Chapter 66
It was hours later that Jamie was finally able to get off his feet. He and Aiden were finally alone, smushed together in an oversized recliner in the Jensens’ basement family room. Iris and May were upstairs, helping feed the wolf pack members and falcons that had come to debrief Heath once Jamie had relayed the news they’d all been praying for. Alden Williamson was dead. Grey Lake was safe.
Before they’d retreated downstairs, Jamie observed a healing Mac propped up on a sofa, shouting medical orders into her cellphone. She’d feel better when Heath’s parents returned home with Amber and the pups; they were driving back from Tennessee, of all places. Despite his urgency to see his daughter, Heath convinced his parents to take the non-magical way home to give him and Mac some alone time. Jamie thought his two friends deserved it.
The alpha wolf, his beta, and Finn buzzed about upstairs, helping Frankie and the elders coordinate the safe return of the evacuees to Grey Lake. The seniors and college students had successfully remained hidden during the attack on Grey Lake.
The patients who remained at the hospital were all safe and accounted for. Piper’s magical mirage had tricked Williamson’s men. It took a lot of Piper’s magic, but she came through as Jamie knew she would.
Beau had returned home with his sisters to ensure the bear shifters living in the mountains were safe and whole. May, a conduit between the wolves and the bears, would be on her way soon to assist.
Jasper and his SCB agents took custody of Williamson’s remaining soldiers. Once the phoenix shifter disappeared from existence, their zeal to fight dissipated. They were lost without a leader to encourage their anger. Most of the survivors surrendered peacefully; the ones who didn’t were dealt with swiftly.
Piper and Leah slept soundly on the two sofas close by. They’d expended a great deal of shifter magic during the last forty-eight hours, and they needed time to recover.
As he listened to Aiden’s rhythmic breathing, Jamie wondered about Quinn. He hadn’t even had a chance to see him since he and Aiden had returned to town. Leah’s twin had helped her as much as he could and then returned to his new home without a pit stop at the Jenson home. Leah was just as surprised ( actually stupefied!) as anyone that her brother was a Guardian for another phoenix shifter.
How many more phoenix shifters were there?
Why had Tessa told them she had no family?
What if there was another malicious phoenix out there?
“Stop,” Aiden murmured. Jamie’s head was nestled against his mate’s neck. He was curled against him. A fleece blanket covered them both. It was so cozy.
“Stop what?”
Aiden rubbed his still closed eyes. “Worrying. I can hear you stewing about something. Just rest. At least for today, just relax.”
“OK,” Jamie said. He listened to the steady thump-thump-thump of Aiden’s heartbeat as he tried to calm himself.
A few minutes later, Aiden chuckled. He ran a hand over the back of Jamie’s head. “Go ahead.”
Jamie sprung up to a seated position on the chair, his legs now across Aiden’s. “I can’t believe I rode on the back of a flying phoenix.”
Aiden grinned. “I know. You were badass.”
“It was terrifying.”
“I thought my Dad was going to burn you.”
“I thought I was going to fall off.”
Aiden tickled his sides. “For the last time, I told you I wouldn’t let you fall.”
Jamie squealed. “I know, I know.”
“What are you two doing over there?” Leah muttered.
“I don’t want to know,” Piper murmured. “Don’t mention anything else about riding anything, OK?”
Jamie laughed. “No can do. It was amazing. You have to hear all about it. I flew on the back of a magnificent creature as it evaded and then attacked another mythical beast.”
Piper groaned, and Leah laughed.
Aiden just beamed at him.