Chapter Nine
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MACKENZIE’S HAND brUSHED against Nico’s as they walked down the forest path, their fingers tangling together briefly before separating again.
These small touches were as natural as breathing by now.
The weeks of sneaking around were weighing on Mackenzie’s shoulders, but here in the forest, they could relax and be with each other.
It was a change from spending most of their time together at Mackenzie’s place, and Mackenzie was enjoying himself.
“Chris asked me about you yesterday,” Nico said, stepping over a fallen branch.
“What did you tell him?” For now, they were still keeping their relationship quiet, but Mackenzie didn’t expect Nico not to tell his brother.
“He gets it.” Nico’s lips curled into a smile. “His relationship with Jacob started the same way.”
Mackenzie was curious about Chris. He wanted to meet Nico’s brother, but he wouldn’t push for Nico to rush into something he wasn’t ready for. He was the one who stood to lose the most between the two of them.
They paused at a small clearing where a stream cut through the trees.
Mackenzie had discovered this spot during one of his attempts to learn how to navigate fox territory, back when he had no idea what he was doing—not that he knew now, but it felt easier with Nico by his side.
They’d visited this spot regularly since then, and even though it was an area where anyone could pass, it felt like theirs.
It was a place where they could be out of the house together, with hopefully no one noticing them.
“Dean’s been asking more questions, too,” Mackenzie admitted, sitting on a fallen log near the water. “He’s happy for us, and he wants to help, but I’m not sure what he can do.”
Nico sat next to Mackenzie, close enough that their shoulders touched. “Well, he knows better than a lot of people what it’s like to date an alpha. Talking to him helps, doesn’t it? You seem more settled.”
“It does, although his situation isn’t the same as ours.” For one, Nico wasn’t the alpha yet, and second, Mackenzie wasn’t—and never would be—pregnant. “I do feel more settled, but being with you helps with that.”
The words came out softer than Mackenzie had meant them to, but he didn’t regret them.
These past few weeks had been a revelation and had shown Mackenzie that he and Nico worked well together.
It was just the beginning, and things would change once they went public with their relationship, but knowing how good it could be between them helped.
Nico listened. Maybe it was because his father was training him to be an alpha, or maybe it was something that had always been there, but he never complained when Mackenzie talked about his old life, his worries about Dean, or his struggles with feeling like an outsider.
He also shared his own fears about becoming an alpha, living up to his father’s expectations, and about the menace Silas represented.
“I never expected this,” Nico said quietly. “When I first saw you that day in the parking lot, I thought I’d just help you find your way home, or maybe call someone for you, and that would be it.”
“And now?”
Nico turned to look at Mackenzie. “Now I can’t imagine going back to how things were before I met you. Even with everything that’s happening, the best part of my day is knowing I’ll see you.”
Mackenzie felt that familiar warmth spread through his chest that he always associated with Nico’s presence, or even thoughts of him.
Nico made Mackenzie feel warm. “All of this doesn’t bother you?
That we have to hide and be careful who we talk to.
” There was an easy way to change it, but Mackenzie knew that Nico wasn’t ready, and that was okay.
“Sometimes,” Nico said honestly. “I want to tell people about you and about how I feel. But everyone’s on edge, and I don’t know for sure how my father would react.
I’m scared he’d think I wasn’t focused enough, and I don’t want to fight with him.
Adding that kind of drama to the mix wouldn’t help anyone. ”
They sat in silence for a while, listening to the water and the sounds of the forest around them.
Mackenzie wanted this moment to last forever, but it was over too soon, and with no one knowing about them, they couldn’t risk Nico staying too late.
Mackenzie hated it, but he told himself it wouldn’t be much longer before Nico talked to his father.
As soon as Silas was caught, people would be able to relax, including Nico and Dan.
“I should head back soon,” Nico said eventually, but he didn’t get up. “My father’s expecting a report on the northern border patrol.”
“Sounds boring,” Mackenzie teased gently.
“It is, but it’s part of being an alpha. It’s not my favorite part, but I can’t avoid it.”
Mackenzie got to his feet and offered Nico his hand.
Once Nico was up, Mackenzie twisted their hands so their fingers tangled, and together, they walked back through the trees.
They could see Mackenzie’s house between the trees, but Nico’s car was parked just outside the territory, hidden from view and hopefully far enough away that people wouldn’t notice it.
Mackenzie walked him all the way there, not wanting to let go yet.
“Same time tomorrow?” Nico asked.
“If you can manage it.”
Nico stepped closer, glancing around before pressing a quick kiss to Mackenzie’s lips. “I’ll manage it.”
He said it like not coming wasn’t an option, and Mackenzie liked that.
He watched Nico get into the car and drive away, waiting until the car disappeared in the distance before turning toward his house. One day, he wouldn’t have to watch Nico leave.
* * * *
NICO DROVE AWAY, LEAVING his heart behind.
He knew this couldn’t go on forever. He didn’t like hiding his relationship with Mackenzie, even though he wasn’t doing it for nefarious purposes.
He knew how overwhelming everything would be for Mackenzie once everyone knew they were together, and he wanted to protect him in a way he’d never wanted to protect anyone but his twin brother.
That said everything, didn’t it? It told Nico how much Mackenzie mattered to him, even though, obviously, the way he felt about him was different from the way he felt about Chris.
They were both an integral part of Nico, though, and every time he had to leave Mackenzie, he wished he didn’t have to.
He wanted them to be together without having to hide, but at the same time, he wanted them to be able to meet without anyone asking questions.
He didn’t want secrecy. He wanted privacy, and he knew he wouldn’t have it once he told his father about them.
That still terrified him. He didn’t think that his father would demand he break up with Mackenzie or anything like that, but he’d have expectations, and Nico was having a hard time meeting the ones he already had.
Beyond that, his father would be hesitant because Mackenzie was a newcomer to the forest and a vulnerability.
If someone tried to get to Nico through him, it would be fairly easy to do since he was human.
He wouldn’t be able to shift and run. He wouldn’t be able to protect himself as well as a shifter would.
Nico’s father would see all of that in the optics of being an alpha, but that wasn’t how Nico saw it.
He just wanted to be with Mackenzie. Was that too much to ask?
He snorted. Probably, but he was starting to realize there was no backing down.
Nico cared too much about Mackenzie to let him go.
He didn’t know if Mackenzie was ready for the whole meet-the-family thing, but maybe it was time to talk to his father.
Nico would have to, anyway. The worst thing that he could do was to let his father find out about his relationship with Mackenzie through other means.
Then, he’d also be disappointed that Nico hadn’t talked to him, and Nico wouldn’t have any good excuses.
Well, beyond fear. He was terrified, even though logically, he knew he shouldn’t be. He was so scared he was feeling nauseous.
Everything would change once he and Mackenzie became public knowledge.
Nico wouldn’t have to sneak out anymore, but he’d have to face even more expectations, but he didn’t have a choice.
He and Mackenzie had been lucky as they snuck around, but that luck was bound to break eventually.
Since it wouldn’t last forever, it would be better if they took the next step.
Nico didn’t understand how quickly he and Mackenzie had gone from being friends who didn’t know each other that well to this.
He still didn’t know Mackenzie as well as he wanted to, but he felt like that was okay because he’d have years to find out more about him.
He wanted those years. He could too easily imagine them together and their future.
Maybe that was what he should focus on. Maybe instead of thinking about his fears, he should think about the future he and Mackenzie would share.