Bastien’s chest, and I turn to Aydin.
“Stomach wound,” Aydin tells us. “Evrin did what he could to patch it, but he’s taking him to get some extra help from Nash or Ryker. It was pretty bad,” he admits, and Bastien tenses in my arms. “Lachlan?” Aydin asks, his voice just above a whisper.
I look toward my uncle’s body, a dusting of ash now coating it. “He’s with Keegan,” I offer simply, and Aydin’s eyes well up with tears. Bastien wipes at his face, and I hug him harder, wishing I could do more to ease the hurt and loss I know he and the others are wading through.
“I’m going to find Sorik and Alpha Volkov, get some patrols and guards sorted out so nothing else kicks off tonight,” Aydin declares, his voice heavy with the sorrow that he’s trying hard to tamp down.
Something about seeing the ginger giant fight the desolation he’s so obviously feeling shoves the shock and uncertainty I’ve been floating in away. My throat grows tight with emotion, and my eyes sting as I watch Aydin try to blink away his heartache. “I’m so sorry, Aydin,” I offer lamely, hoping it conveys some of the anguish I feel for his loss.
Aydin shakes his head slowly, and then his tear-filled eyes settle on mine. “No, Little Badass, I’m so sorry,” he chokes out, and I push away from Bastien and rush to give Aydin a hug. He squeezes me so tightly he’s probably going to break something, but I don’t say a word, and he surrounds me with his despair and apology. “I’m sorry you’ll never know him like we did and that he wasn’t what you deserved. I’m sorry I chose him over you in the beginning. Fuck…I’m just so sorry, Vinna,” Aydin whispers in my hair as he crushes me to him, and his words breach my walls and coax out my tears.
I pull back and place my palms on Aydin’s cheeks. His beard tickles my hands, and I watch as Aydin’s pain drips down his face and darkens the red hair. My eyes bounce back and forth between his for a beat. “He saved me. In the end, he took the sword aimed for me,” I reassure him. A sob escapes Aydin’s lips, and he shakes his head furiously as tears pour down his face.
“Good,” he tells me, his voice laced with mourning. “Then he died the person I’ve known and loved.”
I nod my head in agreement, and Aydin pulls me in for one last bear hug before stepping away and doing his best to shake away his hurt. “I’m just going to go and get everything settled and safe,” he declares.
Bastien pulls me back into him, and I cling to him like a lifeline as Aydin makes his way over, bends down, and pulls Lachlan into his arms. He lifts him up and drifts out of the room, and we all hover in the sadness left behind.
“Sharing is caring,” Valen announces, his cheeks wet and his eyes filled with grief. He steals me away from his twin, and my mind flashes to Lachlan and Vaughn for a moment. My dad is alive, but I have no idea how to process what he is. He feels neither here nor there, and I don’t know what that means for me or for him. I exhale a deep shuddering breath and then push the ache and disquiet away. I’ll let all of that sucker punch me in the face. Tomorrow. I squirm in Valen’s hold until my arms are around his neck, and I’m suddenly driven hard by the need to touch all of my Chosen and feel that they’re all okay. I practically tackle Knox next, and he laughs as he catches me.
“I’d kiss you, but you seem to have a little lamia on your face,” he teases, the levity not quite reaching his eyes, and then he proceeds to motion to my entire face.
I move to wipe my face on my arm and quickly realize I’m covered in ash and blood. We all are. Torrez shakes out his fur, and then in a blink, he’s shifted back into a man, a very naked, very sexy, battle dirty man. Groans of objection escape out of all the guys. I laugh as he pulls me in for a hug, loving the feel of his warm skin.
“Dude, go wolf until we can find you some pants. No one needs to see your hard-on,” Knox grumbles as he dramatically