Lessons in Love

Chapter 36: Oh Brother!

POV: Beta Ben Westlake

Riley stood on the opposite side of the foyer from me, staring down at the phone she was fidgeting with. She let out a soft sigh and stuffed the phone in her back pocket. She looked up at me finally, letting me feel the pain she’d held back when I hadn’t been able to contain mine.

“I’m sorry,” I said quietly. “You don’t deserve any of this.”

“Neither do you, Ben.” She replied. We lapsed into silence, both of us staring at the floor. The sound of her moving toward me brought my head up. “Ben, that stone might be for us, but maybe it’s not the reason we’re feeling the bond.”

“Please, Riley, I can’t do this.” I looked away from her.

“Ben, you were the one who said we have to have hope.” She said, stopping a couple feet in front of me. She flexed her aura around us. My shoulders immediately lost their tension, and my fingers itched to touch her.

“Riley, stop. Please.” I closed my eyes, willing myself not to feel the warmth of her aura. “None of this is real.”

“Look at me,” she whispered. I opened my eyes and looked down at her. “Playing ring toss and laughing with you was real. Me going to bed every night with a teddy bear wearing your shirt is real. Feeling you touch yourself, touch me, through the bond – that was very real.” She said firmly. “The way our auras mingled, the sparks between our hands yesterday. I don’t know a lot about curses, Ben, but I know that what we felt was real. Lu is going to tell us that when she gets here.”

Riley held her hand out in front of her, her palm facing me. “Hold out your hand.” She said gently. My arm obeyed her before I could stop myself. I froze with my hand halfway to hers.

“I can’t do this.” I breathed the words. “I can’t hurt you.” I pulled my hand back. “I need to go.” I said, my chest getting tight. Riley lowered her hand and her eyes. She gave a curt nod and stepped back from me. I moved away from her to the door.

“Riley,” I said, turning back to look at her. “I really am sorry this is happening to you. You’re a wonderful, beautiful person. I would be honored to have you as my mate if … I’m so sorry.” I said, raking my hand through my hair and leaving the building.

“She needs a friend.” I said, looking at Katherine and Sam as I descended the steps. I walked past Rick, knowing that he’d follow me. I glanced over my shoulder when I didn’t hear his footsteps. He was just standing there. Sam and Katherine were gone. He looked at the door of the school and shook his head.

“I’ll catch up with you.” He said, moving toward the school.

I marched toward the cul-de-sac, trying to ignore the pain in my chest his walking away from me caused. They all thought I was being unreasonable, but what choice did I have. I was already in love with Riley. A part of me was certain I’d fallen in love with her the moment she’d snubbed my father the morning of the harvest festival. I wanted to be her mate. I wanted her to be mine. I wanted her.

My father had given the stone to a woman in another pack and told her it was designed to hurt me. He’d cursed me in some way, and I was certain that faking my matehood to Riley would destroy me. I stopped walking and looked back at the school. I really was the coward my father thought I was. I paced back and forth, wondering if I should go back.

I mind-linked Rick instead. “Is she okay?”

“Do you care?” He asked with a growl.

“That’s not fair, Rick.” I growled back. He didn’t respond. “Please, just tell me.”

“No, she’s not. Can’t you feel that?”

“No, she’s blocking me out. I can’t feel anything from her.” I said.

“She’s hurt, Ben. You walked away from her. You keep walking away from her. Why?”

“The idea that it I might lose her …” I trailed off. I didn’t want to finish the thought. “I can’t lose her.” I whispered.

“Then don’t.” He said, like I had any choice in the matter.

“If he gets to her, Rick … I don’t know what I’ll do. I have to protect her.”

“This isn’t protecting her.” He said sternly.

“I’m in love with her.” I told him. “I’m completely in love with her, Rick. What if I’m like him? What if he hurts her? What if the curse is real … I …”

“Stop.” He said softly. “Go see the doctor. I’ll make sure she gets home safe, and I’ll meet you in your office.” He said.

I pulled my phone out and texted Riley. ‘I promise I am fighting for us. I promise you I will fix this. I meant what I said. I want you as my mate.’ I had wanted to explain my behavior but couldn’t bring myself to tell her I loved her in a text. It was something I wanted to tell her in person, after we’d touched, so I could kiss her right afterward. I hit send and headed for the doctor’s house.

The street was quiet. It was almost eleven. I looked around at the houses to make sure all the lights were out, and no one was watching. I rang their doorbell several times before the doctor opened his door.

“I need to speak with you.” I said sternly. He swallowed nervously and let me in.

“Beta Ben, I told you everything …”

“Everything you could, I know.” I finished for him. “I want you to tell me everything you know.”

“Michael, who is it?” His mate came down the steps. She looked pale when she saw me in their living room. She hurried over to his side and wrapped her arm around his waist. The doctor pulled her close and kissed her temple. Despite the fear I knew they felt, they both seemed to calm down a bit at the contact. The way he looked at her made me want to run back to the school, scoop Riley up in my arms, and never let her go.

“As I said this afternoon …”

“I can help you.” I said calmly, taking a seat and gesturing for them to as well. “I know he’s threatened you. I know it’s not likely the first time.” I ran my hand through my hair and looked down at the floor. “I’ve made arrangements to get you out of here tonight. You’ll be free of my father and far enough away that he won’t be able to get to you.”

Dr. Wilder gave his mate a relieved look, and he threw his arms around her tightly. “You should start packing.” He said into her hair. She let out a sob and clung to him for a moment. “It’s alright, my love. It’s going to be alright.” He rubbed her back and held her close.

She pulled away from him, wiping her face, and looked at me. “Thank you so much.” Her voice shook. She gave her mate’s hand a squeeze and ran up the stairs to start packing.

“I need information.” I reminded him.

“George has them chained up in their suite. They’re both shackled in silver and have been for a week. I’ve had to patch up wounds on Eleanor. I think George has been hurting her to get Marcus to talk. He was letting Marcus out to assist with the business, but that ended when Marcus wouldn’t tell him where to find something.”

“Find what?”

“I don’t know.” He shook his head. “All I know is that George hasn’t been able to find it. If I had to guess, I’d say George was looking for a document.”

“What makes you say that?”

“George said he’d searched everywhere, that he’d gone through all of Marcus’s documents and still hadn’t come across it. I really don’t know what he’s looking for. He’s careful around me.” The doctor seemed concerned the missing information would affect our deal.

“Where did he get the guards?”

“I don’t know.” He said. “They aren’t ours, but they’re definitely not Rogues.”

“Another pack then.” I mused out loud.

“Sir, I think it may be Ridgeline.” He said. “I know he was headed there today. I also know he’s … related to someone there.”

Dr. Wilder seemed nervous to continue. When I had broken into the safe earlier, I had found the results of blood work. I had snapped a photo of it and put it back. I pulled my phone out and found the photo. “Does it have to do with this?”

The doctor pulled out his glasses and reviewed the photo. He nodded as he passed the phone back a minute later. “Your father has a son there.”

The pieces snapped into place absurdly fast for me. Luna Isobel was formerly of Sapphire Lake. She left a little over 21 years ago and had a son within the year. Alpha Tyler Curdon was likely my half-brother. “Do you know who he is?” I asked, wondering if he could confirm my suspicions.

“Definitively, no.” He said. “But there was a woman who lived here a long time ago who often came to the hospital with injuries that matched the ones your mother has come in with.”

“A name, doctor.” I growled.

He swallowed audibly. “Isobel Delvain.” I didn’t react to the comment, and the doctor looked at me with confusion. “You know that already, don’t you?”

“I suspected.” I said. “What about our Luna?” I changed the subject.

“She’s being affected by the silver more than Marcus. She was having problems with her health before that. I was asked to keep her sedated for the most part because she was screaming in pain from the silver. I’ve done what I can to treat her wrists and the small wounds, but George doesn’t let me take them off to get a good look. She’ll wear those scars the rest of her life. I’m sure of that.”

“How long do you think that will be?” I asked him.

“I don’t know. I really don’t know. If you can get them out of there, she could make a full recovery. If they stay trapped in those chains much longer … maybe a month at the very most. And that would be if she’s well taken care of.”

“Understood.” I said, standing up. “Get packed. You’ll drive to Forest Pines. Delta John Campbell is expecting you. He hasn’t spoken to his Alpha yet about whether or not you can stay there. He’ll arrange a safe place for you to go if you can’t.”

“Thank you, Beta Ben. You’ve saved our lives.”

I started to leave, but I turned back. “I want to be very clear, Dr. Wilder. I didn’t do this to save your life. You never helped my mother or me, for that matter. You knew he was violent, and you did nothing. The only reason I was willing to bargain with you is to save this pack. A pack you are no longer welcomed in. Are we clear?” I didn’t growl, but I didn’t think I had to. The look on his face clearly said he understood.

“You have my word.” He said solemnly.