They Fell Into Bed [Editing]

XXI. A

Bryson crossed the grassy yard in a blur, running his way up the path to Harper's front door. He didn't stop, letting his momentum carry his shoulder into the door, crashing it open. He stopped, breathing heavily, and sniffed the air, before moving into the hallway. Her name was repeated in his mind over and over, Harper-Harper-Harper-Harper, like a mantra guiding him to her. His feet led him to her bedroom, where her scent was so fresh it hurt. His eyes roamed every surface, but she was nowhere to be found.

"Bryson!" Adam shouted from another room. Bryson hurried out of Harper's bedroom, hearing commotion in the kitchen. He sped into the bright room, on Adam's heels, as he caught a glimpse of red hair flashing out back.

When he got outside, he saw Jason pulling Harper along, one arm caged around her waist, the other covering her mouth, but Bryson saw Harper fighting back. His wolf howled with pride, ecstatic that she refused to give up.

When Jason noticed Bryson and Adam just outside the door, he stopped, grinning. "Bryson, you've finally made it. But," he pouted, though his eyes shone, "I'm afraid you're a little late, buddy."

Bryson froze. "Don't even say what I think you're saying, because you don't want to test me right now," he growled, glaring. He caught Harper's eyes, and he saw the fire in them, and he convinced himself that it wasn't true, Jason hadn't touched Harper, and she was still his.

Jason laughed. "Do you want me to tell you about how she squirmed when I touched her here," he murmured, bringing his fingers up to glide them down her neck. Harper squeezed her eyes shut, trying to shake him off, but he only tightened his arm around her. "Or how she groaned when I touched her here," his hand dropped to her stomach, dancing just about the arm that held her captive. "Or how she loved it when I touched her here," his hand came to rest at her lips, poking them roughly.

All of a sudden, Harper opened her mouth and bit down on the fingers Jason had on her lips, causing him to shout. She held her grip, only releasing when he used his other hand to rip and pull at her hair to remove her. Harper spat, glaring at him momentarily before turning to Bryson, pleading, "He's lying, Bryson, I wouldn't, I wouldn't..."

Bryson nodded subtly, his eyes latching onto her hers, telling her things he didn't have the words for. Jason laughed harshly, shoving Harper down to the hard ground, where she landed with a thump. "You stupid bitch," he snarled, "Why can't you ever just shut your mouth?" He kicked her in the stomach and she reeled back, grabbing her now bruising belly and groaning. Bryson moved to rush forward, but stopped when Adam's hand landed on his shoulder.

"You can't just run at him while Harper is right in front of him. He could bolt, or worse, hurt her," Adam whispered fiercely.

Bryson growled and turned back to Jason, an idea forming in his brain. "Why don't you just fight me for her, Jason? Clearly you've outsmarted me, but I doubt you can out muscle me."

Jason snorted. "Bryson, I've known you for years, and I know you. You are the laziest crap I've ever known, and I could kick your ass in a second."

Bryson's eyes flashed, his wolf howling in anger at the taunt, and replied, "Then try me, Jason."

Bryson ran forward, sliding around Harper and shoving Jason back. Jason tripped over his foot in surprise, knocking them both back onto the ground. Bryson swung his arm back and punched Jason square in the nose, and Jason growled, knocking his arms with Bryson's, them both struggling to get the upper hand.

Adam jogged over to Harper, who had scooted away from the fight, and squeezed her in a tight hug. "Oh god, Harp, I thought I was going to lose you," he said, burying his nose in her hair, his shoulders shaking. Harper reached one arm up around his neck, returning the hug.

"God, if I didn't have a possibly cracked rib right now, I would hug you like I want to," she said, smiling.

Adam laughed, and they hugged for a few more seconds before turning to look at the two men fighting not far from them. Harper's eyes were weary, and it hurt to try and watch the rapid blows that were shared. She saw Bryson knock Jason in the jaw with his elbow, and Jason in turn kneed Bryson in the gut. She saw them both bleeding from their noses.

It was Jason who first began to let his wolf take over. Harper watched with wide eyes as his nails lengthened, his teeth sharpened, his eyes slanted. He dug his claws into Bryson's shoulders and ripped, and Bryson howled in pain, shoving Jason off of him and taking a breath, letting his wolf take over as well. They moved with a savage grace, Harper thought, and she hugged herself to ward off what she was feeling. Even though she knew Bryson was strong, she was worried for him. She knew Jason was strong, too. She knew Jason didn't play fair. That was what worried her.

While she was busy thinking, Bryson suddenly howled and transformed fully into his wolf, stopping everything for a moment, his bones cracking in the air and reforming to fit his new form. He seemed bigger than the last time he had been full wolf, Adam thought.

Bryson launched himself at Jason and crunched his jaws down on Jason's leg, breaking the bones instantly. Jason shouted, trying to jerk Bryson off, but to no avail. Bryson held on, until he felt the blood rushing out of the wounds slow, and he released. He backed up slightly, slashing his large paw out and pinning Jason to the ground, his lips quivering while he growled in fury.

"I told you, Jason, don't mess with me," Bryson said gruffly through the mind link, his paw digging into Jason's chest harder when he tried to struggle.

Bryson felt his father's presence in the mind link, which meant he was on his way. He sighed internally, but he kept his grip on Jason. He had stopped struggling for the moment, his head pressed against the ground, his eyes closed, whether in defeat or pain Bryson didn't know, nor did he care.

Harper moved to stand, and Bryson's attention shifted to her. He watched as she, on shaky legs, leaned on Adam. He knew she would heal relatively soon, but the mental trauma she had been through was a different story altogether.

While Bryson's attention was on Harper, Jason's eyes opened, and he reared his arms and legs up under Bryson's wolf stomach, shoving with all his strength. He got out from under Bryson and barreled towards the tree line, aiming to escape before the Alpha arrived. Bryson howled, and it shook Harper to her bones with emotion, and he ran towards Jason, cutting him off and clamping his jaws down on Jason's neck, an obvious sign of dominance. Bryson hesitated for a few moments, allowing Jason time to back down. Jason struggled fiercely, squirming in every direction to try and escape, and Bryson made an instantaneous decision that hadn't even registered in his brain before his jaws snapped shut with force, breaking Jason's neck.

Instantly, Jason's struggle ended, and Bryson opened his jaws, dropping his lifeless body to the ground. It hit with a thud, and Jason's blood slowly pooled out of his body and ran into the cracks of the ground. Bryson sighed, and transformed slowly back into his human form, not bothering to care about his ripped clothes, which he could no longer cover himself with, and turned to look at his mate.

He froze, though, when he saw the look of horror on her face. He took a step toward her, and she blinked, flinching slightly, her eyes not leaving Jason's body. She held onto Adam's arms tightly, and he pulled her face to his chest, cutting off her view of the gory scene.

He looked at Bryson over her head, his eyes showing approval, and he whispered comforting words into his younger sister's ear.

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And there's the next chapter! I'll be posting more of this soon!