Chapter One

“Why would she die for me? I’m not that important.” I look at Heathen, confusion written all over my face. 

My aunt just died right in front of my eyes, I literally watched her soul leave her body in little wisps of gray smoke when she broke the council's spell. I can't believe she's gone. We weren’t that close. I respected her craft and rank. But I never thought she loved me enough to die.   

“You are far more important than you think, Micklaus.” Heathen’s voice carries from behind me, where he always seems to stand guard around me. At first, I thought Knox ordered him to keep an eye on me, maybe even protect me since I’m mostly human. But recent events proved me wrong again. 

I feel my cock stir just from his nearness. Fuck! Why does my body never listen to me? My aunt isn’t even in the damned ground, and my dick is all happy happy joy joy for Heathen. I try to be as discreet as possible when I press my hand over my lap. Feeling a hard thump upside the back of my head lets me know I didn’t succeed. 

“Put that thing away and pay attention, Sparky.” I glare over at AliStacia as she flops onto the couch beside me. 

“What the hell, Stac? You think since you're pregnant that you can just go around hitting people for free?” I raise my hand, smirking as little sparks pop from the tips of my fingers, and I wiggle my brows at her, causing her to laugh as I intended. 

“Hells Bells, he’s gonna set another couch on fire!” Angel walks into my view, a shit eating grin on her lips. I throw my hands up in the air in mock frustration.

“Set one damn couch on fire and never live it down!” I huff out, then start laughing, but my voice cracks as my aunt crosses my mind once more. Tears build in the back of my eyes, the pressure almost unbearable when I feel arms wrap around me from two different sides. But it’s the large warm palm on the back of my neck that breaks me; the strongest man I’ve ever met is my breaking point.

A soft breath of a sob breaks through as the tears silently flow down my cheeks unchecked, running off my chin onto someone's shoulder. I wrap my arms up around two bodies. Both are small in stature. Angel and AliStacia. My family is here, holding me together as I fall apart.

“Let it out, Sparky.” Stac’s voice barely above a whisper is muffled against my chest. She’s the one my tears are soaking.

“We got you, Mick.”  Angel’s voice is right beside my left ear, caring and sweet, something I never thought I would hear in this lifetime. 

It feels like hours I sit with all both of them silently crying. 

“Rage and Gunner are moving Celine to the gazebo.” Ezra whispering to Heathen has me lunging up, close to knocking Angel over backwards onto the couch, as I dodge AliStacia altogether. I spin around, facing the wolf hybrid. His face goes from pale to ghost white as his eyes land on mine. 

“Her body has to be anointed, then burned.” My voice is a stern whisper of harshness. Heathen reaches for my shoulder, but I dodge to the side as flickers of flames dance across my fingertips. I know if he touches me, I will do exactly what he says.

“Oh, for Demons’ sake!” Stac yells right behind me, and I cringe. It’s never a good thing when she gets all shrieky. My shoulders hunch as I slowly turn around.

“You in trouble now, Micky! You done gone and pissed off a preggers.” Angel steps up to me, kisses my cheek, then runs for the door. “Good luck to you. Hope she don’t fry ya with your own fire!” 

Her footsteps fade down the hall as I hear a chuckle from behind me. Heathen’s breath gently fans across the back of my neck, calming me in a way I didn’t know was possible. Especially at a time like this.

“Little one, go torture Knox some more,” Heathen says as his arms wrap around my waist from behind, his chin resting on my left shoulder. “You know you wanna throw all his tan Dockers in the washer with a brand-new red sock.” 

AliStacia’s eyes sparkle with mischief as a broad smile crosses her lips.

“Thanks for the idea, Old Man.” She reaches up, pats me on the cheek, and leaves the room. 

I lean back into Heathen, for once not fighting the pull between us. A deep breath rushes from my lips as he tightens his arms around me, holding me close as I think about my aunt.

“Why?” I softly whisper to myself, forgetting I’m literally in the middle of a vampire den. 

“Why what?” Heathen’s voice is smooth as satin in my ear, sending tingles down my spine, straight to my balls, causing them to tighten. FUCK! It takes everything in my mind to ignore what my body is demanding and spit the words out.

“Why would she die for me?” 

I startle Heathen when I turn around and wrap my arms up around his neck, laying my forehead against his shoulder. I marvel at the thought of how well we fit together, with him being so much taller than my six-two frame.

He shakes off his bewilderment, tightening his arms around me once more.

“She loved you. Simple as that.”  Heathen’s voice is low and confident as he whispers in my ear and releases me. 

Sliver leads the female wolf shifter into the living room with us, then he nods to both of us and walks back out without a word...