It was easily the best Christmas Jay had ever had. Not because of the gifts—although they were some of the most meaningful and romantic. But because they were finally all together. Safe under his roof and in his arms.
“The best. What about you?” Something about the way Jay asks—his tone or maybe even that he can feel his brows furrow—conveys that this isn’t a simple ask.
So Nix doesn’t answer right away.
His eyes look faraway, but he watches Grayson and Rowanplaying a weird game ofjackswith the penises’o’plenty and Finn covering his eyes while Luca draws something on the first pages of his first journal, his lips curled in a soft smile. He watches as Gideon leads Leo in a slow dance to Elvis Presley’sI’ll Be Home For Christmas.
When he meets Jay’s eyes again, he’s smiling a smile Jay has never seen before. It’s big, and bright, and so full of something like gratitude that Jay feels tears burn his eyes.
“The best.” It’s simple, but so very true. “Life is so good.” He must notice Jay’s wet eyes, because he climbs into his lap, letting his sweet-vanilla-bread scent soothe away any lingering hard emotions. “It’s not over yet.”
“No, it’s not. Did you like your present?”
Did Jay like it? He wants to tell him he’s going to make it his ringtone. Put it on all the albums Phoenix ever produces. Have it etched into his gravestone.Ooohh…have it tattooed on his thigh. Now there’s an idea.But instead of sounding insane and saying all of that out loud, he simply says, “I really did.”
Nix shakes his head, his cheeks flushing pink. “My song wasn’t that good. Not like yours.”
“It was really good. You were amazing. Who knew you could sing like that?” Deep and mesmerizing, smooth like the best whiskey.
“Not me. It was all Leo’s magic.”
“I doubt it. I heard it live. But you didn’t ask me why it’s been the best Christmas,” Jay says with a smirk.
He’s no dummy, but he plays along anyway. Jay will never not be grateful his mates endure his lack of cool disguised as romance.
“Oh yeah? Why?”
“Well, I already had the best early present in September, and I’ve enjoyed unwrapping it every day since.”
Nix stifles a laugh, casually climbing off Jay’s lap.
Even though Jay knows what’s coming, he sits as still as his wolf will allow.
“Well, you haven’t unwrapped it yet today…” Nix takes off toward the nest, and not Jay’s bedroom, just in case anyone else wants to join.
Jay doesn’t hesitate to chase after hisgift. Even though it was cringey, he’d meant every word. It’s the best Christmas he’d ever had because they were all together, and as long as they stayed that way, they could handle anything the future threw at them.
VII
Getting a Handle on Rowan Foster Is Harder Than You’d Think
This is a highly requested spicy alternate POV for part of Chapter 22 in Darkness Echoes. I hope you enjoy it as much as Rowan and Grayson do…well, maybe not quite that much.
Content Warnings
Roughhousing that leads to sex
Dominance displays between alphas
Eternal Light “Claim Its Due” Alternate POV
Jay slams the cookie sheet on the counter, and the oven beeps as he sets it to 400°F. It’s followed by a sniff—and the scent of raw bacon.
His alpha is upset that they woke to find Nix had taken Gideon to his parents’ house and left a note.
It was obvious to everyone in the room that Jay had thought he’d be asked to go—that when Nix was ready to go inside, he’d be the one holding his hand. The shock on his face had hurt. Not just hurt—punched something tender in Rowan’s chest, he didn’t want to talk about.
Clearwater was their place. It carried a fuckton of baggage neither of them had sorted through, let alone unpacked. And yeah, it made sense that Jay would want to be there—where he could help Nix do the heavy lifting.
