Chapter 162

Chapter 162: Tell him

“So... did you ask him?” Ashton whispered to Caleb on the dinner table. After a long time it was the whole family on the dinner table. Unfortunately instead of being joyous itit felt more awkward than a family dinner should be. It was so quiet that the most prominent noise on the table was the clattering noise of the cutlery.

[Can we... talk about this later?] Caleb replied to him in the link trying his best to avoid the attention of the people around him.

After the dinner when everyone headed straight to their room Ashton found a way to sneak into Caleb’s room without getting caught. He didn’t know what he was so worried about. His presence in his mate’s room was supposed to be quite normal right?

“Hey” Caleb mumbled when he noticed Ashton coming in.

“So”?

“I did. It’s a lot” Caleb nodded. “Sit down” He offered him his bed while he placed a chair in front of him and sat on it. He started to explain to him everything his brother told him. Unlike him, Ashton showed a little to no reaction to whatever he said and kept listening intently. Caleb even shared the tale he found in the book, something which he was quite reluctant to do.

Once he was done Caleb looked at Ashton for a while waiting for a reaction, but Ashton simply kept staring at the floor. “Ashton...”? Caleb called out softly. That made Ashton look at him with blank eyes. “You okay?”

.....

Ashton nodded lightly, “What do you think?”

“About what”?

“About me possibly being one of them”? Ashton clarified.

“Does it matter?” Caleb sighed.

“I value your opinions Caleb. Please tell me what you think?” Ashton insisted.

“No.... I meant” Caleb cleared his throat. “That’s what I think. ‘Does it matter?’ Whether or not you are a Valestine, it doesn’t change how I view you. You are still the same socially awkward kid for me” Caleb added trying to lighten the mood.

“I am almost twenty for god’s sake, you are not gonna let go of the ‘ calling me a kid’ thing, are you?” Ashton groaned.

Caleb pursed his lips and gently shook his head. “No, I am not” He chuckled before he asked. “What about you? How do you feel about it?”

Ashton went quite once more. “I don’t know,” He sighed. “I don’t know what to feel. What to believe”.

“It’s okay.” Caleb added. “You don’t have to figure out everything today, take your time. If you need anything, do tell me”. They remained quiet for quite a long time. Ashton continued to stare blankly at nothing while Caleb simply took his right hand and rubbed it between his palms in a soothing manner.

After what seemed like eternity Ashton whispered, “If I really am... a Valestine, does it mean eventually I will lose control of my wolf form”? He asked.

Caleb blinked at his words. He wanted to say that ‘don’t worry about it’ but it was not like he can guarantee anything. “I don’t know,” He mumbled.

“Lately... I have felt the wolf side of mine get stronger. I remember less of my rut. I... I don’t even remember shifting into my wolf form last time. What if I... What if...” Ashton’s voice quivered as he failed to put his worries into words.

“Hey... Don’t worry” Caleb put his hands on Ashton’s shoulder. “I am here for you. If you ever feel overwhelmed by your wolf side, I will hold onto your human side”.

Ashton ended up rolling his eyes and shaking his head, “And how do you plan on doing that?”

“I’ll figure something out”! Caleb declared enthusiastically. “I’ll do whatever it takes”!

“That’s sweet of you” Ashton chuckled. Pushing himself from the bed he landed a gentle kiss on Caleb’s lips and smiled a bit once he pulled away. “As much as I appreciate your help, please don’t approach my wolf form when I am not in control”. He said.

“Why”?! Caleb frowned with annoyance. “Just so you know your wolf form happens to like me! I am not some weakling who can’t take your wolf form”.

“I never said you were. In fact one of the reasons I feel comfortable with you is because I know you don’t need my protection.” Ashton clarified.

“Then why...”? Caleb asked.

“It’s not me,” Ashton sighed. “My wolf form... despite being me... it’s not me”.

Caleb frowned. “Hold on a second, are you... jealous of your own wolf”? He looked at Ashton as if he had lost all his brain cells.

“NO!” Ashton defended himself immediately. “It’s just...” He struggled to find the right words. “Just don’t get too close to my wolf.”

“And here I thought you were crazy for getting jealous of Karolyn” Caleb mumbled.

“Hey! You don’t know what it’s like to have this alternate persona inside of you which you are not familiar with at all. Not to mention I can’t help but feel possessive around you all the time”! Ashton defended himself. “Do you have any idea how much I get frustrated whenever you are away from my sight”? Ashton huffed.

“Well...No” Caleb was taken aback by his sudden baldness. “You don’t seem frustrated”. Caleb added.

“Yeah... I am good at not showing my emotions” Ashton mumbled and looked away.

Caleb hugged him tightly from the behind and put his head on the back. “You are right, you don’t show your emotions a lot. As good as I am at reading you, I still miss a lot of it”.

“It’s not like I want to feel possessive. I can’t help it” Ashton mumbled.

“I know” Caleb squeezed him in his hug. Ashton turned around and hugged back his mate. “I love it when you share the way you feel. Makes me feel more connected to you.” He admitted earning a tiny smile from Ashton.

Ashton pecked his mate once more before hugging his mate way too tightly to breathe. “I am lucky to have you” he mumbled and buried his face in his neck. Thanks to Ashton’s powers Caleb’s pheromones were not expressed, but somehow nuzzling into the nape of Caleb’s neck calmed him down.

It doesn’t matter how much human or how much of a wolf he was, he loved Caleb just the same and nothing would ever change that.