Page 47 of Hart's Redemption

“You really like him, don’t you?”

His eager grin dissolved into something more modest and almost bashful, much more like the Tommy I’d gotten to know while he’d been in the Adler Springs jail. “Yeah, I really do.” He kicked at a loose pile of stones and gave me a furtive look. “Do you think… could I maybe ask you a personal question?”

“I can’t guarantee I’ll answer.”

“I get that, but I’d like to ask just the same?” A part of me burned with curiosity about what he could be so nervous about asking, given our earlier topic, but another was a little concerned at the sudden shift.

“Ask away.”

“Um…” He glanced over my shoulder where Eric was now pointing rather aggressively at Elijah, then his gaze skittered over to where his brother was not so subtly trying to eavesdrop. He ducked his head, and I had to lean close in order to hear the quiet words. “How did you know you’d bond?”

I straightened back up in shock that apparently registered on my face, going by how Tommy’s had turned a rather impressive shade of red. “I… well… Wouldn't it be better to ask Elijah about this? I’ll go get him.”

Tommy’s hand shot out to grab my arm, then he seemed to realize what he’d done, and dropped his hold. “No. If it’s all the same to you, I’d rather talk to you about it.”

“I’m not sure what you want me to say. What is it you ‌really want to know?”

His face twisted as he struggled to find the right words. “I guess, like how you know without…you know.”

I arched an eyebrow at the startling contrast between talking about having sex in the middle of the woods surrounded by fifty of your closest packmates and his inability to actually voice the words “unprotected sex”. “Tommy, I was already in love with Elijah before I turned. He would be more familiar with the signs than I am. Are you sure you wouldn’t prefer to ask him?”

“No, it’s fine. Forget I asked. It was stupid anyway.”

Guilt curled in my gut at seeing Tommy withdraw. “It’s not stupid. If you don’t want to involve him, fine. I’ll tell you what I know, though I don’t expect it will be much.”

Tommy blinked back at me, hope shining clearly in his eyes.

“What I gather from what he’s said in the past and my very brief few days as a cognizant lycan who hadn’t completed the bond, there’s this overwhelming urge—a need—to be with that person. Consciously or not, you seek them out, justifying it by any means necessary. Truthfully, the only time Elijah really talked about the symptoms, he was kind of pissed about the whole situation, so his recounting might have been a little colored. Tommy, do you think you might be trying to bond with Jason?”

“I… I don’t know.” He hung his head again and fell silent.

“There’s something else. What is it?”

“Remember how I said you were the only one who asked if I’d bonded with Tina?”

“Yes.”

“I told you I wasn’t, and I feel terrible for saying this after everything that happened, but I’m starting to wonder if I loved her as much as I thought I did. Because I…”

My hand returned to his shoulder, and I squeezed gently. “Because you love Jason more.”

His shoulders slumped. “Yeah.”

“Tommy, you don’t need the bond for that. There are still countless lycans out there who haven’t and may never find their bonded mate. Don’t let your past stop you from loving in the now.” I chanced a glance over my shoulder at the man who’d taught me that, then returned my focus to Tommy. “If you love Jason, you should tell him. You and I both know our time in this world is far from guaranteed.”

He gave a sharp nod, then surprised me by wrapping his arms around me in a bone-cracking hug. I didn’t hesitate to return the embrace just as fiercely. Somehow, Tommy had forgiven the awful things I’d done to him, and I’d do everything in my power to help him live his life to the fullest.

He pulled back just as abruptly and wiped quickly at his face. “Thanks. I’m glad that you’re you again, but I kind of miss talking to you all the time.”

“I think I can help with that.” Before he could react, I snagged his wrist and placed mine against his embedded bio-ware. “This is my personal line. Use it any time you want or need to talk,” I explained as the data transferred.

Tommy rubbed his wrist once it was free, gave me another quick hug, then bounded off to retrieve his brother.

I looked back at Elijah and wondered what on earth Eric could have said to him to make his face look like he’d swallowed a lemon sideways.

Elijah

I glanced to where Tommy and Josh were chatting and felt a familiar swell of pride at how well Josh was doing. It seemed odd that Kale wasn’t as involved in the conversation, but judging by the death glares he kept shooting his brother, it seemed like something else might be going on beyond him simply not being interested in the topic.