Ember

"What kind of problem is it?" I asked Jett. I tried to step out of the room but Kane blocked me with an arm.

I looked up at him in question but his attention was on Jett. "I'll be downstairs in a minute, wait for me there," he told him.

Jett didn't move. "Ember should be present too."

Kane's brow twitched. "Ember should be resting after getting kidnapped."

"Ember is right here and can speak for herself," I said dryly.

Kane's blue eyes snagged on me and my spine straightened on reflex. I grimaced at the reaction, shuffling my feet uncomfortably.

"You're tired," he said.

"I can't sleep, I might as well come with you," I replied, trying to regain my composure.

"You'll stress yourself out more."

"She was more put-together this last few hours than you were," Jett said.

Kane glared at him. "Which is why I'm making it up to her and letting her rest."

Jett turned to me. "He'll use that excuse for the rest of eternity if you let him. Whatever you decide, I'll be downstairs."

He walked away, boots thudding down the staircase and fading.

"Ember?"

"What?"

"Bed."

I blushed at the potential meaning of that order, but managed to roll my eyes. "I'm going to help you."

"You can help by staying safe and not getting kidnapped."

"Other than your mom and Arius I doubt there's anyone else willing to try it," I replied.

His expression turned grim. "I'm mad after all. Next time I see Arius he'd better run fast."

You don't have to tell him, I thought. He's more than capable of doing it on his own.

"Come here, Ember," Kane held out his hand.

I hesitated. If I agreed with him I could get some shut eye, but I wouldn't find out what was going on until morning. The curiosity would probably keep me up all night too.

I took Kane's hand, gave it a firm handshake. "Let's work well together." The surprise was just registering on his face when I ducked out of the room.

I heard him curse but he made no move to stop me.

I smiled, waited at the top of the staircase for him to catch up.

***

I wasn't smiling when we got downstairs. In fact there wasn't a smile in sight: Jett was frowning while leaning against the archway between the kitchen and dining room, Bluebell was frowning as she got several mugs from a cupboard, Helen was frowning by the stove where she was putting a kettle on and the small man sitting alone at the dining table was frowning too. It didn't take long for me to deduce the reason for all the frowning.

The man at the table was injured and unable to heal from the nasty tang of silver that drifted in the air. Normally silver bullets would be the automatic assumption for the silver- I would know- but there weren't any bleeding wounds on him, no visible cuts where the silver could've gotten into his bloodstream. All I could see were the obvious signs that he'd gotten beaten up. Badly. His left arm hung unnaturally at his side, his left eye was blackened and swollen almost shut, his bottom lip and both cheeks in the same miserable state. Hell, maybe his whole body was bruised- the dirty tank top that might've been white once upon a time showed enough scars and discolored pale skin to back up the claim. His brown hair was clean but choppy at the ends, as if it had been hacked off by scissors, his good eye empty of any emotion as it studied each of us- but oddly returning and resting on Helen every time.

Maybe, like me, he was wondering what the heck she was doing here.

"Who is this?" Kane asked Jett from beside me, hand slipping into mine like it was the most normal thing in the world. I glanced warily at Helen, tensing for a particularly viscous verbal attack.

For the first time in forever, Helen didn't glare at me on sight. She was too busy glaring at the wounded guy. In the exact manner she'd look at me actually, like I should be ashamed of myself for breathing the same air as her. I guess that was a given, he looked exactly like the type of guys she used to make fun of in high school, nervous, lanky and awkward. Maybe she'd found a new target?

Was I finally freed from oppression?

"His name is Tom Rodriguez and he's requesting on behalf of his mate, Wendy Cathleen, permission to enter our territory," Jett said.

"Who beat him up?" I asked.

"Was it you, Helen?" Kane asked.

She whirled around, expression bordering on feral as she growled, "No!"

Kane looked like he was suppressing a smile.

I studied the two of them, it was the first time I'd seen Helen lash out at Kane. Funny. They'd always been so companionable and inseparable before. Maybe she was angry it wasn't the case anymore?

Whatever the reason, it seemed Kane didn't think now was the time to contemplate it. He tugged at my arm, only letting go when we were in the dining room. He placed a hand on top of the table and stared down at Tom. His eyes flashed gold, voice growing deeper with dominance. "Tell me who hurt you, Tom Rodriguez."

An alpha's command was almost impossible to disobey and Tom wasn't an exception to this rule. "Wendy Cathleen," he replied immediately.

Crash.

Helen bent down to pick up the kettle she'd dropped. I noticed her hand was shaking, her lips pressed together even though the growl reverberating from her chest still made its way out. She slammed the kettle on the stove with a clank, heels clicking as she stalked out of the kitchen. The front door opened and slammed behind her.

Well...

"Why did she hurt you?" Bluebell asked, her soothing voice a balm from the scalding atmosphere Helen had thrown the room in. She set a mug of warm milk in front of Tom, reaching out to touch his fidgeting hand (it was the only sign of unease he showed). He flinched away from her, waiting until she apologized and moved away before answering her question. "Because she's the alpha. Because she's strong. Because she can." His voice was cracked and he winced when he spoke. Pain caused by the bruise on his throat? Or from screaming?

"That's not important," Tom went on. "I need your consent so I can return to my pack. They're waiting for me."

"You're not going back," I said.

Everyone turned to me.

I cleared my throat. "Tom isn't going back." I went over to his side. Extended my hand. "Will you stay with us?"

He took in a shuddering breath, gaze fastened onto my offered hand. "You're the first person to offer," he whispered.

"She can't hurt you here," I said forcefully, willing it to be true with pure will than actual knowledge.

Tom swallowed, probably sensing the half truth. "She can hurt you."

"She'll have to go through the pack," Kane said.

I smiled shyly at Kane in thanks, nodded towards Tom in confirmation. "It's okay."

"No it's not," he said, gulping back a sob. "If I was stronger I wouldn't need to accept your help."

"Being strong on your own isn't sustainable, that's why we have packs," Kane said.

"Welcome to ours," Bluebell added.

Tom wiped at his cheeks, nodding so hard I was worried his head might come off. But he didn't take my hand. He stumbled away from the table and gave me a hug- a one-armed hug- but a hug nonetheless.

My typical awkwardness toward touching strangers couldn't hold up in the face of his vulnerability. Tom was around my height so his head rested easily against my shoulder. I gently enveloped him in my arms, stroking his back cautiously in case I touched him where he was hurt and gave him further distress instead of comfort.

Bluebell gave me a thumbs up, beaming. Jett was in the kitchen, getting out vegetables and meat. "He'll need to eat after Bluebell checks him out."

Bluebell was a doctor, her abilities in the medical field were also much more reliable than her choice in men. I was about to let Tom go and place him in Bluebell's capable hands when Helen walked in. She took in the sight of us, of Tom who was still shaking and sobbing in my arms. She caught my eye.

And smiled gratefully.

"Are your facial muscles malfunctioning?" I asked her in shock.

She pursed her lips. "No. Your mom is outside."

"Emberrrrrr!!"

I winced. That sounded like another problem on its way.