Page 32 of Hot For Her Bear

“I’ve been calling for help.” Her voice cracked as she tried to speak.

Nick knelt by her and pressed two fingers to the side of her neck. His gaze roamed Saffron for a moment before he stood. “Stay with her. I’ll send the medics back here.”

“Thank you.” She brushed Saffron’s dark strands away from her face.

“Don’t worry about Milligan. He’s going to pay for what he’s done.” Nick rested a hand on her shoulder then jogged off toward the front of the building.

She glanced back down at Saffron and pressed a kiss to her forehead. Saffron’s body trembled in her arms. She was so cold and needed to be warmed up. She glanced back down and caught her mate’s open eyes locked on her.

“You came for me,” Saffron whispered. Her teeth were chattering. She leaned into Dasha, her body shaking hard.

“Of course I did,” Dasha murmured. She tightened her hold on her. There was nothing that would keep her from Saffron.

“I love you,” Saffron said. Tears filled her eyes and spilled onto her cheeks. She coughed, and audible wheezing could be heard.

Dasha pressed a finger to her lover’s lips.

“Don’t talk,” she said. Her voice was strained, and a sharp pain rippled down her throat. She rested her forehead on Saffron’s. Relief filled her that her mate was alive. This could have ended completely differently. “And just so you know, Bishop is in enforcer custody.”

Saffron’s body jerked even harder as she sobbed. Dasha held her until she had to let her go so the EMTs could come check her out. The medics lifted her on their cart, secured. Even though Saffron protested going to the hospital, Dasha insisted she go. She wasn’t going to rest comfortably until she was told Saffron was still healthy.

Saffron’s hand shot out for her. Dasha took it and entwined their fingers together. She pressed a kiss to the back of her cold hand.

“Don’t leave me,” Saffron whispered.

The medics had wrapped her up in blankets, and her face was the only thing visible. Dasha didn’t know how her hand slipped out from underneath the blankets. They had brought her one, too, and she wrapped it around her body, toga style.

“I’ll never leave you, babe. You have me for eternity.”

Saffron sat next to Dasha with their hands entwined. She had never been a witness to a shifter’s sentencing before, but today, she wouldn’t miss this one for the world. It had been a month since the day her business had burned down.

Apparently, after setting the fire, Bishop had settled in the yard of a couple who were out of town so he could watch his handiwork from afar. The enforcers had arrived at the scene and quickly picked up his trail.

They were currently located in one of the buildings on the clan property where the alpha would address the clan and render Bishop’s punishment. The room was buzzing with low conversations. She and Dasha sat in the front row. Together, they would face Bishop when he was brought before the clan and the alpha.

Butterflies fluttered inside Saffron’s stomach. She wasn’t sure why, but she just knew she wanted this day over with. It had seemed to take forever for this day to come, and now that it was here, she wanted it over so she and Dasha could go on with their lives. Unlike the human justice system, they didn’t take long to render punishments and sentencing. The alpha was the law.

“You okay?” Dasha murmured. She squeezed Saffron’s hand tight.

Saffron jerked her head in a nod.

“Yeah, I’m good.” She looked over her shoulder and peeked in on her family sitting a few rows behind them. Her parents and brother sat together. Her brother, Jaco, winked at her. She smiled at him and tossed one his way. Dasha’s family sat on the other side of her.

Saffron carefully glanced to the other side of the room and saw Bishop’s family sitting in the front row on their side. From what Saffron had heard, they had tried to get the alpha to let Bishop off with a warning.

It would appear the alpha wasn’t one to take bribes.

The door off to the side opened, and a woman, tall and muscular, walked out. Her hair was long and dark. This was a woman who demanded respect. Saffron had heard of Eddie but had never had the opportunity to meet her before. Another woman, the clan’s beta, Selan Rawlyn, followed Eddie. They both took a seat at a small half-circle table. In front of the table was a single chair that faced them.

The conversations died off as everyone waited for the alpha to speak.

“Bring in the prisoner,” the alpha’s voice shot out. It was husky and deep. The woman scanned the room and nodded to everyone whose gaze she met.

An enforcer from the back walked over to the entrance at the rear. He stepped outside, and they had to wait. The tension in the air grew thicker. Saffron inhaled then blew out a deep breath. A moment later, the door reopened, and Bishop was shackled around his ankles, his wrists, and a had device locked around his neck.

He walked in, and his gaze landed on her. His lip twisted up in the corner.

“Do not look at her. Look at me,” Eddie snapped.

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