Nature of the Beast Read online

  Bg looked down at her hands. The skin was red and brown and had cuts and abrasions over them. Like from where she had tried to defend herself and Conall had scratched her up. “I don’t know how you can say that? Don’t worry about how you look…”

  “Looks aren’t why I said I’d go on a date with you.” He replied. “They’re not everything you know.”

  “Well I’m a girl, can’t help but play into the whole looks thing. Never been made to feel insecure before in my life. But this makes me feel ugly and very insecure.” She said holding up her hands and pointing to her battered face. “Even with my date here. Actually probably more because you are here and you get to see this.”

  “Like I said..”

  “Why did you say yes? To our date? Because for a while there, I thought you were just enjoying the chase.”

  Paris looked at her and let out a little smile. “I do enjoy a good challenge, that’s true. But I was never not going to come through on the end request.”

  “So why then?” Bg asked again.

  Paris pursed his lips together. “Now, now, I can’t give away all my secrets in one go. Then you wouldn’t think I was this debonair guy with a touch of mystery around him and what fun would that be?”

  Bg let out a little laugh and groaned as small jolts of pain flared inside her. “You are so predictably evasive. It’s like you rarely answer an answer. I’m beginning to think you have a vast need to keep things close to your chest. That you’re a bit of a control freak.”

  Paris tilted his head and shrugged his shoulders loosely. “Did you just call me a control freak?”

  Bg tried to suppress her smile and winced. “How’s the hospital food?” She joked at him changing the subject.

  “Pretty good considering it’s bound to be take away Chinese or pizza.” He replied solemnly.

  “So I guess we’re not going out tonight.”

  “No.”

  “Bummer.”

  “We’re not going anywhere, either of us, until you’re better and fully healed.” He replied. “I’m not going anywhere without knowing your better than this.”

  “So you plan on livening in Brooklyn then? Cause it feels,” she winced and paused. “Like this might, take awhile to recover from. Like a shape shift isn’t necessarily going to do the trick, this time.”

  He raised an eyebrow and said “So you’re recovery time is normally not real fast?”

  “No, it’s faster than a non’s recovery time.”

  “Of course.” they both said in unison and smiled at one another.

  “But I’ve never been beaten before and never experienced anything physically this bad on my body before. Wouldn’t surprise me if it takes a week to get over. A week of shape shifting. It feels real bad.”

  “Well it’s lunar week, so that might actually be something work in your favour then. And if I have to impose on your family, to make sure you’re okay, I’m not going to be afraid to do that. Part of being an alpha, you’re either born arrogant or you learn when to use, a little bit of arrogance and intimidation to get your way. Either way, I’m staying till your better. So yes.”

  Bg started to laugh and broke into a coughing fit and moaned at all the pain that reverberated through her body. “Which is it for you?”

  “I’d like to think I’m not that arrogant, and I learned when to use the skills I have at my disposal for when it truly matters.” He smiled softly at her. He looked at her cautiously and lightly stroked her hand. “Bg there’s something I have to ask you before the others get back here with the food. It’s highly personal. But I need you to answer me on it. Doctor Wagner did a full examination of you. A full physical.” He paused letting the words sink in for her.

  “She said there weren’t any signs of forced sexual intercourse. I need to know if you remember if Conall…” He trailed off, unable to bring himself to say the word, as it formed a heavy lump in his throat. “If he forced himself onto you in the fight.” Bg looked away from him. Down at her bedding. There was bits of blood over it, clearly where she’d been laid down before being put under the covers.

  “Son of a bitch, I’m going to skin him alive!” Paris swore angrily.

  “No!” Bg said loudly looking back at him. “No killing, no skinning.” She sighed and paused for a breath. “This is so embarrassing…” she muttered to herself out loud.

  “Hey, don’t talk like that.” He said watching her internal conflict play out in her good eye.

  “Well it’s true okay? You know this is stuff you should probably find out about upfront anyway right? Saves with the whole issue of dating and delayed information gathering right?” She stopped and looked over at him, sucking up more drool from the corner of her swollen mouth.

  “Why don’t you let me be the judge of that?”

  She gulped down saliva. “I think he tried to uh, you know, and I tried to stop him, he only got his fingers in.” Bg said choking on the last two words and breaking into tears suddenly.

  “Hey, hey, it’s alright. Everything going to be alright sweetheart.” Paris replied softly moving quickly to sit beside her on the bed and cradle her against his chest. “Everything’s alright, Paris is here now.” He said not only to her, but to himself as he cradled her sobbing figure gently. “I got you. I got you. I’m not going anywhere without you. You’re safe, you’re safe.”

  The bedroom door opened and Boden walked in with Pizza boxes in hand and paused seeing the scene unfolding before him. Paris turned his head to look at the other male. “Could you let Bodil know our girl is awake.” Boden nodded his head silently and backed out of the room again. Bg slowed down her sobbing and got herself under control as Paris stroked her hair off her face.

  “Ugh, I’m such a mess.” She said her voice muffled into his chest. “You’re so warm and nice.”

  “Happy to be of service to my date. It’s the least I could do.”

  Bg turned her head and looked up at him. “Some date I am. I must look like some sort of zombie prom queen.” She joked pulling apart from him as she wiped at the tears on her face. The bedroom door opened again and Bodil walked over to the bed looking at her sister with a big smile on her face.

  “Hey, so good to see you’ve finally decided to join us.” She said as Paris lowered his arms so Bg could extract herself from him, so the two sisters could talk. “You had the big guy worried you know?” Bodil replied nodding her head at Paris.

  “Was not.” Paris pouted playfully, moving back off the bed.

  “We’re too.” Bodil taunted him standing beside the bed, looking back at him with her sister.

  “It’s she said he said, never hold up in a court of law.” Paris replied flippantly.

  “What do you think Bg?” Bodil asked her sister with a warm smile spreading over her face. Bg looked at her sister, she looked tired. Between the ongoing drama of their father in hospital, trying to run the Breukelen pack and now her own drama, it must be taking a toll on her, or about to. Still it was nice that she was trying to make Bg feel better about her lousy circumstances.

  “I think, I really need to work on shifting away all this pain.”

  “The pain killers wearing off again.” Bodil asked watching her sister wince.

  “Yep.”

  “Well that’s a good sign then, the faster the pain killers are wearing off the faster it means you’re werewolf metabolism is gearing up again. It’s a warped way of saying, you’re getting better, basically.”

  “Lovely.” Bg muttered dryly. “Fan fucking-furry-tastic only in a werewolf’s world would pain be the measuring stick for better. Which by the way is fucked.” Bg growled.

  “Alright, then, well you must be feeling better, cause your foul mouth has returned, so I will leave you two alone so you can uh…get started on the healing process.” Bodil replied floundering over her words uncomfortably as the thought of her sister with a man, suddenly became an uncomfortable one she didn’t need. Especially considering all her sister had been through in th
e last twenty-four hours.

  They both watched as Bodil left them alone in the room again. “That was not at all subtle was it?” She asked as Paris shook his head in response. “Well now, our date is really going to get awkward.” Bg replied with a nervous laugh. “As if the hospital bedside manner thing isn’t enough, and looking after a weakling werewolf.”

  “Hey, stop being so harsh on my date. I like her. Let’s call her a damsel in distress okay?”

  “Seems appropriate.” Bg replied glancing over at herself appointed protector.

  “So where does the awkward come in, given all that’s already gone down?” Paris asked curiously. “I would have thought we’d covered that.”

  “Well, other than looking this ugly, having my date see me in such a state.”

  “Yes other than that.” Paris remarked.

  “Other than having my date find me half naked.”

  “Other than that.” He replied.

  “I need to shape shift and uh…” She trailed off looking at Paris. He was so beautiful. His whole body emanated a powerful presence. It made her wonder what he saw in her. Especially at the current moment. She wasn’t her sister, she didn’t live to fight, and she wasn’t nearly as stubborn. Which Bg had noted, most guys seemed drawn to with Bodil. They took it like a challenge.

  “You can’t do it with me around?” He finished for her. “Of course, sometimes I forgot that people still consider it a highly personal aspect of themselves.”

  “Yes.” She replied quickly, blushing pink. “I don’t want you to see that, not like this.”

  Paris pulled back from her stiffly. Part of him understood it. Knew what she wasn’t saying. Shape shifting varied from werewolf to werewolf. Add to that certain circumstances and environments and it was no wonder Bg suddenly felt out of her comfort zone. She barely knew him. Paris and her were supposed to be on a first date. He guessed even though their date had fallen through, that if they had gone through with it, she wouldn’t have been showing her entire naked body on the first date. Or her wolf. Most werewolves were of the mentality that it was an intimate privilege to reveal that kind of thing to another soul.

  “You have nothing to be ashamed of you know.” He said pushing off the bed gently.

  She lowered her head before speaking to him. “I just, I can’t with you. Not yet.”

  “It’s alright, really. I understand, well I’ll leave you to it. I’ll be right outside your door.” He said standing before her. Bg looked up at him and held his gaze. Was he disappointed in her now? What kind of first date was she? He saves her, and she then says he can’t watch over her while she shape shifts.

  “I feel ashamed.” She blurted out quickly

  His jaw tightened and a muscle twitched spasmodically in it. “Don’t.” he ground out. His anger not directed at her or intended for her.

  “Easier said than done, I think.” She replied softly gazing up at him.

  Paris jammed his hands in his pants pockets and turned around. “Only if you let this thing, get to you. Then he wins Bg. You have no reason to feel that way. I hope, I’m not somehow making you inadvertently feel ashamed of yourself. Because I’m not ashamed of you. Nobody here is ashamed of you. We all understand what happened and for you to wear this thing like its blame, is crazy talk. Conall knew what he was doing to you Bg. He’s a big enough boy to know that hitting a person doesn’t solve anything and that using violence over someone who’s no match in size and strength for you, is so very far beyond unfair, that’s not just wrong, it’s grossly wrong. He knows the difference between right and wrong and how to treat someone with kindness, respect and dignity. He knew what he was going to do, the minute he opened that door. You said it yourself. He came in attacking you.”

  Bg’s eyes started to water “I know. Everything your saying makes complete sense.” She looked away from him back down at her bed spread, covered body. “Can you send my sister in again, please.”

  “Sure.” He said looking back at her tenderly before walking out of the room and leaving Bg alone, briefly with her thoughts. If she’d have had the ability to hide her face in her hands and groan at how her date was going, she would have. Bodil Sommers appeared again quickly and walked over to her sister’s bedside.

  “Do you think love hates me and this is why this is happening to me?” Bg asked her sister.

  “What? What kind of stupid question is that?”

  “Why’d it happen to me? Why’d Paris have to see me like this? It hurts me more to see how he looks at me like this than all the injuries in my body combined.” Bg replied softly.

  Bodil sat beside her on the edge of the bed. “You really like him don’t you?” Bg nodded her head. Bodil reached out to brush her sister’s hair back over her shoulder. “How could love possibly hate someone like you? You deserve love, a wrewolf with a good heart. I’ve got a good feeling about Paris. I don’t think he’s the kind of shallow guy who would otherwise look at what’s happened here and run away from it all. He looks at you with love. He can handle this, not because he’s an alpha, but because he’s loving you, all of you. Clearly the werewolf sees something special in you that appeals to him, bruises, blood and all.” Bg looked over at her sister.

  “You think? You don’t think he’s just hanging round out of a sense of obligation or you know, so everything is alright between packs?”

  “Trust me.” She replied smiling broadly at her sister. “That’s not why he’s hanging around. Why would it be? I think, you need to let go of the negative baggage that Conall Wakely managed to lump you with. If you’re going to date Paris, you have to remember that it’s not foolish to believe not all werewolves are the same. There are good ones, ones that are better than others. Paris is one of those. Keep that in mind while you’re in here. Okay? The guy could have left you after he found you, or placed an anonymous call to nine one-one. He didn’t. I think, it’s alright to let your heart dream a little with this guy.” Bodil smiled at her.

  Bg smiled slightly back at her sister before wincing at the stinging pain of her skin pulling tight and splitting fresh on one of her facial cuts. “You’re such a hopeless romantic Bg, I’d really hate to see this thing with Conall jade you and for you to miss the wolf that you shouldn’t not pay attention to.”

  “As someone’s who’s recently experienced love, I should trust you?” Bg asked her quickly.

  “That and seniority. I know more than you by three years.”

  “Smart ass.” Bg muttered. “You just love lauding the sonority card don’t you?”

  Bodil nodded her head. “Saying you’re older has to be good for something, little sis.”

  “Hmm, well I did ask you in here for a reason other than matters of the heart, or even, my heart. I ugh, don’t think I can shape shift by myself.”

  “Oh, no problem.” Bodil replied standing up again.

  “No offense, but I’d rather it was a male helping me.” Bg replied softly.

  Bodil’s eyes opened wide. There were different ways to shape shift. Most of the best ways to shape shift, involved one on one physical contact. Like sex. It was the easiest option to bring on a shift.

  “As in…”

  “No!” Bg cried out. “Do I look like I’m in any condition to have sex with anyone?” She fired back at her sister in a highly annoyed tone of voice “And if I did, don’t you think I’d prefer it was with Paris?” she hissed at her in a loudly hushed voice.

  “Right.” Bodil agreed.

  “Right and since I’m kind of still in the getting to know the guy stage and that’s not going quite the way I had planned, I’ d rather not have to do this with him, just yet, so can I borrow one of the boys for a little help?”

  “Uh yeah, of course, just uh..” Bodil trailed off and both girls looked at each other silently. It was just that, of all the men currently in the Sommers, house, out of the three of those available, two of them were Bodil’s boyfriends.

  Bg knew about her sister’s unique, three way relati
onship with Nick and Boden. Of course she didn’t want to be so intimate with her sister’s boyfriends. Not on purpose and she didn’t want to make anyone uncomfortable but she just knew she couldn’t shape shift herself this time. Her mind wasn’t clear enough to make it start working right. Shape shifting could be done alone. With self focus or the right conditions. Neither of which Bg had currently.

  “I don’t want to call anyone else in on this, I mean, look at me. I don’t want this known by the entire pack that I don’t know how to fight or to make them think I had it coming for breaking up with Conall.”

  Bodil’s eyes snapped onto her sister’s face. It was black and blue and grey all over. Her right eye was almost swollen completely shut. And the right side of her face was as equally swollen and odd shaped. Pink bits of flesh showed the cuts and abrasions on her face and arms.

  “Never let me hear you say that. He is in the wrong here. Not you and he will be punished for this. By the pack under my judgement.”

  “Bodil, please just..”

  “Bg, I will get one of the guys to help you, but you do not get a say in how I deal with Conall Wakely for this. Understand that, in my capacity as one of the acting alpha’s of this pack, that is out of your reach.” Bodil replied turning around and walking back to the doorway.

  “Bodil you should know he didn’t…you know, I mean it was an assault…. Paris told me about what the Doctor said and..” Bodil turned around.

  “I’m relieved to hear that. But that doesn’t excuse the rest of what he did to you. Ever.” she replied angrily. Her voice made Bg wonder what Bodil’s pack punishment would be for Conall. “I’ll get someone to come back here to help you out. Do you have a preference between Nick and Boden” Bodil asked awkwardly. She didn’t want to share either of her boyfriends in such an intimate way with anyone. But she was a big enough person to know how beneficial this was to her sister’s recovery, since she lacked the abilities of an alpha werewolf to heal.

  “Nick.” Bg replied quickly.

  Bodil released a small sigh of relief. Nick she could handle a lot better than if it were Boden she’d have to ask to do this thing for her. Probably because prior to hooking up with her, Nick could be seen as somewhat of a playboy player. Boden and Bodil however, were something else. They were private as far as she was concerned.