Brothers - 28. Chapter 28

DEVYN

An alarm awoke the wolf early the next morning, Devyn crawling out of bed to start his day nearly an hour before usual. He needed to get breakfast started for Jason and himself.

His phone lit up suddenly, a message flashing across the screen, and the wolf grunted, his fingers slowly working over the screen.

“I’ll be by your place at eight.”

Devyn sighed quietly, poking at letters to let the neko know he had seen the message.

“o k c u 8”

Tossing the phone back on his dresser, the wolf stretched with a wide yawn, before making his way downstairs. He stepped into the kitchen, trying to figure out if he had time for bacon, or if Jason would even want bacon. Shrugging, Devyn pulled out a bunch of pre cubed potatoes from the night before, throwing them in a skillet before working on eight eggs and bits of ham. Mixing them all together as they finished, the wolf set the breakfast on a pair of plates, fighting the lure of the breakfast as he headed back upstairs to wake Jason up.

When a knock on the door produced no reply, Devyn opened the door, grinning at the sight of the neko bending over naked. Jason scowled at him, grabbing his pants and yanking them on. The neko pointed toward Devyn’s uncovered crotch and then to the clothes that were already laid out, the implication clear even in Devyn’s mind.

“Breakfast first,” the wolf grunted, trying to push off having to get dressed. “Dylan’s not going to be here for another hour at least. I have time.”

He yawned, feeling the encroaching moon, and Jason frowned at the wolf, fingers moving in strange symbols Devyn could only guess at. Devyn was tempted to remind the neko that he didn’t know sign language, that he was only just learning it, but the wolf decided it was too much of a hassle explaining that.

Instead, he made his way downstairs, breakfast calling to his stomach. His cane tapped quietly at the floor, masking the sound of Jason following a moment later, the neko’s nose sniffling quietly.

Falling into his chair, Devyn adjusted himself, the cold wood frigid against his butt. He began eating greedily, having already made sure he gave equal portions to them both. There was no need to worry about Jason getting enough breakfast.

“Brush your teeth in the morning or night?”

The question sounded weird coming from the monotone of Jason’s phone, and the subject was even worse. Devyn felt the urge to flatten his ears, but in this form that was impossible.

“You will do it twice a day eventually, but we’ll start with one. Your choice.”

“So because you’re my mate you get to boss me around?” the wolf growled.

“I never said I accept,” Jason typed quickly, the neko shaking his head. “I said I needed time. Besides, you never claimed me properly. And if you do it right now, the answer would be no.”

Devyn scowled at his brother, feeling an almost crushing weight come over his heart.

“You said you don’t want to be with someone who doesn’t brush their teeth. That means if I brush my teeth, you want to be with me,” he grunted.

“No. That means if you don’t brush your teeth, there’s no way. It’s like you’re only hearing what you want to hear...”

The wolf bared his teeth at the phone, starting to really hate the piece of plastic.

“Don’t do that to me. It makes my head hurt. And I’m listening, I just… forget.”

Jason frowned at his brother, his plate barely half finished despite the wolf licking his own plate. His fingers snatched the phone up again, the neko sighing as he stared at the screen.

“How can you be a therapist if you can’t understand what people are telling you? Or if you forget?”

“I understand,” Devyn protested. “I just… don’t like all these double meanings, or having to figure out what you’re trying to hide when you’re talking.”

He let out a loud huff as he stood up, hobbling toward the sink with his plate. Rinsing it off, the wolf set it aside, before glaring at the neko.

“Night. Then I don’t have to taste it all day,” he grunted, almost challenging Jason to correct him.

The neko shrugged, carrying his own plate to the sink. He pointed toward the wolf’s crotch, then pulled at his own pants, and Devyn let out a frustrated huff, grabbing his cane before tapping his way back upstairs.

It was all guessing games, but he figured Jason was telling him to get dressed. It was time anyway; Dylan never seemed to like it when he showed up while Devyn was nude. The wolf wasn’t sure why. He had stopped by Dylan’s home when Lysander or Damian were naked; it was no big deal, even if everyone seemed to make it one. They were wolves, they had no need for fabric that constricted them, made it impossible for them to be themselves.

The wolf dressed quickly, shoving his feet into a pair of sandals. He was content with the knowledge that his scent was all over Jason’s clothing. It would be enough for now, just keeping any wolves away from his brother. Sure, actually being able to claim Jason would be better, but the neko was being very insecure about that.

“Devyn?”

Fuck he was late… Devyn let out an angry huff, grabbing his bag and cane. Hobbling downstairs, the wolf frowned at Dylan, the neko still smelling a little sick.

“You okay?” Devyn demanded.

“It was just a stomach bug, Devyn. I’m fine,” Dylan shrugged. “Let’s get going, I wanna hang out with Brienne before school starts.”

The wolf grunted, shaking his head. He wanted nothing to do with her. The girl was stealing his mate and his best friend and it was starting to piss him off. The last thing he needed was to watch Jason and Dylan swapping saliva with them. Why did Jason think it was okay to kiss Brienne and not him? Devyn’s mouth wasn’t that bad.

Did he even want Jason to kiss him? No… licks were better, they marked more clearly. As they stepped outside, Devyn wondered if the neko would let him lick his feet. Jason always pulled away when he tried, but the wolf knew they would taste amazing, bathed with his mate’s sweat and musk. He had to get a lick in someday.

JASON

The calico wrapped his hands around Brienne, nuzzling the human with a loud purr as Jason watched. Jason chuckled at the sight, shaking his head as Brienne kissed Dylan’s cheek, her finger tapping the neko’s nose when he tried for her lips.

“Uh uh, not today. You’re sick.”

“I got better,” Dylan protested. “Etul wouldn’t let me come to school if I wasn’t healthy.”

The chime interrupted them, forestalling any more conversation, and Jason stepped forward, kissing Brienne on the cheek. He pulled out his phone, and the human pushed his hand down.

“Maybe sign a little? I’m trying to learn,” she frowned.

Jason’s eyes widened slightly, and he nodded, shoving his phone back in his pocket.

‘I’ll see you at second period. It’s a slow day, right?’

“I… and two… second?” Brienne tried. “Uh, yeah, I’ll see you at second period?”

“I hope it’s a slow day,” Dylan grumbled, rolling his eyes. “Alastair wouldn’t have us running Wolfbane the day before a meet, right?”

“No, that would be stupid,” Brienne smirked. “Not sure why you’re still in gym with us but not on the team. Not that I’m complaining; it’s fun watching you try to keep up with me.”

Dylan bristled as Jason smirked, the grey neko nudging the calico playfully.

“Anyway, my class is on the other side of campus so I have to go. Later you two.”

Brienne rubbed their heads briefly before hurrying off into the school, Jason letting out a breath as he watched her go.

“You okay? You seem a little awkward,” Dylan frowned at the other neko.

‘Just fighting with Devyn. Again,’ Jason signed.

“Oh… yeah, wolves can be… rather stubborn.”

‘I have a question. Who’s Tareth? I can’t find any mention of him in the library.’

A strangled choke escaped the calico, his eyes widening in horror as he grabbed Jason’s hands.

“Shut up!” he hissed quietly, looking around nervously.

Jason flinched back, staring at Dylan in concern.

‘Don’t ever say his name in public,’ the calico signed. ‘You shouldn’t know he exists. Just don’t think about it.’

That just made more questions than it answered, but Jason nodded silently, not sure what else he could do.

‘I can’t believe you were spying on me!’

‘Well if you didn’t want me to see it, why did you do it right in front of me?’

‘I told Papa it was a bad day!’ Dylan fumed silently, the calico’s fur bristling. “Don’t ever mention this to anyone if you value your life.”

‘So I shouldn’t have written about a river god for my creative writing class?’

Dylan paled, his head shaking furiously.

‘Are you their priest? Is there really a neko god?’

“Jason, I’m warning you, shut up. This is not the place,” Dylan growled. “Go to class.”

Jason sighed, shaking his head. Clearly Dylan wasn’t giving him any answers.

They parted quickly, Jason moving through the crowded halls with his tail in hand. He had learned years ago that humans and elves tended not to look where their feet were stepping, and though it threw off his balance, the neko preferred not to have his tail crushed underfoot.

His head was filled with questions about this river god, but no answers. It didn’t matter, he could do his research. He had just hoped Dylan would be more forthcoming. Obviously the calico had gotten himself involved in something that made himself feel important. Jason didn’t blame him, being a priest of a secretive cult would probably feel pretty cool.

He was still going to look the god up though, when he got the chance.

Passing through a door, the neko took his seat near the front of the room, laptop warming up as the chime rang again. A human approached the front of the room, a smile on their face as they studied the class. Long black hair framed their face, the slightest hint of makeup accentuating the more masculine features of their face.

“Mr Farin, I will need to see you after class please,” they said, Jason dropping down in his seat nervously.

He hadn’t done anything wrong… unless he actually believed Dylan about the whole dangerous cult thing. Even then, the story he had turned in was just fiction; no one could pin anything on him for taking inspiration from something he apparently wasn’t supposed to see.

“Romance. It has plenty of use in literature, to give a hero something to strive for, to grant characters a reprieve from the world, even to fuel discord among romantic rivals. There are dozens of ways to use it in a story, and not all of them have to end well,” Jet spoke up, pulling Jason out of his thoughts.

The class seemed to flow by around him, the neko delving into his work as a small voice worried in the back of his head. He had done something wrong, he was going to get in trouble for the short story he had written. There was no other explanation he could think of.

Finally, the moment of reckoning arrived, Jason slipping his laptop back into his bag as the chime rang through the school again. He glanced at the door, wondering if he could make his escape among the rush of students, but the way Jet was watching him instantly halted that thought.

He approached Jet slowly, nervously, the teacher giving the tiniest of sniffs.

“I apologise for making you nervous, that was not my intention,” they said quietly. “You are not in trouble, I just wanted to mention that your story was… rather inventive. I know I’m neither neko nor elf, so it is not my place to comment on the subject matter, but the thought of a river spirit helping to bring peace between your people and the elves felt like a great story. I would like your permission to send it to the palace later this month. There is a grant that is given out to young writers so they may pursue a career in writing, and I think your story could win it for you.”

Jason stared at the werewolf with his jaw hanging loosely. He had never imagined this happening to him; the neko had only ever written to make himself feel better. This whole class was just an excuse to let him work on stories, but to make writing his entire life?

‘I’m honoured Mx Jet,’ he signed shakily. ‘Do you really think I could get it?’

“I do. And even if you don’t, it will get people reading your stories. There are opportunities for young neko writers, especially those willing to tell their own stories.”

Jason closed his eyes, taking a deep breath before nodding.

‘If you think it’s that good, I would love the chance,’ he signed.

“Awesome. I’ll send it in for you,” Jet smiled. “Go ahead to your next class; I’ll keep you informed about the story.”

Jason nodded eagerly, grabbing his bag before nearly flying out of the room. Only when he had left the room did he stop to ponder the wisdom of sending a story about a cult to the palace.

DEVYN

His face screwed up at the smell, present but buried under so many conflicting scents. The wolf was here, and Devyn was going to find him. He would not be held back.

It made sense, the smell was a wolf, he was in the WolfRoom, there was no doubt his visitor would be here somewhere, and yet it clearly was none of the wolves in the room with him. He wouldn’t have been surprised if it had been Blake, but then, it made no sense for Blake to try to claim Jason; the wolf was far too young for that.

No, it was someone else, and Devyn was going to find them.

As soon as the chime sounded, he was out of his seat, his path suddenly blocked by Blake.

“Are we running Wolfbane today?” the small human asked eagerly, Devyn letting out a quiet huff as he shook his head.

“Not before a race.”

“Oh. So the cones then? I bet I could run through them faster than you,” the boy grinned.

“I-”

Devyn bit his tongue, the wolf letting out a quiet sigh.

“I need to get to my next class,” he said impatiently.

“Mr Marin said I don’t have to shift tomorrow. Are you going to shift at the race?”

“Yeah. The moon doesn’t hit until mid afternoon. The race is in the morning to make up for it.”

The smell hit his nose again, and the wolf nudged Blake out of his way as he sniffed. It was a weird scent, slowly growing in strength though it kept being covered by people passing in front of him. Growling in frustration, Devyn kept at it, moving slowly through the halls. This would be so much easier in his natural form, but there was no way the school would allow him to roam the halls like that.

His eyes widened as he found himself outside the sign language class. Their stalker was in there? He could smell them clearly through the door, taking a deep whiff of the almost almond scent, like a poison festering in food, sweet but deadly.

Stepping through the door, Devyn’s eyes scanned the room, wondering if the wolf was even in here. There were four other points during the day when the wolf could have come into the room.

And yet he could smell three other wolves in the room with him, his eyes scanning the room warily as he tried to figure out which one of them held that scent. Someone was wearing a heavy perfume, and Devyn let out a sudden sneeze, his nose overwhelmed with a vanilla musk as an elf passed him.

He let out a frustrated growl, his nose burning. There was no way he would be able to sniff out the scent now, and Devyn stalked over to his seat, listening to the murmurs of conversation that cut off as soon as the second chime rang. He was starting to hate the no talking days. It seemed too early for the class to deal with silent conversations, but he could at least stumble through on smell and body language. Most of the time.

The wolf was starting to see how difficult things were for Jason. The neko needed that healing from Jerric, but Devyn already knew his brother wasn’t going to do it, not if it meant hurting Jerric.

His eyes widened as his mind made a connection between the healer and Blake. The werewolf was always making things move with his mind. Did he not know it was dangerous? Devyn needed to convince him to stop; he didn’t want Blake to die. He was going to have a serious talk with the mage before their run. How could Dr Marin not tell Blake about this? Did he not know himself? Had he told Blake only for the boy to do it anyway? There were so many unknowns and it made Devyn slump in his seat, trying to figure out how to handle the rush of emotions spiralling through him.

A sheet was set on the desk, several tan circles sitting next to various drawings of hands. Almonds filled Devyn’s nose suddenly as he stared at the sheet and the wolf’s head shot up, staring at the werewolf as he walked past on his way to hand out more papers to the rest of the class.

“It was you?!”