Page 93 of Scapegoat

“Some.” Her tone was clipped, irritated and she moved away from me to turn the kettle on. “I don’t know exactly how many.”

“So many you lost count,” I said, looming over her. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because it’s probably just some dumb kids.” She was trying to convince herself as much as she was me, but I heard the tremor in her voice as I moved closer. Mum shook her head and then looked up at me. “It’s OK to just be happy. A prank call can be just a prank call. I know what Abby did was terrible, but you can’t let that hang over you for the rest of your life.”

I’d talked to Kai about this, late one night. She’d been snuggled into my chest, tracing her fingers through the thin smattering of hair there as the others slept. She’d described my childhood as idyllic and I’d just snorted, regaling her with tales of the beltings I got from Greg and Jackson when I was misbehaving, of mandated car washing and yard work as punishment. But she’d just smiled wryly and looked up at me, then basically called me naive. What they’d done fell within the realm of reasonable parenting, she told me, and then proceeded to tell me about this whole other side.

Some parents ignored their children, barely meeting their basic needs. Some used them as punching bags, figuratively or physically. Some enmeshed with their kids, dumping all of the parent’s pain and frustrations on a small child. She explained there was a whole other world of parenting that I had no experience with, that which was abusive. But that day at the square? It’d opened my eyes forcibly, made me watch the grossest act of abuse take place, as Kai’s mother tried to steal her own daughter’s happiness away. I’d felt like I’d been sleeping at the wheel, not anticipating that Abby would pull that shit and that feeling had increased the moment Kai accepted our claim.

Then that shit with Ned happened.

I felt like I was jumping at shadows, not real threats, so that when someone did come for my mate, I wasn’t there. My teeth ground together. That couldn’t happen again. It wouldn’t. I’d—

“Yeah, I’ll meet you at Melva’s.” Kai walked in having a conversation on her phone. She was wearing a dressing gown, her wet hair pulled up into a towel turban. “Around twelve? Yeah, it’ll be good to catch up too.” My mate ended the call and looked at me. “What?”

I forced myself to smile.

“So we’re going to Melva’s for lunch? One all day breakfast special coming up for me.”

“I’m going to Melva’s,” she said, poking a finger into my chest. “You guys have been oppressive lately.”

Trying to keep you safe, I thought furiously. Making sure you don’t slip through my fingers. But I smiled and told her to sit down as I made her coffee for her. I brought my own with me, but just sat there with it cradled in my hands as I watched Kai drink hers. She noted my attention with a cock of her eyebrow, those brown eyes too keen, forcing me to take a sip of my own drink lest I freak her out.

“Heard you’re taking off without us,” Jay said later in our room, grabbing a half-dressed Kai and throwing her down on the bed. “But not yet, right? You’ve got a little time…”

He started to kiss his way down her body, but she shoved him out of the way.

“I can’t be late. I haven’t seen Jamie since…” We all went quiet then. “Well, since the last time. She doesn’t get out this way often and…” She stared into his eyes and I knew then Jay wouldn’t have anything to say. “You know Jamie’s important to me.”

“So bring her to our place.”

Atlas hated the idea of her going off on her own just as much as I did. His scowl seemed etched into his brows.

“You’re being overprotective,” she said, rolling out of bed.

“No such thing.” But as soon as she cupped her hands around my brother’s face, Atlas’ frown eased.

“I’ll be careful,” she told him as he wrapped his hands around her wrists.

“You don’t need to be if we’re with you. We’ll drive you to Granville and go and hang out at the hardware store until you’re finished,” he said.

Yeah, that, I thought. Agree to that.

“You haven’t driven the truck before,” I added. “We can save you from having to pull the seat way forward. We’ll find something to do until—”

“You’re suffocating me.”

That little admission, said in a tight tone, but not a terse one, it hit me hard, because I knew she was right. But I couldn’t fucking help it. Every time I closed my eyes I saw the blood on her dress, but sometimes Ned’s ugly mug transformed into… that fucking bitch Abby, like she was some kind of family ghost, determined to haunt us for eternity. I wanted to burn the fucking world down to make sure my mate stayed safe, but… Holding Kai too tightly outside of the bedroom? It’d just kill off her spirit, her independence. Her mother had done her damnedest to do that, so I couldn’t do the same. Instead I forced myself to smile and then hand over the keys.

“Sorry, alpha prerogative. We’re always going to want to protect you.” I pressed a kiss to the top of her head, then forced myself to let her go. “Just be safe.”

“I’m driving between Stanthorpe and Granville,” she said with a snort. “The worst that could happen is a kangaroo jumps out in front of the car.”

“So maybe we should drive you. We’ve dealt with a fuck load more roos than you have,” Atlas growled.

“Nope.” She finished getting dressed and then shoved the keys in her pocket. “Absence makes the heart grow fonder, right?” She kissed my cheek, then my brothers’. “Imagine how pleased I will be to see you when I get back.”

“Real fucking pleased,” Jayden said, once she’d run downstairs. “Her scent… She’s gonna come into heat any day now.” He turned to me. “Maybe this is like those mating chases people used to do back in the day. Maybe we’re supposed to follow her. Maybe she wants us to. Like this is some kind of challenge—”

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