Three Mates, One Destiny (7 page)

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As the kiss between him and Marcus broke, Paulie let out a choked sound. Just when he thought he would come, Sebastian grabbed the base of his dick, effectively stopping his orgasm.

Marcus’s tongue went to play with the lobe of his ear, while Sebastian’s mouth continued to torture him. Over and over, their touches drove him wild, Marcus’s clever hands arousing every nerve in his body and Sebastian’s suction short-circuiting his every brain cell.

At last, Sebastian released his tight hold on Paulie’s balls.

“Come,” Marcus whispered in his ear.

And Paulie did come, harder than he ever had in his life. His climax exploded out of him in a rush of ecstasy that left him limp and boneless. He didn’t know how long he floated in the cloud of pleasure, but when he recovered, he realized he hadn’t done anything to bring pleasure to his mates.

“What about you?” he managed to ask.

Sebastian smiled at him. “There’s plenty of time for that.”

Marcus pressed a kiss to his temple. “Now go to sleep, gorgeous.

You’re safe.”

Paulie couldn’t bring himself to say anything else. He relaxed, and this time, when he fell asleep, no nightmares came to him.

* * * *

A while later, Sebastian stole out of the bedroom, snatching his cell phone as he did so. He knew what he felt, but not how to act. It had been so much easier with Marcus. The two of them grew up together and the only difficulties with their mating appeared because of Marcus’s parents. Not so, now. Paulie’s dad seemed to agree, albeit half-heartedly, but Paulie himself was very young and confused.

Well, twenty-two was not all that young in human years, but still, the difference between the human’s age and Sebastian and Marcus’s boggled the mind. As such, Sebastian needed a piece of advice.

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He speed dialed his father, who answered on the second ring.

“Hello, son,” Roland greeted him. “Is something the matter?”

Even if he loved his family very much, Sebastian kept his calls to the bare minimum. He’d just visited them, so Roland must be very surprised. “Hello, Father. No, nothing’s wrong. I just… I found my mate.”

A long pause followed. “A second mate, other than Marcus,”

Roland said.

Sebastian nodded, even if his father couldn’t see him. “He is human. His name is Paul Blunt. You met his father, Andrew, at the Magistrate’s party.”

“The doctor? Well, you certainly chose an interesting family to mate into.” Roland chuckled, and then his voice turned kind. “I’m happy for you. Cherish him like you do with Marcus.”

“It’s just a bit hard. Paulie doesn’t understand it completely. I think he feels like the third wheel. I’m not sure what to do.”

“Just give him time. He’ll come around.” Roland sighed and his voice turned sorrowful. “I never told you this, Sebastian, but your mother was my mate. Unfortunately, she died before I could figure out a solution for us to be together.”

Sebastian’s breath caught. He’d never expected his father to say such a thing. “Does Alice know?”

“Of course,” Roland replied. “Just like you have two mates, so did I, and Alice should’ve created a bond with your mother as well. But we have hope still. After all, Caesar D’Averam did come back from beyond, didn’t he?”

Indeed, he had. Sebastian suspected other spirit wolves must’ve reincarnated as well, not just Caesar, but only The Magistrate figured it out, seeing the two separate lives together. In general, reincarnated souls registered some trouble in remembering their past lives, although they could do so with some help. Truth be told, the whole thing brought Sebastian hope that he might one day get to meet his
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mother. She might be human, but her bond with Roland would help her find her way back to them. Apparently, Roland agreed.

“But now, there is a chance, Sebastian. If what The Magistrate says is correct, the three of you can be together. Go for it. Just tread gently.”

Sebastian thanked his father and sent his regards to Alice and Peter. His stepbrother might not like him much, but they shared the same blood. Besides, in spite of the rivalry between them, they needed to be civil to each other, for the sake of their parents.

Sebastian cut the connection and returned to the room and their bed. For a while, he watched his two mates sleep, smiling to himself when he realized Marcus was merely pretending. He mused over his father’s words, all the while caressing Paulie’s hair. Eventually, the low, relaxing sound of his mates’ breaths lulled him into sleep as well.

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Paulie woke up still cuddled in Sebastian and Marcus’s embrace.

He stole a look outside and noticed the sun just peeking over the clouds. His face flushed when he realized he must have spent the entire night with the two men.

He shook his head at his own weakness and inability to decide.

Just yesterday, he’d told himself he would not jump into anything. He wanted to see if they truly matched as a couple—God, did three people even make a couple?—and if he didn’t disturb the balance between Sebastian and Marcus. True enough, they’d comforted him in his time of need. He unwillingly shuddered as images of the day before flashed through his mind. God, how could he have allowed that to happen?

The two spirit wolves seemed to sense his turmoil as they stirred from their slumber. “Paulie?” Sebastian asked. “Is everything all right?”

Paulie took a deep breath, focusing to calm down. “Everything is fine. I just need to go to my room for a bit to…” He scrambled for some explanation, for some reason reluctant to tell them the truth. “To clean up,” he finished lamely.

He could feel their eyes on him and knew they didn’t believe him.

“Okay, babe,” Marcus said quietly. “Would you like us to take you there so that you don’t run into anyone on the way?”

For the first time, Paulie turned to look at the two men and offered them a weak smile. “I’d like that.”

As promised, Marcus and Sebastian wrapped him back in a thick robe and sped him to his room. Paulie waved them away and
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promised to meet up with them later. As they left, he closed the door to his room and collapsed against the floor.

Paulie didn’t want to run away. He didn’t want to hide, but just leaning on others wouldn’t help either. God, he felt so very torn up inside, so confused and frightened. He recalled their touches the night before. It had been amazing, but at the same time, focused all on him.

What did that mean? He really might spoil Sebastian and Marcus’s relationship. No, he refused to do it. He already cared about them, and getting in the way of their love for each other was folly.

The robe he wore smelled like Sebastian engulfing him in his mate’s scent and providing undesired comfort. Paulie tore it off. He couldn’t do this, not now. How long would it take for another patient to kill himself because of Paulie’s inability to compose himself?

Paulie couldn’t afford to have a mental breakdown—more than he already did. His dad was right. His patients needed him. Marcus and Sebastian didn’t. Therefore, his love life would have to wait.

Paulie hastened to the bathroom and turned on the shower. He rushed to wash every inch of his body, but the ghost of his mates’

touches still lingered, chastising him for his choice.
“You’re still
running away, Paulie,”
a voice inside him said.
“You’re running
away from them.”

Pushing the voice aside, Paulie finished his preparations and dressed in one of his doctor’s outfits. He would not let this thing defeat him. With his mind still wrapped around what happened

“downstairs,” he could not even think of romance.

Finally done, Paulie left his room and headed toward the lab. It was early, so his dad hadn’t gotten there yet. The guards greeted him with slight apprehension, but Paulie somehow found the strength to give them all moderately reassuring replies. He’d thought he’d managed to put up quite a good show, at least until his father showed up.

“Paulie? What’s going on? The guards told me you were here and acting strangely.”

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Paulie blinked at his father, all the while mentally cursing spirit wolf abilities. “Nothing’s going on,” he replied. “I came to work.”

His dad shook his head. “No. Absolutely not. You’re going back to bed, and that’s final.”

Paulie gaped. His father seemed to be getting more and more overbearing by the second. Did Sebastian and Marcus’s make it so?

By now, Drew surely knew about it. Either way, his dad had no right to give him orders like this. “Dad, you’re overreacting!” he shot back.

“Stop it and let me speak for a minute.”

His dad took a deep breath and nodded. “I’m listening.”

“Look, Dad, you can’t 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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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.

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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 just to say hi, we’re a call away.” He smiled gently. “Sometimes, it’s easier to speak to someone who’s not there with you.”

Paulie seemed to like the idea, and Sebastian mentally thanked The Spirit Mother for giving him Marcus. “All right,” Paulie said.

“I’ll do that.”

He began to walk away, while Sebastian and Marcus remained in front of his door. All of a sudden, he turned and retraced his steps. He pressed brief, chaste pecks on their cheeks and whispered, “I’m sorry.

I’ll try harder. I promise.”

With that, he was gone. For a few moments, Sebastian stared at the spot where Paulie had been last, idly considering the option of
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following after his mate and fucking all hesitation out of him. It wouldn’t work, of course, but his cock would very much enjoy it.

Marcus chuckled at him. “I know. It’s not easy.”

Sebastian arched his brow at his mate. “What can we do? He’s just…”

“I could help you with that.” Marcus gave him a sly look and licked his lips. The sight of Marcus’s tongue peeking out of his mouth made Sebastian even harder than before.

Marcus took his silence as agreement. He pushed Sebastian against the wall and knelt at his feet. In a few rushed instants, he unzipped Sebastian’s trousers and released Sebastian’s dick from its confines.