Chapter 176

When I blink my eyes open, I’m in my bed in the Pyramid. Steven is beside me, resting on the edge of the bed. My ribs ache, but the pain isn’t so all-encompassing this time. It’s more a dull thrum, present, unavoidable, but not overwhelming.

“You have several broken ribs,” Steven says. He delivers the news with a cool, scientific authority. “Fortunately none punctured your lungs or other vital organs.”

“I’m alive?” I ask, half-joking, half-not because I do feel like hell on earth. Like I got hit by a pickup truck or smashed by fallen space debris.

Or beat up by a werewolf.

“Yes,” Steven says, in the same detached way. “You are alive.”

I worried him, that much is clear. For him to be retreating into himself like this, so much like when I first met him. I wince as I lift my hand from under the covers.

“You need rest,” he says, but doesn’t move to stop me as I stretch out my arm and place my hand over his where it sits atop the mattress. He looks down at it, then sighs, and some of his seriousness slips away.

“How are the others?” I ask.

“You were nearly beaten to a pulp, and you want to know about my brothers?” Steven shoots me a look that’s more fond than not, so I figure I’m okay to ask despite his words otherwise.

“They didn’t kill Wyatt, did they?” I ask, remembering how Beau mentioned he was going to rip Wyatt’s throat out with his teeth.

“No,” Steven says. His lips twitch, an almost frown. “Though he certainly would have it coming.”

“He’s a sore loser,” I say.

“Worse than that,” Steven bites out. He takes a deep breath. “Archer and Beau only verbally berated him. When you passed out, their attention shifted.”

“To me?”

“To you,” he confirms. “Though I can assure you, Wyatt will never be allowed near you again.”

“That’s sweet, Steven, but we live in the same house.”

“Not for much longer,” Steven says. “His time as our Beta is numbered. We’ve all already decided. We just need Neil to feel a bit better so that we can conduct the official ceremony.”

“There’s a ceremony for that?” I ask, but I know it’s a stupid question. There seems to be a ceremony for everything around here. Neil, as the oldest, would likely need to preside over it. They would have to wait for one of his strong days, before…

Wait.

At once, my promise to Neil comes flooding back to me. I told him I would go see him the minute the fight was over, the moment I was free.

Just by being here, in bed, I am breaking that vow.

Gathering all of my strength, I throw back the covers of my bed.

Steven stands at once, alarmed. “What are you doing?”

“I have to see Neil,” I say. My chest hurts something fierce, but my will is strong. I have to get to Neil, no matter what. A promise is a promise. And it shouldn’t be that far, just down the hall. Compared to everything else I’ve been through, this should be nothing.

It still takes the wind out of me, as I push myself out of my bed and up to my feet.

“You need to stay in bed, Chloe. Rest. Recover. Neil will understand,” Steven says. He places a hand to the small of my back, steadying me. He’s always been the nicest one, never one to force me to do anything.

I feel bad taking advantage of that kindness now.

I take a step forward. Gods, it hurts. Steven moves with me.

Another step. Another. Every step is agony. But a promise is a promise. And Neil is worth the pain.

Steven stays by my side the entire way. He sighs heavily for most of it, or grumbles under his breath, or tries to convince me, though he should know by now that it won’t work.

“Please get back in bed.”

“Chloe, please.”

“You need to rest.”

And finally, “You are as stubborn as Neil is.”

Eventually, I make to Neil’s room. The door is open, a nurse and Beau are inside.

“What the hell is this?” Beau demands. He jumps to his feet. “Steven?”

“She wanted to see Neil,” Steven says.

Meanwhile, Neil looks away from the nurse. His eyes lock on mine. Right now, for the check-up, his heart is attached to the monitor and it beeps loud and quick, near out of control.

“Neil,” I say. It’s more a gasp, for how tired and pained I am.

Neil holds open his arms.

Beau guides the nurse back a few steps. “Best not get in the way here,” Beau tells her.

“I’m not finished,” the nurse says.

“Finish after this,” Beau says.

I wobble forward. Steven stays at my back. The last two steps I make on my own, however, and then, blessedly, I am close enough to slump onto Neil’s bed. I roll into him.

His arms come around me, but he’s gentle, mindful of my ribs. He places his hands one my shoulders instead and kisses my forehead.

“I’m sorry I’m late,” I tell him, when I can breathe again enough to speak.

“Better late than never,” he says. “Though you have a valid excuse.”

I hum and turn my nose toward him, inhaling his pleasant scent.

Being a werewolf would have helped me during my fight today, but it would have also kept me from doing this. Only because I couldn’t feel the silver, could I feel the closeness of Neil’s person. I could listen to his heartbeat through his chest, and not just in the monitor.

After a while, the nurse steps closer again and continues her work.

“Sorry,” I mumble to her. I feel sleep pulling me under, safe and warm as I am.

“It’s fine,” the nurse says, and sounds bemused. “It’s nice to see young people in love.”

Love. That’s not what this is. But I don’t have it in me to argue. I’m far too tired for that. Surprisingly, neither Neil, Beau, nor Steven correct her either.

She finishes Neil’s checkup best as she can without jostling either of us, then heads to the door. Steven goes with her, to see her out. Wyatt’s duties, it seems, have been limited even more than before.

When Neil and I are alone with Beau, Beau steps into my line of vision. His arms are crossed. “You both are the worst. You want to kill me early. At this rate, I’ll have a heart attack by the time I’m forty, I swear.”

“Well, sorry,” Neil says, smiling. “But you are stuck with us.”

I don’t want to remind them that while Beau might be stuck with Neil, he is most certainly not stuck with me. At least, not after the next week and a half.

A new pain forms in my chest. This one has nothing to do with the broken ribs.

It might have something to do with a broken heart.

I’ve gotten so used to these boys, and to Mia. To this place.

How would I ever say goodbye?

As I lamented my cracking heart, Neil must have been hardening his.

“Beau,” he says.

“Hm?” Beau replies.

Neil, voice strong, tells him, “Prepare the ceremony to remove Wyatt as our Beta. Make it as soon as possible.”

“But your health,” Beau begins.

“I don’t care if I have to be wheeled there,” Neil says. “I want that asshole out of our lives.”

He looks down at me.

“Out of Chloe’s life.”

It’s a kind thought, but impossible. Wyatt is my step-brother. In a week and a half, he will just find me again. And this time, I won’t have the brothers to protect me.

Hopefully my ribs heal by then.

Next time I face him, I’ll be alone.