In a Heartbeat (MxM)

Chapter 25

I was about to type a response, when Aspen stood up abruptly, the diner chair screeching against the tiles. He moved around the table, grabbing my upper arm, yanking me out of the chair. He looked down at Sam to say, "sorry, I need to borrow Simon for a sec."

"Aspen," I tried fighting off his grip, but he held it so firmly. I turned to give Sam and Sarah an apologetic look as he dragged me away from the table and headed outside the diner. "What's gotten into you?"

His grip tightened as he whirled me around to look at me. He didn't say anything, his jaw clenched as he stared at me. I looked at him confused as I demanded, "What the fuck, Aspen? What was that about?"

"Who is he?" He growled.

I blinked. "I told you, he's a vet, I was recovering at his clinic."

"Bull," he spat out.

I frowned. "I'm telling you the truth. I was hit by a car, my hip was crushed, so I had surgery and was recovering in my wolf form. He runs the clinic."

I rarely saw Aspen get this angry, and it was starting to scare me. I wasn't sure why he didn't like Sam, or why he was frustrated at me, but I could feel my heart rate rising.

"Look, I'm sorry I couldn't contact you, I was in my wolf form, Aspen. I couldn't shift until my wound healed, alright?" My voice faltered, as he continued to fume silently. He was starting to really scare me, my anxiety rising, as his chest huffed in and out. He never got this mad, no matter how many times I ran away on my own. Maybe some ranting, or scolding, but he seemed hellbent on being angry. Even when Cedar would get in trouble, which was often, Aspen was never this mad.

Cedar.

Oh, I thought. Realization dawned on me. He wasn't here with Aspen. There was no way in hell Aspen would've left him at the motel. Was that why he was mad?

"Aspen," I gulped. "Where's Cedar?"

He breathed out shakily, his fists clenched tight, not meeting my gaze.

I asked again, "Where is he, Aspen?"

He said lowly, "this is why I didn't want to lie to him."

"What are you talking about?"

"He's gone!" He shouted, his body shaking as he bared his teeth. "All because of your stupid lies!"

"Huh?"

"You go on and on about love and mates, and how amazing it is," he went on. "When I told you he needed to know the truth. He's going to get hurt, Simon! He's sixteen! I tried warning him, but he's so fucking hellbent on finding his damn mate."

"It could be different," I said quietly. "You know that."

He shook his head, "no. He needed to know the risks. He's still a kid, Simon. I don't want him to get hurt like you did. What if he gets killed?"

His voice broke in the end, the tears welling in his eyes. I hugged him this time. No wonder he was getting all antsy. Cedar was his brother, of course he'd be terrified. And the fact that I had practically fallen off the face of the earth for a month on top of it was probably stressing him out more than anything.

"We'll find him, Aspen. He'll be alright," I told him, hoping it'd be true. "Besides, you have Sarah. It's proof that mates can be amazing, right?"

He scoffed, wiping the remaining tears away before looking at me. "I'm sorry I was an ass in there."

"You were," I joked. "My waffles are probably cold."

He laughed, probably the first time he has since Cedar and I disappeared. "I owe you, then."