Ascension - Book Eight - Man x Man

Chapter 102

"It seems to be a genetic trait for you Mercers," I tell her, placing the kettle on the stove. "Maybe just stop trying to dissect everything and just allow it to be whatever it's going to be? Enjoy it? Is the sex at least good?"

She places her cheek on her knuckles, "Not as good as Kestrel."

Wrinkling my nose, I could see the appeal, unfortunately. "Train him?"

Sticking her tongue out between her teeth in disapproval, I scoff, flicking water at her from the ends of my fingertips. "You're so much like Randy. It's really almost creepy."

Taking another bite of her bagel, this seems to please her and she shrugs her slim shoulders to some sort of soundless victory dance. Licking the cream cheese off her thumb, she taps her lengthy nails on the counter. "Tiberius is coming by this morning, he's found Landon and they're wanting to discuss some things with Papa about Fenrir. Tyler is planning on taking the boys over to see John and Jan."

I was frankly relieved, my body was aching from head to toe, and chasing two children around was sounding more and more like an act of god given the state of my back and hips. Perhaps being the 'top' wasn't all it was cracked up to be if this was the state it left me in. "I appreciate you both taking care of them. What are they hoping to achieve with that? Checking on the chain?"

Helen pulls her lips into a thin line, "Tiberius feels as though the balance of the world is off. The cats are back, only this time... it would appear there have been werewolf sightings."

My blood runs cold and she waits for a moment, letting me swallow that knowledge. 

"I have been sending out the limited lycan resources we have here in the states, they can't pick up on anything but the scent of... morphs... or what we're calling them. Tonic had taken Landon and K to town to hide out while this all blew over, he was worried Verando was not actually... himself. Nic, they're suspicious that we've managed to lock Fenrir on the outside and Randy on the inside."

Appalled, I attempt to allow every word to sink in before I dared to react. "Is that why we've not been able to speak to Landon?"

"Fenrir might reveal himself when exposed to the vessel of Tyr. In Viking lore, Tyr and Fenrir were actually good friends before Tyr was forced to betray him, there is some bad blood harbored there obviously... if Fenrir is in there, there's a good chance that seeing Landon and sensing the god underneath will trigger him." Helen speaks with so much conviction as if she'd practiced this over and over again, as if she'd already made up her mind that we'd possibly trapped my husband for eternity and the man driving this vessel was actually a demon. 

"Helen. I'm going to give you one opportunity to assure me that you don't think my husband is Fenrir."

I couldn't go through this, not again. My wolf stands at attention, firmly planted in retaliation for allowing anything further to happen to the man I loved. "I just got him back. Verando is on the end of his rope, they are not coming into my house to do anything that's going to upset him." I snap, firm as I meet her gaze with a low growl rumbling in my chest. 

The pale eyes lock with mine, she considers her options, wanting to please me but not wanting to allow me to take charge of this situation. She hadn't intended on asking me, none of them had, because they wanted to catch my husband off guard and I'd ruined that opportunity by finding out their plans first. 

"Nic, we're all scared. But we have to find out if this is Fenrir or Randy."

"I'm telling you, as his lover, his husband and his soul mate, that that is my husband."

"Fenrir's a good liar-" She insists and I slam my hands on the counter with a feral snarl. Flashing my teeth, I feel my wolf threaten to crawl out of my skin, only to retract in obedience to my stance. I couldn't destroy a home Verando worked so hard to make for us, the wolf respected that request.