Mending the Beast (Awakening Pride #10) - Lacey Thorn Page 0,17

somewhere along the column of her neck.

“You’re mated then?” Quinn asked as she eased down on the mattress. Fresh blood stains marred her shirt above her abdomen. Ariel needed to see what was going on, see if there was anything she could do while they waited for Gideon to call.

“No,” she answered belatedly.

Quinn’s brows lifted. “Daniel isn’t your mate?”

“I…” Ariel blew out a hard breath. “It’s complicated.”

“I think that could be said about any relationship,” Quinn quipped then grimaced as her hand went to her stomach again.

“Okay, I need you to show me what’s going on,” Ariel warned. “I won’t ask the whole story, but the others will when they arrive to help get you home.”

“I can’t believe Isaac Erikson let a pride move onto the ranch,” Quinn mused.

They’d spoken about Riverton and the pride that now resided there. Ariel had done her best to tell Quinn about the others, so she’d know what to expect. What she hadn’t shared was that they suspected Isaac had sent Quinn to infiltrate one of the hunter facilities. Or that they’d been worried and trying to locate her since Darby, one of the newest members of the pride along with her mate Calloway, had sent out an SOS to the council of watchers, which Darby’s dad was a part of.

“I should probably tell you, Isaac isn’t there any longer.” Ariel cleared her throat before continuing. She wasn’t sure what Quinn thought of Isaac. “He’s dead.”

Quinn opened her mouth then snapped it shut before shaking her head. “It feels wrong to speak ill of the dead, but I’d be lying if I said I was sorry.”

“Understandable.”

“He was a hard man. I still have no idea why my dad trusted him. Then again, Dad always did see the best in people.” Quinn looked incredibly sad. “I hurt him. Before I left. I was harsh and cruel and blamed my mother’s death on him.”

“I’m sure you’re one of those people he only sees the best in,” Ariel said, unsure what else to say. Hell, she’d been locking her emotions inside for so long, she had no idea how to have a conversation like theirs. She was the last person people would search out to share their feelings with.

“I’m not sure how he’ll feel about this,” Quinn murmured, cupping her belly.

“Tell me about this,” Ariel said. “You’re bleeding. Are you okay? Is the baby okay?”

“We’re both as good as can be expected. For now.” Quinn looked as if she were going to add more, but Ariel’s phone rang.

“Jot this down,” Gideon said then growled out an address and directions. “We’re heading toward you now.”

“Who’s we?” she asked, almost holding her breath.

“Me, Vic, Gabriel, and Kenzie.”

Not Daniel. Did she really blame him for not wanting to come after her? She’d basically told him there was nothing for them. Honestly, she’d left him long before he’d left the ranch. She knew she couldn’t handle mating Daniel. She couldn’t…wouldn’t… She didn’t like to be touched. She barely handled casual touches from her friends. Mostly, Finn and Murphy. Occasionally, Vic. Gideon and Griffin knew she didn’t like to be touched and refrained unless she initiated the contact first. How the hell would she handle the type of touch Daniel would expect and need from his mate? She swallowed the bile that rose in her throat as she thought of that type of intimacy.

“Listen, there’s something you need to know.” Vic’s voice filled the line. There was some bickering from the other’s, but the other woman cut them off. “Fuck that! She needs to know.”

“What? What do I need to know?”

“Daniel was hurt.”

“When he lost his phone?” she asked Vic.

“Yes. They don’t want you to know because of… Well, because you’re not mated. He was shot, Ariel. Multiple times. We lost him several times on the way to the ranch. He was barely clinging to life when we got him there. His lion wasn’t healing him, and he slipped into a coma. He didn’t wake up until this morning.”

“Oh, God. Is he okay? Was he drugged? Is that why his lion wasn’t healing him? Gideon?” There was no hiding the panic in her voice. She’d heard Laura and Finn talking about Daniel having a death wish. She’d blown it off as Laura being overprotective or even the other woman trying to persuade Ariel to give Daniel a chance. Laura had no idea how badly Ariel wanted just that. But had it been more that that? Had Daniel really not cared if he