Page 14 of Bonds of Fate

His beta frowns, but then, with a shrug, he nods.“I’m still mad at you, but also, yes. Fuck me, alpha.”

He picks Luca up and into his arms, hands already under his long t-shirt, fingers settling in the seam of his plush butt.

The wolf doesn’t like to see Nix leave with Leo and not know where they’re going, but is distracted for the moment by his Pack Alpha, unconscious on the floor. “Did I do that?”

Luca laughs. “Nope, that was 100% Gideon.”

Chapter Five: Grayson

Grayson (Rewind)

“Gray, could you let Riordan in the gate? He’s here to check up on Nix.”

Grayson enters the code on the security panel to open the gates, not bothering to check the camera for himself. If Gideon says it’s Riordan, then it is because no one takes their security more seriously than Gideon.

It isn’t five minutes later before the doctor in question is standing on their front step withhis mate, Ewan Campbell—unannounced, it seems—from the look on Gideon’s face.

“Ewan. What asurprise.” Seems Gideon isn’t happy about it either, if the clipped tone is any indication.

“Gideon, Grayson. You remember my mate?” Of course, he does. They’re social enough to where they attended a birthday celebration at the Kennedy home last month. Grayson has to roll his eyes at the sarcasm. “He’s the orthopedic surgeon who repaired Nix’s arm and leg? He thought he’d come and check on the transition himself. Hope you don’t mind?”

Riordan’s sense of humor has always leaned toward the sarcastic, and it seems now is no exception. It makes Grayson want to growl at their family friend because, despite his suppressants, his instincts are strong regarding his omega.

His soulmate. His other half.

It sounds insane even to his ears, and when he can catch Gideon alone, he’s going to have all kinds of questions. The two astrologers he’d contacted from the soulmate article were renowned in their fields—one specializing in Sidereal astrology and the other in Tropical. Despite their differing approaches, both astrologers had concurred. Intrigued by his vague inquiry, they had completed the work he’d requested quickly and thoroughly.

The discovery had only fueled their excitement. Grayson and Nix’s birth dates and times—June 11 and December thirteenth—are exactly 180 days apart, accounting for differing time zones and other factors Grayson knows little about. He’d been reminded that 180° is precisely one-half of a circle, each of them one-half of a perfect whole. Night and Day. Sun and Moon. Yin and Yang.

Truth be told, no amount of mathematical or spiritual proof would have convinced him if he hadn’t felt it every hour since Nix came back into their lives.

Now Grayson has decided that he wants to feel the full intensity of it.

“Riordan? Could you spare a minute before Nix comes down?”

“Sure, Grayson. Can we talk here? Ewan, would you see if you can entertain Gideon for a moment?”

“You’ll owe me,” Ewan mutters and rolls his eyes as he heads into the kitchen to buy them a bit of time. Grayson thinks he must be brave or stupid, because, by the sounds of things, Gideon is pissed and not being too subtle about it. No one hates surprises more than Gideon Carnell.

“What can I do for you? You’re feeling alright?” The doctor’s eyes narrow with concern.

“I want to go off the suppressants.” He feels how right the decision is the second he says it out loud.

Riordan’s eyebrows go up, but he refrains from commenting on his surprise. “That’s up to you, of course. Have you had today’s dose?” The horse-sized pills are usually taken in the afternoon for peak efficacy, and Grayson has held off for some unknown reason—maybe this is why.

“Not yet. Do I need to wean off slowly, or can I go cold turkey?” The sooner he can be over the side effects, the better, but maybe weaning slowly will help him keep his wolf under control.

“You can do either. There isn’t any requirement to taper them down, but I can’t exactly recommend cold turkey. The side effects are prohibitive. Jay was on some pretty strong ones and just for a day or so, and still, the side effects were quite unpleasant. While yours are not as strong, you’ve been on them almost a week.”

“A week, yeah. Can I take half a tablet?”

“That’ll lessen the impact for sure, but it’s still likely to suck ass.”

Grayson smiles—he’s always liked Riordan, despite today’s feeling of aggression at the unexpected guest and subsequent sarcasm.

Outwardly, Riordan isn’t a typical alpha in that he rarely postures, but his demeanor is certainly one of strength and confidence. He leads his pack much in the same way Jay does, and that’s probably why they must get along so well.

“Is that an official medical term?”

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