Page 60 of Hayden's Haven
“I don’t know the entire story, Damien. But she’s not going back. I’ll fight you if you try to send her back.”
Damien growled. “After all these years. . .” He punched the wall, leaving a sizeable dent. “Get the hell out of here, Hayden, before I release my wolf.”
Hayden locked eyes with him, not trying to challenge him exactly. Hell, he wasn’t sure what he was doing, only that he needed to see Mila. Hayden broke away, averting his eyes, not caring how weak it made him look. Hayden tore across the hall to the only other closed door.
“Hayden,” Damien said from behind him. Hayden was almost afraid to turn around, fearing Damien would throw him out before he could see Mila. “Why are you back so early? What did Liam say?”
“We got there too late. Agent Sloan from the DSA is holding Liam’s pack hostage. We have one week to hand over Drake and the virus.”
“Fuck!” Damien rubbed his hand over his face and drew a deep breath. “Aloe. Is she okay?”
“I didn’t see her, but Liam said there were no injuries, yet.” With that, Hayden knocked on the door. Tess opened the door and flashed a smile as she squeezed by and rushed into Damien’s embrace.
Hayden closed the door behind him. Mila’s scent was strong in here. Lilac and morning dew, except her scent was dark, tainted by fear. She was sitting on the floor, in the corner, holding an iron curtain rod. He glanced over to the window. On the floor lay a puddle of dark red curtains with tiny bits of plaster on the floor. She had ripped the rod right out of the wall. Now she held it across her chest, two hands fisted at either end, ready to swing and protect herself. She was staring at the floor, at his feet, as if she was afraid to look higher. The scent of fear intensified.
“Mila, sunshine.”
Green eyes rose slowly, moving up his body until they focused on his face. “Hayden?” With the loud clattering of the iron rod hitting the floor, Mila launched herself into Hayden’s arms.
Nothing ever felt so right as holding her. He had to swallow back the shakiness that would come out if he spoke too soon. Hold her. That’s what he needed to do, just a while longer.
“Are they gone?”
“No,” Hayden paused long enough to clear his throat, to force some strength into his words for her. “And we have to go down there, so you can tell your alpha that we didn’t kidnap you, that you’re fine here.”
“Please don’t make me, Hayden, I can’t.”
“I won’t let them touch you. I promise.” He bent his head down, seeking her eyes. She was staring down again. This behavior wasn’t like his brave ray of sunshine, but then again, confronting one’s past was never easy. He knew that better than anyone.
“Just keep your eyes on me, or Tess or Damien or Callen. You’ll be surrounded by shifters who care and will protect you. Okay, sunshine?”
She shook her head. As they got to the door, she leaned her forehead against him. “I’m sorry, Hayden. I never meant to cause any trouble. I just. . . I can’t go back.”
He kissed her forehead. “Damien won’t make you go back.” In truth, Hayden wasn’t sure what Damien planned. He and Damien hadn’t been seeing eye to eye lately. Not that it mattered. Hayden wouldn’t let anything happen to Mila, even if that meant going up against an alpha, his enforcer, and an entire pack.
* * *
MILA
Never had she been so scared as when she entered Damien’s home and saw Truman and Vance there waiting for her. Both look congenial and calm, the perfect guests, especially Vance who could pull off that innocent little boy look better than anyone. Truman, well he was oblivious as ever.
Hayden and Damien expected her to talk to Truman, convince her alpha that she hadn’t been kidnapped. If she failed to convince her alpha, he and Truman would never leave, or worse, they’d take her back. She couldn’t—wouldn’t—go back.
Hayden slipped his arm around her shoulders, allowing his scent and strength to calm her. He wouldn’t let them take her away. He had said as much, and she trusted him. For the first time in her life, she trusted another shifter to truly be on her side, not just in words, but deed as well.
Vance’s voice reached her from downstairs. They’d only made it half-way down the hallway when her legs stopped moving. Hayden’s thumb caressed her upper arm and he followed up with a squeeze, reminding her she wasn’t alone. Nor did he rush her. Confronting her alpha and Vance was something she had to do. With Hayden at her side, she could do this.
Mila started walking again. From the second she reached the steps, Vance’s eyes were on her. Callen blocked the bottom of the steps. He was there too, to protect her. A slight smile crept onto Mila’s face. She wasn’t alone here. Two shifters to protect her.
“Glad you’re feeling better and can join us,” boomed Damien’s strong voice from the center of the great room below. Three shifters. Mila straightened her posture.Never show weakness. That was practically the credo of weak shifters everywhere. Weak of body didn’t mean weak of mind or spirit. Show who you are on the inside.
“I’m good, Hayden,” she whispered, with a tiny shrug of her shoulders to shake off his arm. Hayden nodded, pulled his arm away, and fell in step behind her as she descended the steps.
“Water or beer, Mila?” Tess asked from the kitchen.Fourshifters. Four fabulous shifters who supported her, Mila Evans from Montana, the weak shifter who nobody thought would—could—amount to anything special.
Tess caught her eye. She was smiling, confident, strong. The shifter Mila always wanted to be. Hayden’s hand fell to Mila’s lower back, not coaxing her forward, just a simple touch, a connection that sent warmth and love through her. Smiling and confident she could do. . . maybe not as well in this moment, but in time. Strong. That was out of her control. Two out of three was still good though.
“Nothing for me,” she answered Tess, surprised her voice didn’t crack but came across steady, strong. Maybe strongwaspossible, just a different type of strong.
