Shawn’s disposition eased a bit, but there was still something bothering him.
“How about I go put on a batch of my famous fried chicken for you all,” Heather said, patting Shawn’s shoulder in passing.
“You don’t have to do that mom, feeding us would be like feeding an army,” Shawn told her.
“Nonsense, I won’t have you eating anywhere else, but my kitchen,” she told him sternly.
Shawn rolled his eyes once her back was turned.
“Again, we’re sorry for the surprise visit and how rude we were to your mother,” Ryan said to Shawn once they were alone.
“We have bigger problems at hand.El had to take a pregnancy test this morning,” Shawn told them, dragging his hand over his face.
Trip felt guilty.They had left their brother to deal with too much on his own out of their own selfishness.Trip had been selfish to demand El deal with his past relationship with Claudia.Trip was fine with El and his brothers, but he knew he’d soon give his life than have to be in the presence of one of her past lovers every single day.The thought of her with any other besides them made his stomach turn.Yet he had demanded she not only accept Claudia, but let Claudia be part of something that had to be very private.
“I think the first thing on our agenda will be to make amends with our mate.I know I for one, owe her an apology and you as well Shawn,” Trip said.
“You don’t have to apologize to me.My mom understands—”
“Not because of your mom, but because we left you here to deal with all of this plus our mate’s pain thatwecaused and continued to cause because we were being stubborn.That wasn’t fair to her or to you.Ryan, with your permission, when we return home, I will be requesting Claudia heals for some of our far away members.El is right, it’s not fair to have her around.”
“Are you sure, Trip?She’s our best healer, I’m not sure that’s fair to our pride,” Ryan stated.
“Our pride will be fine, my concern is for my mate.Would you allow one of El’s past lovers to be your healer?To look at your most intimate parts or ask you personal questions?”Trip pointed out.
Ryan opened his mouth to respond but didn’t say anything for several minutes.
“Trip is right, Ryan.I didn’t want to say anything previously, but our mate should be our main concern, now more than ever.She’s dealing with a lot, and if Claudia is an added stress that we can eliminate for her, then it should have been done immediately.Besides we all know Claudia never has quite got over Trip calling it quits, and she still finds any excuse to be touchy-feely.We wouldn’t allow El to have an ex-lover hugging her, so we will not do the same to her,” Marcus said.
“Claudia did what?”El’s voiced filled the room, her beasts both coming forward with gusto at having walked in on Marcus’ comment.
“El, it’s nothing indecent, just a simple hug, but we’re going to remove her from the Pride,” Trip explained rushing to stand in front of El.
El’s eyes blazed with anger, but what cut the deepest was the heart Trip saw there.
“She’s been touching you, and you kept that from me?”El asked.
“I didn’t know—,” Trip started to defend himself, but El interrupted him.
“Would you want to know if a man other than one of my mates hugged me?Especially a man I had prior relations with?”
Trip could tell that El was barely hanging on to her temper.All the other mates were primed and ready to step in if she lost it.
“El, I wasn’t thinking, and I regret it.You’re right, I shouldn’t have allowed someone other than my mate to touch me.”
El was shaking with anger.Willow came in then and placed a calming hand on El’s shoulders.
“I can calm you if you’d like, my Luna?”Willow asked softly.
“No.I can do it.Imustdo it,” El snarled.
Willow removed her hand and stood by as if she too were ready to intervene.
“Trip, may we speak in private?”El asked, not bothering to wait for his response before turning and leaving.
Trip followed her outside and back to the wood line.He had meant what he said.All the drama and hurt that had been caused by Claudia’s presence wasn’t worth it to Trip.He would give anything to have him and El’s relationship go back to the way it had been just a week prior.
El finally stopped walking and turned.Her anger was rolling off her, but he could tell she was trying hard to control herself.
