Running In Fear: Coming Home (2 page)

Lifting her tired body, Dane swept her up in his arms and stepped off the stage. Jaycee curled into his hold as he headed for the exit. She covered their bodies in coats as they stepped outside in the snow.

Jaycee stayed in Dane's lap all the way back to her cabin. Remi drove as Mark rode in the passenger seat and Jaycee sat with Dane in the back seat. They pulled into the driveway.

“Do you want to take a run with us before we go into the cabin?” Remi asked.

Jaycee smiled up at him and nodded. Dane opened the back door for her.

She knew it was going to be cold at first when she shifted. She didn't want to ruin her dress so she waved her hands, sending her clothes into the cabin while she shifted to her wolf form. She watched her men do the same and send their clothes to the cabin.

Dane and Remi's wolves were almost identical; black as night, but Remi was twice the size of Dane, built solidly with muscles covering his body. Dane's body was lean, but still huge compared to her small size. Mark's coat was white as the snow except for a black front paw, and he was the same size as Dane. Remi nudged her head, urging her to run, and so she did. Jaycee took off with Remi and Dane running beside her and Mark behind, protecting her.

Jaycee's wolf smelled a rabbit and took off after it. Her mates were nipping at her butt trying to turn her around to head in another direction. She growled, but went where they pushed her. Jaycee jumped out ahead of them, leaping onto a fallen tree and watching her mates run towards her. She was laughing inside when something knocked her off the tree and growled at her. She looked up into the face of a leopard. She knew who it was from her smell, even before looking up. Jack's mate, Belinda. Jaycee slipped out of the feline's grasp, but not soon enough. The cat's claws ripped into Jaycee's shoulder. Burning pain and blood oozed from her wound.

Jaycee shifted into her beast form knowing her wolf form was no contest for a leopard, swiping Belinda in the face with her claws and sending her flying back into a tree, Jack jumped in front of his mate in his human form, growling at Jaycee. Jaycee was pushed behind Remi, and his beast growled at Jack.

Jaycee shifted back to her human form, dressing herself even though her arm was killing her. “Remi, please let him calm down,” Jaycee begged, holding onto his waist, hugging his back. “Let him take her home. We'll deal with this later. I'm tired, Remi. Take me home,” Jaycee whispered, finally feeling Remi relax.

Jack turned his back on Remi, picked up his mate as she shifted to her human form, and cradled her body against his. Her head rested on his chest as she stared up at his frowning face.

* * * *

Remi swung his mate up in his arms and glared at Jack's retreating back. He would love to go rip his heart out, but knew Jaycee was fond of him. He turned and nodded to Dane and Mark as they took off running to the cabin.

Jaycee whimpered in his arms as they neared the cabin.

“You're hurt. I can smell your blood. She should be dead!” Remi growled, as the door flew open to the cabin.

Marsha was there, lighting candles. Remi watched her carefully as Jaycee looked around the cabin, her expression shocked when she saw the candles, rose petals scattered all over the floor, and the fire blaring. She turned her gaze up to Remi and caressed his cheek.

Remi carried her over to the fire and gently laid her down on the big down comforter. He stood back and watched as Marsha came over and whispered something to Jaycee. Jaycee's top disappeared when Marsha knelt down and inspected the wounds. She growled, looking up at Remi. “Who attacked her?”

“Jack's mate got to her before we could do anything. That bastard Jack even growled at Jaycee!” Remi snarled as Dane and Mark paced back and forth. Marsha sat quietly for a moment, and then she nodded her head, working on Jaycee's wound.

“My son and alpha Bo is on his way and he's furious. He will take care of Jack and his mate. This will be dealt with tonight,” Marsha snapped and pulled out a bottle of some stinky stuff, pouring it into Jaycee's wound.

Remi wanted desperately to pick Jaycee up and hold her, but knew he would only hinder the healing process. When Belinda had attacked Jaycee, he could have sworn his heart stopped when he realized what would happen if he ever lost her.

“Damn, that hurts!” Jaycee flinched, and tried to move away from Marsha.

“Hush, now shift to your beast and it will heal. Then we need to talk.” Marsha stood back and watched as Jaycee shifted. When Jaycee shifted back to her human form, she clothed herself in jeans and a sweater.

Remi moved to gather her in his arms but Marsha held up her hand, stopping him. He frowned, but held back.

“Jaycee sit, we need to talk.” Marsha paced back and forth in front of Jaycee's chair. “What you did tonight to her was uncalled for. I mean, come on, telling her that you could take her mate away earlier just added to the problems. It's no wonder she attacked you. I'd do the same if you threatened to take my mate!” Marsha yelled, glaring at her.

Jaycee looked at him, but they didn't say a word.

“So I was supposed to say nothing, while she attacked me in my own home? Plus, I thought all that was behind us when we talked afterward,” Jaycee grumbled, staring back at Marsha.

Remi turned as Bo stormed into the cabin with Shelly. Shelly ran to Jaycee. “Are you alright? Did you give that bitch some shit?” she asked, her eyes roaming over Jaycee's her body, checking her.

“I'm fine Shelly, she got my shoulder, but Marsha already healed it. Right now, I'm getting yelled at for my behavior earlier when we were all here in the cabin.” Jaycee snarled at Marsha. But the older woman just stared back at her.

Remi didn't know if he liked anyone yelling at his mate. He could feel Jaycee's pain and hurt as Marsha disciplined her, but she was right, so he kept quiet for now.

“You're an alpha. You need to start acting like one and ignore little nibs like that. You're not a teenager. We're talking about mates. You know how you felt when you saw your mates with that other woman. Well think about how Belinda must have felt!” Marsha demanded.

There was silence for a moment, then Marsha asked, “Did you hurt Jack's mate when she attacked you?”

Remi flinched as Marsha yelled those words.

Dane's thoughts snapped into Remi's head.
Damn it! Did she have to remind Jaycee of our biggest mistake? We're trying to make it up to her. We don't need it flung in her face.

Remi nodded, but kept his gaze on his mate.

“What was I supposed to do? Let her rip me apart and hurt my baby?” Jaycee got up, shouting back at her. “Of course I hurt her, but it could have been worse. I was easy on her! She'll have some marks on her face, that's all.” Jaycee growled, her beast close to the surface. Remi had had enough. He stepped close to her and pulled her tense body to his. He wrapped his hands around her and hugged her.

“You did nothing wrong out there, Baby. I'm proud that you protected our child. I know you held back,” Remi whispered. He turned, looking down at Marsha.

Suddenly, a pounding on the front door broke the tension.
Now what the hell!

His mate tensed and she sniffed the air.
Crap, Belinda.

Jaycee growled against his chest when Bo threw open the door, snarling. “What the hell have you two done?” Bo yelled, staring down at Jack. His mate stood next to him, holding her face, blood dripped down her fingers.

“I didn't know Belinda was going to attack. We were running when she took off. I didn't mean to … well you know what I did,” he said, staring at Remi.

Remi growled and would have rearranged his face, but he held onto Jaycee and kissed the top of her head. Dane moved up next to them and kissed her cheek. All three of them wanted everyone out of the cabin, but he didn't see it coming anytime soon.

“Are you going to just let us stand out here? I need Marsha to heal me here!” Jack's mate growled, glaring at Jaycee.

Remi and Dane tried to hold their mate back, but it was impossible. She ripped out of their arms and stalked to Belinda. He sighed, knowing this wasn't going to be good.

“Okay, that's it. First she comes into my home, then she attacks me, and now she comes here and growls at me again, demanding to be healed.” Jaycee sent her powers out, throwing Belinda back into the snow with Jack.

Remi followed her outside, making sure no one touched her.

Jack jumped in front of his mate, growling, but Jaycee wasn't having any of it. She picked him up with her powers, setting him away from her, holding him there. She advanced on Belinda, snarling.

Remi stepped up when others from their pack came out of the woods, growling. She stopped, staring at them all. Jaycee turned to Bo. He shook his head, stepping up to her. He stood straight, his gaze never missing anything, always alert to protect those in his pack.

“What were you going to do to her, kill her?” Bo demanded. Jaycee backed away from him as Remi stepped up and wrapped his arms around her, supporting her. He snarled at the other leopards, his glare fierce. They hesitated and turned to look at Bo.

“No, I would never do that to Jack. I was just going to have it out with her. You know, try and get to the bottom of this. It has to stop. Jack is like family to me,” Jaycee whispered, lowering her head and showing her respect to Bo.

Remi watched as Bo pushed his hand through his hair. He looked down at Jack's mate, growling at her. He reached down and picked her up off the ground.

“Go into the cabin, Belinda, and wait,” he said looking at his mate, Sheila.

As the female leopard shifter walked toward the cabin Bo spoke to Jaycee. “If you want to end this, then do it civilly. No attacking, talk to her. She's nice Jaycee. You would like her if you talked to her. We'll all wait out here. We won't interfere unless we hear furniture breaking or screaming.”

Pulling her out of his arms, Remi let her go, knowing she needed to settle it.

“If Belinda harms one hair on my mate, I will personally take it out on you, Bo. She's carrying our child!” Remi growled, and stepped into Bo's personal space.

Bo nodded, but he pushed Jaycee towards the cabin.

Remi stood out in the snow with his wolf mates and watched his mate enter the cabin facing her attacker.

* * * *

Jaycee closed the door and stood watching Belinda sitting by the fire. Without a word, Jaycee walked into the kitchen, grabbed a dish towel and wet it. She strolled back into the living room and handed the wet towel to Belinda, then sat down across from her, and stared at the fire.

“I apologize for what I said before dinner. I would never try to take Jack. He loves you. Anyone can see that. Belinda, he's family to me, like a big brother.” Jaycee glanced up at her. The leopard shifter held the dish towel to her face.

“Bo tells me that I would like you if I got to know you. I would like that. I have a feeling I'll be coming around here more now that we're going to add on to the cabin and I don't want to interfere with your clan. I have my two clans to deal with at home.” She sighed, and shifted in the chair.

Belinda stared at her for a moment. “I don't know what to say. Maybe I was a little harsh earlier, and I'm sorry about that. All Jack has been talking about is you. It hurt. I guess I let my pride get in the way.” She pulled her legs up into the chair. “I'm willing to try, Jaycee. I'll even talk to the other woman of our pack and have her back away. I'm sorry about the incident at the club I didn't know she was going to proposition your mate.”

“I never blamed you for them, Belinda. Matter of fact, I couldn't wait to meet you when Bo told me about you, but when you said those things, and the other women were all over my mates … I guess I kinda felt like you did.” Jaycee got up and went to the door. She turned around, smiling at Belinda, and opened it.

“Hey, Marsha, you want to come in here and heal Belinda while we talk.” Jaycee grinned and walked back to her seat, curling her feet under her.

“I think I ruined your night with your mates. I'm sorry for that.” Belinda glanced around the room, seeing the candles and the rose petals all over the floor.

“It's okay. We both screwed up, it's over and done with.” Jaycee shrugged as Marsha came in and took the cloth away from Belinda's face. She poured the stinky stuff on the dishcloth, and then rubbed it on her face.

Belinda flinched. “Damn that stuff stinks,” Belinda snapped, shifting to her beast form, and then shifting back. Her wounds were healed. Jaycee waved her hand, dressing her in a pair of jeans and a sweater.

“Would you like a cup of coffee? I think our men are probably freezing outside.” Jaycee laughed, strolling into the kitchen to make a pot of coffee. She heard the men coming into the cabin with Shelly. Jaycee knew Shelly was coming straight for her. “Well, are you okay?” She asked, coming in and grabbing the coffee pot from her hands. “You get the cups.”

“Yes, I think everything will be fine.” She walked into the living room with Shelly. Mark walked up to her, kissing her cheek, and taking the cups from her, putting them on the table. Both Jack and Belinda came up to her, lowering their heads.

“I'm sorry about earlier, Jaycee.” Jack's voice was hoarse with emotion. “I couldn't lose her. She's all I have and she means the world to me. I've been a fool lately and have a lot to make up to her. I shouldn't have put you in this position, please forgive me?”

Jaycee smiled, hugging both of them. “Jack, you're like a brother to me, as Bo is. I hope in time that Belinda and I will become friends.” Jaycee stepped back, bumping into Remi again, who surrounded her with his arms. He rested his head on her head, his hands skimming her belly.

“I think we should leave,” Belinda said to Jack, with a twinkle in her eye. “We have already interrupted their night.” Belinda stepped up, hugging Jaycee. “I'll talk to that woman tomorrow. Maybe we can all get together later in the week and have a big dinner while the men work on the cabin. Again, I'm sorry for what I did.” She whispered into Jaycee's ear and stepped back into Jack's arms. Bo opened the door and the couple left, heading home.

Bo came up to her next, looking down at her. “I'm proud of you, you did well. We'll see you tomorrow. Shelly, you ready to go?” Bo asked. He kissed Jaycee's cheek in farewell and then nodded to Remi. Jaycee smiled at Shelly as she went into Bo's arms.