Mate's Bite

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Trip

Trip stared out the window as Shawn loaded El into his car. Trip’s heart ached a little more with every step El took further away from the compound.

“I don’t understand why we’re letting her go,” he told Ryan who sat behind his desk glaring at a random spot on his desk.

“She needs time away,” Ryan commented his voice lacking any genuine emotion.

“No, what she needs is to be with us. She needs to understand that we love her, and no matter what, nothing will break our mate bond. Not wounded moms and certainly not ex-lovers,” Trip argued.

“We can’t force her to believe those two things. She has to come to terms with that on her own. Maybe some time away from us will do just that.”

“You’re pushing her away,” Trip snarled.

“No, she’s pushing us away, but we’ll be here for her when she realizes we’re not going anywhere.”

“She doesn’t push Shawn away.”

“They have years’ worth of trust built up,” Ryan pointed out.

Trip slammed his fist onto the wood frame around the window, splintering it.

“How could she possibly think Claudia means anything to me, other than a friend, a healer?”

“Humans are different than us. They don’t have loyalties like we do. Until El comes to terms with this, maybe you’d do best to not hug Claudia every time you see her.”

Ryan’s tone was harsh, which had Trip’s hackles up. Trip turned to glare at his triad brother, unafraid of pissing off the Alpha. Marcus came in then, his hair wet from a shower. A shower he no doubt shared with El. Trip was glad El at least sought comfort in one of them.

“I think maybe it’s not only El that needs a break, maybe we all need some space,” Marcus said, obviously having overheard Trip and Ryan’s argument.

Trip knew Marcus was just doing what he always did, making peace, but the more Trip heard about them all separating, the angrier he got. His lion had heard enough as well. Before he said or did anything he would later regret, Trip stormed out of the room and straight out of the house. Once he was outside, he shifted, letting his lion take over for a while. He raced to the woods and didn’t stop until he reached the perimeter of their property. Even then, he just cut to the left and ran along the perimeter. Trip longed for his mate, he longed to simply go back to just that morning when things had been fine between them all. He ran until the wee hours of the morning before heading back to the compound.

He shifted and staggered into the house, his human body exhausted, but he didn’t go to his own bed. Instead, he veered towards El room. The closer he got, the stronger her scent was. He stumbled into the room, and if he hadn’t been exhausted, he would have burst out laughing. Ryan was already there passed out on her bed. Marcus was sleeping in his new room across the hall with his door wide open, to no doubt allow more of her scent into his room. Trip walked over to the small couch in the corner and flung himself on it, letting her scent lull him to sleep.