Can Sam and Mason stay until they"ve recovered?"

"Don't be silly. You're all staying here. I won't hear of any of you leaving," Thomas replied.

"Look, we appreciate the offer," I began, "really we do, but we can't stay here."

Wally rolled his eyes. "Yes, you can. It"s easy-peasy. You just don"t move your feet out the door."

"If we stay here, we're putting you in a lot of danger," Mai said, her tone serious. "Brock and Hayley want us dead. They'll stop at nothing to achieve that."

Wally got up then, his usual bubbly demeanor replaced by a hard look. "Enough, both of you." He leveled his gaze at us, his hands on his hips, the intensity in his eyes matching our own. "We're not going into this blind; we know the risks."

"But—" Mai started, only to be cut off again.

"But nothing, girlie. This is our Pack. We know who we"re loyal to. We know who we support as our Alpha pair. We've got your back, whether you like it or not. This is our fight too."

I tried again. "We don't want to bring trouble to your doorstep—"

"And we don't want you out there, exposed and vulnerable," Thomas countered. "Wally and I have talked about it, and, although certain threats were made," Thomas raised one eyebrow at Wally, "he didn"t need to remind me of where we"ve come from or what we"re fighting for here. Wally"s right; this isn"t just about you. We are all fighting for this Pack. Our home is yours for as long as you need it, end of discussion."

I looked over at Mai, searching her face for her thoughts. She looked back at me, her eyes reflecting the same concern I felt. But through our bond, I got a ping of relief.

I opened my mouth to accept their offer, but Sofia beat me to it. "Of course, they're staying," she said, walking into the kitchen and pulling up a chair beside Mai. "Besides, we've got bigger problems." Sofia's gaze traveled from me to Mai and then settled on the mug in front of her. "Brock and Hayley. They're dismantling all the things Jem put in place."

Mai's fingers tightened around her cup, her knuckles turning white. "What do you mean?"

"They've imposed new rules. Only children from approved families can attend school. Every new job and every promotion must be approved by the Alphas. Any trip outside of the territory needs their consent."

"Clever," I said. "They can control the Pack that way. Any dissenting voices will shut up pretty quickly when they find their kids can't go to school, they can't leave, and they can't get a promotion or new job."

"A Pack isn't a prison," Mai said, her voice harsh. "They can't just dictate life like that."

"They can, and they are," Sofia countered, a touch of bitterness seeping into her voice. "They even tried to tell Thomas who he can treat, but he put his foot down. Told them he'd leave if they enforced that rule. They've relented, for now, but only because they need a Pack doctor."

The information hit my stomach like a lead weight. Brock and Hayley were destroying everything Jem and I had done since Oliver was defeated. We'd worked so hard to turn this Pack into a supportive community, one that Mai would be safe in. We couldn't let them continue.

"We have to do something," Mai muttered, meeting my gaze again.

"We need to start gathering our army," I said. "We have supporters. We need to reach out to them. Quietly, without raising Brock and Hayley's suspicion."

Nods went around the table, a silent pact forming among us. We had to take back our Pack. For Jem. For the future of Three Rivers. No matter what.

I found Mason sitting up in the bed in Thomas's makeshift treatment room. The small space was at the back of the house and served as an exam room of sorts, with a couple of beds, some basic medical supplies and equipment, and a large window that let in ample natural light.

Mason was propped up against some pillows on the nearest bed. Some color had returned to his face, which I took as a positive sign after the blood loss he'd suffered. But there was a tension in the set of his shoulders and the furrow of his brow.

"How are you feeling?" I asked.

He blinked, focusing on me. "I'm doing okay. Just thinking through what happened."

I noticed a glass of water on the bedside table, untouched, and next to it a black ballpoint pen. Mason usually had something in his hands when he was thinking, and I"d seen him twirl pens through his fingers like a magician. It calmed him. It was not a good sign that was on the table and not in his hands.

"You should drink something," I said. "Doctor's orders, right?"

The corner of Mason's mouth quirked up, but the smile didn't quite reach his eyes. He reached for the glass with a slightly unsteady hand and took a few sips before setting it back down.

"I'm fine, really," he said. "I"m ready to get back out there."

I nodded. That desire for action, for resolution, was something we all felt. "Right now, you just need to focus on recovering."

Mason frowned but didn't argue. He lay back against the pillows, weariness etched across his features.

I considered him for a moment, debating how to approach this. "I saw what you did for Shya during the fight," I began. "Pushing her out of the way, taking that hit."

Mason's jaw tightened, his eyes dropping to the ground. "Someone had to protect her. She wasn't paying attention to her left side."

"Maybe," I conceded. "But she didn't exactly seem happy about it afterward."

Mason exhaled heavily, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees. "She"s infuriating. She insists she doesn't need my help. That she can take care of herself."

"She"s been raised to be an Alpha. You can't really blame her for being independent," I pointed out.

"I know," Mason replied, a hint of frustration in his tone. "Doesn't change my instincts, though. I want to wrap her in Kevlar and hide her in a bunker."

"I don"t know Shya that well, but from what I"ve seen so far, I"m guessing she"d try and break out within five minutes."

Mason sighed, running a hand through his hair. "She would. And she"d probably succeed, too."

"She"s stubborn and strong. Two traits that don"t mix well with being protected. And, yes, I"m talking from experience here."

"Fucking tell me about it," he muttered. "Ever since I met Shya, I can't stop thinking about her or her safety. It's like this primal need to protect her, even though I know she doesn't want or need it. It's killing me that I'm here in bed while she's out there about to face down that fucker Tristan."

Understanding dawned on me. I recognized my own possessive feelings for Mai. The all-consuming need to safeguard my mate, to make her mine alone, was something I understood intimately.

"You think Shya is your mate?"

He scrubbed a hand over his face. "I don't know. Maybe? It feels different from anything I've experienced before."

"Have you talked to her about it?" I asked.

Mason shook his head. "And say what? ‘Hey Shya, I know we just met, but how about you abdicate, come live with me, a PI from a rival Pack who lives with his three brothers, and we get down to mating for live'? After what Tristan has been doing to her, she'd laugh my ass out of the door."

"Maybe," I agreed. "Doesn't change what you're feeling, though. It"s not just going to go away because it's inconvenient."

"Fuck," Mason muttered.

"Give it time. Get to know her first, outside of all this chaos. The bond will reveal itself when the time"s right."

Mason nodded, though he still seemed conflicted. "I know she doesn't want me to step in and protect her, but I can't help it. Whether she likes it or not, keeping her safe is the only thing that's important."

"You'll figure it out. For now, just follow your instincts. Even if it annoys the hell out of her."

That drew a laugh from Mason. "Easier said than done. You might have noticed but she's not exactly the type to stay quiet when annoyed."

"All the more fun for us," I teased, clapping him on the back as I stood. Mason had always been the protector of our family; his utter dedication to those he cared about was an unwavering constant. His dry humor was reserved only for his inner circle. Others thought his imposing physique and no-nonsense demeanor made him seem aloof, but I knew beneath that tough exterior lay a deep empathy for others. He needed to be brought out of his shell. Shya was exactly the type of woman Mason needed to keep him on his toes.