Against All Odds (Shifters)(6)

Her hair was matted and dirty. She noticed her chestnut brown hair was starting back at the roots. Looking back at herself, she saw her eyes were the same, and she could see, which was a bonus to her.

At least she’d be able to read to herself. Then she looked at her nose and the scars going vertically across her cheek and down to her neck. The tip of one scar was directly under her eye, so she saw there had been a danger to her eyesight and was thankful Malcolm had taken the extra precautions. First, she stared directly at herself. The stitches weren’t the type that needed removing. Malcolm had explained about the blood and how they absorbed the stitches or something. It was a paranormal, not natural to humans, explanation. He’d explained the pros of having the blood with the stitches and that she wouldn’t need to have the stitches removed and the marks covered over.

The claw marks were red, slightly swollen, and looked entirely out of place on her face. Tears filled her eyes making her vision blurry.

Opening the buttons of her pyjama shirt she looked at the marks down her chest, side and back.

They were healed a little better. The marks were not as red as Dana described them, but she could clearly see the outline of his claws.

She looked a mess and knew her parents wouldn’t accept her back like this. There was no way she could go back home looking the way she did. How could she begin to explain what happened to her? She’d have to wait years before they started to fade a little.

“Heather?” She heard Felix’s voice in the distance.

She couldn’t move. Heather felt frozen to the spot, staring at her face and body. She’d never been vain in her life, but right then, she felt ugly.

The door to her bedroom opened. “Heather?”

Not answering him, she kept her gaze fixed on her mess.

“Fuck, why are you out of bed?”

He hadn’t found her.

“Shit, Heather, what have you done?” Felix rushed to her side. She didn’t even bother covering her body up.

“I’ve done nothing,” she said, staring at her reflection. A man she barely knew had done this to her. Her mate, according to Ben and everyone else, had done this to her.

****

Ben lifted the axe above his head and brought it down on the log. There were times when he wished he was cutting off some part of himself. He wondered if there would ever be a time when he didn’t feel guilty about what he’d done. How his life had changed in the last few weeks.

Heather still refused to see him, but at least the Ashtons were giving him a chance to prove himself. They wouldn’t try to push him out or away anymore.

When the front door slammed and the scent of grief wafted over to him, Ben stopped what he was doing. Felix stood, shaking and inhaling the fresh air.

“What’s going on? Is Heather okay?” Ben asked. His concern for his mate was instant.

“Define okay. I’m waiting for Malcolm. She’s freaking out, crying, and hysterical up there.”

Putting the axe down, Ben listened out for her. The sound was faint, yet he could hear her.

“What happened?” Ben asked. Fisting his hands at his side, Ben fought to go to her. She was crying, in pain, and he should be with her.

“She sneaked into the bathroom and removed the bandage from around her face. When I went in, she was naked and in shock,” Felix said.

“You saw her naked?” Ben couldn’t see past the other man seeing his woman. Anger unlike anything he’d ever felt hit him straight. He didn’t get chance to hold the aggression back. Ben charged at Felix throwing him down to the ground.

He snarled, grabbing the other man around the throat and landing a fist to his stomach.

Ben got in two shots before Felix defended himself. For a leopard, Felix was a fighter. Ben was sailed through the air, crashing against a tree. Standing up, Ben glared at him.

“Fucking stop. I let you hit me because if some fucker saw my girl naked, I’d feel the same if I’d not marked her. I’m used to seeing naked women. It’s in our nature.” Felix held a hand out. “She’s hurting, Ben. Her face is scarred, and she’s terrified. We’re all worried about her. Do you have any idea what’s going on?”

Pausing, Ben listened to him.

“Get your head out of your ass. This is not about you, Ben. Heather is hurting. This is about her. Think about that when you want to pound on our asses.”

“Are you two fucking kidding me?” John asked, storming out of the house and toward them. The wrath of the head leopard stormed toward them. Even Ben’s tiger whimpered.

“I came out here waiting for Malcolm, and he attacked me for seeing Heather naked.” Felix growled at him.

Ben was doing everything he could to keep himself together. He shouldn’t have attacked Felix.

“Get in the fucking house, Felix. I’ll handle this.”

When the door slammed, Ben was thrown against a tree with John’s hand wrapped firmly around his neck.

“I would fucking end you right now if it wasn’t for my woman telling me not to. Heather is at risk of taking her own life. I scent the desperation on her, and Malcolm warned us all about this, which is why he was waiting.”

Ben felt ashamed of himself.

“Do you have any idea what she’s going through?”

“I’m not allowed to see her. She’s my woman, and I can’t see her.” He hated his whiny voice, but he couldn’t stop it. It had been weeks since he’d last seen or truly heard her.

John let go of his hold around her neck. “Fine, you want to see her, then let’s go and see her.”

He was grabbed roughly around his neck and tugged inside. Kathleen gasped when they passed, and Felix sent him a funny look. Up the stairs they walked until he could smell Heather.

They stopped outside the second door on the left.

“Go on, go and see what mess you’ve caused.”

Opening the door, Ben stepped inside.

Dana was curled around Heather as she cried. The leopard jerked her head toward him. Her eyes flashed amber as she scented him.

“Heather,” he said, moving away from the door.

His woman curled around a pillow howling in pain.

Going to the bed, he tried to get closer to her.

“No, get out.” Heather suddenly yelled, launching pillows at him. “I don’t want to see you. Get out. Get out. Get out.”

Ben left the bedroom without getting a chance to hold her.

John stood with Malcolm. The doctor must have arrived while he’d tried to get Heather in his arms. It didn’t matter what she looked like to him. He just needed to hold her and to let her know he was there for her.

“It’s too early for you to go near her, son. You need to stay away,” Malcolm said, walking past.

Minutes later Dana left the room, closing the door.

“What the hell were you trying to do? She’s not ready to see you. I doubt she’ll ever be ready for you.”

“I brought him up here, Dana. He needed to know she wasn’t handling everything really well,” John said.

They all stood waiting for Malcolm to reappear.

“I don’t think he should be here, Dad. He’s fucked everything up for Heather.”

“Language.”

Silence fell between them as Malcolm walked out of the room. The doctor looked saddened. “I had no idea she was going to take the bandages off when she was questioning me.”

“How is she?” John asked.

“Broken, shocked, angry, sad. I can’t really say which one. She’s in pain and not the kind I can prescribe medication for. I’ve given her a sedative, and that should help for tonight.” Malcolm ran his fingers through his hair. Ben saw the sadness inside the older man.

“I never meant to hurt her,” Ben said, grabbing all of their attention.

“Well you fucking did.” Dana stormed away outside. Felix followed her out, and Ben went with John and Malcolm downstairs to where Kathleen was waiting.

“She’s not doing any better?” Kathleen asked.

“Heather is doing as well as can be expected.” Malcolm answered, taking the cup of coffee she offered.

“I hate this. I wish there was something we could do,” John said.

“She’s my mate. I can’t walk away or leave her alone. She’s mine.” Ben folded his arms and was shocked when Kathleen brought him over a cup of coffee.

“We’re not asking you to walk away.” Kathleen patted him on the arm. The woman before him was always trying to take care of everyone. She truly was a momma at heart.

“I agree with her, son. You leave now, and it will have a hard impact on her.” Malcolm nodded in his direction.

“I put the scars on her face. I’m not backing down.” Ben faced John. No matter how many times Kathleen, Felix, or Malcolm welcomed him, if John didn’t want him there then he’d be gone.

John had a lot of years and experience, and Ben couldn’t compete with that.

“I think it’s best you move in with us, Ben. I don’t like it and I know Heather’s going to struggle with you close by, but it’s for the best.”

Ben agreed and made his way outside to where Dana and Felix sat on the bench. Dana growled at him.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I’m sorry for picking her.”

Dana pounced on him. The easy way she did it, startled him. She was a leopard, and he should have seen it coming. “Do you really think I give a shit about you picking her? I’m not that fucking desperate. I’m pissed because you’ve broken her. Heather was strong, and you’ve broken that.”