But if his mate chooses this, then Jay will stand behind him.
Nix meets his gaze, and it’s like he knows exactly what Jay is thinking. Their bond burns bright, surging with love and something that feels an awful lot like hope.
He’s not asking for permission. He’s asking for support.
And all Jay can do is give it.
He offers a small smile, a subtle nod of encouragement.
“Y–yes. I am.”
There it is. Said and done.
Erin doesn’t miss a beat. “Alright. Then I’ll email Dr. Merritt with the instructions, and we’ll meet that morning to go over strategy.”
Jay forces his voice steady. “Thank you, Erin. We’ll see you in three days?”
“You will. Try to rest.” A pause. “It’ll all be over soon.”
The call ends.
The silence is thick.
Jay doesn’t know why Erin’s parting words land like a stone in his chest. But they do. And from the way his mates shift uneasily, he’s not the only one who caught it.
She hadn’t meant for it to sound dire. But the bond is a live wire of anxiety, and there’s no hearing it any other way.
“Well, happy fucking birthday, Jay,” Rowan grits out.
Jay lets out a slow breath, rubbing at his temple. “It’ll be okay. They’ve got it under control. We’ll meet with them beforehand.”
He says it like he believes it.
And maybe—for Nix’s sake—he does.
He badly wants to believe it.
He pumps out a calming scent, hoping to counteract the distressed mocha from Luca and the sharp alcoholic rum from Rowan. But it’s not enough. Not when the air is still missing the warmth of sweet vanilla—not when it’s thick with the unmistakable scent of fresh tears.
Nix’s tears.
“Come here, baby boy.”
Nix leaps into his arms without hesitation, colliding with Jay’s chest with enough force to bowl him over. Jay falls back against Gideon’s waiting arms, cradling Nix against him.
“Shhh. It’s okay. You’re alright.”
He adjusts Nix on his chest, anchoring him there, letting him cry freely into his shirt.
Leo shifts closer, lifting Jay’s legs over his own, one soothing hand slipping under the leg of his pants to rub circles into his calf. Luca presses in against Gideon’s side, threading gentle fingers through Nix’s hair.
Grayson drags Finn and Tsuki over so they can nestle against Nix from the floor, their warmth a silent reassurance. And Rowan? He just throws himself along the back of the couch, draping across them like a grossly oversized cat.
No one speaks.
Because what could they say?
Jay just holds him—they all do.
