Page 107 of Bonds of Fate

“Only Jamie would think I’m sexy like that.”

Grayson disagrees, but holds his tongue. He’d meant it when he’d said that Nix is beautiful, no matter his incarnation, because that beauty shines from every pore—from his very soul, even.

He should know, he’s his soulmate.

How very blessed is he, eh? There’s remembered joy in the thought, and Grayson vows to hold on to that feeling in the coming days as best he can.

Nix bends over the edge of the tub, and they wash the color down the drain, when the special conditioner is rinsed out and Grayson’s done drying it with a towel, they get their first look at Nix’s brown locks.

Nix is the first to speak, touching his face with his tiny pointer finger, then running a hand through his hair in awe, testing the memory of his old self against this new vision. “Hello, me,” he whispers to himself, and meets Grayson’s eyes in themirror. “Thank you, Gray. I love it. Do you think I could get it cut sometime? I never liked it long.”

“I could do it for you right now? I cut Rowan’s and Finn’s all the time. I’m not a professional, but I think it turns out alright. I’ll run and get my scissors.”

“Hey, I don’t think you’re supposed to run with scissors. But yes, I would love it if you could cut it shorter.”

By the time Grayson has trimmed his hair, Nix is glowing. They run a hairdryer through it, and Nix pulls his white shirt back on.

His angel is so happy and free.

Grayson thinks about the cost of keeping that smile as a permanent fixture on that perfect face—thinks about the cost of Nix fighting on that field, and it finally settles in.

If Nix is willing to pay it, they can do no less.

Chapter Twenty-Two: Finn

Finn

After a brief argument between Leo and Jay about who will fetch their missing mate, Jay leaves to do just that. Finn agrees that it is a discussion Jay owes to Nix’s soulmate, though no one asks him his opinion.

Jay has the power to make Nix’s choice a reality or consign him to the sidelines, and Finn can only imagine how that must feel when Grayson’s soulmate’s life is at stake, literally and metaphorically.

There hadn’t been official discussions about soulmates—though Leo had, in one way or another, told everyone except Nix about the official-sounding star charts.

As a man of science, Finn isn’t sure his beliefs extend beyond his practical experience with his own fated mates. But Gideon and Luca are living proof that two people can be more—adding another layer to their already amazing pack dynamic.

Although there is an argument to be made that there is an element of biology in all of this, Finn hasn’t the capacity for theories when living it has always borne more empirical evidence. He could measure vitals, compare data, analyze pheromonal responses—but none of that would explain the way his chest physically aches when Nix smiles at him.

Still, if Grayson and Nix are soulmates, then Finn supposes that they both owe each other a conversation that the rest of them have no business weighing in on.

For now, though, Finn is more than content with his role as escort for their beloved omega back to his room when he said he wanted to have a rest. They had all interpreted that to mean he needed some time alone.

Only Leo seems outwardly distressed, probably at being denied a second time to offer emotional support to a mate in need.

That’s how Finn came to be walking hand-in-hand with Nix and detouring through the kitchen, where he had left the brand new cell phone that had arrived that morning. Finn hoped that their mate wouldn’t feel about this like he had with his original offer of clothes.

Despite his training, Finn was no closer to being able to help his mate through that kind of panic than he had been the first time.

Surprisingly, and with a grateful smile, Nix accepts the phone with simple grace.

“For me? Thank you, Finn.” He turns the box over in his hands, a thoughtful half smile on his lips. “This is way more complicated than my last phone, but I think I can figure it out. Arlo said I could call him if I have questions, and now I can sexy-text, too. That’s still a thing, right?” The soft smile morphs into a sexy smirk—a tease that makes Finn’s tummy flip-flop like a fish out of water.

Finn cannot decide if he should be horrified at the use of Arlo’s name being used in the same sentence as Nix’s questions about sexting or skip past his friend’s name into just plain aroused at the idea.

“Sexting. Uh…it’s called sexting, and yes, it is still a thing.” His black currant scent must give him away, and the verdict is that he is not horrified at all.

Stepping in closer, Nix’s musky vanilla is thick, and Finn wonders if he could just open his mouth to feel it slide down his throat.

“Mmm, Dr. Merritt. Maybe I could sext you sometime, is that something you like?”

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