He stared down the hall, jaw locked so tight it ached. It was dimly lit, but the dark bled in from the windows, pooling at the corners and beneath the trim. Vaughn’s eyes tracked the shadows, waiting for a demon to come through one of them. It was always at night when his mind tortured him the most. The house creaked as if it, too, were afraid of what might be inside it. The hair on Vaughn’s arms stood, every muscle in his body braced for attack. He forced a breath through his nose then another, grounding himself by counting the seconds. It was a coping mechanism he’d learned during his time with his mother, somehow reorienting the nervous system. But at the moment, it felt like drowning in slow motion.
He hated letting the others see him like this, the way his wolf prowled right under his skin, senses on overdrive, ready to tear apart anything that came near. But tonight, the threat wasn’t out there in the woods. It was here, lurking in the seams of his own damn house. Vaughn’s gaze snapped back to the hallway, the stretch of rug, and the off-white paint. His heart thumped so hard he thought it might break a rib. The only thing moving was Preston’s green eyes, peeking around the doorframe, and Jalen’s restless fingers, playing with the drawstring of his sweatpants. Nothing else stirred. Just the echo of his torment, refusing to let him go.
But the way they both looked at him—expectant, a little hopeful, a little hungry—yanked Vaughn back to the present. It wasn’t supernatural horror lurking in the shadows this time, just two eager mates waiting to catch a glimpse of the fae in his shower. Vaughn almost laughed, but the sound stuck in his throat.
He felt a strange, alien twist in his chest. Not fear, because that wasn’t an alien emotion. It was his constant companion since being rescued from Vex.
Something else.
Something sharper.
His mate was in the shower, behind a thin slice of wall, and Vaughn was the only thing standing between him and the rest of the world. It was a responsibility that felt too big, but also…right. Like he could hold the darkness at bay as long as he stayed right here, keeping the small man safe.
He steeled himself, doing his best to act unfazed. The shadows didn’t move, after all. But he knew better than anyone how fast things could change.
“But”—Preston peered past him again—“do we get to keep him?”
“He’s not a puppy,” Jalen snorted. “He’s a fairy.” He frowned and looked at Vaughn. “Do they have wands? Tinker Bell has a wand.”
“And the fairy godmother.” Preston nodded. “Please tell me he carries a wand.”
“You boys seriously need to lay off those fairy tale movies.”
Fairy tales were for people who had a naive outlook on life. That had never been the case for Vaughn. His mother’s psychosis had robbed him of his childhood and a huge chunk of his adult life. Happily-ever-afters were for people who hadn’t grown up with a parent determined to give them a lifetime supply of PTSD.
“You still haven’t answered me,” Preston complained. “Do we get to keep him?”
“Sunshine…” Zeppelin’s warning voice carried down the hallway before the alpha appeared. “Stop pestering my beta.”
A six-foot-five wall of muscle headed their way. Broad shoulders and fierce expression, Zeppelin Mafari was one scary SOB if you didn’t know him but even more frightening if you crossed him. Everything about him screamed alpha until your voice grew hoarse.
“It’s a literal fairy,” Preston complained. “Why is it okay if I’ve seen vampires and know about demons, but I can’t know one freaking fairy?”
“Fae,” Vaughn corrected.
“I still don’t know the difference,” Preston muttered as Jalen kept poking his head past Vaughn.
“Chase, come get your mate.” Vaughn didn’t have to shout. Their heightened senses would allow Chase to hear him even if the guy was downstairs.
Jalen looked at Vaughn as if that had been a betrayal. “Why am I in trouble? I’m not the one who wants to keep him like he’s a pet.”
“But you’re gawking like you’re at an exhibit waiting for the main attraction to make an appearance,” Preston pointed out.
Jalen glared at him.
“Hey, if I’m getting dragged away, so are you.”
“Don’t make me question why we’re best friends.” Jalen glared at Preston, though everyone knew there was no heat behind his words.
“What’s going on, brat?” Chase said as he rounded the corner, staring adoringly at his mate.
“Vaughn’s punishing me because Preston wants a puppy,” Jalen complained.
Chase glanced his way. Vaughn simply shrugged. “Lost my decoder ring. You’ll have to figure out his chaos on your own.”
But, as Vaughn stood there, he couldn’t help picturing Newt being a part of this wholesome chaotic mess. No doubt Preston and Jalen would accept his mate, but would Newt want to be a part of it?
Why are you entertaining the thought? A mate is the last thing you need.
