Page 231 of Golden Eagle

Sasha pawed him again, harder this time.

“I know, I know, I don’t want to be wearing this.”

Sasha’s head cocked to the side, and his gaze narrowed. Wolves could in fact look judgmental, and Sasha did so now.

“I don’t–”

Sasha whined.

“He said to be open, right? To be honest? Well, this is me, right here.” He flapped his arms. “I’m the monster who took you away from your mother, who let Philippe–”

Sashagrowled.

Nik sighed. “I’m doing it again, aren’t I?”

Sasha sneezed ayes.

“Did you know that it’s very hard to stop repeating the lies you’ve always told yourself?” he asked quietly. “To let go of all the bad things you think you represent?”

Sasha shoved his head up under Nik’s hand again – his bare hand. The glove was gone – the outfit was gone. He wore what he’d been wearing on their sofa, jeans, hoodie, and his old denim jacket. Sasha’s fur felt warm, and thick, and soft, and he luxuriated in it a moment, scratching at his scalp.

“Do you want to know a secret?” he whispered, though they were all alone. “I hated the war. God, I hated it…but I was afraid for it to end, because that would mean I wouldn’t get to see you again.”

Sasha whimpered.

Nik sank down to his knees, and buried both hands in Sasha’s fur, in the thick ruff of his neck. “Sashka. My heart. I promise I won’t fail you anymore.”

Sasha lunged forward, knocked him flat on his back, and licked a big, wet stripe up his face.

Nikita barked a laugh, and then kept laughing, as Sasha flopped down on top of him and kept licking his face.

That was when he felt it. A surge of peace, and love, and trust, and every good, warm emotion describable. There was aclick. A locking together. Abinding– he understood it now. Not like chains and collars, not manacles. It was a unification. A perfect understanding; an ecstasy like the best sex, like reaching the peak together.

A soul bond.

There was a flash of bright light.

And Nik was on the couch again, lying flat on his back, taste of Sasha’s blood in his mouth, laughing, still. Sasha lay on top of him, human again, blood red on his lips, eyes crinkled as he laughed, smile dominating his whole face. Radiant.

“Fail me,” he said, cackling. “Youstupid.” And he kissed Nikita with an audible smack.

~*~

When Nikita remembered they had an audience, and twisted his head around to look for Val, he was already at the door, hand on the knob, trying to sneak out silently.

“Val!” Sasha sprang to his feet, and Nikita followed. “Wait!”

Val turned to them, when they reached him, and Nik wasn’t prepared for the smile he bestowed on them: the warmth, the pride that was almost fatherly. Nikita couldn’t remember his own father, and he’d not been witness or recipient to that kind of emotion before, but that was his first impression when he saw Val’s expression, and drew up short.

“That wasn’t so hard, now was it?” Val asked, gaze moving between them.

“No,” Sasha said, tipping his head toward Nik. “Not for me, anyway.”

“I didn’t–” Nikita started, but caught Sasha’s grin, all teeth and nearly-shut eyes. He couldfeelhis mate’s happiness, he realized with a start.

He’d always been able to sense it, innate instinct reading the shifts in Sasha’s scent, and energy; attuned to every little facial twitch. He’d always known when he was feeling somber – though, for too long he hadn’t known exactly why. That it was perceived rejection, and a lack of further closeness that depressed Sasha the most.

Butthis. The knowledge that Sasha was happy sat warm and welcome in the back of his mind. A happiness woven of a dozen threads: contentment, excitement, love, lust, and longing finally quenched.

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