Page 86 of Gift from the Nexus

“You look fantastic. How are you feeling? Is everything okay?” She compliments and questions as her way of hello.

Chuckling, I squeeze her back. “I’m fine. Back to normal. Physically.”

She doesn’t push or comment, but she holds me a little tighter before moving on to see Oakly, who introduces her to Gaster. He wastes no time wrapping her up in an embrace that warms my heart because she instantly takes to him, going limp in his arms. It’s a hug only a grandpa can give, and she fell right into it. The guys all chuckle with me as Lennox, Kyan, and Zane greet us with big, happy smiles, then move to the side for Lyker.

“Fortune teller.”

“Alphahole.”

Emotion clogs my throat when he tugs me to him just as he did when I was rescued. I can’t help questioning if not him exactly, but maybe his wolf, can feel something and that’s why he feels comfortable enough to hug me. I bite the inside of my cheek, waiting for Draken’s growl so we can break apart, but it never comes.

“He’s no longer a threat,” Draken says, sensing my confusion directed at him.

“He wasn’t a threat before.”

“Besides the point. Neither my dragon nor I am okay with other males touching you. There are very limited exceptions to that and he’s now one of them.”

His easy acceptance is so welcome right now, and I blast his bond with my love and appreciation for him. I need his ease to balance out the much more serious emotions coming off my other three.

“Can we go inside and talk?” I ask Lyker quietly.

With the amount of shifter hearing surrounding us, I don’t want to have this conversation out here in the open. Lyker, his guys, and Aria all pick up the unease in my tone because they each rapidly turn serious.

“Yeah. Of course.”

The tension rolls over all of us as we enter the foyer of their house. It’s stunning on the outside, and the inside is gorgeous too, but you can tell they haven’t quite made it their own yet.

Lyker doesn’t bother offering us a tour of the house, which is a bit disappointing. Not because I really want one at this moment, but because I’m looking for an excuse to delay this a few minutes longer. I hate dropping bad news, and I’m never one to drag the suspense out, so I know once I’m confronted, I’ll have to say it.

Leading us up some stairs and down a long hallway, we finally enter a room that must be his office. Against the back wall is a huge desk that could easily seat the five of them if they needit, and right smack in the center of the room is a conference table they head straight for. On each side of the walls, there’re parallel windows that show both front and back views of the mansion. One set faces out of the community center we were just standing in, while the other looks out over the forest and mountain ranges. It’s a stunning view that I’d easily get lost in a book sitting in front of.

I purposely get lost in it now, so I can avoid looking at Lyker.

“Okay, fortune teller, you’ve got my wolf pacing. What evil is heading our way next?” he asks.

Closing my eyes, blocking my view from the escape outside, I blow my breath out and turn to face him. He, Aria, and the others have taken a seat, but my Nexus stands a few feet away from me. Giving me space, while also being close enough if I need them to be.

“You’re my brother.”

There’s a quiet pause before he begins laughing, shaking his head. “Well, I feel honored. I see you as a sister as well, Willow. I mean, you did save my life, after all,” he jokes, thinking I’m meaning this as an endearment.

A watery smirk crosses my face as I look at his smile. It’s so cheerful and genuine. Even his bright, shining aura says he truly is pleased with that sentiment. A single tear slides down my face, which I wipe away quickly, but not quickly enough that Aria didn’t catch it.

“Stop laughing,” she whispers, clutching his forearm, staring at me with wide eyes.

“What? I thought she was going to tell me something awful. This is a relief.”

“Lyker.”

His head swings to my small murmur of his name, and slowly, his smile fades once he realizes the seriousness hanging in the room.

“I don’t mean it as a gesture. I…we…we’re siblings.”

Quickly, much quicker than my men like, he’s up from his chair, rounding the table toward me. His eyes, which are usually a stark grayish blue, are full predator right now, nearly glowing. There’s no anger reflected in them, though. They’re searching.

“Don’t stop him. Let him come to me. It’s his wolf checking me out for himself,” I quickly say in my mind when I hear the rustling of feet behind me.

When he finally approaches me, he sticks his nose in the air and takes a deep breath. Circling me, he continues to sniff me, and I must say, it weirds me out for a second. Shifters, especially the canine species, can sometimes catch the scent of their kin. Not only that, but they can also smell when someone is mated or unmated, and who they’ve been around if they’re familiar enough with the individuals’ scents.

---