Page 72 of Johann

Eventually, Wolfe tipped his chin in assent. “When he awakens, one of you may speak with him.”

Jay beamed, resisting the urge to do a little celebratory hop at his success in reasoning with him. “I’ll do it,” he offered.

“No. You’re too tainted by trauma. You’ll frighten him unnecessarily.”

Well, that was rude. “Alexei?”

“Too new. A veritable babe in the woods. He won’t be helpful at all.” Wolfe leaned slightly out the door, ignoring Jay’s frown at his assessment of Alexei and studying the three waiting vampires. “Your nurse friend with the lovely eyes. When the good doctor awakens, they may speak. Will that appease you?”

Jay cocked his head. “ And you’ll tell us when he wakes up?”

“But of course.”

Jay hesitated. He used to be fairly certain Wolfe didn’t lie to him,wouldn’tlie to him. It was something he liked very much about his friend. Even Wolfe turning Alexei hadn’t necessarily broken that assumption. It wasn’t like Wolfe had tried to hide it from him. But he was getting the feeling now that Wolfe’s priorities had shifted.

A psychopath with a newly turned mate. What wouldn’t he do to keep him?

“We’ll be back in the morning,” Jay eventually said, proud of how firm he sounded in the declaration. “If he’s not awake by then, we’ll wait it out.”

After another long moment, Wolfe inclined his head in agreement, but his eyes were cold. “Now if you’ll excuse me,” he said, already shutting the door in Jay’s face. “I have some preparations to make.”

Jay ran back to his friends and recounted the conversation.

“I’ll do it,” Danny agreed readily.

Jay beamed at him. Of course Danny would. He was kind and considerate and tenderhearted. Maybe Jay would have been less scared, if someone like Danny had been around when he’d been turned.

“This town will soon have more of our kind than its human population,” Roman mused.

“For what it’s worth, I don’t think he’ll turn anyone else. He doesn’t act without reason. At least, not usually.”

Roman’s icy gaze met Jay’s. “For someone who is theoretically on our side, he has caused an awful lot of trouble. Are you certain we need him?”

Jay wasn’t certain of any of it. He was causing his friends so much trouble.

When would they decide enough was enough? When would they want Jay gone?

twenty-one

Aexei

Alexeifeltbadforthis doctor he’d never met. He really did. From what Jay had said, it sounded like Monroe hadn’t been given much of a choice on his new condition.

And to be mated to Wolfe? That had to be…brutal.

But it was hard to focus on that little shred of empathy because more than anything, Alexei was pissed at how upset this all had Jay. He could feel the little jolts of anxiety, of worry and stress, coming from his sweet vampire since the day before.

It had Alexei’s inner beast unsettled, restless, even. It didn’t like for their mate to be discontent in any way.

But the frustrating part was, even with the bond, Alexei couldn’t tell exactlywhyJay felt so anxious. Was he feeling responsible for the doctor? Worried Wolfe would turn others?

When Alexei had asked, Jay had mumbled something about all the trouble he was putting his friends through. Which…all right, Alexei could understand feeling guilty a little about that, if he were in Jay’s shoes. But why so anxious? Did Jay really think his friends wouldn’t have his back? This group of vampires that so clearly adored him?

Was Jay really so unsure of his own place here?

So Alexei was more than a little on edge when they made their way back to Wolfe’s mansion.

Surprisingly, the vampire let the three of them—Jay, Alexei, and Roman—wait in the sitting room with him while Danny went to check on Monroe upstairs.

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