Chapter 2: Seven Devils All Around You
Alcide Herveaux despised Marcus Bozeman. It was Debbie alone that kept Alcide in this pack. He thought Marcus was stupid and cruel. He heard how the man refused to let his ex-wife move on, be with anyone else, and tried to set an example for anyone who tried to date Luna.
Exhibit #1. Marcus asking Alcide to 'stand' with him when he brought Luna's latest love interest in. Alcide had said yes. For Debbie, but that didn't mean that Alcide would take any part in any beat-down Marcus had planned. Alcide had agreed to stand there and look tough. No more.
But it was to the surprise of both Alcide and Marcus, when two of Marcus' henchmen- Dave and Adam- brought a naked and bleeding woman into Marcus' shop.
"What the hell is this?!" Alcide demanded furiously, setting down his beer. The woman was held up by her arms, swaying slightly. She had blood trickling down her hairline, a black eye, and a vicious bite mark on her left thigh. Neither of the Weres had offered her a shirt, leaving her bare and vulnerable.
"A shifter, boss. Caught her in our territory," Adam remarked, ignoring Alcide's question. Marcus looked thoughtful, walking leisurely toward the woman.
Marcus took hold of her chin, tilting her head back to look at her face. Her knotted, wild auburn hair tumbled down her back, her piercing blue eyes open in mere slits. She was as pale as the moon, Alcide noted. "Well, lookey here, boys. We caught us some shifter," he said with a laugh. "The same shifter who reeks of the bastard who's banging my wife. What's wrong, honey? Go looking for your man after we left?" Marcus taunted.
Alcide watched her eyes open more fully, and turn a glare on Marcus. "He's my brother, you asshole! Of course I went looking for him after you threatened him!" She exclaimed.
"Brother? Interesting. Y'all don't smell like siblings," Marcus mused, taking a step back from the woman.
"You'd think you Weres would understand that family don't always end in blood," the woman spat, her eyes blazing fiercely. Alcide was transfixed by her righteous fury. That is, until Marcus backhanded her, making her head jerk to the side. No noise escaped her lips, she merely turned her head and spat blood onto the floor. She looked back up at Marcus in defiance, even with a split lip and blood dribbling down her chin.
Alcide stood there, wound tightly like a spring, his fists clenched tightly. The woman's eyes slid past Marcus to light on Alcide. "Perhaps my brother isn't the one shacking up with your woman, Marcus." She suggested, tilting her head to the side.
Marcus cast a look back at Alcide, catching sight of his confused expression, before chuckling. "Alcide? No." He retorted. Alcide saw a flash of nervousness pass through his eyes, before he turned back toward the woman.
"What is she talking about, Marcus?" Alcide questioned, stepping forward.
"Nothing, Alcide." Marcus replied tensely.
"No," Alcide rejected Marcus' lame excuse at distracting him. "I want to know what she's talking about," he insisted, pushing past Marcus to approach the woman. He quickly took off his red and green plaid button-up, offering it to her. Adam and David reluctantly released her arms, and Alcide helped her thread the appendages through the garment, and she did the buttons up, glaring at Alcide with suspicion, from where she sat on the floor. "Tell me what you meant," Alcide requested, in an almost pleading tone.
"Alcide." Marcus warned, but he was paid no mind. The woman lifted an eyebrow, looking between the two, before finally just shrugging.
"Can't you smell it?" She just asked in response. Alcide's brow furrowed in confusion, before sniffing the air. He made a conscious effort to not let his heightened sense of smell interfere with his life, and now it apparently was hindering him.
Debbie Pelt's scent was wrapped around Marcus Bozeman like a climbing vine. They were sleeping together. Alcide looked at Marcus like he'd been struck. Then Alcide shook his head. He shouldn't be so surprised. Alcide wouldn't give Debbie what she wanted (marriage, a baby) so she looked elsewhere for what she wanted- even while trying to hold onto Alcide. The woman probably noticed the same scent on both men, never thinking it could be Alcide's woman instead of Marcus'. "Alcide," Marcus said again.
Alcide went to the woman and picked her up, bridal-style, before turning to face Marcus. "No, Marcus." Alcide retorted, before turning and leaving the shop. He began to carry the woman towards his truck, but she stopped him, wriggling from his hold. Alcide helped her to her feet, as she tried to distance herself. "I was just gonna drive you home. I ain't gonna hurt ya," Alcide told her.
"I don't want a ride home from you." She retorted coldly, putting a hand to her forehead that throbbed terribly. Alcide guided her to a bench, which she collapsed upon with a sigh of relief.
"Then what can I do?" Alcide questioned. He wasn't terribly surprised of her distrust of him. He hadn't done anything when Marcus had hit her. Only 'rescued' her when it suited him. Not that if Alcide said he wasn't going to let anything happen to her, she'd believe him.
"Oh, just give me your phone!" She snapped, holding out her hand. Alcide dug into his pocket, placing it in her upturned hand. She flipped it open, and dialed a number. She put it to her ear, and waited. Apparently it went to voicemail, because she cursed and hung up, before dialing another number. "Tommy? Tommy, it's Ella. I need you to come pick me up. Shreveport. The corner of West and Nineth." She ordered. Alcide could hear the urgent buzz of 'Tommy's' voice in response. "Hurry." She urged, before hanging up.
Ella handed Alcide his phone back, and looked at him expectantly. "I'm not leaving you alone here." Alcide informed her. Her lip turned up in distaste, and she huffed in frustration.
"So the woman you and Marcus both smell like...she's yours, isn't she?" Ella asked.
Alcide nodded shortly. "She was. Not anymore." He answered. "And... Tommy?" Alcide questioned in curiosity.
Ella shook her head. "My brother." She told him.
"You have a lot of brothers," Alcide said with a tense smile, sitting down beside her. Ella rolled her eyes.
"Only two. And they're both more trouble than they're worth," she said, a smile curving her lips. She winced as it pulled at her split lip.
"You're the one who seems like trouble," Alcide remarked, making Ella respond with a bitter laugh.
"No. I don't go out of my way to get my ass kicked," she muttered.
That statement had Alcide at attention. He looked at Ella, taking in her battered figure and pained expression. "I'm so sorry this happened to you." He murmured.
Ella rolled her eyes at him. "It's not my first time getting my ass beat by some fucking asshole." She scoffed.
"Maybe you been 'round the wrong type of man." Alcide said, the words escaping his mouth before he could help it.
"You've gotta be fucking kidding me," Ella muttered, standing up with a groan. She couldn't believe this asshole was hitting on her! She limped away a few steps.
Alcide stood, but did not approach her. He did not blame her for being skittish. He hadn't intended to say that, but he didn't regret it. "I'm sorry, Ella. I didn't mean to offend you." Alcide told her.
A white van's tires squealed as it pulled into the gravel next to the sidewalk where Ella stood. "El!" A young man cried as he jumped out of the van, running towards Ella. She turned towards him, letting him pull her into his arms. "El, what happened to you?!" Tommy questioned, gently gripping her chin, turning her face side to side, examining the drying blood and blossoming bruises. He turned hostile eyes to Alcide, a growl building in his throat.
"Some Weres found me when I was looking for Sam. Alcide helped me." Ella explained, letting Tommy help her into the passenger's seat of the van.
As Tommy shut the door, he turned to look at Alcide, who stood at the bench, hands in his pockets. "Thanks." Tommy said, reluctantly, before walking around the van to get in.
"I'll see you soon, Ella." Alcide called, as Tommy started up the engine. She flashed the Were a sardonic grin before shaking her head.
"If I never see a Were again, it'll be too soon." Ella retorted, as Tommy guided the van back onto the road, heading back towards Bon Temps. Alcide only gave a short chuckle, watching as the van made a U-turn on the empty street, and headed back to Bon Temps.
Alcide was intrigued by the fearless, rather grumpy shifter; and had her scent firmly in his nostrils in case he ever saw her again.
Alcide headed to his truck and started toward his home in Shreveport. Apparently he had a few things to discuss with Debbie.
Ella let out a pained growl, trying to jerk away, but Tommy held her fast as he scored the needle through the bleeding gash on her forehead. "Stop being a baby, El. I bet you didn't even flinch when that asshole hit you, but you're whining like a bitch now," he taunted, his attention never once wavering from his work. "Plus, this bit is only gonna hurt half as much as that fucking bite." Tommy added, making Ella glance down at her left thigh, which was wrapped in a blood-stained towel. "Stop fucking moving!" he growled.
"Then get it fucking over with, so I can pop some vicodin and get to sleep!" Ella snarled in reply. Tommy pursed his lips, choosing not to reply to her words. "Where the fuck is Sam?" She demanded. Tommy could see the thinly veiled hurt in her blue eyes, at the thought of her best friend, their brother, being so unavailable- just plain not there- when something had happened to her.
"I don't know," Tommy answered honestly, pressing his lips together, deciding not to mention the fact that he had left Sam four messages and called countless times.
Ella was quiet after this, as Tommy finished stitching up her forehead, and turned to her thigh. He had her lay back on the couch, and crouched by her thigh. He began to stitch up the vicious-looking bite.
Ella let out a high-pitched whimper at the first stitch, her skin growing ever paler as she bled, and that blood coated Tommy's hands. Finally, Ella passed out, leaving Tommy to finish patching her up without worrying about her pain. He checked for a pulse every few stitches, feeling his rage grow every moment he looked at Ella's battered body. It took every fiber of his being to not go looking for this 'Marcus' and rip him to shreds, instead of staying here to care for Ella. Tommy suppressed his feelings and focused on his injured friend.
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