* * *
Lucian hadn’t movedfrom where he sat against the tree. His eyes were closed, his face turned up toward the winter sun. The weak rays couldn’t penetrate the chill of the cold air. Three days had passed since Disir had left him sitting in front of the draheim veil. He’d gone hunting a couple of times, taking just enough sustenance to keep himself alive. Other than that, he hadn’t left his vigil. For a fleeting moment, he’d felt her. Her presence had been faint, but he knew it was her, and the bond was intact.
Over and over, Lucian replayed in his mind their last argument. Sometimes, he regretted the words he’d spoken in anger. Other times, he knew they needed to be said. He loved his mate with a fierceness he’d never thought possible. And it was because of that love that he refused to simply sit by and watch her destroy herself and every relationship she’d built over the years. Then he had lost her. When he’d walked away, Lucian had thought that they would have plenty of time to sort things out. He hadn’t considered that his three-thousand-year-old mate would be gone for good. And now… He wasn’t sure what was going on. Was she back? Even though he’d felt her for a moment, she was still out of his reach. But not for long. He would find her. And when he did, there would be no walking away. This time, he would make her listen. He would fight for her, for them. He would fight, and he would win, even if it was his own mate he had to fight.
“Have you been sitting there since Disir left you?”
He’d smelled the group before Jen spoke, but he still didn’t open his eyes. With his eyes closed, he could see his mate. She lived in his mind’s eye, and he didn’t want to lose sight of her for even a second.
“Gotta admit,” Jen continued, “that’s some serious devotion. Not even a phone to distract yourself with. And the bladder control, that’s even more impressive. I mean, as a mom—”
“Jen,” Jacque’s voice cut her off. “Lay off.”
Jen huffed but didn’t continue her monologue.
“I’m sorry it took so long,” Disir’s voice spoke next.
Lucian did open his eyes now. His gaze roamed over the group gathered before him until they landed on the high fae.
“I did some digging in our archives first, then I went back to the sprite realm,” Disir explained.
“And the answer you came up with was to bring back a support group?” Lucian asked, unsure why there were so many supernaturals standing in front of him. And a human. Apparently, Chris Morgan, Sally’s dad, was as much a warrior as the supernaturals in their group. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have brought him along.
“You’re not the only one who wants Peri back,” Myanin said. She was adorned with weapons, as if she was about to charge into a serious battle. Perhaps she thought if they got through the veil, they would have to fight the draheim. Lucian did not think that would be the case, not if his mate had taken sanctuary in their realm.
“I’m aware of that,” Lucian said. “I guess I just didn’t expect so much help.”
“How many times do I have to tell you that what happened is water under the bridge?” Heather asked from where she stood next to her mate. “Tell him, Kale.”
Lucian met Kale’s eyes. After several heartbeats, the great white wolf dropped his eyes. Not because Lucian wasn’t as dominant as the Ireland beta, but out of respect for the male and humility for what Lucian had done. It impressed Lucian that Kale hadn’t tried to kill him. It was what he deserved, and Lucian would have let him do it.
Heather elbowed her mate, causing him to grunt. “We talked about this, Iceberg.”
There was a snicker from several of the healers as they glanced at the couple.
“Iceberg?” Jen asked, and then her face lit up. “Shut up! Kale. Like the lettuce? So you”—she pointed at Heather and then at Kale —“call him different types of green veggies. Damn, that is awesome! How did I not come up with that?”
“Try not to be too hard on yourself,” Heather told her as she patted her male’s chest. “You’ve had a lot on your mind. You haven’t had time to think about how to make fun of his name yet.”
“I’m standing right here,” Kale muttered dryly.
“That you are, Romaine,” Jen said and slapped her thigh as if it was the funniest thing she’d heard in a while.
Kale sighed and looked up as if trying to get a hold of his irritation. Lucian understood the feeling well.
“Look,” the Ireland beta said and then dropped his eyes to look at Lucian. “Am I still pissed over what you did to my mate? Yes. But”—he paused and clenched his teeth—“I know all too well that we make mistakes. Our beasts can be unpredictable. Especially when we’re dealing with painful issues concerning our females. So I’m choosing to let it go. I might have done the same thing had I been in your shoes.”
Lucian’s brow rose in surprise. He’d expected it might be years before Kale would be able to even be in the same space as Lucian without wanting to shred him to pieces. Instead, the male looked at Lucian with understanding and even empathy. Lucian pushed up from the ground and stood. He bowed his head to the beta. “Thank you. Though, just like my apology is not adequate, neither is my thanks. But it’s all I have to offer at the moment. I can promise to protect your mate if ever there is a time that she needs it.”
Kale gave a sharp nod but said nothing more.
Lucian turned his attention to Jacque, who’d been watching him the entire time. He’d felt her eyes on him, as if she was attempting to assess his emotional state. Maybe she’d even spoken with her mate through the bond, reporting what she saw as she watched him. Her bright green eyes held compassion that reminded him of Alina. They also held intelligence and perception that would serve her well in her new role. “You are good?” He inclined his head in the alpha’s direction.
“I am.” She gave a small smile. “How about you?”
Lucian’s eyes darted to the trees behind the group where the veil was located. He clenched his jaw in frustration then looked back at Jacque. “I need to see her. Until then, I cannot pretend to be all right.”
“Nobody expects that of you, Lucian,” she said. “We also don’t expect you to go through this alone. You and Peri belong to us. We will get through this together.”
