Page 32

Practically bouncing on the balls of his feet, Jace says, “Vikings were seafaring warriors who traveled all around the world. Anders, where’s a really cool place you visited?”

When everyone looks at me, I suddenly don’t know what to say. “Well, I, uh—”

Someone yawns loudly. “Boring! That’s not a real Viking. They’re all dead. This is stupid .” Damn it. That’s the obnoxious boy who bullied Jace. I’d recognize the little shit anywhere.

Jace flinches, crumpling the paper in his fists.

“Kevin!” the teacher reprimands. “If you’re going to be rude, you need to go and wait outside. Mr. and Mrs. Davidson, please tell him not to be disruptive.”

Kevin’s parents go and whisper to their bratty child. Kevin stomps his foot. “But this is stupid! Why couldn’t I go before him ?” He glares at Jace. The poor lad is red-faced, tears bright in his eyes.

“I raided the shores of Francia.” The class loses interest in Kevin’s antics and turns their attention to me, just like I’d hoped. “I’ve sailed endless blue seas, roamed scorching deserts, and fought many foes.”

Jace looks up, wide-eyed with intrigue. “Really?”

“Tell us more!” a little lass calls.

My confidence grows as I answer questions and tell the pups all about my time.

Even the adults look fascinated. Jamie is finally smiling as he watches me.

I get so carried away with my stories that the teacher clears her throat and says, “Thank you so much, Anders and Jace. Unfortunately, we are out of time, but this was wonderful!”

The class claps for us as Jace and I go and stand next to Jamie. Jamie squeezes my hand and bumps his shoulder against mine. Thank you , he mouths, appreciation softening his face.

I squeeze back. “My pleasure,” I whisper.

Anything to make the lad happy.

Anything for Jamie.

After a brief lunch break for the kids, the presentations resume.

“Finally!” Kevin barks, stomping up to the front of the class. Jamie’s hand tenses in mine, and I stroke his knuckles soothingly. To the class, Kevin announces, “I’m going to be doing a presentation on the history… of snails!”

“What are snails?” I whisper to Jamie.

Haughtily clearing his throat, Kevin begins to drone on about snails while images flash on the white board.

It turns out snails happen to be small creatures of some kind with a hard shell.

While at first I’m interested in learning about these strange little things for the first time, ten minutes later, I’m yawning so hard my jaw pops.

A girl suddenly exclaims, “This is boring! Bring back the Viking!”

Kevin’s face goes red.

“Yeah,” chimes in a boy with glasses, “I wanna hear more about epic battles!”

“That’s enough,” the teacher says. “Let Kevin continue.”

Kevin throws down his papers and storms from the classroom, slamming the door behind him. His parents rush after him, leaving the teacher to approach the children who upset Kevin and reprimand them.

Jace frowns. “That was mean…”

“The little lout deserves it,” I grumble, and Jamie elbows me.

“Don’t be rude, puppy dog.”

Jace furrows his brow as he suddenly rushes out of the classroom, making Jamie and me rush after him. Outside, Kevin is sniffling as his parents escort him to their car. Kevin’s mother gets in the driver’s seat while his father sits beside her.

Before Kevin can get in, Jace calls out, “Hey, Kevin!”

Kevin’s shoulders hunch up toward his ears, his fists clenching. He glares at Jace through wet red eyes. “What do you want?”

Jace hesitates, worrying his lower lip. “I… I liked your presentation. I didn’t know anything about snails until today. It was interesting.”

Pride glows warm in my chest. Jace is a kind lad. I can’t say I would have been as kind to the boys who’d picked on me as a pup. It’s good that he’s already so much better than I am.

“Shut up,” Kevin snaps, making Jace jump. “I don’t care what you think! What, you think you’re special just ’cause some people liked your presentation? You’re so annoying. I bet your mom and dad died just to get away from you.”

Jamie squeezes my hand so tightly it aches.

Jace stumbles back, eyes big and round. “Wha… what?”

“Hey,” I snarl, dropping Jamie’s hand and making for the brat, but Kevin slams the car door behind him.

All I can do is watch the boy who just hurt Jace get away.

Damn it. I feel so bloody helpless. If he weren’t a child, I would have butchered him where he stood for such a callous remark.

I’m almost afraid to turn around and see the devastation that’s surely on Jace’s face.

Quiet sobs reach my ears, making me wince.

“Jace,” Jamie says, voice soft and devastated.

Tears cascade down Jace’s face, his lips trembling violently. The poor lad’s tears make my heart break. I long to go to him and hold him close, but Jamie is there, pulling him in for a much-needed hug as he breaks down. “I… I m-miss Mom and Dad!” Jace wails, hiding his face in Jamie’s stomach.

“I know.” Jamie’s voice cracks, his eyes damp before he tucks his chin to his chest, hiding his face from my view.

Unable to bear it a second longer, I go to my hurting family and envelop them both in my arms, squeezing tight.

I wish I knew the right thing to say, the perfect words to take all their pain away.

Mayhap if I were Wulfric… but I’m not. All I can do is hold them, and if that’s what they need, I’ll give it to them, no questions asked.

Jamie helps me get a distraught Jace into the car.

During the drive home, the lad cries on and off, and the sound of his sorrow tears into me with claw and fang.

I’m almost relieved when Jace falls asleep, surely overcome by the toll such heavy emotions took on his little body.

Suddenly, Jamie pulls us over, even though we’re nowhere near home yet.

His sadness floods the car, so overwhelming it feels as if I will drown in it.

“Once we’re home, can you take him upstairs?” Jamie asks, scrubbing a hand over his exhausted face. “I need to head to the shop and cover the lunch shift.”

Shocked, I say, “You can’t work today. You’re miserable, pet. Stay home.”

“Anders, damn it, would you just stop! I can take care of myself. I’ve done it for fucking years.

I don’t n-need your—” Jamie’s tone is sharp, but the crack in his voice gives away just how much today is weighing on him.

A shuddery gasp falls from his lips. “Fuck. I’m so sorry, Anders.

I just… fuck!” He wrenches off his seat belt and lurches from the car.

“Jamie, wait,” I hiss, fighting with my damned seat belt until the stupid thing comes off. Closing the door quietly so I don’t wake Jace, I walk around to the driver’s side of the car and freeze. Jamie is hiding his face in his hands, but his heaving shoulders betray his anguish.

“I miss them so much.” He gulps in a breath. “If—if they were here, they could comfort Jace. They knew how to comfort him, and make him laugh, and how to take care of him, and I’m just—” Suddenly, he slams a fist on the hood of the car. Tears dampen his puffy cheeks, and his nose is bright red.

“Pet.” My own voice shakes as I reach for him. “You are amazing with the lad. You—”

“Just stop, Anders!” Jamie’s voice is sharp and pleading. “I don’t deserve Jace. I… I don’t even deserve to be alive when my parents aren’t. I d-don’t deserve you.” His voice thickens, and he lifts both hands, curling them in his hair. A strangled noise escapes him that cracks my heart in two.

All I can do is shake my head. “That’s enough. I won’t stand here and listen to you talk this way about yourself. Jamie, you’re… you’re the best person I know. You’ve made this time feel more like home than anywhere else.”

Gods. No one I have ever known has stirred up such feelings within me.

The moment I met him, I knew he was mine, but that was the extent of it.

All my life, I wanted to be an Alpha, like my father and my brother.

But with Jamie, I finally feel like I am good enough.

I may not be an Alpha in the official sense, but I’m Jamie’s.

His. And somehow, that’s become more important than anything else.

I just want to be a man who can make him happy, a man deserving of him.

Gripping his hands, I tug them gently from his hair and turn him toward me. His jaw is tightly clenched, his lips pressed so firmly together they’ve turned white. Pulling him close, I wrap my arms around him and hold him to me.

“Sorry.” Jamie’s voice shakes. His arms twitch like he wants to hold me back, but they remain pinned to his sides. “Fuck. I’m such a mess.”

Kissing his hair, I murmur, “You care deeply. There is no shame in having a big heart.”

“I’m… I’m so ashamed of myself.” He hides his face in my chest.

“Ashamed? Why?” I comb my fingers through his hair.

“Never wanted anyone to see me like this.”

I press my lips to his temple. “Even the sun has days where it doesn’t want to shine, pet. That doesn’t make you undeserving of love.” I need to get him home, away from the demands of the world. Nobody will ask for anything from him today, or I’ll bite their damn head off. “Get us home.”

“What?” Jamie looks up, wide-eyed. “I can’t! I have to—”

A growl from me silences him as I slide my palm over the nape of his neck, gently squeezing. “Listen to your Alpha. Get us home so I can care for you the way you deserve. Understood?”

Calm settles over Jamie. With a shuddery exhale that sounds a lot like a wolfish whimper, he tips his head back to show his throat. “Y-Yes, Alpha.”

I watch him until he’s made it to the car. My mate has no idea how to put himself first, and that is going to change. I’m going to get him home and care for him in every way I can.

I won’t leave Jamie’s side until I know he’s okay.