Of course, when Leo had met him for the first time, he had known Jay would be his alpha. And over time, Leo had witnessed the sadness that Jay hid every day. Even though he’d eventually learned to smile, laugh, and make great music, Leo would still catch him in the company’s bathroom, crying or on the rooftop, soaking in the sunshine—his mind far, far away, where Leo couldn’t follow.
That grief had followed Jay until the day Finn called them and begged them to come. When Jay learned it was Nix, Leo saw that same grief roll over his features. He’d watched how the hope that Nix would live, hope that he would survive the transition, hope that he wouldn’t hate them all for making this life-altering decision, slowly wore away at Jay’s inner peace.
It had been worth it, of course—it always would be. No one would ever think Nix wasn’t worth dying for.
But it wasn’t the dying that was hard; it was the living.
Jay isn’t ready to like Nix’s choices, no matter the lip service he’d paid to just that scenario in the previous days. His outburst in the gym was a testament to that. Jay had returned home late, and he and Luca had secluded themselves in Jay’s room—where there was no hiding the yelling, the crying, and then, themaking up.
They hadn’t expected them to come to the nest, so Leo had tried to listen and cuddle where he was needed.
But now, the bed is empty, and when Leo finds his phone the group chat is full of his mates’ whereabouts.
7:57 a.m. - from Gideon
At Quest
Back for dinner
Gideon always needed his “home” turf when he and Jay disagreed, and even though there hadn’t been an argument per se, Gideon must be feeling the conflict of Jay’s disapproval—balancing it against the promise he’d madeto Nix.
Later, he’d come home with dinner and a determined grip on his position as Jay’s right-hand man, ready to work it out.
Finn said he’d gone to work to see Riordan and talk about his proposal for omega Andrological care. Leo didn’t know how much need there would be, given that Arlo and Nix were the only ones in the U.S. at present, but maybe there were more hiding that they didn’t know about, and surely, there would be more to come.
Besides, if Finn could focus on omega medical care and educate others he might make the lives of people like Nix so much better.
Finally, Rowan said he had mysterious business, and Leo tries not to worry about his cryptic words.
8:30 a.m. - from Rowan
Got shit to do, bishes. Laters
Goddess knows what that means. Leo should probably be worried and can only hope it’s better than the last time—when Rowan met up with his friend Eduardo at a bar in Nashville and got so drunk on whiskey he’d taken the last bus to Clarksville. His mother had called to let them know he had made it “home,” even if it had been the wrong one.
But it’s the last text in his queue that really gives Leo hope.
8:35 a.m. - from Jay
Taking Luca to Ruthie’s
Love you
Jay is seeing Luca’s miracle worker of a therapist, Ruthie, and they are goingtogether. The pack has long held the belief that Ruthie keeps Luca going and, therefore, keeps the entire pack on an even keel.
Her specialty in trauma and the music industry makes her an ideal candidate to help Luca, but she is also a member of the BDSM community. The pack is so grateful to her and if she’s made time to see them on short notice, then Leo is hopeful they can at least get Jay talking about what’s going on in his head.
So, that just leaves the lovebirds in the Art House, and Leo thinks they must really be missing him.
He’s not seen Grayson’s beautiful face at all since he’d tripped over his feet, landed with his ass up and pants around his ankles yesterday. To add insult to injury, Nix hasn’t squeezed Leo’s biceps since yesterday at breakfast.
He must be so sad. Leo should definitely help them.
Leo throws on his pajama pants and a hoodie over his t-shirt, forgoes his shoes, and is out the back door on the path toward the Art House in the blink of an eye.
He has never enjoyed being alone—he is the opposite of an introvert, energized by people and with a constant need for affection. He’s always thought he was fortunate to have been gifted six, now seven, amazing mates—there is always someone to hug, to cuddle, and now, to squeeze his muscles with appreciation.
Leo doesn’t knock on the door because Grayson wouldn’t answer anyway if he were asleep or making Nix feel good for what Leo hopes is at least the third time. He’s had to be dragged out of there for food on more than one occasion.
