I saw doctor Victor the next morning, and he told me everything I had already known. That the mating process had healed any scaring that was in my throat. He had shown me old X Rays and took another one where the scar tissue was now gone.
I felt relieved, but there was still a part of me that was confused.
Why did I need to mate for this all to happen? Why didn't it happen when I first phased. A part of me knew that some questions wouldn't get answers, and I was ok with that. But at the same time, I knew it would be something that bothered me for the time being.
I sat in a cafe in the village, I knew everyone here but yet I still felt like a stranger as I watched Riot walk over with our coffees in his hands, smiling as he set mine down on the table before taking his own seat. "This place is beautiful." He commented before taking a sip of his coffee and humming in satisfaction. "What time did Ivan say they were coming?" I looked at my phone for the time and gave a shrug.
Ivan didn't know about my voice, and I didn't want to speak in public, the last thing I wanted was to draw attention to myself Everyone knew I was mute, I was the Alpha and Beta's son for fuck sake, I didn't get much privacy when I lived here. I was lucky to get away with half the shit I was getting away with before being sent to the farm.
"Should be any minute. They're not normally late," I mumbled, my eyes darling to the counter where two teens were chatting, neither of them paying attention to Riot and I.
The words were hardly out of my mouth when the door chimed and I looked over to the familiar face of Ivan. They had dyed their hair a dark green colour that had lighter highlights and black roots. Almost reminding me of a pop singer I had seen on Twitter. In true Ivan fashion, they didn't care what they wore, with a long marron skirt on and a black vest over a darker shirt.
Everything they wore always looked so odd, yet so fitting, like nothing they wore could go wrong. I stood up once their head turned in my direction, it was like a funny movie, Ivan let out a high-pitched sound before running over and hugging me, nearly lifting me off my feet as I wrapped my arms around their shoulders.
"I missed you so much! You look so good Starfall, Gosh, you tan really well when you actually leave the house." Ivan commented, looking me over as they took a step back with a playful smile. Riot chuckled at the comment, causing Ivan to turn their head and look at him. They gave him a once over, before smiling and holding out a manicured hand. "Ivan."
"Riot," He had an amused look on his face and it made my heart jump a bit. I sat back down at the table, and Ivan was quick to pull a seat up beside Riot so they could face me.
"Tell me everything."
'I wouldn't even know where to start'Â I said, but as soon as I finished Riot cleared his throat, his eyes telling me that he wanted me to speak. He wasn't rushing me, I knew that. But he also didn't want me to hide the fact that I had a voice now. Because as scared as it made me, he knew it made me excited too. I wanted to shout from the rooftop, speak to everyone.
Rub it in.
But I was nervous.
I took a deep breath, I rubbed my hands on my knees, Ivan could see it, my nerves. They looked at me, lifting a brow. they waited for me to start talking, tell them what was bothering me. But I never lifted my hands.
"Did you know when you get mated your old injuries heal? Because fuck I didn't."
I watched as Ivan's eyes widened, and Riot rolled his eyes.
"Jesus Star! How long have you known?"
"Well, I just told you I didn't."
"You know what I mean."
I bit my lip for a second before shrugging, "Nearly a week."
"We had a phone call just the other day, you're telling me you could talk the whole time?"
I nodded my head, "It's not as big of a deal as it seems. Big whoop, I can talk. It's not like my voice was totally forerun to anyone. I can talk when I phase. Which by the way â I'm itching to do. But besides that, It's not a big deal."
"It is a big deal," They started, "I know about the threat. Elis told me. Think about it a little bit. That's one less thing they can hold over your head. Lucca has no holds on you anymore, Charles."
"I wouldn't say that have no hold. Just nothing physical." I interjected.
Ivan fell silent after that, I guess the realization of what I was saying was hitting them.
Yea, Charles, and Lucca had no physical bond to me now, that was great. I was happy about that. I didn't really think about that, I'll admit that. But they still had a hold of me. Of my soul.
I still saw them when my eyes closed, when I was alone I could hear their laughter, their taunts. I may not have any scares to show it, but it was all mental. I mean fuck â I wasn't a drug addict for no reason.
"I want to run," I said, looking towards Riot, he nodded. We spoke with Ivan for another few moments, and I gave my best friend a hug again before leaving with Riot and making our way back to the small space we were temporarily calling our own. The back yard went to another street, unlike the house I shared with my dads that opened into the forest,
We both changed into a pair of shorts, leaving our chests bare as we walked to the path that took us to the clearing. I gave my dads a quick text, letting them both know we were going for a run. Because as much as I had wished this to be a nice visit home, my life was still in danger somehow.
We walked in a comfortable silence until we made it to the clearing,
I could sense the guards around us, hear their footfall in the distance. I hated the idea of being watched, I mean if it was this easy to keep eyes on me at all times, why didn't my dads just do this instead of sending me away?
Not that I was bitter about that, my eyes fell towards Riot, and I questioned. How long would it have taken for us to meet if I hadn't been sent to the farm?
Would he have come here at some point? Would I have gone to visit for the funeral? I couldn't see me going to say goodbye to nani if I didn't know her, and if Darren didn't want to push me. I would just stay home, and high.
What would have happened?
"You're gone again." Riot said, pulling me from my head. I rolled my eyes, taking my shorts off.
"Yea well, I've got a lot on my mind."
"I can always help you clear it for a moment." He said with a little smirk, again, I rolled my eyes but I smirked back at him as he dropped his own shorts.
And soon we were both running off into the woods.