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“We won’t be that kind of den,” Jay told Wolfe firmly. “We can’t just give you a human from the town.”

Wolfe’s brow furrowed the tiniest bit in annoyance before he smoothed out his expression quickly. “Fine. Half the money.”

“Why?” Alexei asked, speaking up for the first time. “Why change sides like this?”

Wolfe met his eyes, and Alexei hated the little frisson of fear that ran through him at remembering the pain of turning, his worry that he wouldn’t wake up again. “I want the stability and protection of a den,” Wolfe said, his lips twitching as if he could sense Alexei’s fear. He probably could, the creep. “I want funds to live comfortably. I don’t particularly need to have loyalty tothatden in particular. It was convenient at the time. It isn’t any longer.”

Alexei couldn’t shake the suspicion there was more to the story, but Jay giggled. “This is why they don’t trust you, you know.”

“Yes, well…” Wolfe splayed his hands as if to say,What can you do?

“And that’s it?” Soren asked, clearly as skeptical as Alexei felt. “Half the money for your…what exactly? Aid? Protection?”

Wolfe let out a dry laugh. “What do you mean, that’s it? You act as if it’s a paltry sum.” He pushed his glass back and rose from the table. “It obviously means I’ll need to stay in Hyde Park for a while longer. I have some real estate to peruse, if you don’t mind.”

And then he walked out. As if the matter had been decided, despite the fact that Jay had never technically agreed.

Alexei turned to Jay, who didn’t seem at all surprised by the sudden departure but who nonetheless had an uneasy look on his face. “That was strange,” he mused.

“That he gave in so easily?” Alexei asked.

“That he asked for Dr. Monroe as one of his conditions. The companion aspect of the den was never one that appealed to him.” Jay frowned. “It was part of why I always liked him.”

“You did say he was a psychopath,” Soren pointed out.

Jay nodded, but Alexei could still feel tendrils of nervousness coming from him.

twenty

Jay

Thenextweekofwaiting—waiting for news from Wolfe, waiting for potential threats from the den—should have been stressful. And it was. Kind of. Because it would be weirdnotto be stressed about it, right?

But also, it was really, really nice.

Jay had amate. A person just for him. And he was living in Jay’s apartment, wanting him all the time.

How could that be anything but the nicest?

And if Jay was being honest, he had to admit he’d always been a little scared of the mate bond. It had always sounded magical, yes, but he’d also imagined how painful it could be for someone to feel every time their partner was angry at or disappointed in them. How badly it would hurthisfeelings to know for sure he was letting his mate down.

But it was turning out Jay didn’t have to fear that at all with Alexei. Or at least not over the little things that had once made Vee so angry.

If Jay was messy, or too talkative, or emotionally needy, or wanted to be held all the time, all he felt from Alexei were these warm, delightful washes of affection. It was the nicest, most comforting thing Jay had ever experienced in all his life.

Who knew love could feel so good? Who knew it didn’t have to hurt? That you didn’t have to push down parts of yourself just to be accepted?

He’d seen it, of course, with his friends and their mates—he’d technically seen what acceptance could look like—but it was different being inside it. A warm cocoon where Jay felt safe to grow and explore and feel all the things he’d never gotten to before.

And then sometimes it was almost…sharp, Alexei’s love for Jay. A little dark, a little possessive, a little obsessive, even. But that felt just as good as the warm, soft love. To know he inspired that kind of devotion in Alexei…Jay couldn’t help but be pleased. Because Jay really was an endless pit of need, and he was realizing for the first time how truthful Alexei had been, when he’d said he was hungry to give Jay affection.

Nonetheless, sitting down to their first movie together, Jay felt it best to warn Alexei what was coming. He queued up the movie they’d selected—Alexei had described it as sci-fi horror, and wasn’t that an exciting concept?—and turned to Alexei, who was sprawled back on the couch. “Um, I can be a little…loud.”

Alexei gave him a lazy, heated look. “Mm. I know, kotyonok. You moan with the best of them.”

Jay’s cheeks grew warm. “I’m not talking aboutthat. Watching movies. I had to stop going to the theaters because I kept getting shushed by everyone.” Jay hadn’t even known how loud he was being until the other audience members got mad at him. He’d been afraid to go back after that.

Jay could feel a pulse of anger coming from his mate, but Alexei’s face didn’t show it. Instead, he cocked his head. “You think I’d mind? You can talk through the entire movie if you like, sweetheart. You can yodel for all I care.”

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