The Wolf King (The Wolf Kings #1) (MLM)

CHAPTER FORTY.

                Jack and Tiberius left their room to cheers and applause. Some people were chanting Jack's name, some reaching for his hand, some bowing through their tears. Jack hugged a few of them just to calm them down, but that only freaked them out more.

No one looked sick or weary anymore. What Tiberius had said must've been true. He and Jack were the stone now, and the source of their people's strength. Suddenly immortality seemed only logical. The only wound Jack knew their new power wouldn't be able to heal was the loss of his friend. He could feel Isaac's absence as strongly as though Isaac's blood covered his hands. He rubbed them together, brows pinched as the image of Isaac lying on the ground in a pool of his own blood clawed its way to the forefront of his mind.

Some of the people cursed Isaac for what he'd done, and to them Jack had had nothing to say. He didn't want to confess it, but he felt like he was still mourning his friend.

If Tiberius sensed his inner conflict, he didn't say anything. He just took Jack's hand to keep him from wringing them together, and squeezed. His jaw was clenched and though he smiled, it was tight and his eyes held some sorrow. It occurred to Jack just then that Tiberius had known Isaac a lot longer than he had. All his life, probably. Neither of them could really reconcile the Isaac they knew with what he had truly been. Not completely, and not yet.

Jack kissed the back of Tiberius's hand, and Tiberius's smile softened. Like an apology for being sad at the death of a man that had tried to kill them. Jack kissed his fingers again.

They got to the entrance hall, where they found Everett, Mira, and Wyatt. Mira sat on a windowsill, swinging her legs, Everett leaned against the wall next to her, and Wyatt stretched out on a bench, head hanging off the end and staring at the closed dining room doors.

"Jack," Everett said, relieved and impatient, and clutched his shoulders, looking him over. "Feeling any better, mate?"

"Yeah," Jack scoffed, a sudden lump in his throat at his friend's concern. "I'm okay. Mira?"

Mira looked over her arms, patted her stomach, and said, "Not ripped anymore."

Everett winced, but she patted his head indulgently. Wyatt grinned up at them from where he laid on the bench. "We're guarding the witches inside from onlookers. Tourists. Some of them have never even seen a witch before, the poor, stupid—"

"Wyatt," Jack huffed, and held a hand out to him. "Stop talking."

Wyatt blinked at his outstretched hand, slowly sitting up.

"Thanks," he said with half a smile, "for saving us."

Wyatt stood, blinking at Jack's hand for a few more seconds before he smiled and took it in both of his own. "Does this mean I can smell you now?"

"Wyatt," Tiberius growled.

"But he smells so nice!"

"You're such a freak," Jack sighed, taking his hand back, but he patted Wyatt's arm once as they passed him. A freak, definitely. Still, he was growing on him. Maybe they all were. And maybe that made Jack a freak now, too.

"What's so funny?" Tiberius murmured into his ear, pleased, and Jack realized it was because he was smiling.

He shook his head as Tiberius grabbed the doorhandle. "I'll tell you later."

Tiberius raised a brow, but opened the door. Jack watched as his expression turned stonier with the morning light pouring in. Jack squeezed his hand tighter. Violet sat on a honey velvet couch, hands folded gracefully together in her lap as she looked out the window. There was a longing in her eyes, like she was reliving all her memories with her fiancé on these very grounds.