He wasn’t sure how long he sat there before he had the courage to put the muzzle against his temple. Closed his eyes. One squeeze, and he’d stop seeing the love of his life being consumed by the flames.
Baby, wait for me.
* * *
Nix’s wolf ran, heartbeat a frantic drum in his chest.
He couldn’t lose his mate. Not now. Not after he’d been in agony all these months, lying in the ashes that had consumed him. Healing slowly and painfully.
Their bond was reawakening, but Noah, in his grief, couldn’t sense the rebirth. Through that bond Nix read his emotions, his horrible intentions, as clear as day.
His beloved angel was planning to end his life.
Noah, stop! he shouted through their bond. Wait for me!
But they’d never taken the final step, and Nix hadn’t claimed him, so Noah couldn’t hear him as clearly as he should. His poor mate thought he was hearing things.
Put the gun down! I’m coming!
Just a little farther. He had to make it in time.
Finally he burst into the clearing, where the sight of his mate kneeling beside the creek nearly stopped his heart.
Halting, he shifted back to human form and eased forward slowly. “Noah.”
No response. “Noah, baby. Put the gun down, please.”
One slip of his mate’s finger, and it was over. They’d be lost to each other forever.
No. He was not going to lose Noah.
* * *
“Noah.”
At first, he thought he was dreaming.
“Noah, baby,” a soft voice whispered. “Put the gun down, please.”
Blinking, he couldn’t believe his eyes. “Nix?”
“Didn’t I tell you to believe in me? In us? You promised.” His mate’s sexy smile was his undoing.
“You’re here? Oh, God.” The gun fell from his grasp to the soft earth.
Noah’s face crumpled, and the tears he’d believed to be gone returned full force. But this time he was wrapped in his mate’s arms as they cried together. “How?”
“I needed time to heal, honey. I was literally buried in the ashes of the old house, and the process was painfully slow. It really was like the old witch said, a phoenix rising from the ashes to be reborn. I’m sorry it took so long.”
“I can’t believe you’re here.” He pulled back, staring at his mate in wonder. “I’m so sorry for doubting—”
“No, I’m sorry for treating you like shit that day at the barbeque. I was scared, but that’s no excuse. Can you ever forgive me?”
Noah’s laugh escaped as a sob. “Of course I do. Just don’t leave me again, ever.”
“Never.”
Nix pushed the gun a good distance away, and gently stripped his mate. There was no need for words this time, no question that he would make Noah his now, for keeps.
As Nix pressed him into the ground, covering him with his body, Noah clung to him and breathed in his scent. Felt his warmth. His mate was really alive, really here. All his.
He groaned in pleasure as Nix’s length entered him with care. He worked his way deep, making love to Noah, slow and easy. Then increasing in tempo until their passion carried them over the edge.
Just as they climaxed, Noah tilted his head to the side. This time, his mate wasted no time taking him up on the invitation. He cried out as Nix’s fangs clamped down on the tender spot, marking him. His. At last. I belong to Nix.
Yes, you do.
The golden thread that had always been there came back to life, hummed in vitality. Strengthened and snapped into place with a burst of brilliant light. A second orgasm rocked them, and Noah cried out again, his joy complete.
“Thank God you came home when you did.”
Nix propped himself on his elbows and gazed down at Noah through a fall of silky hair. “Yes. We were meant to be.”
“I love you so much.”
“And I love you, baby.”
His Phoenix, reborn.
* * *
Nix cupped his mate’s sweet face. “You’re the reason I survived. Everything I am is because of you. You’re the light of my life, and I’ll never deny you again.”
Tears slipped down Noah’s cheeks. “You mean that?”
“I promise. When we get to the compound I’m going to make a scene when I let everyone know I’m back. Then I’m going to make another one when I kiss the hell out of you in front of everybody.”
That earned him a big smile. “I like the sound of that.”
“You’d better. Because I plan on doing it every day for the rest of our lives. Everyone’s going to get sick of us sucking face and being lovebirds all over the place.”
“Nah, they’ll be doing the same thing with their mates.”
“Then we’ll fit right in.”
“That sounds wonderful, too.”
“Noah? Thank you for being patient with me, and for loving me even when I was acting like an idiot.”
His mate gave him a soft smile. “I always will.”
Noah pulled him down for a scorching kiss, and Nix threw himself into making sure his mate knew just how much he was loved and wanted.
And he planned to spend the rest of his life proving it.
Keep reading for an excerpt from CHASE THE DARKNESS, the latest book in the Alpha Pack series from J. D. Tyler. Available now.
Every night, Micah Chase battled the monsters in his dreams.
The ones responsible for his captivity and torture. The ones who did terrible things to him—made
him do things—that made him wish he was dead. And each day, he awoke to the increasing reality that the nightmares about his hellish time in captivity weren’t simply products of a tormented and cracked mind.
They were memories.
Worms, churning up the rot in his soul, filling him with self-loathing. Hatred. Yeah, he’d liked it much better back when he couldn’t remember a fucking thing.
Pushing himself out of bed, he walked into the bathroom, feeling far older than his twenty-nine years. The Alpha Pack had been called out yesterday to eliminate a nest of goblins—how the holy fucking hell had those little bastards gotten through the portal from the Unseelie realm, anyways?—and his body was covered in scratches and bruises from their nasty little claws and teeth. He should’ve healed by now.
That he hadn’t was cause for yet another worry in a very long list of them. In the bathroom, he studied his ruined face in the mirror. He’d taken his good looks for granted once. Before he had been tortured like a lab rat, made to scream in agony and beg for death. The dark eyes that stared back were dull, hollow with pain and mental exhaustion. Dark brown hair, once shiny and full, hung to his shoulders, limp and lifeless as his gaze. But it was the sight of his face that hurt most of all.
The left side was perfect. A reminder of how truly naïve he’d once been to the evil in the world, to what one being was capable of doing to another. The right side, however, was a mess of scars, like melted candle wax had been poured from his forehead to run down over his brow, then down his cheek and neck. In reality it had been molten silver, splashed onto his face as he’d been held down, screaming.
“You’ll do what you’re told next time, dirty wolf! Isn’t that right?”
“No! Stop, please!”
“He still hasn’t learned.” Eyes burning with manic light, Dr. Bowman flicked a hand at an assistant. “Again.”
Shaking his head to clear the horrid scene from his brain, Micah gripped the sink and thought bitterly how books and movies didn’t always get it right. While he’d healed, his wolf shifter’s DNA hadn’t been able to rid him of the terrible scars.
But maybe it was fitting that the outside matched the inside.
Ignoring the throbbing in his head, he turned on the water in the shower an
d let it get hot before stepping into the stall. For a few minutes he stood and enjoyed the spray beating down, soothing his tired, abused muscles. It did little to ease the pain in his head, however. In fact, the throb ramped up to a sharp stab behind his left eye that left him breathless, and warmth gushed from his nose.
“Shit.”
He swiped his hand underneath his nose, then stared at the blood. There was more this time, the bleeding heavier. It would stop, though. Always did.
Tilting his head back, he let the spray wash the blood away until the flow ceased. Then he finished his shower and stepped out, toweling off. In the bedroom, he dressed in jeans and a plain black T-shirt,
then pulled on his black boots, sliding his big knife into the right one. Typically he went light on weapons when he and the guys weren’t out on a call. But he couldn’t always shift into his wolf, especially in public, and it never hurt to be prepared.
As he straightened, his gaze found the small pill bottle resting on the dresser. He hated being dependent on that shit, so leaving it behind should be easy. Right? Yet the very thought of being in town, out in the field, or even across the compound, and not having it when the demons closed in? God, the idea made his hands shake and his heart race. Made him sweat.
Taking myst was like wrapping himself in a soft, warm blanket, chasing away the cold. The darkness. The stuff cocooned him in a layer of I-don’t-give-a-fuck, at least for a few blessed hours. Sweet relief.
Hating himself, he snatched the bottle with a curse and opened the lid, downed a couple pills, dry-swallowing them. Then he shoved the container into his front jeans pocket. Sucking in a deep breath, he let it out slowly and waited. Gradually, the medicine took effect and he felt the turmoil in his mind ease. His muscles relaxed, tension bleeding away.
There would be a price, though. Always was.
Leaving his quarters, he walked into the hallway and shut the door behind him. Everyone was probably at breakfast by now. The thought of eating made his stomach twist, but he didn’t want to be alone. Besides, acting normal, sticking to his routine, kept his buddies and his sister, Rowan, off his back. Mostly.
Fake it till you make it.
His boots shuffled on the carpeted floor as he made his way to his destination. Outside the dining room, he paused. The aromas of pancakes, bacon, and syrup simultaneously made his stomach rumble and stirred a flutter of nausea that rose in his throat. He was so hungry, he could have eaten a half-cooked goblin, but the side effects of the medicine prevented him from consuming much without getting sick. Another misery to add to the growing list.
“You gonna go eat or just stand there sniffing the air?”
Turning, he managed a grin for Nick Westfall, the Alpha Pack’s commander, and tried to ignore how the expression pulled strangely at the ruined side of his face. His boss was with his new mate, Calla Shaw, and the vampire princess was glowing. Nick appeared as proud and happy as any man would, being the reason for that glow—and the baby in her belly, which was several weeks along. Lucky bastard.
“Good morning,” Micah said, nodding to them both.
“Princess, you look more beautiful every time I see you. How’re you feeling?”
“Thank you.” She smiled as her mate tugged her into his side possessively. “Other than some morning sickness when I first wake up, I’m doing well.”
“I’m glad to hear it. After you?” Stepping aside, he gestured for Nick and Calla to enter the dining room first. His attempt to avoid further conversation wasn’t as subtle as he’d thought, and Nick kissed his mate on the lips, hanging back.
“Go on ahead, sweetheart. I’ll be right there.”
“Okay.” She threw Micah a look of sympathy before proceeding inside.
Once she was gone, Micah tried to head Nick off. “I’m fine, so there’s no need to start in on me again. Really.”
“Is that so?” Nick’s sharp blue gaze pierced him like an ice pick. “I suppose that’s why your eyes are bloodshot and have circles under them so dark, it looks like you haven’t slept in a month. Or why your hands are shaking.”
Suddenly self-conscious, he looked away, fisting his hands to still them. “I’m okay, Nick. Just a little tired. The meds are helping.”
“From where I’m standing, I have to disagree.” The other man’s frown deepened. “But I realize now isn’t the time or place to get into a discussion. I want to talk to you after breakfast, in my office.”
Fucking fantastic.
The commander was just concerned. Logically, Micah knew that, but it still sucked to
be singled out and pinned down. Unreasonable anger churned in his gut, but he managed to nod. “Sure.”
Appearing satisfied with Micah’s answer, the commander left him. Taking a deep breath to steady his nerves, Micah walked into the dining room and cast about for a good place to sit. For damn sure not with his boss. He didn’t want to give the Seer more opportunity than necessary to poke around in his biz.
At one table, he spotted Noah Brooks, Sanctuary’s head nurse, sitting with Phoenix Monroe, one of Micah’s Pack bros. Noah was a smaller guy, slim, with short, messy blond hair and big blue eyes that he currently had trained on the tall, lithe man who would be his Bondmate—if only the dumbass would cooperate. It took the anger already boiling in Micah’s blood and amplified it a few notches.
If I had someone who look at me the way Noah looks at Nix? I’d jump for joy. Who cares if he’s a dude?
Self-consciously Micah touched his face. Yeah, like that would ever happen now.
Also sitting at the table were his sister and her mate, Aric Savage. As much as he wanted to sit down and find out what the hell was going on with Nix lately, he wanted to get grilled by Rowan even less. But it was too late.
She’d already spotted him and was smiling, waving him over. With a sigh, he resigned himself to enduring the nosy woman’s scrutiny.
Taking a seat, he nodded a greeting to the group in general. “Hey, what’s up?”
“Morning,” Rowan said brightly, eyeing him. She was annoyingly fresh-faced and alert this morning, long dark brown hair pulled back into a neat ponytail. “Did you sleep well?”
“Yep,” he lied, reaching for the pancakes. “Like a baby on tranquilizers.”
“That’s funny, ’cause you sure don’t look like you did. In fact, you look terrible.”
He snapped before he thought to filter his mouth. “Why’d you ask the question when you already knew the answer? Or do you just enjoy giving me shit?”
Rowan frowned. “Jesus, Micah, ease up.”
Across from him, Aric shifted in his seat, a low growl of warning rumbling from his chest. No doubt Micah had pissed off the man, and the wolf within, something fierce.
Inside Micah, his brown wolf stirred and growled right back, unwilling to back down.
The redhead’s voice was low and even as he spoke. “Your sister is just worried about you, like all of us are. No need to bite her head off.”
The men glared at each other and the moment stretched taut. But when he saw Rowan exchange a tense glance with Nix, and Noah’s eyes widen with trepidation, his anger popped like a soap bubble. The sun was barely up and he was already ruining people’s day.
“I’m sorry.” Guilt snaked through Micah. Remorse.
He tried to soften his tone as he met his sister’s concerned gaze. “I just get tired of everybody analyzing my every move, that’s all. I’m fine.”
She didn’t believe him any more than he believed himself, but she wasn’t going to push the issue in front of their friends. He didn’t know if that made him feel better or not, especially when he caught Noah and Nix exchanging worried looks of their own.
Nope, he still felt like crap.
He got busy filling his plate, knowing he wouldn’t be able to eat half of it. Too late, he realized he should’ve take
n less so the leftover amount wouldn’t be as noticeable. Still, he ate what he could, chewing slowly, willing the food to settle. The bacon, tasty as it was, sat like a greasy rock in his stomach, and he gave up on it after one piece.
Hoping to lighten the mood at the table, he addressed Noah. “So, how are things going over at Sanctuary?”
His question had the desired result, the nurse’s face breaking out in a big smile. Aside from Phoenix, the younger man’s job at the new building in the Pack’s compound helping to heal and rehabilitate injured and sick paranormal beings was his favorite subject.
“It’s going pretty good,” Noah said with enthusiasm. “The recreation room on the top floor is done, and it looks awesome. We had a big-screen TV installed, and some big comfy chairs, books, magazines, and a couple of game tables, too. There’s also a juice bar, and some light workout equipment in another area.”
Noah was so animated, Micah couldn’t help but smile.
“Wow. Sounds like you’ve all put in a lot of thought and work into the place.”
“We have. The new recreation area was needed for our patients who’ve healed enough that they need more to occupy themselves outside their rooms. It’s been a hit so far.”
“Damn.” Micah shook his head. “I could never be a doctor or nurse. I admire what you guys are doing over there, putting broken guys like me back together.”
“You’re not broken,” Noah said softly.
Uh-oh.
Here came the unwanted sympathy.
“Nah, you’re just cracked,” Nix put in, breaking the awkward moment before it could fully form.
Micah chuckled, and the others visibly relaxed, appearing relieved. Christ, did they really think he was that freaking fragile? “Cracked and super-glued so tight I’m a damn work of art. Right, Noah?”
The nurse shook his head, but his lips were turned up in a small smile edged with concern. “Right.”
Quickly Micah took two last bites of his pancakes. Then pushing his plate away, he stood, pasting on a cheerful grin. “Well, this has been fun. Gotta go check on my bike, so I’ll see you guys later.”