“You said it yourself: we’re not even bonded.”
“Maybe not, butsomethingexists there.” Eric ran his hand through the mess of blond curls on his head. “Thisis why I want to be in the know about these things. Because there are three of you involved, the magic might be working differently. Like creating the framework for a bond before you all complete it, or something. It’s probably trickier between three than just two.”
I didn’t want to throw Sage under the metaphorical bus and explain that the reticence to tell them all about our situation had come from him, but, selfishly, I didn’t want them to blame me for it, either.
“I didn’t…” I started, my shoulders drooping. “The plan was to say something when Sergio got back. When we had all had a chance to properly talk everything out in person.”
Itsounded silly in hindsight. We’d spent six weeks talking about everything and anything via video calls. We had already had the necessary conversations. We all already knew that we were beyond compatible together as a threesome. A throuple. We all already knew that we would bond after Sergio finally settled in Shifters Sanctuary. We had really just wanted to keep it to ourselves to preserve that feeling of being in our own little bubble.
And look how well that had turned out.
“Yeah, well, I figure Sage had a lot to do with that, right?” Eric huffed, but the question was affectionate, if slightly exasperated. “He said something about being my latest project…it doesn’t matter. I’ll talk to you all once everyone is reunited and we can make sure there aren’t any lasting effects from the magic-restricting cell. That’s what’s most important right now.”
Something of my renewed panic must have shown on my face, because he hurried to add, “His hCG levels are still low, meaning that he’s only very early into his pregnancy, so his body won’t be relying on as much magic right now, okay? The initial internal shift has already taken place, and his uterus already exists, so the cell he’s in won’t affect any of that.”
“But…to maintain the internal shift?” I asked, unable to help myself.
Eric grimaced. “That is why we need to get him out of there sooner rather than later. I honestly don’t know if it’s something that does need to be maintained through magic or not. It’s not something we have a way of testing.”
“Not humanely,” I spoke without thinking, my own words making me feel ill as I talked out the realization, “not without putting a pregnant omega in a cage which prevents magic.”
He nodded. “But we’re getting him out, Dex. Come hell or high water.”
Right then, I would have happily summoned both if it meant having Sage back sooner.
Chapter Twenty-One
“I’m coming with you,” Jamie declared as he watched me throwing clothes and books and random crap into a suitcase.
“What?” I paused to glare at him, while my inner alpha beat his wings and stamped his hooves, anxious about any second wasted on not returning home. My omegas were hurting. The look of utter devastation on Dexter’s face had mirrored my own feelings, knowing that Sage was…Jesus,he was locked in a cell somewhere, his shifter side forcibly repressed by a spell that turned my stomach, and he was pregnant.
I didn’t even know how that was possible.
I mean, sure, I knewhowit was possible, but I’d never knotted him. I hadn’t had the pleasure of giving in to my alpha urge to breed him. The only time I could even recall finishing inside him was during Dexter’s heat, but that had happened before I had popped my first knot when I’d been with Dexter…andugh!The Magic had some explaining to do!
“I am coming with you,” the Irish menace repeated calmly, bringing my thoughts back to the moment.
“Why? So you can make sure I follow through on my promise? Because —and you might not have heard— I have other things to worry about right now.”
Like my pregnant mate.
Oh, look, we were back on the subject again.
“No,” Jamie replied slowly. “Sergio, I want to help.” He bit his lip, a flush of guilt marring his otherwise pretty features. “I feel somewhat responsible for what’s happened. If you hadn’t told them that you were staying to help us over here…”
I liked to consider myself a rational man. Cool under pressure. The kind of person who didn’t point fingers or lay blame on people who didn’t deserve it.
That all flew out the window as I grasped on to what Jamie was saying.
“You’re right,” I bit out, turning back to my hurried packing, “it is partially your fault.”
There. At least I said ‘partially’. I wasn’t irrational enough to say it wasallhis fault.
“So, allow me to help make it right, then.”
I didn’t have the time or interest to argue with him. “Fine,” I snapped. “But I am taking the next commercial flight to America that I can get.” I wanted to just spread my wings and fly myself there, but it was over eight-thousand miles in a direct line, and I didn’t have that kind of stamina or energy. I did not want to risk plummeting into the ocean mid-journey. Not when my men needed me. I zipped my suitcase up with a flourish and set it on the ground, raising the handle. “If you’re coming with me, you’re coming right now.”
Almost a full twenty-four hours after Brandt had burst in on our meeting, I found myself rushing inside Beckett and Oliver’s house. Ollie didn’t waste time on pleasantries when he opened the door to me and Jamie, and I appreciated him all the more for it. Especially as he led the way to the Alpha’s meeting room, explaining, “Everyone’s been here since dawn. I don’t think Dex even slept. He, uh, he wasn’t doing too well yesterday.”
