Isaiah

by Catherine Lievens

  “Not you’re not!” Morin exclaimed.

  John shook his head and let the trio fight it out while he turned to the alpha. “I’m going.”

  “All right. It sounds like everyone’s in the basement, so I’m going to send you back with Nysys and Casey, for back up. Nysys is going to continue taking people there while you’ll be staying until everyone is out. That okay with you?”

  “Yeah.”

  John left the room to arm himself. It took him all of ten minutes to get back, and Nysys and Morin were still fighting, although they were just whispering loudly in a corner of the office now. John felt sorry for Morin, because he knew the man couldn’t fight and wouldn’t be of any help, so he had to stay behind while Nysys went back and forth.

  “I’m ready.”

  Nysys straightened and shook his head at Morin, then kissed his mate on the mouth and walked away. Morin stayed there, looking worried and resigned. Nysys held his hand out. “You know how this works, big guy. Let’s go.”

  The next thing John knew they were standing in a dusty basement.

  “Nysys? What did they say?”

  John recognized Keenan’s voice, but before he could do anything more he was bowled over by someone. He managed to avoid falling on his ass and was about to throw the guy away when he realized it was Isaiah. He curled his arms around his mate’s waist instead and pulled him even closer. “You’re fine.”

  Isaiah nodded against John’s chest and made no move to step away. John looked around, glanced over a giggling Nysys and Keenan, a smiling woman who looked too much like Isaiah not to be his sister, and settled on a woman sitting on the couch hugging another young woman.

  The eldest woman didn’t look happy, but John honestly couldn’t say if it was because of the situation or because of the way Isaiah was clinging to him. He patted Isaiah’s shoulder and tried to gently push him away, but his mate was having none of it.

  “Isa...”

  “Just... give me a minute, okay? I haven’t seen you in weeks.”

  “I know.” John resisted the urge to kiss the blond hair tucked under his chin. “Is your... fiancée here?”

  He’d expected that to result in Isaiah moving away and maybe go to her, but he started laughing instead. “God, no. Cassidy is probably already miles from here and mated with her mate.”

  “What?” the woman who had to be Isaiah’s mother exclaimed from the couch.

  Isaiah turned around in John’s arms but stayed pressed against him. “Her mate, mom. We both already have mates, and she wasn’t about to give up hers to get married with a gay man.”

  “Isa!”

  “This really isn’t the right place or time to have this conversation,” John pointed out. He didn’t wait for them to contradict him and looked at Nysys. “You, why aren’t you shimmering people away yet?”

  “You try to help people and this is how they thank you,” Nysys grumbled as he motioned to a couple to come closer to him.

  “I’ll buy you a new pan when this is over, but right now we have to take these people to safety. Finn and Ani should be waiting for you to get them here, so hurry up.”

  Nysys disappeared and John took a deep breath. Hopefully the man wouldn’t manage to find trouble—well, more than he already had, anyway.

  Chapter Six

  Isaiah didn’t know what he’d expected, but it wasn’t this.

  He’d never been in a battle. He was the one who stayed behind and took care of the logistics, safely hidden behind his computer.

  He’d tried to imagine what happened during those fights, though. Blood, broken bones, even death. He’d expected to see all of that before he could finally go home—to his real home, in Whitedell.

  He’d been wrong.

  They stayed in the basement the entire time. Nysys continued to ferry people out until the only people still in the basement were John, Casey, Keenan, Isaiah, his mother, and Talia. Even Julie had been taken away. And of course Nysys had come back, even though Isaiah was pretty sure he was supposed to take Keenan and get the hell out.

  But no. Instead, they sat on the couch next to Talia and Isaiah’s mom, talking as if it was tea time. Isaiah ignored the death glare his mom had been giving him since John had arrived and stayed right next to his mate. He wasn’t about to change his mind just because he hadn’t been able to tell his mother in a conventional way. At least now she wouldn’t try to find him another bride. Hopefully.

  They could hear yells and people running around above their heads, but no one was coming to get them yet, and Nysys didn’t seem to be about to shimmer them out to fight. “So... what’s happening up there?”

  John looked at Isaiah sideways before focusing on the basement door again. “Dominic and the others are taking care of the wolves.”

  “Yeah, I can hear that.”

  “Can you hear anything specific?”

  “No, not really. Just yells and stuff like that.”

  John grunted. Isaiah wanted to talk to him, to explain, because while they were still standing close and touching, he could see that John was keeping some distance between them. He couldn’t blame him, but his fox was bitching at him for it, and seeing John so guarded made him sad. Isaiah had been the one to do that. He’d ran away from Whitedell and abandoned his mate. Now he’d have to put their relationship back together and hope it would evolve into something more than friendship and occasional kisses.

  The level of noise grew and someone rushed down the stairs that led to the basement. Isaiah took a step backward and whispered, “Someone’s coming.”

  John nodded and pushed him until he was standing behind his mate’s back. The key turned in the lock and the door was pushed open. Isaiah felt John tense since they were standing so close together. He peeked around his mate’s body and held his breath.

  Oliver bounded in and gave them all a wide-eyed glance when he saw their defensive stances. “Uh, hi?”

  Everyone relaxed and Nysys and Keenan started babbling right away.

  “Ollie! How are things up there?” Keenan asked.

  “Yeah, is there a lot of blood? Maybe a few bodies?” Nysys added.

  Oliver seemed to be mostly used to their banter, but it kind of shocked Isaiah. He clearly hadn’t spent as much time with them as Oliver had, even though they had pestered him during the weeks before his departure from the mansion.

  “Yes and yes, although I’m not too sure Jonah would be happy to see you upstairs, Keenan.”

  “My mate isn’t here, so I’m going!” Nysys exclaimed and went for the door. Keenan grabbed his arm and dragged him backward.

  “If I’m not going, you’re not going.”

  “It’s not fair! I want to see!”

  “But Jonah will kill me if he sees me there,” Keenan said with a pout.

  “Not if he doesn’t see you.”

  “You think we can manage that?”

  “Sure! We’ll be ninjas, no one will see us.”

  Oliver stepped away from the door and the two left, still whispering and planning. Isaiah blinked at them and reached for John’s hand, but his mother was already there, pulling Isaiah away.

  “Is Cassidy really gone?”

  “Yeah, mom. She has a mate. And so do I.”

  “Well, he clearly can’t give you children. I have to start looking for a new woman, maybe the daughter from the nearby moose herd. I don’t really know her, but—”

  “No, mom.”

  Her eyes bugged a little. “What do you mean, no?”

  “I mean no. I’m going back to Whitedell. I’m not going to get married, and I’m not going to take your place as the skulk’s alpha.”

  “But—”

  “We both know Talia will be better at it, and who cares if she’s a woman? You are, too.”

  Isaiah didn’t give her time to answer. He rushed out the door when he realized John wasn’t there anymore and climbed the steps two by two.

 
He looked around when he got to the top of the stairs and followed the voices. He reached the entrance and blinked at the light streaming in from the windows, then looked around. Jonah was scolding Nysys and Keenan, both of them pouting while Dominic watched. There wasn’t as much blood as Oliver had made it sound like, and Isaiah was grateful of that. He wasn’t sure his stomach could’ve taken it. John was nowhere in sight, though, so he went for Dominic.

  The alpha noticed him as he approached and stepped away from the scolding to a quiet corner of the room. Isaiah stopped in front of him and looked at his feet, then took a deep breath and looked up. “Is my job still available, or has Brad already replaced me?”

  “Why are you asking?”

  “Because I might want it back.”

  Dominic smiled. “Might? Or do you want it back?”

  “I want it back. I’m not going to be alpha of anything, and I don’t want to stay here. I liked my life in Whitedell.”

  “Then the job is yours again. But we’re facing a new threat, so think about it before saying yes.”

  “I don’t need to. I’m coming with you when you go back. Now, what’s that new threat you’re talking about?”

  “We’ll talk about it once we’re home. I need to see your mother.”

  “You’ll want to talk to my sister too. I’m pretty sure she’s the new alpha here, or she will be anyway.”

  “Fine.”

  “They’re still in the basement.”

  “John went somewhere upstairs.”

  Isaiah gave the alpha—his alpha—a big smile and climbed the stairs. He wasn’t sure where John was exactly, so he decided to go to his room and think about what he was going to say while he packed everything he needed right now. He’d come back with Nysys and Ani for the rest.

  Isaiah froze when he stepped into his room. John was sitting on his bed, his elbows on his knees and his hands linked together between them. He looked up when Isaiah entered and made to get up, but Isaiah stopped him. “Don’t.”

  John stayed on the bed. “Don’t what?”

  “Leave.”

  “I’m sure you want to shower and change.”

  “Not really. Well, okay, I do, but what I really want to do right now is start packing.”

  “Why are you packing?”

  “Because I’m going back with you.”

  “What about your mother? Your sisters?”

  Isaiah shrugged. “Talia’s probably going to take mom’s place as the alpha. Mom isn’t going to be happy, but I’m pretty sure she’ll get over it. Hopefully anyway.”

  “If you’re doing it for me...”

  “I’m not. Okay, maybe I am, at least in part. It’s true I want my mate, and I can’t have you if I stay here, but talking with Cassidy made me realize I have to live my life, not let my mother push me around.”

  “So, does that mean we’ll be together?”

  “If you want to.”

  John moved faster than Isaiah would’ve thought possible for a human. He grabbed Isaiah’s hand and pulled him forward until he fell straight into John’s lap. Not that Isaiah was against it, of course. He was still surprised, because even before he moved away they’d never really been physical, but once John’s lips pressed against his all that didn’t matter anymore.

  * * * *

  Isaiah didn’t protest when John kissed him, so John pulled him even closer. It wasn’t the most comfortable of positions, because John’s gun was digging in his side, but it didn’t matter.

  Isaiah’s face was flushed when they stopped and it just made John want to continue, but first... “We need to talk.”

  Isaiah made a little noise and nodded. “Yeah.”

  “So... you’re coming back.”

  “Yes.”

  “And you want to be with me.”

  “Yes.”

  “Do you want to... mate? Like, bite each other and make it official?”

  John had thought about it. In fact, he’d thought about little else while Isaiah was away, and he still wasn’t sure he wanted to tie himself to someone that way. Yes, he liked Isaiah very much, and they knew each other somewhat—text messages and phone calls, mostly—but he still was hesitant.

  “I, well, ideally, yes. My fox is all for it, of course, and I wouldn’t mind, but we don’t have to, not right away anyway. Or ever. We don’t even have to do anything else, I mean, if you don’t want to be with me or whatever...”

  John looked at Isaiah, at the way he was looking at his hands and wringing his fingers, at how red his ears suddenly were. He was adorable, even if he looked a bit different from what John was used to. Isaiah had been a graphic T-shirt and jeans kind of guy while living in the mansion. He often wore a beanie and sometimes even makeup, but at the moment he was wearing dress pants and a shirt. His hair was bound on his nape and there was no sign of makeup.

  John wasn’t sure which version he preferred, but he was pretty sure Isaiah liked the relaxed one better, so he grabbed the hair tie and pulled it off. Isaiah’s blond hair spilled over John’s hand and he let the tie fall before burying his hand in the blond mass. He scratched Isaiah’s scalp and smiled when his mate let out a tiny moan and tilted his head backward to give John more access.

  “I do want to be with you, but I’m honestly not sure about mating. I mean, it’s like marriage, even more committed than that, actually, and that’s not something I can step in so soon and without really knowing you. We’ve only kissed a couple of times and that’s it. I want to know more. I want to know what you like to do in your free time, if you leave the toothpaste tube open, if you put your dirty clothes in the hamper or just leave them where they fall.”

  Isaiah arched his neck to give John more access. “O-okay.”

  “But will that be fine with you? Or is it going to be difficult for you?”

  “Like, what, you’re afraid I won’t be able to stop myself from claiming you?”

  “No, not that. I mean now that we’re together, are you and your fox going to be okay with it? With being with me without claiming me?”

  Isaiah frowned. “I honestly don’t know, but I saw more than one couple in the pride wait to mate, and they’re all fine. Jamie made Ward wait for months before he said yes, and they dated. I think we’ll be fine. But... well, you know I’m aging a lot slower than you. Your aging will slow once and if we mate, but in the meantime, you’re only human.”

  “I’m not saying I’ll never want to mate with you, Isa. Just that I want to wait a few months, or maybe a year.” John had all the answers he needed at the moment, so he kissed Isaiah again. It felt as if they were both trying to pour all the longing they’d felt over the weeks they were apart in the kiss. It was hot and wet, and John didn’t even think before he swung Isaiah around and pressed his back on the bed. John made to straddle him, but a giggle that came from neither of them stopped him.

  He slowly looked toward the door and rolled his eyes when he saw Nysys, Keenan and—gosh—Isaiah’s sister standing just inside the door and looking at them. “Can we help you?”

  “Oh, no. Just go ahead and continue what you were doing,” Keenan answered. “Although I might have to disappear in a little while and go look for my mate.”

  Isaiah groaned from the bed. “I didn’t need the image, Kee.”

  Keenan snorted. “You caught us in the garden. And in the kitchen. And in the living room.”

  “You really had to remind me of that, did you?”

  “I’ll stalk the two of you until I get to see you going at it three times, okay? That way we’ll be even.”

  “Keenan! Not in front of my sister!” Isaiah hid his face in his hands. “Actually, never. Please.”

  Isaiah’s sister laughed and finally entered the room. “I don’t think we’ve been officially introduced. I’m Talia.”

  “John.”

  Her smile was gentle. “Isaiah told me about you, although very briefly. I tried to tell him he was an idio
t for leaving you all alone in Whitedell, but he’s too stubborn for his own good. Took that from mom.”

  “It looks like he finally changed his mind, though.”

  “And that’s great. You probably should grab him and take him away before mom comes out of the daze the day has put her in and tries to hunt him down.”

  Isaiah’s eyes widened comically and he started pushing John away. John sighed and let himself fall to his side, and Isaiah scrambled from the bed. He flattened himself on his stomach next to the bed and reached under it, dragging out two suitcases. He opened them both and started throwing things inside.

  “Hey, I’m the one who’s supposed to shimmer those things away?” Nysys asked.

  “Of course. Do you see another Nix here?” Keenan asked.

  “No, but they could call someone. John did the other day, when he was stuck here.”

  Isaiah looked up from the drawer he was digging in. “What do you mean, stuck here?”

  “Ah, well, we kind of tricked him and shimmered him here, then left him. I don’t know who he called, but he somehow managed to get back to the mansion, and he refused to tell us about what happened.” Nysys grinned. “But now we can ask you. So, what happened?”

  “Nothing. I didn’t even know he was here.”

  Nysys gasped and turned on John. “What? All that work for nothing?”

  John groaned and briefly wondered if he could at least try to suffocate the Nix with Isaiah’s pillow. He decided against it because everyone would notice he was gone—the silence would be a good indication of that.

  “Jooohnnn,” Nysys whined. “What happened?”

  “Nothing happened. I called Ani and he got me back home.”

  “But why?”

  “Because Isaiah wouldn’t have come back with me then. He wasn’t ready.”

  Isaiah dumped an armful of clothes in one of the suitcases and leaned toward John. He kissed his cheek and rubbed his nose against John’s cheek. “You’re right. I needed someone who didn’t know me to put some sense into me.”

  Talia snorted. “I can’t believe it was Cassidy who did it.”

  “Who’s Cassidy?” Keenan and Nysys asked together.