After the campfire, Keith and Nathan ran straight into their bedroom, and continued making love to each other.
It seemed like a mutual silent agreement that they were careful. That night, as they carefully treaded their steps into the house that they'd be living in together, Nathan carrying Keith into his arms with strength and raging desire. They were at the bottom of the staircase when Nathan couldn't hold it in anymore and swooped his mate into the bedroom, only to throw him passionately on the bed later.
Keith thought the two of them would be exhausted from the occasion of the day, but Nathan seemed to still have energy. This was evident when Nathan pinned Keith's whole body with his own, inhaling the scent of his skin, every inch and every scar. Nathan smelled like smoke and flames; it might be the remnants of the campfire, but it also could be coming from inside him. Nathan was ablaze and passionate.
He kissed Keith like he couldn't do so anymore. "I love you," he muttered. "I fucking love you."
"I love—" and Keith couldn't finish, because Nathan was already devouring his mouth. "—love you, Nathan."
"I want you so bad ..." Nathan said, tugging Keith's T-shirt upwards, caressing the skin on his chest with his lips.
"Nate ... Nate, you have to rest ... it's a long day—"
"Just for a while," Nathan pleaded like a kid. "I ... I really want you."
"You have me."
"I really want ... to taste you."
That broke his guard down. The next thing Keith knew, Nathan's two strong hands pinned his own down to the mattress, while his mouth worked its way down from Keith's stomach. Then it was all explosion of desire ... especially when Nathan engulfed his lustful length, wrapping it around with his warm moisture ...
"I ... I—I'm close ..." Keith begged, crumpling the bedsheets in his hands, curling his toes. But Nathan didn't stop. Nathan really did want to taste him.
And once he did, they both lay sprawled on the bed, side by side, skin-to-skin. Nathan yanked Keith to lock him in his embrace, and they both fell asleep in a flash.
They woke up next to a series of knocking on the door. Keith was so deep in his sleep that he didn't notice them at first; Nathan shook him awake. When he looked into his eyes, he noticed what looked like panic.
"Baby," Nathan said. "It's Dad."
"Hey, boys," Anthony said, knocking on the door again. "Uh, can I enter for a while ... I think I misplaced my hat in Nathan's drawers ... boys, are you awake?"
"Yeah ... one moment, Dad." Keith rubbed his eyes as he looked at Nathan, who was staring at him. "Are we letting them know, or ..."
"No," Keith said, pulling himself quickly and tumbled to pull open a drawer to find any random T-shirt. Nathan followed suit, rummaging through his wardrobe and put on his PJs that he was supposed to wear the night before.
When Anthony entered, Keith pretended to still be asleep.
"Ah, dammit ... sorry for interrupting the sleep, guys!"
"It's fine, Dad," Nathan said. "Yeah, your golf hat's here."
"Yeah, I figure I need them at Hawaii later ..."
His mother and Anthony had chosen Hawaii as their honeymoon destination. But they chose not to embark right away—Mom wanted to have at least a week stay around the neighborhood. Keith wasn't informed of these decisions at all; in fact, he received this news when they were having breakfast that day, he and Nathan trying so hard to act casual and cool with each other instead of showing to everyone how in love with each other they were.
"There's so much to see," Mom said. "I mean, I want to see the Capitol building, the White House ... take pictures of the famous Victorian-style houses ... it's pretty secluded where we are, isn't it?"
Keith nodded as he ate his toast, trying to glance at his mate because he couldn't resist.
Anthony announced later that he planned to take his mother on a stroll around the neighborhood and outside the city after the breakfast. Keith's mother looked delighted to the offer, and when she turned to ask if it was okay, he could only agree. Truly, he'd never seen his mother having such joy in her eyes until now, and as much as he wanted to join her, he knew better to let her off having some romantic time with her soul-mate.
Because he found his, too. Although he wasn't the newlywed, he wanted to have the experience as well.
"In that case," Nathan said, "is it okay if I take Keith around, too? There's so much that he has to see around here."
"That would be amazing," Anthony said. "I was about to ask you to do the same ..."
Keith didn't know what Nathan had in mind, but he already almost called Sunny to ask her for the van keys. Anthony interrupted and offered another plan.
"It's fine ... just take my car, buddy," he said to Nathan. "I'll take my wife around with the old convertible in the garage."
"Good morning." Keith heard that being said in unison, two voices he hadn't really recognized, as he never really had opportunities to engage with them.
Clarissa and Zoey took the seats across of him, and Keith felt his pulse racing. He never really interacted with the sisters before. As far as he knew, the two of them were still studying in some college far, far away from home.
Keith watched as they joined the breakfast. He wasn't really sure why, but his nerves were crazy. He tried to avoid eye contact.
"Still sharing beds?" one of them said—it was Clarissa, and she was more recognizable because of her shiny pitch-black hair that fell really long to both of her sides. Zooey resembled Nathan subtly; they both had the same pair of eyes, or so that Keith noticed.
Clarissa snapped her fingers to Keith's face, sending him to jump.
"Hey," Nathan said. "Don't tease him like that!"
"Oh—oh, sorry!" Keith said when he realized she was talking to him. Clarissa chuckled and turned her focus to the food.
"And to answer ... yes, we're still sharing the bed," Nathan said. "It's all good."
"Poor my little boy," Zoey reached out to pinch Nathan on the cheek. "It's fine ... the semester's about to start, anyway. Keith, feel free to crash in my bed. Only the closet ... I think you need another wardrobe to keep your stuff, if Nate's bothered sharing his."
"We're all good," Nathan said, and Keith was concerned because he didn't want him to sound desperate to allow them to still stay as roommates together.
While chewing her food, Clarissa muttered, "It's funny, because you and Nate kind of look ... I don't know, good together."
If Keith's heart had been racing, it was on full sprint now. He let out a nervous baffle and regretted it.
"Yeah ... they kind of look the same, too!" Zoey chimed in.
"I know!" his mother chimed in. "Is there such a thing as ... I don't know, brotherly bond?"
"Brotherly bond?" Anthony asked.
"Yeah ... like the equivalent of what mates have ... but for something more platonic ..."
"Mom," Keith groaned. "there's no such thing."
Clarissa chuckled when she joined in. "Maybe it's a relief to see you two getting along so well. We've been really worried, to be honest."
"We're really good," Nathan said. "Me and my bro are best buddies now!"
Everyone sort of let out a unison cheer at the table, smiling at them. Maybe it was true that mates gave out some sort of good energy around the people. He wasn't sure if they could keep on going under the radar for so long.
"It's a relief, then," Clarissa said. "Almost worried that you two are mates or something."
In that moment, Keith felt as if time slowed down, because he was so taken aback by the shift of atmosphere Clarissa had brought. He felt the air getting heavy and wasn't feeling pleased with how Nathan looked. Suddenly, his mate sat straighter, chest held high, as he stared into his sister's eyes, attack waiting in his expression.
"And what about it?" Nathan said. "You got problem with it? Those college kids teach you mean things about tolerating basic human rights?"
"Nathan ..." Keith started, trying to coax the situation feebly.
"Whoa ... chill," Clarissa said. "I don't have problems about it ... you know that, Nathan. We don't care about you being gay or whatever, Nate. We've talked about this ... whoever that guy mate is, you can't be with him."
"Hey ... let's not do this again ..." Zoey interrupted.
"Look, I'm just trying to protect the family," she said to her sister, rather defensively, her voice rising. "It's dangerous! It'll do no good if Nate can't throw that shit away in our bloodline by being lip-locked by some dude!"
"Clarissa, enough," Anthony said with the warning tone that Keith was already familiar with at this point.
"I think we needn't worry about them being mates," Keith's mother said, looking eager to shift the tone at the dining table. "Keith's already dating someone back in LA."
"Mom, no," Keith said, but his mother pressed further.
"I thought we're expecting him at the wedding," she said to Keith. "Did I miss him or is it just that he couldn't make it?"
When he looked at Nathan next, he was looking into his direction, looking all enraged. Then he stood up abruptly, already taking his own used plates to the kitchen. "I'm done."
"Come on," Clarissa sighed.
Keith followed suit and approached Nathan subtly.
"I'm sorry," Keith said.
Nathan stopped, and he looked even more pissed when he turned to Keith next. "Why are you sorry? Who you are apologizing to?"
"I don't know," Keith said, remorseful. "I'm scared I haven't been subtle enough—"
"Keith, there's no need to be subtle. You are mine. Mine. And I am yours. Do you understand what that means?"
Keith slowly gazed back at Nathan's furious eyes, and he was really afraid, because he felt it. The desperate urge was flowing all over Nathan, the deep wanting. Slowly, he nodded. "Yes."
"Good, then you know that's all that matters," Nathan said, taking Keith's plate from him to set it in the dishwasher. "I love you so much, Keith. Eventually, they're going to know, because you're a part of this family, too."
Keith forced out a smile. "Okay," he said, nodding.
He felt a surge of relief when Nathan returned the smile, and the weight in his chest suddenly wavered off. "Come on ... let's get out of here."
Still, there was some uneasiness in the pit of his stomach, because the commotion during breakfast totally kept him out of the loop again. What did everyone mean when they were okay with Nathan being gay, although that bring danger to the family? However, Keith knew better than to ask—he could already tell from the look in Nathan's eyes that he wouldn't entertain any questions regarding that.
Instead, he started on trying to change the mood. "Thank God we get to use the car, though."
Nathan turned around, curious. "Why? You like the car already?"
"No!" Keith said. "We have to check again ... you know, just in case what we did last night left traces ... or stains ..."
Nathan baffled really bad to that, his face flushed probably remembering what happened. But there seemed to be no regrets in his eyes.
"What?" Keith said. "It's not funny, okay. I have a point."
"You do," Nathan replied. "It's true ... fine. We're going to eliminate all the traces of our first time."
Keith had to say that the silence riding shotgun by Nathan's side was really euphoric, though. Especially when Nathan reached one hand to engulf his and settled it onto his lap, clinging onto Keith like he didn't want to ever not touch him ever. What usually were nerves and bubbliness had turned into comfort and warmth that Keith never imagined he'd have with someone.
"So ..." Nathan started when he drove upwards a hilly, winding road, amidst trees that canopied the driveway somewhere Keith didn't have any clue where, "you're dating someone."
"Uh ... oh, no," Keith said. "Um ... I—"
"It's fine, baby," Nathan told him endearingly, and that melted Keith to the core. "You don't have to lie. None of us were prepared to meet each other like this."
Keith hesitated, but decided that honestly probably was for the best. "Thanks," he said. "I think I'll have to break it off to him eventually."
"Good boy!" Nathan said, reaching out to caress the top of Keith's head, touching all affectionately. "Though I have to ask ... do you love him?"
"I don't think so ..." Keith said.
Nathan laughed. "Of course you'd say no to me."
"No ... really, I'm not sure what happened between the two of us," Keith said. "I liked him, though. Used to have a crush on him, admired him from afar ... then suddenly he confessed that he liked me when I was about to move away."
"I see ..." Nathan murmured, turning to a junction that led them two what looked like rows of stalls of farmers market lining around lands with greenhouse farms.
"So I guess I get excited because not everyone has the opportunity of someone liking them back. We hit it off just in time when I was about to move here ..."
Speaking about Ivan suddenly reminded him back of the pastimes. It was really odd that he had been contacting Keith on and off for the past couple of weeks. In fact, Keith was still unsettled on all the meltdowns and heated fights that came out of the blue whenever they had the chance to talk ...
If the mating bond was really miraculous, then Keith knew so when he pulled out his phone to stare back at the photos that he took with Ivan previously. His heart suddenly raced not because he was infatuated again with his looks or anything, but the photos left him disoriented. What was he thinking? Keith tried to find all the traces that made him crazy before, but he couldn't. Just why in the world (and how) could he fall for him in the first place?
The confusion didn't feel right, although it might be the mate bond clouding all his vision about Ivan now. But Ivan's unprecedented rage and passive-aggressive moves just kept coming back to him ... is he okay, Keith thought.
What's certain to Keith was that he changed. Ivan was different.
He pulled up Facebook via his phone to message someone who he knew had been close to Ivan once. It was Ashraf ... yes, they used to play basketball together ... or so Keith thought ...
Keith opened his profile and started to message: "Hey, Ash ... it's Keith. I don't know if you remember me, but about a month ago I left school to move out. I was wondering about Ivan Fickler. Do you know if something's up with him before the school year ends? I'm asking because I know you two are close ..."
Then, he rummaged through Ashraf's profile to see any recent posts. Ivan didn't have Facebook or any social media, so tracking his whereabouts through the Internet wasn't really an option, unless Keith considered directly contacting him, which he didn't feel like it. Nothing of Ivan was in the posts, although he was sure they interacted a lot with each other ...
Then Keith tried the photo albums ... well, he used to stalk his profile and there were tons of pictures of the three of them together. He pulled each and every album and found only the two of them in most pictures.
This can't be it ...
He ran through almost all the albums, and there was no Ivan.
But Keith was certain! At least in some of the pictures, he'd be there! One photo album was of a state-level basketball match they had in school, and Keith remembered Ivan showing up in one of the pictures, sandwiched in between Sunghoon and Rex Norson.
Only he wasn't there. The one in the middle was replaced with one of the cheerleaders in the school.
This can't be it, he thought. He was certain the pictures belonged here ...
"Ah, it's been a while since I got up here!" Nathan said as he pulled to park by the roadside beside a hill with ancient-looking steps leading upwards. "C'mon ... let's go."
They got out of the car and Keith followed as Nathan ascended the hill. Suddenly, he was in awe of what surrounded him:
Above the hill was what seemed like acres of vineyard that covered across the bodies of mountains and hills, so wide that he could see the plantation stretching all the way to the horizon of the mountains. It was perfectly cleared and positioned so much that the golden sunlight fell perfectly; from his standpoint, it casted light to go through the rows and rows of fences made for the vines to climb, and even from a great distance he noticed the thick clusters of grapes brooding and hanging from it.
The air was thickly perfumed with floral scents, and it dilated his senses. He noticed multiple men and women with their back hunched, probably picking the grapes. They were everywhere ... however, Keith couldn't detect any scents of mortals. Now he knew they were all werewolves here.
"It's Mustafa's pack," Nathan said as they walked forward, approaching through the vines, looking cheery like he belonged with the trees here. "Their pack thrives on these grapes, making tons of money from the wines they produce ..."
But Keith got distracted because the reply from Ash came quick:
"Yes, Keith, I remember you. I'm sorry, may I know who you're referring to?"
"The wine they produce is excellent ... now let's find a spot where we can get all the view ..."
It was really hard to pay attention to Nathan because his nerves were escalating right now. "Ivan Fickler? You used to sit with him in Biology all the time ... along with Sunghoon and Rex ... he's in your basketball team ..."
"Are you okay?" Nathan said, stopping his tracks and held Keith. Obviously, he wasn't okay at the moment. Why did Ash seem confused about Ivan? They were close friends! Was this some kind of a prank?
He turned his attention to Nathan. "No ... yeah, I was just texting someone regarding—"
"The ex-boyfriend?" Nathan said, smirking.
"Yeah ... sort of," Keith said.
Nathan smiled. "Hey, don't worry, alright? I suggest you to deal about it later because right now, we're going to inhale all this majestic view!"
Keith responded by pushing out a look of excitement. Well, he was enamored by the view ... but he needed things to be clarified.
Then the next reply came:
"Hey, Keith ... if you don't mind, I think we should make a call. There's something I really want to address. Here's my number ..."