Hudson huffed. “Aaron is supposed to explain it to you. Don’t think you don’t have a choice! You totally do. The fates put the two of you together because you’re a perfect match, but that doesn’t mean that you’ll be forced into it. Or can’t take your time.”
“I figure Aaron will tell me when he’s ready,” Carter said.
Hudson looked away.
“What?” Carter questioned.
“Aaron…I mean, I don’t know him that well.”
“And still you want to say something,” Carter responded.
“From the little that Bas has told me about his past, I know that Aaron didn’t have the easiest time. He was bullied by both the other kids and the instructors.”
“I get the same feeling,” Carter agreed.
“Well,” Hudson drawled. “From what he pretends to be jokes, I worry that Aaron thinks he’s broken or something.”
“Broken? What do you mean?” Carter demanded. Aaron was perfect. The perfect mix of sweet and mysterious.
“Of course you think that.” Hudson rolled his eyes. “Mates, remember?”
Carter chucked at his brother’s sass.
“What I’m saying is that Aaron isn’t like the other paranormals. He was raised around shifters, and instead of being like them, he has this power that no one knows anything about,” Hudson shared.
“He’s said several times that he has no control over his dreams or visions,” Carter said.
“It’s gotten worse since he moved here too. More often. Dean gave him some magical amulets to help and Bas thought they were working until recently.”
“What changed?” Carter asked. And how could he help.
“I don’t know. All the magic stuff is confusing. I’m glad my mate’s a shifter. It’s easier to understand.”
“Is it?” Here they were hanging out in their very simple kitchen, making dinner while talking about the paranormal world. How was any of this easy to understand?
“Bas is filled with magic that allows him to shift into the cutest cat ever,” Hudson said with a grin. “Easy.”
“And Aaron is an oracle,” Carter replied.
“Which no one knows anything about. Not even mages like Dean. Everyone tries to help him they best they can.”
“Everyone? Like Leo?” Carter’s words came out in a growl.
“Um.” Hudson rubbed the back of his neck. “You see…I mean…I don’t know…”
“They were lovers?” Carter pressed.
“Yes?”
“Why does that sound like a question and not an answer?” Carter was dying to know more about Aaron and Leo’s relationship. The way that Aaron talked about Leo bothered Carter even though Carter didn’t have any real claim to Aaron.
“Have you asked Aaron?”
“I’m asking you,” Carter said. He already had his answer.
“I really think you should talk to Aaron about this. I do know that there is absolutely nothing going on between the two of them now,” Hudson said.
Carter hummed and went back to prepping the dinner. Hudson wasn’t wrong. This was a conversation that Carter needed to have with Aaron. He just couldn’t help but wonder if the reason that Aaron hadn’t mentioned anything about mates to him was because Aaron was in love with another man.
