Page 72 of Threads of Fate

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Leo

Rewind-Leo

When the elevators closed after his mates at his father’s firm, Grayson had taken his hand before directing him to the Lexus. After making sure he’d had his seatbelt on, they’d taken off after Rowan, who had peeled out of the drive intent on living hisGrand Theft Autodreams behind the wheel of Gideon’s Escalade.

Leo takes a slower, much more sedate pace, and it’s not long before he can tell that Grayson is working up to saying something that he is sure he’s not going to like. Even with their scent blockers running interference, it’s easy to see the uncharacteristic fidgeting out of the corner of his eye. He gives his mate a break and puts his hand on Grayson’s knee.

“All right, Pretty. Out with it.” Grayson is normally so self-contained; his body does nothing without his express consent. Gentle and deliberate, graceful and calm are just a few characteristics Leo would use to describe his beautiful mate.

Grayson sighs again, this time deeply. “I want you to take me home. Please.” He’s braced for Leo’s disapproval and Leo refuses to be the reason he’s even more worked up.

When he offers no more, Leo asks, “Why? We’re going to see Nix awake for the first time. As a pack. Are you not feeling well?”

“Leo, I don’t think I can do this. Not at the hospital. I’m not ready.” He sounds like he might cry and Leo cannot imagineone scenario where he’d think Grayson would miss out on seeing their omega today. Not a single one. But he takes the next right that will put them on the path toward home.“I justcan’tsee him yet. I’m afraid…”

Afraid?Again, Leo can’t imagine why.

They’re pulling onto their street. It’s lined with mature trees, and there are well-kept sidewalks. Jay calls their home the “compound” because it has gated access and a security system to rival the city’s banks. In fact, Gideon used his “connections” and two years ago, a battalion of strange men in black had shown up with two nondescript white vans and a hundred-thousand-dollar system which they’d installed under his watchful eyes.

As soon as Leo puts the Lexus in park, Grayson is out of the car and past the security system. Leo follows, just in time to hear a door slam upstairs. There are nine bedrooms officially, so they each have their own space, and Leo doesn’t want to leave before trying one more time to change Grayson’s mind.

Taking off his loafers, he gets to the top of the stairs and sees that Grayson’s door is wide open. “Gray?” When he pops his head in, he can see the room is empty. Where the fuck did he go? It’s not like he’d go into another mate’s space without an express invitation, except maybe Luca’s, who loves an open-door policy even when Gideon is in there, too.

He hears music and the only door that’s shut is the “rut room.” Jay had it built with the house because it seemed like a good idea if, for any reason, one of them didn’t want to “rut” in the nest with the others. It’s equipped in much the same way as their nest room, with supplies and a designated restroom, but this comes with one thing the nest room does not: a zero-tolerance, Do Not Disturb policy. If any of the pack has chosen to be in the room, they are not to be approached. Period. On the flip side, the occupant must check in every two hours day or night, or Jay will intervene.

Well, that’s a surefire sign Grayson does not want to be convinced to change his mind. Dammit.

Leo changes into a t-shirt and cargo pants and sees a text from Gideon, but doesn’t stop to text back. The others are probably busy with Nix, and he doesn’t want to interrupt. What would he say that wouldn’t ramp everyone up, anyway? He’ll just grab lunch and be there in forty-five minutes. When he’s in the Lexus, he checks his phone one more time, just in case Gray has changed his mind.

He hasn’t.

**

The burgers are making his mouth water and he’s so hungry he could gnaw a limb off. He’d ignored Gideon’s text to bring a vast selection of food offerings, because who has time for that when his mate is waiting? He hopes Nix likes burgers and fries, but just in case, he’d also ordered some side orders of veggies. Of course, if it’s not right, he’ll just go out and get whatever their omega wants. Leo grins like a lovesick fool to himself, and the other person in the elevator gives him a side-eye.

The floor is quiet when he gets there, all the doors closed and no one manning the nurses’ station. It’s like a ghost town. Then he spots Rowan, hair wild and sweaty, standing still outside the door, completely alone. The scent of vanilla wafts toward him and his mouth waters; differently than it does for the burgers cooling in the box he’s carrying. Holy shit. That’s the stuff right there.

He approaches slowly so as not to startle the zoned-out Rowan. “You okay there, Ro?”

The alpha is on him in seconds, taking the box and unceremoniously dropping it to the floor. He’s got Leo’s scent blocker patch off and the beta is pushed hard up against the wall, a hand in his hair to pull his head to the side so Rowan can get athis neck. He looks like he’d gone a round with Gideon in “Alpha Instructor” mode, which always leaves Rowan looking wired.

He gets his answer when Rowan starts his rambling but stops, checking the corridor for their missing mate.

“He…thought he should go home.” Leo does not know how to explain what’s going on with Grayson and he’s not sure hewouldtell even if he did. Grayson is so private, and they have always respected his choices to sometimes keep aspects of himselftohimself.

He decides he’ll answer his mate the best he can. “I honestly don’t know, Ro. We got halfway here and he panicked. Said he couldn’t do this right now. I’m not even sure what ‘this’ is, for fuck’s sake. We got home, and he was inside before I could even get the car door open. I left him holed up in the rut room.” It hurts him that he can’t help his mate, that he’ll miss this milestone in their pack, and especially, that he doesn’t have answers.

Rowan pulls his phone out and Leo can see he’s texting him.Hecan pretend that he didn’t know about the rut room, unlike Leo.

He doesn’t share the conversation except to say, “He’s not okay, I think.” Rowan sighs and Leo feels his sweat-damp hair against his cheek. He turns to smell his mate, taking comfort in the almost imperceptible scent of spiced rum.

He’s a little embarrassed when his stomach growls.

“Really? We’re having a moment here.”

“Hunger waits for no man,” Leo defends, and the door to Nix’s room opens and Gideon is standing there, assessing the two of them seated on the floor.

Rowan pulls Leo up, sticks his patch back on, and picks up the box. As the three of them stand in the doorway, Gideon speaks quietly. “Nix is ready to meet you. Where’s Gray?”

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