Unmarked Mates

Chapter 24: "If you play with fire, you'll get burned"

Terry POV

I wake up with the aching of my wound, strong and very irritating. I didn't sleep well because many people I had hurt im my past screamed in my head last night. I look, and Kiana, Pearl's wolf, curled next to me on one side, Doggy on the other, and Danny is sleeping soundly on the other bed.

Fuck, I got rusty; some years ago, Dylan wouldn't be able to pull something like that and take me by surprise, not to mention that a werewolf brat had managed to turn off my phone and hide in my car, and I didn't notice.

I slowly get up and go to the bathroom to check my wound, it hurts like hell, but I'll be okay. I clean myself and go to wake up Danny and Pearl. We shouldn't stay here any longer than necessary. As they get ready, I take the dog out and call Aunty Mae and Ivory to tell them again that everything is alright and we will be back very soon.

We are already in the diner by the roadside for breakfast an hour later. Pearl isn't very talkative, so I presume she is still tired after everything recently. Danny looks sad, sadder than the last time I've seen him.

I take a sip of coffee and say:

"How are you feeling, don't say okay when I can see you are not. Danny, what's going on?"

He gulps and says everything is normal, and I just imagine things. He looks straight into my face, but I'm sure he is lying.

"Danny, I know that Brandon was cheating on you," I say, and he shifts uncomfortably. "But is that it? Has he only done that?"

"And that's not enough?" he hisses, then sighs heavily. "We have problems. I presume every newlywed couple has problems."

"No, Danny. Newlywed couples are happy, and they shouldn't have problems."

"What is happening in my relationship is not your business," he says in a defensive voice, but his hands are slightly shaking. "And Brandon is my true mate; he can't hurt me."

"Anthony was Mae's true mate, and you know what happened to her."

That's actually when his lips start trembling as well; he looks teary and ashamed but never less says:

"Brandon still loves Fiona, and he just needs more time. I also have some doubts, and we just need more time to figure it out."

"Danny," I reach and put my hand on his giving it a gentle squeeze, "I'm worried about you. Please remember that you can tell me everything. I'm on your side. And please remember that if Brandon hurt you, it wasn't your fault."

He averts his eyes. Clearly, he doesn't want to speak about it. Brandon is out of the pack for now, so I must hurry. If Alyssa is right, I need to know what is happening in their house before he comes back home. But Danny keeps ignoring my following questions, clearly unhappy that I ask them.

Well, first things first, I think. For now, we must make sure that we will come back home safely. Pearl is sleeping during our ride, and Danny and I stay quiet. I'm in pain, and he doesn't want to talk more, especially about himself and Brandon.

As we come closer to the town, Danny moves the car into the woods, where Aunty Mae will wait for us. He and Pearl help me step out of the car when she suddenly sniffs the air.

"Werewolves in the woods," she whispers, and then everything is happening so fast.

I pull Pearl towards myself as two wolves jump on us, pushing Pearl and me to one side and Danny to the other. They growl lowly but don't try to sink their teeth in us, I push Pearl more behind me, knowing well that I can't do anything, but thankfully Doggy jumps from the car and crashes into our attacker.