They've grown over the past five years. Not so much that his Pack is unrecognizable from what it was, but enough that it eased the wild itching in him to build and grow.
Megan joined them first, almost a year after he became Alpha, a wild kitsune with no control of her power. After her came Leo and Lily, one freshly bitten and wild with fury, one feral from years living as a coyote.
Jamison was last, joining them six months ago. He came broken and wrong, wearing scarred skin and carrying too much baggage. Chase wanted to turn him away, for everything he'd ever done to Aurora. It was surprisingly Lucas who changed his mind—possessive, protective Lucas who had mated Aurora the second she agreed to it, his teeth in her neck almost before the word was formed.
He understood sickness, and never lost faith that Chase could mend the broken creature.
Chase thinks half of Lucas's motivation was the ability to flaunt Aurora, neck marked and ring on her finger, to the man who broke her heart. Aurora rolled her eyes and kissed her husband with a kind of desperate hunger that three years of marriage couldn't quench and smirked at the yearning expression on Jamison’s face.
But eventually, after time and rubbing salt in the wound and Tyler constantly drawing the sharp-tongued, angry man close—he did become Pack.
He stands with the other betas now, watching his Alpha as Chase steps into the clearing. They're all here, the Pack they built, Aurora and his father, and beyond them, his wolves. Lucas stands near Tyler, a fond look on his face as he watches Chase approaching, and Tyler—
Tyler watches him like he hung the stars in the sky, like he’s the moon itself, filling up the night and pulling at his life. He watches Chase like he’s precious and treasured and loved. It's been a lifetime since he stumbled across that dilapidated house in the woods and forced his way into the lives of two wolves who needed him almost as much as Chase needed them, yet Tyler still looks at him like that—with awe, wonder, and a hint of confusion.
Later, they'll run together, fox and wolf under a bright sky as the Standing Stones sing through his veins.
Later, Tyler will press him into their bed, will kiss him breathless and work him open, will lace their fingers together and cover him, kiss the mating bite on his throat, hold him close as Chase whimpers and Tyler fucks him.
Later, they'll sit down with Liss and Stephen and discuss the pair of omegas looking for a pack. He'll meet with Lucas about the dragon spotted just beyond their territory. He'll go to work and Tyler will do the same, and every small thing that they have built their lives on will continue on, endless and boring and steady.
But for now—Chase breathes through the now familiar surge in his magic as he steps up to the Standing Stones and peers up at Tyler, waiting patiently in a fucking gorgeous suit that Chase will thank Aurora for later. He grins at the man who has been friend, savior, lover, and companion his entire life.
“Ready to marry me?”
Tyler smiles then, the quiet smile Chase loves best, and squeezes his hand. Chase looks up at the sentient Stones and nods, almost to itself, as their voices, ancient and sibilant and warm, whisper through the clearing.
He laughs when he sees Tyler's expression and tugs him forward to the waiting spirit. And like he has for so long now, Tyler follows.
About the Author:
Nazarea Andrews (N to almost everyone) is an avid reader and tends to write the stories she wants to read. Which means she writes everything from zombies and dystopia to contemporary love stories.
When not writing, she can most often be found driving her kids to practice and burning dinner while she reads, or binge watching TV shows on Netflix. N loves chocolate, wine, and coffee almost as much as she loves books, but not quite as much as she loves her kids.
N is a self-professed geek and enjoys spending her spare time lost in her favorite fandoms and can often be found babbling about them on social media.
She lives in south Georgia with her husband, daughters, spoiled cat and overgrown dog. She is the author of World Without End series, Neverland Found, Edge of the Falls, and The University of Branton Series. Stop by her twitter (@NazareaAndrews) and tell her what fantastic book she should read next.
AUTHOR LINKS:
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Street Team | Tumblr | N + Arei
