She flinched away from my fingers, her tears falling faster.
A shuffling from my right caught my attention. I snapped my gaze to Jed, who moved slowly, warily. His jaw was red, but it’d heal quickly. I snarled at him, pulling enough magic to the surface that he’d see it. A warning to stay away if he wanted to remain conscious.
“That isn’t vodka, man. It’s water. When she wasn’t at Becca’s this morning, I knew she’d try to come here. I should have let you know, but I thought you had enough on your plate, being responsible for the town and our Alpha. I found her on the ground in the car park out back. She was freezing, so I carried her in here. She hurt her ankle and couldn’t walk. When she started to come around a bit, she kicked off, threatening to remove my balls if I told you where she was, so I didn’t. I got Eli to ring you.”
Eli stepped closer, his voice apologetic. “She’s not drunk. She didn’t even ask for alcohol. It really is water in that glass. And she’s still not touched it.”
Silence fell as I absorbed their words. “Fuck.” I ran my hand through my loose hair and met their gazes. “Sorry, man, I…shit.”
Jed dropped a hand on my shoulder. “Forget it. I understand. Just…she’s really fucked up.” He glanced at her, his face softening before looking back at me. “Take care of her.” He nodded at Eli and left the club. I’d never really trusted the guy. He’d proven himself more than once after he’d come to our side after working for our enemy, but I’d still been suspicious. Maybe it was time I gave him a break.
Eli disappeared behind the bar, giving us space, and the staff had all vanished. Yeah, an Alpha losing his shit wasn’t someone you wanted to be around. I pulled a chair closer to Shannon and sat, then leaned forward, gently pulling on her wrists to untangle her fingers from her hair. She complied, dropping her hands to the table. “Shan?”
She still wouldn’t look at me. She sniffled loudly, the sound tugging on something in my heart.
“I wanted to drink. So badly. But I….” She shivered, and a sob burst from her.
Fuck. Seeing her like this? I hated it. Her body didn’t stop shaking. The Fae-engineered clothing should keep her plenty warm enough, but her body shook in violent waves. I quickly unbuttoned my jacket and placed it around her shoulders.
“I-I saw him. In the dark. He-he wouldn’t leave me alone…”
“Who?” I fisted my hand out of her sight, keeping my voice even. I’d kill whoever had frightened her like this. Rip them apart with my bare hands.
“My-my dad.” She sobbed again. Big heaving gasps and wrenching sobs that annihilated any illusion of restraint I had. I quickly pulled her into my lap, unhappy with any distance between us. Her fingers twisted into my shirt as she hid her face in my chest. I wrapped the coat around her shaking body and held her tightly against me, trying to understand.
She wasn’t bullshitting me. There was no hint of a lie. She really saw her dad. And she was scared shitless. I didn’t like it. At all.
“Shh, it’s okay. He’s not here…”
She curled into a tighter ball. “He is. He’s on that table next to me. He’s there. He’s there. He’s there.” She repeated over and over.
And fuck me if I didn’t look just to make sure. Her trembling turned to full-on wracking muscle seizures, her head stretching back and her jaw tight.
“Shan? Baby?”
Shit!
“Eli!” I bellowed while activating the communication device that would tell B’nar I needed to leave. I just hoped he wasn’t busy. Shannon needed medical care, and that was best done in Faery. Her body went limp in my arms, which was one of the scariest feelings ever, but at least her fit had stopped.
Eli came running out of the bar at full speed.
“Oh, fuck. Is she okay?”
“No! Get the doors. I’m getting her out of here.”
With my heart pounding, I stormed out into the early morning air just as B’nar stepped from a portal.
Chapter 9
Stone
“How is she?”
I lifted my head, blinking my eyes to bring B’nar’s features into focus. I’d been here for one, maybe two days? I’d lost awareness of everything around me. Time had blurred into a series of exhausted naps, beeping monitors, and worry that stretched so deep into my soul that my wolf was as agitated as me.
I glanced over at Shannon’s pale, drawn face. “No fits since last night.” I frowned, not sure if it really had been last night or not…
“You need to go and get some rest, my friend.”
