Chapter 31
Is he awake? Hayden heard Jaxom whisper through the mind-link.
I don’t know. You kept him up too late playing video games, Drake grumped back in his own gruff version of a whisper.
Not my fault he got so dang good so fast. Guys gotta protect his score, ya know, Jaxom snickered.
Maybe he doesn’t want to wake up? Drake suggested. Guess we’re not going to the cabin today.
Hayden popped out of bed, threw on shorts and hustled to the kitchen.
“Cabin?” he said out loud. “A cabin for my birthday?”
“There he is! One more day and he’s running on all fours,” Drake pulled Hayden in for a kiss, a kiss that never lasted long enough, damnit. Hayden tried to lean in for more, wanting a firmer kiss, a bit of tongue to slip into his mouth.
Jaxom pushed Drake out of the way and took over.
A kiss soft and light. A brief run of his hands up Hayden’s back.
A massive step back before anything went anywhere.
He wasn't even near going too far. Hayden tried to reach for him but Jaxom just grinned. The heat in his eyes made Hayden’s heart beat faster.
They’d been doing that to him all week. A little necking here. Pushed up too briefly against a wall there. But nothing more. Nothing below the belt. Nothing that helped with the hard-on he woke up to every morning for the past week. Damn teases. Man, how he loved it.
“What cabin?” Hayden asked as Asher was putting a suitcase by the door.
“Oh, it’s nothing. I mean, you’re not even dressed, showered. Ya know, that stuff. Guess we could stay here…” Jaxom moped.
“Give me ten minutes!” Hayden ran to the bathroom, rushed through a supper cold shower, towel dried and pulled on a t-shirt, the hoodie Drake had given him, a baggy pair of jeans, and the boots he loved to wear.
He used a hairdryer to get his hair dry enough to twist into a messy bun.
Drake would probably insist on braiding it later.
The big guy seemed to enjoy learning how to care for Hayden’s hair.
It was softer and fuller than it ever had been.
Good food probably helped with that, too.
He rushed back to the kitchen a little sore and out of breath. “Ready!”
“How’s the ribs?” Drake asked, looking him up and down.
“Doctor said they’re all knit together. Just don’t get in a fistfight.”
“How about the lung?” Jaxom said in a stern dad tone of voice. Hayden hated that tone of voice. Jaxom was his mate, not his dad. Then he caught the twinkle in his eyes.
“You guys are killing me,” Hayden huffed. “See? Deep breath.” He did his best exaggerated deep breathing.
“And your nose? All in one piece?” Asher chimed in as he carried a sleeping bag and tent to the door. Guards were going to ring the cabin at a distance. The cold wouldn’t bother them if they had shelter.
“Never been better,” Hayden glared at him. Looks like everyone was piling on.
“But, you can’t go,” Tarra said. She was holding something behind her back.
“Because?” Hayden tried to prompt her.
“I haven’t given you your birthday present yet,” she said with a big smile. She handed him a box wrapped in green. An amber ribbon was wrapped around it that matched the color of his eyes.
“Can I open it now?” Hayden asked as he carefully held the box.
“Of course,” Tarra urged him over to the kitchen island. “Open it!”
Hayden couldn’t breathe for a moment. He’d never received a birthday present before. He’d expected one or two from Jaxom and Drake, but honestly never considered anyone else would care.
He carefully untaped the edges of the paper, untying the ribbon as he went. The box inside was plain cardboard, no hint at what lay inside. He opened the box full of crumpled paper to cushion whatever it was.
“He’s never going to get it out,” Jaxom teased.
“Birthday wrapping is for ripping,” Drake sighed in impatience.
Hayden ignored them as he got to a box of some sort wrapped in tissue paper. He set the item on the counter and couldn’t help ripping the tissue to get to the gift.
He marveled at the carved amber box that emerged. It was delicate, translucent. The amber seemed to glow in the morning light. The lid had a knob to pick it up. The smooth inside glowed with the light the amber let through.
“A jewelry box, or trinket box. Whatever you want to keep in there,” Tarra said. She almost hugged him, then stepped away. “Hug later, after grumpy and grumpier get happier.”
“It’s beautiful. I love it,” Hayden held it carefully in his hands. “I’m going to put it on my dresser. It might get broke if I take it with me. Thank you, Tarra.”
“And Asher,” Asher said much aggrieved. “I had to drive her around store to store for hours.”
“Oh, stop. You ate ice cream the whole time. And, it was only two stores.”
Hayden went to the bedroom as they bickered. He only wished he had a piece of jewelry to put in it. In the meantime, he’d keep it safe, ready for use. And most importantly, the amber box was beautiful to look at.
Hayden came back out and saw their luggage was already gone. It was weird to be leaving. He hadn’t left this refuge for three weeks. Drake and Jaxom had been too protective for that. He almost considered staying out of sentimentality.
“How long does it take to get there?”
“An hour. We’re sneaking you out the back door. We’ve tried to keep this as hush-hush as we could. The cabin is smack in the middle of pack lands.” Jaxom held out his hand. Hayden took it and snuggled up as close as he could get. Nerves were running so he just needed to get moving.
Hayden settled in the car. The first time ever riding in an actual seat.
Jaxom’s parents and Drake’s dad had all wished him happy birthday through the mind-link.
They’d promised a party when they got back.
And, he was told firmly to not worry about taking their time up there.
This was a special time for a wolf. Enjoy it.
All of it was so much different from his previous life.
“We come up here three or four times a year. More if time allows. Mom had the cabin ready when I met Drake. She’s had the cabin ready since she knew your birthday.” Jaxom held Hayden’s hand as he drove.
“I’d live there all year long if we didn’t have other commitments,” Drake said.
He was sprawled out on the backseat like some god being driven through his realm.
Hayden constantly found himself lost in Drake’s chiseled good looks.
He was tall, broad, built like he lifted the world on his back every day.
Jaxom was a couple inches taller and just a little slimmer but, powerful in every move he made.
Black hair and intense dark blue eyes tracked everything around him.
And when he smiled, the world lit up like it had no choice but to shine for him.
That smile had been rare the first two weeks Hayden knew him.
Then he’d come home from the library content to just be with him and Drake.
That change had scared Hayden. It seemed to have scared Drake, too. Hayden had read enough to know some people relaxed when they knew they were going to die. It was like knowing the inevitable made living easy to do. All worries were gone.
He didn’t tell Drake that, though. Drake had been watching Jaxom like a hawk.
It was like he was waiting for Jaxom to disappear.
When he didn’t think anyone was looking, Drake would crumble.
Hayden had wanted to reach out in those moments, but was unsure of his reception.
They were still treating him like he was so damn delicate.
Truth was, he never felt better or stronger.
It was amazing what three weeks of healing could do.
Jaxom pulled up to the prettiest cabin Hayden had ever seen.
It fit in the landscape like it had grown there.
A porch ran the whole length of the front.
Two large windows, one on each side of the door, looked out on the partially frozen lake.
And someone had painted a sign and hung it on the door: ‘Happy Birthday, Hayden’.
His birthday could have ended right there and he’d have been happy.
Drake was pulling luggage out of the black SUV. Strong muscles flexed under a thin, long-sleeved shirt. Hayden started to pick up a suitcase and found himself twirled into Jaxom’s arms. Jaxom hiked him up and wrapped Hayden’s legs around his waist.
“Kiss me,” he commanded in a growly voice.
Up until that moment, they’d initiated all physical contact.
Anytime Hayden had tried, they’d backed away.
Slowly he leaned in and pressed his lips against Jaxom’s.
Muscles moved against his body as they kissed.
It was so easy to lose himself in his mates.
This kiss was more forceful than any Jaxom had given.
Opened mouth, flashes of tongue, need bubbling up as Jaxom set him down on the countertop.
Hayden refused to let him go from his embrace.
Instead, he kept Jaxom trapped there. He reveled in the freedom to run his hands up Jaxom’s arms and had the ability to pull him in closer.
For once, Jaxom didn’t stop him. His hands wandered up and down Hayden’s thighs, circling and rubbing closer to where Hayden really wanted him.
Another tease, almost there but not quite.
Hayden had been surprised at how much he loved the game.
“No. Bad, Jaxom,” Drake pulled their mate out of Hayden’s embrace and stepped in to get his own kisses.
He took over, holding the back of Hayden’s head steady as he plundered his lips.
His arm wrapped around Hayden, pulling him closer.
Those strong arms created a cage of safety.
Hayden squeezed Drake between his legs. All that kissing, roaming hands, satisfied moans from Drake had Hayden rising to meet the occasion. He couldn’t get enough.
“Too bad it’s not his birthday, yet,” Jaxom said as he wrapped his arms around both of them.
“Damnit. I forgot,” Drake sighed as he broke the kiss. “Pup probably needs a nap, yeah?”
“Oh my gosh, move,” Hayden laughed and pushed them both away. “This man needs the bathroom.”
By the time he got back out, the luggage was thrown in the bedroom. Drake had a fire going. Jaxom had lunch started. And, sitting on the kitchen countertop were four small boxes lined up in a row.
“What are those?” Hayden asked. Drake came over to see what he was pointing at.
“Those are a little something for all of us,” Jaxom said with a soft smile playing at this lips.
He gave one box to Drake, the next to Hayden and picked up the third for himself.
“The fourth is for our Luna. I’ve been assured they will shift with us.
They’re very old. Very strong magic forged them.
Mom said they’ve been in the family forever. ”
Hayden opened the box and sucked in a breath. A three strand, braided triangle of a metal that looked like pewter. It surrounded a beautiful moonstone with streaks of blue set in the middle. The strong pewter of the triangle made the stone stand out and glow in the light.
“It’s beautiful.” Hayden’s hands shook a little as he took the necklace out.
“Here, let me,” Jaxom said as he took the necklace. “You wait, Drake. I’m putting yours on, too.”
Jaxom stood behind Hayden and secured the necklace behind his neck. A swift kiss on his neck tingled by the necklace. The triangle wasn’t huge but it did stand out on his chest. The ropy strands of the necklace itself was delicate yet exuded a raw strength that couldn’t be broken.
Drake stood patiently as Jaxom put his on, then kissed him. It was aggressive and firm. A claiming. Jaxom hadn’t kissed Hayden like that yet, but he knew it was coming.
“There now. One more to go.” Jaxom smiled. “She’s out there somewhere.”