Chapter 138

Chapter 138: Walking Down the Memory Lane

When Caleb returned, he found a very sleepy Ashton immersing himself in a cup of black coffee while sitting all by himself in the cafeteria he used to work in. “Where have you been? I have been looking all over for you”? Caleb asked his mate the moment he spotted him.

Sluggishly Ashton moved his eyes and looked up at his mate. “I couldn’t sleep. The twins dragged me to buy stuff for them”.

“Maybe from next time you shouldn’t stay up for the whole night for no apparent reason”. Caleb scoffed.

“You were busy the whole day! What was I supposed to do”? Ashton snapped in his sleepy daze.

“I was away just for a day, what will you do once I enroll full time? Abandon sleep”? Caleb voiced his concern.

“I will find a way. I have a busy life”. Ashton shrugged

Caleb chuckled and shook his head. He received an unamused glare from Ashton, so he cleared his throat and asked.”Why didn’t you take a rain check? With the mall activities and all”?

.....

“They are starting high school next fall and they are excited. I don’t wanna kill that enthusiasm”. Ashton shrugged and took a large sip of coffee.

“Calm down there boy” A voice of a middle aged woman spoke. “I don’t want my ex-employee to get caffeine poisoning” Mrs Meyers scolded him before she disappeared.

Caleb tried to suppress his chuckle before he asked Ashton, “Why are you getting coffee now? Just go and home and get some rest”.

Finishing his last sip he mumbled, “Too late”. Caleb simply shook his head at his behavior. “How did you find me here? That reminds me, how do you find me so easily these days”? Ashton asked. He had been surprised many times by Caleb’s sudden arrival quite a few times, and although he meant to ask, he forgot to.

Caleb thought for a moment before saying, “That’s a secret”. He smirked. Ashton rolled his eyes before both of them left the cafeteria.

On reaching home, Caleb was informed that his father called for him so he asked Ashton to get some rest. Ashton was about to explain how his system was filled with caffeine when Caleb cut in, “You are a pureblooded Alpha. You have high enough metabolism. You will be good to sleep in no time”. Caleb scolded and disappeared.

Ashton sighed and did as was asked. Sleep continued to evade him so he simply closed his eyes and started to ponder upon Caleb’s words. He agreed with Caleb’s plan because he didn’t want to be too selfish. It’s just a year, they should be fine right? At least for their sake, he hoped so.

He would have loved if Caleb stayed home one more year and they could attend college together. Then again, Caleb said he didn’t want to lose another year. He hates that circumstances wouldn’t let Caleb choose college as an option before, but with no scent now, Caleb could move forward in life just the way he wanted.

When Caleb told him his plan he tried his best to be supportive. Thinking logically he thought maybe it was for the best. But somehow he was darn sure he would miss his mate. For someone who was a loner most of his life, he sure got way too attached to someone else.

His thoughts took various twists and turns and by the time he opened his eyes he noticed a presence next to him. He turned his head and saw Caleb was laying there playing with his phone. “You know, I have to ask. Why don’t you ever lock your door? I can get in easily whenever I come here”. Caleb asked him, still looking at his screen.

Ashton cleared his throat before he replied, “That is exactly why I never lock it”.

Caleb froze and looked at him wide eyed. “Wait for real”? Ashton nodded. That’s when he noticed that it was quite late in the noon. Wait did he actually manage to fall asleep.

“When did you get here? How long was I out?” Ashton asked.

“For a while. I heard you snore”. Caleb chuckled. “If you are up to it let’s go out tonight.” Caleb prompted.

“Sure” a faint smile appeared on Ashton’s face. “Why so suddenly”?

“Why, do you mind”? Caleb frowned.

“What? No! I am all in”. Ashton clarified in a hurried manner. “But, can I ask, where are we going”?

“You know, just... go out and everything. With our lives we barely get to spend quality time together like normal couples do”. Caleb shrugged.

“Yeah, but then again, we aren’t a normal couple”, Ashton mused.

“Yeah” Caleb laughed. “We are indeed rare”.

Caleb took Ashton to his old house which appeared to be quite dusted now. With everything going on, this place was left unattended for a long time. Ashton was confused as to why Ashton brought him here. In it’s condition how could they possibly have a good time here.

“You know, now that I think about it...” Caleb began to mumble. “This place holds a lot of key moments for us”.

“Really”? Skeptically asked Ashton.

“Yes. Think about it. This is where we found out about each other’s secrets...”

“Actually, it was in that inn outside the town.” Ashton prompted. “Your memory seems compromised”.

“No, I remember that. But, that was the first time I came here. I was terrified because you were the first one to find out my secret apart from my family”. Caleb clarified.

“And on top of that, I just happened to be a pureblooded Alpha”. Ashton added.

“Yeah, that too” Caleb shrugged. “I was very skeptical about your true intentions” He laughed as those memories popped up.

“Well, I can understand why. My kind is known for its bad reputation”. Ashton shrugged.

Caleb remained silent as he opened the door to Ashton’s old room carefully. They came up here amidst their chit chat. “This place looks so...” Caleb struggled to find the right word.

“Dead”? Ashton suggested.

“Yeah” Caleb snorted. Even though he didn’t live here anymore, he had a hard time seeing this place in such bad condition. He tried to dust off the bed at first, and when that didn’t work he took off the bed sheet exposing the mattress.

Caleb felt bad and offered help. Ashton denied it right away and instead made him sit on the bed while he roughly cleaned up his room. “You do realize that once we are gone this place will get dirty once more”? Caleb couldn’t help but ask.

“So what? Should we walk on this dirt”? Ashton grunted.

“No, I mean...” Caleb sighed. “It took you almost half an hour to clean this place up. We won’t be even here for long”.

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“Then maybe you should’ve said something earlier,” Ashton frowned.

“Forget it” Caleb dismissed him. Their conversation was headed off to useless conflict, and he didn’t want to ruin this evening they had. “Just sit here”. He patted the empty space next to him. Ashton frowned and eyed him suspiciously before complying.

Both of them sat next to each other in a comfortable silence. They simply enjoyed each other’s presence as that’s the one thing they won’t get to have anymore. “You know, I am going to miss you. Once I leave”. Caleb whispered.

“So will I”. Ashton admitted honestly. “But I think we can make it work”. Ashton assured. Caleb wasn’t sure if his mate was simply consoling him or he actually meant it, but somehow Caleb was convinced.

After a moment of proper thought, Caleb mumbled “Can I make a crazy request”? Ashton turned at him, took a pause, and then nodded at him. “You told me you have never let out the full strength of your scent. No one is here, why don’t you do it?” Caleb suggested. “I know your scent doesn’t bother me, so it’s a perfect situation.”

“I guess... that’s okay” Ashton mumbled after giving it a thought. “But why do you want me to”?

“I am curious,” Caleb declared. “Pleaaaseee” Caleb sang.

Ashton cringed at the overt sweetness of his mate before sighing. He shut his eyes tight, and put his all energy in letting go of his control. It’s been so long that he almost forgot how to let go.

Caleb followed each and every details on his face as the intensity of his mates scent increased. He could even smell his own scent, but Ashton’s scent was much more delightful. Gradually, the forehead creases on Ashton’s face smoothened, like how it does when you finally let go of something you have been holding in for a long time.

Caleb could tell that the scent drew him closer to Ashton. The stronger it got the harder it got for Caleb to restrain himself from burying his nose in Ashton’s neck, the area of strongest pheromones. Caleb bit his inner lip to the point of bleeding just to keep him in check with reality.

A part of him was glad he wasn’t around this scent all the time. It would drive him crazy on a daily basis. On the other hand he also wished that Ashton would let out his scent more often. Caleb wasn’t yet over his inner turmoil yet when Ashton opened his eyes slowly. On careful observation, he realised that the entire eyeball of Ashton turned into a red orb.