Mate's Bite

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Ryan

Ryan ignored the third call from Marcus. He knew what El wanted, and he couldn’t give it to her just yet. He and Trip had taken his mother to Claudia for healing, and Ryan wanted to ensure his mother would be okay before he left her side. Ryan knew Leilani had more than likely instigated the confrontation, but El more than likely attacked. El’s lioness had had enough of Leilani, which was understandable, but fighting at a pride gathering was against pride law. El being the Alpha’s mate made things even worse. Once word got out, Ryan would have a s**t storm on his hands.

As much as he hated to lead, Ryan knew to dealwith the drama about to happen made it even worse. His phone buzzed again in his pocket, causing him to shake his head. His lion wanted to be with his mate, but Ryan was pissed.

“You need to go to her,” Trip told him, while Claudia worked on healing Leilani.

“Your mate needs a lesson in tolerance,” Claudia spat.

Ryan growled at Claudia. Trip stepped in front of Ryan, trying to pull his attention away from the healer.

“I think what El needs is a lesson in our pride history. She doesn’t know what she’s done, and that fault lies with us,” Trip snarled, his backhanded commented not lost on Claudia.

She scoffed at his comment.

“Healer, you will bite your tongue when speaking about our mate,” Ryan ordered.

“Yes, Alpha,” Claudia said insincerely.

“She didn’t mean any harm,” Trip defended.

Ryan eyed Trip. He couldn’t believe he was defending a woman that was speaking very openly with disgust for their mate.

“El is your mate,” Ryan growled.

“I know, and Claudia is my friend and our healer,” Trip argued.

“She cannot speak about El in that way. El is merely a cub trapped in an adult body.”

“Even cubs know not to fight at a pride gathering, especially to not fight Leilani. Your El is lucky she didn’t get herself killed,” Claudia said.

“Leilani is lucky El didn’t kill her. I think what needs to happen first and foremost is the pride needs to be introduced to their new Lioness, my equal. Talk like this will not be tolerated any second longer, Claudia, without repercussion,” Ryan said, rising to his full height and letting his power roll off him.

Claudia dropped to her knees under the force. Even Trip struggled to remain standing. Ryan felt a new surge of power, and he knew it was coming from his lioness. He sat back down and pulled his power back to allow Claudia to finish what she had started.

An hour later, and probably a hundred missed calls from Marcus, Claudia deemed that Leilani would live and recover fully. Ryan thanked her for her service and left her. Trip stayed behind, which Ryan thought was a bad idea, but Ryan had other things on his mind. He needed to go to his mate. He needed El just as much as she needed him. He could also feel the pull of her lioness, demanding he return to their side.

Ryan just prayed the reunion didn’t turn into an explosion.