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Nix heads for the door, and when he looks back, Luca is looking around the unloading area like he’s searching for a place to hide.

Start what, though; that’s the real question.

The doors to the ER slide open, and Nix spots his mates immediately, though they’re all doing their best to pretend they haven’t been waiting for him.

Leo is perched on the corner of a chair, staring at a hospital infomercial on the wall-mounted television with exaggerated interest.

Jamie is beside him, flipping through a tabloid magazine that looks older than Nix and—it’s upside down.

Grayson, seated next to Jamie, is holding his own magazine, but he’s not even bothering to fake it.

The moment Nix’s eyes meet his, Grayson is on his feet, moving toward him with purpose. Nix instinctively puts out a hand, stopping the alpha’s approach. He’s not quite ready for the physical reassurance he knows Grayson wants to offer.

Grayson halts immediately, his face carefully neutral, his posture relaxed—but his eyes betray him. He’s worried Nix is angry enough to withhold affection.

He’s not punishing Grayson; how could he?

No single person is to blame for this situation spiraling out of control, it’s just…well…Nix is feeling prickly, and he doesn’t want to take it out on the wrong person.

It’s Finn—who wasn’t watching at the window and is now leaning nonchalantly against the desk at the empty admitting station with his ankles crossed—that catches Nix’s attention.

Handsome.He’s wearing his white lab coat over his blue cardigan with the tiny white flecks in it, and his button-down shirt is open far enough that Nix’s mating bite is visible, high on his neck.

The sight of it sends a zing of desire down his spine.Mine,Nix’s wolf purrs.

Nix isn’t ashamed to say that seeinghisDr. Merritt looking professional in his workplace is a temptation.

Finn is in his element when he adjusts his glasses and pages through a tablet like he’snotworried, and that goes a long way to making Nix feel like he shouldn’t be worried, either.

Tsuki noses at Finn’s elbow, and he stops long enough to run an unseeing hand over her head in welcome.

“Nix,” Finn says, lifting his nose to catch Nix’s aroused scent, and nearly fumbles his tablet to the floor. He clears his throat. “Uh, hey.”

“Hi,Dr. Merritt.”

Jamie and Leo give up on their subterfuge, and at least Leo is cautious enough not to be sure of his welcome.

“I’m mad at you,” Nix says after all, and to no one in particular, but it doesn’t stop him from going into Jamie’s arms.

Nix hates disharmony, and it’s good knowing he can be frustrated, even bordering on rude, and Jamie will still welcome him with open arms.

Grayson can’t resist the lure of aNix-sandwichand comes from behind so he can kiss Nix’s ear before heading back to his seat, most likely to not be collateral damage in the impending dispute.

That single kiss settles his Grayson-bond, and it’s one less jangling, electrified bond swirling in his chest.

There’s a nose pressed to the top of his head as Jamie scents him, and then he sighs. “Nix, be reasonable.”

Reasonable?Is he kidding?

The look on Jamie’s face says he is 100%notjoking.

Nix is tired of the emotional pendulum; he wants their comfort and affection, and he needs them to respect his autonomy.

Is it too much to ask?

Leo groans and covers his face with his hand at Jamie’s deliberate poking of the bear.

“Hey. Don’t be mad. We are just worried, right? You aren’t usually throwing up your cookies—”