Page 2 of The Runaway Mate

“I guess I did. You gonna tell me where you’ve been and who the hell did this to you? Your brother’s gonna flip. Ryan’s gonna—”

“I don’t want them to know I’m here!” I held up the knife I’d been holding and waved it at him with my good arm. “You promise me, Jase Miller, right now, that you’re not going to tell, or I’ll cut your balls off before they get the chance to sow those famous Miller oats in every girl from here to Yellowknife.”

Jase grinned and held up his hands. “Fuck, Mai. You’re still the same badass you were when you left. Alright, you got me. I won’t tell.”

I hesitated for a moment, then lowered the knife. “And stop saying ‘fuck.’ Your sister would slap you upside the head if she knew you swore so much.”

“You should hear the words that come out of her mouth these days. You know she’s working at the Bottley Bar? Picks up all sorts of interesting new phrases there.”

I didn’t know she was working there. I hadn’t been in touch since I left; too scared Jem would use her to track me down. Sofia would be great at the Bottley Bar. It was a mixed place for Shifters and humans, and she would keep them all in line.

“You’re gonna need help setting that arm.”

I looked down. My arm was still useless from where Seth had held me down and twisted it. There was dried blood all over my clothes, rips in my shirt and jean shorts, and I was pretty sure my face was a lovely blue-green color.

“Sit.” Jase gestured to the couch as he started unpacking the medical supplies I’d ordered.

“I can do it.” I just wanted to be alone.

“Not a chance,” Jase replied. “Sofia would kick my ass if she knew I left you in this state.”

“Really, I’m fin—” The room started spinning, and I crashed heavily to the floor, jarring my bad knee. “Fuck! Fuckity, fuck, fuck!” I yelled.

Jase picked me up and gently placed me down on the couch.

“Who’s swearing too much now?” he teased.

“Fuck you!” I said through gritted teeth. I’d had enough of the pain, of bossy fucking werewolves, of being helpless and beat up, and of feeling so damned sad. I wanted to take the painkillers and pass out.

Jase took hold of my wrist in one hand and my shoulder in the other and then twisted.

The pain was blinding for a second, stopping my breath and causing the nerves in my entire body to fire in protest. It was only for a moment, though, as then I lost consciousness.

Chapter two

Mai

When I came to, Jase was standing over me, his phone in his hand.

“No! You promised,” I growled at him. I would have leaped up and snatched his phone away, but my body was not cooperating right now.

He looked at me, his face full of indecision.

“Please, Jase.” I softened my tone. “I can’t deal with all their bullshit. I just want to recover and move on.”

Jase sighed. “I’m going to tell Sof, but I won’t let the big guys know.”

“Deal.”

Jase disappeared out of my eyeline and came back with painkillers, water, and a blanket that smelled of Jem. I took the pills and lay down with the blanket.

“You’re a good kid, you know that?”

Jase snorted. “Mai, I’m really not a kid anymore.”

“You’ll always be a kid to me and Sofia,” I mumbled, as sleep called to me.

“Feel better, Mai. I’ll be back tomorrow to check on you.”

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