18. Isaac
ISAAC
The ride back to the pack compound passed in a blur.
Adrenaline had carried me through the fight, through shifting, through the desperate fear that I'd been moments away from losing Nico forever.
Now that it was over, the exhaustion settled over me like an avalanche. Every inch of me ached.
The SUV smelled faintly of leather, pine, dried blood, and the lingering scent of wolf musk. One of the enforcers had given me a pair of gray sweatpants after I'd shifted back into my human form.
They hung a little loose around my waist, but I was grateful not to be sitting there completely naked. Nico hadn't let go of my hand once.
Our fingers remained intertwined across the center console. Every now and then his thumb brushed absentmindedly over my knuckles, as though reassuring himself I was really there.
I found myself doing the same. We didn’t speak, because there wasn't much left to say.
The silence wasn't uncomfortable. It was just that both of us were seemingly still trying to convince ourselves today had truly ended. I caught him glancing at me every few minutes.
Each time our eyes met, he offered a tiny smile.
I squeezed his hand, and he squeezed back. That simple exchange somehow said everything words couldn't. You're here. I'm here. We're okay.
By the time the gates of the Pecan Pines compound came into view, the knot in my chest had finally begun to loosen. Lately, I had started to think of the place as home.
The SUV rolled to a stop outside the main packhouse, where Cooper was already waiting, having arrived ahead of us. He looked tired, the lines around his eyes deeper than usual.
The anger I'd seen on the mountain had completely vanished. Instead, he looked like someone who had narrowly avoided receiving the worst phone call of his life.
His eyes landed on me first, then Nico. He exhaled quietly.
“To the clinic," he ordered, although his voice lacked its usual bite. "Both of you."
Nico tugged gently on my hand. "Come on."
The clinic wasn't far from the main building. Normally it bustled with wolves coming and going after patrol injuries, but today it was unusually quiet.
Ethan looked up from a stack of paperwork as we entered. The healer's calm expression disappeared immediately. "What happened?"
"Long story," Nico answered.
"Kidnapping," I added. “I got taken.”
Ethan’s eyes widened. He pointed toward one of the examination beds. "Up."
I climbed onto it. Nico stayed glued to my side.
"I'm okay," I told him quietly.
He folded his arms. "You got stabbed repeatedly.”
“I’m tough,” I reminded him, and Nico merely rolled his eyes.
"You got stabbed, you almost had your throat cut, and you broke out of silver cuffs."
"You're making a list now?" I asked, amused.
"I'm making sure Ethan doesn't miss anything."
"Bossy,” I murmured.
His cheeks turned faintly pink. "I am not bossy."
I raised an eyebrow.
Ethan snorted. “Yeah, he can be bossy.”
Nico chuckled, and the sound filled the room like sunlight breaking through storm clouds. I'd missed hearing him laugh. Ethan carefully examined the deep slash along my ribs.
The healer cleaned the wound thoroughly before applying herbal salves that immediately cooled the angry sting beneath my skin.
The cut on my shoulder needed several stitches despite my accelerated healing. Then came my wrists. Ethan frowned the moment he saw them.
The burns from the silver had blistered badly. Raw flesh circled both wrists where I'd fought against the cuffs.
"You really didn't hold back,” he said with disapproval.
"I couldn’t, not when my mate’s in danger,” I said.
Ethan nodded once. He didn't ask questions, but simply began treating the burns with practiced hands. Nico stood beside me the entire time.
Whenever Ethan accidentally hit a particularly tender spot, Nico winced harder than I did.
"I think you're feeling this more than I am," I teased.
"I probably am." His answer came so honestly that my smile faded.
I reached over and threaded our fingers together again. "I'm okay. Promise.”
His grip tightened. After nearly forty minutes, Ethan finally stepped back.
"You're good." He looked toward Nico. "Your turn."
He climbed onto the examination bed. Seeing him sit where I'd been moments earlier made something tighten painfully in my chest.
His injuries weren't nearly as severe, but still, watching Ethan clean dried blood from Nico's face stirred something fiercely protective inside me. I hated seeing him hurt.
Half an hour later, we were finally released. The walk back to the cabin felt surreal. The evening sun painted everything gold. Children chased one another through the grass.
Someone grilled dinner nearby, and laughter drifted across the compound. Life had gone on, while mine had nearly ended. Nico brushed his shoulder against mine as we walked.
Neither of us seemed willing to put more than a few inches between us, not that I minded. When we opened the cabin door, Logan was already there.
The second he saw us, he shot to his feet. Relief washed over his face so intensely that it almost hurt to witness.
"You idiots,” Logan said.
He crossed the room in three long strides before wrapping both of us in a hug so fierce it nearly knocked the breath out of me.
“I swear,” he muttered into my shoulder. “You took years off my life.”
I laughed weakly. "We're both fine, and that’s all that matters.”
Logan held on another few seconds before finally stepping back, then his fist connected solidly with my shoulder.
"Ow! What did you do that for?” I demanded, rubbing at the spot.
"For worrying Nico and me! I thought we'd..." His voice caught. He cleared his throat roughly. "I thought we lost you."
The humor disappeared from my face. I stepped forward and hugged him again. "I'm really sorry."
Logan hugged me back just as tightly. “Apology accepted.”
Logan finally released me, and Nico reached for my hand again.
"I'm stealing him,” Nico said.
We left Logan and retreated to my bedroom. It had never looked so inviting. The moment the door closed behind us, Nico leaned his forehead against mine.
"We really made it,” Nico said.
"We did."
"Shower?" Nico asked.
"Definitely."
The hot water washed away the dried blood and dirt, easing some of the lingering tension from my body. We stood beneath the spray together, quietly helping each other clean the cuts we couldn't easily reach ourselves.
Nico carefully worked shampoo through my hair, mindful of the healing bump on the back of my head, while I gently cleaned the scrapes across his knuckles.
After everything we'd survived that day, the simple act of taking care of one another felt grounding.
By the time we climbed into bed, exhaustion settled over us like a heavy blanket. The mattress dipped as Nico curled against my side.
I wrapped an arm around him instinctively. His head rested beneath my chin. Our legs tangled together. Outside, crickets sang in the growing darkness.
For several minutes, neither of us spoke. We simply breathed. Eventually, I broke the silence.
"Today really scared me too, you know."
Nico looked up. His eyes searched mine.
"The thought of losing you..." My voice caught. "And never seeing you again..."
Even saying the words made my chest ache. Nico reached up and brushed his fingertips along my cheek.
"We're both alive." He leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss to my lips. When he pulled back, I tugged him closer until there wasn't an inch of space between us.
"Let me finish," I murmured.
A small smile tugged at his mouth. "Sorry." He settled back against me. "I'm listening."
I stared up at the ceiling for a moment, gathering my thoughts.
"When I was tied to that chair," I admitted quietly, "I kept thinking about how much you mean to me."
Nico's fingers intertwined with mine beneath the blanket.
"I kept thinking about what I want to do with you.” I swallowed. "And then I started thinking about the future. I think I want to stay."
The words came easier than I expected.
He blinked. "What do you mean?"
"Here." I looked back at him, then squeezed his hand. "Here in Pecan Pines, with you."
For a heartbeat, Nico simply stared at me. Then his face broke into a smile so bright it made something ache behind my ribs.
"I'd like that," he whispered. Nico rested his forehead against mine again. His thumb stroked the back of my hand. “I love you, Isaac.”
Emotion tightened my throat. I kissed the top of Nico's head and held him a little tighter.
“Back at you, baby,” I told him.
THE END