Chapter 16

" K illian, what the fuck do you think you are doing?" I shout, completely pissed off and mortified that he has barged in on us.

At the sound of my voice, his head whips around to look at me, and then he seems to calm a little. He takes a step towards me, and I get a good look at him for the first time since yesterday. His eyes are wide and glowing, fully consumed by his wolf. His chest is heaving like he ran here, and from the state of his clothing, I think he has. He has bits of branches and undergrowth caught in his clothing like he's been hiding out in the woods, which, for all I know, he has been. Now that he's seen me, I can see the moment he gives into his instincts as he starts stalking towards me.

"Killian, stop," I order, my power filling the room with my frustration.

I shift my weight and my open shirt moves, grabbing his attention. His eyes narrow on my exposed skin, halting his movements. All of a sudden, I can feel his power rushing to meet me as he darts forward and pushes me up against the wall and buries his nose into the crook of my neck, growling as he does so.

"I can smell him on you." I can feel the vibrations of his growling voice through my body from where he is pressed against me. A sick part of me is turned on by his behaviour.

The other part is just pissed off. I shove against his chest to push him away. To my dismay, he only moves back a couple of inches and looks like he's going to come closer again.

"Keep your hands off her." Garett's deep voice fills the room as he comes closer, his eyes flitting from me to Killian.

I appreciate Garett hanging back, allowing me to deal with this. He knows full well I can hold my own, and that I don't deal well with controlling behaviour. He also knows I will kick his ass if he comes swooping in to the rescue like a knight in fucking shining armour when I'm perfectly capable of whooping Killian's butt. Killian, on the other hand, has a different idea.

His head turns sharply to stare at Garett, his teeth fully exposed in a snarl, and I can see the tips of his canines have lengthened into fangs. Dropping into a fighting stance, he charges Garett, leaping towards him at the last second and shifting into wolf mid-air. The sound of ripping clothes and snarling animals fills the room as Garett shifts to protect himself.

Normally, I would say that a large bear shifter would beat a lone wolf shifter in most fights. However, Killian is huge. I have never seen a wolf so big before. The snow-white tips of his ears almost reach my shoulders. I briefly admire the fact that he is a fine specimen of wolf. I don't think I have ever seen a pure white wolf before. That admiration is quickly washed away by the fact he's being a possessive, idiotic dickhead. He's also more dangerous as he is caught up deep in his instincts to protect his ‘true mate.'

I'm pulled from my musings as Garett roars in pain, my eyes zeroing in on the large claw marks that have cut him across his chest. This is ridiculous. I pull on my discarded jeans and quickly do up my shirt. Me walking around half naked is not going to help anything.

"Guys, knock it off!" I shout, trying to push some of my power into my voice .

They both ignore me and continue fighting. Garett is up on his two hind legs, swatting at the large wolf, trying to pounce when Killian gets too close. Killian has a couple of lacerations on him, but he is carrying on like he can't feel them. Perhaps he can't, given how worked up he is. Garett, however, lets out a pained roar as the wolf bites his front paw hard, causing the bear to retreat. Enough is enough.

I jump forward and try to put myself between Garett and Killian. Bad idea. Killian spins towards me, locked so deeply in the fight he doesn't realise it's me. He leaps towards me, teeth bared, and I know I'm about to get bitten. Garett roars again and swats me out of the way, taking the bite that was meant for me. The strength of Garett's push sends me flying into a chest of drawers. The pain running through my arm where I hit the furniture makes me want to cry out. Flashes of white fill my vision as the pain threatens to overwhelm me. I look at my arm to see it's bleeding, and a glimpse of protruding bone tells me I've broken it. I hiss out a curse and bind my arm with whatever I can grab of out of the chest of drawers. I know if I cry out, or if I stay for long and the boys scent my blood, it will distract them and make them sloppy. I don't want either of them to die today, so I need to do something about it. I'm also pretty sure I'm going to pass out soon, so I need to get help.

Gritting my teeth, I stand up and make my way to the door, trying to avoid the two ferocious shifters who are circling around the room. I exit and hurry down the stairs as quickly as my legs will carry me. I have to lean against the wall when I reach the bottom as the room begins to spin, my vision starting to blur. I look down and see I have left a trail of blood. Shit. They may be neck deep in fighting, but if Killian gets caught up in bloodlust, he will track me down. Pushing away from the wall, I stumble through the building, shoving the door open and running towards the main house. I can't see anyone around. Bloody typical. Usually I'm tripping over people, and now I can't find a single person when I need them. I continue to jog, my steps becoming more of a stumble as the main house comes into view.

"Ari!" a happy voice calls out.

I spin around and see Seb walking towards me with a large smile on his face, until he sees me cradling my arm and the state of my once white shirt. I'm sure I look a sight, and from Seb's horrified expression, my guess is correct.

"Ari! What happened?" he calls out as he runs towards me, catching me as I stumble forward.

"Get Alpha Mortlock! Killian and Garett have shifted and are fighting," I say, my words tumbling out in a hurry.

"Shit! Where are they?" he asks, frowning as he looks me over.

"My bedroom," I say, and I see a look cross his face.

Had the situation been different, he would have made a remark, but I watch him push his jokes aside as he nods solemnly at me and runs back towards the main building.

I turn around and begin the journey back to the room, hurrying as quickly as I can—which, in my current state, isn't very fast. By the time I make it to the top of the stairs, I can hear pounding footsteps running towards me.

"Ari, stay back. I'm afraid your presence is only going to make things worse," Alpha Mortlock says, his face looking apologetic but firm. He is not going to let me in that room.

"No way, I need to check if Garett is okay," I bite out, but my voice comes out weak.

Alex walks up to me. I didn't even see him arrive, but he puts his hand gently on my cheek, bringing my eyes up to meet his.

"Ari, you need to take care of yourself. Both of those men are going to need you later, and you can't help them if you're passed out." His comment is reasonable, and it makes me groan.

He takes this as acceptance that I'm not going to barge into the fight and follow the alpha into the room. I get a glance of shattered furniture and hear lots of growling, but I don't see either of the shifters. A gentle hand touches my shoulder, and I look around to see Seb smiling softly at me.

"Come on, Ari, let's get you taken care of."

I follow him down the stairs and into one of the treatment rooms. Thankfully, Nurse Beth hasn't left yet. Her eyes widen as she sees me. She hurries over and gestures for me to sit on the examination bed.

"My God, Ari, what happened?" she asks, unwrapping my arm and sucking in a deep breath as she takes in the damage.

I explain in as little detail as possible what happened, keeping out the part where Garett and I had sex, but Seb wiggles his eyebrows at me so I know he has an idea as to what we had been up to.

Several stitches later, my arm is bound up and suspended in a sling. My shifter healing has already started to kick in, and I should be good as new by tomorrow. Nurse Beth has to leave, but she is going to send over a colleague to help us out while I'm injured. I lean against the counter in the treatment room while Seb tries to make me smile by telling me pack stories.

"—and then Alex came running in, looking like he was being chased by death hounds, and had to explain to his older brother why Elder Smith was so furious," Seb tells me between bouts of laughter.

I have to say, hearing stories about a young, impulsive Alex is taking my mind off of the current situation a little. I fight to keep back a smile at the image of the current pack beta acting so recklessly.

"What happened to Alex's brother?" I ask. I remember meeting him when I first presented myself to the pack.

Seb sighs and rubs his hand across the back of his neck like he is uncomfortable.

"Do you remember the attack on the pack?" he inquires, to which I nod in response. It's the reason I'm here, after all. Their last medical staff members were killed in that attack. "Well, Mark was killed during that. He was our beta at the time. It was an assassination rather than a random attack. ASP tried to play it off as a random rogue attack, but they hit us hard by aiming for specific pack members—our medical team, both our gamma and our beta, a couple of the elders. Alpha Mortlock and his mate were targeted, but the alpha managed to fight them off." Sorrow laces his voice.

"When the previous beta died, Alpha Mortlock suggested Mark for his beta. No one challenged it. Mark was a good beta, he was always fair. Alex was always the more powerful of the two, but he was younger and more reckless. When Mark died, Alex stepped into the position. There were some who weren't happy with that, but they knew they wouldn't be able to beat Alex in a challenge. The death of his brother changed him. Gone was the carefree Alex that I grew up with."

I let myself digest this information. It explains some things about Alex, like why one minute he's flirting and teasing me—a glimpse of the old Alex—and the next he is the serious beta of the pack. I feel for him that he had to grow up too quickly. I know how that feels.

There is a pause in the conversation, and I notice that the upstairs has become much quieter. There is no snarling or growling from the fighting shifters. That has to be a good sign, right? Seb realises I'm distracted and goes to make us some coffee. I'm staring at the clock on the wall when Alpha Mortlock walks into the room, his face weary. I push off from the counter and race to his side.

"Is everyone okay?" I demand in a hurry.

"Nothing that a few hours' worth sleep won't sort out. I think their pride has been injured more than their bodies. Garett is pretty torn up over your arm though," he tells me, his face grim. "Let's go over to the gym. We need to sort this out, and I think it's best if we do so where there is some space in case someone gets riled up again."

I nod in agreement.

An hour later, I am pacing the gym as I wait to get the answers I need. I would prefer to do this without an audience, but the alpha insisted. The alpha, Lena, Alex, and Isa are here, along with Seb, Garett, and Killian. Even Nurse Penny is here, tending to Killian's wounds. She is the nurse sent to relieve Beth from the other pack.

Garett is leaning against the gym wall, avoiding my gaze. At first, I thought it was because he was angry with me, but when I saw the look of anguish in his eyes, I knew it was because he's feeling guilty. I should probably feel bad and go to comfort him, but right now, I can't process what I'm feeling. Besides, it will not help the situation for me to be comforting Garett when Killian is snarling at any man that comes near me. I look across at the idiot and see he's staring at me again. Tearing his gaze from me as if it's agony to do so, he snarls at Nurse Penny, who is trying to tend to his wounds.

"I give up!" she proclaims as she pulls away from the surly shifter. Turning to the alpha, she shrugs her shoulders. "He won't let me treat him. All of his wounds will heal by themselves," she explains and packs her equipment.

"Thank you, Penny. Please go back to the medical room in case anyone else needs you. We will call down if we need you here again," Alpha Mortlock instructs.

She nods like she was expecting this, but a slight look of disappointment fills her gaze. I bet she was hoping she would get to listen in and report back to her alpha. Suspicion creeps in. I will be keeping an eye on her. Mortlock meets my eyes and nods in agreement, his thoughts matching mine. Smart move to send her away.

"I can smell the bear on her," Killian growls as Nurse Penny leaves, and I fight the urge to smack him.

"Who I fuck has nothing to do with you, Killian," I retort, anger fuelling my words.

This guy really gets on my fucking nerves. I don't know what it is about him that gets under my skin so much. My wolf can't decide if she wants to fuck him or fight him. Maybe both? Focus, Ari!

Killian jumps up from his chair and starts to stalk towards me, a challenge in his eyes. Alex and Isa jump forward to stop him from reaching me.

"You are my mate, it has everything to do with me," he growls out, his voice dropping to the point I think he is going to lose control to his wolf.

Alpha Mortlock is by his side, talking low into his ear, trying to calm him down. Garett has moved away from the wall, and from his rigid stance, he looks about one comment away from shifting as well.

"I am not your fucking mate! Just because some stupid instinct is telling you we ‘belong together' does not make it true! I have not accepted the bond. I don't even know you!" I spit. My wolf is pushing against my control, and my grip on my power has diminished, filling the room with alpha power.

I can see how it is affecting Killian. His power meets mine in a rush, brushing up against me almost in a caress, feeding my power rather than fighting it. Killian's front teeth lengthen, and he takes another step forward, pushing past Alex and Isa, forcing them both to take a step back. The beta and gamma share a look. That on its own should have me worried, but I am so deep in my frustration and anger that it doesn't register.

"Are you really telling me you can't feel it? You can't feel our bond?" His words come out as a caress, his voice almost a purr as if he knows the answer already.

I want to snarl at him and tell him I feel nothing, but that would be a lie. His power does call to me. Most alpha power is rough and fights for dominance, but Killian's feels like it is supporting me, making me stronger. It makes my power want to do the same, and that terrifies me. I'm about to lash out, out of panic, when Alpha Mortlock turns to look at me .

"Ari, pull back, you are not helping the situation by throwing around your power," he says calmly.

Had it been anyone else, it might have felt like he was scolding me, but I know he's just being truthful.

"Killian, you need to calm down. Ari is safe. You need to fight your instincts so we can sort this out. You're stronger than this, my friend," he says softly, and I can see this reaches Killian.

He blinks, and I can see him trying to fight against his instincts, his muscles trembling. Tearing his gaze away from me, he takes deep breaths to try and regain control.

By some unspoken signal from Mortlock, Lena steps forward, wringing her hands as she comes under the gaze of us all.

"Ari, something obviously occurred between you and Garett. What I am sure you don't know is that Killian would have been able to feel your… arousal through the bond, which is what caused him to snap," she explains to me.

That clarifies why it looked like he had run into the room. Because he could feel me fucking another man. My face burns red as embarrassment fills me. Fan-fucking-tastic.

"So Killian is going to know every time I sleep with someone?" I ask bluntly, and Killian's head whips towards me. "How can I stop it?"

"The only way to stop this is to accept the bond. It is highly unusual for someone to sleep with someone else when they have found their true mate," she says, igniting the anger in me once more.

"I can sleep with whoever I want! I don't care what some ‘bond' says," I retort, and Lena takes a step back at the venom in my words.

I will not be made to feel guilty for sleeping with Garett. Alpha Mortlock snarls slightly at the threat to his mate before regaining his composure with a slight cough.

"Oh no! I didn't mean it like that, Ari. I just meant that once the bond has made itself clear, the two don't usually want to sleep with anyone else. It usually takes years to get past the urge to only spend time with your true mate. If you don't accept the bond, those feelings will eventually disappear, but it takes time," she hurries to inform me, wanting to make sure I understand she isn't judging me.

"But I don't want a mating bond!" I cry out.

"You think I want this?" Killian demands, pushing past Alex and Isa as he stalks towards me.

Garett snarls, and Killian bares his teeth at him.

"Don't push me, bear," he spits out, his temper barely under control. He comes within an inch of me, his eyes piercing, pinning me to the spot. "I had a mate. What we had was real. This ‘true mated pair' business is bullshit. You think I want to be mated to an uncontrolled Shadowborn who barely knows how to summon her wolf? I don't." His voice starts off harsh, but towards the end, frustration laces his tone. "But then why can I not seem to control myself around you?" he asks, but I know the question isn't directed at me.

His hand comes up to cup my cheek, and I can't stop myself from leaning into the warmth of it, my wolf practically purring inside my chest. What the fuck is going on with me?