[GRANT]
The young Wynter got up with his rejected mate and walked outside. He needed fresh air, and they both needed to have their chat.
After all, it was long overdue.
Maybe they would reconcile and come to terms with their reality before the clock struck midnight.
Maybe the night would be about them until the end, and they would always remain mates. There were so many speculations and Alanor was honestly scared of them all.
"I know. And stop walking like a drunk, we both know alcohol won't do shit to your fucking system," Grant bit out angrily.
He wasn't sure if he was mad at Alanor for drinking like an idiot, or for trying to take a jab at the prince of Udrad, who would probably cause them all so much trouble than it was worth.
"Ouch," Alanor said as he touched his heart earnestly that for a moment there, Grant was worried about him.
"Hey, you okay? What is it this time? I swear you will be the death of me tonight, fuck. Here, put your arm on my shoulder, that should make it easier for you to walk," Grant said before adding quietly, "please don't die on me, I love you."
It was more of a whisper, but Alanor's cursed hearing could hear him loud and clear. However, the young Wynter didn't say anything. Instead, he did what Grant said and they walked out of the party.
"Where does it hurt? Tell me, do I need to get a physician? Do I need to call Criselda? What should I do?" Grant asked as he ranted out. They were already outside and the moon was shining ever so brightly.
It was beautiful and it felt like this was the kind of peace they both needed, but then with the worry on Grant's face, it was a little too hard for Alanor to think of the night as good. He had made a mistake, and he needed to fix it, but how?
How the hell was Alanor supposed to make things right, when he knew that no matter what the moon chose for them tonight, he would make sure to not have a mate? What could he do to fix himself?
The only thing the young Wynter could wish for the goddess right now, was to make sure that Grant got a mate who truly loved and cared for him, because otherwise, Alanor would come for the man or woman, and he would make them pay, for every pain that Grant went through.
'What you should do? Maybe kiss me, that would heal both our hearts,' Alanor said to himself subconsciously.
As much as he was acting all macho and a big boy with Grant, he still wished he could mate lips with his mate, at least one more time before the moon officially broke them apart. He wanted to stay in Grant's arms till the night was over and even in the years to come.
He didn't want to go anywhere, but then that was against his plans for vengeance. He didn't want to put his mate in danger too, besides, he had a king to murder and a whole lycan race to teach a lesson on humanity and loyalty.
"Relax, I was kidding. But it's nice to know you care so much for me. Thank you," Alanor said and Grant smacked his head. The wolf couldn't believe his mate was this crazy. Didn't this big lycan know the implications of what they were already doing?
And he was even making him worry? Maybe he needed to smack Alanor a second time, and he did, without fear of being killed by the big bad beast of the midlands. Instead, he did it with a smile and a frown on his face.
"Owww, you have to be the meanest werewolf I have ever met," Alanor whined out, holding his heart instead of his head that had been smacked. Grant just looked at his mate, and wondered whether he would be this dramatic, if ever Alanor had accepted their mate bond.
Would he have gotten the chance to see the big bad beast of the midlands smile genuinely at him, and be a baby around him? That would really be a sight worth cherishing. But that was just Grant's wishful thinking.
He was trying to accept Alanor's decision, even though he knew Alanor had tried to make life better for him in Acrod. Despite being the head warrior, his life was running a little too smoothly, and Grant knew he couldn't be happy without Alanor intervening from a distance.
The werewolf warrior already knew that Alanor was the one who had been taking care of the rogues around Acrod even before the warriors knew about it. However, Grant knew, because when he always went to do the inspection, he always found Alanor's scent.
It had comforted him for all those months they were apart anyway. Maybe that was why it was so easy for Grant to come to Alanor's aid. Because this man was always showing up for him even when Alanor didn't have to.
"Oh yeah? You wanna meet others huh?" Grant teased with a frown on his face.
"I'm sorry," the young Wynter let out, his voice coming out softly.
"For being stupid and picking a fight with the damn prince of the lycans? You should not be apologizing to me, go apologize to him you big oaf—" Grant said and Alanor pulled him into a hug.
The young Wynter didn't care that their scents would mix and that the people here would think they were mates. Alanor needed the hug and he couldn't exactly ask Zelina or Ulrike for one, because that would be even more suspicious of him and the warlocks of Greroth.
"What are you—"
"Please, just for now. Even for this tiny moment, let me stay here, a little longer," Alanor asked faintly and Grant's heart broke for him. He didn't know what it was that was truly holding Alanor back from giving into their mate bond.
Grant had been asking himself that question for months, but from what he had learned about the young Wynter, he knew the man would open up only when he needed to, and not a second before.
"Okay, don't be too hard on yourself," Grant said before continuing.
"We can both change this, but I assume you have a good reason for whatever it is you are doing to us. We are strong and can make things right, but for some reason you are keeping me away from you. I was honestly angry in the first few weeks, but I'm not, not anymore.
"I just hope you don't hurt yourself in the process, and don't go picking fights. I won't always be there to stop your punches, you know," Grant scolded and Alanor let out a smile.
Even though their situation was complicated because of Alanor, Grant was willing to overlook that and stay with him. It was probably risky, but Alanor needed the comfort and Grant was going to give it to him.
Grant wasn't going to abandon the first person who looked out for him just because of what he was after. And so for the next few minutes, the two of them stayed in each other's arms, holding onto each other and wishing each other well.
There were so many emotions between them, from the sparks that were literally still lighting up their bodies, to the fact that this was without a doubt their final goodbye. But they didn't want to think of that.
They didn't want to talk about anything outside of their hug, because that would ruin this beautiful moment. But then as with everything else, all good things did come to an end. Their hug came to an end when the king called for everyone's attention.
"Be good to yourself, okay?" Grant said when they pulled apart.
"I will, and you will be happy, with whatever mate you get today alright," Alanor said as he kissed Grant's forehead before walking back to the party. The young Wynter had already cast a spell to remove his scent from Grant and to get Grant's scent off of him.
This would be hard on them, but they had to adapt, for their own good.
Besides, despite being a final goodbye, they both knew that Alanor would break all the existing rules if ever Grant was in danger.