Page 42 of Bonds of Fate

“Jamie can hardly go around fighting everyone who offends me. That’s insanity.” Nix shakes his head. “So what you’re saying is that if we go this route, then the only course is that Jamie meets D-Dawson in combat to the death?”

“That’s the ideal, yes. There is a provision for him to choose a proxy, but—”

“Then no.” Nix cuts her off and stands abruptly. “I won’t do it. Thank you for your time, Erin. I’d like some time to think about the part where we lie to the American government. Could I speak with you privately?”

He’s up to something that Gideon absolutely—one hundred percent—is not going to like one little bit.

“Nix, let’s talk about this a bit more.” Jay’s tone shows that he knows it, too. Their omega is a runaway train, and Gideon worries it’s an actual “runaway” situation.

“No, James. Erin, may I walk you to your car?”

“Uh…yes.” She looks from Jay to Gideon before settling on Nix’s pale face.

She grabs her bag, reaches inside to retrieve something, and then pauses. “One more thing. The Detective in charge gave me this. They retrieved it from the scene and said it was valuable, but not evidence. They asked me to return it to you.” Held between the tips of her fingers is a small evidence bag with a stainless steel pendant inside.

Nix visibly recoils, so Gideon takes it. He can feel right away that it’s tainted with something so evil it hurts just to hold it. He can see Erin feels the same way.

His face must reflect his disgust.

“Can you feel it too, Gideon? My mate made me leave it outside under the moon last night. I hope you don’t think me ridiculous for saying so while acting in my professional capacity, but Sorscha practices the old ways. She recognized the evil when I came in the door and said the symbol on this side meanshide.” The pragmatic lawyer shivers as if someone has passed over her grave.

“Hide? Do you mean if Nix wore this, he would be hidden? From whom?” Jay asks.

“He told me it meant love,” Nix murmurs absently, as if memories are taking up all of his attention.

Erin’s face is horrified. “It’s the opposite of love. But to answer your question,” she turns the pendant over inside the bag, and it’s covered with Nix’s blood—it reveals one person’s name in black: Jay Rhodes. “My mate says the…uh…blood would make the name visible. I’m so sorry.”

Nix stands frozen, his face drained of color. “He made me wear it, and if I took it off, he would h-hurt me.” His breath stutters. “You mean all this time, he was using…what? Magic? To hide me from you? All this time?”

His voice is a low, rasping whisper, thick with devastation. The weight of it presses into Gideon’s chest like a vise. He can’t imagine how their omega can have endured more pain than Hayes has already inflicted.

Erin can only offer another quiet “I’m sorry.”

At that moment, the sweet face of his omega goes hard as granite. Gone is the sweet, demure boy, and in his place is a predator. Glowing blue eyes and deadly claws. There’s a growling deep in his chest, and Gideon feels a frisson of wariness he rarely experiences.

“Erin, you mentioned a provision for the alpha to choose a proxy?” The words are garbled by his long fangs, but his intent is clear. The lawyer has stepped closer to Gideon, and he can’t blame her—Nix is magnificent in his fury.

Erin nods.

Jay is already on his feet, shaking his head. “Nixie, no.”

“Then I’d like to reconsider my decision for trial-by-combat.”

In the blink of an eye, Nix is through the door onto the pool deck, vaulting the short retaining wall and disappearing into the tree line, with Jay hot on his heels.

But Gideon has had enough—no one will be ripping Hayes’s heart out except him. It’s always been his privilege to protect his pack, and it always will be for as long as he breathes.

Besides, he made a promise to his wolf.

Chapter Eleven: Nix

Nix

Nix felt the evil radiating from the pendant the moment Erin pulled it from her bag, his new Were senses confirming what he had already known—even as a human.

The one time he’d tried to take it off, relief had been immediate—until it wasn’t. Until Hayes made sure he regretted it.

And now, Nix finally understands why.

---