Page 15 of Finding Embers and Stars (Twin Flames Duet #1)
Chapter fifteen
I ’m struggling to agree with Wyatt’s sentiment that this is a day to celebrate, Throwing our trash away with a lot more force than is necessary, I continue on through the kitchen and out the back door.
My mind is running in a hundred different directions. Our mates are here. As much as I’ve grown to love Rhoda and trust her visions, I’d started to believe we would never meet them. I know Piper struggles with the idea of being mated because of how she was raised. My worries stem from being the odd one out.
The men that showed up aren’t my mates. Dark magic, a deranged Alpha Supreme, and a meddling goddess are the reasons I’m linked to them now.
I turn when I hear the sliding door, thinking Piper followed me outside. I'm a little shocked to find Walker standing there looking at me.
I let my eyes travel down his body, taking a good look at him for the first time. He’s tall, at least a foot over my five foot four, and nothing but solid muscle. His hair is white and long enough to sink my fingers into.
His eyes capture mine. They are a gorgeous green with a ring of gold around the edge. The hint of softness directed at me is unusual, and I appreciate it more than I want to admit.
I give him a small smile before turning back towards the water. I'm pretty sure I'm part mermaid, even if I don't grow a tail. The water soothes me in a way that nothing else ever has.
“I'm surprised you're out here instead of inside getting to know your mate.” I know my tone and words sound as bitter as they feel, but I can't help spitting them out anyway.
He steps up to me, but instead of looking at the water, he’s looking at me. “That's what I'm doing. I could feel your sorrow and had to come make sure you were okay. You’re one of my mates.”
I startle at that. “What do you mean, you could feel my sorrow?”
He shrugs. “I don't know, but when you got up and walked out of the room, I felt like I needed to check on you.”
“I'm fine. I just wanted a few minutes with the ocean.” And some distance before I let myself get attached.
He hums. “It has a magical way of helping you think, doesn't it? I work on the water all day and still can’t get enough of it. I feel like I can have all these crazy tumultuous thoughts, and then the ocean takes them down deep and keeps them safe.”
I study his expression closely. I’ve dealt with enough people that try to fake understanding by being placating. Surprisingly, he gives off a feeling of safety and truth.
“Sage, it’s been forty-five minutes since I found not one but two mates and I would love nothing more than to give you a hug. I’ve been waiting my whole life for you both. I really need to feel you in my arms to know that you’re real.”
I give a watery laugh, not even realizing I’m crying, and step into his embrace. I close my eyes and just breathe. He smells amazing, like a cool winter day, crisp and fresh. His hands rub circles on my back and I relax into him.
“Thank you, Walker. I didn't realize how badly I needed this until I stepped into your arms.” He drops a kiss on the top of my head and steps back, grabbing my hands in his. I marvel at the size difference; his hands are more akin to bear paws with the way they engulf mine completely.
“Let's get back inside and go over everything. I know the guys as well as myself. We’ve been through a lot and are brothers in everything but blood. I promise that none of us feel like you don’t belong.”
He smooths back my hair. “The connection I feel for Piper is just as strong as the one I feel for you.”
I reach up and kiss his cheek. “Let’s go.” He keeps a hold of my hand as we walk back inside. He leads me straight to Piper and helps me crawl under our blanket before he sits next to me and takes my hand once more. I take Piper’s hand as well and hold both in my lap. I take a deep breath before looking up at everyone.
“I apologize for walking out like that. I needed a few minutes to gather my thoughts. We knew about you guys seven years ago. But knowing it and experiencing it are not the same. Sharing mates doesn't change the fact that both Piper and I have emotions and thoughts about mating that are unresolved. I won’t speak for Piper; she can share in her own time when she’s ready. I want to tell you guys my hang-ups so we can clear the air.”
I stop and look around the room. They really are a stunning bunch of men. Milo is tall with a lithe swimmer’s build, and his dark grey hair with blue undertones is as striking as his dual-colored eyes.
Maverick is rugged, with jet black hair long enough to be in a bun on the top of his head and dark grey eyes. He and Wyatt are the tallest. I would guess them to be around six foot six inches.
Wyatt is a demon. Even if Felix hadn’t come by today his eyes would have given that away. They’re red and black with silver lines going through them. He has long, red hair with black streaks. His entire appearance is otherworldly.
Liam is slightly taller than Walker and Milo. Probably six foot five inches. He has chestnut colored hair that is long enough to always look windswept. His golden eyes are mesmerizing, making it hard for me to look away and onto my last mate.
Finally, I look over at Walker. He squeezes my hand in encouragement. Piper lays her head on my shoulder to lend me her support.
“To learn that my mate is my best friend’s wolf was an absolute mind fuck. My heart broke realizing I would never find the one person who would love me for me. Then, within minutes of that first revelation, I learned I was already mated to Atlas. And through him to my best friend. When Rhoda told us all of this, she said we would share a harem. Sharing isn’t the problem; Piper and I have shared everything all our lives.”
I pause to take a breath, and Walker passes me the bottle of sparkling water from the end table. I take a sip, then pass it back to him. “It’s the idea that I’m the extra, the third, or in this case, the seventh wheel. Those insecurities and doubts are fucking with me, because none of you were originally destined for me. For seven years I’ve told myself I would sit back and allow the six of you to bond. Piper deserves all the love that five mates can give her. That I would be okay if I could have some time with Atlas every once in a while. As long as I have him, I will always have my soulmate with me.”
Walker reaches over and brushes a tear from my cheek. Piper squeezes me tight, giving me time to get all the bullshit in my head formed into words. “Meeting all of you today, I realized how wrong I was. I feel the pull of the bond with each one of you and it will absolutely destroy me if any of you thought of me as less than a mate. As soon as I had those thoughts, I felt guilty for taking any attention away from Piper.” I finish my explanation and bow my head. Closing my eyes tightly, I try to block out the shame I feel at my admissions. I cannot believe I just word vomited all my insecurities to my mates an hour after meeting them.
Piper and Walker both squeeze the hand they are holding, and then I feel a hand on my cheek catching the tears I let fall. I look up to see Maverick crouched in front of me with Liam, Wyatt, and Milo all closing in on us. He keeps one hand on my face and reaches his other over to Piper. Surprisingly, she grabs his hand and holds on tight. I’m waiting for him to speak, and my panic over everything I said comes crashing into a ball of anxiety.
When Mav finally opens his mouth, the rough cadence of his voice is oddly soothing. “To the five of us, you both are our world. Everything we’ve done since the day we turned eighteen was for our future mate. A long time ago, Milo had a vision that showed the five of us sharing a mate. In the vision, he saw a shadow standing next to our mate, holding her hand. Today we realized that shadow was you, Sage. You’re our mate just as much as Piper is, and we all belong to the both of you.”
Milo clears his throat. “There will be bumps along the way, but we will figure this all out. As long as we keep open communication, any issues can be fixed.”
I lean my head into Maverick’s hand, unable to resist the thrill of having my mate touch me.
“I really need a group hug right about now. Considering its April Fool’s Day, I’d like to make sure this isn't all some fucked up joke.” I let out a watery chuckle, trying to ignore the last few tears that sneak out under my lashes. “Pip, are you okay with that?”
Piper doesn’t even hesitate, she just opens her arm to Liam who sits next to her, while Milo crouches next to Maverick with Wyatt on his other side and Walker next to me. Then we all lean into each other.
Home. This is what it feels like to truly come home.