Let's see some more of Yuri learning how to navigate the maze out of his injured mind, why don't we? This week's update was inspired by the prompt: I'm all business. Enjoy!!
Lost Inside Chapter 40
“Why aren’t you
helping the others?” Yuri snuggled against his mate. They’d spent two days
holed up in their apartment. He’d spent a lot of time on his phone, though.
“They don’t need me
right now. You do.” Benny ran his fingers through Yuri’s hair. It felt good
when he tugged lightly on the ends.
“That’s not being a
good Alpha.” Sheshtun had run their Clan like his personal fiefdom, but Yuri
had seen how it should be done. Velaku was nice, and all the Falcon Clan loved
him. He was clearly in charge, though, and ‘all about business’ he said.
“Hey, I’m all
business.” Benny tapped Yuri’s nose. “And you’re my top priority. They’re fine.
I promise I’m not ignoring the Clan, but we haven’t had enough time for us.”
“You’re sneaking out
while I’m sleeping, aren’t you?” Yuri sat up and crossed his arms over his
chest. “No wonder you look so tired.”
Benny grimaced. “I
don’t know what else to do.”
“I know you think I
need it, but you can’t protect me forever.”
Benny ran a hand over
his hair. “Seeing one friend sent you to the hospital.”
“My memories coming
back sent me to the hospital.” Yuri pinched his sweats between his fingers,
rubbing the soft fabric. “I’ve been talking with Ellis, you know. He thinks it
was inevitable—the doctor’s tests show the stuff they did to me worked. It’s
like my brain was fuzzy and half-asleep, and now I’m waking up.”
“You should do that
slowly. I don’t want you to get—”
Yuri bolted off the
couch, growling in frustration. He paced across the room. “You cannot keep
treating me like a cub! Cleara says life happens. So, get over it. I want you
to be my mate, not my keeper. I’m not a youngling, I’m not stupid. Yes. I have
a lot to work through. I can’t do that if you wrap me up and keep me away from
anything that could hurt me.”
He tried to
straighten his ears, but they were flat to his head. He was breathing hard
after his rant, the sound of his raspy breath the only thing he could hear in
the room. He glanced at Benny. “Well?”
His mate stayed
silent, his lips stubbornly pressed together.
“I want to see Peten.”
Yuri knew that would set Benny off… and he was right.
“Damn it, Yuri! What
are you trying to do to me?” Benny was off the couch in a heartbeat. His claws
flicked in and out until he clenched his hands into fists. “I’m trying my best
here. I am just trying to keep you from—”
“From what? Not
needing you? I’ve been lost inside my own mind for a long time, Benny, I know
it. I also know I’m not better yet. But you can’t keep doing this.” Yuri
stepped closer to him. He spoke softly. “You have to let me help myself—and you.
I can be the kind of mate an Alpha needs.”
“You’re right.” Benny
slumped, his shoulders sagging. “You’re right, and I know it.”
“So walk down the
hall and get Peten. I know he’s here.”
Benny frowned. “You
are too good.”
Yuri shrugged with
one shoulder. “I am not always asleep.”
He sat on the couch
while his mate went to get his old friend. He’d been practicing, while pretend
sleeping, pulling up memories and shutting them down before they got to be too
much. His head often ached, and some of his memories were vague, more
impressions and sensations, echoes of emotions, than anything else.
Benny opened the
door, and Yuri took a deep breath, holding it before he let it out slowly. “Are
you sure about this?”
Yuri nodded. “Yes.”
He stepped inside. Peten
entered behind him. Yuri searched his face, not liking the way Peten had
changed since the last time they saw each other. Some of his lingering anger—over
his friend’s betrayal when he didn’t help him when Sheshtun tried to kill Yuri
and his mate—drained away. Whatever his reasons, Peten had suffered at the
hands of the monster his father had become, too.
A large Tiger ducked
under the doorframe and stopped behind Peten, hunched over like he was trying
to make himself smaller. Yuri didn’t stand up.
“Why don’t you sit
down?” He nodded at the chairs at an angle to the TV.
“Thank you.” Peten
led the other Tiger by the hand. They waited for Benny to sit, then the big one
sat down and then pulled Peten onto his lap, hiding his face completely. “You
wanted to see us, Alpha-mate?”
“You know my name,
Peten.”
Yuri frowned when his
friend flicked his eyes toward Benny. He licked his lips. “I don’t want….” His
mate tightened his arms around Peten’s waist.
Benny sighed. “I told
you; I’m nothing like Sheshtun. I do not believe the use of our names is
disrespectful—as long as you aren’t being disrespectful.” The last was said
with a note of warning.
“Sorry.” Peten’s mate
had a deep, rumbling voice to match his size.
Yuri decided to drop
it. “I can’t believe you found your mate, Peten. How did that happen?” He
wanted to put the pair at ease, but his question had the opposite effect.
Peten grunted when
his mate’s arms locked around him like a vise. “Carlit, stop,” he wheezed. He
stroked his mate’s arms until he could take a deep breath, then leaned
sideways. “Yuri, this is my mate, Carlit. We met when he was loaned to our Clan by his.”
Peten spat out the
word with bitter fury.
Yuri reached for
Benny. He had a feeling he wouldn’t like what he was about to hear. “What do
you mean?”
“Sheshtun wasn’t the
only Alpha who wanted to reverse the dwindling births among the Tiger Clans.
His breeding program was the first of its kind—but several Clans contributed.
Money, guards, breeders….”
Carlit whimpered. “Please,
don’t. Don’t call me that.”
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