“What happened?” he asked, looking over his shoulder. “Where is Drago?”
“He’s the reason why I woke you up,” Alexander said. Tears burned behind his eyes, threatening to fall. He clenched his jaw holding them at bay. His throat tightened, the words crowding there, making his chest feel tight.
His dad suddenly pulled him into a hug, his limps still weak, but he held on. “Everything is alright. Tell me what happened.”
“There was a war…” Alexander begun. He pulled back from the hug and looked at his dad as he told him what happened. Told him everything. When he was done, he took a deep breath the pain his chest suffocating him. When his dad touched the side of his face, Alexander felt like he could breathe again.
“Drago did well.
“Drago did well. I don’t know what I would have done if I lose both of you,” he said pulling him into another hug. “Don’t blame yourself, okay?” He pulled back and stared at him in the eyes.
Alexander nodded, unable to speak.
“I’m glad you woke us up,” his dad said, looking at his mother. He reached out and touched her arm. “You look like you’ve been holding on by a thread.” He turned to look at him. “When was the last time you slept.”
“I’ve been sleeping for close two hundred years,” Alexander said with a slight laugh not wanting to tell his dad that he couldn’t sleep because he was worried about what they might say. But he didn’t smile back as if he didn’t believe him.
“Go and get some rest. You need it.”
“Later. I need to take care of you and mom,” Alexander said.
“I can do,” his dad said. The smile he had been looking for earlier pulling at his lips. “Your mother and I took care of you when we didn’t even know how to be vampires. I’m sure we can take care of ourselves. Go.”
“Okay,” Alexander said, getting to his feet. “There’s a cooler full of blood and…”
“Go, Alexander.”
“I’m going,” he said. He made his way out of the room, feeling slightly worried. But he knew his dad needed a moment alone. Tears prickled Alexander’s eyes. He shoved them away and walked faster down the hallway.
His mother would wake up soon. Alexander couldn’t stand the thought of her being there when she heard the news.
“Fuck,” Alexander murmured. Without even thinking about it, he disappeared and appeared in Boaz’s cabin.
The werewolf’s familiar scent wrapped around him, soothing and comforting him. He felt the tension he hadn’t even known he was holding slip away as he breathed it in greedily. He’d almost forgotten what it felt like to relax, to breathe without a weight pressing down on his chest. He found he could set his reservations aside and just enjoy the feeling. Let himself be soothed by the werewolf’s scent. He sat on the bed and reached for his pillow. He buried his face in it and breathed it in. But that wasn’t enough. He felt a deep yearning for the werewolf. He dropped the pillow on the bed and stepped out to the porch.
Closing his eyes, he searched for Boaz amongst the thrumming heartbeats he could hear around him. He’d know Boaz’s heartbeat from anywhere. The rhythm of his heart strong and vital. He wasn’t there. Alexander extended his senses, covering the while area, including the town. He heard Boaz’s heartbeat, faintly a distance away. Alexander disappeared following the sound.
And he appeared most chaotic place on earth.
Noise and bright colors crashed over Alexander from every direction—music blaring, laughter ringing out, lights flashing. Everywhere he turned, people pressed close to each other, shoulder to shoulder. Alexander looked around searching for Boaz amongst the crowd. He listened to his heartbeat following the sound like a beacon. And just ahead of him. he saw Boaz, Hansel and Lyla. Hansel pointed to something behind them, andwalked away leaving the two of them there. Lyla said something, and Boaz shook his head as if he hadn’t heard her. Lyla leaned in a hand cupped to her mouth, the move brought her so close to Boaz, so close their bodies touch.
Alexander balled into fists at the sight as a possessive feeling crashed through him. He tried to hold it back, tried to stop the burning sensation in his gums as his fangs dropped. But he couldn’t. He followed them, sticking to the shadow, the possessive feeling consuming him. They stepped into a haunted house,
Alexander followed.
The darkness in the haunted house offered him cover, and he managed to get close enough to Boaz and grasped his arm. He dragged him into a dead-end hallway, hiding them from view.
“What the fuck?” Boaz growled and tried to shove him off. Alexander slammed Boaz back against the wall and leaned in. He buried his face in the side of Boaz’s neck and snigged loudly. Boaz made a whiney sound, melting into him.
“Baby,” the word slipped out of his mouth before he could stop it. He cringed wishing he could take the word back, but it was out there. And right then he didn’t care.
“What the fuck are you doing?” Boaz asked, breathing hard. His every word belying the way his body was reacting to Alexander.
“I don’t know,” Alexander shook his head, confused. “I couldn’t stand seeing you with her. I know it’s weird, but I can’t help myself. You’re mine.”
Shit. Alexander silently groaned. He sounded like a deranged cave man. But it felt right in the moment and he wasn’t willing to take it back.
“What?” Boaz asked. The confusion and shock in Boaz’s voice so clear.