Page 62 of Damien’s Mate

The room went silent for a minute, then people started talking again, though it was more subdued. A few of them sent sympathetic glances toward the mudroom, and Brandon stood looking in that direction, running his hand through his dark hair as if uncertain whether he should go in there or not.

The noises stopped, and the toilet flushed. On instinct, Damien grabbed a bottle of whiskey and a bottle of soda water and headed for the bathroom. Brock was sitting on the floor, back against the wall and jean-clad legs drawn up. He looked even more exhausted than before.

“Hey,” Damien said. After a second he sat down by Brock, his shoulder touching the shifter’s the way the others liked to do. Just like with Jaeda, maybe it would be easier for Brock to be around him because he didn’t have an animal to intrude on his mind.

“I brought fizzy water. To settle your stomach. Or whiskey, to make you not care how you feel. Your call.”

Brock gave a faint grin and picked the whiskey. He uncapped the bottle and drank. Damien didn’t say anything. There was nothing he could say that would help.

“Sometimes I miss my pack,” Brock said. “Wolves need a pack.”

Damien opened the soda water and took a drink. “I thought you were a lone wolf.”

“Yeah,” Brock said tiredly. “Except…”

“Except when you’re not.”

“Yeah.”

Damien could understand that. The need to be close to people—but not too close.

Brock took another long swig of whiskey. Luckily, he seemed to be keeping it down.

Remy came in, and squatted down in front of Brock. “Hey,” he said. “I just wanted to say, I know there’s nothing with you and Jaeda. It’s my leopard—hell. I’m sorry.” He held out his hand for a bro handshake.

Brock returned his handclasp. “Nah, it’s my fault. My fucking wolf was just having one of those days. I’m the one who should be sorry.”

He’d relaxed a little at Remy’s peacemaking, but he still looked sad. Jaeda came in, crowding the bathroom. She squatted down by Remy, putting a finger on his chin and pulling his head around to face her.

“I’m going to hug Brock now,” she informed him. “Because he’s my friend and I love him. In a friendly way. As a friend. I’m talking to you, Leopard.”

Remy gave a faint grin and kissed her. “We’re okay.”

Jaeda knelt in front of Brock and hugged him. He held onto her tightly for a moment, then let go and tousled her hair. “Thanks, Jae-Jae.”

Remy said to Damien, “Thanks for realizing what was going on with Jaeda and getting her human again.”

“No problem,” Damien said.

“You keep saving us,” Remy said, standing up. “It’s like, some kind of weird compulsion.” But he was smiling as he said it, and Damien knew he was grateful.

“I’m sure someone else would have done it if I hadn’t.”

Jaeda gave Damien a hug before she left with Remy.

“‘Saving’ is a little strong, don’t you think?” Damien said, looking after them.

Brock shook his head. “That thing of getting stuck between forms—it can kill a shifter if no one pulls them out of it. Usually it either takes their mate to do it, or the alpha.”

“Oh.” Damien felt a chill go up his arms. He hadn’t realized how serious it was.

Brock took another swig out of the bottle and tilted his head back against the wall, closing his eyes. “It’s so ironic,” he said quietly. “When I was little, I used to be the one who saved people. And now I’m the one they need to be saved from.”

Chapter 25

Lila sat in the corner on one of the barstools, feeling awkward and out of place. Damien had disappeared into the bathroom with Brock, and the others were all basking in their crew bond.

She’d never met a shifter crew with a bond as powerful as this. She was used to working with mercenaries or heist crews—anyone who could get her near an artifact. They were all business.