Page 4 of Breaking the Surface
“You go ahead,” the guard said as she took a step back.“I’ll let the alpha know that you’re here.”
Peter hadn’t thought about that.“Will he want to talk to me?”
“Eventually, sure, but not tonight.You just worry about getting to Vincent’s house and getting some rest, okay?”She hesitated.“Although maybe you’ll want to see the alpha mate.He could help with the pain.”
Because Toby was a unicorn shifter.It was tempting, but Peter didn’t want to bother him.It was bad enough that he would bother Vincent and Ronan.“Thanks for the tip,” he said, not smiling because he was pretty sure that would hurt, too.“I’ll talk to him tomorrow.”
Something told him that the guard wasn’t going to wait until tomorrow to warn Camden that Peter was here, but Peter couldn’t find it in himself to care right now.As soon as she waved him forward, he drove into pack territory, straight to Vincent’s new house.He was relieved to see that the light was on in the living room when he parked in front of it, but when he turned off his car, he didn’t get out.
He felt like he was going to start crying again.He really hoped that would stop now that he wasn’t with Lou anymore, but he suspected it would take some time.He might not be with his boyfriend—ex-boyfriend at this point—but that didn’t mean he wasn’t afraid.It didn’t mean that Lou wasn’t going to find a way to start trouble.
The front door opened.Peter blinked at the man silhouetted there.He could tell it wasn’t Ronan, which meant it could only be Vincent.Suddenly, Peter didn’t want to be alone.He didn’t want to be in his car anymore.He wanted his best friend, and he sobbed as he slid out of the car and almost fell on his face.Vincent made an alarmed sound and rushed forward, and then he was there, wrapping his arms around Peter and holding him close as Peter cried.
Peter had thought he didn’t have any more tears left in him, but he’d been wrong.He still had plenty of them left, and he cried all of them on Vincent’s shoulder.
* * * *
THE PHONE RINGING CAUSEDBraden to jerk up in his bed.He blinked, trying to understand what time it was and who was calling him.The room was still dark, and he didn’t feel like he’d slept for long.
He reached for the phone on his nightstand and groaned when he saw that he’d only been asleep for an hour, if even that.“This had better be important,” he said with a growl when he answered.He didn’t even look at who it was.Right now, he didn’t care.
“Braden?”Remi said.“We have a situation here.”
That was enough for all sleepiness to leave Braden.“What kind of situation?”he asked, kicking the blankets away so he could get out of bed.The air was cool, and he shivered, but that didn’t stop him.
“I’m fine,” Remi quickly reassured him.“So is Pembroke.”
“But someoneisn’tfine.You wouldn’t be calling otherwise.”Especially after complaining that Braden wasn’t sleeping enough.
“It’s for a pack member.Well, he’s not a pack member, but he’s close to some of them, and I’m sure he’s going to become one soon enough.Camden certainly feels about him as if he was already one.”
“What happened to him?”Braden didn’t care whether the man was or wasn’t a pack member.He just cared that someone was in trouble and that if Remi was calling him, he thought that Braden could help.
“I don’t have any details yet.I just got off a phone call with Camden, who was told by his guards that Peter entered pack territory earlier.From what the guard said, he’s been beaten up pretty badly.He headed to Vincent’s, who’s his best friend.”
“I remember Peter.I met him earlier today, during the move.”Or had it been yesterday?Braden still wasn’t sure how late it was, but he’d gone to bed at almost midnight.
Braden had helped Vincent move.He’d been asked to, and he hadn’t seen a reason not to do it, even though he didn’t know Vincent and Ronan.He knew something about Ronan’s history, though, and he’d been glad to see that the pack had welcomed him and his mate.It had been bittersweet for him, especially when it came to Peter.Braden had tried to talk to him, but the man had kept him at arm’s length.Braden had thought he just didn’t want to talk to him, but maybe there had been another reason.
What had happened to Peter after he’d left pack territory?Who had hurt him?Braden wished he’d stayed behind, especially since he was planning on going back today, anyway, but he’d needed some documents he’d left at home, which was why he’d made the drive back.He regretted it.If he’d stayed like he should have, he’d be closer and would be able to help already.
“What do you need from me?”
“You’re coming today anyway.Would you mind coming right away?I know you haven’t gotten much sleep, but I would feel better if both of us were here to keep an eye on Peter.”
“I can do that for sure, but doesn’t the pack have enough guards to protect the pack?”
“They do.They’re not used to dealing with this kind of mess, though.I don’t know what happened to Peter, but from a few things I’ve heard, I suspect that he’s running from his partner.”
Braden’s blood turned cold.It wasn’t the same as what had happened to him and his sister, but it was similar enough.Just like back then, Braden felt the need to step in and protect, and if Remi was calling to ask him to do just that, it meant that he trusted Braden and that he thought that Peter’s abusive partner was going to find him.Hell, it wouldn’t be hard if he knew about Vincent, and since Peter was Vincent’s best friend, he had to.
Braden liked this less and less the more he heard about it.“I’ll come,” he said.He turned toward his closet, ready to pack a bag.“I’ll bring enough stuff to be able to stay for a while.”
“What about work?”
“You know as well as I do that I don’t have to be here for things to run smoothly.Besides, I was thinking about staying for a little while, anyway.”
“I thought you’d stay for a few days, maybe a week if I managed to convince you.This might be longer.”
