Red Ribbons (Forgotten Series #1)

Chapter Seventeen

I wanted to cry, to let out deep heaving sobs as Bennett threaded his hand through my hair, his other hand sliding down my cheek and neck to rest on my shoulder. His words were like a punch to the stomach and I felt like I couldn't breathe. I had expected him to hear what I went through, to see all the progress I still had to make and to run the other way. I didn't want him to but I knew it was a high probability that he could. I was broken and no one wanted to deal with the issues that came with that. But he wanted to deal with it with me. He wanted to be with me as I dealt with everything. He was more than I ever could have hoped for. I took in a shuddering breath, the urge to cry was still heavy and I reached over and grasped at his neck, holding the back of it tightly. I never wanted to let him go.

"Don't start crying. Please." There was a faint thread of panic in his voice and I couldn't help the chuckle that escaped my mouth.

"What do you expect, Bennett. You can't tell a female that kind of thing and not expect tears." Amber sounded amused and I pulled away from Bennett, letting him go as I looked at my doctor. She had an edge of sadness around her and I felt guilty for reveling in my bond with my mate in front of her. It felt like I was rubbing salt into an open wound of her. I opened my mouth and she held up a hand. "Don't say what I think you are going to say, Mari. It was my choice." She shook her head slightly and I frowned. She was too observant for her own good sometimes.

"I'm going to go somewhere else and finish reading these, okay?" Bennett waved the papers in his hand and I nodded. He kissed my forehead before leaving, gently closing the door behind him. He had taken everything better than I thought he would but that didn't mean he wasn't upset about it. I could feel his rage, at that moment the whispers were dark and angry. It made for a heavy feeling in the back of my head.

"Now what is going on?" Amber's voice had an edge to it and I knew exactly what she was asking about. I winced slightly, shifting my eyes back and forth, trying to formulate the right words.

"Uncle Jace is-"

"No. The amount of sheer terror you put off is surpassing the amount you used to put off when you first came here. Now tell me." Her tone left me no room for argument or deflection. It was hard and stern, it had no bent or give and I let out a sigh. I had told Davin how I felt but Amber hadn't been there. She hadn't seen what had happened.

"He terrifies me. I don't trust him anymore. He was... aggressive with me." I grimaced at how her eyes narrowed. There was an edge to her that made me almost wary. It was like her wolf was peeking out to look at me and I didn't like the feeling. "How aggressive?" Her tone was low and deadly and I swallowed. Uncle Jace was in trouble, more trouble than he was with me,

"H-He yelled at me and shook me." I swallowed hard before my eyes landed on my lap. I had dark marks on my skin underneath my pants and I winced at that. "He... he left some bruises and h-"

"That son of a bitch!" Amber shouted it out, effectively cutting me off. I jumped as she slammed her hands onto her desk, my gaze snapping to her slowly reddening face. "Two fucking years we've been establishing trust between pack members and your wolf and he fucking blows it!" She got to her feet breathing heavily. Anger hung off of her form and I watched with wide eyes as claws emerged from her fingertips and dug deep grooves into the wood of her desk. Her eyes grew darker and she bolted, kicking open her office door.

I stared after her with wide eyes before I realized what she was doing. "Shit!" The curse slipped out as I jumped out of the chair and raced after her. She was already halfway down the hallway by the time I exited the infirmary.

"Jace!" Her voice was a bellow and I felt my heart pound in my chest as I tried to catch up to her. No matter what Jace did to me I didn't want him hurt. My mind was a tetchy place at times and just because I didn't trust him it didn't mean that I didn't love him.