Page 26

Anders

My encounter with Kieran Grove replayed in my head the rest of yesterday.

Fears I thought I’d buried clawed their way to the surface. Why was Kieran here? What has happened to my village since I’ve been gone?

I can’t sleep, tossing and turning. I dread what my village and the island itself will look like when I return.

Will Kieran have invited hunters into our home?

They will burn the forests. Hunt the game and starve my family.

Burn them with fire and silver. Is Wulfric still alive? What about my brothers and my aunt?

Oh gods. I’ve let myself become so complacent.

I have to go back. Soon. I must assess the situation and plan a course of action.

If humans have descended upon my pack, then I will do whatever I can to aid them.

If Wulfric has let the humans take over, then I must challenge him.

I’ll have no choice, though the prospect of facing my brother in combat doesn’t fill me with the thrill it once did.

When I open my eyes, morning has come. Jamie’s side of the bed is empty but warm. I roll over and face the ceiling. My chest is heavy. I know what I must ask of him. I only pray he won’t be upset.

The apartment smells like coffee and pancakes. I love pancakes. Jamie is humming in the kitchen. “Morning,” Jamie chirps. He has bags under his eyes. “Did you like the movie?” He hands me a plate of oatmeal pancakes.

We finished the first movie, and Bailey and Jess told me there were two more. “It was… interesting.” Once I’d realized the people in the box, the TV, weren’t going to come out and lop my head off, I’d relaxed.

I take a big bite of my pancake and moan. They’re so soft and fluffy. My mate is an amazing cook. I drizzle some maple syrup over the cakes for extra sweetness, then add a splash to my coffee.

“You and your sweet tooth,” Jamie says, voice soft and fond. “I’m guessing you didn’t have a good time. Your face did that thing that makes you look constipated.”

“They’re fine people. For humans. But I admit I still don’t trust them, or any human for that matter.”

Jamie’s face falls. “Anders.”

“You grew up among humans, Jamie. I grew up being hunted by them. No matter how kind they may seem, once they learn what you are, your friends will turn against you.”

Jamie recoils. “What? No. They’d never.”

I sigh. “It’s a fact. They can never know what we are.”

Jamie folds his arms. “I don’t believe you. Sure, maybe some humans would be jerks about it, but Jess and Bailey are good. They’d never hate us just for being different.”

“It’s not about being different,” I snap, needing him to understand. “They will only ever see us as monsters, Jamie.”

But my stubborn mate only shakes his head. “You don’t know that, Anders. You can’t just make snap judgments like that.”

“It’s a judgment based on a lifetime’s worth of the cruelty of humans.”

“What is with you? You’ve been acting grouchy and paranoid ever since you saw Kieran.”

I shove aside my plate, my appetite diminished. “For damn good reason.”

“Oh? Tell me, then! Kieran’s a good guy.”

I snort. “Hardly. He has my brother charmed, but I never liked him. He’s going to trick them all into thinking he’s one of them, and then he’ll betray them.”

Jamie groans and leans on the counter, tugging his fingers through his hair. “Anders, you’re better than this. You’re a good person.”

Am I really? I’m good to him. I would never dream of being cruel to Jamie. “That isn’t true. Others would tell you I’ve been the villain in their story. My brother. Kieran. Anyone who has threatened my pack. Certainly the lovers I’ve kicked out of my bed.”

Jamie swallows, his heart racing faster in my ears. “Are you going to be the villain in mine?”

I meet his gaze sharply, alarmed he’d ever think that I’d hurt him.

“Am I going to lose you to this obsession for revenge?”

The barstool creaks as I rise. Jamie takes a step back against the wall as I cage him in.

Reaching out, I take his chin in my hand and make him meet my gaze.

I need him close, need him to understand.

“The only time I’ll ever be the villain in your story, James Sullivan, is when you need me to be.

Say the word, and I’ll unleash Hel herself upon your foes.

” My gaze lands on the necklace against his chest. “Jamie, I need to check in on my pack. I need to be sure Kieran isn’t planning anything. ”

Jamie’s eyes widen. “Anders, I don’t like this.”

“I won’t do anything rash. If it’s as I’ve feared and the pack is in chaos, I would need to plan my next move.”

Jamie closes his hand around the necklace. “And you’d come back?”

I hesitate, suddenly finding it near impossible to refuse him. It wasn’t long ago I would have thanked him for his hospitality and left without a second thought. Now…

“You want me to come back?”

Jamie’s lips part, but he takes a moment to reply. “I mean, sure, but only if you want to. Your home is there. Your family. Everything that’s familiar to you. Why would you want to come back to New York, of all places?” Jamie laughs softly, but his wounded eyes contradict his attempt at humor.

“I wouldn’t be coming back to New York, Jamie.

I’d be coming back to you . Wherever you may be.

In the past, present, future. It does not matter to me.

” Jamie tries to look away, but I capture his face in my hands.

“Never doubt the way that I feel for you. You are mine, and I am yours. I crossed time and space to find you, and I’ll be damned before I let you go.

Trust in our bond. Trust me and the depth of my feelings for you. Can you do that?”

I’ve never meant any words more. For so long, I lived in the darkness of my brother’s shadow, never feeling good enough.

When Jamie came into my life, he brought the sunshine with him.

Day by day, he’s challenging my deeply held beliefs.

He’s changing me into someone else, someone far better than the monster I was before.

My world is a brighter, better place because of knowing him.

“Now, answer me. Do you want me to come back?”

“Yes. Of course I do.” Jamie squeezes my hands.

A smile spreads across my face, but it trembles. Jamie wants me to stay, but what if my brothers need me? Torn in two, I grip his hands like he’s an anchor in stormy seas. “I will see how the village fares, and then I will return with news. How does that sound?”

Jamie holds my gaze and nods. “O-okay, Anders. I will. Just don’t take too long, okay?”

I kiss his fingertips. “I won’t, not longer than a few hours. I swear this to you.”

With trembling fingers, Jamie removes the necklace and hands it to me. “Take good care of it.”

“You have my word.” I pocket the necklace.

“What?” a wavering voice whispers behind me.

When I turn, Jace has come out of the bathroom, hair shiny and damp. His eyes are wide and glistening, his little mouth slack. “You’re… leaving? But what about my school presentation? You promised you’d help me.”

The hurt in his voice twists like a knife in my chest. Going to him, I kneel so I can look him in the eyes. His fists are clenched, his lip trembling as he glares at the floor. “It is only temporary. I will return in time for your presentation, lad. I promise.”

“Yeah, right.” Jace pushes me away, and I’m surprised by the ache that throbs in my chest. “What’s the matter with us? Everyone always leaves!” Rubbing his eyes, he runs into the bedroom and slams the door.

Swallowing what feels like an egg in my throat, I hang my head. “What does he mean?”

Jamie sighs behind me. Turning, I find him hugging himself, eyes downcast. “Before you… nobody I dated stuck around. I’d be careful to really get to know a guy before introducing him to Jace, but no matter how sure I was or how great things were going, the relationship would fall apart.

Jace really liked my last boyfriend, Tim.

He was a great guy, but things didn’t work out. Jace was crushed.”

A growl rises in me at the thought of Jamie with someone else, someone who hurt him and the lad. Who wouldn’t cherish this little pack?

Rising, I go to him and envelop him in my arms. “I will come back to you and the boy. I swear it on my life.” Jamie throws his trembling arms around me, crushing me to him.

“You’d better.”

Jamie drives us to the piers. He’s unusually quiet. I don’t know what more I can say to ease his doubts. I will have to prove my devotion by returning to him as swiftly as I can.

Once we’re at the piers, we walk along the docks together. The sun rises over the water, and seagulls cry out as they chase the dawn. It’s hard to believe I once found this timeline so intimidating. Jamie’s present is as beautiful as my past, just in different ways.

He laughs softly. “I can’t believe I punched you in the face.”

A smile tugs at my mouth. “I can. It hurt. I knew right away how strong you were. The Norns chose well when they brought us together.”

“Here we are…” Jamie stops before the railing. A security guard unlocks a gate leading to a long stretch of dock that sways side to side. Boats are moored along it. “Looks like the marina is open. You can rent a boat,” Jamie suggests.

I make to walk away, but Jamie grips my hand tightly.

Clearing his throat, he lets go. My hand still tingles from his touch as Jamie chips in for a rowboat.

The dock rocks beneath us, and I seize Jamie’s hand so he doesn’t lose his balance.

I don’t know what to say. Jamie won’t meet my gaze. He’s clearly unhappy with me.

“Ah. Here she is.” The boat looks nothing like the one I rode in on but similar enough that I shouldn’t have any trouble. Jamie’s hand flinches in mine. “Do you want to come with me?” I ask, turning to face him.

Jamie shakes his head. “Jace needs me. I don’t want to risk, I don’t know, getting stuck in the past.”