Chapter 10 Aiden #2
Wyatt made an indignant sound at the back of his throat, and we all looked to him.
Skye pursed her lips before looking away. “Well, three of us are in this Chain,” she said softly. “Wyatt doesn’t want to be here.”
Zephyr’s eyes were now wide open as he looked back and forth between Wyatt and his sister. “I’m sorry, what? You forgot to mention that part. You rejected him?”
“He rejected her first,” I said. Zephyr’s eyes widened even further.
Skye tensed as she hugged her arms. “Sorry, Zeph. I have a lot of feelings about it.”
Zephyr nodded in understanding, his expression softening.
Rafe cleared his throat. “Did I hear you correctly – there’s only three of us in this Chain?”
“Oh, God. He can’t even count. Nevermind, Skye. He’s not funny. You would get matched to a dumbass.” Zephyr groaned. I snickered again.
Skye bristled, ignoring Zephyr and keeping her attention on Rafe. “You, me, and Aiden.” Her eyes narrowed. “And you’re a maybe. Who else did you think was in this group?”
Both Rafe and Wyatt flicked their gazes toward Zephyr. It was just for a moment, something that would have been missed with a blink, but we all saw it.
Zephyr suddenly burst into loud laughter, bracing himself on the wall to keep from falling onto the ground. Skye winced at the sudden loudness, but the color drained from her face as I ran my hand down her arm soothingly, and then I realized what was going on.
“Oh,” I said slowly, looking at my Link-mates. “Oh, you two are so stupid.”
Zephyr began to settle, saw the confusion across Rafe and Wyatt’s faces, and then he howled even harder, pressing his face into his forearm against the wall.
“Will you stop?” Skye hissed at him.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” Zephyr whimpered. “I have to see their faces when you tell them.”
“What am I missing?” Rafe asked, looking to me.
I chuckled. “Zephyr and Skye are brother and sister.”
The color drained from Wyatt’s face and his eyes glazed over slightly, like he was going through every interaction he’d ever had with the two of them, trying to find where he’d missed the familial connection.
“You thought we were together?” Skye squeaked. “Oh, my God. You asshole! You never read my fucking file?!”
It was my turn to laugh. Wyatt really was the worst counselor ever, which I knew well. He’d spent all of first term trying to keep me away from Skye.
…I think.
“Are you kidding me?” Rafe hissed, turning his glare on Wyatt.
Wyatt’s head suddenly moved as Skye freed him.
“I…I didn’t realize…I didn’t…” He spluttered, shaking his head back and forth as if he still couldn’t believe it.
Zephyr continued to laugh for another minute or so while Rafe glared daggers at Wyatt, and Wyatt looked like his brain had short-circuited.
I could feel Skye’s growing irritation, not only at Wyatt, but also her brother. Just as I opened my mouth to say something, Skye snapped, “I’m out of here.”
“Hey!” Zephyr called as Skye turned on her heel. “Are you doing breakfast or the café?!”
“Neither!” She yelled back.
“Motherfucker,” Zephyr snarled, his good mood gone.
Wyatt and Rafe both moved a moment later, Skye having freed them.
“Well, at least she didn’t kick us out.” Rafe said lightly.
Zephyr rounded back on him, and I cleared my throat, trying to draw his attention to me. I didn’t want him to do something he’d regret.
“You’ll wish she did,” Zephyr said darkly.
Okay, so he probably wouldn’t regret whatever he did, but Skye might be pissed.
“Zeph,” I said, my voice a little higher than normal. “Don’t do something that’ll upset Skye.”
Zephyr glared at me, but it lost its heat quickly. His shoulders slumped. “Fine,” he muttered. “The two of you can stay here if Skye allows it.”
He turned on his heel just like Skye had, then slammed his door.
I cringed at the loudness. Just as I turned back to face my two Link-mates, there was a thud from somewhere below us. Rafe and Wyatt froze, their eyes darting to mine in alarm.
Of course, that was probably Skye downstairs with Levi, but the other two didn’t need to know that.
“You’re welcome,” I said flatly. “You two should scram.”
“Actually, if I could have a word?” Rafe said, then cut a glare at Wyatt. “Alone.”
Wyatt pursed his lips, but only shook his head before he strode away, leaving through the door to the café, where I assumed he’d be waiting for Rafe.
“Aiden,” Rafe said, walking toward me. “Listen, I know you don’t hate me.”
“You had to pull me aside to say that?” I asked, not even trying to be funny.
Rafe sighed deeply. “No, Aiden. I want to ask if you’ll give me advice.”
“Oh,” I replied. “Okay. About Skye?”
Rafe nodded eagerly. “Is she really mad at me? What can I do? What did you do to get back on her good side?”
I could feel my cheeks heating just remembering the clearing in the woods, where Skye pulled my hair and put me on my knees for the first time.
Rafe’s eyebrows were at his hairline as he watched me.
“Um,” I cleared my throat, trying to give myself more time to think. “Well, she’s not mad, exactly. She’s a little against the idea of a Chain. I’m not sure why, but I don’t think I’d tell you even if I knew.”
“Fair,” Rafe replied, waving his hand in a signal to go on.
“She’s definitely mad you broke into the apartment,” I went on. “But she can forgive you for that, I think. She’s been coming around to the idea of there being more than just me, but she’s still…apprehensive.”
“I can work with that,” Rafe said. “Anything else? Anything you can think of?”
I shook my head, but paused as I reconsidered.
After Skye ran out into the rain after shadow Rafe, she hadn’t said much about him. She liked that he was bringing her books to help her research. But when she found out the Prince was in her Chain, and he’d made no effort to meet her…
“She’s a little insecure,” I said, hating myself for revealing it. “Part of her thinks she isn’t good enough for you, otherwise you would’ve come to meet her sooner.”
“That cannot be farther from the truth,” Rafe said firmly, and I nodded.
“I know, but she doesn’t. And after everything with Wyatt…”
Rafe nodded, then ran his tattooed hand through his hair. “Alright. I can work with this. Thank you, Aiden. I’ll text you if I need anything.”
“But–”
Rafe disappeared into a shadow, and I was left standing in the hall as if I’d been alone all along. I sighed.
“–you don’t have my number.”