“Agent Dexter Daley of the THIRDS, badge number 2108. I need the status of a patient named Dylan Reynolds. He—What? When? Yes. Thank you.” Dex tapped his earpiece and sank into his chair.
“What happened?” Rosa asked worriedly.
“He’s dead.” Dex closed his eyes. “He killed himself this morning.”
Cael shook his head. “I can’t believe it. How?”
“Somehow he managed to get the security glove off and used his claws to slash his wrists. He bled to death.” Dex hated what he was even thinking, but what if Sloane was right? What if the anomalies Shultzon mentioned caused Therians to kill their marked mates? No. Sloane would never hurt him. Not physically anyway. To do what those Therians had done, to maul their spouses, would mean them going feral or possessing a great deal of rage. Sloane wouldn’t do that. Dex was sure of it.
“Are you okay?” Cael asked softly, bringing Dex out of his thoughts.
“Yeah.” He gave his little brother a smile. “I’m good.”
Cael turned to look at Rosa. “Do you mind giving us a few minutes?”
“No problem, gatito. I think it’s time for another cup of coffee. I’ll be in the canteen if you need me.”
Cael thanked her, waiting for the door to close before he took a seat behind Rosa’s desk, his big gray eyes filled with worry. “Have you talked to Sloane since Dad laid those truth bombs on us?”
Dex shook his head. He worried his bottom lip with his teeth, feeling embarrassed. “I’ve kind of been avoiding him.”
“Why?”
“What if this is it?” Dex frowned down at his fingers. “What if this is all too much for him, or he realizes we don’t want the same things for us?”
“Then he’s the king of the jerkfaces and never deserved you.”
Dex couldn’t help his smile. Cael was adorable. “Thanks, Chirpy.”
Cael stood and came to sit on the edge of the desk beside him. “Come on, Dex. You really think Sloane’s going to leave? He adores you. You know what he’s like. His head is his worst enemy, and despite knowing that, he lets his fears run away with him. He’s trying hard to change, but it’s not easy for him. Ash is the same. They went through a lot. I’m not excusing their behavior, and I know it’s hard for you, how much it hurts every time, but I know he’s not doing it intentionally. He gets so turned around he doesn’t know which way is up, and instead of turning to you, or asking for help, he tries to work it all out on his own, because that’s what he’s been doing since he was a kid.”
“I know, but how many times can I sit here with a broken heart, waiting for him to come back to me?”
“Dex, you’re angry because he broke his promise. He walked away.”
“Yeah. So?”
“Didn’t you make him a promise too? Didn’t you tell him if he needed time, you’d understand? That you would always be there waiting for him?”
“I did,” Dex replied, realizing Cael was right. He thought about the tattoo he’d asked Calvin to design for him, one symbolizing exactly what he’d promised. Sloane told him he needed time, and instead of understanding like he said he would, Dex panicked. “But he packed a bag this time. He left.”
“If he needs to be off on his own, how can he be there with you? Did you specify a time frame? A few hours, an evening? That it had to be under the same roof?”
Dex rolled his eyes. “Of course not.”
“Right. It was for however long he needed. As long as he came back to you. But this was the first time he needed to be away while you’ve been living together, so you panicked. You argued, and because you were hurt, you let your fears get the better of you. He packed a bag because he was staying with Ash. He wasn’t leaving you for good.”
Dex pouted. “I don’t like it when you sound more grown-up than me.”
“I always sound more grown-up than you,” Cael teased.
Dex sighed. Cael was right. Since when was his little brother wiser than him? No matter how well Dex thought he knew Sloane, little things popped up to remind him of how much more he had yet to learn about his partner, at least where Sloane’s Felid side was concerned. Felids needed time to themselves. It was in their nature. Since more often than not they couldn’t scurry off and find a tree to climb away from everyone, their Human halves needed quiet time on their own. It was hypocritical of Dex to tell Sloane he’d understand when he needed time to himself, and the moment Sloane asked for it, get all bent out of shape about it. It didn’t mean Sloane didn’t love Dex or want to be with him. He’d talk to Sloane about it if Sloane would forgive him for being such a diva. God, he missed him. He looked up at Cael, who was texting away on his phone. Probably sending lovey-dovey messages to Ash. Which reminded him….
“Ash gave me gummy bears today. It was weird.”
Cael wrinkled his nose. “Yeah. Something about the pheromones you were letting loose.”
Dex stared at him. This was the first he was hearing of this. “The what, now?”