Two Months After Last Chapter

Micah

"May I stay? Until I...change?" Ember asked, then winced. "Or I can go over to Raiden and William's right now if you prefer."

I shook my head, knowing Cam and Kai felt the same way. "No way in hell. You're staying right here and we'll be with you for as long as we can."

Ember stared at me for a moment before nodding, then buried his face in my chest once more, wincing slightly.

Like he'd suspected, he'd gotten the count wrong, and now, only two months after we completed our bond, it was time for his cycle to end, for him to be reborn as a baby phoenix who'd grow up over the next six months.

"It'll be okay, Ember. At least you'll grow at warp speed, so we won't have to be apart for too long," Cam said, and I could tell he was trying to cheer Ember up even though he himself didn't feel very cheerful. That was the thing about Cam though. He was always trying to make people feel better, and it was one of the many things I loved about him.

Ember hummed against my skin, and Kai, who sat cross-legged between Ember and Cam, ran his fingers over Ember's arm.

"It won't be long now," Ember mumbled, then pulled back. "I need to shift into my true form. It's...easier that way."

I got the feeling he should've shifted a while ago, and that he'd only stayed in this form so he could be with us for a while longer, so I nodded, sitting up as he did.

"I should move off the bed," Ember said with a frown. "I don't want to get ash on our bed."

"How about we sit in the living room?" I suggested, and Ember nodded. As he shifted back and flew downstairs, we quickly threw on clothes before following after him.

In the living room, Ember sat on the rug beside the coffee table, and the three of us sank down around him as Jodi came over to investigate.

She was clearly familiar with his phoenix form, and after a few moments of sniffing at him, she trotted off.

"We'll leave Jodi at Raiden's place for you," I said, and he gazed up at me.

Thank you, he said through the mental link, and I smiled.

"We'll miss you, Ember. A lot," Cam said, and Kai and I nodded in agreement.

I'll miss you too, even if it won't be the same.

I knew he wouldn't remember us until he was almost fully grown. He'd told us as much, and while it sucked, it wasn't his fault.

Sometimes, I wondered why phoenixes had to deal with crap like this while almost every other supe could live a long life without having to die every hundred years. Then again, phoenixes couldn't be killed at all, so maybe that was why. If anyone killed Ember—not that Cam would ever let that happen—he'd just pop back out of the ashes.

Ember ruffled his feathers, and I focused on him.

I love you, Ember said through the link, and my heart sank.

"Love you too, Em," I murmured as Cam and Kai echoed the words.

A moment later, the three of us jumped as Ember burst into flames, and tears filled my eyes as I watched the fire blaze. Kai and Cam snuggled closer on either side of me, and we watched as the flames burned and burned before finally going out.

"Fuck," I choked out, and Cam pulled me closer and Kai wrapped his arms around me, the three of us clinging to each other. While I logically knew that Ember would be back, watching him burn like that fucking hurt, and I couldn't stop the tears from sliding down my face.

"He'll be back," Cam mumbled into my hair, and I knew he was trying to remind himself as much as us.

"That was awful," Kai said, and I nodded in agreement.

I wasn't sure how long we sat there, just holding each other and thinking about how we'd survive the next six months without Ember. It was a far cry from how I'd felt a few months ago, when I'd been dreading Ember's arrival into my life.

A few hours later, a faint chirp broke us out of our stupor, and I watched as the ash shifted, a small, featherless bird struggling out of the ashes.

Ember shook his small body, sending the ash flying off him, and Cam snorted.

"Damn, he's so ugly," he said in a voice brimming with love, and I chuckled.

"Right? He's all beak," Kai said, then reached out, pausing before his finger touched Ember. "Should I not touch him?"

"Ember didn't say anything about it, so it should be okay."

Kai brushed a finger over Ember's head, then made a face. "It feels...weird."

"Reminds me of that time Mateo flew too close to the fireplace and burned half his feathers off," Cam said, and I squeezed him tighter, knowing he was only making jokes because he was hurting.

Somehow, we'd figure out how to make it through the next six months. One day at a time.

Kai

After we'd gotten a handle on our emotions, Micah grabbed a basket from the kitchen and put a soft towel in it.

I carefully picked Ember up and placed him in the basket, shaking my head at how small he looked.

Even as a full grown phoenix, he had a certain vibe that made him feel bigger than he was, and his human form was big all over. It felt weird to think this tiny bird was our big mate.

The three of us then walked to Cam's dads' place, Micah holding Jodi's leash while Cam carried a big bag of dog food while I cradled the basket against my chest.

Raiden and William were prepared and they led us to Cam's old room, which still contained some of his things.

"We thought Ember would be more comfortable here. Even if he doesn't remember, his instincts might recognize your scent as safe," Raiden said, and I realized the room had both Cam and Micah's scents, which made sense since they'd known each other for quite a few years.

"Kai, you can bring some of your clothes as well to add you scent," William said as if he could read my thoughts, and I nodded.

On the bed, they'd created a small nest using blankets, and I placed Ember in it, then took a step back.

"We brought Jodi, but you should probably keep her away until he shifts," Cam said, glancing at the big dog who was intently watching Ember. Could she tell who he was by his scent? Was she eyeing him as a potential meal?

"We'll be careful," Raiden assured. "You can visit him anytime, of course. You're always welcome here."

"Ember didn't really want us to see him as a baby, so maybe once he's a little bigger?" Micah suggested, and Raiden nodded.

"We'll let you know," William added.

We didn't stay for long after that, and I thought Cam's dads could tell we needed some space, because they didn't insist we stay for lunch like they usually would have.

When we got home, we dutifully ate lunch even though none of us felt like it. The thought of wasting food Ember had made for us knowing he wouldn't be able to eat with us made us feel worse, so we ate as much as we could, and stored the rest for dinner.

Afterward, we trudged up to our room and climbed into bed still completely dressed, Cam and Micah sliding in on either side of me.

The sheets smelled like the four of us. Everything in this room smelled like the four of us.

Would Ember's scent fade away in a few days?

The thought made my chest ache, and I swallowed hard, blinking rapidly to keep the tears at bay.

"It's okay," Micah murmured. "It's okay to cry. Even if we know he'll be back, it still fucking hurts."

As if I'd been waiting for permission, I started crying, silent tears trailing down my cheeks as Cam and Micah snuggled closer.

Cam buried his face against my shoulder, and it took me a moment to realize he was crying as well. I'd never, ever seen Cam cry, and his pain just made me cry harder.

I wasn't sure how long it took us to cry ourselves out, but by the time we calmed down, the pain in my chest had calmed down a little.

I knew it would be hard, living without a part of us, but we'd figure it out. Because when Ember came back, I didn't want him to feel guilty about having to leave. I wanted him to be proud of us.

"Yeah," Micah agreed, his voice hoarse. "We'll do our best until Ember gets back so he can be proud of us. Right, Cam?"

Cam peered up, his eyes red-rimmed but clear, sparkling brightly in the afternoon sun. "Yeah. We're going to work on turning Mistvale into a tourist hotspot, and we're gonna create some mischief to keep everyone on their toes, and we're gonna learn to cook so we can surprise Ember."

I grinned at the thought of Cam surprising Ember with his cooking skills. Whether he'd actually succeed or not remained to be seen, but it felt good to have a plan.

"Six months will come and go before we know it," Micah declared, and while I wasn't sure it'd be quite that easy, I liked his confidence. It was better than feeling depressed and spending our days missing Ember.

"I'm glad we don't have to do this alone," I murmured, and Micah hummed in agreement.

"None of us could be our best selves with only one mate. We need every one of our mates," he said, and I knew he was right. I needed Cam's strength, Micah's care, and Ember's comfort, and I knew they all got something from each other that they wouldn't get from me.

I sent up a silent thanks to Fate for bringing us together, and then continued cuddling with my mates until it was time for dinner.

We would get through the next six months one way or another, and once Ember was back, we'd be whole once again.