Five

{Theo}

"Come on," Dane whispered behind me, my hands hesitant as I placed our little mate into the enormous bed.

Her copper hair splayed out, the largest thing about her. Her small frame was practically swallowed by the bedding, but she settled against the sheets almost instantly.

I kept one hand on her while I moved the blankets, not wanting to let her go.

Dane chuckled with knowing, a hint of longing in his assurance. "We'll be back before she wakes up, I promise."

My fingers trailed across my Rose's moonlight skin, tracing the curve of her hip where her borrowed shirt had ridden up.

My touch skimmed the discoloured flesh, my brows narrowing with confusion.

A small noise of discomfort left her throat, her face scrunching in a moment of pain before she rolled towards me.

Her heat and scent radiated, drawing me in like a moth to a flame and I was torn between two instincts — protect, and claim.

Where had those bruises come from....she was too short for it to have bumping into things, and though she was quick, I had noticed she wasn't the steadiest on her legs, leading me to believe maybe she was just a bit of a klutz.

I wanted to look for more, see if it was just the few we'd caught glimpses of, confirm the growing, gnawing sensation, but she shivered and my attention snapped back.

I pulled the blankets around her, kissing her temple as she rolled to her side. "We got you, princess." I whispered in her ear, my nose running the shell of it.

She muttered something incoherent, half her words being buried as she snuggled deeper into the bedding, lost completely to her dreams.

A smile pulled at the sight and I pushed her hair back from her cheek, leaning down to kiss it gently.

Dane touched my shoulder, his grip firm.

When I pulled away finally and glanced back at him, his emerald eyes were on me, watching me with an almost curious gaze.

"She has bruises," I murumed, a heat of anger and confusion in my voice.

His fingers dug in slightly, his eyes darkening. "I know — she keeps trying to hide them." He rumbled in a deadly quiet voice. "Xav felt scars and welts on her back."

So...maybe not a klutz...

The low baritone voice filled the room then, as if the giant Bear of a man had been summoned.

"And I'll find out about them when she wakes up," he said firmly, his arms crossed over his broad chest when Dane and I looked at him in the doorway.

I smirked, moving slowly off the bed not to disturb Rose, and stood beside Dane. Both of us shared a look, knowing what the one Xav was giving us meant.

"Looks like we're being sent off as errand boys," I muttered to him, just loud enough Xav heard me.

His amber eyes narrowed in annoyance, though pressing on as if he hadn't heard me. "You two need to pick her things up from the school," he said, pulling a note from his pocket.

"This should excuse the three of you for today and get you access to her student records."

Dane took it between two fingers, raising a brow at Xav. "You're on board?" He asked in a veiled tone, making me scowl.

"On board with what?" I asked, Xav glancing over our shoulders then, his eyes softening when they fell on Rose.

His voice entered my mind, the link between the three of us opening as he spoke. Come on, I don't want to wake her.

We followed him out of the room, just closing over the door so we could still see her through the crack — and she could see us if she woke up.

We didn't want her thinking we were going to leave her alone, something about her reaction today....

The fact she ran from us... It wasn't normal for a female to act that way when she found her mates.

The bruises had something to do with it — I know they did. She was scared of us at first, but I feel the more time we spent around her, nurturing not only our bonds, but her, we might break down that wall.

Dane's voice pulled me from my thoughts, my eyes drawing away from Rose's face to his stern, serious expression he leveled on Xavier.

"I was serious," he gritted, his raven brow rising.

Xav crossed his arms again, returning the look. "I know you were," he said evenly. "So am I."

I frowned at both of them, annoyed.

Dane ignored me, holding up the note slightly. "She might get really mad," he pointed out.

Xav shrugged. "Least we'll know."

"Know what?!" I hissed, my teeth baring in frustration. "Don't keep me out of this — not if it concerns Rose!"

They both looked down at me, their gazes narrowing.

Dane spoke first, explaining. "I don't think her bruises are from her being klutzy," he said, his voice dropping and a weight filled the top floor. "I want to look into her records, maybe narrow down what's going on — why she acted the way she did."

I relaxed, slightly, a cold shiver running my spine. "We've only had six new families transfer in the last two months...all because they broke laws and need to be watched." I glanced between the two of them, weighing their clouded, dark expressions. "You think Rose is from one of them?"

Dane shook his head slowly. "No, I'm pretty fucking sure I know which house — but I can't prove it without those records,"

Xav chipped in, his voice a low rumble, edged with a deep need. "And we have to get Rose and Annie to talk to us," he murmured, looking at Dane then with a resigned sigh. "That's why you need to get those records. It'll be easier to get her to open up if we already know what we're dealing with."

I rose a brow. "And what are we dealing with?" I asked, hesitant, but I needed to know.

They both paused, neither seeming to want to admit what we all thought.

Dane frowned, ever the leader, before speaking up. "Rose was a Pack slave — to what extend they abused her, I can't say...but I've been around enough of them to know one when I see them. They're often scared, mentally and physically from torture and abuse."

Xav's large hands curled against his sides, his arms tensing in their cross. "We need to tread carefully," he warned. "As much as we want to mate and mark her, I don't want to open any old wounds." He glanced at both of us, his eyes hardening with a mix of anger, and jealousy. "You two pushed it today."

I scowled at him, frustration rippling through me. "I'm not going to treat her like some fragile doll!" I growled, both of them looking at me with surprise, though Dane had the same annoyed expression. "Just because your pissy we kissed her, doesn't mean we should stop showing her what it's going to be like with us."

Xav's brows narrowed. "I wasn't saying—"

"Yes you were!" I cut him off, my voice low. "You want a hands-off rule until she's comfortable with us — doesn't think we're fucking monsters in human skin."

I glanced between them, scowling. "News flash, idiots — we're the next Triad. We already have more deaths under our belts than half the current standing ones. We are monsters."

"But, she's our mate, and she knows we'd never hurt her." I glared at Xav then. "So, I'm not going to tiptoe around and avoid showing her the real me. When she finally accepts us, she'll know exactly the kind of monsters she has want nothing more than three things!" I growled, stepping closer and dropping my voice. "I want her to know I'll sweep her off her fucking feet, just as quickly as I'll bury my cock in her."

I pushed past them then, swiping the note from Dane's hand and climbed down the stairs.

He called curiously after me. "What's the third thing?" He asked, a smirk in his voice.

I growled. "That I'll kill anyone who tries to fucking stop me doing the first two." I looked at them over my shoulder, my eyes as hard as the tightness in my jeans.

"Rose is ours."