Page 71 of Threads of Fate

“So pretty…” Rowan whispers, and heisa fool, and when Nix giggles again, he is a fool in love.

“You’re funny, Rowan. I like it. Thank you for sharing your blanket.” He’s looking up at him through his eyelashes, making Rowan’s stomach swoop and soar.

“You can call me Rowan or Ro or…whatever you like.” Luca is rolling his eyes at Rowan’s breathless tone and total lack of cool.

Nix doesn’t seem to mind, though. “Okay, then you can call me Nix. Is that okay, Jamie?”

“Sure is. I want you to meet Leo, too.” He’s got the suddenly shy Leo by the shoulders.

Rowan doesn’t want to get out of the way or let go of Nix’s hand but figures Leo deserves a chance to meet their omega, too.Nix uses Rowan’s hand, which he’s still holding, to pull himself up.

Finn squeaks before pulling down the back of his sweater, and Rowan’s face gets red, thinking that maybe his omega’s bare butt is….nope, not going there.Down, boy.

Luca, however, takes the opportunity to lie face down in the warm spot left by their now-standing mate.

Nix smiles his thanks to Rowan and approaches Leo. Jay is hard-pressed to hide his surprise, and the beta has gone stock still.

Leo is what is known as capital I “Intimidating;” his physique and occasionalresting bitch faceput strangers off, even though it hides the sweetest person inside. And yet, Nix doesn’t seem intimidated at all. It makes sense if he feels for each of them what they feel for him: that fated mate connection.

Leo’s jaw is slightly hanging open as they all get a front-row seat to their gorgeous mate scooting around the table(not over it, Rowan, you gigantic dork)so he can meet Leo up close.

“Hi.” Nix reaches for Leo’s face with both hands, palms to cheeks, and both Jay and Leo’s eyes go wide. No one thinks Nix is in danger, of course not, since they know Leo is a big, buff marshmallowmost days, but Nix decidedly does not know that.

Leo is speechless for once, red in the face and a little damp-eyed. “Hi, Nix.” What even are formalities when his hands are on Leo’s face, his sweet smile on his beautiful mouth?

“Handsome! Right, Jamie? Handsome Leo!” He looks to Jay to confirm what he’s seeing, to make sure he knows his mate is handsome.

“Yes, baby, so handsome.”

Nix leans in a bit, and Leo holds his breath with his hands clenched at his sides. Nix goes to his tip-toes so that he can press his nose to Leo’s cheek and giggle. Red-faced and nearlyswooning, the big, buff Leo is clearly holding himself back from hugging Nix close. Guess the betas aren’t unaffected after all.

In that vein, Rowan hazards a look at Luca and sees the beta’s nose is still pressed into the spot where Nix had been sitting. Rowan can’t tell if he is envious or horrified.

He whispers, “Luc!” and that’s enough to get Finn’s attention. Where before Rowan was undecided, Finn is not. He is definitely horrified and hauls Luca up, a giddy-slash-horny look on his sweet, flushed face. Gideon clears his throat in disapproval, causing Luca to cross his arms in defiant protest.

Nix now has his slender hands wrapped as far as they’ll go around Leo’s biceps (which isn’t very far) as he massages the muscle and puts a wide, goofy smile on Leo’s face. His cheeks are going to hurt after this, that’s for sure.

Hey, now. Rowan has big biceps, too. Rowan works out. He flexes subtly under his shirt to remind himself that his muscles are still as nice as he remembers them to be, and wonders if it would be too much if he took his dress shirt off now. Like he can read his mind, Gideon catches his eye this time, giving a subtle shake of his head.

While contemplating if he could still get away with it, Nix makes his way back around the table to sit again, covering up withRowan’sblanket. Rowan decides disrobing can wait. There’s a big hot tub and pool at home, and if Nix is anything like Jay when it comes to water and swimming, Rowan will get the chance to be shirtless and show off his muscles soon.

“Ro is handsome, too,” Nix whispers, and Rowan feels a soft hand tug at the end of his hair. He thinks maybe he can die happy now. That smile is turned on again as Nix takes Luca’s hand in his and puts his head on Finn’s shoulder.

“Hey, where’s Grayson?” Luca’s voice is high with concern.

“He’s not feeling well, and he asked Leo to take him home. He wanted me to tell you he’ll see you there, okay, Nix?” Theiromega’s smile is uncertain, nose in the air, like he can already smell a prevarication. Rowan’s still wearing his scent patch, though, as are Leo and Gideon. It’s probably best if they don’t flood the room with three new happy scents. Or, in Rowan’s case, a happy but prevaricating one.

“Now?” Nix pushes the blanket aside like he means to forgo lunch and walk to their compound, half-naked in Finn’s sweater, just to meet Grayson. Rowan wishes Grayson was here to witness Nix’s enthusiasm.

But Finn tugs on the sweater to get Nix’s attention and Jay puts his concern aside with a shake of his head, focusing on serving the last of the burgers, fries, and cut vegetables onto plates. “Nix, let’s eat lunch first, yeah?”

Rowan takes a paper plate from Gideon with a burger and vegetables already on it so he can hand it to Nix, then another for Finn, and then one with two burgers and fries for himself. Gideon pulls the fidgety Luca onto his lap, feeding him every bite as Leo and Jay sit cross-legged on the other side of the coffee table.

“See Grayson after lunch?” He raises his wrist to his nose, and Rowan gets a whiff of the basil body wash, but his pack can’t resist.

Jay intervenes, “You bet. Eat your lunch, and we’ll see about getting you discharged. We can talk at home.” He checks in with Finn and Gideon. He thinks it’s because “talk” is code for telling Nix he’s no longer human but a Were and a possibly-mythical-unicorn-definitely-an-omega.

As Rowan bites into his burger, he holds up the best french fry from his plate for the smiling Nix to take in his mouth. That’s a conversation he wants no part of because this is exactly one of those times when he’s reminded that, once again, Jay is the best man for the job.

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