Kadance

28

Tommy couldn't find anyone to fix his hand so he wandered out into the compound plaza. But there were too many celebrants pairing off. He calls in his destination and wanders outside the compound. The low light as the sun sets makes walking dangerous, so he puts on his infrared goggles, makes it easier to see if there are any shifters playing possum any way. He finds and kills many shifters that are only wounded and it helps him to channel his frustrations. He wonders why these haven't been taken care of by the leaders, but doesn't really care.

He is so frustrated, it would help if the bond wasn't closed, but all life bonds are. He viciously stabs a shifter. It's only after fights that it becomes almost impossible to deal with. Now with Alpha and the older kids here the pheromones are intoxicating.

Tommy whips around and has his knife to the soldiers neck before the man could say anything. "Hey, calm down. I just saw you out here and wanted to invite you to celebrate with us. You're with Jade and Jax's  Aunt's security team aren't you?" The student continues without pausing for an answer. "We noticed that there weren't that many females and thought you might like to be with some of our girls. A couple saw you pass through and are interested."

Tommy smiles bleakly, which the student couldn't see. He lowers the knife, "Thanks, but I'm life bonded."

The student stops then in tones of awe says, "You're one of Kadance's mates?"

"Yeah," Tommy replies. "She and Jayse are busy right now." He manages to get that out without too much pain.

"You're Tommy?" Tommy could just about see the hero worship shoot up. "Oh, my. Won't the others be jealous. Look, you're welcome to join us, we'd love to hear some stories." The student says excitedly.

"Thanks again kid." And Tommy has never felt so much older than he did in that minute, "but the air is getting a bit thick there. Right now I'm pretty much on edge. I just need to be alone." Just then a wave of dizziness knocks Tommy down and he passes out. The last thing he hears is the kid calling for medic help.

"Keep him in a sterile room. Only people freshly showered may visit..." The words fade out again as he loses consciousness.

"...internal bleeding. Blast caused..." He heard before fading out once more.

Kadance's anxious voice brings him swimming back to consciousness. "Shh, Stefi." He looks at Jayse and says, "M'be better this way." He sighs and stops fighting to stay awake.

"Taren Thompson don't you dare leave me." Kadance demands, not allowing the tears to come out. In reply he smiles faintly and his hand goes limp in hers. Jayse takes her in his arms and guides her from the room. The doctors work feverishly on him.

Kelan comes out sometime later. She wipes her brow as she sits in exhaustion. She looks at Kadance and Jayse, although the other team members are gathered around. "He's a fighter. More than he wants to be I think. He's fighting hard to make it, but from his words I think he's also fighting himself. He needs a reason to fight to live and stop fighting himself and he'll make it. Otherwise," she shrugs, "he's lost a lot of blood. I've seen worse survive and I've seen better die."

"I need you Taren Thompson. You made some promises to me, don't you dare leave me now. I need your help." Kadance alternates between ordering and pleading with Tommy. "I love you."

"Dammit, Tommy, don't you dare leave me. Kadance will be impossible to live with if you leave. And being on full time as her shadow, horror. Don't you dare do that to me. You're all I've got left of Sigma. You're my only family Tommy, don't you dare leave me alone to help with all our babies. Just think Tommy, think of your babies. Think what sneaky things you can teach them at Kadance's home on Gaia. She'll need us both." Jayse orders, begs and teases Tommy.