Chapter One

The talk with his master should’ve rejuvenated him, but by the time Kolton translocated to the hospital his doubts came flooding back. His backpack was slung across his shoulder, his unopened collar box stuffed inside, Kolton searched his soul for a shred of hope and found none.

The master never said Warner was the one. In fact, he said he couldn’t be.

But he has to be. Doesn’t he? Initially Kolton had been so sure. Warner had been in dire circumstances when Kolton had found him foraging in the bin out the back of a casino one night, and they’d barely been apart since. Kolton’s urge to protect the smaller man had never changed from that first night when Kolton took him home and fed him, and initially things were going well.

Until Warner confessed he’d been sick a long time, which is why he’d been homeless when Kolton found him. Medical bills and losing his job would do that to a person. At the time Kolton declared he would care for the man, and he held onto that promise even when the love he thought he’d feel – the deep bonds he sensed when he visited his mated pack members - never seemed to eventuate. At the time, Kolton wondered if it was because Warner was human – maybe those bonds took longer to eventuate? But his heart remained unmoved despite Warner being the sweetest man in existence.

That’s why you never told him who you were.

Kolton’s hound was right – he’d never been able to get the words out of his mouth. But… But… As Kolton was arguing with himself, his feet were automatically treading the halls – a trip he’d taken every day for the past month, since Warner collapsed with a seizure on a lunch outing one day. He nodded at the nurses, who smiled as he went past, but everyone was busy on the one day Kolton wished someone would stop him for a chat.

Stop being a wimp. This is why Warner is in pain right now, because you can’t man up and talk to him. But that was his human half talking, and Kolton already knew he was full of shit.

Pushing open the hospital room door, Kolton’s eyes went immediately to the solitary bed. His money was at least making Warner’s treatment process more bearable.

“Hey.” Warner’s blue eyes sparkled, and he gave Kolton a tired smile. “I thought you had meetings today.”

“I got finished early.” Going over to the bed, Kolton shrugged his backpack off his shoulder, dropping it on the floor. He leaned over the bed, his eyes closing as the smell of Warner’s sickness hit his nostrils. It was so much stronger than it’d been earlier that day. He dropped a brief kiss on the red locks, and then sat on the chair next to the bed, reaching for Warner’s hand. “How are you doing?”

“Nothing’s changed,” Warner said simply, smiling and managing a slight shrug. “I’m deathly tired but I’m not in any pain. I can’t really feel anything, truth be told, and that’s not a bad way to go. I am really glad you came back early. You’ve been so kind to me, I wanted a chance to say goodbye.”

“Are you going somewhere?” Kolton’s brain went on the fritz. “Did they find a new treatment for you?” Maybe there’s hope after all.

“No, silly.” Warner’s chuckle evolved into a coughing fit and Kolton held his shoulders and a glass of water so Warner could take a sip and get the hacking under control. “Thank you.”

Even that bit of movement exhausted the young man. Kolton could see it, but even then his brain didn’t want to accept the next words he heard.

“Kolton. Listen. I know I’m dying. There’s no treatment for the cancer I’ve got. I should already be dead right now…”

“Don’t say that.” Kolton had the urge to stick his fingers in his ears, but Warner’s grip on his hand was surprisingly strong.

“You have to listen to me. I was already on borrowed time when we met. The past three months with you has been like a fairy tale, and I’ll take your kindness with me to the grave.”

“Don’t,” Kolton groaned.

“I must. I owe you so much, and I care for you so deeply…”

“Stop talking like that. You don’t owe me anything. Look, maybe…” Kolton reached down for his backpack, but another hand stopped him. He looked up into Thanatos’s eyes.

“That was never an option, faithful hound,” Thanatos said gently. “This boy’s thread was never intended to be attached to yours and in your heart of hearts you know it.”

“You can see him, too?” Warner’s voice sounded happier. “I wanted to tell you. Mr. Death came by earlier and told me it was time to go, but I badly wanted to speak to you first – I couldn’t go without saying goodbye - and he was so kind to agree. Mr. Death tells me you’re special, and I believe that with my whole heart. Don’t cry because I’m gone, celebrate the fact I lived, my wonderful friend. Celebrate life.”

“No. NO!” Very few things in life were stronger than a hellhound, but Death personified was one of them. Thanatos was at least in his human form, and Kolton was struck speechless, helpless to do anything as Warner took Thanatos’s hand happily, his spirit rising above the thin body left on the bed.

“Be happy for me, Kolton, please. There’s no pain here. I’m finally free,” he cried as he and Thanatos disappeared.

“NO!” Kolton balled his fists, barely resisting the urge to cause any damage. Lord Hades would not approve and in that moment…in that moment…Kolton couldn’t think. So he ran. Blundering past the bed with the still body lying on it never to move again, slamming out the doors, and running down the hallway, past the nurses’ station, barely noticing the man he banged shoulders with as he ran past. All the way back to the supply closet he used for translocation. With luck, when his cells reformed again, maybe his heart would leave the lump sitting on it behind.