Five: Nest

Theo’s pov 

Bringing him here was the right call and the stupidest thing I’ve ever done.

We didn’t make it to three blocks before we noticed headlights from two vehicles which peeled off from the curb the second we turned.

"Down." Lucien dropped to the floorboard without a sound. My jacket in one fist, Caspian’s laptop in the other. His knuckles were white.

I killed the lights as the city blurred past in flashes of neon and rain. In the rearview, the SUVs split. One cutting down the side street to cut me off.

"Theo—"  

"Don’t.” I stepped on it, going above the speed limit. “Just breathe."

I took a hard right and the tires squealed. Something heavy clipped my bumper and the whole SUV shuddered. A warning shot cracked the rear window, raining glass onto Lucien’s back.  

He flinched but didn’t make a sound. "Good boy," I said before I could stop myself.  

The bridge was 400 meters. Crane territory. I floored it. The engine screamed. 80. 90. "My turf now."

We shot across the line at 2:17am. Behind us, the Sterling SUVs hit their brakes so hard I heard the tires burn. They stopped dead at the border because they couldn’t cross. 

Only then did my shoulders drop. I wasn't supposed to be in theirs too except on business but I couldn't leave Lucien alone.

I pulled into my garage and killed the engine. Lucien was already out, door open, standing in the dark with my jacket around him.

My house wasn’t much. Two bedrooms with no windows on the first floor and a safehouse I kept for when Sterling politics got too loud. I’d never thought I’d bring him here.

I flipped one light on. "You can take the bedroom," I said. He stood in the middle of the living room and looked lost. 

"I don’t want to lie down," he said.

"Okay." I went to the kitchen, put water on. When I came back he was on the floor, in the corner. He’d dragged every blanket off my couch. He was wearing three of my hoodies, one over the other. His own clothes were still wet underneath.

“What are you doing?” I looked at the clothes then at him.

“I….I…” he looked like he was going to cry. “I feel comfortable this way.”

I'd seen something like this before. He was trying to…..what was the word for it??? Nesting, but he looked like he didn't want any of this and his jaw was clenched like if he admitted it he’d lose.

I leaned against the doorframe, a cup in hand while I watched him struggle against the urge to take a whiff of my scent off the hoodie.

“I—” the sound of the doorbell being rang repeatedly cut me off. I wasn't expecting anyone.

“Stay here,” I said to him before walking to the door which I opened slightly, just enough to see outside but the person couldn't see inside.

Odin.

“What's going on Theo?” He asked. “Are we going to have this discussion or you'll let me in?”

“I'm sorry Odin but now isn't a good time. Come back later and we can discuss whatever it is.” I stepped back to close the door but he put his feet in the way.

“You came in here with someone,” he sniffed. “And you should remember your place in this pack. If you're up to no good—”

“And you should know better than to come to my own house to make threats.” I slammed the door against his feet and he yelped in pain before taking it away and I closed the door.

Good riddance.

When I returned, Lucien was no longer there. I heard a choking sound coming from upstairs so I went to check. 

I was there before he hit his knees. He was already heaving. Nothing came up at first but bile and the tea he’d probably been forced to drink for years.

"Get out," he gasped.

"No." 

I grabbed his hair, held it back with one hand while the other found a washcloth, and ran it under cold water. He shook violently due to the Suppressant withdrawal and pregnancy hormones and three years of lies coming up his throat.

When it stopped he was still on the floor.I pressed the cold cloth to the back of his neck. "Drink this." I held out water.

He slapped it away. "Don’t touch me."

My hand hovered then I set the cup down next to him and sat back on my heels. The mark on his neck burned. I could feel it on my own skin too, under my collar. 

We stayed like that until his breathing evened out until he finally took the water himself and I helped him downstairs.

I made myself comfortable on the couch while he got his laptop. His hands shook as he scrolled. Every time he found a new email his face went paler. 

`Denied reduction request.`  

`Approved. Maintain protocol.`  

`Patient inquiring about fertility.`

He slammed the laptop shut. "Three years."

"Yeah."

He looked up at me, eyes red but dry. "Did you know?"

"I found out yesterday," I said. "After." After I marked him. After I ruined both our lives. "I would’ve told you sooner if—"

He cut me off. "Don’t."

His phone buzzed on the table. Unknown number. He picked it up and I saw his face go still. He turned the screen so I could see.

“We know you have him.”

The room went cold. I was on my feet before I realized it and I went to the window before pulling the curtain back a half inch. The street was empty. 

"Don’t answer," I warned, already closing the laptop but a minute later, three knocks sounded on the door. 

My gun was in my hand before the second knock. I moved to the door, checked the peephole but there was no one.

I opened it anyway to find a small box with no address but the Sterling seal stamped on top. I brought it in and set it on the table between us.

Lucien didn’t reach for it. "Open it."

Inside: one glass vial with liquid dark green that smelled like suppressant tea.  

And underneath it, a photo and a note which Lucien read out loud. "He needs this. Bring him home."

I looked up. Across the street, down the block, there was a black car pulling away. Lucien was staring at the vial. He let out a laugh. "They're going to come for me and you'll have to fight for what's yours.”

I picked up the vial, dropped it in the sink and crushed it under my boot. "We have a problem," I said.

Lucien nodded, pulled my hoodie tighter around himself and dragged another blanket over his lap. "Yeah," he said. "We do.”