Page 4

I huffed and waved to Esther, pointing the car back the way I came, cursing as the rain came down harder. I slowed because I knew two of my tires were shit, and it was probably only slowing that saved my life. One minute I was going toward the barrier, and the next my steering wheel stopped turning and I was heading straight for a tree.

The impact with no working air bags nearly knocked me all the way out. I was dazed, barely functioning, but as I felt big, strong arms lifting me from the car and holding me like I was precious, I knew without a doubt Bayer had found me. One breath and I burst into tears.

Bayer

Why were humans so fragile? I could barely breathe as I cradled him after lifting him from the wreck. He had a goose-egg blooming on his forehead, but if anything, the sobs made me feel better. If Danny had been silent, I’d have been terrified, and I was determined not to feel guilty that he was clinging to me, or that it felt so damn good.

Or that I’d followed him to Esther’s and stayed outside in the trees, waiting for him to drive away. I knew Esther would know I was there, and so had Estrelle. I’d taken to watching over them when I wasn’t on Emery or gate duty. To be honest, anything was better than going back to an empty room in one of the large gamma houses, or my equally empty room in the packhouse. As soon as Em's heat was done, I could go back there, but they would be all loved-up, and I was pathetic enough not to want to see that at the moment.

Not that I begrudged them a second of happiness. It was just hard to watch when I didn’t have any myself. I carried Danny very gently back to Esther’s, and again, she scented me and ran outside. “Goodness, bring him inside and lay him on the couch,” but when I tried, Danny just tightened his arms around my neck and buried his nose in my shirt. I looked at Esther helplessly. Danny was probably embarrassed at anyone seeing him break down. I knew he wouldn’t be clinging to me for any other reason.

“Sit down but keep hold of him,” Esther said quietly, so I did, being careful not to jostle him.

“Danny, sweetheart, let me look—”

I heard the deep warning rumble before I registered it even came from me, and Esther stilled, then tried to hide a smile, while I wanted to close my eyes in despair. “Sorry,” I whispered.

“Nothing to be sorry for,” Esther said. “It’s an understandable reaction to someone touching your mate, especially if he’s hurt. I shouldn’t have referred to him with an endearment either.”

I felt the heat scald my cheeks, not that I could deny it. I just hoped Danny didn’t hear her. “He banged his head.”

“May I touch, Alpha?”

I nodded, my throat so tight no words could force themselves through.

I watched as Esther ran her fingers over the back of Danny’s head as well. Danny had stopped crying, but he still hadn’t moved.

“I need to look at your eyes, Danny,” Esther said, but Danny hunched even farther into me. She glanced up at me pointedly.

“Danny, look at me, please.” He blinked his tear-laden eyes open, and I smiled. “That’s better,” I said approvingly and gazed into them. He was the most beautiful, perfect thing I’d ever seen in my entire life, and I desperately wanted to keep him, but I was basically homeless and pack-less and had nothing to offer him.

Esther looked him over and nodded. “Think it’s just a bump,” and she rattled off some warning signs I had to look for.

I blinked. “Why are you telling me?” He needed to stay with Esther, or I needed to take him home.

Her face softened some more. “Bayer,” she said disapprovingly. “He’s—”

“Hurt,” I interrupted before she said the M-word.

“He still needs to stay with you. Look,” and I knew what she was seeing. Danny was clinging on still and rubbing his cheek up and down my chest as if to soothe himself and instinctively scent-marking me as well, even if he didn’t understand what he was doing.

“I… Where?” I asked in desperation. Exactly where did Esther expect me to take him?

She nodded as if she understood my dilemma, got up, walked into the kitchen, and, opening a cupboard, brought out a key. She came back. “This is the key to the cottage next door. It’s fully renovated and stocked for whenever Estrelle feels she needs her own space. No one’s ever slept in there, so there’s no scent you would find objectionable. Follow me.”

She walked to the door, and I stood with Danny in my arms and followed her. I would make sure he was well and care for him tonight, then take him home to his mom’s tomorrow. I was gonna text Simeon to get rid of the death trap he was driving and get him a decent car. I didn’t have much in the way of cash, but I was sure for a friend of Em’s, the pack would have something.

Of course, nothing ever worked out quite that simply. I just had no idea how complicated it would turn out to be.

Chapter three

Bayer

The cottage was gorgeous, well, gorgeous for someone Estrelle’s size. Me, not so much. Esther had closed the door as soon as I was in, so I carried on to the bedroom with Danny still curled up in my arms.

Like he belonged.

But he didn’t. I knew that. I knew Danny wanted someone better than me. He deserved someone better than me. I shifted his weight easily, and using one arm to hold him because he was tiny compared to me, I pulled the comforter back with the other and bent down. Except Danny had hold of my neck like an octopus. “Danny, you have to let go.”