Page 78 of Threads of Fate

Jamie sighs, and Nix knows whatever it is will not be easy.

The sigh that follows is frustrated. “I’m going to talk, and you can ask me anything you want. I think it’s important for you to know that I would never lie to you. I kept a few things from you because I had to—it’s the law—but I always…”

“Jamie. Just give it to me. I promise I’ll believe you.”

Jamie takes his hands and looks into his eyes; Nix has never seen him so serious.

“I’m not Human. I’m Were.”

Nix thinks he’s heard him wrong. “You’re where?”

“No, I’m–we’re Were. All of us. Fuck, this is hard. How do othersdo this?Fuck.” Jamie jumps up and starts pacing.

His brain makes the sudden connection. “So, you’re not human, and you’re what? A Werewolf?” Nix is sure his face speaks of his skepticism. “Like you were attacked…like in the movies?”

“No, most of us are born. Wait—you’re taking this surprisingly well. Are you humoring me? Because if you are, that’s cool. Cool. Better than running away screaming.”

“I’m not wearing pants, Jamie. Where could I go?” Nix tries to lighten the mood because he’s maybe a little worried that the love of his life has lost his mind. “I’m trying; I know you, and I know you wouldn’t hurt me with a lie, even after all this time. And I’mhere.So, the least I can do is let you convince me.” He curls his feet up under his bare butt and pulls a green blanket from the back of the couch over his legs.

Jamie is standing there, gaping. But Nix has long since learned that drama gets him nowhere good.

“Okay, where should I start?” He seems less worried now and a bit more eager.

“Can I ask some questions? Maybe that will help?”

“Oh, fuck, would you? Shit. Okay.” He sits beside Nix, and he puts a corner of the blanket over his knees. Nix wiggles his toes under his thigh.

Where to start? “Um…you said you’re Were. As in Werewolf. Can you turn into a wolf?”

Jamie chuckles. “Not anymore. But the history books say that in the beginning, the Goddess created the first Weres in the image of her beloved wolves. We still retain some of the physical characteristics and instincts, though. Wanna see?”

Jamie opens his mouth, and two long fangs descend from his upper and lower lips. They are long and pointy. “Holy shit. Holy shit. You’re not crazy, Jamie! Your teeth–fangs—are so cool? Holy shit. Have you always had these?”

Nix is up on his knees now, so he can lean in to better get a closer look at his fangs. Jamie shows him his long claws, too. “Fuck, that’s so cool! What else can you do? Do you have a tail?”

A guffaw from the kitchen is quickly followed by a snort from somewhere upstairs to the right.

“Hey, you lurkers. Get in here. Don’t make Jamie do your dirty work.” It’s not long before Leo, Rowan, and Finn enter the room from various locations.

“Sorry, Nix. We just didn’t want to overwhelm you,” Rowan says sheepishly, looking genuinely apologetic.

Finn comes to sit on Nix’s other side, urging him off his knees and under the blanket. “Oops. Sorry for the flash.” Nix giggles at Finn’s blush. Finnboopshim in the nose in retaliation.

“No need to apologize, Nixie.” Leo winks.

“Okay, let me get through the rest of it before it’s tomorrow already. I promised you some answers, yeah?”

Jamie tells him about their extra-sensitive senses, and when he gets to scent, Nix has to stop him. “So not only can you smell things more easily,” he says, pointing to his nose. “You also have your own special scent, and that lets other Weres know who you are and sometimes how you feel.” At their nod, Nix looks at each of them, head tilted.

“Can humans smell it?” All at once, Nix knows the answer before he even hears Jamie say the word, and that single negative hits Nix like nothing else Jamie has shared so far. He’s on his feet because the room is filled with pine, cinnamon, spicy rum, and black currant. He can smell them; and now that he thinks of it, he could smell it in the hospital room, in the lobby, and the car on the way home.

“Jamie. Finn. Wha—what did you do to me?” He smells burnt cookies and his stomach rebels. He skirts the large coffee table to face them on the couch.

Jamie is frozen in place. “Let me explain—.” How had it suddenly gone so wrong?

“Fuck, Jamie. What happened to me? I’m not human anymore?” He can feel his fangs dropping, and he whimpers.

“Nix. Look at me, please.” Finn. He’d told him he wasbetter. He didn’t know that this was what he meant.

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