Page 48 of Threads of Fate

Afterward, Jay did not tell his parents anything about what had happened, as the courts had deemed him an adult. He would not give his father the satisfaction of bragging rights or the satisfaction of having “held down” an enigma all this time. Jay considered himself a lone wolf from that moment until his betas brought life, love, and family back into his miserable existence because that is what he had been doing: existing.

These days, he occasionally accepts calls from his mother on birthdays or when he wins awards, but he’s never returned to Florida. Memories of Nix made it too hard. He has no need, really, as he now has all the extended family anyone could ever need. Most of his mates’ birth packs trust him to keep their sons safe, and Jay will earn that privilege with his blood, sweat, and tears.

Gideon forcing him out of the hospital and back into their den meant his anxiety about leaving Nix unattended (byhim)skyrocketed, a part of him sure someone was going to steal their Sunshine out from under their literal noses. Once home, he’d let his instincts take over, checking every room for intruders,his wolf insisting they make their mark on every corner of the house. Gideon had finally cornered him and ran a bath where he held court like a naked king. Luca had finally climbed in to help ground him while Rowan shared a tub of mint chocolate ice cream, feeding him spoonfuls as they talked about this and that.

Afterward, he’d been dried off, and they’d all piled into the pack nest for a nap of sorts. But he’d only laid there, listening to his mates breathe, missing the fresh basil, spicy cinnamon, and sweet vanilla scents of his missing mates. His nausea had come in waves too, his senses all over the place as they faded in and out.

Jay was under no illusions that he looked any better after he “woke up.” Gideon had packed up enough food for dinner while grumbling under his breath, and they’d been halfway back to the hospital when Leo had called to let them know Nix was off his coma medications and that they were moving him from the ICU. Jay’s wolf had been so relieved that he was safe and under Leo’s care that he’d passed out, nose in Nix’s neck the minute he’d arrived in his new room.

Jay had napped again, after waking to eat whatever Gideon had made for dinner and he’d finally sent them all home to sleep again in the pack beds, with a promise to call them if anything changed.

Leo, Luca, and Rowan were supposed to go into the studio to re-record some vocals the next day, and Finn was going to do a stint in pediatrics; thanks to the sweet scheduling administrator, he’d be able to be in and out of Nix’s room all day. Gideon, too, had wanted to stop into Quest and “make sure they haven’t fucked it up beyond repair.”

So, Jay had fallen asleepagain,worried and impatient. Without the suppressants, Nix smells like everything good and sweet and–well…just that: he smells like everything. The urge tosee his beautiful eyes and hear him say his name is an itch under his skin that never seems to stop.

When Jay wakes this time, he can hear the usual early morning hospital noises in the hall outside the closed door, and, for the first time, he lets himself think about asking the hard questions. Climbing out of bed, he kisses Nix’s forehead, grabs his phone, and creeps over to open the curtains just a little. Checking the time, he realizes that it’s Friday, and his mother will be thinking about going to her yoga class or playing tennis at the club. He presses her contact before it connects.

“Junior. What’s wrong?” Her tone is flat, edged with impatience, as though the very act of calling her is an inconvenience he should’ve thought twice about.

“Mother.”

“Junior, why are you calling so early on a Friday?” She says abruptly, and her tone makes his job easier. She has never been one for niceties with her only child.

“Do you remember Phoenix Rena?”

The silence is telling, and his grip on the phone is so tight the glass cracks. He’s so attuned to his mother’s breath at the end of the line that he jumps a bit when he feels a hand on his shoulder. It’s Finn, and it’s the support he desperately needs. It’s a welcome reminder that he’s never going to be alone again and that after today, he’ll never need to endure her insincerity, arrogance, or lack of care.

“Yes. He is—was—that human boy you had a crush on before you left for Nashville,” she says carefully, but her error doesn’t go unnoticed.

In the past, before he’d known Nix was, in fact, still alive, he might have convinced himself that she was being tentative because she knew about how much he had loved Nix. But not now.

She finally hums, and her false sincerity is loud and clear all the way from Florida. “He…uh…he died in that car accident, don’t you remember? So sad, really.”

“Did he?” Jay growls, his temper getting the better of him, so Finn takes the phone and presses the speaker.

“Mrs. Rhodes, this is Finn. You’ll have to forgive Jay,” he says.

“Oh, hello, Finn. So nice to hear from you. How is the hospital?” If there’s one thing Mrs. Rhodes loves, it is that her son is mated to a doctor, and she is more than happy to change the subject. Finn takes a deep breath, hand gripping Jay’s tighter as they stand over the phone.

“You’ll have to excuse me as well, Mrs. Rhodes, because we are wondering if Phoenix Rena died in a car crash eight years ago, then why is he lying here in my hospital? Would you be able to shed some light on that? Before you head out to your yoga class? If it’s not too much trouble?”

She’s silent, but only for a beat. “There is no need for sarcasm, Finn. None at all. It’s quite rude.”

They let her fill the silence, digging herself deeper with her next words. “Junior, we had your best interests at heart. He is just a human boy, and he would have held you back. Celebrities can’t have human mates. That’s ridiculous. Please don’t tell me he has managed to find you and glommed on—”

Finn disconnects with a growl.

With a roar, Jay’s enigma fangs drop, slicing into his lips as his rage detonates. It’s the final straw when the phone starts playing the Darth Vader March, his father’s ringtone. The low table is in his hands before he registers the movement, splintering into kindling in a single, violent motion. His rage is not unlike the grief he’d felt all those years ago, a wildfire ripping through his veins, intent on consuming everything in its path.

When Finn jumps on his back to slow him down, Jay throws him off, his wolf intent only on venting the rage. He hears his mate cry out, but his wolf is inconsolable with betrayal. The knowledge that Nix endured torture and could very well have died because of their deceit has him looking for the next thing he can pulverize into dust.

It’s the sound of passing children in the hall that brings him back to himself, their sweet scents and laughter grounding him in the now. Bending at the waist, he rests his hands on his knees and concentrates on catching his breath. When he finally opens his eyes, he spots Finn standing between him and the door, as if Jay might take his fury beyond Nix’s room.

“Finn. Fuck, I’m so sorry. Where are you hurt?” He runs his hands over Finn’s head and arms, checking for any injuries. His fingers move carefully to Finn’s elbow, gently bending it back and forth while watching his face for any sign of discomfort—even though Finn’s the doctor, not him.

Finn cups his cheeks, his cool palms, soothing the last of his rage and easing it into soul-deep sadness. “I’m fine. It’s you I’m worried about.”

“I can’t remember being that angry, not in a long time.” He looks toward the bed to see Nix is still safe and unbothered by Jay’s enraged display. “I can’t believe they would do that. Why would they do that to me? To him? Why?”

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