Lead Me Astray

Original Edition: CHAPTER 42 - ZYR

September 10 | After Midnight

Aurie looked down. Her bottom lip trembled as she nodded slowly, processing what I had blurted out in the heat of the moment. A rough growl rumbled in my throat, and I shoved my fingers through my hair. How had things gotten so off kilter?

"Regroup," Mys ordered, dragging us both to the back step and making us take a seat on either side. Aurie placed her head on the Empath's shoulder. Mys wrapped her in a hug. No such warm embrace was extended to me. I was the bad guy.

I crossed my arms and hunched forward to stare at the ground. Night sounds crept into the silence that descended. Underscoring that was the faint electronic hum of motion sensor cameras, another reminder we weren't on a romantic getaway.

"I mean, what do you both expect? That we come out of this smelling like roses, happily ever after?" I argued. "We trashed a store and went on a high-speed chase. I almost shot someone. It made the evening news. Don't you understand? It's not only pointless, it's dangerous to start with dramatic outpourings of devotion now!"

Devotion, I scoffed. I had devoted my life to chasing a madman, and the madness was catching. Aurie was on the same path. Our futures were inexorably tied to Darcy Cyprian's. His house of cards would collapse, but so would ours.

The difference was Aurie would find herself right where she needed to be, and I would descend deeper into this hell.

I squeezed my eyes shut, releasing a sigh. The sound became an anguished expletive when wetness seeped through my lashes. I shook my head in dismay, scrubbing at the tears. It seemed like the more feral I became, the less control I had over my emotions. I had a burning lump in my throat, a bitter pill of things I couldn't say.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to push it. I—" Aurie broke off, chagrined at my embarrassment.

Mys finally wrapped an arm around me and brought our heads together. "Please, admit that last night left the three of us with unresolved issues. I'm tired of trying to put out this dumpster fire of hidden emotions," said the Empath.

Aurie tossed her hair from her face to confront me. "I know it's nuts to wish for anything, but when you're on borrowed time like I am, you say what needs saying, even if no one wants to hear."

I had to admit, "You're right. If I'm honest, being with you is the stuff of magic to me, too. I never imagined finding companionship like this, but you and I don't have much longer on this plane. And how do you think it will turn out for Mys when we reach that eventuality?"

"Don't worry about me, " said Mys. The Empath kissed my temple as I pressed my palms to my eye sockets and took a shuddering breath. I pictured Tegan waking up and coming outside, finding us together. It surprised me how little I cared. My gut told me my partner needed to see I was well and truly off limits to her.

Tegan Stoney was gunning for a rekindling of our flame. Yet, she had been the one to break things off when I found out the brief relationship wasn't exactly exclusive. Even though we returned to being friends—no harm, no foul—I couldn't be with someone who had cheated on me.

Under different circumstances, I could see myself with Aurie and Mys, but I was devolving into a monster with every passing second. We had no future. There was nothing left but the wild dark to come.

"If you think about it, we're all existing on borrowed time," Mys pointed out. "Maybe instead of trying to make up for our pasts or planning for our futures, we should just be right here in this space, in the now. What do you say?"

Giving in, Aurie draped her arm across my neck and closed the group hug. My mouth captured hers. I couldn't help it. I dragged them both to my lips in a three-way kiss. Mys broke free with a moan and lurched from the porch step to face us, breathless and unsteady. I was fighting the same unsteadiness.

"Before we get lost in lust, we need clarity on this," Mys censured.

Aurie grew introspective. "I'm willing to take things one day at a time, but it's really up to you, Mys. The detective has rightfully pointed out that you're the one with the most at stake. So, what memories do you want to hold onto when this is over? Sex or something more?"

Perturbed, Mys let a curtain of hair fall over their face before throwing it back and pasting on a nervous smile. "I'm the least qualified to call it. I have no experience whatsoever with being in an exclusive relationship."

"Wait, does that mean you want to keep things open to see other people?" I asked in surprise.

Mys smirked. "No, Detective. It means I guess no-strings sex is fine with me since 'commitment' isn't your favorite word."

"Not that I have much experience with dating, either, but there has to be some middle ground between commitment and cheap thrills," Aurie said as she gave me side-eye.

"Alright, hypothetically speaking, what if I want an exclusive relationship?" I rose to my feet and slid a hand inside Mys' blue silk pajama top and ran fingertips down their side.

Mys swayed in my arms. "Ideally? I would love a 'he-only-pays-for-dinner kind of date.'"

Indeed, they both deserved a less transactional affair, but I put up fingers to count each strike against us. "We're on the run," I said. "Someone is trying to kill us. Two of us are mentally unstable. And this bisexual threesome is breaking all the rules. How exactly are we to cram a relationship into the equation?"

"You want the truth? I've seen weirder hook-ups on an average Saturday night at Fusions gay bar," Mys deadpanned.

I barked a laugh and turned to Aurie. "What about you? How do you see this working out?" I asked her.

"I mean, sure, we're fighting Supernatural evil while trying to get to know each other, but how is that much different from your regular day on the internet?" She tilted her head and asked, "What does your gut tell you, Zyr?"

"It says...to give you all of me."

With a triumphant grin at my answer, Aurie dashed over, fitting between Mys and me like she was made for us two. The moon illuminated the Empath's dark, uncertain stare over Aurie's shoulder. "Are you sure?" Mys checked. "We're not friends with benefits, but together-together?"

I nodded as my heart gave a funny kick. This felt right. Temporary, but right. We were still on the run with the odds stacked against us. We still had to acquire the evidence to convince the Council to prosecute Cyprian. I was still a rogue wolf destined to lose my mind before everything was said and done. Yet, perhaps for the first time since renouncing my Alpha birthright, I didn't feel alone.

"We're together-together," I confirmed.

Mys said playfully, "Now, about that offer to do it in the truck."

"Issa no for me!" Aurie cracked.

"What happened to living life to the fullest?" Mys nibbled her earlobe teasingly.

"That's not my unfinished business, and sex in a truck sounds hella cramped. Thank you, no," she said, tickled pink.

"I was talking about the truck bed, but okay," I clarified to another round of laughter.

My heightened sense of hearing registered Tegan stirring in the loft. I gently disengaged from Aurie and Mys and suggested we hit the sack. It was late, and I could tell Mys, at least, was exhausted. As we reentered the cabin, Mitsuyo's eyes dimmed at the fold-out. Fuck it, I thought as I dropped into bed with the two of them. We were together now, right?

Nothing left to hide.