Page 40 of Hers

A big fat bear claw batted him to the ground with strength Brock didn’t know Slater had. He got up and they wrestled, but Slater was stronger than he’d ever been. Slater’s teeth ripped into his neck, and Brock grunted, fighting to get away.

Slater had him on the ground, and he struggled. He knew in that moment he wouldn’t win. Brock was going to die.

“Slater, let him go now.” Sammy screamed at them.

Brock struggled to see Sammy in his last moments. She wore a robe, no shoes, as she ran towards them.

“Don’t, Slater. Don’t kill him. I get to yell and be angry at him, but don’t kill him.”

Slater’s hold eased on him. Sammy came to them both. She held the robe together and glared each of them.

“Change back now.” Sammy ordered.

Neither he nor Slater changed. Sammy placed her hands on her hips and stomped her foot.

“Change back now, both of you, or so help me God, I will do something neither of you will like.”

Slater’s bear mouth came off him, and they both changed back, the change healing him. Slater was on top of him, his arm across his neck cutting off air flow.

“Let Brock go and move away now, Slater.” Sammy spoke slowly to Slater, but she stared daggers at Brock. “What the hell is going on?”

Slater shrugged. “I was killing him.”

Sammy shook her head. “And you.” She stepped forward and pointed at his chest. “What were you thinking?”

“I didn’t start it.” Brock knew he sounded like a little kid, but he was tired. “I came home and come in the door, and he attacks.”

“Arrrgghhh,” Sammy yelled. “That’s not what I’m talking about. I’m talking about yesterday. Why on earth did you put me through that hell? I can’t believe you did that to me. How could you do that to me? Brock, you knew how I felt about that precinct. What you did was cruel. They knew what Greg did to me and never helped. I overheard details about dirty deals and tried again reporting them, but it backfired and that was the night I really did wish I were dead.” She shook her head, shivered, and then hugged herself.

Brock felt his heart crack as she wiped tears from her eyes. He could smell the pain and hurt coming off of Sammy in waves. He had no idea what to say. He stood there naked and stared at her, unsure of what to do.

When the minutes ticked by Sammy shrieked, “Answer me.”

Brock was too scared to answer, so he shrugged.

Sammy came at him banging on his chest. “Why? Why? I hate you. Fucking answer me why.” She screamed at him over and over.

He looked to Slater, and he could see his eyes shining with his own tears as he watched their little mate beat at his chest.

As he stopped Sammy’s hands she cried out. “Don’t you touch me. Don’t you ever touch me until you tell me why you did what you did!”

Clearing his dry throat Brock debated if he should tell her the real reason or the reason, he told himself. He glanced at Slater and knew he wouldn’t be any help. “I’m not good enough for you. I’ve never been number one at anything, or two or three for that matter. Mother always told me that another shifter would and could always do it better than me. I’ve never been good enough for anything. I remember when I first mentioned you to Mother eight or so months ago, she told me to leave you be. A human would do better than me. So I thought if I could keep you safe better than anyone else I wouldn’t feel so inadequate. I would know that if I found out all those that hurt you and taught you how to defend yourself, no other man or shifter would be better for you than me. I’ve done the opposite. I’ve proven I’m not good enough no matter what I do. I’m not better. I haven’t protected you from pain and hurt.”

Brock could see Sammy’s eyes scanning his face. “You put me through last night because you wanted me safe and because you feel like you contribute nothing to this relationship? Because your mother is a stupid spiteful bitch?”

“Um, yeah. I also wanted to make sure what happened to you doesn’t happen to anyone else. Don’t you want those who hurt you brought to proper justice?”

Sammy nodded and yanked her hands out of his hold. “Why haven’t you told me this before?”

“It’s not something I wanted you to know. I have already failed.”

“Ha, I don’t know about fail, but pissed me off majorly, that is a given.” Sammy took his hand and threaded their fingers together and breathed in deeply before slowly letting it out. “You are not inadequate. You’re a huge part of this relationship. You the only one who’s had the patience to teach me to drive. You were the only one before last night who could calm me when I have a panic attack and go to my safe place. But put aside all that, you are the man I love. One of the men I love. I love youandSlater. I don’t know any other men who would have been as patient as you two or as supportive. I talked to Gwen, and she said shifters don’t usually wait as long as you did to take your mates. Most shifters are like your brothers. They take what they want and damn the consequences.” Sammy closed her eyes and pulled him along. “I’m still fuming mad and hurt at what you did, Brock, but I can see where you’re coming from. I have felt what you felt. I was never good enough for Greg. I know you feel what you did was for me. I’d know if you were lying because Slater would be even more pissed.”

Sammy turned and winked at Slater. “There are some benefits to having two men, especially when they’re angry with each other. Come on. Let’s go inside. I need you both to hold me.”

Brock saw out the corner of his eye Slater’s smirk. He took deep breaths in and relaxed when he couldn’t smell pain or hurt radiating out of Sammy.

Following her as she pulled him inside, he thanked every god he could think of that she forgave him and still loved him. Brock promised he wouldn’t do anything to hurt her again, and he would learn to communicate even if it killed him.

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