Koios glanced at Ben, then turned his attention back to the collar. He poked at the seam with his mind, fracturing it into pieces once more. He pushed against it and then Garzaxie gasped.
Koios opened his eyes and the metal crumbled into nothing more than dust. “I, uh….”
“We should probably talk to Sawyer before you do much more of that,” Ben whispered. “Just to be on the safe side.”
Koios nodded.
“You should all go home to your pack,” Cosmo said. “They’ll be worried. The Unseelie is in your debt, and we won’t forget what you all did this day.”
“Cosmo, we can stay until?—”
Cosmo interrupted Ben with a smile. “My mate will be waking up soon, as will Thudlez. Garzaxie will be able to move us to the safety of our chambers once you’re no longer within the walls of our home.”
Ben moved to Cosmo’s side and pulled him into a hug. “Please let me know if there’s anything else we can do.”
“We’ll invite you all to a celebration in your honor in a month’s time,” Cosmo said. “Until then, go be with the ones you love.”
Koios took the suggestion as the order it was meant to be. He stood and moved to Ben’s side. He grabbed Ben’s hand and leaned against his arm.
“Let’s go home. Can you imagine what the rest of our pack is going to say? We’ve been gone for hours. The lectures, Ben.”
Ben leaned over and kissed Koios’s forehead. “But I bet Bailey made soup. You know how I feel about his soup, Koios. I mean, if Logan hadn’t claimed him first?—”
“I heard that!”
“I’d hope so,” Ben teased. “Of course, you do insist on shooting those damn guns. Do you have any idea what that much noise could do to a wolf’s hearing?”
Logan scoffed and joined them as they made their way out of the little chamber where they’d all huddled together. “The comms also work as ear protection. Koios did a thing.”
“A thing?” Ben asked. “Do tell.”
The familiar banter continued until they stepped through the veil that separated the Unseelie realm from theirs. The moment they all exited, the entrance snapped shut.
“Oh, they locked itdown,” Phoebe said.
Koios didn’t blame them. He wanted nothing more than to lock everyone he loved in the safety of the warehouse so he could sleep for a week without having to worry about anyone.
Well…maybe he wouldn’t only sleep. Koios looked up at Ben and grinned. He could think of a few other things to do, especially now that his wings seemed eager to answer his every whim.
“Easy there, tiger. Put those things away before you hurt someone.” Phoebe waved her hands toward Koios’s back and he realized his wings had, in fact, listened to his heart’s desire.
Koios had to concentrate to get them to fold away again, but they disappeared with an ease he’d never thought possible.
“I think I’m taller,” Koios said. “You don’t seem as tall as before.”
“Your back has likely healed and you’re standing straighter,” Ben said.
“Wait, does that mean no more training sessions? No more massages? I…um…ow, my back is very sore. Very, very sore.”
Iris cackled. “Nice try. I somehow doubt you’ll ever want for a massage for the rest of your life. Our Gentle Ben can’t seem to keep his hands off of you.”
Before Ben could defend his honor, their packs and family poured out of the warehouse. They were surrounded within seconds.
Koios took a couple steps back and glanced up at Ben. “You think we can sneak inside?”
“We can try.”
Koios took a couple steps to the side.
