Page 47 of Wolf Found

It wasn’t true, that was the first and most important answer. Ash did care about him. The bond they shared proved that all on its own. If it was born out of convenience, it didn’t matter. It had bloomed into so much more than that in their time together.

And even if it were all true, Graham couldn’t be sorry. The last month of his life had also been the best month of his life.

Having his best friend back had taken a weight off his shoulders, and having her baby in the house had inspired instincts in him he hadn’t realized he possessed. He wondered if Ash wanted kids. He kind of did.

He had learned so much from Sawyer, an incredible role model of an omega who knew what he wanted and grabbed it. Dez, who was angrily protective of the people he cared about, and who had immediately accepted Hannah, Paige, and Graham as his people. Gavin, the pack’s pillar of strength, always there for them when they needed anything. . .

And Ash.

If it had all somehow been a lie, that month with Ash had been completely worth it. He would live the rest of his life on those moments together. The food, the recipe book, the sweet, slow lovemaking... Ash was worth anything. He was worth everything.

There was a dull thump at the door, and Graham sat up to look at it suspiciously. Was Joseph back? What did he want?

Another thump came, followed by a crunching sound, and the door handle buckled. The door swung open, trailing wood shards, and revealed the most beautiful thing Graham had ever seen. The only thing he wanted to see.

Ash.

Ash grinned at him. “What say you and me blow this popsicle stand?”

Without making a conscious decision, Graham was up and across the room, flinging himself into Ash’s arms.

He had come. Graham had known Ash wouldn’t abandon him, but hehad come, and somehow, that was bigger. He wanted to say something clever like Sawyer might, maybe even something snarky, but he couldn’t so much as open his mouth. He buried his face in Ash’s neck and just stayed there for a long time.

“Graham?” Ash asked after a while, tone low and—angry? It was understandable Ash would be angry, but why angrier than when he’d arrived?

Graham pulled away to look at him, to try to figure out what was going on, and Ash’s eyes went wide, then narrowed to slits, pupils dilating and jaw clenching so hard his teeth squeaked in protest.

“Who?” he finally asked, and that was when Graham remembered the damned cut. Ash had smelled the blood before he’d truly seen it.

Part of Graham didn’t want to admit it had been the alpha. If he said it had been an accident, Ash would just agree to leave, and they could be gone. They needed to leave.

But he wasn’t going to lie to Ash. “The alpha,” he whispered. “I—I was rude to him.”

Ash’s eyes narrowed even further, his grimace showing off teeth that were elongating, and Graham panicked. He shoved forward and pressed his lips against Ash’s. That seemed to shock the man out of his anger, so he pulled back. “We don’t have time to be mad now. We need to get out of here.”

Thankfully, Ash seemed to have gotten his temper under control, though he was still eyeing Graham’s cheek with anger. As much as they didn’t have time to dwell on it, it was nice he cared.

Finally, Ash nodded. “Let’s go. Getting you out of here comes first. We can deal with the Martingales later.” He took Graham by the hand and led him out of his prison.

26

you should see me in a crown

Ash was struggling.

He wanted—no, needed—to slip out into the night, undetected. He needed to get Graham to safety before he dealt with Ezekiel fucking Martingale.

Good old Uncle Zeke. He’d always doted on Ash, his great and perfect heir. Till they’d caught him and Joey, anyway.

The way he’d turned on Ash hadn’t been important in the end. But hurting Graham? That couldn’t be allowed to pass without comment or retaliation. He had injured another alpha’s packmate. Partner? Lover?

Ash turned to Graham as they slunk down the hallway, confused. “You met with the alpha, and he didn’t break your bond to me?”

Graham shook his head. “He tried. It just didn’t work. Didn’t do anything at all.”

Ash felt like he’d been struck in the solar plexus, but somehow, with sunshine. He was breathless and warm and... mate. Mates were real, and Graham was his mate. How else could he explain that Zeke hadn’t been able to break their bond?

The betas talking about Zeke being sick popped into his mind, but no. There was a point when searching for reasons not to believe was just as ridiculous as grasping at straws for reasons he could.

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