Page 34 of Breaking the Surface
Braden didn’t hesitate.Even though he wanted to punch Lou, that wasn’t what mattered.What mattered was the man standing there on four legs, watching Braden with what Braden thought was apprehension in his eyes.Since Lou hated shifters, Peter was probably afraid that Braden wouldn’t react well to seeing him like this.
“Are you two okay?”Braden asked as soon as he reached them.
Vincent grimaced and raised his hand.“I’m pretty sure I broke something.That fucker’s face is hard.”
“I can take a look, or you can go back to Camden and Toby’s house and have Toby check you out.That would probably be the smartest thing to do because I’m not a paramedic.”
“Yeah, I’ll probably beg him to heal me because this shit hurts.”
“I bet it was satisfying, though.”
Vincent grinned, all pain seemingly forgotten.“You can bet your ass it was.I’ve been dreaming about punching the asshole since the first time I met him.It was about time someone did.”
“Well, you can be proud you got to do it.”Braden turned to see several guards just hanging around, watching Lou.There were so many of them that there wasn’t anything else for all of them to do.“Go with one of them back to Toby and Camden’s house.”
Vincent nodded and walked toward the closest guard.Finally, Braden turned his attention to Peter.He half expected Peter to shift, but instead, his mate ducked his massive head closer to Braden.
Braden took the gesture as an invitation.He raised both of his hands and cupped Peter’s cheeks, marveling at how soft the hair was.“You’re gorgeous,” he murmured.“Are you okay?”
Peter huffed and nodded.His nose bumped against Braden’s cheek, making Braden smile like an idiot.His matewasokay, though.He could relax.
“Step away from him!”Lou yelled.
It took Braden a moment to understand what was happening.He turned toward the man, exasperated.“Seriously?”
“He’s my boyfriend,” Lou snapped.
The man’s hair was all over the place, and there was blood on his lips and chin.He was clearly doing his best to put distance between himself and Camden.It wasn’t working, though.Camden wouldn’t allow him to leave just because he asked nicely, and he certainly wasn’t going to.Lou wasn’t a nice person.
Since Peter was safe and Lou had been caught again, Braden stepped closer to Peter and wrapped an arm around his neck.He grinned when he kissed Peter’s cheek.He knew what he was doing, and he found it amusing when Lou started screeching.
He, Camden, and Remi had discussed what would happen if they got their hands on Lou again.They’d known they couldn’t let him go this time.They had the first time, and he’d come right back.No, this wasn’t something to be left to human authorities.Camden would deal with Lou the way an alpha would, and Lou had no idea what he was in for.To be honest, neither did Braden.He hadn’t wanted the details, and while he didn’t think that Camden would hurt Lou, no matter how much he deserved it, he knew the man well enough to be sure that once he was done with Lou, Lou would never bother them again.
“Stop touching him!He’s mine!”
This was apparently enough for Peter, who shifted back to his human form.He was very much naked, and from the way his clothes looked where they laid on the ground, they wouldn’t be of any help, so Braden quickly took off his t-shirt and handed it to his mate.Peter gave him a grateful smile and quickly pulled it over his body.It only took a few seconds, and when he was done, he made a beeline for Lou, startling Braden.
“Just shut up,” he snapped at Lou, who blinked at him like he hadn’t expected that to happen.He probably hadn’t.He was used to Peter being much more meek and malleable.
“I’m not yours,” Peter continued.“I’m not even Braden’s, even though he’s my mate.I’m my own person, and I’ve made my choice, and it wasn’t you, Lou.It could never be you because you’re an asshole.”
“That’s your mate?”Lou asked, which wasn’t what Braden had expected.To be honest, he didn’t understand why Lou was still insisting that he and Peter were together.He hated shifters, and Peter had proved that he was one.Shouldn’t Lou want to leave as soon as possible?
“Yes, Braden’s my mate, and he’s a thousand times better than you.He’s never hurt me, and he never will.”
“You can’t know that.I love you, baby.I’m sorry if I hurt you, but I promise it won’t happen again.”
“Damn right it won’t because I won’t let you.I’m done with you, Lou.Once you leave, I won’t ever think about you again.”
Braden knew that probably wasn’t true, but he wasn’t about to call Peter out on that.Peter deserved to deal with Lou the way he wanted.
“And you won’t have to worry about him coming back,” Camden said.
He nodded at two guards, and they grabbed Lou’s arms.They started moving him backward, but Lou wasn’t making it easy.Braden stepped forward to intervene, even though he probably didn’t need to, but Lou made it unnecessary.He jerked forward, maybe to get to Peter again, and he slipped on the wet stones that littered the side of the lake.He fell forward, hitting his face and screaming.
“That looks like it hurts,” Braden calmly commented.
“He shouldn’t have been an idiot,” Camden said.The three of them—Camden, Braden, and Peter—were watching Lou screeching.The man was barely trying to get up.Maybe he hoped that Peter would worry about him, but Peter looked like he was done with his shit.
