One Month Later

Reid

I pulled my Jeep into the compound’s underground garage, assaulted by memories of the last time I had been here. Although, to be honest, I couldn’t remember a time in the last month when I hadn’t been thinking about Alyx, what had happened, or how I had left.

I had walked away without a word, without an explanation. At the time, I thought it would be easier on everyone that way. No awkward goodbyes, no half-truths about why it would never work. Better she be angry and curse the ground I walked on than tied to the likes of me.

Now I realized I had just been making it easier on myself. Alyx deserved better.

I hadn’t returned to Nowhere since the day I told Grace it was safe to go back to her place, wanting to avoid any confrontations. Alyx probably wouldn’t have come by—she had far too much pride to do that—but Grace would have had no problem knocking on my door and telling me exactly what she thought. She had already given me quite an earful. Guaranteed, my elderly neighbor wouldn’t be making me cinnamon rolls again in this lifetime.

I had spent the last couple weeks in the mountains, more wolf than man, trying to get my head on straight, thinking I could just ride out the rest of my leave, then put everything behind me and move on.

Yet another lie I had told myself.

While I was looking forward to a hot shower and a bar of soap, I wasn’t looking forward to the certain shitstorm my team was going to rain down on me. Even before I had left, they had made it no secret of the fact that they thought I was an ass of the highest caliber.

I understood it. They knew as well as I did that finding a mate was a fortunate thing.

Finding a mate like Alyx was a fucking once in a lifetime opportunity.

Only an idiot would throw away a chance like that.

After weeks of soul searching, that was the conclusion I had come to. I might have thought I could walk away and go on, but now I knew I couldn’t. No matter what I did, no matter where I went, Alyx was going to be a part of me.

Some might say the best part. They would be right.

Now I had a new plan—clean myself up, then go to Alyx and fix things. That meant telling Alyx the truth, all of it, and making her mine forever. It wasn’t going to be easy, but failure was not an option.

That was how I ended up walking into the compound, braced and ready for battle.

I dumped my stuff in the bunk room, then went in search of my team to let them know things were going to change. The sooner I got this over with, the better.

I found most of them in the rec room, which was no surprise. That was where we spent most of our downtime when active. Bear and Boomer were shooting pool. Dex and Psych were deep into Call of Duty, and Hawk was lovingly oiling his favorite rifle. They greeted me with a few nods.

“Reap,” said Dex, without turning around.

I waited for the harassment, the pissed off glares—something. Instead, they just resumed whatever they were doing, as if I had just come back from the John or something instead of being MIA for the past three and a half weeks.

“I need to call a team meeting, ASAP,” I said clearly. “Where’s Cap?”

That got a few mildly interested looks.

Psych looked downright amused when he answered, “Downstairs, training the new guy.”

“New guy?”

“Yeah, new guy. Cap thought we needed some new blood.”

I couldn’t help wondering if this “new guy” was my replacement. Maybe Psych had foreseen the fork in my life’s road before I had. Smug, prescient fucker.

“Well then, bring him, too.”

I turned on my heel and walked back out. The team’s conference room, where we held all our meetings, planning sessions, and debriefings, was a short walk down the hall. I was vaguely aware of the murmurs and shuffles as the guys abandoned their games and followed. My mind was more focused on what I was about to do.

The seat at the head of the table was reserved for Cap, so I took the one next to it on the right. One by one, the rest of the team filed in. Curious looks were exchanged, but I kept quiet until everyone was present. I only planned on saying this once.

Cap came in a few minutes later, looking slightly flushed. I felt a stab of respect for the new guy, whoever he was. Not many could get Cap to work up a sweat like that.

“How’s the training coming, Cap?” Boomer asked with a smirk.

“At least I didn’t get knocked on my ass three times straight,” Cap muttered.

I turned to Boomer in disbelief. “Someone put you on your ass three times?” In addition to being a demolitions expert, the guy was a freaking ninja.

“Not me.” He grinned. “Bear.”

Bear grunted. I gaped.

“Enough of this happy horseshit,” Cap barked. “What’s so important you had to call a meeting?”

The new guy hadn’t shown yet, but it didn’t really matter. I had no history with him. Everyone I needed to talk to was right here.

“This team has been my life for the last ten years. In every way that matters, you are my brothers.”

“Shit. This isn’t going to be some Lifetime Hallmark, touchy-feely crap speech, is it?” Dex moaned. “Because I just ate.”

Psych hit him on the back of the head. “Go on, Reap. Show your sensitive side.”

I ignored them both. “The thing is, Alyx is my mate and—”

“Tell us something we don’t know,” Boomer interrupted.

“Yeah, get on with it already.”

“—I’m leaving the team,” I finished.

Silence reigned after I dropped that bombshell. I looked around the table at each of my teammates, expecting to see shock or stunned disbelief, not the completely neutral expressions that stared back at me.

“Well, damn, Reap,” Dex finally said.

“Unacceptable,” Cap said, shaking his head.

“I’ve given it a lot of thought,” I explained as I turned toward the man I had pledged my services to ten long years ago. I heard the door open behind me, but I didn’t turn around. I was on a roll, and I needed to make Cap understand. “It wouldn’t be fair to Alyx, and I have to make her my first priority.”

No sooner had the words left my mouth when a familiar scent assaulted me. I turned around, nearly swallowing my tongue when I saw my mate standing there in skin-tight black yoga pants and a cropped tank top stretched over that luscious chest that read B.A.M.F. in Training. BAMF was an acronym for Badass Motherfucker.

“What wouldn’t be fair to Alyx?” she asked.