Our Hearts Collided (MxM)

Chapter 18

A/N: A bit shorter than most 😅

Vince's POV

"It's lovely," I told him, my eyes drifting over the lake's surface before settling on his form.

"Peaceful." There was a low sound his wolf made as he shut his eyes, taking the gentle sounds of the forest filling the space between us. The breeze picked up again, running through our furs like a field of grass, illuminating all the lovely shades of brown in his fur again. His head was held high, taking deep breaths in.

"I am sorry," I said finally, letting the words echo between us. Mirroring him then, I closed my eyes, focusing on slowing my racing heart. "For...for making you wait for so long. Making you both wait this long. Including my wolf. I'm sure it can't be easy."

He didn't respond, and although Simon's wolf didn't seem angry, I knew it must have been a sore spot. For humans, waiting this long wasn't that uncommon. But for wolves, who seek their mates from an early age through the moon goddess' blessing, it was instinctual, necessary. Humans could easily break their connections with other humans, but that was a far more complicated process for wolves.

And with us being this close, yet so far from what their connection needed, I couldn't imagine the hurt they were going through.

"Soon," was his reply, his tone calm and even. Not an ounce of contempt. "It will be worth it."

I let out a hum, looking off into the distance again. "Still. I'm incredibly sorry."

His wolf didn't respond, not like I expected him to. Apologies weren't enough to mend the things I did, but I had to say it. As empty and hallow as those words were, it was necessary to say them aloud, for his wolf especially, to hear those words.

The wind drowned the silence, creating more ripples along the lake's surface in front of us. Simon's wolf hadn't moved aside from the occasional twitch of his ears. Instead, I couldn't look at him, fixating on the distant forest across the lake. The low-lying clouds that had covered the base of the mountains had dissipated, revealing a faint orange-yellow glow between some trees. If I squinted enough, I could spot the dark roof. Arthur's packhouse.

"I almost forgot about this place."

I turned to him in confusion; the amber eyes were gone, replaced with Simon's brown eyes. I hadn't even sensed the shift between them. "When did you—"

"Not that long ago," he replied, leaning into my side. "My wolf isn't quite the talkative type."

"Neither is mine." My wolf grumbled at that.

"I haven't visited this place in years," Simon said, his brown eyes taking in the view. "My wolf took us here when I first left the pack. Sat for hours staring at the lake."

"After..."

"It wasn't as painful as anyone would assume—being here, I mean." He turned to me with a gentle smile. "It soothed me, comforting me, sitting here with my wolf beside me. Instead of getting lost in my head and going completely crazy, staying here and listening to the sounds here helped."

Picturing young Simon running aimlessly in the woods on his own after such a thing left a bad taste in my mouth. He was barely sixteen, completely alone.

Simon pressed against my side. "I met Aspen shortly after that, under a willow tree on the other side of the lake. Cedar was just a pup at the time. Crazy to think that's he's planning his wedding already."

"We must be getting old."

"Nonsense," he joked. "More like aging like fine wine. Cedar's always been gung-ho about love and relationships. I don't think he really gave Bryce a break since they met. And poor Aspen is sprouting more and more grey hairs ever since Cedar's come to live here, let alone having Rowan."