Page 68 of Threads of Fate

He sees Nix’s gaze glaze over as he searches for that internal connection to the memory of that night and Finn is still not eager to enlighten him so soon after he has just woken up.

“Nix, it’s okay if you don’t remember. Sometimes that happens. Hey, I can hear your tummy rumble. Should we eat some food?”

“Nix, the others are here with the food. If you don’t want anyone else right now, that’s okay. But I know they’d love to meet you, too.”

“I’m not wearing pants, Jamie.” Finn sees Luca’s small “yes” style fist pump out of the corner of his eye, but Gideon gives him a small swat on his butt to get him back on track.

Taking his hand, he pulls him toward the couch near the table where they’ll put the food, and Luca covers his bare legs with the blanket. Pushing a strand of hair behind his tiny ear, he looks like he’s ready to hold court like the fae prince he resembles. Finn elects to sit as close as he can and slides his arm along the back of the couch. A decision that earns him a sweet smile, and a squeeze of thanks to his thigh under cover of the edge of the blanket in return. It sends a jolt to places Finn is trying not to think about right now, especially since the visuals from the shower are still lurking in the back of his mind. But later…definitely.

Finn is so in love already.

Chapter Twenty-Six: Rowan

Rewind-Rowan

Rowan is aware he’s spoiled—doted on, even—and he has said it before: he’s happy to let his mates handle the hard stuff. It’s not that he’s lazy or even uninterested; it’s that he can recognize greatness in them, and lets the best man for the jobdothe job. And someday, when he’s the best man for the job, well…he’ll be the first to step up.

But since he presented, he’s had to fight the same battleinternally;convince his ridiculous wolf that they aren’t even on the same playing field as his mates. His time in the nest with Gideon helps him keep a tight leash on his wolf. Practicing self-control and self-awareness while focusing on the needs of someone else. It’s incredible. Gideon is more than happy to show Rowan who’s boss as often as he sees fit, usually while teaching him a lesson on how to show his mates a thing or two.

Yes, that’s a euphemism.

Rowan’s come to appreciate it, crave it, even. He owes the man he is to all his mates, but especially Gideon. Gideon has an unmatched inner strength, not only in their pack but among everyone Rowan has ever met.

So, when he and Finn round the corner of the virtually abandoned corridor, and Gideon is hunched over with an arm braced on the wall supporting himself in front of Nix’s door, Rowan should have figured something was up. He should haveturned right around until someone texted him the all-clear, but he didn’t, and now it hits him like a fist to the face.

The scent creeping through the partially open door felt just like that. It is slick and so,sosweet. A chocolate-y mocha-and-vanilla dessert riding a current of pine that signals Rowan’s instinct to fuck and breed. It slides right up his nose and down his throat, and for the second time that week, Rowan’s wolf thinks they could take out Gideon and Finn to make a break for whoever is behind that door.

Rowan does not want a repeat of the first time he “met” Nix, and he has already had his metaphorical hand slapped twice this morning. He’s not eager to have it done again. However, his wolf couldn’t care less about Rowan’s ego when his cock is hard, and they might come, standing in the hall without a single helping hand. His vision goes red, and he hears himself warning the other alphas off with a growl.

In the same instant, he’s pressed hard against that strong arm blocking the door, but Gideon is prepared this time. There’s a firm hand on the nape of his neck in a familiar scruff and a command Rowan can’t hear. Thank the Goddess that Finn is thinking because he is yanking off Rowan’s suit coat, and the sleeve is suddenly in front of his nose. In seconds, he can only smell dry cleaning solvent and himself.

Even the brief break from that scent lets his brain come back online. Thank fuck.

Because Rowan’s rut is close, less than a week away, and he does not want to be dragged up to the ninth floor at the business end of a ketamine dart. He’s not on suppressants either, and based on the perpetual haze Grayson’s been in lately, Rowan would like to stay clear of that misery. He hates that Grayson is a shadow of his usual self, especially since it’s clear he’s also hiding something. Or at least, it’s clear to Rowan.

He wishes he had some idea why Nix’s scent sent them all into a fuck-breed frenzy. Is it the omega thing? Finn and Gideon haven’t shared too much of what’s in those books, citing hearsay and unreliable empirical evidence. But only the betas, Leo and Luca, seem to handle it with any grace.

Finn has taken his coat away from his nose, but his pupils are blown and Rowan’s grateful they have their scent blocker patches still on or they’d be sending those fuck-breed signals to each other. The ward is full of children, and even with them on a vague sort of lockdown, three alphas falling on each other in the hall would be horrific.

Finn seems to be handling it, and although Gideon’s still breathing hard with his eyes, taking on that pinched look he sometimes wears toward the end of their “lessons,” Rowan thinks,how bad can it be?A few moments more, and he tries it without the coat, too.

Big mistake; it’s not changedat all,and he shoves the sleeve back over his face. “Holy Fuck. Holy fuuuuuuck.” He’s so hard even his balls are aching. Rowan thinks one touch, and he’d come, popping his knot and all. He can’t think about when, hopefully, one day Nix might let him at the source of that scent, up close andreallypersonal. Nope, not thinking about that at all.

There’s a loud whirring and a few metal clanks signaling that the ventilation system turns on, and it inspires Finn and Gideon to take small breaths as the light breeze diffuses the pheromone haze. “It’s a ventilation protocol. The system is circulating at top speed. Give it a try now, Ro.”

Rowan finally removes his jacket from his face, “I can still smell them, but it’s manageable. Like a memory, rather than my nose pressed up someone’s ass.”

“Rowan Foster, that imagery is unnecessarily unhelpful,” Gideon smirks.

Gideon cocks his head and sighs, “I can hear him, I think.” The voice is deep and smooth, and slides across Rowan’s nerve endings. He’d kill to hear that voice shouting his name or whispering in his ear. Or even sayingI love you.

“His voice is…whoa,” Rowan breathes. “It’s so hot. I’m going to die.” He’s still so fucking hard that even the rub of his suit pants over his erection is sending little zaps of pleasure down his legs and into his toes.

Just then, there is a very clear “Finn!” coming from inside the room.

Rowan’s wolf takes that as a sign that they all should go in and see his mate, so he tries to circumvent the arm Gideon has thrown back up to keep him out again. “Please? Jay is calling us.” Rowan wants to be in that room rightnowand frankly, Rowan is getting tired of being kept away from his mate by a strong arm and a closed door.

“No, Ro, he’s calling for Dr. Merritt. So, it’s Dr. Merritt who gets to go in.” Rowan’s wolf is not above using his wiles, and he whines with big puppy eyes. But all he receives for his trouble is Gideon’s scoff, Finn’s jacket pushed into his chest, and a brief glimpse into the dimly lit room. He skirts around Rowan and under Gideon’s arm.

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