24. Jayce

CHAPTER 24

Jayce

I feel so guilty. I fought hard but not hard enough. Aurora ended up shot and fell in battle, and I blame myself because I'm the weakest link. As much as Dom, Sebastian, and the others try to convince me it's not my fault, I still blame myself. I'm over-analyzing every move made around Aurora. I won't let her be harmed again. I wish I were more dominant—being an omega fucking sucks. I'm not as strong as my brother, who's a potential alpha. I'm not even in the same orbit as Aurora or Sebastian. It does get quite interesting to watch when Sebastian would get too full of himself and Aurora would knock him down a peg.

Aurora's dad, Nico, has been fabulous with me. He worries about if I'm taking care of myself while I tend to his daughter. That's what a father is supposed to be like. Not like the monster Dom and I had for a father. I was so happy when Aurora and Nico killed him. Dare I say best day ever? For the first time in years, I saw Alex smile, like really smile. There was a noticeable weight lifted off of Dom's shoulders as well. After all, he was next in line for the political mating. Ugh, the bitch he was supposed to get was a hag. I hope my brother realizes just how blessed we are. Sadly, it took my mate almost dying for me to see how truly wonderful she is.

When Aurora wakes up, everything is going to change. No more being a chicken shit and hiding. Instead, I'm going to face my feelings. I love her with all that I am. I will lay beside her all day and all night for as long as I can. The guys have been incredible, letting me stay and not enforcing the rotation rule with me.

At the end of day one—yesterday—her father's blood had brought back a lot of color to her skin. We are so thankful that Elena knows what she's doing when it comes to poisons. Pint after pint, her color has improved, and at one point, her hands moved. I keep talking to her, and the guys look at me like I'm nuts.

Elena gives me that motherly smile and touches my shoulder. "Don't worry, prince, she'll wake up." She gently runs her fingers through my hair in a soothing manner. "Keep talking to her; she needs to know you're waiting for her. Right now, her wolf is in protection mode, making sure she heals right." Elena leans over and kisses my temple, and hugs me. "I'll get you dry shampoo and a brush for her hair. And I'll show you how to use it, so she wakes up not feeling gross."

Elena makes a final check of everything and leaves to go procure the goods. I wave for Sebastian to trade out with me; I need to stretch my legs and hit the men's room. I don't think I've ever pissed so fast in my life as I had since last night. My chest fucking hurts being away from Aurora for too long. My wolf feels like he's trying to rip free of my body to get back to her. I can't blame him; I feel exactly the same way. It's never easy for an omega to deal with the alpha being injured. We tend to go into nurture mode and mother the hell out of them until they recover.

Elena returns with all the hair care and skin care products she could find. The boys and I all watch as she explains what each is for and how to use it. We all want to help with her care; some of us are just more in tune with our nurturing side than the others. I can see how uncomfortable Sebastian is with everything, and I snicker out loud. The boys only really hung around for the bed-bath portion of the care instructions. Figures, right? I smile and copy everything that Elena showed me. I feel like I'm really making a difference in how Aurora feels.

We slept peacefully last night, and I wasn't bothered. Sebastian and Dimitri were like sentries watching over us as we slept. Kind of creepy, but with everything that's happened, it's a necessary evil at this point. I wake up to them prepping Sebastian for his donation and fresh coffee. I sit up and start fussing with Aurora's hair and cleaning up her face, making sure she is ready for the day. I made sure I explained to her what was going on with Sebastian.

My hands shoot to cover Aurora's nose when I smell Alexis's arousal. Thankfully Sebastian and Elena handled it before I said something. Slowly I begin Aurora's bed bath, making sure every inch of her body is cleaned and dried. The first bag of Sebastian's blood is hooked to her IV and is flowing into her. I can already see tiny differences in her color and skin texture. I can't help myself. I cover her up and lightly touch her face before I lean over and kiss her gently. I miss her so much.

Without any warning, her hand grips the back of my head, holding my lips firmly to hers. The rumble from her wolf makes me hard in a second as she holds me in place. I surrender to her completely in this very moment. My heart is pounding in my chest; I feel as if this kiss has gone on forever. She manages to nip my bottom lip, drawing blood. I feel her suck at my bleeding lip, and flick her tongue over the wound before her hand and teeth release me. I'm panting from the intensity and the passion I felt. I can't bring myself to look at the others just yet. I know in my heart this was her way of telling me that she's going to be okay, and I just have to be patient.

Slowly I turn and look at the guys. I can't help the lovesick puppy look I have on my face—the single most significant moment of my life. I return to giving her the sponge bath and whistle while I work. Sebastian comes to sit next to her once all three pints are taken from him.

"Love, I found and killed the person that shot you. I took their head and heart to give to you as a gift." Sebastian's eyes drop to Aurora's hand, and he picks it up, holding it. "If you can hear me, baby, please squeeze my hand. I beg you." I feel so much sympathy for Sebastian. He's an alpha without his mate. Alphas usually don't do well when they are separated from their mate for any reason. I can see Aurora's fingers twitch in his hand then close slowly. Part of me is pleased as punch that she reacted stronger to me.

But on the other hand, I feel horrible that he's not receiving just as strong of a reaction from her. There are no words of comfort in moments like this. We tend to beat ourselves up when bad things happen.

An audible sigh escapes Aurora's lips, and she moves her entire body, adjusting her position. Dimitri runs off, yelling down the hallway for Elena. Aurora is fighting so hard to wake up. Her eyelids flutter, and her eyes move rapidly. "Come on, baby, you can do it. Please open your eyes." I can't help but prompt her. I can't resist urging her to return to us.

One eye pops open first, then the other. She blinks them rapidly and yawns. "Did we win?" she croaks, her voice scratchy from lack of use. Of course, Aurora worries about victory at a moment like this.

"Yes, love, we won. You were shot by a poisoned arrow. If it wasn't for Mom taking pints of blood from your dad and me, I don't think you would have lived." Sebastian's voice cracks, mentioning her near-death experience. His eyes well up with tears, and he lets them run down his face.

Dom and I share the same side of the bed as we observe Aurora. Her eyes lock with each of us in turn until she gets to me. "Thank you, Jayce, for keeping me clean and telling me about the day. Thank you for keeping me warm at night." She reaches out and grabs my hand. "Thank you for remembering to treat me like I was awake and here." Tears roll down her cheeks as she smiles at me. She truly appreciates all that I have done for her.

"Anytime, my love, anything for you... anything you want, it's yours." I mean every word. I lift her hand and kiss the back of it, looking into her eyes as I do.

"Jayce, when I'm stronger, I want you in my bed, just the two of us. We need to finish our bond. I love you so very much." She makes the motion with her lips like she wants a kiss. Who am I to deny her? I lean forward and let her control the kiss. It starts sweet and tender until she bites my lip again and licks my wound. I can't help but smile. I am the happiest wolf on the planet at this point.

I reluctantly move out of the way for the others and let everyone in to show our girl some love. I feel so relieved and scared at the same time. I am scared because as soon as she heals, it's going down! Or should I say I'm going down? Crap, most incredible, and worst day ever. Performance anxiety? Absolutely. My eyes catch the movement of Sebastian leaving the room quickly. I wonder what the cheeky bastard is up to.

Sebastian returns, carrying something with a towel over the top of it. Nico strolls in right beside him with his hand on the edge of the towel. "My love, I present to you the head and heart of the man that attempted to kill you." Sebastian drops to one knee next to the bed and holds the covered platter out to Aurora. Nico removes the towel with a practiced flourish. The smile that creeps across Aurora's face is worth witnessing this disturbing scene. Who in their right fucking mind gives a head and heart as a present?

It fucking must be a Lycan and dragon thing because Aurora is elated. Nico beams with pride and Sebastian is smiling. Meanwhile, Dom and I are looking at each other like what the fuck just happened ? We're confused as all hell by this display, but it makes Aurora happy, so it's worth it.

"Elena? Mom?" Aurora calling Elena Mom brings tears to the old lady's eyes. She moves forward and sits on the opposite side of the bed as her son.

"Yes, sweetheart?" Aurora rests her hand on Elena's. "Can you please prepare the skull to hang with the others? It deserves a place of honor in our home." Elena nods and motions for a Lycan male to enter the room and take the tray from Sebastian.

"Aurora, I took the liberty of taking your skull pile and sent them to be cleaned as well," Elena states plainly. Well fuck... The look all three of us give Elena and Aurora is one of shock. Has Sebastian's mom finally wholly lost her shit? How is it that this skull hoarding is now a thing?

Nico clears his throat. "It's a dragon thing to horde the skulls of your enemies. The more skulls, the stronger the dragon. I didn't think my baby would have that instinct." He sniffles and wipes his eyes with a handkerchief. "I'm so proud right now, I can't handle it. Please excuse me."

Aurora waves everyone off, and her father comes to sit before her; she holds him tightly as they both cry together. Perhaps her odd behavior isn't so odd after all. She's merely following the instinct of her dragon side. That explains a lot. Well, maybe not, but it makes a little more sense. "Daddy, will you show me how to make a menacing display of my trophies?" Seriously? I must be in the twilight zone . Nico nods and smiles before getting up and leaving the room.

"Guys, I'm famished. Can I have steak and pasta and something cold to drink?" Everyone scrambles about while I move and sit beside Aurora again. I'm not letting this girl out of my sight until the bond is dead solid. I pull Aurora into my lap and nuzzle her neck. Fucking instincts, of all the times for them to kick in, now isn't it. Aurora giggles and snuggles in closer, holding on for dear life. "You're a good fighter, Jayce. You held off a lot of Strigoi after your brother had fallen. I'm very proud of you." She kisses my cheek gently and rests her head on my shoulder.

Everything is right in the world other than my mate collecting skulls. It's something I'm going to have to adapt to and overcome. Gently I run my fingers through her hair and carefully massage her scalp. A soft sigh escapes her lips as she relaxes into the massage. With a giggle and a flop, she ends up with her head in my lap, looking up at me. Those stormy grey eyes shine with love and happiness. Deftly I seek out the knots in her hair and remove them with my fingers. Gently I move my fingers and start massaging her temples and forehead. The sounds she's making—lord save me—go straight to my cock.

I'm praying she won't notice my erection, but let's face it, she is right there, inches from it. Her eyebrow raises, and she looks right at it. "Someone's happy to see me."

That devilish smile has Dom stopping in his tracks in the doorway and raising his eyebrow at me. I wave at him to enter, which may or may not have been my brightest idea. I would sit here suffering from the boner from hell until I knew she was fed and strong enough. Fucking bastard has a mind of his own at times. After helping Aurora sit up, Dom and I set up the table for her and watch her eat. I never in a million years thought I would take pleasure in watching someone else eat. But here I am, watching our mate eat like it is the most beautiful sight.

Dom elbows me, and I follow him out the door. "Sebastian and I are going to patrol the grounds tonight. Dimitri is going to remain as his bear on the porch and Andre on the roof. You'll have the house to yourself." Dom grips my shoulders tight then pulls me in for a hug to end all hugs. "She knows you love her. It's time to show her how much. Let her in Jayce, let her love you back." He raises a knowing eyebrow at me. "And don't give me that I'm an omega bullshit. You're a great warrior when you have to be. You're a far better man than I am; you can understand emotions. That's a gift I wish I had." Dom smiles at me, and in his way, I received a pep talk. Now, if someone had a roadmap to a woman's G-Spot, that would be awesome. One last snicker from Dom before he starts to turn and walks off. "Don't worry about what to do. Aurora is dominant; she'll submit when she wants to, but most times, it's hold on for the ride of your life." Dom gives me his usual wise-ass two-finger salute before heading off down the hallway.

What the actual fuck have I gotten myself into? I run down the hall to my room, take a quick shower and trim my mustache and beard. Once I am pleased with my appearance, I pick out a nice silk shirt and my favorite slacks. My suit jacket is perfectly tailored to me. I stand before the mirror and do a last-minute check; I fucking love the way this suit looks on me. Reaching into the top drawer of my dresser, I retrieve the necklace I had bought Aurora while I was in town. Carefully I pull it out of its satchel and stare at it. The pendant is an exact copy of the paw print Dom and I have tattooed on our wrists. One can only hope she appreciates it. Gently I place it in my right coat pocket before I head back to see my mate.

Lightly I knock on her door and wait. Man, I've never been this nervous in my entire life. The clicking of the knob turning draws me out of my inner monologue quite quickly. Aurora stands there, hair in a messy bun with a nightshirt that aptly says Fuck off . I smile and lean in to kiss her gently, but the princess has other plans. Aurora grabs onto my lapels and drags me into the room, and locks the door behind her.

Mercury orbs gaze back at me, and in this moment, I know what a rabbit feels like when we hunt them. Slowly her gaze moves over my body inch by inch; I swear to the gods that I can feel her eyes caress me. A gentle smile graces her lips as she moves in closer. Ever so lightly, her fingertips glide over the soft material of my jacket. Her hands stop at my waistline before she steps back and makes the turn around motion with her finger. I'm quick to comply with her silent command. I'd do anything for my mate, absolutely anything.

Her smile lights up the room and puts my soul at ease. "You look very handsome, Jayce. A well-cut suit on a man is like a tiny lace thong on a woman. Very much appreciated." Her eyes bounce back and forth between human and wolf; apparently, I have the attention of both. "Allow me," she says softly as she reaches forward and slowly unbuttons my suit jacket. I gently toe off my dress shoes because fuck if I'm going to be fumbling with them later.

Slowly she exhales and reaches up, placing her hands on my shoulders and slides my jacket off. I don't know who's getting more turned on here, me because I'm being stripped, or her. It's quite evident she's getting worked up. The scent of her arousal is filling the room and engulfing me in her scent, almost strangling me. Her hands gently hold my jacket as she moves to lay it over the arm of the chair. When she returns, her eyes remain locked with mine as she undoes my tie.

Fuck, this is the single hottest thing I have ever witnessed or been apart of. I'm literally terrified to speak; I don't want to break the spell. She slips my tie off and lays it on top of my jacket before she returns and works on my silk shirt buttons. She stands on her tippy toes and lightly presses her lips against mine, and whispers, "do not move a muscle." I feel my cock harden and pulsate, straining against my boxer briefs. For the first time in history, I'm afraid of blowing my load too early. After what seems like an eternity, she has my shirt open, and with feather-light touches she caresses my skin.

Aurora keeps her eyes locked with mine as her fingers roam over my chest and abs. Holy fuck, she's tracing every single cut and ripple of muscle I have. Silently I thank my brother for forcing me to work out with him. Every pain-filled workout is now made worth it seeing the appreciation in her eyes. Aurora moves behind me and grips the collar of my shirt, and pulls it off. Again, I feel her soft touches moving over every bump and ridge of corded muscle. My eyes close of their own volition. I can't help the shuddering breath that escapes my lips when she kisses my left peck right over my heart. "Can I call this mine?" She speaks so softly; her breath tickles my skin.

I open my eyes to see this dominant female looking so unsure of herself. I can't have that. I reach down and take her hand in mine and place it over my heart. "It's always been waiting for you, my love. It was yours long before I knew your name. I just hope to be wolf enough to deserve yours in return." Tears threaten to break loose from my eyes as I finally speak my heart to her.

Aurora's eyes well up with tears, and she begins to softly cry. I bend down and gently kiss away her tears. Lingering on the last one, I press my forehead against hers. "You've always been wolf enough for me, Jayce. I love you for you. You are the kindest, most thoughtful mate a female could ask for. I am grateful I was blessed with you."

Her hands come to grip my belt, and it comes off super-fast. That confidence she lacked just a moment ago is now back in full force. I can't help but laugh at her antics as my pants hit the floor.

She steps back and cocks her head to the side, and smiles. "I've found a huge difference between you and Dom. Yours is definitely bigger." She bites her bottom lip as she grabs hold of my boxer briefs. One finger shifts, and her talon slices through the cotton like a hot knife through butter. Mercury orbs lock on the sight of my rigid leaking cock.

Just for good measure, I give my cock a slow, measured stroke. Her eyes follow my hand as it glides up and down my length. Now I've got her. I reach forward and use my claws to slice the nightshirt free from her. She looks a little shocked, but it's worth it. There it is, the fabled black lace thong she favors. I drop to my knees before her and grip the lace with my teeth. My hands rest on my thighs as I slowly begin to pull the thong down.