Page 55 of Elas (Mate’s Mark #2)

The SUV crawls through the thick underbrush.

Sticks scrape against the sides and undercarriage, and rocks bump under the tires.

Nature has reclaimed this old trail, and it makes our passage slow.

When Elas brakes and turns towards a row of bushes, Reyes sucks in a sharp inhale that earns him another scowl in the rearview mirror.

Green branches part easily, revealing a path that continues through the trees. It’s narrow, with barely enough room to navigate between the trunks, but Elas doesn’t even flinch. Another few minutes pass at this snail’s pace, when the outline of structures forms in the distance.

Buildings become more defined as we get closer.

The sun’s rays reach through the thick canopy above in white-light fingers, shining off the dirty, weathered surfaces of the homes.

Wooden houses form rows on either side of the dirt path travelling between them.

Most are smaller cottages, in varying states of disrepair.

One has been almost completely disassembled, but it’s been pulled apart by hands and not by the elements.

There’s a larger brick building in the center, and a small clearing where solar panels replace the trees.

Vines wind around a cottage at the end in a leafy armor, while the others have had their weeds cleared.

Elas parks, and I open my door and step out into the sunlight. Despite the oppressive heat, the dense shade provides a comfortable reprieve. Water trickles from somewhere nearby, and birds chirp happily in the distance.

“You’re sure this is the place?” I ask as I stretch my legs, walking towards the source of the water and spotting a reflection through the forest. A smile crosses my face at the idyllic scene, and I glance at the cleared footpath that leads to the stream. “It looks like there are signs of life—”

My words are cut short as the sharp end of a large blade lands on my neck, and a presence looms behind me. “Who sent you?” an unfamiliar voice growls as an enormous shadow falls over me .

My hands fly up, palms out, to show him I’m unarmed, and my heart thunders against my ribs. Fear and adrenaline mix to make my voice shaky. “N-n-nobody sent us…” I stutter, but he interrupts me with a laugh. His sword presses harder against my throat, my skin indenting with the pressure.

“Try again.”

“Ronan!” Elas bellows, charging from the SUV, and the person holding me jolts as his quiet gasp escapes directly beside my ear. My eyes widen at the name.

We’ve certainly found who we were searching for, even if the welcome party isn’t what we expected.

“Fuck’s sake, man, put that shit down,” Elas shouts as he storms towards us, his teeth bared and his head tilted up in an obvious threat. “ Now ,” he growls, and I draw in a panicked breath as the pressure on the blade loosens.

“Elas?” Ronan’s grip on me eases, and I glimpse a dusty purple hand holding the hilt of the sword.

Elas remains on guard, but his posture relaxes a fraction as a smirk spreads over his face.

His muscles are tensed, poised to launch himself at Ronan at a split second’s notice.

“Is that a question? Is old age affecting you so much that you’re having a hard time remembering your oldest friend’s name? ”

There’s a loud snort from my right side, and Cameron walks towards the group in a calm, sauntering stroll.

Behind his glasses, his eyes crinkle in a smile when they meet mine, and he grabs Ronan’s sword arm and pulls it away.

I take the opening and rush over to Elas, who throws his arm around my shoulders and tilts his body so he’s positioned in front of me.

I draw a few steadying breaths, soaking in the familiar smell of him as I stare at Ronan.

He’s tall, though not as tall as Elas, with a leaner build. Even dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, he’s imposing. Fangs peek out of his upper lip and three tails fan out behind him, twitching and dancing like agitated serpents.

But holy shit, is he beautiful.

Long, raven black hair falls in a thick waterfall over his shoulders and down his back, and his deep brown eyes shimmer like polished tigers eye in the sun. Plump lips and a defined jaw make his face almost breathtaking, and a sudden pang of jealousy hits my stomach.

This is the guy who knows all of Elas’s deepest secrets?

That’s known and loved him like a brother since they were young?

My fingers dig into Elas’s leather armor, holding on to him tighter as I narrow my eyes at Ronan. Surprise crosses his face and he tilts his head at me in a very feline expression, but Cameron speaks up and draws everyone’s attention.

“It’s so refreshing to hear someone else give him a hard time,” Cameron says to Elas. “Really sets the mood.”

Ronan scoffs and places his free hand on his hip. “I told you to hide.”

Cameron rolls his eyes, and I get the impression this is an ongoing argument between them.

He shoots me a giant grin. “August! I’m so happy to see you outside of that place!

” Elas chuckles as I release him and dart forward, intending to give Cameron a hug, but I freeze when Ronan releases a predatorial growl .

“I will put this blade right back to your neck, human, if you so much as touch what is mine.” There’s a challenge in his smile, like he’s itching to make good on his promise. Cameron lets out a long sigh as my arms awkwardly drop to my sides.

“Here we go again,” he mutters, crossing his arms over his chest and glaring at his mate. “Drama queen.”

“Some things never change,” Elas says from behind me, and mischief dances in his eyes when I glance over my shoulder at him. He tosses me a wink as Ronan grunts in irritation.

It’s a pretty accurate assessment of both their personalities, honestly.

“What the fuck are you doing here?” Ronan finally asks, his gaze bouncing between the two of us.

There’s suspicion and something akin to fear in his expression, but I don’t miss the fondness in his eyes as they pause on Elas.

“And more importantly, how did you find us so I can make sure it never happens again?”

“That would be my fault,” Reyes says, and I wince, having forgotten about him in the backseat. He hid until the threat was gone… which, now that I consider it, is completely on point for him.

Ronan whirls, his sword hissing as he returns to fighting stance, “For fuck’s sake, man,” Reyes whines, “how many times are we going to do this!?”

“To be fair, you stabbed him last time,” Cameron says, and Ronan nods defiantly, weapon still at the ready.

“But it is a valid question… how did…” Cameron swings his finger between me, Elas, and Reyes.

“… this happen? It’s like the start of one of those jokes.

A blueberry-colored soldier, a medi c prisoner, and a rebel stowaway walk into a bar… ”

Ronan relaxes his arm as Elas walks over and throws an arm around his shoulders. “You’ve caused quite the ruckus, old friend.”

“We certainly figured that out,” Ronan says, his tone implying there’s a lot to the story we have yet to hear, but he hugs Elas back.

Another bolt of jealousy hits me, but it’s milder this time.

Their body language is relaxed and friendly, comfortable—but not intimate in the way that forms between lovers.

“I’ve missed you, too, you grumpy fuck,” Elas says with a chuckle as they separate. “Everything spiraled after Commander Bravis went missing. August and I barely got away from base without raising suspicion.”

“Let me guess,” Ronan says, narrowing his eyes at Reyes. “You stumbled upon an abandoned rebel camp with a weird man living in a rat hole?”

“For the last time, I am not weird!” Reyes whines, and Ronan seems to find infinite pleasure in the sound.

“How many days did it take him to come out of his lair, and—more importantly— did he stab you in the shoulder ?” Ronan snarls, flashing his tiny little fangs, and I bite at my lip to keep from laughing.

Elas grins as well, coming over to slide his arm around my waist, and I blow out a content sigh as I lean my head on his wide chest.

“I told you he’d still be mad about it,” Reyes grumbles to Elas, who only chuckles. He drops his hand to my hips, absentmindedly wrapping his giant fingers around my hipbone and pulling me closer to him.

“We’d been hiding there for a few days when I discovered the entrance to his underground room.” My brows fly higher on my forehead as he squeezes my hip again, and I barely contain the urge to roll my eyes when I realize what he’s doing.

These two and their pissing contests.

Elas’s words have their intended effect, though, and Ronan’s mouth drops open as he gestures wildly at Elas. “Wait. You found one of the hidden rooms?”

“Yep,” Elas says, and I can hear his smirk as he tells that bald-face lie without so much as a flinch. “And I told you he’d be pissed about that,” he says to Reyes.

I decide to put Ronan out of his misery.

“It doesn’t count as you finding it since I lived there,” I say to Elas, and he pouts before he grins, pressing a soft kiss to my temple.

“I knew where the rooms were,” I tell Ronan, who continues to watch me like I might be a threat to him or Cameron.

“It just took a few days before we realized someone was staying in them.”

“You ass,” Ronan growls, and Elas’s mischievous grin turns radiant. “Always trying to get one up on me.”

“Wait, hold up a second… you lived there?” Cameron asks, staring at me with his head tilted in curiosity.

“A long time ago, yeah.” I gesture towards Reyes, who stands further away than me and Elas.

He watches Ronan cautiously, like he’s expecting to be jumped.

“Reyes came out—no stabbing involved—and after a few conversations, he finally told us about the pair of you raiding his camp.” Reyes has enough working against him at the moment, so I decide not to mention the almost-stabbing.

He flashes me a relieved smile, eyes slightly too wide .

“We didn’t raid it,” Ronan says defensively.

“We totally raided it,” Cameron says with a snort, flashing Ronan a giant smile that seems to melt Ronan’s defenses.

“You two are sweet together,” I say, and Cameron sends that pleased grin my way as he snuggles into Ronan’s side.

We spent very limited time in each other’s presence, but the difference in Cameron’s demeanor is obvious.

He’s happier—the snarkiness very much alive in both his tone and facial expressions, but it’s without the edge he used to carry.

“Anyway,” I continue, “we realized who it was right away.”

“Not many Anunians out in the wild?” Ronan asks, and Elas snorts a laugh, his chest bouncing under my cheek. I smile, glancing up at his face and realizing what a sap I’ve become.

I turn back to Ronan, still grinning. “Well, he described you as a ‘grumpy purple dude who likes to throw around a tall, skinny sarcastic guy with glasses,’ and oddly enough, it just clicked.” Ronan narrows his eyes at Reyes, who shrugs.

“When he figured out you and Elas were old friends, he told him your plan to find a village the two of you had raided. Elas knew immediately where you were headed.”

“I’m sure he did,” Ronan says, his mask of irritation slipping as he offers Elas a sad smile, and Elas returns it with just as much emotion.

“There’s something you should know about this place, Elas.

It was…” Ronan trails off, suddenly uncertain as he glances at Cameron, and my curiosity is piqued .

“This was my home,” Cameron says, and Elas tenses beside me. “I was out hunting when it was attacked.”

Elas’s grip tightens on me, his throat clicking in a rough swallow before he finally asks, “Your… family?” My heart breaks all over again at the guilt he carries, and I wonder if anyone else can hear the weight of his regret in those two simple words.

“My mother was killed in the attack. She was the only family I had, so after… everything… I left.”

“I’m sorry,” Elas mutters, but Cameron waves his hand, giving him a genuine smile with no trace of accusation.

“Ronan and I have been through this, too, Elas, and I don’t blame either of you for what happened.” Cameron reaches to squeeze his arm when Elas grabs Cameron’s hand and jerks him closer. Elas pushes up his shirt sleeve and stares at the dusky purple mark on his biceps.

“You’ve both accepted the bond then,” Elas says, an enormous, cheesy smile on his face.

Cameron and Ronan exchange a surprised glance, and Ronan exposes his golden-skinned palm. “We didn’t know what it meant when they changed.”

“How do you know what it meant when they changed?” Cameron asks, and Elas and I share a look as Cameron blows out a breath. “Uh oh, that’s never good.”

“Before we left the base, August was working in the medical labs when he came across some files,” Elas explains, and Cameron tucks himself into Ronan’s side as he heaves a sigh.

“And that’s also never good,” Cameron mutters .

“Here… it’s easier to show you.” I separate myself from Elas and wave for them to follow as I walk around the back of the SUV.

The hatch lifts and I throw the blankets aside, displaying the boxes of files.

“There were more,” I say as I open the lid of the top box, where the endless paperwork is packed inside.

“Lots more, but this was all we had the opportunity to grab.”

“You aren’t the first set of mates,” Elas says, and both Ronan and Cameron nod.

“We know,” Ronan says, stepping forward to stand right beside me as he trails his long, elegant fingers over the box of papers. He pulls one out, staring at the names written on the front. His eyes meet mine before moving to Elas’s, the tension thick between us until Reyes breaks it.

“Who is that?” Reyes breathes, and I follow his line of sight to find a petite green-skinned figure standing at the forest’s edge.

A tiny twig sticks out of his long, deep green hair, and brown rings of soil stain the knees of his pants.

He freezes, eyes enormous, as he stares at the group of us.

Panic radiates from him, and I swear, it looks as though the limbs of the trees reach for him.

“It would seem we have some things to discuss,” Ronan says, and I glance at him as he nods towards one of the recently repaired homes. “Come on inside and let’s get comfortable. Something tells me it’s going to be a long night.”