“He likes that about me,” Aristos shouted in the squeaky timbre allowed by the helium balloon in his hand. His brothers, Inachus and Demaratos, erupted into laughter. Pyxlevir couldn’t help a chuckle of his own at their silliness. He had the best family.
“They have been doing this for twenty minutes,” Kalthekor informed Pyxlevir. His tone was dry, but he was grinning.
“Record them on your phone so we can tease them later,” Pyxlevir suggested. “Gramlithyn’s coming over, can you send him to my room when he gets here?”
“Of course. If he is coerced into playing with helium, I will text you.”
Laughing again at the bemused centaurs, Pyxlevir thanked his dad and headed out of the living room. His mood was picking up. Although he was terrified of any distance in his relationship with Gramlithyn, he resolved to fix it in the morning. And no one could be in a bad mood with a bunch of chortling centaurs nearby.
As he waited for Gramlithyn, Pyxlevir straightened his already tidy space and patted the leg of his doll, Leydira. The blue elf doll was his favorite toy. She’d been purchased on his first shopping trip with Aristos, and his centaur father had eagerly bought her for him. It’d been Pyxlevir’s dream to have a doll, but he’d somehow convinced himself they were for girls only.
Thanks to the magic of Grand Warlock Dra’Kaedan D’Vaire, Leydira’s skin was blue like Pyxlevir’s, and her current outfit had been made by Evlithar. Pyxlevir had been clutching her to his chest the day he’d met Gramlithyn, and they’d bonded immediately over toys. It wasn’t long after that that a similar doll was added to Gramlithyn’s room, and despite being teenagers, no sleepover was complete without Leydira and Gramlithyn’s Erironarra.
In full reminiscent mode, Pyxlevir never heard his door open. But his life changed a heartbeat later. His cock hardened in his silk trousers, and his first erection startled him. Everything around Pyxlevir slowed as he turned his head to lock eyes with his gift from Fate. There in the doorway was his best friend. His mate. The scent of carrots filled his senses as Gramlithyn took a step into the room and shut them inside. It was Pyxlevir’s favorite food, and Fate had spoiled him by giving that smell to his other half.
Pyxlevir’s heart thundered in his chest, and he could not process all the sensations barreling through him. For years, he’d begged Fate to bring him his mate. Once, a long time ago, he’d envisioned Gramlithyn in that role. But the mixture of emotions in Gramlithyn’s eyes immediately reminded Pyxlevir of why he’d switched to asking the goddess in charge of bringing people togethernotto match him with his best friend.
As Gramlithyn hovered near the door with disappointment and fear heavy in his brown gaze, Pyxlevir’s soul cried out at the injustice. Tears slipped down his cheeks, and his erection wilted. Gramlithyn did not want a mate. He’d echoed that sentiment countless times, and it apparently made no difference if that person was Pyxlevir.
Now, suddenly, the distance that had crept into their relationship made sense. Gramlithyn was older than Pyxlevir. He was also a hybrid. A shifter. He may not have needed to wait until his eighteenth birthday to discover his other half. Which meant that it was not the abstract idea of a mate that Gramlithyn objected to, it was being with Pyxlevir he found distasteful.
If Pyxlevir required evidence, he needed to look no further than the trip Gramlithyn had carefully planned. The one Gramlithyn did not have to ask if Pyxlevir wanted to take. As his best friend, Gramlithyn was aware of Pyxlevir’s lack of interest in camping and outdoorsy things. Not to mention Pyxlevir’s elderly dog that he refused to leave for so long. Gramlithyn had every intention of spending the first few months of his new matebond far from Pyxlevir’s side.
For once in his life, Pyxlevir was at a complete loss for words. This was a nightmare come true. Pyxlevir swallowed thickly as visions of a life lacking both a best friend and a mate taunted him. And it wasn’t a phantom that would be missing from his days. It was Gramlithyn. The person who knew him best. One of the biggest pieces of Pyxlevir’s heart.
They stared at each other as Pyxlevir silently wept. He had a new awareness of Gramlithyn. Suddenly, he was not just handsome, but sexy. Pyxlevir exulted and was terrified by the punch of lust in his gut.
Gramlithyn bit his lip. He gave an awkward shrug. “Do you want me to leave?” Gramlithyn asked softly.
The last thing Pyxlevir wanted to do was smile his way through a birthday party he hadn’t asked for, but he refused to disappoint his family. Pyxlevir blew out a breath and tried to gather himself. But it was pointless. The tears refused to stop. With a shake of his head, a wave of anger blew through Pyxlevir. This was Fate’s fault. He’d warned her not to do this to them.
“No,” Pyxlevir managed as his fingers curled into fists. “You’re my best friend. I want you to stay. But…but if you want to go…”
“I’ll stay,” Gramlithyn insisted.
But does he want to?Pyxlevir wondered. It didn’t matter. He’d offered, and Pyxlevir wanted him there. Without another word, Gramlithyn rushed out of the room. Shell-shocked, Pyxlevir stood there with his chest heaving until he had no choice but to hurry to his attached bathroom for tissues.
Pyxlevir blew his nose and stared at the devastated elf in the mirror. Somehow, he had to pull himself together and celebrate his birthday with his family. Fate had fucked up, and Pyxlevir had to deal with the consequences. His gaze narrowed. This did not have to be the end of anything.
Pleased at finding his resolve, Pyxlevir clutched the quartz countertop and reminded himself that matebonds were forever. Perhaps Gramlithyn wasn’t ready. Maybe he needed to take a trip to experience new things and spread his wings a little. That was fair. But Pyxlevir wasn’t going anywhere, and neither was the connection of their souls.
A wave of hurt had Pyxlevir closing his eyes. Their matebond wasn’t what Gramlithyn wanted. But maybe with a little time and distance, he’d gain a different perspective. A few months away and Gramlithyn could hopefully discover that the best mates around them were also the closest of friends.
This was not the end of a friendship but the beginning of something newer, richer, and that had the potential of fulfilling them both if they allowed it. Thatifwas terrifying, and Pyxlevir had a sinking feeling that his future had already careened out of control.
Chapter 3
The fake smile on Gramlithyn’s face made his cheeks hurt. Time was moving incredibly slowly as people filled the house he had visited regularly since he was six. A part of him wondered how long it would be until he stood beneath the roof of Pyxlevir’s home again. Gramlithyn swallowed thickly and took two steps backward as he tried his best to fade into the woodwork.
It wasn’t easy to disappear in a room full of people who knew him best. His mother was eyeing him with suspicion in her dark eyes, and if they weren’t at a party, she’d be in full interrogation mode. Chieftess-mate Semira Verdanyth-Hippotigris was a warrior and the best mom anyone could ask for. But if she had a weakness, it was her relentless need to ensure her son never suffered.
Which would be wonderful if Gramlithyn wanted to share everything with her so she could make his hurts go away. But it wasn’t always that easy, and there was nothing his mother could do to fix his current situation. Avoiding her gaze, Gramlithyn swung his head, and unfortunately, a vision filled his mind.
Pyxlevir was laughing at something, and his delicate throat was exposed. A rumble in Gramlithyn’s soul made his fists clench. His zebra adored Pyxlevir and wanted to sink his fangsinto Pyxlevir’s soft skin to seal their matebond. But it took only the remembrance of an hour ago to dull the zebra’s joy.
Their matebond was no longer a secret, and Gramlithyn would never forget the tears sliding down Pyxlevir’s cheeks as the truth hit him. They were not of joy. Gramlithyn had searched his best friend’s eyes intently. In the pretty blue depths were shock and despair. It was a reaction Gramlithyn had unfortunately anticipated.
But that didn’t make it hurt any less.
