who I am? But he’d restrained himself when Denton’s grin had broadcasted I know exactly who you are, and I’m putting you in your place like I did your father. “The pack comes first. Your father would say the same.”
This time, Tom had looked. His dad had been glaring. To Tom’s surprise, it hadn’t been directed at Denton, but at Tom. He’d turned away, feeling foolish for expecting his father’s support.
They’d been too much at odds lately. He wasn’t ready yet, not for this. To be fatherless by his own hand. How could he be ready for that? Maybe his dad regretted how he’d raised Tom. Maybe if he’d been a hateful man, cruel to his son and to his wife, Tom wouldn’t have this problem. Maybe then Tom would have dispatched him years ago without a second thought about it.
Tom returned his focus to Westley. Good, sweet (smart ass) Westley. Never any need to second guess him. He said what he thought, which was rare for omegas. Most of them never spoke up for themselves. He didn’t know why Westley was so different, but Tom was glad for it. Now, though, the hunter’s stench was all over him. Tom scrubbed every inch of exposed skin, trying to get it off. He pushed the washcloth over Westley’s cuticles, between his fingers, behind his knees, down his calves, and around his neck. Westley’s clothes smelled too, but Tom stopped short of undressing him. Getting the scent off his skin would have to do for now. When Westley was awake, he’d strip him and guide him into the shower. He’d take his time washing him. He’d be there for Westley, for whatever he needed.
“Nnnh.” Westley made a noise. Tom pulled back, but Westley fell silent again.
“ Was that a good sound or a bad sound?”
Westley didn’t respond verbally, but his foot twitched, then his arm, and then he began to convulse. Tom tried not to panic as Westley’s spasms caused the bed to bang against the wall. He fumbled for his phone. Before he could dial the first 9, Westley stopped. His breathing evened out.
“Holy God,” Tom said.
Cody cleared his throat. Tom turned to the doorway to see him standing there, arms crossed. “Denton wants the hunter brought to the police station. I’ve volunteered.”
“You won’t get in past the wolfsbane.” Tom rested a hand on Westley’s chest to feel him breathe. “You’ll have to lure him out.”
“ I’ve got a plan.”
“ Is it a stupid plan?”
Cody shrugged. “I guess we’ll see.”
“If you wait a little longer, I’ll go with you.”
“ You need to stay with Westley.”
“ Partners, remember?” Tom asked.
“ The hunter might come back.”
Tom nodded, giving in. “Be careful.” It wasn’t much in the way of inspirational speeches, but Cody would have flipped him off if he’d tried.
“Thanks. I need the truck to get out of here, though. I want to drop Austin’s body off at his parents’.”
“ Yeah, take it.”
“ I’ll pick you up later.”
“ Sure.” He nodded like he believed it. Like he wasn’t sending his best friend off to get slaughtered. Hell, Cody grinned like that wasn’t going to happen.
They locked eyes; Tom wished he could think of anything else to say except “Stop.”
“Hey,” Cody said, “I promise I’ll stay out of harm’s way. We’ll get him. No bloodshed. All right?”
“ All right.” It helped a little, knowing Cody understood his worries.
Westley moaned again. Tom stroked his arm, wishing he was better at this. Westley was right—as an alpha, he liked being cared for, but he knew little about doing the caring. He settled down on the bed beside him to wait.
“ NNNH-UHH.”
“ YOU’RE AWAKE!” Tom startled out of his own nap and reached for Westley. His voice broke from his excited relief.
Westley batted his hand away, rolled onto his side, and puked. Tom watched it hit the floor. “Shit.” As Westley hung his head over the side of the bed, looking green but alive, Tom went to get clean up supplies and a
This time, Tom had looked. His dad had been glaring. To Tom’s surprise, it hadn’t been directed at Denton, but at Tom. He’d turned away, feeling foolish for expecting his father’s support.
They’d been too much at odds lately. He wasn’t ready yet, not for this. To be fatherless by his own hand. How could he be ready for that? Maybe his dad regretted how he’d raised Tom. Maybe if he’d been a hateful man, cruel to his son and to his wife, Tom wouldn’t have this problem. Maybe then Tom would have dispatched him years ago without a second thought about it.
Tom returned his focus to Westley. Good, sweet (smart ass) Westley. Never any need to second guess him. He said what he thought, which was rare for omegas. Most of them never spoke up for themselves. He didn’t know why Westley was so different, but Tom was glad for it. Now, though, the hunter’s stench was all over him. Tom scrubbed every inch of exposed skin, trying to get it off. He pushed the washcloth over Westley’s cuticles, between his fingers, behind his knees, down his calves, and around his neck. Westley’s clothes smelled too, but Tom stopped short of undressing him. Getting the scent off his skin would have to do for now. When Westley was awake, he’d strip him and guide him into the shower. He’d take his time washing him. He’d be there for Westley, for whatever he needed.
“Nnnh.” Westley made a noise. Tom pulled back, but Westley fell silent again.
“ Was that a good sound or a bad sound?”
Westley didn’t respond verbally, but his foot twitched, then his arm, and then he began to convulse. Tom tried not to panic as Westley’s spasms caused the bed to bang against the wall. He fumbled for his phone. Before he could dial the first 9, Westley stopped. His breathing evened out.
“Holy God,” Tom said.
Cody cleared his throat. Tom turned to the doorway to see him standing there, arms crossed. “Denton wants the hunter brought to the police station. I’ve volunteered.”
“You won’t get in past the wolfsbane.” Tom rested a hand on Westley’s chest to feel him breathe. “You’ll have to lure him out.”
“ I’ve got a plan.”
“ Is it a stupid plan?”
Cody shrugged. “I guess we’ll see.”
“If you wait a little longer, I’ll go with you.”
“ You need to stay with Westley.”
“ Partners, remember?” Tom asked.
“ The hunter might come back.”
Tom nodded, giving in. “Be careful.” It wasn’t much in the way of inspirational speeches, but Cody would have flipped him off if he’d tried.
“Thanks. I need the truck to get out of here, though. I want to drop Austin’s body off at his parents’.”
“ Yeah, take it.”
“ I’ll pick you up later.”
“ Sure.” He nodded like he believed it. Like he wasn’t sending his best friend off to get slaughtered. Hell, Cody grinned like that wasn’t going to happen.
They locked eyes; Tom wished he could think of anything else to say except “Stop.”
“Hey,” Cody said, “I promise I’ll stay out of harm’s way. We’ll get him. No bloodshed. All right?”
“ All right.” It helped a little, knowing Cody understood his worries.
Westley moaned again. Tom stroked his arm, wishing he was better at this. Westley was right—as an alpha, he liked being cared for, but he knew little about doing the caring. He settled down on the bed beside him to wait.
“ NNNH-UHH.”
“ YOU’RE AWAKE!” Tom startled out of his own nap and reached for Westley. His voice broke from his excited relief.
Westley batted his hand away, rolled onto his side, and puked. Tom watched it hit the floor. “Shit.” As Westley hung his head over the side of the bed, looking green but alive, Tom went to get clean up supplies and a
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