When they retreated back to their room, they were exhausted. They took turns showering, and then ordered room service. They did all that in relative silence. Whether it was comfortable or not, Luke couldn't tell.
He did feel like Rolus was distancing himself. He steeled himself to be the bigger person and reach out. When they finished eating and their dishes were collected, Rolus remained sitting on the couch, even when Luke went to their bed.
Luke let a moment go before deciding to broach the discomforting atmosphere. "Are you not coming to bed?" he asked, staring at Rolus.
"I'll be there in a minute," he smiled, but there was something that Luke was missing.
Was it because of the Rossi family? He also did get disconcerting feelings from them. He understood that Rolus felt the need to eliminate anything that might pose as a threat to his mate, but he surely understood that Luke could protect himself, right?
When Rolus came to join him on the bed, he left some space between them. At least he didn't look away from him.
Luke didn't know if it would be overstepping or not, especially when Rolus was having moods, but he felt it would be alright to put his arm around Rolus. He felt a deep sense of embarrassment when Rolus looked at the arm on his waist.
If the ground was to open up, he would be the first person to volunteer to be swallowed. That's how embarrassed he felt.
Luke meant to pull his arm away, but Rolus put his hand on top of his. "I'm still processing the day. And I'm sorry for the way I reacted. I shouldn't have let myself get blinded by rage. I'm sorry."
Luke nodded, feeling slightly guilty for keeping his mate on a pedestal. "I'm sorry too. I promise we will have our alone time. You saw how the Rossi couple is. Do you still want to go hiking tomorrow? I understand if the couples we will be going with would be-"
"It's fine, Luke," Rolus snapped, but quickly realised his mistake. "Can we please not talk about them?"
There was a lot to talk about, especially the endless scenarios that Natalie put in Luke's mind, but that was a discussion for another day.
They were basking in each other's embrace and comfort when their suite telephone rang. Luke was quick on his heels to answer it.
"Good evening, Mr Clonmel. You're speaking to Bianca, your guide for tomorrow," the lady spoke.
"Oh, yeah, Bianca."
"We're hosting a barbeque in the garden. There are drinks and a few snacks. I'm inviting you to come join us."
Luke scratched the back of his head, unsure if it was the right time. He was sure that the Rossi were there, and knew exactly how Rolus felt about them.
"Mr Clonmel, are you still there?"
"Yes. We'll be right there. Thank you for the invite." He berated himself for agreeing.
"See you."
He put the phone down to find Rolus looking at him expectantly. He shrugged, "What was I supposed to say?"
"You could've made up an excuse. Let's just go."
Luke grabbed his phone from the nightstand, then they left to go to the garden.
Bianca welcomed them. She was quite tall, and seemed athletic. She showed them around the garden, introducing them to the other couples. She then left them to converse with other people.
The garden was serene, with the dimmed lights and hushed voices of people quite therapeutic. There was a barbeque stand next to the apple tree, and two men handing out food.
On the other side were swings, benches and a round table that could fit about six people. Luke hadn't spotted Natalie.
Luke turned to Rolus. "Do you want food?" He was still full from their dinner.
"We can grab snacks. Let me go take some." He left Luke to go to the snack bar.
Luke wandered about the garden, checking out the flowers that had sprouted. He was bad at identifying flowers. He spotted the long, lean ones with white bulbs. He tried to remember their names, but was so bad that he even forgot those ones that had many petals - the white ones with many little petals with a yellow centre.
They smelled bad, even the smell of grass was better.
Sure, they made the garden look beautiful, but the grassy smell was worse.
"Here. What are you doing?" Rolus handed Luke the plate of snacks.
Inside were macaroons, cherry-flavoured sweets, crackers, sour sweets, raisins and peanuts etc. There were also potato chips.
"Thank you. I was trying to remember the names of these flowers. I'm bad at this."
Rolus lightly chuckled, looking at the flowers. He pointed at the white ones. "These are lillies. Those orange ones look like canna lillies and those are calla lillies. Here are magnolias. Those ones are daisies." He then eyed Luke suspiciously before saying, "Surely you know what these are, right?" He pointed at the roses.
Luke lightly punched his arm.
Rolus laughed, "Do you?"
"Those are roses. Who doesn't know roses?"
"Who doesn't know lillies?"
"I forgot the name. I recognise all these flowers, but I forgot their names. Have you ever had something at the back of your mind but you can't remember it?" Rolus nodded. "That's the case here." He ate his snacks, walking around to check out the place.
Rolus walked behind him.
As much as there were people, Luke didn't see them. Everyone minded their business. It showed that Natalie and her husband were not there.
Luke led them to the benches that weren't occupied. It was after they sat down that Bianca appeared. She was with a woman.
"Luke, Rolus, meet Hope. She will be joining us tomorrow. Hope, these are the Clonmels."
Hope seemed shy. She smiled, nodding her head in acknowledgement.
Hope left after she was introduced to them. Bianca then asked them if they wanted apples fresh from the tree. She was happy to help.
Rolus looked at Luke for an answer. Bianca saw that they were indecisive, so, she offered the apples to them to pick anytime they wanted. She left to attend to other people.
The way Luke saw it, Rolus was dependant. He didn't know how to describe it, but every time Rolus wanted something, or wanted to take a decision, he always asked Luke first what he thought or for his approval.
Luke also noticed that Rolus has been all over him, never keeping his hands to himself. He wondered if it was the mate bond making him act like that. Either way, he was not complaining. He liked this side of Rolus.
He didn't know he was smiling until Rolus pointed it out. "A penny for your thoughts?" Rolus asked, grabbing a sour sweet from Luke's plate.
Luke was forever smiling from ear to ear as he shook his head. He was poking his chips that they crushed. He was liking Rolus more and more. Having a mate suited him. He was not even embarrassed.
Even though he would never feel the mate bond and all it offered, Rolus feeling it was an advantage. Little by little, Luke was becoming more like Rolus — the love sick Rolus.
Luke was now holding Rolus' hand. He turned to him still smiling.
Rolus asked, "What is it? You've been all smiles. What's on your mind?"
"Does it feel like this?" Luke wondered how the bond felt like. He knew he's been asking Rolus, but his answers didn't exactly paint a picture.
"Do you mean the mate bond?" Rolus asked. When Luke nodded, Rolus smiled, shaking his head and explained, "Exactly like that, but a hundred times more."
A hundred times more, Rolus said. A hundred times more. Rolus pointed out again that Luke was smiling.
Luke didn't even know why he was smiling. He was frank that he didn't feel the mate bond. What would've become of him had he felt it? At the rate he's going, he would've been worse than Rolus.
Frank was not the right word. He consoled himself that he didn't feel the mate bond, not that he was frank that he didn't feel it.
"Is it like loving someone?" Luke wondered.
Rolus was quick to correct. He emphasised that loving someone was not the same. "Love is not eternal, Luke. The mate bond is eternal love."
"Why are you contradicting yourself? You said that love is not eternal, but the mate bond is eternal love. How can there be eternal love if love itself is not eternal?"
"Listen to me, Luke. Get this; love is not eternal, but the mate bond is eternal love. There's a difference between love and eternal love."
What Rolus said piqued Luke's interest. He still didn't understand what Rolus meant. If love was not eternal, then how could there be eternal love?
Rolus continued, "Let me give you an example about Natalie. She says she loves Leo very much. Love is love, you know that. Didn't she say that she would leave, but was considering her daughter and all the custody affairs?"
Luke nodded, still not understanding where Rolus was going.
"She loves him, yes, that's love. But, is their love eternal?"
Luke commented, "It depends."
Rolus shook his head, "No. It doesn't depend on anything. The mate bond offers eternal love that no matter what you do, I'll always find my way back to you. We may fight, argue or leave, but at the end of it all, we'd still find our way back to each other. Now that we marked, you're my first priority, no matter what."
Rolus didn't want to state the length he would go to save Luke from anything or anyone because he also didn't know how far he would go. He said that he didn't fully understand his capabilities when it came to Luke.
Luke thought it would've been better had they both felt it. Maybe he'd understand the meaning of eternal love.
Luke and Rolus continued talking about the mate bond. It sounded like heaven the way Rolus described it. To be loved unconditionally...
The way Rolus acted, and how the bond has been controlling him, Luke saw their future. Rolus would surely move to the Black Moon Pack. Of course, Luke wouldn't be selfish. When the time came, they'd discuss things thoroughly, talk to the Elders and their Councils to find an amicable solution. Luke wouldn't let the mate bond control Rolus when the time came. That would be selfish of him.
They immediately left after getting introduced to everyone. Bianca said that it was important for them to know each other since they would be hiking together.
Luke woke up early in the morning to pack their gears. He was looking forward to hiking, just that the thought of Natalie, Leo and some other couples joining them left him with a bitter taste in his mouth.
He was not looking forward to dealing with the Rossi's marital problems. He hoped that they didn't bring up anything.
He was about to take out their clothes when the telephone in their room ringed. The sound of it woke up Rolus.
Luke went to answer the call.
"Hey, it's Natalie!"
"Oh, morning, Natalie."
"I wanted to remind you about the hiking trip. We're leaving in thirty minutes. Be there at our spot. Bye!"
It was after she dropped the call that Rolus yawned, stretching his arms. He sat on the edge of the bed. "What did she want?"
Luke flashed him a warm smile, shaking his head as if judging Rolus. "Don't be like that. Anyway, she was just remind us about the hiking trip."
Rolus raised his brow, "And that's what's making you smile?"
"No, Rolus. I'm just thinking about what I'll do when I reach the mountain top first."
Rolus looked at Luke as if what he said was the most absurd thing he ever said. "First?"
Luke nodded, "Of course. I'm the Alpha of Black Moon Pack! I could take you down in seconds. Just that I never got the chance to show you my strength."
That made Rolus laugh.