Thank God she did this time.
43
Tyson
After lecturing me on not doing anything in public to call attention to myself, Riley and Greyson insisted on coming with me to bring Ivy home.
“You can’t let yourself shift let alone half-shift, Ty. You have to hold it together in public. If she made it to a town, you’ll have to be careful about getting her into your car without anybody alerting the cops.”
“Cornelius did something right, he taught me at least all that.”
I argued with them against coming and they told me they’d just follow me.
“We’re your reinforcements. Let us help,” Grey offered.
“I don’t need help.”
First, I thought they might be doing their duty to make sure I didn’t reveal my true nature where I shouldn’t but before long, I listened to what they said, to how they said it, and watched their body language. They were relentless in their pursuit to show their support, to help me.
“We’re here for you, brother,” Grey says. “Let us help. She lives in a bigger city. If she gets that far before you catch up to her, we know bigger cities.”
“Hate ‘em,” Riley mutters.
“Yeah, we hate ‘em but we know ‘em,” Grey pressed. “You can drive if you want. Or we can. But, let’s all go together. You’ve got backup. Want my help looking her up or you gonna hunt?”
“Of course I’m gonna hunt,” I say.
She couldn’t have gotten too far.
I knew I’d find her just as easily as I’d find my own home.
“You’re discombobulated, Ty,” Riley touches my arm.
I glare at my mother. I’m still discombobulated because she drugged me.
Her face is remorseful. “Please eat something before you go. Have breakfast with us,” Cat says. “Your grandparents are here, and…”
“Not now.”
“Then, let me pack food for the road. In case she’s deep in the woods.”
“I’m not waiting.”
“Don’t you think giving her time to catch her breath, time to cool off might help, Tyson?” Cat suggests.
“Yeah,” Greyson says. “Maybe one of us can find her, bring her to you, talk to her first, and –”
“I don’t…” I thrust my hand through my hair.
I didn’t know if I was coming or going. I was filled with a combination of frustration, panic, remorse, a bunch of emotions.
I shift, not thinking about the closed door, and am about to shift back halfway so I can open the door when Bailey steps inside.
I shift back to man.
“Did you see her?” I demand, backing her up against the door.
Bailey’s chin quivers and she shows me her throat but then she chokes out. “You asshole. You fucking broke her.”
“Bailey!” Greyson warns.
I growl.
“I don’t give a shit. He needs to know. Lead council alpha or not, able to rip my throat out without trying or not, and whether you choose to join us or not… you need to know that it’s fucking not okay to do that to a woman. Never ever.”
I back up. Fuck.
Bailey advances and pokes me in the chest. Her face is red.
“She’s gutted, Tyson. Just gutted.”
I bare my teeth.
“Tell me everything. Now.”
“I drove her to your place, and I gave her the key.”
My eyes narrow. “The key? The car key?”
“Yep,” she says defiantly.
“She took her car and left?”
“Yes.” She folds her arms across her chest.
“She’s gone?” I try to confirm. Shit. The heels of my hands fly to my temples. “When?”
“Three, three thirty, I guess.” Bailey shrugs defiantly.
She’s clearly very angry with me.
I’m also very fucking angry with me.
Cat touches my forearm. And then she’s shaking me to get my attention. “Go home, shower and change and see if she left a note and I’ll meet you at your house.”
A note.
She left me a note before. Where’s that note with her telephone number? At the cabin. I’ll look for it. I need a telephone.
“I’ll come with you,” Cat says. “Wait for me.”
“I’m not waiting. Stay here, mother.”
“We’ll come,” Greyson says.
“No,” I say. “Stay here, all of you.”
“Ty…” Riley says. “You running? You walking, driving? If you’re shifting you need clothes. If you’re driving, you need a car ‘n your truck is at the community center. We came here in Aunt Cat’s Jeep, remember?”
Shit.
“Where are my keys?”
“Maybe in your jeans. We got you to put them back on when we got here.”
I reach for the jeans on the floor and dig into my pocket. They’re there.
“I’ll drive you to your truck,” Riley offers.
“Fine. Hurry.”
“We’ll be here,” Bailey says. “Grovel good. Grovel real good. It might take a year for her to forgive you. If you’re lucky.”
Pain shunts through me.
“Out of my way,” I tell Bailey.
“I hope she makes you work for it,” Bailey snaps as she moves aside.
“If you need us,” my mother says, “We’re here.”
“Did I mistake her as omega?” I ask Grey, jerking my thumb toward his sister.
He shakes his head. “No, but she’s pretty ticked. Women get ticked on each other’s behalf; it can be hell.”