by Parker Skye
“No, Evergreen,” Izzy said calmly, exuding confidence now. “You won’t hurt Ryan. He’s done nothing to you. It’s me you want.” Izzy walked in front of Ryan again, forcing himself between his mate and the angered fae.
“Ryan, I will always love you. I’m so sorry I can’t be with you, but know that I will find you in the next life if it is the last thing I do. I told you it was my time. I have one more job left and I will complete it even though it will kill me. I always said I would protect you no matter what. Let me do that now. You have to let me go, Ryan.”
Ryan broke down at Izzy’s plea. “I can’t let you go. I love you too much. I would rather die with you than exist an eternity alone.”
“Ugghh! Watching you two is making me sick! I should just end you both and get it over with,” Evergreen growled out. The wind began to blow through the clearing picking up leaves and dust, swirling around them all like a tornado of emotion.
Izzy stopped paying much attention to anything but his mate. He couldn’t stand to be apart from Ryan for another second and caught him up in a tight embrace, burying his face in Ryan’s neck. The maelstrom grew and the mates clung to each other, refusing to let go in the face of its destruction.
“It’s okay, Izzy. Whatever is going to happen, we are going to stay together, okay? I’m not leaving you,” Ryan said, having to raise his voice to be heard over the growling of the wind. Izzy nodded in affirmation and clung tighter. There they stood, wrapped around one another as they waited for the end together. Izzy finally admitting Ryan was his forever, no matter how short a time that might last.
Chapter 36
Ryan
Ryan would protect his mate until his dying breath. He wouldn’t let go no matter what. He aimed a threatening glare at the fae holding Izzy’s fate in her bitter hands. He recognized the edge of madness in her countenance and wished he could make her see reason.
Wish. Wishes! He still had one wish left, but would it still work? Ryan thought over the rules Izzy had explained in the beginning. He couldn’t bring anyone back from the dead. He couldn’t make anyone love you. He couldn’t kill anyone. That only left one viable option that he could see.
Unwilling to anger Evergreen even more with his attempt to outsmart her, he bent his head until his mouth was near Izzy’s ear and whispered one final request, “I wish Evergreen’s pain was healed.” The air around his mate shimmered and popped. Izzy’s head shot up in shock and he acknowledged Ryan’s final wish in words barely audible even to Ryan’s finer wolf hearing. “Your wish is my command, Master.”
Evergreen blinked twice and shook her head as if waking up from a deep sleep. The wind died down and calm again reigned in the circle. She stared around the clearing in confusion as if never seeing it before. Recognition flared in her gaze when she looked on Ryan and his mate.
“Wolf, what have you done?” Evergreen formally asked.
“I hope what I have done will bring you peace, if not forgiveness. I know you have carried that pain for a long time and it was time you were able to put it down. If Izzy and I are to die today, then some good should come out of it, don’t you think?” Ryan replied, meeting his mate’s gaze and smiling fondly.
“I don’t know how I feel about this, Wolf. I feel strange. As if I’m missing a limb. Ezhekiel’s punishment has been my only purpose for so long. What will I do now?”
Another fae strolled into the clearing then. Ryan had thought Evergreen was unusual in appearance, but this one made her look boring. His skin glowed silverish green and two curved black horns grew from his forehead to wrap behind both pointed ears. His eyes were the same rings of color, but his contained the vibrancy of life whereas Evergreen’s seemed muddy and dull in comparison.
“Hopefully, my child, you can start to live again. And love again. No one can subsist on anger and revenge alone,” the fae said, solemnly.
“Father, how did you find me?” Evergreen breathed out, a tinge of fear to her words.
“I’ve always known where you were, Evergreen. But I didn’t interfere until now, hoping you would eventually come to your senses. As long as no permanent harm came to this creature, I was willing to let you choose your own path,” the older fae said.
“But, it’s time to let your brother’s death go, Evergreen. He made his choice and it wasn’t Ezhekiel’s fault. Ezhekiel was just a fragile human all those years ago. His mind was too limited to understand Willow’s devotion. He didn’t run from him due to a fickle heart. He ran because he was afraid. Afraid of Willow’s control over him. You can see that now, can’t you?”
Evergreen breathed in deeply and exhaled just as long, as if she was purging her system of poisonous vapors. “But, Willow is dead. How can that be okay? How can Ezhekiel just exist and live happily ever after when my brother, your son is dead? I don’t understand,” Evergreen admitted, head slowly shaking as tears fell down both cheeks.
Her father cupped one had on her jawline and brought her gaze back up to meet his own. “This is why we don’t mingle with humans, Evergreen. They are not like our kind. They will never understand our ways. You both knew the rules and violated them in your pursuit of Ezhekiel. If I use your reasoning, your brother’s death is as much your fault as it is Ezhekiel’s.”
Her gasp of pain was like no other Izzy had heard before. “No, you can’t mean that,” Evergreen cried out. “I loved my brother. I would never hurt him.”
“But the game you both played did hurt him, Evergreen,” her father replied. When Evergreen began to sob, her father added softly, “I don’t mean to cause you more pain, daughter. You have had enough to last an eternity, but you need to see reason. Your brother’s death was not this creature’s doing. Let it be over, please, Evergreen. Let this all be over and come home again. Your mother and I both miss you so much.”
Evergreen turned her back on the clearing and crossed her arms over her waist as if holding herself together. When she nodded faintly, the air around her shimmered and only the smell of basil and summer remained.
“What happens now?” Izzy asked aloud, bringing the older fae’s attention back to the D’Jinn and his mate.
“Well, Ezhekiel, I think you’ve been punished enough for one lifetime. I’m sorry I didn’t step in before, but time means something different to my kind. To be honest, as long as you were just being forced to be a D’Jinn, I didn’t feel the need to take away Evergreen’s purpose. I know it wasn’t fair, but I was afraid she would follow her brother down the same path of self-destruction if I stepped in before I absolutely had to.”
“Oddly, I think I understand. And honestly, while this life hasn’t been very fun up until now, it wasn’t unbearable. I’m sure it's at least longer than my human life would have been and it did bring me to Ryan, so for that I am grateful,” Izzy replied.
“For that, I am happy for you both, as well. In that case, I’ll take my leave of you. I have a daughter to bring back to life,” the older fae said, turning as if to leave.
“Sir, please. Wait,” Ryan called out.
“Yes, wolf? What is it?”
“What will happen to Izzy now? I mean, I made my third wish. Is he going to disappear now? Honestly, if he is, I’d rather have you kill us now and get it over with, sir,” Ryan said, meeting Izzy’s gaze for confirmation. Izzy just squeezed his hand tight in agreement. They both looked at the fae who held their future in his hands, waiting for his decision.
“Oh, right. Sorry, I honestly forgot about that part,” the fae replied. “And call me Twist, please. Sir just makes me feel old.” Twist grabbed Izzy by both shoulders and blew a seemingly never-ending breath across him. Ryan had to fight himself from stepping in between Twist and his mate. Finally, the spell at an end, Twist stepped back releasing Izzy’s shoulders. Izzy stumbled as if drunk. Ryan was happy for the excuse to catch him up in his arms again.
“Now put him back to bed and he should be back to rights by morning,” Twist said, turning to the edge of the clearing. “Oh, and remember
that you asked for it.”
“Asked for what?! What did you do to him?!” Ryan frantically questioned, hoping for a response before the fae left the clearing for good.
“For him to be human again, of course. I’ll never understand humans. So feeble and small-minded,” Twist replied, his voice and his form fading into the ether as he continued to walk away.
Epilogue
Adam’s graduation couldn’t come soon enough for Ryan. He was ready to get out of this town. Well, mostly he was ready to have a real bed again, with a bedroom all their own, one complete with a door. Now that Izzy was free of the curse, Ryan and his mate had been inseparable, but their lack of privacy was really starting to get old.
The other wolves had done their best to stay out of their way, but the house was just too small for two mated pairs and a spare. Logan wasn’t letting any of them forget he was going to “die of blue balls” still, regardless of several nights spent in Lila’s company since their first meeting at the shifter bar.
Adam walked into the living room looking stunning in a charcoal grey suit, the bright green button-up bringing out the green of his eyes. Ben’s look of pride was obvious, as was the semi he was sporting. Izzy couldn’t help the blush that spread quickly across his face at the sight. He couldn’t get used to werewolves and their lack of modesty. Taking pity on his mate, Ryan pulled Izzy’s face into his shoulder, letting him pretend he hadn’t noticed anything unusual. Ben subtly adjusted himself, mouthing ‘sorry’ to Ryan, who only chuckled in response.
Adam had tried to insist Ben walk for his own graduation with him, but Ben had flat out refused. He finally got Adam to see that it was more important to Ben to be able to watch his mate from the stands as he brought honor to them all with his academic accomplishments. Ben’s days as a pretend high schooler were over. It was time for Adam to get his moment in the sun.
They sat as pack together in the stadium and listened to Adam’s valedictorian speech, which Ryan was not surprised to discover Adam had written almost a year before. He’d had to make some adjustments due to several changes in his perspective on life and the future in general. Who knew finding your soulmate, being rescued from an abusive and alcoholic father, and being turned into a werewolf could change your views on things a little? Ok, so really, Adam pretty much had to scrap his entire speech and start from scratch. Ryan was no expert on valedictorian speeches by any means, but he figured Adam’s was up there with the best. It was inspirational, yet funny, and full of so much hope that Ryan wouldn’t be surprised if every person listening made positive changes to their future plans in response.
Ryan begged off the after-graduation party and thankfully the rest of his pack didn’t argue too much. They could see his need for some alone time with his mate. They would celebrate Adam’s accomplishments as a pack once they returned home to Florida and Ryan had no need for another night of alcohol toxicity. Izzy was all the intoxication he needed.
Logan and the boys waved goodbye as they dropped Ryan and Izzy back at home. When the SUV rounded the corner, Ryan could wait no longer and reached down to wrap an arm under Izzy’s legs and lifted. Instinctively, Izzy wrapped his arms around Ryan’s neck, letting himself be carried across the threshold like a bride. “How galant,” Izzy joked but the light dancing in his still violet eyes told Ryan how much he loved the gesture.
He slowly let Izzy’s legs drop to the floor, but kept him close, unwilling to let his mate out of reach. Izzy smiled wide and locked eyes with his mate. They simply stared until both of them broke out into laughter; Ryan was never sure who started it first.
“I love you, Izzy Spector,” Ryan said, conviction evident in his frank tone.
“And I love you, Ryan Fearborn. What are you waiting for? I’m not going anywhere this time,” Izzy replied, his tongue peeking out to lick the silver hoop in his lip.
“Damn right you aren’t going anywhere. Not without me, anyway,” Ryan groaned out, capturing Izzy’s mouth in a devastating kiss. Finally out of air, Izzy pulled his head to the side.
“Can’t hold my breath as long anymore. Side effect of being human again,” Izzy panted as Ryan attacked his neck, scraping his teeth gently across the muscles like he knew Izzy craved.
“There are ways we could fix that, you know?” Ryan asked, pulling back to watch his mate’s reaction. Izzy’s head tilted to the side as if confused, but awareness finally dawned. His eyes opened wide in surprise.
“You want me to become one of you? Like Adam?”
“Only if you want to. It would happen naturally if I completed our bond. If I bite you, I mean,” Ryan explained. “But I would never do that if that isn’t what you wanted. I know you spent a lifetime already as a supernatural creature against your will. I would never force you to do that again.”
Izzy waited a moment before responding. “But I think this would be different, don’t you? I mean there’s a big difference between being a shifter and being a wish-granting demon.” He ran his hands gently through Ryan’s messy brown locks as he thought it over. “No, it would definitely be different. Better, I think. My answer is yes, Ryan. If you’ll have me.”
Ryan’s blinding smile was the only answer Izzy received before he was tossed bodily onto the bed. The loud pop and whistle of escaping air had them both cackling uncontrollably. “Damn air mattresses!” Ryan growled. Izzy continued to laugh wildly as Ryan resumed attacking his neck and chest, peeling away clothes as his mate continued to make his life complete.
The End
Note from the author
As always, I have to thank my readers. I couldn’t do this without all your support. Stay tuned for the next book in the series, Logan’s story, coming in the late summer of 2017.
Reviews are the life-blood of an indie author. If you’ve enjoyed our time together, please leave a review, even if it’s just a few words.
About the Author
Parker Skye is the girl looking to find love around every corner and it’s even better when it’s unexpected. She thinks every story has to have at least two things – love and humor – otherwise, what’s the point? If she’s not writing, she’s masquerading as a mild-mannered professional in the (sometimes) great state of Texas. Parker is forever grateful to have a family that gets her, even when no one else does.
Other books by Parker Skye
Silver Moon Pack / Men of the Pack Series
Mission Primal – released April 2017