Page 74 of Threads of Fate

“What?” Nix asks sweetly, at his intent look.

Leo tilts his head, a mannerism he no doubt picked up from Gideon. “I am amazed at how well you are handling all of this.” He twirls a finger around, referencing the chaos that is Rowan chasing Luca with a dirty sock and Gideon and Finn arguing quietly about something while they stuff the blankets into the bag Luca brought.

Nix just smiles wider. “I love it already…but it’s weird, right? When I—” He stalls for a minute and gives his head a tiny shake. “I know something bad has happened to me. I think Jamie thinks I don’t know that much. But I do. I can’t remember it, so it must bebad. But Jamie is here and even though it’s been so long, it feels like the same. You all feel like home. I feel as safe as I’ve ever felt. That can’t be wrong, right?”

“No, it’s good. You’re right, Jay is the best of men.” Hearing that their omega feels safe cracks open a place inside him that he didn’t know was there. Leo usually leaves overt expressions ofprotection and possessive protectiveness to his alphas—Goddess knows someone has to keep a level head—but Nix’s words make him want to beat his chest and howl with victory. He settles for rubbing a hand over it instead. He’s further rewarded when it catches Nix’s attention briefly as he bites his lip.

“The last five years have been bad.” He looks at Finn who’s holding a giggling Luca up so he can blow raspberries on his belly, he smiles and continues, “And this is so far from before. Is it bad if I want to just forget that and be a part of this with Jamie…and with you? With Luca and Gideon and Rowan and Finnie? Maybe even Grayson too, if he likes me?”

“I don’t think you’ll have to worry about that, Nixie.” The words,I think he might alreadygo unsaid. “We’re so lucky to have you, Nix.” Leo wants to tell him they’ve always missed him so terribly, but Nix doesn’t know that Jay had thought him dead all this time.

Nix throws himself at Leo, and he’s suddenly got a lap of mostly naked omega. Nix is crying softly, and it causes the room to come to a complete standstill. The silence is deafening and Rowan is suddenly growling, looking for the threat.

“It’s okay, Ro. Happy tears, right Nixie?” Leo gets his first feel of Nix’s baby-soft hair and he smooths it down over and over, hoping to soothe his mate.

Luca brings him a tissue and dabs away his tears, before he, too, falls into Leo’s lap. Leo carefully shifts their omega over, so he has a bit more room for them both. Luca is worrying the front hem of Nix’s sweater in his fingers, anxious at smelling tears, and Leo nudges them away, offering his own instead. He knows that Nix is naked under there and no one wants to know what an accidentally naked Nix would do to pre-rut Rowan.

Leo enjoys the weight of his mates in his lap and just breathes in that heady mix of contented mocha and vanilla until he feels every muscle in his body go lax.

“Alright, the nurse says we can go when we’re ready and that Riordan will stop by tomorrow to do an exam to reassure himself you’re doing well. Does that work for you, Nix?”

He’s pushing an empty wheelchair, a sheaf of papers in his hand. “Oh, hey. You’re crying?”

Jay abandons the chair to crouch beside Nix, still sharing Leo’s lap with Luca.

“I’m okay, Jamie. Leo was just really nice.” He leans up and kisses his cheek softly. Leo’s cheeks are red again and he can feel that cheek-hurting smile on his face.

“Hey! I want Nixie kisses, too!” Luca is puckering up and Nix is blushing, but leans forward and gives him the biggest smooch on his lips. It smacks loudly in the room and Luca totally hadn’t expected it. His eyes roll back, and he pretends to swoon over Leo’s arm.

Nix is looking at Jay and he whispers, “Was that okay? That I did that?” He smells uncertain, and Leo can’t imagine why.

“That you kissed Luca and Leo?” Their omega nods.

“Of course, baby. Gideon told you, right? I don’t think there’s one person here who would turn down any affectionyouwant to give. But that’s up to you; you should never feel like youhaveto.” Jay is holding both Nix’s hands in one of his.

“Did you hear that, Luca?” It’s Gideon, and he’s right to be sure their bratty beta isn’t pushing too hard. Leo understands what it means to want to shower their perfect mates with love.

Luca sighs and lets Leo give him a boost out of his lap. “Yes, Gideon. I’m sorry, Nixie.”

Nix reaches out to grab Luca’s hand. “I wanted to, Luca. I liked it. I likeyou.”

Leo has to hold Nix up as Luca throws himself onto Nix and his heart bursts with joy to see them giggle. Luca lays a tiny kiss on their mate’s freckled nose and throws himself at Gideon next. “He likes me!”

Gideon grabs Luca under his thighs and hoists him up, whispering in his ear.

“Should we go home?” Jay stands up and Nix holds his arms up; their pack alpha pulls him up, and Leo follows.

Luca lets out a squawk. “I never thought I’d be the one saying this: but…um…shouldn’t Nixie have pants on?”

Chapter Twenty-Eight: Nix

Nix

“I am not riding in the wheelchair, Jamie.” Nix did not want to be pushed out like a princess in a medical-grade parade when it was completely unnecessary. He is done with being sick. Finn had said he was all better and he felt good, so he will not be gently bullied into following the hospital’s dumb rules.

Crossing his arms over his chest, he feels the pajama pants (which they’d found for him in the laundry pile) sliding down. Grabbing them before they can slide over his butt, healmoststamps his foot.

“Nix, it’s hospital policy, and you don’t have any shoes yet. You want to go home, right?”

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