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Jezebel had taken her mother’s car and driven to Travis’s parents’ house. Travis’s mother had welcomed her with a huge hug and sent her straight up the stairs to Travis’s room.
Quietly she entered Travis’s room and was shocked at the sickly man lying in bed. Travis lay on his bed, and he looked almost stark white. She came to his bed and sat on the edge. His eyes fluttered open. “I knew about them. Shifters.”
Jess couldn’t be angry with him, not with him in the state he was in. She held back tears as she reached for his hands. “I know you couldn’t tell me. I wouldn’t have believed you anyway.”
He closed his eyes and slowly opened them. “Merry Christmas. What did you get?”
“I haven’t opened anything. I got up and came straight here. I was just going to pop in and see you, but…” Jess trailed off. Travis looked a lot worse than Zeck. She couldn’t leave him. Her family would understand. Brandon would need some convincing, but she couldn’t leave her friend alone in his room here like this.
She leaned down and got her phone out. “I’m going to spend Christmas with you. Smile, I’m sending my parents a photo.” She forced a smile and took her picture and sent it to her brothers and parents saying, “Travis isn’t doing good. Look at him. I’m staying to look after him. Love you.” She turned to Travis. “All done. How about you tell me how you knew about shifters?”
Travis patted the opposite side of the bed. “Sit on this side. You have more room to get comfortable.”
She walked around to the other side of the bed and got on. “Give me a minute to tell Brandon what I’m doing.” Dialing Brandon’s mobile she waited.
“Morning, sweetheart, are you ready for me to come and get you yet? What did you get for Christmas?”
“I haven’t undone my presents yet. I thought before my parents woke I would come and check on Travis.”
“Oh, did you drive over to his house, or do you want me to come and pick you up?”
“I drove, so I don’t need you to come and get me. I’m going to stay with Travis. He needs company and isn’t doing too good. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
It was quiet on the other line for a moment before Brandon roared, “Over my dead body. No way. I’m coming to get you now.”
“N—” Jess didn’t even get to respond. Brandon hung up.
She looked to Travis, who sighed. “I know what he is to you. I know about shifters because my sister Tessa is mated to one. My nephew is one.”
“Travis, how long have you known?”
“I didn’t know until my nephew was born.”
“Oh Travis, I’m so sorry you had to go through this and keep it from Zeck and me.”
He shrugged. “I had my family at least. Steve is a wolf. He’s a part of the Fierces’ pack. He is pretty good at answering any questions.”
A knock sounded on Travis’s door, and his sister Tessa, nephew Ben, and her husband Steve came in. “Hey buddy, I came to see y—”
His sister was cut off by her husband. “Fucking hell, Travis, she can’t be here. She reeks of Pride. She’s your friend who you were asking me about, isn’t she?”
Travis levied himself up better on the bed. “Yeah. Jess is who I was talking about.”
Jess looked back and forth between Travis and Steve. Steve scrubbed his face, and his gaze caught hers. “Does he know you’re here?”
Jess didn’t need to ask who “he” was talking about. “Yes. I called him about five minutes ago.”
Steve broke out into a fit of curses and turned to Tessa. “Get Ben out of here. Go tell your mother to expect a guest and leave the door open.” Steve turned back to her. “Off the bed now. I want my wife’s brother to live.”
Jess rolled her eyes. “I think you’re overreacting. I stayed here on the weekend, and he didn’t kill him.”
Steve groaned. “That explains a lot.” He glanced at Travis. “I told you to stay away from that friend you told me about. We shifters are possessive. We are half animal. We don’t share well, at all.” Steve sighed. “You need to go downstairs, Jess. Travis is fine … or he will be.”
“He doesn’t look fine.”
“He isn’t back to his old self because he is being punished. He knew what boogiemen were. He took a mate into danger. Your mate was told this. I’m surprised he even let Travis live especially with the smell he gives off around you.”
Jess stared at Steve. He sounded like he was talking gibberish. She understood bits and pieces. “What does he smell like around me? Why would that matter?” Jess glanced at Travis to see him shaking his head at Steve.