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Alexei

A lexei felt bad for this doctor he’d never met. He really did. From what Jay had said, it sounded like Monroe hadn’t been given much of a choice on his new condition.

And to be mated to Wolfe? That had to be…brutal.

But it was hard to focus on that little shred of empathy because more than anything, Alexei was pissed at how upset this all had Jay. He could feel the little jolts of anxiety, of worry and stress, coming from his sweet vampire since the day before.

It had Alexei’s inner beast unsettled, restless, even. It didn’t like for their mate to be discontent in any way.

But the frustrating part was, even with the bond, Alexei couldn’t tell exactly why Jay felt so anxious. Was he feeling responsible for the doctor? Worried Wolfe would turn others?

When Alexei had asked, Jay had mumbled something about all the trouble he was putting his friends through.

Which…all right, Alexei could understand feeling guilty a little about that, if he were in Jay’s shoes.

But why so anxious? Did Jay really think his friends wouldn’t have his back?

This group of vampires that so clearly adored him?

Was Jay really so unsure of his own place here?

So Alexei was more than a little on edge when they made their way back to Wolfe’s mansion.

Surprisingly, the vampire let the three of them—Jay, Alexei, and Roman—wait in the sitting room with him while Danny went to check on Monroe upstairs.

Still, Wolfe remained standing, posture ramrod straight as they waited on Danny’s verdict. A verdict Alexei had serious doubts about Wolfe honoring, were it to go any way other than what he so clearly wanted—Monroe remaining at his side.

Roman glowered from his spot in an ostentatious armchair clearly meant more for aesthetics than comfort, looking a moment away from leaping up and following Danny up the stairs. “Have you passed your message on to the den? That Jay has protectors? That he is not to be trifled with?”

Wolfe tipped his chin, his head cocked and gaze distant, half his attention clearly on trying to make out the discussion upstairs. “I did. I made some phone calls yesterday.”

Roman’s glower deepened. “And why did it take you a full week to make a few phone calls?”

Wolfe shot him a look, face placid. “It didn’t. My attentions were focused elsewhere, I’m afraid. I could apologize, if you like, but it would be terribly insincere.”

Roman waved an irritated hand, brushing off the nonapology with some vaguely French sound of disapproval.

“And that’s it?” Alexei clarified, when neither of his companions seemed eager to speak up. “Jay’s free from them?”

Wolfe shrugged genteelly. “I’ve done what I can.

I alerted them Jay had found himself a mate and a den.

I may also have intimated that said mate had ties to…

Eastern shores.” Alexei startled at that.

He hadn’t realized his Mafia ties would be any sort of deterrent to a rival vampire den.

“I also dropped hints of Hendrick’s fate.

If they’re smart, they won’t try to provoke a war.

They’ll either disband or start building up their own resources.

I’m sure they’ve managed to siphon at least some of Johann’s funds off him already. ”

Alexei looked to Jay, who was plucking at the tassels on one of the couch pillows, seemingly entirely unconcerned by the prospect of his money being slowly stolen away.

“And if they come anyway?” Alexei asked Wolfe.

“Then we’ll go,” Jay said softly, eyes on his pillow, even as Alexei felt threads of sadness leak through the bond. “You and me. We won’t put anyone in danger.”

Roman stiffened at his words, a grumble of protest leaving his lips, and even Wolfe gave Jay a pained look. “Really, Johann. After I’ve gone to all the trouble of changing my loyalties…”

But it was Danny’s voice that cut in the sharpest. “You won’t .”

Alexei tore his gaze reluctantly off Jay to see Danny standing in the doorway to the sitting room. “You won’t go, Jay,” Danny repeated. “If they come, we’ll fight.”

“At least, some of us will,” Roman interjected, giving Danny a pointed look. Alexei had a feeling it wasn’t Roman who wanted to abstain from the fight himself but that he was reluctant to let his mate join the fray.

“We all will,” Danny insisted, his cheeks pink with heightened emotion. “Soren and Gabe have already agreed. You’re family, Jay. Or, um, our den mate, if that’s what you prefer to call it.”

“No… Family is good. I like family.” Jay’s voice came out breathless, his gaze now firmly fixed on Danny, and Alexei could feel how overwhelmed he was.

Alexei realized fully for the first time just how many doubts Jay really had been having about his place here in Hyde Park, the cause of his recent anxiety.

Alexei wished once again that Vee would come back to life so he could rip her head off himself, for ever giving Jay cause to doubt how lovable he was.

“How extraordinarily touching,” Wolfe remarked dryly, clearly bored of these pledges of devotion. He raised a brow at Danny. “And my mate?”

Danny’s pleasure at Jay’s agreement dimmed visibly. “He says he’ll stay with you,” he muttered, clearly uncomfortable with the idea.

Wolfe’s eyes shone, their light brown seeming for a moment to almost glow red. Alexei had another moment of pity for the poor doctor fated to be his mate and a surge of gratitude for the vampire fate had chosen for him instead.

“Excellent,” Wolfe breathed. “Then as long as he wants to remain here, I’m at your beck and call. Any aid the ‘family’ needs.”

Danny scowled at him. “I thought you were doing that anyway.”

Wolfe was already turning toward the stairs, but he waved an airy hand behind his back. “Call it extra incentive to do my part, then.”

Leaving the house, Alexei went to grab Jay’s hand only to realize his mate was busy twisting his pair anxiously. Alexei became aware of an odd mix of relief, insecurity, and doubt radiating off him.

“So much trouble,” Jay mumbled. “I’ve caused so much trouble.”

Alexei’s poor, traumatized little alien. How much reassurance would he need before he recognized love coming from someone other than Alexei?

Before Alexei could try to fix it, Danny halted their forward momentum, turning to place his hands on Jay’s shoulders, encouraging Jay to look him in the eye. “Jay, sweetie, do you trust me?”

“Of course,” Jay answered immediately. “You’re the nicest vampire I know.” He shot Alexei an almost apologetic look. “Because we’re still calling you the nicest human,” he explained.

Alexei bit back his answering smile. “Of course.”

Danny shook Jay’s shoulders gently. “Then trust me when I say I’m happy you came to us.

And I mean that in a completely selfish way.

Eternity is—I still can’t fathom it, really.

And I’m not like Roman. I can’t be a lone wolf.

I need people, connections. And not just…

surface-level friendships. It’ll be unsettling and scary, in its own way, moving from place to place.

I want a community. And I want you to be a part of it.

” A brief glance at Alexei. “The both of you.”

Jay seemed to take a minute to absorb those words. Then he shot a shy look over Danny’s shoulder to Roman, who was looking with obvious love and pride at his mate. “And you—you don’t mind either?”

Roman cleared his throat. “I heard a phrase recently that resonated with me. ‘Happy wife, happy life.’ If Danny is content, so am I.”

Danny scoffed, wrapping Jay up in a hug. “He’s being cagey, sweetie. He’s very fond of you.”

“And I’m very fond of you both.” Jay’s words were muffled by Danny’s shoulder, but Alexei could feel some of that doubt and insecurity finally melt off him.

If he didn’t think Roman would punch his lights out, Alexei could have kissed Danny on the fucking mouth.

Nicest vampire indeed.

An hour or so after parting ways with Danny and Roman, Alexei and Jay strolled through Jay’s neighborhood, hand in hand.

Jay had professed a need for fresh air, and Alexei had suggested the woods, but Jay had wanted to look at all the different houses. Alexei wondered if he was thinking of actually using some of his billions and upgrading them from his duplex apartment.

They stopped in front of a Victorian number that reminded Alexei of Wolfe’s pseudomansion. “Do you think Wolfe really bought that house already?”

“Probably,” Jay answered, swinging their joined hands as they stood in place. “Wolfe always liked nice things.”

“I thought the whole point was he needed your money to have those nice things.”

“I think he has some funds. Just not as much as he’d like.

” Jay waited a beat, as if considering his words.

For someone who often spoke in a sort of stream of consciousness way (at least, at home with Alexei), as if there were no filter between his brain and his mouth, he could be very particular about what he said when he wanted to be.

“I think what Wolfe said about the den siphoning off some of my money… He’s probably done that as well. Only he wants the security of more .”

Before Alexei could feel indignant on Jay’s behalf, Jay tugged him along from the house.

“I don’t mind. I definitely don’t need all of it.

I’d actually like to— If you’re okay with it…

” He peered up at Alexei as they walked along, looking suddenly shy.

“Do you want to be super rich? Like, super-duper rich?”

Alexei bit back a grin at the wording of the question. “No, I don’t need to be ‘super-duper rich,’ kotyonok.”

Jay beamed back at him. “Then I’d like to give some of it away. Maybe even a lot of it?” He paused to gauge Alexei’s reaction—there wasn’t much of one, not when Alexei had never cared about Jay’s funds—then rushed on. “Not all of it, of course. I want to be able to contribute to the—the family.”

Alexei’s chest tightened with unbearable affection at the little thrill he could feel go through Jay with that word. Family.