“Fine,” Adam grumbled, clearly unhappy. “But I want you to call me when he wakes up. I need to know that he’s okay.”
“Of course,” Damon agreed. “I’ll call you as soon as he opens his eyes.”
“Did Nicholas really say he wanted to be with me?” Adam asked, uncertainty lacing each word.
“Yes,” Damon confirmed. “Rory and I were dancing when Nicholas found us. He told me that he was ready to go home and start packing. He was ready to leave. When you were in town, he seemed okay. But when you left, things changed. He was sad. I could see…” Damon shook his head. “He missed your presence.”
“Thank you for telling me. I uh…” He cleared his throat. “I needed to hear that.”
“We’re gonna try to get some sleep. I’ll call you later.”
“Sounds good.”
“Bye.” Damon ended the call.
He handed the device back to Rory, and the young man took it, shoving the cell phone into his pocket.
Damon took one last look at his brother before taking Rory’s hand and leading him out of the bedroom. After a long night at the hospital, he was exhausted.
* * * *
Lazily blinking open his eyes, the cat yawned as he stretched out on the soft surface beneath him. The human within wanted him to shift, but the animal refused to obey. He didn’t want to stay buried any longer, not when he was finally in charge. This was his chance to locate his mate, the Alpha wolf he’d been denied for far too long. He jumped off the bed, hitting the floor on silent feet. Padding out of the bedroom, he went downstairs.
He prowled through the house, keeping his presence unknown as he searched for an exit. Darkness surrounded him, making it easier to stay hidden.
“Nicholas?” a voice called out.
Lifting his nose, he inhaled, categorizing each scent. The smell was unique, similar to his own. Brother. The cat immediately turned around and strode toward the man. He rubbed his body against the human’s legs, trying to convince his twin jaguar to come out and play.
“Are you feeling okay?” Damon asked, kneeling down. His brother wrapped his arms around his neck, holding him close. “I’ve been worried about you, Nicky.” The cat closed his eyes as a sense of peace surrounded him. Damon pushed his finger into his fur, petting him. “Will you shift for me?”
The jaguar pulled back, nuzzling his brother’s cheek. Although he wanted to stay with Damon, the drive to find his mate was overwhelming. He needed the Alpha wolf and so did his human counterpart. The distance separating them from Adam was causing a great deal of pain, both physical and emotional.
“Nicholas, you need to shift.”
It was an order, plain and simple, one the jaguar was going to refuse. He couldn’t allow a shift, not yet, not until he had exactly what he wanted. His mate. Easing back even farther, the animal glanced around before making a quick escape.
* * * *
“Nicholas!” Damon shouted as the jaguar, shredded the screen with his claws, and jumped through an open window. “Nicky!” he called out, hustling toward the window. “Come back.”
He watched in horror as the jaguar ran away. Damon started to panic. What the hell was he going to do now? Nicholas was roaming the neighborhood, and Damon knew that the animal was searching for his mate.
“What happened?” Rory asked, running into the living room.
Damon shoved a hand through his hair in frustration. “Nicholas just jumped out a window. I’ve got to find him.”
“A jaguar is out there roaming the streets?” Rory laughed nervously. “What are we going to do? How are we going to get him back? Oh God…Adam. What am I going to say to Adam?”
“Michael!” Damon shouted up the stairs. “I need your help, man.”
Heavy footsteps hit the floor as the polar bear shifter ran down the stairs. “What’s going on?”
“Get the tranquilizer gun. I’m going after Nicholas. We’ve got to get him back here.”
Stripping off his clothes, Damon shifted into his jaguar form. He let out a roar before jumping out the window. He followed Nicholas’s scent trail, hoping he could get to his brother before anyone got in the jaguar’s way.
Damon wasn’t worried about Michael. He knew the other shifter would know what to do without any further instruction.
He didn’t want to hunt Nicholas down, but the animal had left him no choice. It seemed the jaguar wanted to find his mate. The predator wouldn’t allow the shift to happen, not until he accomplished his goal. He wanted Adam.
Damon was grateful it was dark out. That would provide extra cover while he jogged through the Garden District. He moved faster, needing to catch Nicholas before it was too late. If Nicholas was spotted, someone might consider him a threat and report the sighting to the FPA. Scenting the air, Damon knew he was getting close. He pushed himself harder, running faster. When he spotted Nicholas, Damon pounced.