Magnus

I was in my bedroom going through my closet while Everett and Felix sat on my bed. Griffin was laying on his belly on the floor, reading a book while kicking his legs in the air. I grinned at my nephew, feeling proud that he enjoyed reading so much at his young age. He could read on his own, too – nothing very complicated, but c'mon! The kid was five.

I looked at my brother, who was all loved-up with his mate. They sat close together, with Felix bending his head down to murmur in his mate's ear while Everett looked up at him with affectionate eyes. It was a beautiful moment, a snapshot into their lives that I felt grateful to get to see.

Not so grateful I wasn't willing to ruin it with a bit of light teasing.

"You can definitely tell Griffin is Everett's kid," I said.

Everett looked at me with arched brows before his gaze fell to his son. His expression softened and I swear, I've never seen a parent look prouder of his kid. Felix glanced between Everett and Griffin and said, "I don't see it."

I snorted in amusement while Everett lightly punched Felix's arm. Griffin was adopted, so Felix's joke was low-hanging fruit. I turned back to my closet while they playfully bickered some more. This was one of my favorite kind of moments. I was close to my family with everyone happy and enjoying being together. I had called Felix over to help me pick out an outfit to wear to dinner on Friday with Lachlan and his cousins. Felix hadn't come alone, but that was fine by me. I loved them all.

I emerged from the closet with a navy blazer. "Too much?" I asked, holding it out for them to see.

"Where are you guys eating?" Everett asked.

"Lachlan's house. He's cooking." Once again, he had told me not to bring anything. This time I wasn't listening. I knew a bakery that made excellent strudel and I was going to pick up an assortment on my way to his house.

"Then that's too formal," Everett decided.

I threw the blazer to the floor and groaned in frustration. This was too much pressure.

"You know," Everett commented mildly, "you're not being a very good example for your nephew."

I rolled my eyes, but picked up the discarded blazer. He was right.

"Good boy," Felix commented with a wry grin. I threw the blazer at his face. Felix laughed as he swiped it off. "Hey, keep this up and you aren't getting dessert."

I rolled my eyes, but enjoyed the attention. Felix was my older brother, but he was also a lot like a dad to me. I was barely a teenager when our parents died and I gave Felix a lot of the credit for the man I had grown up to be. I might be his alpha, but I would never stop looking to him for guidance. He could treat me like a kid all he wanted.

Everett cut in with a serious tone, "You know, this is a big step."

I grinned. It really was. Lachlan had agreed to be in a relationship with me and had decided to introduce me to his family on the same day. I couldn't be happier with how things were going. As a human, I knew Lachlan couldn't feel the bond as strongly as I did, but he could feel it. Other human mates had described it as a warmth and a sense of belonging. They could feel the enhanced pleasure of a mate's touch, they trusted easier and emotional defenses shattered. Human mates could feel a strong attraction and sense of connection, too. There were still stories of those relationships not working out, but they were few.

We were mates for a reason, and now that Lachlan was accepting me into his life, I was feeling really optimistic.

"Magnus?" Felix called.

"What?"

"You spaced out there," he said. "Everett was trying to talk to you."

I could see a trace of annoyance on Everett's behalf in the set of his brows and in his downturned mouth and I quickly turned to Everett. "Sorry. What were you saying?"

He waved off my apology and said, "I was just wondering if it might be a good idea to tell Lachlan the truth before you meet his family. This is a really big step in your relationship. If things were to go badly after you tell him... well, it would be easier all around if his family wasn't involved at that point."

My gut reaction was to deny everything Everett had just said. That came from a place of hurt, though, and I had been alpha long enough that I was well-practiced at shoving down my own feelings and looking at things a bit more rationally. Whenever I missed the mark on that, I had Roy and Felix to remind me. Now, Felix was watching me attentively and I could see him wondering whether I was going to handle this maturely. It was all the reminder I needed.

I leaned back against the wall and tried to focus on what Everett had said while ignoring the fierce ache in my chest at the thought of Lachlan breaking up with me.

Meeting the family was a huge step. I knew some people treated it lightly, but I wasn't one of them and I didn't think Lachlan was either. He was just starting to mend his relationship with his family. No way was I going to get in the way of that. But was it too soon to tell him about me... about us? Probably. But when would be better? When Lachlan was in deeper with me, deep enough to feel betrayed that I was keeping such big secrets from him? I couldn't do that. Lachlan should never feel anything close to betrayal because of something I did.

We had known each other for about a month now. Such a short time. And he needed to trust me when I told him everything... did he trust me enough yet? Enough to listen and believe?

I didn't realize I was crying until Felix was standing in front of me, wiping my damp cheeks with the edge of his sleeve. He pulled me against his chest in a tight hug. He held me for a long time while I tried to pull myself together. When we separated, we were alone. When had Everett and Griffin left? And what kind of alpha werewolf was I that I hadn't noticed?

"Hey. Magnus." Felix waited until he had my full attention before continuing. "It's going to be okay. I really believe that. You're soulmates. He might be human, but I know he feels it too."

I nodded. That didn't mean he would be okay with all the ramifications of my species, though. Lachlan moved around a lot. I would be asking him to give that up. He also would need to move onto pack lands with me and would be living in close proximity with a pack of werewolves. There are people who would be intimidated by that, or even afraid.

I didn't want him to be afraid of me.

Felix braced his hands on my shoulders and bent down so we were at eye level. "What are you thinking?"

"Everett's right," I said. I could hear the bleakness in my voice and hated it. "Lachlan deserves to know before... before we get too committed."

I looked up at my brother and felt my eyes watering again. "But... the dinner is tomorrow. That means I have to tell him tonight." Lachlan would be busy all day tomorrow and this wasn't going to be a short conversation. I couldn't interrupt his work day for it.

"Then you tell him tonight," Felix said somberly. "Do you want me to come with you? I can hang out nearby, just in case you need me after."

I smiled a little at that. I had the best brother in the world. Still... this was my mate. I had to do this myself. "I'll be okay," I said, and prayed I was right.

Better to get this over with. Lachlan and I were supposed to meet up for ice cream tonight. I texted him and asked if we could hang out at his place instead. This really wasn't a good talk to have in public.

Felix went into my closet and emerged with a pair of dark jeans and a maroon sweater. "Wear this for the dinner tomorrow," he said with a small smile.

I nodded and took the clothes from him, clutching them against my chest like a lifeline. Would there even be a dinner tomorrow?

--

I had never felt such anxiety and fear while walking up the porch steps to Lachlan's door. In fact, I didn't think I had ever felt this level of anxiety or fear in my life. Not even when I was fighting Marcus had I been this afraid... though that wasn't a fair comparison. I was too juiced up on adrenaline and determination to really feel fear.

Now, though...

My legs didn't feel like they could hold me. My fingers trembled before I curled them into fists.

Everett and Felix were right, I reminded myself. I knew that this was the right thing to do. Lachlan deserved to know before he got too invested. Before he could be too hurt by me not telling him sooner.

I stood in front of his door, struggling to find the willpower to open it. As usual when I was taking too long, Lachlan opened the door and smiled up at me.

"What are you doing out here?" he asked, stepping back and holding the door open wider so I could come in.

"Just thinking," I said. It was true.

"Thinking about?" Lachlan asked while I kicked off my shoes.

I sighed. It was probably better to jump right into this. I wasn't sure my nerves could take stalling. "We need to talk."

The laughter died out from Lachlan's expression immediately. He took a step away from me and shook his head a little. "You want to break up?"

I blinked in shock. "What? No! That's the last thing I want." I stepped forward and cradled his cheeks in my palms. "I will not break up with you." The words were a promise – the easiest promise I had made in my life.

I couldn't promise, however, that we wouldn't be breaking up tonight.

Nausea swelled and I forced it down. This wasn't the time for a weak constitution. I had to keep calm or there was no hope that Lachlan would. He stared into my eyes for a long moment before he swallowed and nodded. "Okay. You should know that no one ever says 'We should talk' without wanting to break up, though."

"No way," I argued. "How else am I supposed to communicate that I need to talk with you if I can't say 'We need to talk'?"

Lachlan smiled at that, but it didn't reach his eyes. I had made him nervous already. He took my hand and led me to his couch, where we settled next to each other. Lachlan's body automatically curved toward mine as we sat sideways on the couch so we could face each other. He hadn't let go of my hand and I clung to his like a lifeline.

"Okay, you're kind of freaking me out," Lachlan said. "What's this about?"

"There's something I need to tell you about myself... about us." I tried to take a deep breath, but my body wasn't cooperating with me. I was too anxious. My throat felt hot and I knew my fingers trembled in Lachlan's hold. My stomach roiled. I couldn't remember the last time I felt so sick.

Lachlan leaned forward and kissed me gently, comfortingly. I felt a tear slip down my cheek and he wiped it with his free hand when we parted. "Hey, it's okay," he said.

I shook my head. It really might not be okay. But the waiting was killing me. "Please promise you'll hear me out," I said.

"I promise." His eyes were fixed on mine and I knew he meant it.

Nodding, I sucked much needed air into my lungs and forced myself to hold his gaze. "I'm not human."

As soon as the words were out, I wanted to take them back. Lachlan's eyes filled with horror. Not disbelief – no, I could see that he believed me. He pulled his hand away from mine and scrambled back on the couch so an entire cushion separated us. He was shaking his head, as though refuting them would erase the words I had just put between us.

His obvious horror struck like a knife, but the way he pulled away and distanced himself hurt more. "Please hear me out," I pleaded. He had promised he would.

Lachlan's eyes filled with tears and he still mutely shook his head.

"Please," I whispered.

Lachlan finally looked at me and his eyes softened just a bit. "I said I would listen and I will," he said. "You should know first... I already know about the supernatural. What are you?"

That explained the horror on his face. What supernatural beings had he encountered that this was his reaction? "I'm a werewolf."

Lachlan's eyes swept over me and I wondered what he was looking for. His lip quirked up a little and he said, "You're always so sweet and gentle, but every once in a while, you have an edge. Something predatory."

I wanted to ask for details, but this wasn't the time. "So... you believe me?" I had to confirm.

"I believe you."

Well, that was part of the battle. Based on the distance still between us and the fear on Lachlan's face, the worst was still ahead of us. "Good. That's... good. And I swear, I would never hurt you. You're safe with me." No one in the world was safer with me, in fact. I would do anything to protect him. Anything.

"I believe that too," he said softly. His eyes were still tear-filled, though, and he still sat too far away from me.

"Then why are you over there?"

Lachlan bit at his lip. Usually, I would have kissed him as a distraction, to make sure he didn't hurt himself. Now there was a barrier between us. He had pulled away from me and I knew better than to try and re-establish contact. Instead, I watched as he chewed his lip with a furrowed brow, clearly debating something in his head. After far too long he said, "I'm not completely human either, Magnus."

I froze and stared at him, trying to connect the dots and coming up short. These dots didn't feel like they belonged in the same state, much less in the same puzzle. I couldn't help leaning closer to him and taking in his scent. He smelled completely human.

Lachlan laughed a bit. "I know I smell human," he said, echoing my thoughts. "Because I technically am. Have you ever heard of a reactant? Or a potential? We've been called both."

I shook my head no, and he smiled a bit. "That's good. We try to keep our existence quiet. We're born human, Magnus, and we can die human, too. Or we can be transformed. I have a one-way ticket into any supernatural species. There are some species out there that are dying out or that have trouble reproducing, or ones whose power is waning who would transform us against our will to bolster their kind. If I were transformed into a fae, for example, I would be a full fae even if a quarter-fae changed me. It puts a huge target on my back."

My mind raced to keep up with the onslaught of information.

There was one conclusion that had me particularly excited: he could become a werewolf. I never dreamed of the possibility that he would be able to feel the mate bond like I did, that he would be able to mark me himself. It was hard to think through other ramifications, but I forced myself to focus.

He was a target. He lived with the danger of being transformed against his will. What did it take to transform him, anyway? Horrific images of someone capturing Lachlan flashed through my mind. "You move a lot," I wheezed. "This is why."

My eyes snapped to his, begging him to deny it. Lachlan didn't, though. He nodded slowly, his eyes fixed on mine. "Whenever someone catches my trail, I move again. There have been some close calls. I came back here for my family's protection. Many of them have already transformed."

The thought of Lachlan settling into a new home only to be chased away again sickened me. He moved every year or two, sometimes even more often. How much danger had he been living under all these years? "You're safe with me," I promised again. "Even if..." I had to swallow and dig deep to force the words out. "Even if we don't work out. I'll never tell anyone. If you ever need help, you only ever have to call me – no matter what."

And then Lachlan was crying. He drew his knees up, wrapping his arms around his legs and putting his face down so he was a trembling little ball of hurt. I physically ached with the need to comfort him, but he had pulled away from me. He wasn't reaching out to me now. I had to respect that, no matter how much it burned.

A while later – a long time, I thought, though maybe it only felt long – his head lifted and he fixed red-shot eyes on mine again. "Sorry," he said. "I can't believe I lost it like that."

"It's okay," I assured him.

He snorted in amusement. "Magnus," he sighed. "You're too kind. I mean that – it's an actual flaw."

I rolled my eyes at him, knowing he needed levity right now. Just a few moments of joking around before we got back to talking. "Maybe you need to go back to kindergarten. You can't be too kind, Lachlan. Kindness is free."

He sat up straighter, rubbing at his cheeks with his sleeves and sniffling. "Kindness isn't always free."

We were back to being serious again. That hadn't lasted long.

"Being kind to you doesn't cost me anything," I told him. It was the truth. Lachlan was a part of me. I could give him anything – everything – and it wouldn't be a loss.

His eyes softened and he reached out a trembling hand toward me, watching as I linked our fingers together. Our joined hands rested in the empty space between us while Lachlan stared at them. "So, you're a werewolf," he said.

"Yeah."

"Why tell me now?" he asked, still not looking up.

"Because I wanted to tell you while your response could be 'Why tell me now' instead of 'How dare you not tell me sooner.' Eventually it would have been too late and I never wanted to go near that line."

"The reason I wanted to introduce you to my cousins was so they could check your species. They're witches."

So he would have found out tomorrow, anyway. That made me feel a lot better. It was definitely best that he find this out from me rather than his cousins. He was touching me again, which was an improvement, even if we were still too far apart. Was this the right time to tell him the rest – that we were mates? I studied Lachlan's expression for guidance and came up with nothing.

Guess I was winging it.