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Authors: Scarlet Hyacinth
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protect me forever. I appreciate your concern, but I’ll never get over it if I cower in my room.”
“What about your mates? What do they think? Did you even tell them you’ll be here?”
Paulie shrugged, affecting a nonchalance he did not feel. “They’ll find out soon enough.”
His Dad’s expression softened. “Okay, kiddo. I can understand how you feel. There’s no rush. Mating is a very important thing, and you have to be sure you’re ready for it.”
Paulie sighed. “Right now, I’m not.”
His dad squeezed his shoulder and offered him a comforting smile. “Give it time. Okay, let’s get some work done.”
* * * *
Outside the door of the lab, Marcus listened to the conversation between father and son. Sebastian was by his side, having also come to find Paulie. Marcus knew they shouldn’t be eavesdropping, and he’d never intended to, but the subject matter had drawn his attention, and he’d been unable to control his urge.
Marcus shared a look with Sebastian. They’d known Paulie felt reticent to bond with them, but they’d underestimated the problem.
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Scarlet Hyacinth
Marcus wasn’t even sure if what they’d done the night before didn’t complicate things further.
Marcus sighed to himself and gestured for Sebastian to follow him out of the clinic. For the moment, they needed to give Paulie space.
As they left their mate to his work, Sebastian spoke at last. “Do you have any ideas?”
“Not one,” Marcus replied. He truly was stumped.
Sebastian gave him a glum look. “All we can do then is wait, and be there for him, even if he doesn’t want us to see his pain.”
* * * *
And wait they did. They waited that entire day, hoping Paulie would come to them. When the young human didn’t, they hoped to see him at dinner, but both Paulie and Andrew skipped it, claiming they were still working. It might have been true, but it made Sebastian very frustrated.
Waiting wasn’t good enough. At this rate, their mating would never be completed. Sebastian understood patience, as well as the strong points of “baby steps,” but he also knew some things could not be left alone to solve themselves.
Therefore, the next morning, before Paulie could run off to his lab, Marcus and Sebastian gave him a surprise visit, intercepting him when Paulie left his room. It was a testament to the barriers Paulie intended to keep between them that the young human didn’t even sense them coming.
“Hi,” Sebastian said.
“Hello, Paulie,” Marcus greeted him in turn.
Paulie stared at them with wide eyes. “Uh, hi. What are you guys doing here?”
“We came to talk,” Sebastian replied. “A moment of your time?”
Paulie looked away from them. “I have work to do,” he grumbled.
Three Mates, One Destiny
57
Sebastian frowned at his mate. “What happened to I’m willing to try? You don’t seem so willing now. In fact, you’re doing your best to avoid us.”
“I’m not avoiding you,” Paulie protested. “I just want to help my patients.” He seemed frustrated. “Why can’t you understand that?”
“We understand it fine, Paulie,” Marcus answered, “but you must also understand that if you refuse to get to know us, this will never work. We want to help, to be by your side, but you simply don’t want to let us in.”
Paulie threw his hands up in apparent exasperation. “So what do you expect me to do? Swoon into your arms while there are people dying?”
The hostility in Paulie’s tone drove all the wind out of Sebastian’s sails. “Look, Paulie. We don’t want to force you. We truly can understand your dedication for your work.”
Even to his own ears, he sounded disheartened. Thankfully, Marcus intervened. “Tell you what. Let’s start slow. Go on. Go to the lab, but first take our phone numbers.”
Paulie looked as puzzled as Sebastian felt, but obeyed. They exchanged cell phone numbers, and then Marcus explained,
“Whenever you feel like talking, even to
“What about your mates? What do they think? Did you even tell them you’ll be here?”
Paulie shrugged, affecting a nonchalance he did not feel. “They’ll find out soon enough.”
His Dad’s expression softened. “Okay, kiddo. I can understand how you feel. There’s no rush. Mating is a very important thing, and you have to be sure you’re ready for it.”
Paulie sighed. “Right now, I’m not.”
His dad squeezed his shoulder and offered him a comforting smile. “Give it time. Okay, let’s get some work done.”
* * * *
Outside the door of the lab, Marcus listened to the conversation between father and son. Sebastian was by his side, having also come to find Paulie. Marcus knew they shouldn’t be eavesdropping, and he’d never intended to, but the subject matter had drawn his attention, and he’d been unable to control his urge.
Marcus shared a look with Sebastian. They’d known Paulie felt reticent to bond with them, but they’d underestimated the problem.
56
Scarlet Hyacinth
Marcus wasn’t even sure if what they’d done the night before didn’t complicate things further.
Marcus sighed to himself and gestured for Sebastian to follow him out of the clinic. For the moment, they needed to give Paulie space.
As they left their mate to his work, Sebastian spoke at last. “Do you have any ideas?”
“Not one,” Marcus replied. He truly was stumped.
Sebastian gave him a glum look. “All we can do then is wait, and be there for him, even if he doesn’t want us to see his pain.”
* * * *
And wait they did. They waited that entire day, hoping Paulie would come to them. When the young human didn’t, they hoped to see him at dinner, but both Paulie and Andrew skipped it, claiming they were still working. It might have been true, but it made Sebastian very frustrated.
Waiting wasn’t good enough. At this rate, their mating would never be completed. Sebastian understood patience, as well as the strong points of “baby steps,” but he also knew some things could not be left alone to solve themselves.
Therefore, the next morning, before Paulie could run off to his lab, Marcus and Sebastian gave him a surprise visit, intercepting him when Paulie left his room. It was a testament to the barriers Paulie intended to keep between them that the young human didn’t even sense them coming.
“Hi,” Sebastian said.
“Hello, Paulie,” Marcus greeted him in turn.
Paulie stared at them with wide eyes. “Uh, hi. What are you guys doing here?”
“We came to talk,” Sebastian replied. “A moment of your time?”
Paulie looked away from them. “I have work to do,” he grumbled.
Three Mates, One Destiny
57
Sebastian frowned at his mate. “What happened to I’m willing to try? You don’t seem so willing now. In fact, you’re doing your best to avoid us.”
“I’m not avoiding you,” Paulie protested. “I just want to help my patients.” He seemed frustrated. “Why can’t you understand that?”
“We understand it fine, Paulie,” Marcus answered, “but you must also understand that if you refuse to get to know us, this will never work. We want to help, to be by your side, but you simply don’t want to let us in.”
Paulie threw his hands up in apparent exasperation. “So what do you expect me to do? Swoon into your arms while there are people dying?”
The hostility in Paulie’s tone drove all the wind out of Sebastian’s sails. “Look, Paulie. We don’t want to force you. We truly can understand your dedication for your work.”
Even to his own ears, he sounded disheartened. Thankfully, Marcus intervened. “Tell you what. Let’s start slow. Go on. Go to the lab, but first take our phone numbers.”
Paulie looked as puzzled as Sebastian felt, but obeyed. They exchanged cell phone numbers, and then Marcus explained,
“Whenever you feel like talking, even to
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