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“It’s done,” I said solemnly as I gave him a firm nod of my head.
Newt nodded. “Done,” he repeated as he laid his head on Isaac’s chest. His eyes began to slide shut, so I quickly dried off the rest of him, then helped Isaac to his feet while he was still holding Newt. When I went to open the door, Loki pushed into the bathroom.
“Loki,” Newt murmured as he let his arm hang so Loki could lick his fingers. The wolf hybrid followed us to the bedroom Newt and Isaac were sharing. I’d remembered to snag Newt’s pajamas from the bathroom, so Isaac stood Newt on the bed and told him to stay standing as he quickly got the PJs worked onto his little body. Then he was settling Newt into the bed. The moment he covered Newt with the blanket, Loki jumped up onto the other side of the bed and lay down next to Newt. The child buried his fingers into Loki’s fur, then his eyes drifted shut and I knew he was out by the time Isaac leaned down to kiss his forehead.
When he straightened, Isaac just stared down at Newt for the longest time. I instinctively put my arm around Isaac’s waist and drew him back against me. The fact that he leaned into me pretty much right away was proof of how far gone he was.
“He’s okay,” I reminded Isaac when I felt his body begin to shake.
Isaac nodded and held there for a moment. Then a harsh, agonized cry bubbled up from his throat. He slapped his hand over his mouth to try and stop the sound, but it escaped anyway. It wasn’t loud enough to wake Newt, but I knew that wasn’t why Isaac had tried to hide it.
“It’s okay, Isaac,” I said as I nuzzled the back of his neck. He’d gone stiff in my hold as soon as the strangled sound had erupted from his throat, but when I wrapped my other arm around his upper chest, another muffled sob broke loose. I dropped my mouth next to his ear and whispered, “I’ve got you, baby. Just let go.”
I wasn’t sure if it was the endearment or my hold or him just being too exhausted to do otherwise, but whatever it was, he broke in the most heartbreaking of ways. He let out another painful-sounding sob, then turned in my arms and pushed against my chest. I held him tight as he cried against my chest. I placed my hand against the back of his head and just held him like that as he clung to me. His fingers were curled into the fabric of my shirt along my waist, but the longer I held him, the more he began to relax as his cries started to ease. His arms drifted to my back and then it was just him hanging onto me as the fight seemed to leave him completely.
“Why don’t you go lie down in Dallas and Nolan’s bed for a bit?” I suggested.
“Can’t leave him,” Isaac whispered.
“We’ll all take turns sitting with him,” I said. “I’m sure Dallas and Nolan are freaking out downstairs with not being able to do anything.”
Isaac hesitated, then nodded against me. I took him by the hand and led him from the room, leaving the door open so we’d hear Newt if he cried out or if Loki needed to get out of the room to find someone if Newt had another seizure.
I knew Dallas and Nolan wouldn’t mind if Isaac used their bed to lie down for a bit, so I didn’t ask them first. I led him into the room and pulled back the covers, then had him stand by the bed. He was so exhausted, he barely seemed aware of me or anything else.
“What happened here?” I asked as I skimmed my fingers over his temple, then his cheek. He seemed confused at first, but when I touched one of the marks, he winced and said, “Nothing. I fell.”
I was inclined to believe him until I reached for the hem of his shirt and helped him get it off his body.
That was when I saw some light bruising around his throat.
“Isaac, what happened?” I asked, barely keeping the rage out of my voice.
To my surprise, Isaac dropped his forehead to my chest. “So tired, Maddox,” he said softly. “Please, I’m just so tired.”
I managed to stifle my need for answers and brought my hand up to caress the back of his neck. “Okay, I’m sorry.”
He sighed, then straightened and started to sit down. “Wait, let me get these off,” I said as I motioned to his jeans. “They’re really wet.”
He didn’t argue with me, so I reached for the snap and then the zipper. I’d managed to get the pants open and was just sliding them down when Isaac suddenly cried out, “No, wait!” His hand shot out to capture my wrist, but he was too late.
