Chapter 76

Charles

I smiled. I was impressed that she knew what it was.

"What's that?" Kelly asked.

"It doesn't matter," Grace said, her voice thick. "I-I..."

I reached out, cupping her jaw and drawing her closer. I pressed our foreheads together until she met my eyes, likely shocked at how natural that felt.

"I know how much Eason means to you," I whispered. "So you know I will do all that I can."

Her eyes filled with tears, and she shook her head. "I-It's all my fault. If--"

"The WSU isn't an organization that sees reason," I said. "If they sent these people here to hurt you, they would have sent them here whether you married Devin or not because of who your parents are."

Her eyes widened. "Don't take responsibility for the actions of bigots. You'll destroy yourself."

I kissed her forehead. "Stay back, you understand?"

She nodded shakily, and I released her, turning and crossing the room. I avoided the blood for the sake of the crime scene as I approached the containment area. Eason had gone still, leaned against the wall, and stared out into nothing.

As I breached the containment area, I kept my eyes on him, but he didn't move. That wasn't a good sign. I crouched beside him and wondered what I should do. He had shifted, but that didn't mean he'd lost all his more human faculties.

My instincts said I should play it safe, so I rumbled at him.

Pack.

He blinked and turned his head. His eyes glowed as he stared at me with a look I had seen enough when I went to the Asylum to visit and try to pull people out of themselves. My gut clenched with despair and lack of hope.

I rumbled at him again.

Speak?

He blinked again. His brow furrowed as he stared at me.

Speak? I tried a little more desperately. Say something, little one.

He blinked again. My jaw trembled, and my throat felt tight with grief.

"Eason, can you hear me?"

His eyes shuttered closed, and he shivered.

"How did you do that?"I let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding when he spoke. His eyes still glowed. He was still pale with shock, but he was speaking words, not just rumbling at me. "I could... I could hear you, but not..."

"It's a lycan thing," I said gently. "Is it alright if I touch you? I just want to be sure you're not hurt."

He looked at me, then behind me at the Enforcers. He went still.

"Window. Glass. Blood--"

"Look at me, Eason." His breath started to speed up. I could see his mind slipping again. I reached out and grabbed him by the back of his neck and growled.

"Look at me." His attention snapped to me, staring up at me. "Breathe slowly, and focus on me. You can do that, can't you?"

He nodded shakily.

"Are you hurt?"

He blinked and jerked. His eyes grew distant before coming back, and he shook his head and shuddered. He was so cold to touch. I shrugged out of my jacket and put it around him before pulling him closer to me and stroking his head.

"Y-Your shirt."

"I can get a new one. I need to make sure you're okay first, alright?"

He rumbled and turned his face into my chest. "K-Kelly?"

"She's just fine. Barely a scratch on her."

"The kids?" He asked, his voice thick as he clung to me and sniffled.

"They didn't even wake up."

He let out a shuddering breath, shaking and crying as I rocked him.

"It's alright, Eason. Take deep breaths." I urged gently, my voice a soothing presence amidst the turmoil that had engulfed him. A bit of the fear started to subside. Maybe the shock wasn't that deep. Not yet, anyway.

"I'm sorry," he sobbed. "I'm so sorry."

"Eason, you--"

"I never meant for any of this to happen. I didn't think they'd be crazy enough to attack the house."

My eyes widened as he sobbed into my chest. "If anything had happened to Cecil or Richard... If Kelly... I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have come back here. I just wanted to-- to--"

"Eason, what are you--"

I pressed a finger to my lips, signaling Grace to stop as Eason cried and sobbed.

"Eason," I said gently. "Will you let me clean you up, and we'll talk about it?"

He sniffled, clinging to me. "Is Grace going to be okay with that?"

I chuckled and looked back at Grace, who looked at a loss for words.

"I think she'll want to be there for this talk."

"Okay."

Grace was stiff and silent after I'd gotten Eason on his feet and helped him down the hall. The suit was absolutely ruined, but I was filled with hope that maybe Eason would be okay. Kelly retreated to a guest room after one of the Enforcers put bruise paste on her face. She ran a hot bath for him, and I grabbed a few potions from my room to pour into the tub for him. It wasn't real shock treatment, but it was a good start.

After we hosed him down in the shower, he sank into the warm bath with a soft sigh. The bruises that should have been there, based on Kelly's statement, were gone.

The lycan in him had taken over. It happened, but it was rare and difficult to manage, and the main reason I'd had the Asylum built years ago. I'd managed to get a few people back on their feet and back out into the world after short stays, but not everyone.

The thought of having to put Eason there churned my stomach.

It would have been crushing for Grace and the kids and such a waste of his potential.

"You can start wherever you want," I said, rolling up my clean shirt sleeves to dump shampoo in my hands.

"Are you really going to bathe me like a child?"

I laughed. "I'll at least wash your hair."

"That wasn't a complaint."

Grace let out a little scoff. "Eason, really?"

His lips twitched, but his face was still oddly flat. Grace sat on the toilet as I worked the lather into his hair. He melted against the back of the tub as expected. The warmth of the water was warming him, but there was a bit of color back into his cheeks, too.

A stable, protective presence usually helped.

"I've been attacked by the WSU before. That's why I keep moving apartments, hoping they wouldn't find me or just give up." He paused. "It's why I'm hardly ever at my actual office."

"Eason..." Grace whispered.

"I never thought they'd come here." He shuddered. "I tried so hard to... make sure that no one knew I was staying here f-for more than a few days. I just... I'm so sorry for endangering the kids for everything."

Tears welled up in Eason's eyes, and he bowed his head in shame.

My jaw clenched.

"Eason, why didn't you tell us about this before?" I asked, my voice stern but not accusatory. I needed to understand the full scope of the situation.

Eason's shoulders slumped further, and he hesitated before answering.

"I was scared. I didn't want to cause any trouble, and I thought it would blow over. But... it never did."

"Why are they attacking you?" I asked.

"I... used to date the son of a prominent member," he said, his lips twitching. "It was a secret. I was... We were in love, I guess, but when his dad found out, he turned on me."

His eyes turned dark. "It was one thing for him to be gay. It was another thing for me to be who I am. I guess his dad always knew about Mom. That was... years ago, in college, but they still won't leave me alone. I haven't talked to him or even seen him in years."

He pulled his knees to his chest. "I came back to Mooncrest thinking I'd be safe, but then with Devin's bullshit and everything... things started happening again. I got jumped on my way to my office and headed from my apartment. I got away, but I had them move me out the same day. I move every month or so... never the same place twice if I can help it."

I winced. "That had to be expensive."

"I own my car, and it's a witch-made car."

I grinned. "How'd you make that happen?"

He smiled. "I had an exchange program in Selene after we broke up. I wanted the security."

He sighed. "I would have just stayed... but I couldn't leave Grace in Mooncrest with Devin for longer than it took to not be so angry and hurt."

I smiled. "You're loyal."

"I guess so."

"I want a name," Grace growled. I looked at her and smiled.

Of course, she did.