Bound By Fate[Twin Alpha mates]

Chapter 2: The weight of Silence

Chapter 2: The Weight of Silence

Eli barely made it through the rest of the gathering.

His body was still reacting to the mate bond—his heart raced, his skin tingled, and his instincts screamed at him to go back, to try again, to make his mate see him.

But he didn’t.

Because Kieran Vale had looked right through him, and that silence had spoken louder than words ever could.

Mason, ever the observant best friend, didn’t buy Eli’s forced smiles or the casual way he kept sipping at his drink.

“You’re not fine,” Mason muttered as they walked toward the exit. “You’ve been staring at the ground since—” His voice lowered, cautious. “Since he walked past you.”

Eli flinched but quickly masked it. “It’s nothing.”

Mason stopped in his tracks, crossing his arms. “Elián Rivers, don’t do that. Don’t lie to me.”

Eli swallowed hard. The last thing he wanted was to have this conversation in the middle of a crowded ballroom, surrounded by alphas, betas, and omegas who would smell his distress if he let his emotions spiral.

So he pushed forward, slipping past the crowd and stepping onto the cool balcony outside. Mason followed without hesitation.

The night air was crisp, cutting through the suffocating warmth that had clung to Eli inside. He inhaled deeply, forcing his body to calm down. His scent had probably already shifted—too much distress, and any nearby alphas would notice.

Mason leaned against the railing beside him. “Talk to me.”

For a moment, Eli didn’t say anything.

Because putting it into words would make it real.

But Mason wasn’t going to let it go, and if there was one person Eli trusted, it was him.

Finally, he exhaled. “I found him.” His voice was quiet. Barely more than a whisper.

Mason’s expression flickered from confusion to realization in a split second. His eyes widened. “Wait—you mean your mate? Here?”

Eli gave a small nod, fingers tightening around the railing. “Yeah.”

Mason’s reaction was immediate—excitement, disbelief, and then… hesitation. “But…?”

Eli forced himself to say it. “He didn’t feel it.”

The words tasted bitter on his tongue.

Mason straightened, eyes darkening. “What?”

“I looked at him, Mason. And I felt it. That pull. That certainty. And when he turned… he didn’t feel a damn thing.” Eli let out a quiet, humorless laugh. “He just—he glanced at me, then looked away. Like I was no one.”

Silence stretched between them, heavy and suffocating.

Then Mason swore under his breath. “That’s not supposed to happen.”

Eli sighed. “I know.”

“I mean, I’ve heard of cases where one mate feels it before the other, but it’s rare. And it usually kicks in when they get closer or—” Mason stopped himself, eyes narrowing. “Eli… did you talk to him?”

Eli tensed. “…No.”

Mason groaned, rubbing his temples. “Seriously? You didn’t say anything? Not even a hi?”

Eli’s jaw clenched. “What was I supposed to say, Mason? ‘Hey, I think we’re fated to be together, but you don’t seem to feel the same, so could you maybe double-check?’”

Mason huffed. “Well, when you put it like that—”

“I wasn’t going to humiliate myself,” Eli interrupted. His voice wavered, but he held his ground. “If he doesn’t feel the bond, then what’s the point?”

Mason frowned, but he didn’t argue. He knew Eli. Knew how many times he’d tried to make relationships work. Knew how much Eli wanted a real bond—not a forced one.

After a long pause, Mason sighed. “So… what now?”

Eli looked up at the stars, their cold light distant and unfeeling.

Now?

Now, he was going to forget.

Or at least, he was going to try.

Because his mate didn’t see him.

And fate had never been kind to him before.