“You and Mase,” he said, watching me expectantly. “It’s serious?”
I grimaced and ran a hand through my hair, wondering just how to answer that. “It’s complicated.” His scent clung to me since I hadn’t showered. Didn’t want to either if I was being honest.
Talis snorted. “Of course it is. So that thing we didn’t talk about last night…?”
“We’re still not talking about it this morning.” I walked over and leant against the worktop next to him and sighed. “I’ve spent years hating him for something he didn’t do. We both kept things from each other, and I think we’re past that now, but…” I shrugged, no idea how to articulate something I didn’t fully understand myself. “I don’t know what happens now.”
Talis hummed and reached for his tea. “You know how rare it is to find someone like him.”
“I do.”
I did.
Soulmates weren’t uncommon, but they also weren’t the norm. It was a gift, something to be cherished. Yes, I’d spent a chunk of my life wishing I could rip out the connection between us and find someone else.
But there’d been no one who affected me like Gabriel. No one who made my pulse race, my heart beat so loudly I was positive everyone could hear it. He’d set my blood on fire when I was seventeen and he still had the same effect now.
More so after last night.
“Have you talked to him about it?” Talis asked, and I shook my head.
“Not really. There wasn’t time this morning. We were interrupted by Max. And last night…” I was powerless to stop the smile from appearing, and Talis huffed out a laugh.
“You were busy with other things?”
An image of Gabriel spread out on his bed flooded my mind, all that beautiful skin on display. I coughed. “Yeah, something like that.”
Silence settled between us, then something else from last night resurfaced and I half-turned to face him. “What was up with you and Axel at the club?”
Suddenly his mug of tea was the most interesting thing in the world and he studied it instead of meeting my eyes. “Don’t know what you mean.”
I laughed, loudly, because he so did. Even if his body language didn’t all but scream it, his scent did. I tried not to examine it too closely, but something was going on between him and Axel.
I took in the rigid set of his shoulders and the way he gripped his tea almost to the point of breaking the mug, andahh fuck. I really hoped it wasn’t what I suspected it might be.
Axel was a free spirit, easy-going and open, liberal with his affections. Not the usual characteristics associated with the fae, and sometimes it was easy to forget that his time this side of the gateway was limited. He wasn’t looking for a relationship, I didn’t think.
With anyone.
And he was honest and upfront about that fact.
Talis, on the other hand, was fiercely loyal and the best friend and beta I could ask for. But he wasn’t carefree and easy-going when it came to relationships. If you were lucky enough to become special to him, he was all in.
If he and Axel had…
“Whatever you’re thinking is more than likely accurate,” he said, quiet in a way he rarely spoke. “Yes, I realise it was a stupid thing to do. No, it’s not going to happen again, and no, I don’t want to talk about it.” He glanced up from his mug, expression pleading for me to let it go.
Both Talis and Axel were part of my pack as far as wanting to protect them went. I didn’t want to take sides in something that was clearly none of my business. As long as it didn’t affect the rest of the pack, they could sort it out between themselves.
But as his best friend? I pulled myself up onto the counter beside him and wrapped an arm around his shoulders, tugging him close. “Okay.” I rested my head against his, satisfied when he relaxed against me. “If you change your mind, know that I’m here for you. Whatever you need.”
He let out a shuddering sigh. “Thank you.”
My phone chose that moment to vibrate in my pocket, as if waiting for us to be done. Axel’s name lit up the screen.
“Talk of the devil,” Talis muttered, but he rolled his eyes at whatever look was on my face. “I’m fine, really. Answer it.”
I hopped down and connected the call. “Hey.”
