Chapter 27
Sylvan
It’s been four days since I last saw Revea, and I don’t like that.
When Valentin went overseas for a month, I didn’t like that either.
A year ago, we made a collective decision to step back from in-person roles. We’d hired enough specialist staff that we no longer needed to be on the ground ourselves. These days, we handle the hiring, training, scheduling, and meetings.
But incidents still happen.
When the man scheduled for a job overseas suddenly couldn’t go, the client requested Valentin. He’d worked with him before. Kaiden and I both suggested sending someone else. Valentin packed his bags anyway.
Luciano was still in France on another job when Val called him from the plane. He was furious, and he stayed that way for weeks. It was the longest the twins had ever been apart.
Valentin doesn’t know it yet, but I’ve already told that client he won’t be available for the foreseeable future.
Which means never.
But I can’t control Revea’s schedule.
I’ve seen it, everything planned out for the next five years. The document was on her PC, and I made a copy, because knowing where she is and what she’s planning is essential for her safety, which is our job as her security.
It’s meticulously organised, dotted with conventions every few months: LA, New York, London, Paris…
Which means this will be happening again.
And again.
And I have no way to stop it.
The countdown on my screen ticks down. I stare, tapping my fingers to the seconds. When Val and Luc enter the house, five minutes have counted down.
Thirty seconds pass by the time they reach the living room and the interconnected kitchen.
“Hey, Syl,” Luciano says. “Good day?”
I glance at him, nod, then focus back on the screen.
“Okay, then...” he murmurs.
Val makes a huffing sound.
Kaiden enters next, all taking stools around the kitchen counter while talking about an upcoming job and deciding who’s best to assign.
I speak when necessary, which isn’t much because my pack are good at making these decisions without me. I suppose they just want me to feel included.
But when Luc mentions Revea’s salon, I tune in. I think he realises because he starts talking a little louder.
“Big fans of the retina scan,” Luciano says. “Maybe we should get one for the house?”
“Yeah, you’re pretty much an expert with it, considering how long you took setting up that omega today,” Valentin gruffs out, sounding... annoyed.
Luc’s gaze narrows, voice louder. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
“Nothing.” Val shrugs, doing something with his phone. “Just thought you were close to that omega this morning.”
“Who?” Then Luc scoffs. “Serena? The fucking traumatised omega abused by her arranged pack? Her scan didn’t work. I was recalibrating it.”
“Why are you getting so defensive?”
“Because you’re accusing me of... What the fuck are you accusing me of?”
“Luc...” Kaiden chimes in.
“No, Kai, this fucker’s been biting at me for days. So what is it?” Luc’s stool slides as he stands. “Huh? What’s your fucking problem?”
Val lowers his phone and looks up at his brother. “She’s been gone a few days, and you’re already flirting with other women.”
There’s a pause, then Luc slams his hands on the counter. “Are you fucking serious?” he shouts. “Flirting? You thought I was fucking flirting?! Eres tonto, ?lo sabías?”
Val stares back, unflinching. “Just calling it as I see it, cabrón.”
Luc snarls, “And you’ll see my fucking fist in your face—”
“Luc, Val, calm it,” Kaiden barks, the low rumble filling the room.
The twins stare at each other, jaws set, bodies tense.
“If Luc was flirting,” Kaiden begins, there’s a growl. “Hey, I’m not saying you were, but if he was, he can, Valentin. Because Revea isn’t ours.”
“I wasn’t fucking flirting,” Luc mumbles.
I feel bad for him. Val seems grumpier than usual.
“I believe Luc,” I say.
He smiles a little. “Thanks, mate.”
Val huffs, grinding his teeth, then drags a hand over his face with a groan. “Fuck, sorry, you’re right.” He shakes his head. “You can do whatever you want, Luc. I’m sorry for being an ass, I’m just...” He looks to the side. “I know she’s not ours, but I feel like she is.”
“You think I don’t feel the same way?” Luc says, sitting back down. “I’m not interested in anyone else, Val.”
Val nods, holding out his hand. “Truce?”
They shake, then Luc pulls him in for a one-armed hug that Val pretends to pull away from.
“You moody fuck, who knew you were such a softie inside?” Luc croons, rubbing his knuckles over Val’s head, which turns his usual grunts into something kinda like a laugh.
But all this discussion of flirting has triggered something in my head.
“Do you think Revea feels the same?” I ask, glancing between them.
Val slips out of Luc’s hold, and all my pack now face me.
“Hard to say, Syl,” Kaiden answers.
I nod. “So she could be flirting with other people?”
The second I say it, I realise I don’t like that idea, and the way my pack growls indicates they don’t either.
“Why would you even say that, Syl?” Luciano stares at me, hard.
I frown. “Because she could be. As Kaiden said, we’re not committed. She could be flirting or even fucking—”
“Shut the fuck up, Syl,” Luc growls, pupils wide.
I do, because I’ve made my chest hurt.
“Sorry,” I eventually say.
Luc sighs, moving to take the stool beside me. “No, I’m sorry, hermano.” He looks straight at me. “Don’t ever let me speak to you like that again.” Then he shakes his head. “And you’re not wrong about Revea, Syl. It’s just…”
“We don’t want to think about that,” Val finishes, voice low.
“We don’t like imagining Revea with… others,” Kaiden clarifies.
Which makes sense. Picturing Revea even speaking with another alpha makes my chest ache.
“Maybe we could just ask her not to,” I suggest.
“This is the hard part of liking someone.” Luc smiles sadly. “We’re in this weird limbo of inexclusivity. Right now, isn’t the time to ask.”
“Well, when is?” I ask, but no one replies. I frown, looking to our pack alpha. “Do you need to be physically intimate with her first?”
Kaiden coughs out a laugh. “Sylvan, there isn’t a protocol for this type of thing.”
“But we all have been, only you haven’t, and you’re our pack alpha.”
Valentin shifts in his seat. “Sylvan…”
My frown deepens. “You should have rutted her the day you met—”
“Okay!” Luc cuts in with a loud clap. “I think we need to stop this conversation before our pack alpha barks your ass into doing fifty push-ups.”
I look to Kaiden and see I have indeed angered him. His jaw is set, eyes darker than usual.
I’ve angered my pack quite a bit tonight. Maybe I should remain quiet for a while.
We’re all silent. I wait, but no one says anything. Maybe they need some space from me. That happens sometimes. I overwhelm people. Annoy them.
After a few more seconds, I pick up my laptop and move onto the living room sofa.
Later in the evening, I think my pack feels bad about something because they’ve ordered my favourite food rather than Valentin’s, even though it’s his night to choose.
They’ve all ended up on the sofa with me, drinking and watching a sports game I have no interest in.
But I’m feeling much better because Revea’s now awake and she’s been messaging in the group chat. Written ones, even though I prefer the ones with pictures.
Whenever I open my phone, I see the one she sent me from the first-class pod I upgraded her to.
I’m glad she listened and decided to keep sending more. I have a folder for her now.
I glance back at my laptop screen.
Three minutes left.
For the past four nights, we’ve all stayed up later. Although none of us has said why, it happens to coincide with an eight-hour time difference.
At this rate, we’ll be running on about three hours of sleep again. Even less for me.
My watch lights up with a notification, a direct message rather than the group chat. I reach for my phone.
Revea: You’ve been very quiet in the group chat, Sylvan. I hope you’ve not forgotten about me.
What is my chest doing? I feel like I can’t breathe, and I’m breathing too much all at once.
Me: I’ve been reading and looking. I don’t often say much. Sorry.
Revea: You’re still awake?
Me: Yes.
After a few seconds, I realise that isn’t open-ended enough.
Me: I’ve stayed up to watch something.
My fingers hover, desperate to say more but knowing my truths can anger and upset.
Revea: I hope you enjoy it, gotta go, sleep well x
Fuck. That X is a sign off. I’ve missed my chance to tell her I miss her…
Sound erupts from my laptop, I quickly mute it, but now my pack are watching me.
“What’re you up to, Syl?” Luc asks with a sly tone, possibly because the way I reacted insinuates I don’t want them to know something.
Which isn’t true. They can know. I’m just not sure how they’ll react.
I don’t want to make them mad again.
“I’m watching something,” I say, eyes intent on my screen.
“Okay... are you going to share with your pack? Unless it’s porn.” Then he lowers his voice. “Or are we past that now since the whole CCTV...”
I cast my screen to the TV, cutting off the rugby match and Luc’s words.
“What’s this, Syl? A presentation or something?” Kaiden asks, shifting on the sofa to face the screen better.
“Yes, in a way.” I find my lips twitching as they try to work it out.
Soon, they do, because the event name appears on the screen behind, and people walk onto the large stage.
“What the fuck...” Luc murmurs.
“Sylvan.” Kaiden wets his lips. “Please tell me you didn’t hack into the CCTV at the convention.”
“No. Although I considered it,” I say. “You can pay to watch the event. It’s a livestream.”
When Revea steps on stage, every one of us produces a soft noise. Be it a growl or a groan, they all mix in.
“She’s fucking gorgeous.” Kaiden shifts to the edge of the sofa.
“Stunning.” Val leans in, elbows on his thighs.
Luc sighs. “So damn hot.”
I’m grinning wide because my pack can’t take their eyes off the screen.
I think I’ve made them happy.
I look at her too, and they’re right. She’s beautiful. Every time I see Revea, I think she’s more beautiful than the last. Even on a screen, miles away, painted in a thousand pixels, she’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.
“How long is it, Syl?” Kaiden asks without looking away.
“Three hours.”
They all groan again, but it’s a happy sound as they slump back on the sofa, getting comfortable.
“Haven’t you already watched her teach, Val?” Kaiden asks.
“Yeah,” he says, then pauses. I think he takes a sip of his beer, but I can’t be sure because I’m looking at Revea. “I couldn’t look away.”
“Is this weird? What we’re doing?” Luc’s question is met by silence.
Maybe it is, but we’re fucking doing it.
There are two people standing with Revea and someone in a suit with a microphone who introduces them. They describe a specific technique or skill, Revea’s is something called a bol-e-arge, and apparently, she’s won awards for it.
When the first person takes centre stage, Revea and the other sit back on stools, watching.
Thankfully, the cutting doesn’t take long, and now, it’s Revea’s turn.
The second she takes centre spot on stage and she smiles straight into the camera, we’re enamoured.
People cheer, applauding as she claps along politely. But as soon as she addresses the crowd, a hush descends. As she works, she explains each step clearly, concisely, but with a passion and enthusiasm that’s contagious.
She has the crowd laughing along to small jokes I don’t quite understand, but I find I’m smiling anyway.
Everything about her is hypnotic.
I’ve no idea what she’s really doing or saying, but I watch every action and listen to every single word.
When she stops, saying something about processing time, a screen appears over the live stream to indicate a break, and a new countdown appears.
We all sit back, because we’d all been leaning closer.
“That felt like porn.” Luc shakes his head, taking a long drag from his beer. “Educational hairdresser porn.”
When there’s a buzz, we all launch to our phones.
Revea: Just got off stage, hope you guys are having sweet dreams. X
With an attached pic we all watched her take on stage. It’s of her smiling beside the model and a large audience behind. I crop it and add it to my folder. Then type:
Me: We’re still up.
“Syl, wait,” Kaiden rumbles.
Revea: Oh wow, really? Why?
Luc moves. “SYL—”
Me: Watching you.
“Oh my god.” Luc grabs a cushion and slams his face into it, then groans, “Joder… Dios.”
Val stares at me, so does Kaiden, both with their mouths slightly parted. It’s strange… I don’t think I’ve ever seen them look at me like that.
“What?” I ask, genuinely confused.
“Sylvan, do you realise how that makes us sound?” Val says, voice even deeper than usual, like his growl is building.
I frown. “No?”
“Like we’re deranged stalkers,” Luc muffles out, face still buried in the cushion.
I look down at our chat.
“Revea’s typing,” I say, and Luc throws the cushion, catching her message the same moment we all do.
Revea: You stayed up late to watch my session?
Revea: That’s really sweet X
Luc pounces on me. “Sylvan, I do not know how you keep doing this.”
I grin, trying to stop his arm from wrapping around my throat.
“But you—” He kisses my cheek hard. “—you are my fucking hero.”
I smile. Good. I like it when they’re happy.