Chapter 44: Troubled Minds

Zak’s POV

‘Alex really did a number on him didn’t he?’ whispers Ash. My wolf concerned about Tori. Having been with Jake when we witnessed Alex who in turn went feral against Aaron. Neither of us mentally prepared nor physically prepared even when Alex moved to react.

‘Yeah, he sure did’ I move to say back. My arm still around Tori. Jake’s room slowly coming into view. Tori still silent even as we move to enter the room. My need to caress his cheek rising.

“What’s on your mind little mate?” I ask. A part of me able to sense something wrong with Tori. Call it a Beta’s intuition if you must. Tori the most important piece in our lives.

Tori quick to blink upon hearing my words. “Nothing” says Tori, clearly lying to me. A low growl rising within me as I move to enter Jake’s room. Tori shivering at the growl as I move to pin him against the door.

“Don’t lie to me little mate. I can sense it on you. Your troubled by something.”

My lips now inches from his as I refrain from kissing him directly. To stake my claim against Tori. Jake having mated with him which meant that I would be next. Providing that Tori went into another heat cycle.

Tori’s warm amber eyes now locked against my deep blue ones. A sigh leaving his lips as he moves to press against the door. “I’m not lying. I’m fine.”

Ash suddenly irritated by the answer. Tori clearly not fine and refused to tell me why. My hand quick as I move to grab his chin. My hand forcing him to look up at me. Tori’s gaze now locked on mine and nothing else.

“Your lying little one,” my tone firm. My tone similar to that of Jake’s. A tone I only ever used once as a Beta. A tone I’ve not used on Tori until now.

Biting his lip does Tori refrain from answering me. Tori’s eyes still locked on mine. My eyes narrowing at his refusal. “Don’t make me force you Tor. You know how I hate to pull rank against someone.”

Tori suddenly debating within himself to do the right thing. To answer me truthfully. “I’m scared” he answers. My eyes suddenly blinking. Unsure if I heard him correctly or not.

“Scared?”

Tori soon nodding his head in confirmation.

“Why?”

Sighing, he moves to answer me slowly. Not sure how I’d handle his words when he does. Tori the more sensitive one within our group. Our heart if you will. The one who kept us grounded when he didn’t think he could. The whole reason Jake and I along with Alex had left during those last 4 years. Not because we wanted to train, but out of respect for him.

Not wanting to be forced into chosen situations. Situations that could potentially hurt Tori when Vox, Ash and Volt spent years riding us hard. Each of them reminding us daily that Tori was ours.

“I’m scared because of my dream. I’m scared that Jake will never produce an heir because of me. And… I’m scared because of Aaron.”

At the mention of Jake’s heir do I instantly freeze. Heir? Where was this coming from? Sure Jake needed an heir but not right now. Plus there were other ways to obtain one if necessary. And why was he now scared of Aaron?

My own thoughts now swarming my mind as I move to pull back. Tori no longer pinned to the door. The bruise still showing along his face. A need to now kick Alex’s ass soon rising within me.

The fucker. Him and his possessive temper of his will someday get the better of him. I’m just not sure when that would be. My voice quick to answer Tori.

“What about Jake’s heir? It’s not like he needs one right now anyway. He’s not even Alpha yet.”

“That’s precisely the point Zak. I can’t produce one for him. I’m not woman enough for Jake.”

Woman enough? Christ. Of course he would think like that. My annoyance quick to return. “Listen here Tori. Just because your not a woman doesn’t mean we’ll love you anyway less. Fuck, we’d probably love you even more if by some crazy miracle that you became pregnant yourself. But that’s not the point I’m trying to make. My point is, we love you Tori. And not because you’re a male or female but for who you are on the inside.”

“But….”

“No Tori. No buts. As far as Aaron goes, let Jake handle it for now and let me focus on you” is all I say as I move to claim his mouth in a hot searing kiss.

The Elders from earlier having rattled each of our cages. Probably more than we cared to admit. Each of them knowing something about Tori that we clearly didn’t. Especially Landen. His comment about Tori’s true form not sitting well with either of us.

Of course, then there’s Aaron’s arrival which only added more fuel to the fire. Alex’s temper quick to take over when seeing both Aaron and Tori hold one another. An anger that I should have felt too but didn’t.

My nose quick to pick up the sweet scent of honey and sage. A scent that only a mate could produce. A scent that was coming from Aaron. As Jake smelled highly of pine and fresh rain when around me and Alex smelled highly of clove and cedar. Another part of me wishing that Tori also had a scent but instead all I could smell was the scent of his soap. The sweet smell of strawberries and mint.

My body soon pulling away from Tori as I move to turn around. My eyes now spotting that of Jake’s window. The sky a dark gray color which meant it would rain soon.

“Come Tori, let’s get your face looked at before Jake moves to kill me for neglecting it.”

Tori still silent as he continued to stay pressed against the door. His mind still on Aaron. Tori silently reaching for that of Jake’s door handle while I move to enter his bathroom. My eyes already searching for the things I would need to use on Tori.

Tori using that moment of distraction to open the door before dashing from the room. The door left open as he does. My body quick to return only to pause. My eyes now on the door and where Tori once stood.

Son of a bitch.

Growling at the fact that Tori had ran do I move to call for Jake. ‘JAKE. TORI’S GONE! HE RAN’

The sound of distant thunder soon reaching my ears. My mind already aware that this could be challenging with the upcoming storm. My thoughts back on Tori. Oh Tor, why did you run?