Jury considered lying but knew Koe and Oliver would scent her deception, so she spoke the truth. “Sometimes,” she muttered with a shrug. The skin is very delicate now. It rips often. Any pressure is…uncomfortable.”
Koe’s gaze slid to Oliver. “No touching.”
Oliver nodded solemnly, then stood to round the table as Koe helped Jury to a sitting position. When Oliver got to where he could see Jury’s back, he gasped. The sound had Jury wincing as she lowered her head to hide her shame. She had a goddamn wolf in her for Christ’s sake! No one should have been able to abuse her the way she had been. But when Bragga punished her, he always came with Enforcers. She was always outnumbered.
“There’s no need for embarrassment, Jury.”
Her cheeks reddened at Koe’s admonishment. How would he know? His wolf had likely never been forced to endure abuse. A spike of anger ripped through her, and she sneered, “Are we done yet?”
Koe stayed in front of her, his hands going to her knees where they rested gently, surprising both her and her wolf with comfort. Behind her, Oliver cleared his throat and looked at his Alpha. “This is severe, Koe.”
“No shit!” Koe growled angrily.
“What I mean,” Oliver continued, “is that there’s nothing I can do. There’s no medicine or salve, but…”
“But what?” Koe demanded.
Oliver shrugged. “A mate mark might repair some of the damage. But there’s no guarantee.”
Without waiting for permission, Jury shoved Koe’s hands aside and hopped off the table. “Like I said. Just scars.” Snatching up her clothes, she quickly started redressing, her back to both Koe and Oliver. Her leggings were back on, and she wasjust about to put on her turtle neck when she tensed. The air suddenly felt heavy.
“Koe!” Oliver bellowed, “It doesn’t work like that!”
Jury spun and found Koe towering over her. His incisors were elongated, and his pupils were blown out with his wolf.
With a gasp, Jury backed up and hit the wall. Eyes going to Koe’s mouth, she slowly shook her head. Was he seriously considering marking her? Against her will? Against any logic? That wasn’t how matings worked!
Koe took a step forward, bringing him right to her, their bodies touching as he towered over her. His lip ticked up, his nostrils flared, and then he stilled. Fierce expression slipping, he quickly retreated a step. Turning, he gave Jury his back and lifted both hands to fist his hair with a snarled, “Fuck!”
Jury’s heart was hammering in her chest. She shot Oliver a pleading look. He held up a hand in a placating gesture as his attention went to Koe. “Alpha,” he began, “let me reach out to other packs. We might find something that can help.”
“It’s… It’s just scars,” Jury whispered. “It doesn’t matter.”
Without turning to face her, Koe thundered. “It matters, Jury!Youmatter!” Head turning to Oliver, Koe commanded, “See to it!” Without another word, Koe balled his hands into fists and stalked from the room, leaving Jury and Oliver staring after him in confusion.
Alone with Oliver, Jury slowly turned to look at him. “What the hell was that?”
Oliver shook his head and turned to face her. “He’s never like that.”
He shot her an accusatory look that had Jury tensing. “I didn’t do anything.”
His own tense shoulders slumping, Oliver’s look turned apologetic. “I know. It’s just… I’ve never seen him like that before. Koe is the definition of control, and to see him lose it so easily is disconcerting.”
“But he didn’t lose it,” Jury countered. “He didn’t mark me.”
“But he wanted to, Jury! Your fear was the only thing that stopped him.”
Quieting, she considered Oliver’s words. “I don’t understand why he’s so freaked out. They’re just scars.”
Oliver shot her a look as he stripped off his exam gloves and tossed them in the trash.
“They’re bad, I know,” she continued, “But they’re just scars.”
Oliver shook his head. “It’s not the scars, it’s what they stand for.”
Frowning, Jury waited for him to explain.
“Koe is an Alpha, and a good one, which is rare. We don’t hurt women here. Never have. He considers packs that do lesser. He doesn’t believe they are true wolves because it goes against our nature. We protect our pack. Period! In Koe’s eyes, packs that don’t protect their own must be diluted, mixed, not true wolves. Which means in his estimation, you—a coveted she wolf—were kept and tortured by something beneath us. He’s always despised Bragga and his Biters, and now he has reason. Now, to our pack,Bragga and his…minions may as well be vamps. They sure as shit aren’t wolves. And that makes them more than just enemies.” A slow smile curled the corners of Oliver’s mouth. “Secretly, we’ve all been sort of waiting for Bragga to fuck up so Koe had an excuse. Now he’s got one.”
