Rille (Tribes, Book 2)

Chapter 10

Preston put Brielle in the car himself, shutting her door as softly as he could manage in his outraged state.

He had known at a sniff how the situation had been between Brielle and Lou, but he hadn't anticipated that the boyfriend would lower himself to such tactics. Conflict had been unavoidable, but Preston never expected such a complacent man to put his hands on a woman's neck. Had it not been enough that she already had other severe injuries?

If it had happenedon the res, Preston would have taught Lou the lesson that he deserved. But this was the human world. They had their own laws, and he should abide by them.

That was the only reason that Lou managed to escape with his life.

Brielle clearly thought that Preston was angry at Lou's slam about his identity. He couldn't care less. Lou wouldn't be the first or last to have derogatory remarks about Preston's position in Tribe Rille. It didn't faze Preston whatsoever. What made him angry was how Lou put Brielle down. How he turned on her immediately and accused her of heinous things.

How had the two of them been together for years, yet Lou had no sense of Brielle's true character? Lou was blind at best.

Preston should let it go, as Lou's reaction had placed Brielle directly into Preston's hands. But he couldn't stand that Lou might become a threat to his mate. He would have someone keep an eye on Lou for a while, to ease his worry.

Preston slipped into his seat and closed his door. "Let's go," he instructed Shaw.

Tears still ran down Brielle's face, evidence of her broken heart and possibly more. Preston wanted to comfort her, but he doubted she would accept it. Not yet. But soon.

In the meantime, there were other pressing matters.

Preston turned to face Brielle. "Does the mark on your shoulder hurt? What about your side? Did you pull your stitches?"

"Everything hurts," Brielle said miserably.

Preston reached out for her collar. "Let me see."

"I'm sure it's fine." Brielle swatted lamely at his hand.

"Brielle." Preston hated having to use such an authoritative tone when she needed comfort, but he doubted her stubbornness would bend easily. "Let me see. Just in case."

Apparently, grief and sorrow tore down her walls a little. That, or Preston's tone had worked. He would bet money on the former. Brielle didn't seem the type to bow to authority. Not if she could help it.

As gently as he could, Preston pried Brielle's shirt away from the mark on her shoulder. Though bruised and oozing a little now that it had been agitated, Preston saw little else wrong with it.

A sigh of relief stuck in his throat, since he doubted that Brielle would understand the sound if he allowed her to hear it.

"I told you I was fine," Brielle pouted.

Preston returned her shirt to her shoulder and settled back in his seat. "Shaw, take us to the off-res apartment."

"Yes, sir." Shaw shot a half-grin through the reflection in the rearview mirror.

Preston ignored him. He didn't have time to deal with Shaw's teasing. There were more pressing matters.

Brielle, for all her tears and avoidance, found it within herself to ask, "We're not going back to the reservation?"

"No."

"But you won the bet."

"We'll stay in the city for a few days, at least. I have a few things to clear up."

"What kinds of things?"

Preston considered how to answer her. He could be fully open and honest, or he could spare her the extra shock of discovering everything about his family. In time, she would learn to accept it, but springing the information on her right after a devastating breakup didn't seem appropriate.

So, Preston told a half-truth. "You're aware that I'm a Hunter. The agents told you. I have another target to eliminate. We don't want a repeat of what happened with you."

"Oh." Brielle nodded. Then her eyes went wide. "We were supposed to go sign things at the WDA."

It wasn't that Preston had forgotten. It was just that he placed a higher priority on his mate's safety and comfort. Brielle clearly had a disdain for government officials, especially those tied to wolf affairs. Forcing her to go through the horrible scene with Lou, and then to enter the cold government offices?

Preston dug his phone out of his pocket. "I'll have them bring the paperwork to us."

"You can do that?" Brielle looked almost as shell-shocked as she had when the ex turned on her.

Preston grinned. She had no idea what he was capable of. "There are extenuating circumstances."

"That makes it okay?"

"They'll bring us the paperwork or they'll have to wait. I don't want to exhaust you when you still have wounds that are healing."

Preston was surprised to find that he meant every word. The past days had not been kind to Brielle, and he was still uncertain if she had popped the stitches in her side. He would rather take her to his off-res apartment than force her to tolerate any more idiot government agents. For her health. For his sanity.

Comfort her, a voice in his head demanded, whining like a lost child.

Preston turned his face toward the window so that Brielle wouldn't see his alarm. It was rare for his inner wolf to talk to him. Even rarer for him to make demands. Tribe Rille had segregated their human and animal sides. If he and Brielle shared the Bloodmark, it might be different. But with only a mating mark, for all accounts and purposes, Preston shouldn't be hearing his wolf's complaints.

Yet the strange voice was correct. Brielle needed comfort. He just didn't think she could handle a wolf's way of comforting.

So, for a moment, Preston would have to think like a human. Brielle had been beaten and bruised, tossed aside by one man and dramatically picked up by a shifter. She must be confused, lonely, and possibly scared.

His fingers as timid as a rabbit coming out of hiding, Preston placed his hand atop Brielle's and gave it the smallest squeeze. "I know it's been hard for you yesterday and today."

Brielle huffed a laugh. "Understatement of the year."

"But I want you to know that when you're with me, you can say anything. Act however you want. I will be your safe place, from now on."

"I don't need a safe place." Brielle pulled her hand away from his touch.

And that's when Preston knew. It would be hard to get her to open up. In Brielle's most vulnerable moments, when she heard exactly what she desperately needed to hear, she shut down and pulled away. The ex-boyfriend had taught her, through his neglect, to be a loner. Preston would have to undo all of that training.

And they didn't have much time for that.

Not much time at all.  

\/'''''\/

/\,,,,,/\

Vote
Comment
Tell me your thoughts and theories!

(And I and a new chapter will see you next week!)