5. Chapter 5
Chapter five
M ine .
The word cycled on a loop in Finn’s mind, each repetition only strengthening the conviction.
His reaction to Noah’s injury had been pure instinct, a loss of control he didn’t feel particularly proud about. The moment Noah’s blood had touched his lips, however, it had triggered a part of him he hadn’t even known existed.
In that instant, something inside of him had shifted, and his world had realigned, placing Noah Marsh directly at the center. He just hadn’t fully understood what it meant at the time.
The threat to that claim—whether perceived or real—had brought final clarity.
Having lived his entire life as a human, the idea of having a mate , felt foreign, though that was probably just his ignorance talking. After all, he had no problem accepting the idea of soulmates, and he’d always secretly hoped to find that kind of bond with someone.
Yet a part of him, ancient and primal, didn’t give a damn about words. It didn’t need labels. That part of him only cared about one irrefutable truth.
Noah was his , and he’d make the entire Underworld run red before he let anything happen to him.
“That’s cool,” Rune said, holding his hands up in a placating gesture. “Noah belongs to you. I’ve got no designs on him.” He stood straighter, his posture more relaxed, and jerked a thumb over his shoulder. “I’ve got one of my own.”
“Hey!” both twins shouted in unison with matching tones of indignation.
“A mate,” the Guardian clarified, chuckling as he pulled Keegan into his arms and kissed the top of his head. “I have a mate of my own.”
“Damn right,” Keegan agreed, his eyes sparkling with mischief when he met his brother’s stare from across the kitchen. “And I’m the pretty one.”
Noah huffed out a cute grumble, but he made no attempt to remove himself from Finn’s embrace. “We literally have the same face.”
Though still unwilling to release him, Finn gentled his hold as the high faded and reason began to return. “Are you okay?”
Noah stilled, his body tense for a heartbeat, before relaxing into him. “Yeah, I’m okay.”
“I’m sorry.” It didn’t come close to being adequate, but he had to start atoning for his mistakes somewhere. “I didn’t mean—”
“You didn’t do anything wrong,” Noah interrupted. “And you didn’t hurt me.”
The knot in his chest loosened, and his shoulders sagged with relief. “I would never hurt you.”
“Oh, my god,” Keegan called, his voice ringing through the kitchen. “Get a room.”
“We had one until you showed up,” Noah shot back. “Go away.”
“I’m helping.”
“You’re really not.”
“Okay,” Rune called loudly, interrupting the twin’s bickering. “Well, it sounds like you two have a lot to talk about, so we’re going to go.”
“What? No.” Pushing away from his mate, Keegan rested his hands on his hips and glared. “I have to do the big brother thing. I need to know what his intentions are towards Noah.”
Rune’s mouth twisted into a wry grin, and he arched an eyebrow. “Probably the same intentions I have with you, kaelaer .”
“That’s…I don’t…nope.” The little troublemaker clapped both hands over his ears and shook his head quickly. “No, sir. I changed my mind.” Then he grabbed his mate by the wrist and started dragging him out of the kitchen. “We’re leaving now.”
Rune allowed himself to be pulled along, his teasing laughter lingering even after he had disappeared around the corner.
Alone again, Noah wiggled around in his arms until he turned to face him. “How are you feeling?”
Embarrassed. Ashamed. Elated. Horny. “It’s kind of a mixed bag right now.”
Noah’s lips twitched at the corners. “Yeah, that makes sense.”
Staring into his mate’s eyes, it occurred to him that while his life had just been irrevocably changed—again—Noah likely remained clueless to his epiphany. Since he didn’t understand it himself, he didn’t know how to explain it, but he had to try.
“I don’t know how to say this,” he began, frowning when Noah began to laugh. “What?”
“You’re trying to tell me that I’m your mate, right?”
He dipped his head. “How did you know?”
“You weren’t exactly subtle about it.”
“Did I scare you?”
Slender fingers came to rest on his shoulders, and his cock jerked when Noah arched into him. “No. It was kind of hot.” As quickly as it had come, however, the teasing light in his eyes faded, and he leaned away again with a quiet sigh. “Rune is right, though. We should probably talk about it.”
“Nothing good every came from that sentence.”
Noah laughed, and while quiet, it sounded genuine and happy. “I like you, Finn. I have for a while now.”
“But?” He liked what he was hearing, but that statement definitely felt like it had a “but” coming.
Noah laughed again and shook his head. “Let’s go somewhere else.” He glanced over his shoulder toward the kitchen doorway with a scrunched nose. “Too many nosy assholes around here.”
“I heard that!” Keegan called, his voice slightly muffled but much closer than it should have been.
“No, you didn’t,” Noah said, his volume still at a conversational tone. “Rune is just an enabler.”
“Sorry,” Rune said, laughter in his tone. “I really can’t tell him no. You’ll see.”
When Noah arched an eyebrow at him, he realized he had just been caught up in a strange game of Telephone: Otherling Edition.
“Rune says he’s sorry.”
Noah snorted. “No, he’s not.”
Accurate. “And he says he can’t tell his mate no.”
“It’s a real problem,” Noah agreed, but he sounded indulgent rather than angry. “Come on. Let’s go back to my place.”
Finn hesitated, uncomfortable with the possibility of running into his sire on the way to Noah’s apartment. He couldn’t hide forever, though, and he really didn’t want an audience for the coming conversation.
Forcing himself to release his mate, he moved over to the stove to give the chili a quick stir before turning off the burner under the pot. It would really be best to let it simmer for a few hours, but he didn’t know how long he’d be gone.
He doubted any of the other occupants of the castle would notice the difference anyway.
“All right,” he said when he’d finished. “Let’s go.”
They didn’t hold hands as they made the trek to the Tower. They didn’t cast longing looks at each other or share secret glances.
Instead, they walked in companionable silence, their footsteps unhurried and in perfect sync. Occasionally, their arms brushed together, and every time, the soft touch sent a tingle racing across his skin.
The moment they entered the lobby of the high-rise, however, everything about Noah’s demeanor changed. The muscles in his neck and back visibly tightened, his shoulders rounded, arching toward his ears, and his easy gait became stiff and halted.
When the elevator doors slid open, he hesitated at the threshold, a mixture of uncertainty and determination flittering across his face before he stepped into the cab.
He stood in the front corner, hands fisted at his sides, and his back to the wall of windows that provided a clear view of the village beyond.
Unease poured off him, thick and cloying, and seemingly, catching. By the time the elevator slowed to a stop on the seventy-fifth floor, Finn could feel his own pulse racing to match Noah’s.
When the doors parted, Noah practically launched himself out of the cab, exhaling in a rush as if he had been holding his breath the entire ride.
Without a word, or even a glance in Finn’s direction, he strode quickly down the empty corridor, fumbling in his pocket as he approached the door to his unit.
Only after he had made it inside and slammed the door closed behind him did he finally seem to relax.
“Everything okay?” he asked, aiming for casual but unable to stop himself from veering into concern.
“What?” Noah toed his sneakers off kicked them against the wall. “Yeah, fine. Why?”
While he looked fine, Finn knew he hadn’t imagined it. Noah’s heart rate had slowed from its frantic pace in the elevator, but it continued to beat a little faster than normal, and the stench of anxiety still clung to him.
Running a hand through his hair, Noah glanced to one end of the small apartment and back, then offered a wan smile. “Just not a fan of the elevators in his building,” he offered without more prompting. “That’s all.”
Finn detected a thread of truth in the explanation, but it wasn’t the whole story. Something about the elevator spooked Noah, something he didn’t want to talk about. Something that didn’t align with the usual suspects like heights, enclosed spaces, or mechanical malfunctions.
Though he didn’t like it—he couldn’t fix the problem if he didn’t have a name for it—he respected the unspoken boundary and let it drop. They were still finding their footing together. Maybe once Noah felt more confident in their relationship, he’d be willing to tell him more.
He followed Noah past the small kitchen, noting a few details that he hadn’t seen in any of the other units.
For example, rather than chrome or steel, the fixtures and appliances all had a matte black coating.
The countertops appeared dull, soaking in the light rather than reflecting it, and neither the microwave nor the oven had a window that allowed him to see inside.
Beyond a cubical shelf lined with an assortment of knickknacks at the edge of the living room, the rest of the space appeared to lack any personal touches. White walls. Gray sofa. Beige carpet.
It all looked very utilitarian, which actually tracked with the other apartments in the building.
Everyone said Hades himself had erected the Tower to house the souls who called the village home. At the same time, the units had never been meant for long-term habitation, designed more for function than style.
Still, most people found small ways to incorporate touches of personality into their apartments. Not Noah.
He also noticed that his mate’s place didn’t have any windows.
On these upper levels, residents wouldn’t be able to see anything beyond darkness through the glass, but the windows made the room feel less confining. At least, that was how he had heard it described by other people.
The way it had been explained to him, the Tower provided occupants with what they needed, not necessarily what they wanted. Food, clothing, bedding, and basic amenities like heat and running water came standard.
The changes he had seen in Noah’s place…did not.
Rounding the sofa, Noah settled down on one end and motioned for Finn to join him. “Can I get you something to drink?”
Finn lowered himself onto the middle cushion but left a bit of space between them. “No, I’m good. Thanks.”
“So, uh, I guess I don’t really know where to start,” Noah said with a nervous chuckle. He twisted around and tucked his feet under him, sitting cross-legged and folding his hands together in his lap. “Like I said before, I’ve liked you for a while now.”
Once again, he detected the unspoken “but” at the end of that statement. “Why didn’t you ever say anything?”
Noah shrugged. “I didn’t know if you felt the same way.”
“I do.” He’d been drawn to the guy from the moment they’d met, and his feelings had only intensified over time. “But I’ve always been afraid of losing control and hurting you.” He held his hand out, palm up, smiling when Noah took it without hesitation. “You make me a little crazy.”
“I’ve never done this before,” Noah admitted. “Been in a relationship, I mean. I don’t know if I’ll be any good at it.”
“Me, neither.”
While the desire had been there, he’d just never had the time. Relationships required attention and dedication, and all of his had been poured into his ranch.
Noah’s smile came immediately, bright and filled with hope. “I’m kind of high maintenance.”
“I know.”
“Hey!”
They both laughed, easing even more of the tension that had been simmering between them.
“I’m up for the challenge,” Finn promised. “If you’re willing, we can figure it out together.”
“Yeah, okay.” His tight set of his shoulders relaxed, and he swayed forward, leaning closer. “I’d like that.”
Unable to resist the magnetic pull, Finn inched closer, dipping his head, his gaze locked on Noah’s mouth. He moved slowly, testing the waters, giving his mate plenty of time to pull away if he chose to.
Instead of retreating, Noah closed the distance himself, bringing their mouths together. The kiss started tentative, the careful dance of a new relationship taking shape.
Still, neither of them pulled away, and with every brush of their lips, Finn’s confidence grew. Sliding his fingers through Noah’s silky curls, he palmed the back of his head and pulled him closer, slanting his mouth to take the kiss deeper.
He teased with his tongue, seeking entrance, and Noah parted for him with a wistful sigh that went straight to his dick. Still, he kept his touch gentle and unhurried as he dipped inside.
A growl slipped past his defenses at his first taste, but rather than frighten his mate, it only seemed to excite him. With a quiet moan, Noah arched into him, his arms coming around Finn’s neck as he molded himself down the front of his chest.
“We should have done this a long time ago,” he murmured against Finn’s lips.
“We can do it as often as you want from now on.”
A lazy smile curved his kiss-swollen lips, and he bent his head to rub their noses together. “I’d like that.”