As I laid on the couch, I yawned; out of drowsiness or boredom, I couldn't tell. I'd made myself a sandwich for lunch, a hefty one that probably contributed to my current state. Yawning again, I decided to make my way to my bed when I heard a gentle knock on the front door.
I unlatched the lock and then opened it, seeing a grinning Elias with a looming figure standing to his side that was none other than Xander. I flinched at the sight and Xander clicked his tongue.
"Relax, I just came to drop him off," he said with his usual grumpy demeanor.
Elias elbowed Xander's side playfully, Xander furrowing his eyebrows in response and making Elias giggle. He then stood on his toes to reach Xander's lips for a gentle kiss. When I realized that Elias and Xander probably wouldn't stop their display of affection on their own, I cleared my throat to break them out of their trance.
Xander growled lowly in irritation, but I couldn't have cared less. He moved his attention away from me and rested his chin in Elias' hair as they hugged. They pulled away at the same time and gave each other a quick peck on the lips.
"I-I'll come back to see you soon, ok?" Elias whispered gently, his smile unfaltering.
Xander leaned down to give Elias one last peck on his temple before he walked off, his hands in his pockets. The whole interaction was a spectacle; even though Aspen, Elias and I had discovered that Elias and Xander were mates, their relationship already seemed as though it was flourishing. Snapping out of my mild shock, I quickly moved out of the way to let Elias in and shut the door behind us.
"Sorry for staying out all night without a word," Elias commented. "I hope I didn't cause you too much worry."
"It's alright. Aspen told me that she went to pack headquarters after her training session. She said that you were spending the night." At this point, I couldn't hold back my curiosity at Elias and Xander's display in the hall. "What was that about?"
Elias bashfully reached to move a tuft of hair behind his ear, stopping abruptly when he realized his hair was too short.
"Xander's my mate now."
I raised a brow. "I know that. We figured that out together a while back."
Elias grinned and shook his head. "No, not quite. Is Aspen home? We should invite her over."
This was becoming strange. "Yeah, she is."
I walked into the bedroom to the shared wall between Aspen and I's apartments, knocking on it three times. Aspen and I had come up with a system over time; since our apartments were right next to each other and the walls were thin, we could invite each other over even more conveniently this way. I heard some shuffling around, the sound of her front door opening and then a knocking on mine. I opened the door and let her in, her eyebrows raising in happiness as she went to give Elias a hug.
"Elias, you're back! How was your stay at the fancy pack headquarters?"
"I-It was nice," he muttered. "I have something to tell you guys... well, show you. Um, both, actually."
Aspen and I glanced at each other before plopping down on the couch. Elias stood directly in front of us, taking a breath before moving the collar of his hoodie out of the way to reveal a bruising mark on the lower part of his neck. Aspen and I looked at it for a moment before our jaws dropped, the two of us standing up immediately and startling Elias with the sudden movement.
"Oh my God," Aspen nearly shrieked. "You and Xander are official?"
"Yeah, we are!" He averted his gaze, his cheeks developing a rosy tint as he grinned and thought about his mate.
I smiled watching him so happy, but my eyes widened as I put two and two together. "Wait," I said, trying to stay composed. "If you and Xander are mates now, doesn't that mean you two—"
"Oh my God, how did I not think about that? How was it, Elias? Did you enjoy yourself?"
"Give me some space, you guys!"
The three of us laughed until our stomachs hurt and we were gasping for air, and then we fell onto the couch with large exhales. Once we caught our breaths, Aspen and I started to ask Elias more questions about his experience, to which his cheeks reddened and he fiddled his fingers sheepishly.
"It w-was really good, actually," he said, instantly burying his face in his hands after the statement. "Xander was really caring the entire time. He made sure that I felt ok. I thought it was really sweet."
Aspen gushed at Elias' words like a proud mother who had just experienced an auspicious moment with her son. For some odd reason, I began to zone out while the two of them spoke. I started to think about my own future. Did I have a mate? Did I even want one?
Back in my hometown, soul bonds weren't very common between werewolves. My parents were the farthest from mates, I knew that for sure. Even thinking about them, my overly passive mother and my moody drunken father, made me purse my lips in distaste. I didn't ever want what they had, a life of unhappiness and complacency.
"Alpha Felix needs to find his mate soon, doesn't he?" Elias queried to Aspen, Felix's name grabbing my attention.
"Yeah, he's always wanted one," Aspen smiled. "Especially now that he's been head alpha for a while, I think he's growing pretty impatient."
"What if he doesn't have one?" I asked, earning me raised eyebrows from both of my friends.
"Don't be ridiculous! Most werewolves have mates, Luca. If anyone has one, it'd be Felix."
"Where's yours?"
Aspen huffed in amusement. "Who knows? I'm doubting my mate is here, since I'm constantly in contact with the warriors and stuff. They could be anywhere, but the Moon Goddess will make us cross paths if we're mates so I'm not concerned."
I smiled softly. Aspen deserved a mate more than any of us. Still, I couldn't help but wonder if I was one of the few werewolves without a mate. The odds were against me; my hometown didn't have very many mate pairings and I presented as an omega, which is slightly less common than being a beta or an alpha. I had no idea why I was suddenly so focused on this aspect of my life; maybe seeing how happy Elias was made me long for a deep, intimate affection.
I started to pay attention again as Elias vividly told Aspen about his experiences with Xander up until now. As he spoke, I tried to imagine him and Xander as me and my mate, if I had one at all. I furrowed my brows a bit when I couldn't decide on my imaginary mate's appearance. Eventually I pictured my mate as someone with light hair and kind eyes, my lips forming a small smile as Elias continued his story.
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Posting this chapter earlier in the day since it's my birthday! 🎉 I couldn't be more thankful for all of your support with this book. Your comments are always entertaining.
The trio is back in this chapter, which also features a Luca who's caught up in his own head again. Don't worry, what you've been waiting for is coming real soon... If you enjoyed this chapter, please leave a vote and comment your thoughts! - D ♡