“Always.”
I waited while he got in his car and drove away, that feeling of wrongness refusing to leave. I yawned as I went back inside. I was just about to sit back down when my phoned chimed with a text. My dad’s name flashed on the screen and I snatched it up off the table.
Dad: I’m all right. I’m with Xen, but I’m okay, Jake. He says I have to stay here until the wedding. Then I can go home.
That motherfucker.
It took everything I had not to toss my fucking phone.
I slumped down into the nearest chair, not objecting when Gabriel reached for my phone to read the message.
“Bastard,” Rys hissed. “But at least you know he’s alive. Xen can’t hurt him or he’ll invalidate the pact you entered into.”
“I guess that’s true, butfuck. I hate thinking of him with Xen.” Hated it more than I could put into words. All I kept seeing was the look on Xen’s face when he’d pinned me against the wall. I didn’t trustthatXen to keep his word.
“I know. But there’s nothing more we can do tonight.” Gabriel clapped me on the shoulder. “Go be with Max, get some sleep. We’ll re-evaluate in the morning.”
I wasn’t about to argue with that. “Okay.” I stood and faced everyone. “Thanks again for everything.”
“You’re welcome. You all right getting up the stairs?” Rys eyed my leg.
I nodded. “It’s almost healed.” I yawned, suddenly realising how tired I was. The need to be with Max almost overwhelming. “Night.” I left them in the kitchen and headed upstairs.
I closedthe door to the guest room and leant against it. Drained.
The others must’ve all been in to see Max while I was gone, because I couldsmellthem. It hadn’t hit me before now, too caught up in everything going on, but there were so many scents.
So many.
None of them pack.
Because you don’t have one now.
My gaze drifted to the bed, to the one scent that would always be pack, family,home. No matter where we were. As I watched, Max’s eyes fluttered open, and when they finally focused on me, he smiled.
“Hey,” he whispered, voice rough and scratchy. “Come here.” He gave a half-hearted attempt to beckon me closer.
And just like that I forgot everything else. The only thing that mattered was Max.
Pushing off the door, I crossed the room, anticipation sizzling through my veins the closer I got.
I can touch him now.
I can kiss him.
I wondered if Max had severed his connection to Xen like I had. Would it make a difference if he hadn’t? I’d kissed him earlier, but Max had been unconscious. Unaware. Would he be able to kiss me back?
Only one way to find out.
“How’re you feeling?” I sat on the edge of the bed beside him, taking his hand when he reached for me.
“Sore.” He went to sit up, wincing in pain.
“Don’t,” I whispered. “You’re still healing.” I sucked in a breath, the scent of his blood still too fresh in my mind. “He almost killed you.”
Max sighed. “I know. I saw it in his eyes.” His fingers tightened around mine, a soft smile on his lips. “That’s why I looked for you. I wanted your face to be the last thing I saw.”
“Fuck’s sake.” I blinked back tears. I’d been so close to losing him and now we were alone, with nothing else to distract me, the reality of that started to sink in.
