In a Heartbeat (MxM)

Chapter 34

Chapter 34

Simon's POV

"Is it true, what Chase said?" I brought the subject up to Vince one night. It had caught him off guard, given we've really only made small talk for the past two weeks. "About your wolf?"

"Huh?" Was his reply, as he seemed to completely forget what I was referring to, but who could blame him. Most days, I hung around Xavier, either cleaning or cooking with the maids and cooks within the packhouse. To some, it might've seemed like I was avoiding Vince for the past two weeks. It wasn't like I actively avoided him, but it was easier to just hang out with Xavier, or Aspen.

Sure, Vince would occasionally bump into us, telling us we looked crazy for doing chores, but I insisted it kept us busy. I wasn't just going to spend all day holed up in his room or laying around doing nothing. I'd just be a burden and a deadweight if I did, and I enjoyed helping out. It kept my mind busy, away from dwelling on the fact that I had been living with Vince for the past few weeks. Being busy kept me from thinking too much, and it was probably the only reason I had tolerated our situation for this long.

Of course, it was always awkward being in the same room, and at night it was a wonder how he was putting up with me and my nervous antics. And quite honestly, I was surprised it had lasted this long to begin with.

And Vince was sleeping in his own bed again. No more awful cot to sleep on for him. He had complained about it incessantly, even though I told him he didn't have to. I'd wait for him to fully fall asleep before I could even close my eyes, but it was progress, as slow as it was.

So bringing up what Chase said probably sounded so out of the blue. But I needed to know. The past few days I had been thinking about the pills Chase had given me, thinking about how Vince had become so dependent on it that it may have had lasting impacts on his wolf. And if his wolf truly was dying, where would that leave him, or me?

Would he really go insane? Would I end up like their mother?

But I already knew the answer, it was just a matter of when, or if it could be reversed.

"Your wolf," I reiterated. "Is your wolf dying?"

He blinked before shrugging, "I don't know. Does it matter? I'm going to take a shower."

He turned to pull his shirt over his head. "Vince-"

"Look," he turned, his features taut as his lip threatened to show his teeth. "I don't know what your game is, alright? Why does it matter?"

I bit my lip before stepping closer to him, summoning all my courage to be firm with my words. "Chase told you what would happen. You really can't feel him, can you?"

He scoffed. "Of course I can feel his annoying ass."

"Hardly," I muttered out without thinking, finding it hard to meet his glare now.

"You don't know shit," he sneered, his voice raised a bit. "How could you possibly know what I feel?"

I immediately thought of the one time I could feel his wolf in over sixteen years. During his fight with Michael. How desperate his wolf was during that time, and how free he felt for the time being.

And then I remembered when I had first found out about Vince being my mate. The pull of the bond pulling our wolves together, the incessant whining, and demands to get closer no matter how far apart we were. It had been before he started those suppressants, his wolf free from the oppression of those stupid pills. His wolf was at full strength then, and when I had reached out to Vince, touching his arm, it was a feeling I couldn't describe. The sparks I felt, the sense of peace and euphoria that washed over me, and my wolf was a feeling I thought would last forever.