Chapter Eighteen
Leona explained what she'd learned from looking at Nix's memories. The revelations weren't unexpected and neither, when it came down to it, was Nix's reaction. It was a betrayal that went to the very heart of who his people were. And then there was the next logical step. If there had been no bear at the death of his brother than it was likely there was no bear when his father was killed. Orion didn't like the details about the box either. It spoke of a people living in fear and desperation.
He gave Nix an hour alone before he went to him. His mate was lying on his bed, facing away from the door. He didn't react when Orion knocked and stepped inside. Sitting on the edge of the bed, he lay a hand on Nix's back, feeling him tense under his touch.
"Leona told me what you saw. What you heard."
Nix didn't reply.
"Do you believe it?"
His mate rolled over to face him, his face pale and tear-stained.
"I don't know what I believe anymore." A sob escaped and he tried to sit up. Orion helped him, steadying him on the bed. "It wasn't you, was it? All those years I hated you. But I was hating a ghost."
Nix sobbed again and Orion held him tightly. Placing his mouth close to Nix's ear, he spoke quietly, feeling a fierce loyalty towards his mate and anger at what he had suffered.
"Not a ghost. March. A real, tangible person who can and will pay for his crimes in my territory. I promise you that."
"My family…"
"We'll free them, from March, from the coyotes."
Nix lifted his head, his frightened eyes meeting Orion's.
"What if we're too late? March can see into my dreams, my waking thoughts. He'll know we're coming."
"He knew where I was going to be and that didn't work out the way he was expecting. It might not as much of an advantage as you believe."
But already he was thinking ahead and wondering if there was some way to block March's invasion of Nix's thoughts and dreams. Or a way to use them to their advantage.
It took time to settle Nix to sleep. He refused food and a walk through the woods with Orion. Leona offered to talk with him but he wasn't in the mood for conversation. So, Orion stretched out on the bed alongside him, reassured when Nix moved over to lie against him.
"How is your shoulder?" he asked, massaging it gently. From Nix's slight wince, he knew the answer before it was given.
"It's still sore," Nix admitted. To Orion's mind, that wasn't right. Nix was healing human-slow and he was far from human.
Orion kept up a steady pressure on the muscles surrounding Nix's shoulder. His mate groaned and rolled his shoulder into Orion's palm.
"Better?"
"Yeah. That feels really good."
"How about this?" He slipped his hand lower on Nix's back, continuing to knead the muscles lightly. Nix slung his hand across Orion's stomach and buried his head against his chest with a low moan.
Orion kept his hand moving across Nix's back until the other man gradually relaxed and succumbed to sleep.
Orion listened out for signs that Nix was waking as he talked with Leona. He wasn't used to being this distracted, to having his attention in two places at once. It was unsettling for all that he knew it to be a good thing too, a sign of a growing connection between them.
"I'll see if I can buffer Nix's mind somewhat, make it harder to March to gain access," Leona said.
"I'm not sure that's the best plan. I wonder if we could use it to our advantage somehow."
"The only way I can see to do that, would be to control what information Nix is told. We'd have to feed him false information without him knowing it. What does he know of your plans so far?"
"Only that we're not rushing up there without a plan."
"It's going to be hard to build a trusting relationship with Phoenix if you're keeping him in the dark."
"Well, we have time at least. The others won't be here for a week or two. The coyotes should be in disarray after their failed attack, they'll be expecting us sooner rather than later so the territory should be safe from them for the moment."
"You'll need Phoenix in full health if he's to come with you to the mountain."
"His shoulder will be fully healed in another few days."
"I'm not talking about his shoulder. Nix was right about one thing, he is weak. His magical energy is very low."
"How do we fix that?"
"No shifting, no magic and it will build slowly. Or…"
"Or he can take energy from me, like before."
And that had been a struggle and a half. Nix had been barely alive and Orion was certain it was only his unconscious survival instinct that had him finally take what he needed from Orion.
"It's strange that he should be that weak. It usually happens in response to prolonged use of magic without adequate rest but from what Nix has said, he's been like this all his life." Leona seemed puzzled and that set Orion on edge. When one of the most knowledgeable people you knew was stumped, it had to be a bad sign.
Orion was sitting up in bed next to him when he woke.
"Leona's making dinner," he said by way of a greeting. "I hope you're hungry."
"I'm always hungry," Nix replied, swallowing a yawn as he stretched and sat up.
"Not as hungry as me, I bet."
Nix rolled his eyes. "You're a bear. It would be hard to beat your appetite. But I'd be willing to try."
"You say bear like it's a bad thing."
"Isn't it? Aren't you guys all mean-tempered loners with bad breath?"
"Hey, watch who you're calling a loner," Orion protested.
"I see you're not arguing about the bad breath."
"There is nothing wrong with my breath. Here, I'll prove it."
And Orion straddled him, lowering his upper body down until his face was inches above Nix's. Nix reached for Orion's shirt, pulling the Alpha down into a kiss. His body craved Orion's touch, like he was empty, untouched, and yearned for someone to fill the void inside him.
He slipped one hand down between them to palm over Orion's groin and the Alpha thrust against his hand.
Leona called them from downstairs and they broke apart with a groan.
"Come, we better get down there before she sends out a search party," Orion said, hauling him to his feet. "We'll pick this up later."
Down in the kitchen, Leona gave them a knowing smile as she set plates of pasta down on the table.
"I was hoping you gentlemen might be kind enough to escort me to Rosehip's Coven house. I have a mind to spend a few days there and I'll be close enough if you need me for any reason."
Curious, Nix looked to Orion to see his reaction. The Alpha was nodding readily. "Of course, we can walk you there after dinner if that suits? Or tomorrow morning?"
"This evening will do nicely."
Nix got the sense there was more to the conversation than he understood. He could see it in Leona's smile, in the slight tension in Orion's shoulders. He just didn't understand what it was they weren't saying.