In a Heartbeat (MxM)

Chapter 29

We walked quicker until the RCPP was in sight, and I could finally let out a sigh of relief.

My phone buzzed in my pocket. Glancing it, I noticed it was from Sam.

How are you?

I frowned, before ignoring it, stuffing my phone back in my pocket.

With how much the pack had changed all those years, it was surprising to see the RCPP looked exactly the same. The paint was faded, dirt cladding the bottom, but the fencing looked fairly new. Approaching it, I remembered the times my siblings and I would wait for my father to arrive after a hunt, often sitting in the lunchroom of the RCPP.

Being here now seemed like such a foreign concept, similar to an out-of-body experience.

Thoughts were swirling in my head as we approached the door, before it swung open, the familiar mop of brown hair flopping about as his face broke out in his signature smile as he saw us two. He had grown a couple of inches since I've seen him, and stronger since the force of him tackling me nearly toppled me to the ground. All the worries of him not wanting to see me had vanished.

"Si!" He had practically screamed in my ear. A beta had stepped out from the building, standing patiently, his arms crossed.

"Hey, bub." I patted his hair down, as he squeezed my torso tightly.

Aspen wrapped us both in a hug, and we stayed like that for what felt like five minutes. Eventually, Aspen let go to glance at the beta standing there warily. Cedar seemed to notice, releasing me before looking at Aspen sheepishly.

"Cedar," Aspen said in a cautious tone, glancing at the two of them.

Cedar let out a nervous laugh, before glancing at the beta before coaxing him over. As he walked over here hesitantly, Cedar told Aspen, "he's sweet. Super nice, I promise."

I don't know why it took me so long, but I only realized why Aspen was so wary when the beta placed an incredibly friendly and brave arm around Cedar's torso.

This must've been his mate.

A mix of emotions hit me. I was happy, happy that his mate wanted to be around him. Then scared, scared what the implications of Cedar's male mate would mean. Then I felt sad, maybe even jealous that I hadn't gotten that happiness. But then I was mad at myself for feeling that way. I needed to be happy for him, I owed Cedar that much.

Cedar cleared his throat before grabbing my hand and Aspen's in another before announcing, "Aspen, Simon, this is Bryce. He's my mate."

Cedar was beaming at this point, so much so that his eyes squinted from how high his cheeks rose. Bryce had smiled, before extending his hand out to us. We introduced ourselves, Aspen still judging him as Cedar made a face at him. Bryce had watched as Cedar ranted about how they met, telling us all about Bryce's crazy friends. When Bryce would say something, Cedar would turn his whole body to stare at him, fully engrossed in every little thing he said.

Eventually, Aspen opened up, apologizing for how wild Cedar gets at times, to which Cedar pouted, poking Bryce on his cheek and telling him to ignore Aspen.

Bryce was incredibly sweet, despite the tough guy persona he had when he first stepped out of the building. He would make a great fit for Cedar who could get unruly and way too hyper for his own good. I was happy for them, truly. I was glad Cedar would get his happy ending. And I was glad Aspen had found his.

But I wanted mine too. Was that too much to ask for?

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After what felt like hours of the three of us catching up, Cedar going on and on about Bryce like he was the best thing in the world, I felt completely drained.