When he opened the door, Kaden Wilson was standing there, smiling at him. Adam closed the door and dropped his bag to the floor. Strolling into the house, he walked straight up to Kaden. He rubbed his hands along Kaden’s trimmed beard, tickling his palms before pulling the other man in for a hug, as if it was any other day.
The two of them had been friends for many years, and over time, their relationship had changed and they’d become lovers. Pressing his nose against the top of Kaden’s head, Adam inhaled, pulling the familiar scent deep into his lungs.
Kaden instantly stiffened in his arms. “You met your mate.”
Adam dropped his arms and stepped backward, creating some distance. Lifting his left hand, he covered the bite mark with his palm, absently rubbing the spot where Nicholas’s teeth had scarred his flesh.
“Yeah.”
“Oh, wow.” From the look on Kaden’s face, Adam could see that he was shocked. His eyes widened, and his mouth opened slightly. Kaden was silent for a moment before saying, “Congratulations.”
“I should’ve called while I was gone and told you. I’m sorry.”
Adam felt like a thoughtless ass. He’d been so focused on spending time with Rory and waiting for Nicholas that he hadn’t called home and checked in with his pack.
“No, it’s fine.” Kaden waved Adam’s apology away with a flick of his delicate wrist. “We knew this day would come sooner or later. Finding a mate is a blessing. I’m looking forward to meeting the lucky guy. Really, I’m happy for you, Adam.”
Adam stared at Kaden for a moment, looking for any sign of pain. The other man seemed genuinely happy for him. And, although he was grateful that Kaden wasn’t crying, Adam still felt as though he’d been dealt a crushing blow to the heart. Over the years, his feelings had grown toward Kaden, but their bond wasn’t blessed by fate. The two of them weren’t destined to be together.
“Thank you.” Adam smiled. “I’m not sure when you’ll meet him though. Nicholas has decided to stay in New Orleans for the time being. He owns a business there with his twin brother, Damon. They’re both tattoo artists.”
“And Rory?”
“It turns out that Damon is Rory’s mate.”
“So, he’s not coming back?”
“No.” Adam sighed. The house already seemed so empty without his younger brother running around. He was really going to miss having Rory nearby.
“I’m gonna head upstairs and start packing my things.”
Adam’s brows furrowed, and he shook his head. “You don’t have to do that.”
“I don’t think it’s appropriate for me to stay here, not now that you’ve found your mate.”
“We’re friends.” Adam’s heart beat erratically. Just thinking about Kaden leaving was more than he could bear. “You have your own bedroom on the other side of the house. It’s no big deal. Please, stay.”
“That excuse might’ve worked on Rory and the rest of the pack, but it won’t work when your mate arrives. He’ll be pissed. Hell”—he shook his head, exhaling loudly—“I’d be pissed.”
“The truth is,” Adam said with a sigh, “Nicholas isn’t coming. He wasn’t exactly happy to find out that we’re mates. I don’t know if he’ll ever come here willingly.”
“What? Why?”
Adam scrubbed a hand down his face. He didn’t necessarily want to share personal information about his mate with Kaden. It was incredibly embarrassing to admit that Nicholas didn’t want him, but Adam didn’t want Kaden to leave. Living alone in this big house would drive him crazy. Adam couldn’t stand silence.
“He doesn’t want to leave his life in New Orleans.”
“Fuck,” Kaden breathed out. “I’m sorry.”
“Please don’t go.”
“I don’t know, Adam.”
“This is your home,” Adam told him. “You shouldn’t have to leave, but the choice is yours.”
“I’ll think about it.”
“Okay.” He sighed. “I’m gonna head upstairs. I need a shower and a nap before the run tonight.”
Kaden merely nodded. Adam stared at him for a moment, wishing there was more he could say to make this situation a little less awkward, but he couldn’t find the right words.
Turning on his heel, Adam grabbed his bag before jogging upstairs. He strode into his bedroom and closed the door behind him with a soft click. Leaning back against the heavy wood, Adam exhaled loudly. For the first time in his life, Adam truly felt lost, the path toward his future unclear. In a short amount of time, his entire life had been turned upside down, and he didn’t know what to do.