They left and as soon as the door was closed, Aiden hit Nolen’s arm. “Why didn’t you tell me Oliver was here?!”
“I told you he came with us!” Nolen defended himself.
“Not that he stayed!”
Nolen threw his hands up in the air like he’d given up. “Fine, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you Grovar and Oliver are mates.”
Aiden just glared at our mate.
I decided to leave them to it and went to the bathroom; it was there that I truly looked at my reflection in the mirror. I had lost weight, my hair was longer, but it was my face that had changed the most. Someone, likely Mindy, had shaved my face, making it easier to see just how much my face had aged. I likely wouldn’t have seen a huge difference had time passed by while I was awake to notice these small changes, but three years of aging was definitely obvious.
Was it weird that I didn’t hate losing those years? I actually felt fond of them. It was in them that I’d hugged Aiden for the first time. It was where we talked for hours and hours about everything. We only had each other for those three years, no one to disturb our little bubble of peace.
I knew having secrets was a big no-no, but I had hidden a few times when Nolen and Aiden thought they dreamed just the two of them. I didn’t do it to spy on them, but simply because I wanted them to have this time together. I already knew Nolen, and I wanted Aiden to wake up feeling like he belonged with us, that we were equal in this. So, I hid, watching them cuddle on the beach or hold hands in the forests. It was easy to do, knowing they’d never ask for time alone.
So, I intended on keeping my secret, hoping it had helped bring them closer together.
Nolen’s voice had me jumping in place. “There you are.”
Holding my chest dramatically, I answered, “Well of course I’m here? Did you think I’d left?”
“Har har,” he chuckled, pulling me into a hug. A soft kiss was placed on the top of my head and I melted into him. Our first hug since waking up.
“Where’s Aiden?” I asked.
“Asleep on the couch, so I figured now would be the best time to ask you about Aiden and me mating.”
“What about it?”
“Do you want to be there with us?”
“Is that normal?” I questioned.
“Darling, none of what we’ve experienced so far has been normal here. We do what we feel is right and that’s how we do it. If you want to be there with us, you will.”
“Oh, does Aiden want that?”
“I haven’t asked him yet. I wanted to know how you felt before bringing it up.”
That was sweet of him. He seemed to already know how to do this two mates thing perfectly. “I want to be there, if Aiden wants that, too. If not, then I’ll let you have that experience together.”
His lips found mine, soft and gentle. It wasn’t a claiming kiss; it was a healing one. I felt better when his lips left mine. He’d put my nerves at ease just from one single kiss. Even if I wanted said kiss to last a lifetime.
“I’ll ask him when he wakes up. Anything you want to do until then?”
I actually didn’t know what I wanted, I was tired and weak, yet energized enough not to need another nap.
“TV and cuddles on the couch?” I suggested. “I don’t want to be too far from Aiden.”
“Sounds perfect.”
Chapter Thirty-Five
Nolen
Watching my beautiful mates snuggle on the couch was definitely the best thing I’d ever seen.
Derek and Aiden had picked out a random animated movie that was definitely made for kids, but they seemed to need something cozy and full of goodness, so I’d left them to it and began making our dinner.
