Chapter 10
Pop!
Aiden blinked, and they were standing in Ted and Annie Jensen’s living room. Heath and Mac were still living with them while their house was being renovated from a fire. Aiden knew his father had ordered those fires be set. It just added to the guilt he carried with him.
“You are not your father,” his phoenix said. “You didn’t hurt your friends. You didn’t burn their house.”
“It’s not that easy,” Aiden replied.
“Ted, they’re here,” Annie called from the open door that led to the kitchen. Other than her icy-blond hair was sprinkled with gray, Annie was a near doppelganger of her daughter, May. Tall, dark-haired Ted entered from the kitchen. He’d been the chief of police and the alpha of the Grey Lake wolf pack prior to Heath.
Aiden shook off the nausea he felt and leaned in close to a green-appearing Jamie. Aiden was still furious at him, but he shoved those feelings aside for the moment. Besides looking sick from the teleporting, he seemed unharmed. “You OK?” He still couldn’t believe he hadn’t been burned by the phoenix fire. He would never have believed it if he hadn’t seen it with his own eyes.
Jamie nodded slowly. “Yeah, I’ll be fine. Just a little nauseous, that’s all.”
“Oh, can I see her?” a beaming Annie asked Mac, her hands folded. She was practically vibrating with excitement.
“Yes, but I can’t let her go just yet,” Mac murmured. She held the precious bundle against her chest. Heath was curled around her, rubbing a finger down the baby’s cheek. “I still can’t believe we have a baby.”
“Is everyone alright?” Leah asked. She was bouncing up and down on her toes, her shoes still smoking.
“Yeah,” Aiden answered. Jamie nodded.
“I think they’re fine,” Leah said, gesturing at the new parents and grandparents as they fussed over the reborn phoenix shifter.
“I think we should go. I have something I need to discuss with Jamie. Can you bring us back to Tessa’s Treats?” Aiden asked.
“No,” Mac barked. “I mean, please, not yet.”
“What’s wrong?” Aiden asked.
A teary-eyed Mac shuffled over to stand in front of Jamie, the babe still wrapped up tightly within her arms. “I just want to thank you again. When we saw the flames, I just didn’t know what we were going to do,” she murmured. “I haven’t felt that helpless in…” Her voice drifted off as she glanced down at the baby, a tear rolling down her cheek.
“You’re welcome,” Jamie answered. He scratched the back of his head.
Heath walked over with a hand extended toward Jamie. Jamie shook his hand. “Thanks, man,” Heath said gruffly.
Jamie nodded and then took a step back from Heath. “Well, we’re going to head back to check on Iris now. We left her at the bakery.” Jamie said.
“OK, you guys ready?” Leah asked him and Jamie. They both nodded. Leah grabbed Jamie’s hand with her left and Aiden’s with her right. “Then, let’s go,” she said.
Pop!
Iris clapped excitedly when they appeared in the kitchen of Tessa’s Treats. “Annie just texted me. How is she?”
“Really? That was fast,” Jamie said.
“She just texted a baby emoji,” Iris deadpanned. “Is it over?”
“She’s a baby,” Aiden said. It felt as if ice water was coursing through his veins. How was he going to take over for a fully-powered phoenix shifter? “She finished the transition.” He turned to Leah. “Thanks for the ride.”
“No problem,” she said. She answered Iris. “Baby phoenix is cute as expected. She has a tiny fluff of reddish hair.”
“Oh,” Iris cooed.
“She was super cute,” Jamie agreed.
“Jamie saved her,” Leah said.
“I did not,” Jamie argued.
“What do you mean?” Iris asked.
Leah quickly relayed the story.
“So, Tessa told you about this ability?” Iris asked Jamie.
Jamie shrugged. “Sort of.”
Aiden’s heart pounded rapidly within his chest. How could Jamie be so nonchalant about risking his life. He was everything to him. He couldn’t lose him. Ever! What was he going to do with him? He needed to keep him safe. He was scared and furious. He breathed in slowly through his nose trying to calm down before he exploded.
“And you don’t think you’re his mate!” his phoenix spat.
Aiden wished he could roll his eyes at his beast. He was not being helpful at all.
Leah glanced worriedly between him and Jamie. “Well, I’d better get back and let Finn know the good news. I’ll see you guys soon.”
“Bye,” he heard Iris and Jamie answer.
Pop!
“Aiden, why are you mad?” Iris asked, her voice low as if she were talking to a scared animal, which he was. “I mean, we should all be happy that the rebirthing was a success and Tessa was reborn.”
Aiden gritted his teeth. “I’m glad Tessa was reborn as this baby. However, I’m pissed that he”—Aiden gestured with an open hand to Jamie—“walked through freakin’ phoenix fire without thinking.”
“Aiden, I was fine. You’re making too much of this. You know all the Guardians have powers. This is mine,” Jamie said calmly.
“But you didn’t know!” Aiden roared.
Jingle, jingle, jingle.
“Whoa!” Iris said. She turned to a shocked Jamie. “Sounds like we have customers. Can you please come with me out front to help? I think Aiden needs to cool off a bit.”
Jamie nodded once and followed Iris out front.
Aiden forced his breathing to even out. He needed to calm down. He was furious, but it was more than that. He was terrified of losing him again.