Mask | ✓

30

As I sat in Nolan's office, I couldn't help but glance between Roan and him. Roan stood in the back, going through files. His attention didn't appear to be focused on us, but I wouldn't put it past him to be listening in.

"So what did you need?" Nolan asked me politely.

I studied his face. There were no visible signs of nervousness showing. He was still calm as ever.

"I wanted to ask you some questions," I told him.

Nolan's face twitched slightly, but he quickly covered the mistake up. "Go on. Questions about what?"

I stared into his eyes. "Does Nixon know?"

Nolan didn't flinch. "Does Nixon know what?"

My eyes drifted to Roan and then back to him. "That you two are mates."

The room seemed to freeze with my words. A tight smile broke out on Nolan's face, and Roan stopped his search. His eyes drifted over to where Nolan and I were.

"I'm sure he suspects it," he answered, not bothering to deny their bond. "But Nixon has a habit of lying to himself. He won't admit it."

His words, his actions, everything. It was too calm.

"So then, why are you hiding that Roan is your mate? Are you second chance mates?"

Nolan glanced back at Roan and smiled, but he wasn't happy. Instead, it was full of sadness.

"Roan is the only mate I've had," he said. "But you already suspected that, didn't you?" He stared at me knowingly.

"He was Nixon's mate," I finished. Nolan nodded in confirmation. "So why? Why did Nixon kill his own mate, and why is it said that Isaiah is your mate?"

Nolan sighed. "Here in our pack, mates are highly valued. It doesn't matter what goes on behind closed doors; you're supposed to be strong and endure it. In public, you put on this mask and pretend that everything's okay. I won't go into details about Nixon and Isaiah's relationship, that's between you and him, but it wasn't all rainbows and sunshine. When he told us what happened, we made a choice that we felt would harm him the least."

"So then, what about you? Do you plan just to hide what Roan is to you for the rest of your life?" I questioned.

The look in his eyes changed to a pained one. "Here, crimes like killing your mate could lead to death. By saying Isaiah was my mate, the worst thing that happened was Nixon, and my takeover of the pack was pushed back, and he became ostracized. It's not ideal, but I'd rather have that than have my brother dead. Revealing the truth would only be worse, and I'd do anything for Nixon."

Including hiding his own mate.

Beneath the sadness were determination and resolve. Nolan had made peace with his choice long ago.

"You're never going to tell him?" I asked quietly.

He shook his head. "You know Nixon. He'd expose the truth himself if he knew that it meant I could be happy. His loyalty is both his greatest strength and tragic flaw."

I didn't say it aloud, but it was also Nolan's. He endured rumors and lies and still managed to keep it all locked away inside from his brother and from his pack. He still managed to smile and act as if everything was okay.

Then there was Roan. I knew little about him, but I wasn't oblivious to how he was seen in the pack. He was a stranger, unaccepted by many, but he stayed strong. He didn't let their words bring him down.

Four years. After four years of hiding a secret, they still stood firm. I didn't know what to call that. Strength? Stupidity? Loyalty?

I didn't know, but it made me look at them in a new light.