Page 17 of Chosen: The Lenkov Journals

Wylder

Gathering his bed sheets and clothes, Wylder shoved everything into his laundry bag before looking around his room. He didn’t have much. A gaming station below his small television, a laptop and lamp on the desk, and shoes below the window.

The room that he’d been given by Dario in the condo was where he really wanted to be. This living apart sucked majorly and Wylder was going to have to address it sooner rather than later.

He was meeting Theo in the laundry room in Theo’s dormitory so they could spend some time together while getting chores done. They’d only been back on campus for a few hours, but real life came with responsibilities.

Tomorrow was Monday and a new week was starting. Wylder wasn’t certain how he was supposed to keep up with his schoolwork when there were so many more exciting things happening.

Wylder was part of a five mated chosen destined…something. He still didn’t have the words for it. When he’d volunteered for the experiments in the military, he had been too young to fully understand what he’d been doing. Now he had the purpose that he’d always been searching for.

All Wylder had wanted was to be as amazing as his father, his grandfather, uncles, the men and women who’d served in the military before him. Wylder had failed at that. Instead of protecting his country now Wylder could protect the whole world. All the worlds and realms.

His phone chimed and Wylder hurried to check his messages.

Theo was ready.

Wylder picked up his bag and swung it over his shoulder before heading toward the door. His room was clean enough that he could hopefully talk Theo into returning with him. Wylder didn’t want to be away from any of his mates and it didn’t make sense with Theo only across the campus. He’d come up with them doing laundry to at least spend some time with the shifter.

He locked his room behind him before he took the stairs down and out the door.

Nodding and waving at people who called out greetings, Wylder made his way across the campus. As he passed a group of students, Wylder stopped and turned around. Six students, four females and two males.

Wylder’s enhanced senses were a help, but he wasn’t paranormal. How would he know if any of them were evil and wanted to hurt him or Theo?

There were bad people, shifters, others out there. Right next to the good ones.

Wylder closed his palm around the new amulet that he wore around his neck. Sebastian had made protection amulets for them. The charm should warn them when around someone with negative intentions. Wylder had no clue how magic worked but Sebastian offered to teach him. Wylder was much more interested in that than school.

He’d talk to his mates about his thoughts. At least with him enrolled in school, Wylder was close by to keep his eye on Theo.

Turning, Wylder made his way to meet Theo again. They were using the facilities in Theo’s building since it was easier for Wylder to lug his stuff around than expect Theo to. Well, Theo had shifter strength so it wouldn’t be hard for him but Wylder really did want to talk Theo into spending the night with him. Might as well put having a single dorm room to good use.

“Hey, Wylder!”

He turned his head and grinned. Theo’s roommate caught up to him.

“Doing a little laundry?” Ethan asked.

“Yeah, Theo wanted to get some of his done so I offered to keep him company.”

“Company?” Ethan lifted a brow.

Wylder waggled his brows.

Ethan’s face turned serious as he reached out to grab Wylder’s arm.

Wylder paused, trying not to show his annoyance with being touched. He didn’t want anyone’s hand on him except for his mates.

“I’m not trying to get in your business here,” Ethan said.

“But?” Wylder gently extracted his arm from Ethan’s grasp. The other guy didn’t even seem to notice.

Ethan shifted uncomfortably on his feet. “Theo is a really nice guy.”

“He is.” And Theo belonged to them, so Ethan had better not have any romantic interest in him.

“But he’s also kind of na?ve.”

Where was he going with this? “Okay?”

Ethan sighed. “It seems like you have a thing for him. And he looks at you like you hang the moon. He talks about you all the time.”

That was nice to hear. They might be early days in their relationship, but Wylder loved his little shifter.

“He also talks about Dario a lot. I thought maybe he met you and things hadn’t worked out with Dario but I’m not so sure.”

Well shit! Wylder was not prepared for that question. Although admittedly he could see why Ethan would ask. And it was better that Ethan approached him. Theo would have freaked out without a doubt. “Yeah, that is a little complicated.”

Ethan shrugged. “I’m really not wanting to butt in where it is not my business, but I’d hate to see him get hurt.”

Wylder nodded. Ethan didn’t know about the paranormal world or mates. He would not understand. “It’s good that he has you to look out for him.” Even if it was an added complication to their world.

“It took a long time to get him to even talk to me. I swear he was terrified just to share a room with me,” Ethan said.

“I bet.” Wylder pressed his lips together as he thought about how to answer. “I don’t know what to say without talking to Theo.”

Ethan nodded.

“He is in a good place though and both Dario and I care about him. We would never do anything to hurt him.”

“I guess that will have to do for now.” Ethan smacked his back. “Let’s get to the room before he starts to worry.”

“Yeah, thanks.” So Wylder had even more to work out and discuss with his mates. Having a relationship between the five of them was going to hard in the human world.

He followed Ethan up the steps of the building and to his room. Theo was sitting on his bed with his phone in his hand when they entered the small dorm room.

“There you are!” Theo bounced up. “I was beginning to worry. I thought you’d text me when you needed in.”

“I caught him outside,” Ethan said as he crossed the room.

“Thanks, Ethan. We’re going to do laundry downstairs. Do you want to come?”

“Nah.” Ethan waved his hand. “You two have fun.”

“It’s laundry,” Theo replied with a frown.

Ethan winked. “Hopefully it won’t be too crowded on a Sunday night and you can find some fun.”

Theo blushed just as Wylder knew he would. Wylder hid his grin as he motioned to Theo’s laundry bag by the bed. “Ready?”

“Yeah,” Theo squeaked.

“Don’t worry,” Wylder teased. “I’ll make sure that you love having to do laundry.”

Ethan snorted.

Theo turned redder.

“Come on, baby.” Wylder pulled Theo from the room.

* * * * *

Theo

“Are you sure this is okay?” he asked for the fifth time in ten minutes.

“I can take you back to your room if you’re not comfortable,” Wylder told him. “It’s not a big deal.”

Standing next to Wylder’s bed in his underwear and a T-shirt, Theo shook his head. “I want to stay with you.”

Wylder patted the mattress. It was just a twin and it would be a tight fit. Not that he minded having Theo pressed close to him. “Then come lie down. We’ll text the guys and see what they’re up too.”

That was a good idea. Theo crawled up the bed beside Wylder. “Can we Face Time them?” He already missed his mates.

“Let’s try.” Wylder waved his phone.

Settling with his head on Wylder’s shoulder, Theo waited as Wylder pressed Dario’s name from his contacts.

“Hey! Everything okay?” Dario answered.

“Hello, Daddio,” Wylder drawled.

“Hi!” Theo waved.

“My boys.” Dario smiled at them. “What are the two of you up too?”

“Calling you,” Wylder said with a roll of his eyes. “Hold on. Let me see who else I can get on the line.”

Dario sat back on what looked like a big office chair.

“Wait! Are we bothering you?” Theo asked. “Are you working?”

“Nothing that can’t wait,” Dario assured him. “Alek should be available.”

“Okay, hang on.” Wylder pressed more buttons.

Theo’s phone probably didn’t even do conference calls like this. He was even more glad that he’d taken Wylder up on his offer to spend the night in his room. It was only a minute before Aleksander’s face was on the phone.

“Wylder? Oh, hello, Theo,” Alek greeted.

“Hi!” Theo waved again.

“You got time to talk to us?” Wylder demanded.

“Always,” Alek replied quickly. He too was sitting at a desk.

“Hold, please,” Wylder ordered.

He pushed even more buttons and Mitch’s sweaty but handsome face popped up on the screen.

“Hey,” Mitch said.

“We’re conferencing all our mates,” Wylder told him. “You got time?”

Mitch wiped his forehead with a white towel. “Of course.”

“Okay, give me a minute to reconnect everyone.” Wylder pushed more buttons and finally Theo could see all his mates. Well, except for the one he was lying on. That was okay though. Being in person was even better.

“Alright, here we go!” Wylder said brightly.

“Is everything okay?” Alek questioned.

“Yep!” Wylder said.

Theo laughed. Alek would need more than that. He was such a worrier. “We just missed you guys. We wanted to talk to you before bed.”

“Oh, little one,” Dario responded. “We are happy to talk to you before bed.”

“This very small bed,” Wylder complained. He moved the phone to show him and Theo barely fitting.

“It does look rather small,” Mitch said while leaning closer to his screen. “Will the two of you fit all night?”

“Theo will just have to sleep on top of me,” Wylder teased.

Well, Theo assumed he was teasing. Sometimes it was hard to tell with Wylder.

Mitch chuckled. “I don’t think I would even fit in that bed.”

“You so wouldn’t, big guy.” Wylder winked. “It’s a good thing we have plenty of big beds at Dario’s.”

“You all know that you are always welcome,” Dario reminded them.

Theo wished he was at Dario’s condo.

“And you have your own washer and dryer,” Theo said.

“Did you boys do laundry?” Dario questioned.

“It was so crowded,” Theo complained. He hadn’t had any fun. Wylder tried to keep Theo calm but it had been loud and there were too many students in the small facility room. Theo had hated it.

“Next time just bring whatever you need washed over,” Dario ordered. “My housekeeper can add your laundry in with mine.”

“Housekeeper,” Wylder repeated. “Really?”

“My housekeeper would be happy to do the same,” Alek offered.

“I don’t have a housekeeper,” Mitch said. “But I can use magic to clean them.”

Wylder started to laugh.

Theo wasn’t finding this conversation funny. He could barely afford the quarters he needed for the machines in his building and these men had housekeepers.

“Hey, little one,” Dario said softly over Wylder teasing Alek. “You okay?”

The others quieted down.

Theo knew his face was red as he pushed harder into Wylder. Wylder wrapped his arm around Theo’s shoulders.

“I’m fine,” Theo said.

Wylder rubbed a palm down Theo’s arm. “It’s the housekeeping thing?”

Theo nodded.

“I get it,” Wylder told him.

“I do not,” Alek said. “What housekeeping thing?”

Wylder kissed Theo’s forehead before addressing the others. “You live in a whole different world than we do.”

Alek nodded. “You didn’t know about this world until recently. What does that have to do with housekeeping.”

“Alek,” Wylder said with a groan. “We aren’t talking about the paranormal. We’re talking about money.”

“But you have money now,” Alek pointed out. “What we have, you have. Do you want me to get you a housekeeper for your dorm. I can ask my brother—”

“No!” Theo exclaimed. How would he explain that to his roommate. “We don’t need a housekeeper here.”

Alek frowned.

Dario sighed. “I know a lot has happened in a short amount of time, but we’ll figure it out. Alek is right though. When you need something, all you have to do is tell us and we’ll make sure to take care of it.”

Theo whined in the back of his throat. “That isn’t fair.”

“Technically it is,” Mitch spoke up. “We’re older, by a lot, it makes sense that we have more money. You contribute in other ways.”

“What ways?” Theo asked. He really wanted to know.

Mitch grinned. “Well, by calling us, for one. I was missing you all too. I’ve been working out for two hours because it kills me to be away from you. It didn’t even occur to call. I’m not used to that.”

“Me either,” Alek admitted. “I found myself at loose ends without you. I’m very glad you called.”

“Fergie snapped at me earlier because I can’t focus with having everyone separated,” Dario said. “Thank you, boys, for calling. I think we all needed this.”

Now would be the perfect time for Theo to share that he hated being away from his mates.

“We’re going to have to figure out a permanent solution to this housing sooner rather than later. I hate being away from you all,” Mitch said.

Relief flooded Theo. He hadn’t been the one to bring it up.

“Yeah, it was all I could do to talk Theo into staying in my room with me. This sucks,” Wylder added.

Theo nodded in agreement.

“We’ll talk this week and get everything worked out,” Dario said. “Is there any argument against using my place as our main base of operations?”

“We already have our own rooms,” Theo pointed out. He liked Dario’s apartment.

“It works for me,” Mitch said. “I don’t have a place in that realm.”

“I’ll need to move some more stuff over, but I am in agreement,” Alek said.

“Great.” Dario beamed. He looked so happy. Theo should have been brave enough to bring up staying longer. It was all working out though.

“And you have a housekeeper,” Wylder said. “No more laundry!”

Theo pinched his side. “Wylder!”

Everyone else laughed.

Wylder squirmed. “What? It’s true!”

Theo laughed along with him. He did feel much better talking and seeing his mates even if they couldn’t be together in person. At least not in that moment. He’d have to figure out what to tell Ethan. He’d miss his roommate. Maybe he could split his time? That was going to be hard though. Theo wanted to be with his mates all the time. The entire reason he was on the phone was because they were separated. Huh, being mated was hard. Not that Theo had any regrets.

He yawned suddenly, the last hour, and entire busy weekend, catching up with him.

“Lay your head on me,” Wylder said softly.

Theo wouldn’t argue.

“Mitch! Give us a tour. We’ve never seen hell before.”

Mitch snorted. “I’m in my home gym.”

“In hell,” Wylder said.

“Yes, you want to see my house?”

“Yes please,” Theo replied before Wylder could say something outlandish.

“Okay,” Mitch flipped his screen, showing a massive gym with black stone walls and more equipment than even Dario’s had.

Theo blinked sleepily as Mitch took them through the entire house that he lived alone in. Theo didn’t see why anyone needed a four-bedroom, four-bath, gym, office, living room, study, and kitchen for just one person but who was he to judge.

It was even worse when it was Alek’s turn to give them a tour.

Alek’s apartment was half the size of Dario’s but still had way too many rooms. He too lived alone but had three bedrooms, office, kitchen, formal dining room, library, and a huge sitting room. Well he called it a sitting room but Theo would have called it a living room. Whatever. It didn’t matter what they called it. Alek had a lot of stuff. And so many books! Theo would love to visit his library.

“I think we’re going to need a bigger place just for Alek’s books,” Wylder joked.

“I can also buy the floor under us. We could remodel to include all the space we need. Or maybe buy a new place for all of us,” Dario said.

Theo’s head was spinning. They were talking about major life decisions. He’d just wanted to sleep with his mates. This…this was all a lot.

“Maybe.” Alek hummed. “A big house, close to the university, but with enough space for us to perform our duties.”

Theo clutched Wylder hard. This was getting out of hand.

“Let’s get all of us in one place first,” Wylder suggested. “We can make decisions later.”

“Good idea.” Dario nodded. “We are all busy. It will be easier once we start training to see how our schedules line up.”

Training. Because they were the chosen.

As much reading and researching Theo had done, he still wasn’t one-hundred-percent sure what he would be doing on a daily basis, being chosen. Wow, it was just so much pressure.

He rolled, hiding his face in Wylder’s shoulder. Theo needed time to process. Time that he didn’t really have with school, evil elves, and a destiny to fulfill. He was already tired.

“I think it’s time to let our boys go to sleep. They have school tomorrow. I have an early morning meeting as well,” Dario suggested.

Theo lifted his head enough to blow a kiss at the screen as everyone else said goodbye.

The silence in the room was heavy once Wylder set his phone on the nightstand to charge.

He turned out the lamp before folding Theo up in his arms. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah,” Theo mumbled against his shoulder. “It’s just…”

“A lot,” Wylder finished for him.

“Yes.”

“I know, baby.” Wylder nuzzled the top of his head. “We’ll figure it out.”

Theo hoped so. He’d been struggling just being a student. Now his life was taking off in a whole new direction. Excitement battled against his worry. Theo felt like he was on the edge of something epic. He just needed to be brave enough to take the first step.

* * * * *

Dario

As soon as Wylder hung up the phone, Dario was calling Aleksander. Aleksander picked up after the first ring.

“Theo is feeling overwhelmed,” Alek stated as a greeting. “You can see he is close to panicking. Again.”

“I think so too,” Dario agreed. “I can’t really blame him. This is happening fast for all of us.”

Aleksander’s sigh was heavy. Dario felt for him. “I would protect him from this if I could,” Aleksander stated. “I have had time to get used to the idea, my entire life, plus I’ve seen how my fathers have always prioritized their relationship. We need to do the same.”

Dario hummed. “I’ve been thinking about that.”

“Which part? Protecting him?” Aleksander asked.

“No,” Dario shared. “About how we are overprotecting him.”

“What do you mean?” There was hope in Aleksander’s voice.

“Theo is part of the chosen for a reason,” Dario explained. “There is a specific reason for each of us being chosen.”

“That’s true,” Aleksander said.

“Your fathers have been battling and fighting for decades now. Even they admit that over the last several years, things have calmed down.”

“We’ve discussed that at length,” Aleksander said. “My fathers have told us that they hope for a time of peace for their children and whoever takes over.”

“Exactly,” Dario said. “Maybe that is our mission. Other than Mitch we don’t have as many warriors in our mating as your fathers do.”

“True.” Aleksander laughed. “We’ve been freaking out because of the attack on Theo.”

“What if the attack isn’t on us as the chosen, but on Theo specifically?” Dario questioned. It was something that he had been thinking about.

“But why?” Aleksander inquired. “He has never harmed or hurt anyone. He is as innocent as can be.”

“I want to look more into his background,” Dario said.

“You mean his parents,” Aleksander replied.

“Shifters don’t abandon their young,” Dario reminded him.

“I think you might be on to something,” Aleksander told him.

“Should I mention it to him?” Dario asked.

“I think so. We shouldn’t keep things from our mates. Also, it might help everyone else settle. I think our biggest issue right now is we are all scared.”

Dario agreed. “If we calm down, then the boys will too.”

“And we can focus more on our mating and being together.”

“What do you think about our living situations?” Dario hated being separated from his mates.

“Honestly I would be fine in your condo,” Aleksander said. “For the boys though I like the idea of getting a house of our own. It’s become more than obvious that the money we have bothers them.”

He chuckled. It might be obvious to Aleksander, but he didn’t understand it. “A house close to the campus would be perfect.”

“Sooner rather than later,” Aleksander stated firmly.

It appeared that Dario wasn’t the only one that hated the current arrangement. “I’ll have Fergie start looking first thing in the morning. We’ll narrow it down and might be able to take the boys to look over the choices this weekend.”

“Let me know if you need help, financially I mean.”

Dario snorted. He was literally one of the richest men in the country. “I’ll do that.” He didn’t even bother to keep the amusement out of his voice.

“You shouldn’t have to handle this by yourself,” Aleksander argued.

“This is what I do,” he reminded his mate. “My dragon will also want us to take the lead on this. Any requests for the house?”

“A large master bedroom,” Aleksander said with a laugh. “Big bed.”

“Even if I have to have a master suite and bed custom made, that is happening,” Dario teased. “Anything else?”

“Theo seemed interested in my library,” Aleksander said. “I’d like to bring as many of my books as possible. He might like that.”

“Bring them all,” Dario told him. “We’ll make that a necessity.”

“A gym for Mitch and Wylder.”

“Of course.”

“What about you?” Aleksander asked. “What would you like for our home?”

Home. Dario loved that word. He’d been living in apartments and condos his entire life. He hadn’t lived in a house since he left his parents. He would be building a home with his mates. Dario had to think of what he wanted. It wasn’t often that anyone asked him that question.

“Dario?”

He laughed. “There is so much,” he admitted. “I don’t know where to start.”

“Start wherever you want,” Aleksander said kindly. “Just start talking.”

“I would like an office where I can spend more time at home than out of it. With technology as it is, I would love to be home more. To make sure my mates have what they need for the day. To plan dinners. To take care of all of you.”

“That sounds lovely. What else? What do you want for yourself?”

Dario smiled. Aleksander appeared to be more closed off than his other mates but he was a big sweetheart. “A garden. I have always wanted a garden like my mother had. I loved helping her.”

“I know a few dryads that would be happy to help get that started.”

That was right. Aleksander had more connections in the paranormal world. “I’ll take you up on that offer. I’m a little rusty.”

“Consider it done,” Aleksander told him. “What else?”

His mate seemed eager to make all Dario’s wishes come true. Dario was enjoying this side of Aleksander. He relaxed back into his large office chair. Fergie would be annoyed that Dario wasn’t getting any work done. Again. Dario would much rather talk to his mate.

* * * * *

Mitch

Striding out his front door, Mitch was a man or demon on a mission. His mates were in another realm, and he hated that. He would be packing his bags that night. He would stay in the room that Dario had offered or get his own place in the human realm. Either option suited him.

Before he left his home realm for good, Mitch was going to do something for his mates. He still planned on bringing them to his home. His father was rather insistent after all but in the meantime, he would take pictures to show his mates.

He’d bring breakfast and a phone full of photos to surprise Theo and Wylder in the morning.

Being the only mate from another realm gave him the opportunity to share something special with his mates. There was also a part of him that wanted his mates to love his home as much as he did.

There were a lot of myths connected to hell. Even if most were untrue there were demons that called this realm home. Being here would be much different than the human realm. Mitch didn’t find that a bad thing.

“Hey, Mitch!”

He’d just reached the street in front of his house when he heard his name. Mitch turned, lifting a hand to his best friend. “Sami! I thought you were on a mission.”

The tall dark blue demon jogged from next door.

They’d been neighbors since they both moved out of their childhood homes. Of course, they had wanted to be close to each other.

“Got back last night,” Sami said. He gripped Mitch’s shoulder hard with his thick fingers. “I asked about you but no one had seen you lately.”

Rocking back on his heels, Mitch grinned at his best friend. “I have news.”

“News?” Sami lifted a spiked brow.

His best friend was going to lose his mind. Mitch glanced around him. The street was crowded as demons headed toward the restaurants and entertainment district. “Let’s go have a seat.”

Sami tilted his head. “It’s that kind of conversation?”

“It is,” Mitch confirmed. He wasn’t hiding his mating. Not really. The fact he was one of the chosen would be out soon since his sire wouldn’t be able to keep it to himself for long.

“Come on then. I have some mead that I brought home with me.”

“Dwarf mead?” Mitch asked. That brew was dangerous. One of the few alcohols that could get a demon drunk. It was always in high demand in their realm.

“The best I’ve ever tasted,” Sami shared.

“Count me in. Let’s sit outside though.”

“The back garden,” Sami suggested. “I’ll grab the mead and meet you back there.”

“Deal!”

As Sami jogged back to his front door, Mitch turned and snapped a picture of their two houses side by side. Not only to show his mates but for him as well. He’d still see Sami since they worked closely but it would be different not living beside his best friend.

He took a few more pictures. The street in front of him where a demon couple walked. The sky. A four-legged demon running past. Slowly he made his way to Sami’s back garden. Dario would love what Sami had done with the space. There was a sophistication that Sami and Dario shared. He took dozens more photos to share with his mates.

Mitch hadn’t done much with his own house. He had his gym and training area and of course his bedroom but nothing that would be welcoming to his mates. And he wanted his mates to be pleased with his house in the hell realm. Mitch needed his mates to accept this part of him.

The demon part.

His mates joked, calling him a demon. Mitch was quick to correct them as his official species was demon warrior but he was a demon. Here he didn’t wear his glamour.

It would kill him if his mates were afraid of him. He’d put off showing them his true self. He took more after his demon sire than his human mother. With everything that had come up, Mitch had been able to distract or allow his mates to forget that he didn’t show them his true form.

Eventually Mitch wouldn’t be given a choice on revealing himself.

Either because of battle or if they ended up in hell, Mitch’s demon self would be out. He knew it would be better if his mates were prepared for that.

Yes, he was going to have to reveal his true self sooner rather than later.

The back door banged closed as Sami exited the back of his house holding a jug and two skull mugs. The mugs were forged in the fires of hell from the bones of Sami’s enemies.

So much was different than what his mates were used to. Mitch didn’t doubt that Aleksander and Dario would be comfortable enough. His fear was whether or not Theo and Wylder would be disgusted and scared by him. By hell.

It was better to find out now.

“I don’t like that look on your face,” Sami said, sitting across from him. “I thought you had good news.”

Mitch shook his concerns away. “I have wonderful news.”

Sami frowned. “Then why the worried face?”

Mitch accepted a mug full of mead. “I’m going to tell you a story and then you are going to help me prepare my house.”

“Your house? Wha’s wrong with your house?”

“I need to make it more comfortable for my mates.”

He’d waited until Sami had taken a big swig of his mead. Mitch was rewarded with Sami choking on the thick alcohol.

Sami pounded on his own chest, forcing the liquid down. “Mates?”

Mitch pointed to himself. “Didn’t I mention that I’m one of the chosen?”

Sami dropped his mug.