He was just ten when Kevin felt the first connection with his mate .It was a dull ache below his breastbone. It was bearable but he can only imagine the extreme level of pain his mate was experiencing to have the feeling resonated with him.
It was saddening. There was no way to know that they were safe. He could only hope that they were alright. Then again he was also glad that his mate was alive and somewhere out there.
After that, most mornings, afternoons, and evenings were filled with an echo of the burning in his heart. It made him feel dejected. Can't he be of any help. To lessen the pain his mate was going through. But all he could do was bear it. And wait for them. Sometimes he would think about them, After a vigorous Alpha training with his father ,being done for the day he would lay in his bed and feel the distant thump of his mate's heartbeat lulling him to sleep
Some other days he gets distracted smiling fondly imagining them. Boasting to his brothers about the connection he shared with his mate. He was only 10 year-old but completely smitten for them.
But there were also times when he wondered what was driving his mate so hard. Lounging on his grandfather's chair after a hard training session. He thinks about them. His brothers Steven and Stephan both roll their eyes, calling him a romantic idiot, a sap or what not. That gets to him and soon they start fighting, rolling, wrestling kicking.
Their father watches them from the doorway, a proud, and fond smile on his face, clearly amused at their antics. Before he starts pulling them apart by their ears.
Though, years after years, the pain continues, a constant dull ache. It has lost the intensity but it was still there. It had become so natural that it felt almost negligible.
He would deny it till he died. but when he doesn't feels the ache, he may have panicked a few times. After Years of having his mate always there, almost a constant in his life. And waking up without their presence is alarming. Without the constant ache. He knew he should be happy for his mate to have the pain lessened but still the selfish part of him wanted to be connected to them even if it meant pain.
He would spend hours with his brothers talking about his mate. Sometimes they were sympathetic. Sometimes they laughed at him.Because They never felt their mates throughout the years.They thought Kevin was being ridiculous. With time they felt as if their brother was mistaken. But seeing Kevin so invested they didn't have the heart to confront him directly
"Must be hard to be like normal people and not have a moment's peace. But you are lucky it has decreased now"they'd teased, but it wasn't.It was hard not being able to know if his mate was alright. Alive out there. In their lives it was common for rouges to attack villages. They were wolves from the Canis Clan of Abana. A complete different breed from the humans. With the evolution as men. Canines, Felines , Aves and even Reptiles evolved along with Primates. But unlike men these species prospered along with their beast characters. They were almost close to myths and legends for humans. And so they were hunted down whenever spotted. Their civilizations always remained hidden from others. Coexistence with humans was never an option. And the inter species difference made it difficult even to exist with the other beast tribes. Every species consisted of their own misfits and outlaws. They were called rouges. Who were persistent with their attacks. Trying to take over the villages. Again there were Human hunters, witches and warlocks who were out for their blood who had a common ancestor. Apes. As an Alpha he knew about the situations outside his pack too. So he couldn't help but worry for his mates safety. Unlike humans, witches and warlocks. The beast tribes are blessed with mates. And they mate for lives. There are circumstances where they don't meet their fated mates. But they can always feel the pull and the scents they are blessed with.
Kevin simply wanted his mate to be safe. The world was already in chaos with raging wars. And he couldn't help but be scared for his mate. Was it bad that he missed the pain? It wasn't pleasant, but at least it meant he wasn't alone.
Then one day, he met a boy on the waterfall in the forest he trained, swimming. Hope swelled as he smelt the faintest and sweetest smell ever. He thought maybe.
Devon was nice, but a bit of a dolt. Still, he was kind-hearted, with a big and open smile, something almost unknown among the pack he lived. Kevin felt drawn to him, like a moth to the flame, and thought maybe.
That afternoon, just hours later, he felt his heart shatter like glass. He was alone in his room, so no one saw him clutch at his chest as tears rose unbidden from an unknown loss, like losing something important but worse than even that somehow. After all the years and years of constant ache, this was without a doubt the worst. And it didn't go away.
The next time he saw Devon, he thought about asking. But decided against it. If Devon wanted to tell him they were mates, he would.
They saw each other almost every day, but never discussed the subject. They were young, so they cannot be sure, not until they were old enough and ready, but still Kevin couldn't help but look at the kind boy next to him, with his stupid hair and dumb competitions and maybe... hope?
He'd thought that day was the worst, but he was proven wrong. The worst came almost a year later. Kevin was sitting with Steven when he felt his heart break, clieved apart, in a way that was far too familiar. It felt like the last time, but so, so much worse. His whole chest seized. He felt like he couldn't breathe. Whatever had just happened to his mate felt like it was ripping him apart.
When Devon told him later that day near the waterfall, tears welling up, that his mother had died, Kevin had been almost, almost sure.
But Devon was just beginning to cry, while the pain in Kevin's chest felt the same, a bleeding pain that persisted. Not better, it hadn't really felt better but not worse. Not in the way that it maybe should? Clearly, Devon was hurting more now then he had been a minute ago.
Maybe he'd been hiding it, but Devon wore everything on his sleeve. Subterfuge was not something he was skilled at. Pain was welling up in him, sudden and overflowing, not looking at all like the constant ache buried behind Kevin's own breastbone.
No. His friend probably wasn't his mate.
Kevin would be lying if he said he wasn't disappointed.
Soulmate or not, it was good to have a friend.