Chapter 10

T he journey over to Long Claw Pack is quiet and tense. No one's quite sure what to expect, except Garett, but he isn't telling me much. I'm sure it's to protect me, but I'm going to find out soon enough. Sitting in the back of the large town car that was sent over by the pack alpha, I hold on tightly to Seb's and Killian's hands. I would've been fine sitting alone, I'm used to caring for myself, but they wanted to comfort me, and shifters tend to find comfort in physical touch. Garett and Alex sit in the seat opposite us. Alex's gaze is focused on my hands, his look of longing making it clear he would prefer to be the one sitting next to me, but I'm grateful that they have allowed Seb to sit next to me. As Seb is the lowest member of our little group, if we were to follow pack rule and hierarchy, then he would be far away from me, even though out of all of us, he would benefit the most from being close to me, both physically and emotionally. Lower members of the pack need and rely on those with more power, it helps sustain them, which is why you only ever see alpha level lone wolves, those with lesser power just wouldn't survive on their own.

I glance across at Garett, who stares out the window, completely silent as we travel the short journey across town to the gym that acts as the pack headquarters. His expression is troubled, which only serves to make me more nervous about what might greet us when we arrive.

The only person from our group who isn't joining us is Eric. When we were waiting for the car to arrive, he started acting strangely, his features sharpening as his demon started pushing for control. The thought of a demon as old as Eric losing control is scary, so when he made excuses and started backing away, no one questioned it, giving him the space he needed. However, now that he's gone, I can't help but worry.

"Do you think Eric's okay?" My question breaks the silence in the car, bringing several sets of eyes to mine. "He was acting strange," I clarify, but Alex just shrugs.

"He seemed okay to me, just distracted. He said he had something to check out. I'm sure he'll be fine."

"Yeah, he would've told you if there was something wrong," Seb chimes in, "Besides, he's like a thousand years old, right? I'm sure he can look after himself," he jokes, running his hand up and down my arm, and I force myself to nod.

That's strange. They obviously didn't feel the little bursts of his power or notice the change in him as his demon surfaced like I did. Is that because I know him better, or because of our bond? Leaning back into my seat, I close my eyes, feigning tiredness as I focus on the sliver of a bond that Eric and I share. It's not like the gleaming silver bond Killian and I have, more like a pull, a feeling of electricity within me that draws me like a moth to a flame. I don't know if it feels so different because Eric is a demon, or if it's because we haven't completed our bond yet.

Taking a deep breath, I grasp at the bond and can't help the gasp that escapes me as a feeling of electricity rushes through my body. I can distantly hear the guys calling my name, but it's like they are yelling from far away. My limbs feel like they are charged and full of energy. I've reached out to touch my half-formed bond with Eric before, but it felt more solid, more human, but this, this feels completely different. Nothing about this bond feels human right now, and I realise that Eric is in his demon form. At first, he doesn't seem to feel that I'm there, his attention fully focused on something else, and when I realise what it is, shock runs through me.

He's hunting.

He must sense my shock, as surprise runs through him and he stumbles to a stop, followed by a begrudging admiration.

My little wolf. I can't hear the purring words, but I can feel them, my whole body warming as arousal fills my veins to the point that my need is painful, and I can feel my body gasping as bolts of energy run through me. I'm impressed you were able to reach out to me in this form. Just another affirmation that we are made for each other. There's a pause, and I can almost feel his claws lightly running down the skin on my arm, which should be impossible since we are miles apart. Eric has been trying to keep me away from you, but it is only a matter of time.

"Until what?" I gasp out, and I can't help the groan that escapes me as he chuckles, washing waves of arousal over me, that line between pleasure and pain blurring.

Until I get my hands on you. That day will come soon, and when it does, I will make you mine.

With all my strength, I rip my mind from his hold and am thrown back into my own body. I open my eyes and meet the glowing gazes of four barely in control shifters. The scent of my arousal fills the car, and my breath comes out in gasps. Aftershocks of electricity seem to run along my limbs, causing a pleasure that borders on pain. I can see why it's frowned upon to take a demon lover—that kind of power could be addictive. Already, my body aches for more.

"What the fuck was that?" Killian's voice is low, almost a growl as he grabs my shoulders, turning me to face him, which in the confines of the car has me almost in his lap.

"You felt it too?" I breathlessly ask, turning my head to see if the others are as affected as I am, but I'm stopped when Killian tightens his grip on my arms and growls low.

"Unless you want me to completely lose control, don't look at anyone else right now." Freezing in place, I keep my eyes on his, not taking his warning for granted. I know all too well the look of an alpha about to lose control of his wolf. "What happened?"

I wouldn't usually let Killian speak to me that way, or I'd give him a hard time for acting like an overprotective alpha, letting his instincts control him, but right now, I don't think it's wise. "I was worried about Eric, so I tapped into our bond. He was in his demon form." Cursing follows my words, and I have to focus on taking a deep breath as I push away the memory of what it felt like, how powerful I felt. "He's not the same Eric in that form. He was giving me a…taste of what it will be like when I meet him fully."

"Fuck that. If that's how you react, he isn't getting anywhere near you! You looked like you were in agony. He's a pain demon, Ari! The only reason I let Eric anywhere near you is because he has such good control over himself!"

"You don't let me do anything. I am in control of what I do or don't do." My voice deepens into a growl, my wolf prowling under my skin. With so many dominant personalities and the scent of my arousal in the air, it's aggravating all of us, stirring up our animals and bringing out Killian's possessive alpha tendencies. A movement across from me catches my eye. Turning my head, I see Garett leaning towards me as if he's going to pull me over to him, desire and something that looks like pain clear to see in his eyes, but he doesn't move any closer.

The car pulls to a stop and I see that we are outside the bears' headquarters, but no one moves, the tension in the car high. I start to slide away from Killian, but his arms tighten around me, a low growl rumbling from his throat. Turning my attention back to him, I put my hands on his chest and meet his eyes, staring him down. Rule number one of dealing with an angry alpha—don't look them in the eyes unless you want to challenge them. For a moment, I see Kill's eyes narrow as he senses the challenge, but he manages to gain control over his wolf.

"Now is not the time for this. Garett and his family need us."

"I'll let it drop for now, but this isn't over, Ari." Killian's words sound threatening, but he sends me a glimpse down our bond of how he plans on resolving the issue, and it causes desire to flare in me again—flashes of pinning me to the bed while he fucks me, calling him Alpha as I submit to him. Raising an eyebrow, I send him an image right back, his arms tied behind his back as I worship him with my mouth, him unable to touch me, unable to direct me as I do exactly as I please. His pupils dilate, and a groan fills the car.

"Well, this isn't awkward," Seb comments from my other side, and I can't help but laugh, breaking the tension as the others join in with low chuckles.

"Will you guys wait outside for a moment? I want to have a word with Garett." The guys nod in response to my question, filing out of the car with a few hot glances sent my way until it's just Garett and me left. The silence stretches as I wait for him to start talking, to tell me what's going on. After a tense minute, I sigh and climb out of my seat, with Garett tracking my movements until I sit in his lap and his arms wrap around me, a content little sigh leaving him as he breathes in my scent.

I tell myself I'm doing this to comfort him, but in all honesty, I find just as much comfort in this as he does. My bear shifter has always been my source of comfort and protection, even before I knew that I loved him, back when we were just friends. "You okay?" I keep my words soft as I nuzzle into his chest, feeling his hands rub small circles on my back.

There's a pause before he speaks as he puts his thoughts in order. "I… I'm just worried about my brothers, and sorry that this is going to cause you pain."

Typical Garett, worrying more about me rather than the situation at hand. Pulling my face away from his chest, I look up at him, smile softly, and put all the warmth I can into my voice. "They're your family, so they're also my family. I'll always do what I can to help my family." His responding smile is like that of a man who has everything he ever wanted, and it makes my heart stutter in my chest, lighting the whole car with its warmth.

"What did I do to deserve a mate like you?" he whispers, his voice the happiest I've heard in a long time as he presses his forehead to mine, and I suddenly feel like the worst person in the world. This is all it took to make him happy? Garett has always been there for me, our relationship has always been easy, even when we were just friends. He always knew when to refrain from pushing me for more. Am I that selfish that just telling him something so simple makes him act like I've given him everything?

"You mean a damaged, selfish, pain in the ass mate who was oblivious to your feelings for years?" Voice cracking, I try to pull away from his embrace, but he stops me with a hand on my chin. I avoid his eyes, and his bear lets out an unhappy grumble that rumbles through my body. It's a common misconception that bear shifters are just rough, brutish creatures. Sure, they can be, but they're also incredibly compassionate and protective to those they consider family, not to mention they revere their mates above all else.

"Ari, look at me." Holding on to my chin until I meet his eyes, he watches me with a frown marring his face. "I'm not sure where this is coming from, but I don't think you're any of those things. What Shadow Pack did to you was evil and would have broken most people, but not you. You came out of it and made a life for yourself, and not only that, but you help people on a daily basis with your work!" He starts caressing my cheek with his thumb as he continues, "I know trusting people is hard for you. I've known it from the start, and honestly, after everything you've been through, I'm amazed at your capacity to love and care as much as you do. I'm constantly thanking my stars that you love me in return, even if you made me wait for it." A wry smile crosses his lips, and I can't help the chuckle that escapes me .

I don't have any words for him, my heart full from his words, so I say the next best thing. "I love you."

He stills in a way that only a supernatural can, and I feel his bear pushing to the surface, his eyes glowing as a rumble of pleasure emits from his chest. "I love you too, Ari, more than words can say."

Reaching up, I thread my hands through his hair, loving the feeling of the silky strands, and use it to pull him towards me. Garett makes a startled noise at my sudden action, but eagerly leans into me, our lips pressing together in a passionate kiss. His hand moves from my face, and he wraps his arms around me, holding me close.

A knock on the window startles us, both of us pulling away and looking around guiltily. "Fuck's sake, guys, I thought we were here for some sort of family crisis." Killian's muffled voice sounds from outside the car, getting quieter as he moves away. Meeting Garett's eyes, we both start laughing like guilty school children as we untangle from each other, but I soon see the happiness drain from Garett as he remembers why we're here. Reaching forward, he opens the door for me, and I smile at him in thanks as I step out to join the others. Alex wiggles his eyebrows as I straighten my clothes after my impromptu make out session in the back of the car. Flipping him off, I turn to face the gym, ready to take on whatever is waiting for us inside.

Looking at the building before us, you would never know it was anything other than a gym and fitness centre, but it holds space for pack meetings and additional training rooms designed for shifters and their supernatural strength. A sense of guilt fills me. I promised Max I would help him and his brothers, but since then, I've barely seen them, their grief so raw that it hurts to be around them. I've been so caught up in trying to find out what ASP is up to that I forgot those who are suffering.

A shadow falls over me, and I glance up to see Garett's grim expression. Reaching over, I take his hand and lead him into the building, knowing that the others will follow us in.

"Ari, Garett. Thank God you're here," Alpha Phillips calls out as he walks towards us through the gym, shaking Garett's hand before pulling me into a one-armed hug. Nodding his greeting to the guys, he leads us through the gym to the rooms out the back reserved for pack. I've never seen the place so quiet before, the space is usually buzzing with life, but today, it feels heavy with grief. As we make our way through the corridor, I nod in greeting to the few pack members we see, all of whom have grim expressions. Rounding a corner, I see Max, looking much the same as the last time I saw him, the only difference being he's wearing clothing this time. He smiles as he turns to greet us, but I can tell he's worried from the tightness around his eyes and the tense way he holds his body. His hair is longer than the last time I saw him, making him look almost identical to Garett.

Striding towards us, he grasps Garett's hand and pulls him into a hug, the two large men taking comfort in each other's touch like only family can. Max pulls away and looks over at me before pulling me into a hug, surprising me. Of all Garett's family members, Max has been the most distant, but I guess grief changes people. "Ari, thank you for coming. I wouldn't ask this of you if we weren't desperate."

Pulling away, I give him a small smile and shrug my shoulders, brushing off how much it means to me that he seems to have accepted me as family. "Of course," I reply, hoping he can hear the sincerity in my voice. "I'll always help when I can. What's going on?"

Max sighs, running his hand through his hair in a gesture that reminds me of his brother. "You managed to reach me when I lost all control, so I thought maybe it would work with them as well…" He's rambling. Max, the strong Gamma of Long Claw. It must be bad, I've never seen him like this, and as I glance over at Garett and see his concerned expression, I know I'm right to be worried .

"Max, stop stalling. What happened?" I demand, the time for niceties having long passed.

Max looks over to his alpha, who's been watching our exchange from a distance. "It's the twins. The loss of Tori seems to have broken them," Alpha Phillips explains pragmatically, but I can tell that seeing his bears in such a state is affecting him. His choice of words makes me frown though. Broken?

"You mean they've lost control of their animal?" I question, not sure exactly what he's trying to tell me.

"If only it was that simple." Max lets out a humourless laugh. "They were doing okay, but then something in them snapped a few days ago. They keep trying to escape, and I don't know how to reach them. To make them understand."

Frowning, I look at the others to see if they understand any more than I do, but I'm met with questioning expressions and shrugs. "But where would they go?" I don't understand why the twins would leave the safety of the pack.

"That's the thing. They're trying to find her." He doesn't need to elaborate, I know exactly who he means, and a feeling of dread fills my gut, like I've been punched in the stomach.

"But she's dead." My voice is hoarse, and my eyes burn as I fight against the memories of holding her stiff, cooling body in my arms.

A hand on my shoulder has me looking up at Max's pained gaze, and I know he's reliving the same memories as me. "That's the thing. They think Tori's still alive."