After hours of running, they finally lose them. Jess stumbles into a clearing and collapses onto the cold, damp earth.
His body trembles as he shifts back to his human form.. naked, scratched, shivering.
The wind bites his skin.
He gasps, grabbing a handful of leaves to cover himself.
His chest heaves.
His whole body feels like it's burning. A strange pull, like something stirring within his core. A faint pressure pulses in his lower abdomen. It's familiar now, electric, almost alive. He presses a hand to his abdomen, frowning at the feeling, but quickly lets it drop.
What's up with my stomach lately?!
He wonders quietly.
Jaxon and Jayson slow to a halt, their eyes widening with recognition. For a moment, they just stare, as if seeing a ghost.
"Jess?" Jaxon breathes, barely more than a whisper.
"Jess…" Jayson echoes, his voice thick with disbelief.
Jess straightens slowly, giving them a tired, raised brow. "Are you guys going to just stand there and stare, or are you going to give me something to put on?"
They blink out of their trance. Jaxon shrugs off his sweater and tosses it over. Jayson fumbles out of his trousers, left in only a pair of shorts, and hands them over without a word.
Jess dresses quickly. Surprisingly, Jayson's pants fit well, almost like they were meant for him.
A tense silence follows. Jess studies them both. He wants to say something, maybe the way forward, or at least lie about how he knew about them, but the words don't come.
Instead, Jayson steps forward and pulls him into a tight embrace.
"Thank you," he murmurs, voice small. "I was really scared…"
Jess doesn't respond.
"How did you know?" Jaxon asks, eyes narrowing as he studies Jess with suspicion and curiosity.
"Does it matter?" Jess deflects, not willing to explain that he sat in the same council chamber that sentenced them.
That he stood there, dressed like he belonged among them.. when he never truly did.
So he pivots. "Just curious… Were you two actually doing it when they caught you, or was that just a misunderstanding?"
A sharp silence falls. Jayson shifts awkwardly. Jaxon's expression tightens.
"It's true," Jayson says quietly. He glances at Jaxon, but the older guy than both of them looks away.
Jess narrows his eyes. There's something unspoken here. Something heavy... And unspoken. But he still presses on.
"So... is it a mate bond?" he asks. "Are you two mated?"
"We're not sure," Jayson answers again. "I mean, there's always been… something. Even before I was old enough to feel a bond. And since I turned eighteen, I never felt it with anyone else."
"Before mate bond?" Jess asks, a bit too curious now. "What were you then? Friends?"
"I was his bodyguard," Jaxon begins, his voice calm but layered with emotion. "There was nothing serious between us. We were caught up… drunk. I don't know how many times I have to say this, but Jayson, you are not in love with me as you claim to be. I've always been the one next to you, all your life. Your parents were never at home, and you were left under my watch. You never made friends even at school, so you spent all your time around me. When you finally meet people out there, that's when you'll realize you've confused all this…"
Jess watches silently. He knows this conversation isn't for him but he can't look away.
Jayson steps forward, eyes filled with something like ancient pain, like hurt layered over years of silence.
"You know, Jaxon, that's not the real issue here, whether what I feel is love or not isn't the problem. The real question is, what do you really feel? Why haven't you said it yet? If you're ready to be honest now, I'll respect it. I hate that I dragged you into this mess, and I don't want to keep making you feel uncomfortable. So, please, tell me, what do you really feel? When you told the council you weren't drunk, that you knew exactly what I was doing but didn't push me away, was that true?" Jay asks, his voice full of desperation.
Jaxon stays silent.
"Say something," Jayson pleads. "Please…"
But instead of words, Jaxon steps forward and wraps his arms around him.
"I'm sorry," he says, voice cracking. "I've always known how much I meant to you. But I didn't think I was enough. You had it all, I had nothing. I thought someday you'd leave me behind and find someone better. So I pushed you away first."
Jayson pulls back and kisses him.
"I don't care what you can give me or what you can't," he whispers. "I just want you. That's all I want."
Jaxon nods, barely able to speak. "Okay…Okay, You've got me."
Jess turns away, blinking hard. Watching them cuts deep. He remembers when he wanted this with Tanner, desperately. But Tanner didn't hold him like that. Tanner didn't make him feel like enough.
This... This is what love is. And whatever was between him and Tanner was not anything close to this.
It will never be.
So maybe it's time he make peace with that fact and forget that there was anything at all between the two of them, and move on.
"Sorry," Jaxon says suddenly, pulling back from Jayson. "We almost forgot you were there."
Jess forces a weak smile. "No worries. I'm good at being invisible."
The moment lightens, just a little. Jay's eyes shine now, free from the weight they held minutes ago. Even Jaxon looks more alive.
Jess clears his throat. "I don't know what our next destiny is, but… I was hoping to find Kyle too. I need to get him out of whatever place they took him. I know it's the same place that you guys were going to be taken to, but I have no idea where exactly."
Jaxon's face darkens. "I think I heard something… Northern Borderlands."
Jess's heart skips. "That far?"
"I heard it too," Jayson says. "But we can make it in two days, maybe less."
Jess nods, silent determination settling in. He doesn't care how far it is. He's going.
If he can save Kyle - maybe he can forgive himself.