Chapter 26
Chapter Twenty-Six
Nolen
“What did you do to him?!” the black-haired guy demanded as I held Aiden’s slumped body in my arms. I was vibrating with need, with urgency. I needed to return home, but now I had this stranger defending Aiden’s honor to deal with, and I really wanted to just disappear.
“I’m Nolen,” I said instead. “Aiden has a condition that causes him to pass out at times if he feels overwhelmed.” A total lie, but it wasn’t as if I could tell him the truth.
“Oh,” he said, rubbing his neck. “So, you know Aiden, then.”
“Yes.” I replied, and because I felt the need to claim him, I added, “I’m his boyfriend.”
The guy wrinkled his nose, like he was confused. “Oh. Does that mean he has to go home now?”
Why was he acting like I was Aiden’s father picking him up from a playdate?
“Yes, but I’ll tell him to message you when he’s awake.” I could promise that easily. If this guy was Aiden’s friend, then I wouldn’t keep them apart.
“He won’t wake up anytime soon?” he questioned.
I shook my head. “Could be hours. And I need to take him somewhere quiet.”
“Let’s go to the motel then, that’s where he’s staying,” he informed me, walking ahead like he expected me to follow him.
And I did. There was only one motel in town, so I knew I had to follow no matter what.
I needed Aiden’s stuff and my own before driving back to the portal.
I hadn’t planned for Aiden to be sleeping for our journey, and I feared he would get hungry or that his core wouldn’t be able to hold itself together for the long drive.
“I’m Oliver, by the way,” he said, still walking in front of me as I held Aiden close to my chest and enjoyed having my mate close.
I still couldn’t believe I had two mates. It was unheard of. But maybe the rulers had been onto something when they said they were closer than normal twins were. It actually made sense. Derek and I had felt something was missing, and that something was a someone, Aiden.
People gave me weird looks as I carried Aiden protectively in my arms, but I ignored them. I could put on glamour so they wouldn’t notice him, but Oliver would be confused if Aiden suddenly disappeared. It really would make my life easier if he wasn’t here.
The motel came into view and Oliver led me to Aiden’s room first, effectively dodging what I learned was his mom, on our way there.
I wasn’t about to let Oliver touch my man, so I did a lot of wiggling until I managed to get his keycard out of his pocket. Then, with another weird move, I got the door unlocked.
Annoyingly, Oliver followed us inside the room, clearly not reading the room. Or maybe he simply didn’t care if he was wanted or not.
I put Aiden on the bed as gently as possible, then I started packing his stuff, enjoying the small glimpses into what he owned.
I hadn’t even spoken a single word with him, and yet I felt like I knew everything already.
Maybe it was the bond that had started to form between us.
I inwardly sighed, I would start to struggle with my emotions soon, and then I would arrive home a mess.
“So,” Oliver began, rocking on his heels by the door. “You need any help with him? It feels weird just watching, you know?”
I kept packing while he spoke and as I answered, I still didn’t meet his gaze, intent on getting away from here as soon as possible.
“I know what to do, and where to take him. But I appreciate the offer.” I hoped it sounded sincere enough, I was starting to feel itchy and just wanted a chance to call the rulers.
They needed to know as soon as possible, otherwise I would have no help coming if needed, and it might be needed.
How long could Aiden live without ingesting water?
I couldn’t make him drink or eat. Like with Derek, he needed medical assistance until he woke up.
After looking through every drawer and under the bed, I felt confident I hadn’t missed anything.
I turned and finally looked at Oliver, he looked pained, and hell if that didn’t make me feel like an ass.
He clearly cared for Aiden, and it had seemed Aiden cared for him too, with the way they’d laughed together before Aiden spotted me.
“Can I have your number?” I asked, knowing Oliver deserved to know how Aiden was doing, and if it took him weeks to wake up, I would feel awful that Oliver would worry for that long without hearing anything.
“Oh, sure,” he said, handing me his phone.
I was getting better at using their technology, but I still had to use a bit of magic to guide me as I tapped in my number.
Nix or was it Juno? One of them had figured out how we could message between the worlds, so I knew it was possible from their phones too and not just our slates.
“Thank you.” I handed him back his phone and slung Aiden’s backpack on before picking Aiden up again. Now, I just needed my stuff.
My slate chose that moment to chime with an incoming call and because Aiden was in my arms, I accidentally accepted, projecting the rulers out from it and causing Oliver to see everything.
“You found him!” Trise exclaimed, her tone a bit snappy, like I’d intended on keeping it a secret.
“Wow!” Oliver gushed, stepping closer to inspect my slate. “That’s wicked cool! Where did you buy this thing?”
“Um, Nolen?” Henriette asked, her tone a bit unsure.
“I apologize,” I said, knowing I now had to wipe Oliver’s memory, or at least alter it, so I just spoke the truth, he would forget it anyway.
“I found Aiden and before I’d even spoken a word to him, he kissed me.
” Alec snorted, but I kept going. “He was with his friend Oliver here.” I gestured with my head since my other hand was busy placing Aiden back on the bed.
“I was packing up his things and was going to call you when I was back in my car with Aiden, but I accidentally accepted your call since he was in my arms and I fumbled with my slate.”
“I see,” Trise mused. “Is Aiden okay?”
“Unconscious,” I sighed. “I fear he won’t wake up until I make it back home, and he can’t survive that long without food or water.”
“Would a helicopter work?” Alec asked. “We can have one of the others order one to pick you up and dump you at the edge of the forest. Then it’ll be less time.”
“No. They wouldn’t be much quicker than a car, and they need to refuel too often for it to save us time. But a plane could work, if you can help me get into one.”
“We can make sure one is ready for you at the closest airport,” Trise informed me.
“So cool,” Oliver commented from my right, I’d briefly forgotten about him. “Wow,” he said, pointing to the rulers. “Who’s that handsome one?”
Grovar’s face came closer and soon it was the only face that was projected. “Bring him back here, Nolen.”
“Oliver?” I questioned.
“Yes, he’s mine,” Grovar said, his tone firm and sort of possessive.
“Hold on,” I began, feeling my headache worsening. “Are you saying Oliver is Aiden and Derek’s brother? Another one of their father’s donor children?”
“It appears so,” Grovar grunted, but I could tell he was itching to get to Oliver himself.
“I love how you claimed me and all,” Oliver said, his tone amused. “Like silver fox daddy vibes apparently does it for me, but I don’t know you people, and I doubt my parents would be okay with me leaving with a stranger.”
Having no idea what a silver fox daddy was, I mentally went through the options on how to get Oliver there. He needed to meet Grovar, and I could always use magic on his parents.
“Bring him closer,” Grovar ordered. And since he was the ruler and all, I stepped closer to Oliver so they could talk. “You, Oliver, belong to me in a way you aren’t used to in your world. Look into my eyes and tell me you don’t feel it, even through the device.”
Oliver swallowed loudly. “I do.”
“Then go with Nolen, he’ll make sure your parents are okay with it, and I promise you can go home again any time you want.”
“Okay,” Oliver whispered, his eyes full of longing and trust as he stared at Grovar’s projected face.
“Good boy,” Grovar praised, then ended the call.
I guess that meant I had two parents to convince, a plane to catch and my unconscious mate to deal with. I couldn’t wait to get home to my Derek. My mates would soon reunite and that made me hasten my steps.
Using my magic to convince Oliver’s parents what a good idea it would be for Oliver to explore the world, was easier than I’d expected.
I was also surprised how little they cared for his education; had he not been monitored like the others had been with their donor father?
A question I knew Grovar would find the answer to, so I tried not to think about it too much.
It was actually weird how certain Grovar was that Oliver belonged to him.
I knew Grovar had yet to meet his mate, but the rest of us had a pull to leave our world, he had seemed content to stay, or maybe he felt he needed to, because of his ruling status.
Oliver was asleep next to me on the private plane we somehow magically made free for our use.
I knew it was one of my team mates who’d secured it, but no idea who.
I was thankful for it, in just a few hours, I would be home with Aiden and then I could kiss Derek again.
I missed him like crazy, even with Aiden in my arms, I still missed my other mate.
When I could finally lay with them both at my sides, I would be content for the first time in my life.
I knew now what I had longed for, what I had needed.
As soon as the plane landed, Oliver woke up and helped me carry all our bags outside.
A car was already waiting for us and then we drove towards the forest. I figured the driver had been magically influenced too, since he didn’t even question leaving us at the edge of a forest. It would seem sketchy to the least observant person, considering we came in a private plane and then were dumped into a forest with our bags and an unconscious man.
But he just left us here without a word.
Oliver was silent as we walked through the forest, and I feared he was either coming to terms with getting killed in there, or that he actually trusted our words and his instincts to follow.
Whatever the reason for his sudden silence, I welcomed it.
I was simply too tired to carry a conversation.
I hadn’t seen Derek in over a week and my newest mate was asleep too.
I had two mates, both unconscious and in a comalike state.
I needed a hug. I winced at the thought, because I instantly thought about my parents and how they’d yet to learn about me finding Aiden, and that he was my mate, too.
Now that I thought about it, the rulers hadn’t seemed surprised he’d kissed me, and they’d acted like they knew he was my mate, too.
Had they known all this time and purposely not told me?
I would’ve been hurt if I’d had the energy for it.
The hour-long trek was brutal on my tired muscles, and I longed for a nap and some food.
Water, too. Oliver’s silence was getting to me, too.
Was he okay? I turned to look at him and he seemed deep in thought, so I let him be.
The portal came into view five minutes later, and it was as if the sight of it brought Oliver out of whatever daze he’d been in.
“OMG! It’s true?! Like, magic and all that crap?”
I frowned as I looked at him. “Of course, why else would I bring you with me?”
“Um, because the silver fox daddy said so?”
I had no patience for a sentence I didn’t understand, so I changed my hold on Aiden and with my now free hand, I grabbed Oliver and dragged him with me through the portal.