That was an understatement. This was just another excuse I could use to not wear one since people attacking us seemed to be a common occurrence nowadays.
"I can help." Ella bent down, flaunting her jeans and shirt at me.
Not really, but it still felt that way at the moment.
"Maybe you shouldn't." Louis backed away, causing the dagger to dig more deeply into his arm since Mona was gripping it. "Ow ... Dammit."
"Well, don't move." Mona shook her head as Mason squatted beside her. "Mason, hold on tightly to his arm."
"Why don't you hold his hand?" Mason glanced at his sister. He pointed at Louis's uninjured arm and then gripped the prince’s shoulder tight. "I bet this is going to hurt like a bitch."
"Wow, thanks for the comforting words." Louis frowned and wrinkled his nose. "It's hurting pretty bad right now."
"Then, I guess you better buckle up." Ella took his hand and grabbed his chin, turning his head so he was looking at her.
"You better be glad I love you." Louis narrowed his eyes. "Because if it was anyone else, I'd kick their ass for doing that."
Kassie walked back into the room. "She's on her way." She cringed when she saw what was about to go down. "Oh, damn. That's going to hurt."
"Really?" Louis pouted and growled. "Do you people honestly need to keep telling me this?"
Both Ella and Mason's eyes were on Mona, and she gave them a slight nod. Then, the three of them worked like clockwork. Mona jerked the dagger out of Louis's arm as Mason clamped down, preventing his arm from moving."
"Agh!" An ear pounding screech left Louis, and he sagged against Ella. Tears ran down his face.
"I'm so sorry, baby." Ella reached over and placed his head in her lap. "But that had to happen."
"Some warning would've been nice." His voice was low and raspy.
"I promise they did you a favor." Kassie walked out into the hallway, and after a few moments, she stepped back in. "Here." She tossed a clean white towel at Mona.
"Thanks." Mona pushed it against the wound, and even then, blood stained the material. "We need to get him upstairs to the apartment. That's where Gracie will go."
"Can you walk?" Mason released his arm and glanced at the bottom of his pants. "Man, I thought I was careful."
A huge spot of blood had soaked the bottom of his pants leg where he’d stepped through it.
"My shoulder is hurting, not my legs." He lifted his head from Ella's lap and clutched the injured arm. "Damn, I need some whiskey or something."
Ella scrambled to her feet. "Here, let me help you." She bent down and grabbed his uninjured arm.
"No, I’ve got it." He took a deep breath, and his face began turning a shade pale. "I thought it would hurt less."
"You didn’t tell him." Kassie chuckled. "Smart woman."
"Thanks." Mona arched an eyebrow and pursed her lips. "Sometimes, it's good if you let me have my secrets."
"Well, I'm glad she didn’t," Louis said as he stood on his feet and clutched his free hand to his side. "I wouldn't have let her do it otherwise."
"And that's actually why she did it." Those two women were amazing and knew how to get people to listen to them.
"Let's get you upstairs. She should be here soon." Mona patted Louis’s back, and they filed out. As I moved to follow, I noticed that the mate bond link between Mason and me was blocked. A chill ran through me.
As I turned toward him, I confirmed what I already knew. His jaw was clenched, his eyes were tight, and he was scowling at me.
"Mason ..." I'd never seen him look that way at me before.
"No, don't." He shook his head. "Not now. The most important priority is getting Louis medical care since he was injured to protect you."
"I didn't mean ..."
"Save it, Elena." He brushed past me and paused to look at me one last time. "I can’t talk to you right now." He turned his back to me and followed the group, leaving me behind.
Angry tears threatened to pool in my eyes, and my heart ached at the loss of our connection.
A warm hand touched my shoulder, causing me to startle.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." Tommy's deep voice brought comfort. "Gabby is locked in and settled into her new room."
"Did she say anything else?" We had to figure out who this new enemy was. Obviously, they knew where to hit me.
"No, she didn't other than her usual crazy mumblings." He gave me a sad grin.
"Okay, thank you." I needed to catch up with the others and make sure Louis was okay. Hell, that prince was growing on me more and more each day. After this, I didn't think I could think of him as anything but family.
"He's hurting."
"I know. Gracie should be here soon to take care of him." I took a step when his hand caught me once more.
"No, I meant Mason." Tommy dropped his hand and licked his bottom lip. "Your father and mother had the same argument at least once a year."
"Really?" I had always remembered them as being happy and loving with one another.
"It's because they loved each other so much." He sighed and stared down the hall as if his mind had gone to another place. "Being a royal, you have to know when to stand tall and when to back down."
"I couldn't back down with her ..."
"Oh, I agree … but I'm talking about Mason." He tilted his head to the side and gave me a huge smile. "Your parents would be so proud of you."
"What?" I hadn't been expecting that.
"You know right from wrong and truly care. Your father wanted his brothers to feel and understand that same sentiment, but they never did. He’d be so proud to see you now.” He took a few steps closer to me and laughed. "You care more than he ever did, and you understand things in ways that he never could."
"And he knew how to rule without messing up every few days." No matter which way I went, someone wound up getting hurt—Alec, Louis, Mona, Kassie, and Mason. They'd all been attacked in one way or another because of me. "I should've never let them get so close. They just get hurt because of me."
"They're the reason you're as strong as you are." Tommy nodded his head toward the door, and we began walking at a snail's pace. "He just needs time. He'll come around."
"Will he?" Even though we were fated mates, that didn't mean we had to be together. Fated mates rarely die at the same time, and the other can still live a normal and happy-ish life. If he wanted, he could walk away. "You know what they say. There is a thin line between love and hate."
"That's what humans say." Tommy chuckled and shook his head. "That doesn't really work with mates."
"You never know." Mason had never been so cold to me before.
"Oh, I do." He opened the door for me and waved me through. "Just give him some time to process. He won't be able to stay away from you for long."