Crossed Fates by Lexi C. Foss

Makayla

Veracity radiated from Alaric,his conviction palpable.

He meant it.

If I wanted to continue working, he wouldn’t stop me. And while he’d joked about caging me and chaining me up, I knew he hadn’t really meant it—outside the bedroom, anyway. He wouldn’t force me to stay here with him. He wouldn’t force me to do anything. Because on some level, he understood my need to continue helping people. Probably because of his work as a slayer. Or maybe it was just his lone wolf relating to mine.

Regardless, his words set a part of me free.

The dread I felt this morning melted away, disappearing down the drain with the water from the shower, leaving me breathless and light.

One day at a time, I decided. We’ll take this one day at a time. He might be mine. Or he might not be really mine. The realms made it tricky and definitely provided an obstacle for us to overcome.

However, for the moment, I’d accept what this was, indulge in the sensations between us, and not worry about what it all meant.

For just today.

Tomorrow, I’ll… I’ll just see what happens.

I lifted onto my toes to kiss him, showing him my gratitude with my mouth. He indulged me in long, sensuous strokes with his tongue, his cock a brand against my lower belly. But he didn’t try to push us any further. He just returned my embrace, his mouth holding a whisper of promises. Vows. A subtle display of the future to come.

Mine, his touch hummed.

However, he didn’t force it.

He just enjoyed our connection, choosing to live in the moment rather than demand either of us accept our destiny.

And I found I liked that approach.

It gave us cause to revel in the sensations without overthinking them.

We remained in each other’s arms until the water started to cool, merely kissing and touching and holding one another. It was intimate and warm and exactly what I needed. By the end, I felt so at peace that I nearly forgot what lay ahead of us.

The alpha meeting.

Alaric would represent Silver Lake as the temporary alpha, and his father would attend as well. I’d probably spend the time continuing to review all the files.

“Okay, so there’s one thing I don’t understand,” Alaric said as we wrapped ourselves up in two oversized towels.

“Only one thing?”

He grunted. “Well, several. But specifically, I’m wondering how payments work. Like, do you only accept cash? And is our cash good in your realm?”

“Ah.” I followed him into his bedroom, where he started going through the drawers for clothes. I’d have to go down the hall to find some that fit me. “So, when Marc and I originally popped into this world, he helped me establish an identity. It just made things easier. I actually have a bank account here, a name, even an address.” I frowned. “Assuming my landlord received my rent money.”

“In New York City?” he guessed.

“Yep. I have a place in the same building here as I do back home. Both are rentals since I don’t like to put down roots.”

He nodded. “I’d be the same way in your position. I only bought my condo in the city because of working for E.V.I.E. It made sense.”

I also suspected he’d done that to have an excuse to remain close to his pack, but I didn’t voice that assumption out loud. Mostly because I suspected he’d probably deny it, and I preferred not to ruin our bonding moment. He probably heard it floating around my head anyway.

Damn link.

He cleared his throat, giving me a look. “None of that.”

“I didn’t say anything.”

“Uh-huh.” He pulled on a pair of jeans, leaving me a little disappointed. I rather enjoyed admiring his gorgeous, naked body. “Okay, so you have an account here. And that’s how you’re paid? Like, by clients in this realm?”

I shook my head. “No. Not exactly. I… take my payment via other means.”

“Elaborate.” He phrased it as a demand, but I caught the curiosity in his gaze, so I decided to let it slide.

“Well, sometimes there’s a finder’s fee related to the victims, and in that case, yeah I receive direct payment. Other times, I take some of the excess cash lying around before I turn over the scene to the authorities.” I shrugged. “I usually donate a lot of that back to shelters, though. Or I give it to the girls. But there’s never a lack of wealth in these situations. And I don’t require a lot to live on.”

“So you’re like a common-day Robin Hood.”

“Yeah, with claws,” I deadpanned.

He grinned. “I like it. But I think I’m still going to require Jude to pay me directly. It’s much easier to manage.”

I laughed. “Where do you think he gets his funding?”

He considered that. “Probably via similar means to you, or from private benefactors.” Then his gaze lifted upward, his expression turning thoughtful. “You know, I wonder if my father is one of those benefactors. That would explain how they know each other.” His focus returned to me. “Assuming that’s the whole connection with your alpha, and him knowing about KBO, and all that.”

“It’s a good guess.”

He nodded, then sighed. “Well, whatever the connection, my dad won’t just straight up define it for me. He’ll want me to discover it for myself. Just like he thinks I’ll magically take over the alpha mantle on my own.” He flinched with the words, his expression darkening.

I studied him, curious. “Why don’t you want to be an alpha? Because of your job?” Seemed fair to ask that since he’d wanted to know about my desires regarding a mate.

He fell silent as he disappeared into his closet. When he returned, he had on a tight gray shirt, and his hair looked freshly combed by his fingers.

“Yes. And no.” He led me to the door, then started down the hallway toward the guest room, clearly guiding me along so I could get dressed, too.

Once we were inside, he continued, “I became a slayer because I wanted a physical outlet, and killing vampires definitely provided that. It’s not easy turning eighteen, becoming a wolf, and realizing you can’t lead the life you anticipated. Yes, I could have stayed and taken over as alpha, but where would that have put Tyler?”

“Could you not coexist?” I wondered out loud, unsure of how the hierarchy worked here.

“Maybe. Maybe not. I wasn’t willing to find out. So I left instead.”

I pulled on a pair of borrowed jeans and a T-shirt, noting how his mom was pretty close to my size. Then I finger-combed my hair into a similar style to Alaric’s and met his gaze. “And now?” I asked.

“And now… I feel like… I feel like maybe Tyler would still be alive had I not run away twelve years ago.” The words were soft, his expression even softer. He winced upon saying them, as though he hadn’t expected to utter them out loud. “I feel like I made a mistake, Makayla.”

The confession hung between us, the air stilted with tension and sorrow.

I considered how to reply, a thousand statements filtering through my mind at once and not a single one sounding adequate enough. So I finally settled on the only truth I could give him.

“The thing about mistakes,” I started, swallowing. “Some mistakes might have consequences we can’t undo, but we can always find ways to say we’re sorry. Ways to fix those wrongs. Ways to make it up to those we hurt. Everyone makes mistakes in life, but it’s how we right those mistakes that truly defines us.”

That was a realization that had struck me when I was eighteen.

I’d missed the obvious.

People had been hurt because I hadn’t seen through a charade.

And so I spent my life righting that wrong.

Just as Alaric could spend his life fixing his mistakes, too.

“Denying the mantle because you respected your brother isn’t a fault, Alaric,” I added. “You saw him as worthy. And so you gave him a chance to lead. What happened to him might have happened with or without your decision. Hell, it could have been you who died. But the fact of the matter is, you’re still here. And I’m guessing Tyler wouldn’t trust anyone more than he’d trust you to avenge him.”

It was a wild statement, one that came from a part of me I didn’t fully understand, but I felt the truth of it as it left my lips.

Alaric is worthy.

He’s a good alpha.

And he will solve this.

He had determination written all over him. I’d witnessed it several times over the last few days. I’d also seen it when he’d taken down Vex. He didn’t beat around the bush or play alpha games. He was an alpha. A strong wolf with a strong will. “You’re going to find out who did this, and you’re going to make them pay.”

Because I recognized the same drive in him that I had in myself.

And one look into his eyes told me his soul understood mine just as mine understood his.

It should’ve frightened me, sent me running for the hills, but all I could do was reach for his hand to give it a squeeze. “I’m going to help you, too.”

He stared at me as I stared at him.

Then he leaned forward to press his lips to mine, not in a hungry caress but in an emotional one. Too brief and quick. Too soft and tender. Yet perfect and right and exactly what we both needed. “Thank you, Makayla,” he whispered, pulling away. “Thank you.”

I swallowed and nodded, then cleared my throat. We needed a distraction. Something other than standing in a bedroom with all this heat and emotions simmering between us. We had work to do, and none of it would get done if we continued down this path.

He seemed to agree because he cleared his throat. “We, uh, should go make some coffee.”

“Yes,” I agreed, nodding eagerly. “Coffee.”

Coffee. Coffee fixes everything.

I went straight to the kitchen, only then realizing that we had company. “Oh!” I gasped, spotting Hawk at the counter with a mug already in his hand.

“Morning,” he drawled, glancing at the clock. “Or should I say ‘afternoon’?”

“We were up late,” Alaric said, joining me in the kitchen.

Hawk’s gaze went to the bite mark on my neck, then he arched a brow at his son.

Alaric merely shrugged in response.

My cheeks burned as I mentally chastised myself to focus.

Breathe,Alaric suggested into my mind, his hand gently brushing the back of my arm. The amusement in his mental tone didn’t help my flustered state. Nor did the fact that I’d never been flustered before I met this stubborn, broken, sexy alpha.

Hawk’s lips twitched and I mentally groaned.

Alaric chuckled in reply.

Rather than acknowledge him, I chose to pour the rest of the coffee into two mugs and promptly began brewing a second pot. Because I was going to need it.

Alaric kissed me on the temple as he took his mug, then he joined his dad at the kitchen counter. “I assume you’re here with something interesting?”

“I have Neo files,” his dad informed us.

Thank you,I thought, glancing upward at the holy whatever above. Thank you for the distraction we all need.

Because this whole mating thing… yeah, I didn’t… yep.

He’s mortal, I muttered to myself. Like… is this even possible?

Seems to be,he replied, reminding me that he could hear my thoughts.

Stop.

Not my fault you’re yelling at me, sweetheart.

I’m not talking to you.

Right, you’re just talking about me.

I growled at him, belatedly realizing it was out loud.

Hawk’s brows furrowed in response, but Alaric merely grinned and said, “She just needs more coffee.”

Not a lie. I really did. I needed the life-reviving fluid to be able to process what all this meant. I practically downed my first cup, the liquid hot and scalding the back of my throat. But I didn’t care.

Alaric poured me a second just after the pot finished brewing.

And something about that made me want to purr, roll over, and beg him to take me again.

I ignored the impulse.

At least until he mentally whispered, You know I can smell how much you want me, right?

Doesn’t mean it’s going to happen again.

We’ll see, sweetheart.

Hmm,he hummed, and the sound sent goose bumps down my arms.

Did he have to be so damn sexy? And something told me he would only get better with age.

Which reminded me of what I’d been thinking about before Alaric had interrupted my thoughts.

Immortality. He’s not immortal. Fuck me sideways…

Happy to, baby.

Shh.I threw a glare in his direction as he settled at the counter on the other side of his dad.

Does this mean I’m stuck with him for life? I wondered, still thinking about the immortality problem. Like, what happened when he died?

Ouch. That was harsh.Alaric’s mental tone held a wealth of amusement.

Mine did not. Cut it out.

I didn’t find it the least bit funny that he could die tomorrow. He was going to grow old.

And holy shitballs.Will I be fucking a grandpa wolf someday? My gaze floated to Hawk, and I couldn’t help thinking, At least he’ll look like his dad.

I heard that.

Stop!I growled again.

And Hawk cleared his throat. “Yeah, so, as I said… Neo files?” he prompted, gesturing at the documents on the counter.

Distraction, I remembered. Yes. Distractions are good. “Show me,” I said, giving him my undivided attention. And not at all thinking about how Alaric would look like him in a few decades. Sexy daddy wolf.