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Chapter Eighteen

ARIEL

C homp seems on edge as do all of the other shifters. The club took Jerry to the campsite where Chomp’s gator rescued me from my living nightmare and tore Ricky and Perry apart. It’s surreal being here. I don’t know how this is going to affect me to return to a place where I was so violated. I find my body at war with my mind. I want to be strong, but I’m shaking, and I don’t know if I can get out of the truck. Bile crawls up my esophagus, and I quickly swallow it back down. I know that if I vomit, Chomp will demand I go back to the clubhouse. But I can’t. I need this for some reason. I need to at least show myself that I’m strong enough to face my past.

I insisted on coming as soon as Chomp filled me in. He’s concerned. I know he’s worried this could cause me to spiral, and it’s a terrifying thought. But I can’t miss my only opportunity to find closure and move on from what happened. I’m still struggling every day to let it go and be free. I need this, even if it’s painful. I make a mental note to ask Callie if her friend ever got her the information for a trauma therapist. If nothing else, it’ll help me sort through everything, even the grief from losing my mom.

I open the door and slide from the seat, following behind Chomp, Spike, and Kodiak. Fang and Peanut are dragging Jerry toward the tents, and I pause to breathe, taking time to settle my nerves. Anxiety has a chokehold over me. I want to run and never look back, but it’s cowardly, and I know it’ll only hold me back. Thank goodness it’s rained since that awful night, because I think if I saw all the blood that was literally everywhere, especially the ground itself, I’d probably lose it and not be able to face my demons.

Surprisingly, it’s not as haunting as I expect. The tents are still there, blowing in the breeze, and rocks form a semicircle where sticks and logs are thrown into the pit to burn. Whatever personal items had once been here, they’re gone now. It just looks like someone packed up and left a few things. I breathe as my chest relaxes. I can do this. Chomp and his brothers won’t allow anything to happen to me, of that I’m confident. Hell, Chomp’s eyes have been his gator’s most of the day, so I know this is impacting him as well.

Jerry stands by the firepit, taking it all in. For some reason, no one holds onto him or binds his wrists. He’s walking like he’s a free man and I frown. Don’t they think he’s going to run?

And then it occurs to me, maybe they want him to run. I shiver at the thought. As much as I’ve enjoyed getting to know Spike, Chomp, Kodiak, and the rest of the club, I don’t ever want to be hunted by one of them.

Scratch that. Maybe by the gator. I know he won’t hurt me. And I just might like it. Startled by that realization, I flush at the idea. Chomp sniffs the air and I see his gaze lock onto me.

Wait. Is that arousal I just felt? The feeling is so foreign, I push it to the back of my mind.

This is so new. I think I need to focus on the present. I might just bring this up to Chomp later if he doesn’t ask me about it. His arms look a little scaly from here. I wonder if he knows I’m thinking about him like this.

Jerry starts talking, and the moment he does, all I hear is Perry’s voice. They’re too much alike in pitch and timbre, down to the phrases he uses. Anything I feel about Chomp fades. The past tries to shove its way forward, and I clench my fists. This isn’t Perry, I remind myself. I’m safe.

It’s this moment that chaos explodes. Two things happen that collide and startle me. One, Jerry rushes me. It catches everyone by surprise. His hands wrap around my neck as he slams into me, knocking us both to the ground. Second, I hear my mother’s voice. It’s clear and sweet, and it cuts right through all the suffering of my past with its hopeful tone.

Just breathe, Ariel, you’re going to be fine, my mom whispers in my head. You found a good one this time, I just wish I had known the other was a waste of space.

Despite the dire situation I find myself in, I smile because that is something my mom would’ve said. She was a nice and kind person, but she didn’t put up with bullshit and called a spade a spade. I think it’s only because of the medication she was on for her cancer that she missed the warning signs that Perry definitely exuded. I may not have seen a therapist yet, but I’ve been picking apart our relationship from the beginning and he was definitely the winner of the red flag award.

“What the fuck are you smiling about, bitch? You’re the reason he’s dead!” Jerry snarls as his hands tighten around my throat. I kick and thrash, trying to knock him off of me, but I’m still not very strong. Chomp and Peanut have been working on self-defense moves as well as building my muscles, but it hasn’t been all that long.

Kick his knee now , Ariel, Mom says. Without any hesitation, I slam my foot into his knee and hear his wail of pain. I must’ve hit something that one of the guys did earlier. Not that I care at all because his hands loosen slightly and I’m able to draw in a deep breath.

Just when I think I’m free, he reaches for me again. His fingers don’t find traction because he’s yanked from my body as I hear a deadly hiss.

“Get him, Gator,” I whisper. I must be loud enough because I briefly see Chomp peering at me from his gator form and he grins, I think, because all his teeth are now showing as Jerry screams in terror.

I manage to sit up, gulping in fresh air as Chomp drags him backward, toying with him as he slowly dips into the lake. Jerry claws at the dirt of the embankment but he isn’t a match for a pissed off gator shifter. I can’t help smiling as I see Chomp begin to do the death roll that gators are known for. He won’t show any mercy.

Suddenly, Spike yells, “Chomp! Stop!”

Hissing and bellowing, Chomp drags Jerry back onto the grass. He looks worse for the wear, with large tears from Chomp’s teeth covering his legs. Blood is freely flowing, and I suspect that Chomp probably hit something vital. I can see muscle and bone, but it doesn’t terrify me like it did before. The gator’s teeth drip with Jerry’s blood and I have no sympathy for a man who wants to terrorize women. He deserves this as equally as Perry and Ricky did.

Jerry is screaming as Chomp holds him in place, refusing to give up his prey completely.

Spike kneels in front of Jerry. His words aren’t for Chomp. I don’t think he cares that the gator is biting into one of Jerry’s ankles. “You’re going to die now, but you should know, the gator got your brother too.”

“And Ricky,” I rasp.

“We’ll get every man you named,” Spike promises before he opens his mouth and a stream of fire erupts, coating Jerry’s body in a thick wave of scorching flames.

His agonized cries echo throughout the forest as we all watch him burn until nothing remains but soot and paper-thin pieces of ash. Dragon fire must be different than normal flames because it consumed all of Jerry, even the bones. There’s nothing left to identify him. No DNA at all as the wind picks up and blows the dusty remains into a swirl, lifting them away from us until they merge with the lake.

Jerry is gone. And with him, so is Perry, Ricky, and the horror I suffered. It’s been burned away with Jerry.

My chest releases a pent-up breath and I feel a weight slide from my shoulders that’s as physical as it is metaphorical. And in that moment, I smile. I’m truly free.

My gaze instantly locks on Chomp. He’s already watching me, a look of pride on his handsome, whiskered face. He’s completely nude, covered in tattoos and splatters of blood, and he’s never looked more wonderful. I want this man in my life. He needs to know.

“Chomp.”

I don’t get out more than that word before he’s rushing to me, picking me up, and our lips meet. It’s the best kiss I’ve ever had in my life. I’m almost sad as my feet touch the ground. “We should go home.”

He arches a brow, wondering which location I mean. “Home?”

“Our home.” I gesture to the forest. “Your house is mine, right?” I scratch my nails along the back of his neck as he shivers. “I want to go to our home, Chomp. Right now.”

The desire I felt before comes flooding back and I see his nostrils flare and his eyes widen before he catches me in his arms and holding me close, he states to Spike, “We’ll be back later so we can figure that other shit out and formulate a plan, Pres.”

Spike smirks at him but waves us off as I grin, my arms now wrapped around his neck. I’ve never had this sort of reaction to anyone in my life and while I’m excited about what’s hopefully going to happen, I’m also nervous. What if I disappoint him? What if I’m no good in bed like Perry always told me?

Chomp claims I’m his mate; I feel a strong attraction to him and his gator. I can’t let them down like that. As my heart rate increases, Chomp must notice because he looks down at me and asks, “What’s wrong?”

I hesitate to answer.

His knuckles brush my cheek. “My gator says you have nothing to worry about. We accept and care for you just as you are.” His mouth captures mine. “You are loved, my enchantress. My perfect mate. There is nothing about you that I don’t want, need, or desire. Whatever is holding you back, let it go, my dove.”

Love? “You love me?” I ask, sounding as shocked as I feel.

“Little dove, I’ve loved you almost from the day we met.”

“Because I’m your mate?” Is what he feels real or because of what I mean to him? How do I know?

“Here.” He takes my hand and places it over his heart. “It beats differently since I met you. It’s sped up to match yours. Strange, but true.”

“It’s a heartbeat,” I whisper. His palm rests over my chest and I jolt because I can suddenly feel how our hearts are connected. They beat almost in sync. His cold-blooded reptilian heart shouldn’t be able to match mine. “Wow.”

“That’s how I know this is real, that what I feel is real.”

He knows what I’m asking and wondering without me putting it into words. “Chomp.”

“This is real, Ariel.”

“That means I love you back, right? If I can feel our heartbeats match?” A silly question, but it's all gotten so convoluted in my head. The past made me doubt myself and my ability to sort through my feelings. Not anymore.

“Dove, it’s not just the matching heartbeats, it’s the warmth inside and the glow in your eyes.”

Glow? I have a glow? Like his gator?

Chomps laughs. “You’ll figure it out. Take your time. Give yourself grace and we’ll find our way.”

God. This man. He knows exactly what to say, how to make me fall even harder for him without even trying. “Okay.”

He’s been carrying me to his place during our conversation, but I didn’t notice before now. Chomp pushes the door wide and carries me bridal style over it. “Welcome home, Ariel.”