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A new burning sensation takes over my ribs as I snap back. For the first time in what felt like an eternity air is rushing into my lungs. The burning continues but I focus on taking in air and fighting the dizziness.

"That's it elf, breath deep, slow down, it's ok," Jace reassures as he caresses my cheek. "In and out, you're good now." My eyes flutter and water as I try and focus on Jace and follow his lead.

Willows hands are on my ribs as she works her magic, literally. I feel the warm tingle of her energy as it leaches into my broken ribs and bleeding lungs. She falls back and catches her breath looking shaky. 

"Please don't tell anyone," she whimpers, her blue eyes filled with desperation.

"Not a soul," I rasp out, as I struggle to even out my breathing.

"Your secret's safe with us, I promise," Derek swears. He scoops me up and Jace helps Willow as we head to the Guardian house to where Mack is. Her push leaves me twilighted as I drift between asleep and awake.

"I need to talk to Chris," I mumble.

"Shhh princess, they'll be time for that, you need to rest now," Derek tries to comfort.

"I need to get his stink off of me," I grumble. "Please Derek, I need to go back." Desperation laces my voice as my eyes lock with his, begging him.

He grumbles but takes me over to our house. Mack stays with me as I shower quickly before dropping into Chris's bed. Her push has healed me but left my limbs tired and sore, every fiber of my being is exhausted.

"Sleep Jess, Derek's taking care of Chris," she whispers, and with that weight lifted, I'm out.

-----

"Baby, wake up," Chris murmurs, rubbing my back. "Can't sleep the day away," he says with a chuckle. I roll over rubbing the sleep out of my eyes, I don't know how long I was out but it was bliss. 

"Hey," I mumble smiling back at him. His brows stitch together and his smile falters as he zeros in on something.

"What happened?" He asks, tracing my brow. I know it's healed but there must be a new scar or something; only he would notice after Macks handiwork.

"A lot," I admit. Clearly Derek didn't say shit because Chris is far too calm. "Derek didn't say anything?"

"No, he was waiting for me after my last session and basically dragged me here without a word," he replies, clearly annoyed. "Did you get hurt training with the Guardians?"

'Ha! He's gonna wish that was the case.'

"Not with the Guardians," I say cautiously. I see his jaw tick and groan. "Where are Jace and Derek?"

"We can find them after you tell me what happened," he grumbles, narrowinghis gaze at me.

"I kind of need them to fill in some gaps," I offered weakly. He clenches his jaw painfully as if to bite back a retort, instead eventually sighing.

"I'll find them and meet you in the kitchen," he says, dropping his head with a shake. He palms his forehead as he stands and looks at me.

"Thanks Chris," I say apologetically.

"But I want the full truth, no creative version that leaves something out to make it seem less bad," he levels. I simply nod.

I dressed quickly, ignoring my hair. After the shower I'd flopped in bed so it dried wildly curly. My nerves started to flare as I made my way to the door. I have no idea how to tell Chris what happened without him losing his shit.

By the time I made it to the kitchen all three guys were there and on opposite sides like a bad western movie stand off. I swallow hard as I enter making my way to an annoyed Chris.

"You're not making it any easier to be calm when I see you walking on eggshells around me," Chris says, ticking his jaw.

"Chris I-" I stammer, unable to start. I've lost my nerve, there's no version of this conversation that doesn't end in him loosing his shit.

"Turns out your mates a spitfire brother," Derek says, finally breaking the silence. I just gape at Derek, the man has no tact or filter.

"Tell me something I don't know," Chris grits out. "What happened?"

"Jude found his mate," I blurted out. "Apparently that's why Asher's been acting out."

"But that's great news?" He asks confused. "Where are they?"

"I don't know? I lost them along the way," I trail off.

"Well who is she, do you at least know that?" He asks, pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration.

"We didn't get a name, she was one of Dimitri's collareds," Jace cuts in. He shifts uneasily, no doubt Chris's angry Alpha aura is making him nervous.

"It's ok, he's a businessman, let me work on it-"

"We're way past that point. Please sit down and listen to everything before reacting," I beg. My honey brown eyes are locked on his, but they swirl with brown as his temper flares.

He slumps down in the chair palming his forehead before running a hand through his hair. "I'm not going to like this, am I?" I shake my head no. "Are you ok?" He asks, concern clear as he looks at me.

"I am now?" I reply as he groans in frustration. He pulls me into his lap as we go over Judes challenge, Dimitris' counter, the fight and the aftermath. 

By this point Chris has stopped talking and is just shaking mad. He has me in a death grip like he thinks I may disappear at any moment. Jace looks sick and even Derek looks uncomfortable. I've stopped talking, figuring that I've caused enough problems for one day.

"Do you have any idea how fucking dangerous that was?!" He finally grits out against my neck. "Don't answer that, of course you don't!" I feel him trembling as he fights to contain his anger.

"Chris, I-"

"You're sorry?" He cuts me off, he feels like he's about to erupt at any moment. "Jess I just told you how important you are to me, I wasn't lying." He pauses trying to regroup before cupping my cheek to make me look at him. His eyes are flickering brown, great.

"If anything happens to you I would burn the world down around me." I swallow hard at the promise in his words. "You know this and yet you put yourself in direct danger, why?"

He's right on the edge, I feel like no matter what I'm going to send him over but he's not going to let this slide.

"It all happened so fast. I couldn't bare to see Jude in that much pain, she was terrified," I  trail off. "I felt out of control, he was pushing my buttons and I knew it, but I played into his hands like a fool." Chris for his part just sat there listening to me.

"I didn't care what he said about me, but when he started talking about Sara and Jude and our pack... When he brought you into it, I just lost it. I don't know why but my temper's been getting worse, I get angry so fast now. I'm sorry Chris I never intended-"

His lips cut me off as he passionately kissed me, pulling me even tighter. Too soon he pulled back and looked down at me but instead of anger his eyes held something different. Admiration? Pride?

"You are my Luna, there is no doubt about that. I am so proud of you but so furious about how reckless you've been. This isn't what I had in mind for a low profile," he says with a sigh, resting his forehead against mine, trying to reel in his temper.

"I'm either invisible or on center stage, there seems to be no middle ground," I offer weakly. "So how bad did I screw up?"

"You're good princess, you won fair and square, Helena will order reparations from Dimitri for the breach and then it will be done." Derek seems more relieved than I am.

"Reparations?" Chris asks, confused. 

"The challenge was agreed to no shifting, after Jess won he shifted and attacked her again." And back to livid.

"Relax brother, she didn't miss a beat slicing him wide open with the silver blade forcing a shift," Derek dismisses, the pride evident.

"You killed him?!" He asks in shock.

"No, though he'll spend the night in infirmary," Derek says with a hint of disappointment.

"Never a dull moment," Chris grumbles. "Well, what's done is done, if it was witnessed and ruled on it can't be disputed and you were within your rights to defend yourself."

"Are you convincing me or you?" I ask skeptically. 

"Both? Is it working?" I shake my head. "If he was dangerous before, he's worse now. I don't want you anywhere near him even with a guard, understood?"

"Absolutely," I admit. "Chris, there's something about him," I mumble trying to find the right words. "He's wrong, he feels wrong like Rob did." His frown deepens as my words register.

"Just a few more days and we can go home," he reassures me, kissing my forehead. "Are you up to the bbq tonight? Or should I call it off?"

"I'm good," I say smiling. "Actually I could eat something sooner rather than later." My stomach was grumbling, demanding satisfaction.

"Let's get you something and find Jude," he says, standing up and heading to the door. "We have a new pack member to meet also."

Jude was waiting for us just outside the front door. If he was worked up on the field he has degraded to a hot mess now. He needed to sleep, a shower and some more sleep.

"Alpha, I'm so sorry!" He practically gushes. "There's no excuse, I'd understand if you want to strip-"

"Jude," Chris cut in, suppressing a grin. "Breath."

Jude looked up, his blue eyes rimmed in shadows. His regularly calm demeanor was long gone and he was clearly expecting a different reaction.

"You mean you're not mad?" He asks confused as his face scrunches up.

"Oh, I'm fucking furious," Chris admits and Jude flinches. "But I know how Jess is and also know nothing would have stopped me from getting her from a tool like Dimitri." Jude relaxes a little at that.

"Speaking of your mate, where is she?" Chris asks. Jude just rubs his neck nervously as Chris raises a brow.

"You misplaced her?" I ask dumbfounded. I got my ass kicked getting her, he fucking better not have.

"Relax princess, she's with Mack and Willow getting cleaned up. This is a big adjustment for her too, they're on their way back," Derek adds. Jude looks like he's going to be sick.

"You ok?" I ask as he sinks to the stairs and sits.

"What if she rejects me?" He whispers. She better fucking not, after everything she better love him like he deserves!

"She won't Jude," I say softly, trying to reassure him.

"She could? Knowing I didn't protect my first mate. I'm so fucked," he groans, dropping his head in his hands.

"You were a kid Jude-"

"I should have done more, I don't deserve a second chance, I never expected this, I'm not ready." He's half a step from hyperventilating. 

"It's really strange to be on the other side Jude, you usually talk reason to me as my rock while I natter nonsense," I deadpan.

"Jess this is serious!" He snaps.

"I'm being serious." I pause sighing. "Jude she likely had a mate before, she's lost not only that but likely a child, are you going to reject her?" I ask seriously. He's on his feet instantly glaring down at me.

"Why would you say such a thing?" He growls in outrage. "I don't give a shit what her past was, I'll never reject her, she's mine!"

"Exactly," I say with a smirk. "What makes you think she'll think anything differently?" He has no retort to this. "Have you even talked to her?" I ask softer.

"With everything that happened she was gone with Willow before I had a chance," he admits.

"Here's your chance loverboy," Derek chirps, nodding over Judes shoulder. 

I was happy to see the collar gone, she looked like a new woman. Long dark brown hair, bright brown eyes, prominent full lips, average height, very pretty but scared.

Jude was frozen, awestruck. She could have been a troll in a potato sack and he wouldn't have cared one bit. For all his concerns about not being ready she had him hook, line and sinker.

Clearly Jude was broken so I grabbed him and made my way over to them stopping when she tensed up. Immediately she dropped and submitted.

"Please don't," I mumble helping her up. She wouldn't look at me. "I'm Jess, and that's Jude, my Gamma." Her eyes snapped wide at that. 

"Chloe," she whispers. "What's going to happen to me now?"

"That's up to you?" I say calmly. 

She looks at me skeptically. "You'd let me leave?" She asks tentatively. Jude tensed up but wisely kept quiet.

"If that's what you want, then yes," I reply hesitantly. "But I did get my ass kicked for your freedom, so if you could give us a chance before running away, that would be great." A small laugh escapes her lips at that.

"I wish you killed him," she mumbled, finally looking at me. He didn't break her spirit, just quieted her for a bit. Good thing Jude has experience with this, dealing with me.

"Can I get you a drink?" Jude finally asks, snapping out of his trance. She nods and smiles at him and I swear he's melting in front of us. The two of them head off and settle at a picnic table and talk oblivious to the world.

Before long the BBQ was filling up. Kane and his pack were here, Eric and his pack, and several I didn't know but Chris apparently knew all of them. Jace and Xavier had rigged up a bbq pit and were busy whipping up a feast.

The drinks were flowing, the food delicious and conversations thankfully easy. Several of the Guardians had come over and were mingling. I laughed when I saw Nikita cutting down Dex as he tried to flirt.

I was comfortably snuggled up against Chris just listening to the music and conversation going on around us. Kane had finally settled down with us and was holding Willow close, they looked far more relaxed then when we first met them.

"What I wouldn't have given to watch you wipe that smug look off of Dimitris face," Kane booms. I just rolled my eyes, no one else brought it up but he would.

"What?" He asks innocently. "The prick had it coming," he grumbles.

"It was a sight," Nikita chimes in. "She was like a pit viper, he'd swing harder and wilder and she'd fall back and strike when time was right. You should be very proud of her," she challenges as she takes in Chris's ticking jaw.

"I am proud of her," he snarls, pulling me tighter, I squeak and he lets up some. "Sorry baby, I just-"

"Relax," I cut him off. "Let's just chill out and enjoy the night, I don't want to spend any more head space on him."

A commotion out front pulls our attention to the gate and the road. A council guard squadron is there and arguing with a few men. Our guard is holding their ground as the guardians take up point.

"Now what?" I mumble.

The groups part slightly and I spot the silver hair of Councilor Helena. My heart droops. Did they change their minds?!

"Councilor," Chris says respectfully but guarded as he tucks me behind him.

"Alphas," she replies tight-lipped. She scans the area before spotting me behind Chris. Her expression is unreadable as her eyes narrow at me.

"I've come for the Luna," she says, eyes cold with a frown.