A Soulmate's Scent

Yearning

Ciel

Growing anticipation filled the compound as the date to the Cynthia meeting drew closer. Their Pack would be hosting it this year. Everyone was as eager as they were nervous about it since the preparations brought about a lot of hard work - they would be welcoming the other four Packs of their district, their respective Elders, and the prestigious Council.

A few years previously, Ciel had looked forward to these meetings filled with people, music, and dancing. It had always been fun, socializing with Packs other than theirs and making new friends, not to mention the afterparty they called The Run.

The Run usually happened after hours, and it was the moment when everyone shifted and went for a collective run in their most primitive form, usually in an open space that would be secluded enough - usually mountains, woods, or deserted beaches.

Hundreds of Shifters would spring into the night to run together and, more often than not, take the chance to copulate. Some would have already done the courting ritual beforehand while socializing during the meeting, while others would randomly find someone to copulate with during The Run.

This ritual was accepted and encouraged to strengthen the bonds between all the Packs, sometimes helping solid couples form, other times being used solely for stress relief.

While there was no question that some would go to the Cynthia meeting hoping to find love or connect with someone, The Run was meant for Shifters to be free and truthful to their nature in a world where humans prevailed, giving in to their rawest instincts without restriction. Everyone ran, hunted (if possible), played, and copulated to their nature’s content, all humane notions of shame and prejudice left behind.

During this time, titles, emotional connections, and marriages disappeared. Of course, this was all very subjective, and not everyone enjoyed partaking in the ritual. Some just wanted to spend a few hours enjoying their Wolven shapes and taking the time to sharpen their senses and skills as such.

The Cynthia meeting had always been an event that Ciel had loved, mainly because of a certain enticing dark-haired someone.

It had been years since they had last seen each other during the meetings, and he had no idea why this was when he had so clearly always felt Kei’s presence there. Still, somehow, he’d always been busy, solicited by his family and pulled in every direction for drinks and conversations. Ciel had always been popular, but it upset him that he hadn’t even been able to lay eyes on the object of his affections.

Not that they didn’t see each other outside the meeting, but still.

And to make it worse, for some reason, during all those years, he had never been able to meet Kei during The Run.

Ciel had always been curious to see Kei’s Wolven form, and he had been eager to interact with him freely in other ways, too, even if he wasn’t sure how that would go since they were both male Alphas and would probably both want to dominate.

It didn’t matter either way to Ciel. Even if all they did were to spend time together, he would’ve been happy.

But Kei’s scent would always dissipate into the night at some point, meaning that he always went in a different direction from Ciel’s, far enough that he couldn't be sensed anymore. It was a terrible coincidence that it had happened so many times.

Ciel had often felt the urge to look for him, yet had feared to reach the other’s location and find him already copulating with someone, which was a strong probability considering Kei was a highly desired person and, as rumor told, virile. Ciel had no idea if this referred to Kei’s endurance or performance, but he didn’t feel very inclined to find out unless he could attest to it himself.

He had no interest in knowing what Kei did with other people.

Ciel knew he was stupid for feeling jealous - after all, he too ended up always finding someone to f**k, and sometimes more than one partner - but it was a feeling he couldn’t shake off.

After the meetings, Kei would always text him, asking where he had been, exasperating Ciel. It didn’t seem possible that they had so conveniently missed each other throughout the years by coincidence alone.

However, Kei always made an effort to see him in their daily lives, even if it was just for a couple of minutes every few months, so it couldn’t possibly be the man’s fault.

Ciel didn’t know what was keeping them away from each other, but he would make sure he and Kei could properly hang out at the next meeting, mainly because he would be the one hosting it. It was his compound; he was organizing and hosting it, so he wouldn’t allow himself to be manipulated by the constantly opposing forces that always kept them apart.

Heaving a sigh, Ciel looked down at the five colorful pills resting in the palm of his hand, unable to stop himself from making a face. He had yet to have his Awakening, so Argo had prescribed some stimulants for him to see if they helped speed the process along.

Considering Ciel’s gender, this was also dangerous because his Awakening would also mean that his body would start changing, shifting to its full potential. He would have to be very careful from then on whenever he copulated, especially during The Run. Apart from birth control pills, no one used protection for obvious reasons - they were doing it in their animal forms.

Argo had been warning him for years that his body could start blossoming even before he had his Awakening, so now he was forced to take the medication in advance for precaution. It wasn’t as if he had ever allowed males to f**k him (not in his Wolven shape at least, and not by any one of their kind either), but he couldn’t be too cautious.

Young Shifters in their animal forms, especially Betas and Alphas, tended to let their animal instincts take over and didn’t particularly care whether they were courting a male or a female as long they enjoyed the scent of their pheromones.

Even in their human form, Ciel had heard that some male Alphas with strong genes could often attract the interest of other Alphas of the same s*x rather than repelling them, even if they weren’t Progressive Alphas. Or so he assumed because Ciel had eavesdropped on Alpha males talking about Kei a few times since his Pheromones were strong and dominating. Lower gene Alphas couldn’t help but feel curious about him, albeit frustrated because they couldn’t understand what they wanted from the other Alpha; if to mate with him or be mated with, it was an intense conflict of ego that Ciel assumed only happened when in the presence of really Powerful Alphas.

Maybe that was why Ciel himself was so enticed by Kei.

It wasn’t a surprise since, bluntly put, everyone wanted to f**k or be f****d by Kei Phlox. Ciel himself was unsure what he wanted from the guy, his instincts and feelings confused whenever they were in the same room.

The guy sure was something, and everyone talked about it.

Ciel knew his genes were outstanding. Being a Progressive Alpha, he was sure to have a similar reaction from other Alphas when (or if) he had his Awakening. He was a solicited man himself, but neither his Pack (nor his family’s business) was as renowned as the Phlox’s.

Ciel almost laughed to himself bitterly. Even these stupid pills he would take had been fabricated by the Pharmaceutical laboratory Kei’s family ran. Theirs was a well-known company in the human world, but it was also one of the most prestigious ones specialized in medication suitable for Shifters.

No matter what Ciel did, there was the constant reminder of that ridiculously handsome and successful man. Their relationship didn’t even have a definition, and yet, no matter how hard Ciel tried, it was difficult for him to move on and forget about Kei, even if he knew that the more time passed, the less sense it made to hold on. Eventually, he would become a Pack Leader and get married and build a family as was expected of him - of both of them.

But it was so difficult even to consider it.

It’s not as if he had trouble having s*x - it was just difficult for him to fall in love with people and become invested in them, which was strange for someone like him, who was such an empathetical and likable person.

Making a face, Ciel threw the pills into his mouth and downed them with a glass of water.

He was exhausted beyond belief, and he felt strange, his whole body sluggish but also unusually agitated.

As if his work managing the family's chain of restaurants wasn’t enough, now he was also coordinating the preparations for the Cynthia meeting taking place in just a few days, and to make matters worse, he couldn’t get Kei out of his head. It was unavoidable since it had been over five months since the last time they’d seen each other. One would’ve expected that the more time passed, the less he thought about the man, but the reverse always happened.

“Cieeeeel!”

He set the glass down on the kitchen counter, turning around just in time to see a small blond-haired child standing at the entrance - his cousin, Lapis.

“You don’t need to yell; I’m right here,” he said, looking down at the girl who was pouting at him.

“Everyone is looking for you!” Lapis said, crossing her small arms over her chest. “Granny wants to see you, and it’s urgent!”

“Not granny, she’s your Pack Leader,” Ciel corrected the seven-year-old, making his way to her and patting the top of her head with a smile. “She’ll give you a spanking if you ever refer to her that way.”

“Pack Leader whatever,” Lapis mumbled, lifting her nose proudly. “She’s still my granny.”

“She is, but you can’t address her like that in front of the Pack, Lapis; you need to show your respect,” Ciel admonished.

“But you call her ‘granny,’ too!” the girl pointed out, stubbornly, and at this, Ciel snorted, knowing she was right.

“Yeah, but you can’t do what I do since I’m not an example,” he said, crouching down in front of her. He bumped his forehead playfully against hers. “I get a lot of scolding from Her Highness. You don’t need that.”

“How can you become the next Leader if you’re always getting scolded?” Lapis asked, looking at him suspiciously.

“How, indeed,” Ciel mused with a slight grin. “It might take a while for that to happen, though, so I have plenty of time to learn how to behave properly until then.”

At this, Ciel felt his cell phone vibrating inside the pocket of his jeans. He stood up and fished out the device, checking the caller ID.

K.

His heart started beating so unexpectedly fast he found himself suddenly short of breath. They didn’t call each other all that often, so it was surprising to get a call from Kei, especially considering Ciel had just been thinking about him.

“Is that your girlfriend?” Lapis asked excitedly, her blue eyes sparkling innocently.

“None of your business,” Ciel dismissed quickly. “Go on ahead and tell the old fart I’m on my way.”

Lapis’s expression changed completely, her lower lip sticking out dejectedly. “But…”

“Lapis,” Ciel said firmly. “I have to take this. You’re supposed to have my back, so do this for me, okay?”

“Urgh, fine,” the girl mumbled. “But you owe me big time! And I’m telling granny you called her an old fart.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Ciel dismissed, shooing her away with a hand. “Off you go.”

The girl stomped out of the kitchen, and he hurriedly slid his finger across the cell phone’s screen.

Uncertain if he should feel excited or confused, Ciel brought the device to his ear. “I’m busy, asshole. Don’t just call out of the blue like this.”

"Good afternoon to you too.” Kei’s voice was smooth, low and with a hint of amusement, instantly bringing butterflies to Ciel’s stomach. Despite Ciel’s rude greeting, this was usual between them, so he knew Kei wouldn’t take it personally. “I just had a short break, so I wondered how Mr. Event Planner is doing. I can hang up if my calling is so inconvenient to you.”

It was said playfully - Kei knew Ciel welcomed his calls.

Despite himself, Ciel smiled.

“What do you care?” he said, falsely defiant. “It’s not like you can do anything if I collapse from exhaustion.”

“Well, I could always come and save you,” Kei replied, conversationally, making Ciel release a short laugh.

“As if I need saving from the likes of you.”

“I certainly expect not.”

Rubbing the back of his neck, Ciel took a peek outside at the hall of his house, making sure no one was eavesdropping. Their compound was large, filled with houses, and all the doors needed to remain open during the day so everyone could come and go - it was a sign of trust within the Pack and a way to make everyone feel like a wholesome big family.

“Are you coming to the meeting?” Ciel asked, lowering his voice even if he had confirmed that he was alone.

“My family would disown me if I didn’t,” Kei stated as if it was obvious. “It’s not like I can simply decline the invitation.”

“Especially since you’re a big shot now, or so I heard,” Ciel muttered, smiling again. “Pretty impressive. You’re becoming CEO of a multinational company and are the next in line to become a Pack Leader. Quite the catch, I’d say.”

“Sounds more impressive now that you say it,” Kei admitted as if he hadn’t considered it from that perspective. “You’re not the only one who works hard, Ciel.”

“I know,” Ciel assented softly. He chewed on his lower lip hesitantly for a while before speaking again. “Look, I don’t have much time. My grandmother just asked to see me, and I’m busy as hell with the preparations for the meeting.”

“I just wanted to check up on you; I don’t mean to take your time,” Kei replied, his tone understanding. “We’ll be in touch, then.”

“Wait! Will we see each other at the meeting this time?” Ciel couldn’t help but ask before Kei could hang up, for some reason feeling anxious.

Kei cleared his throat. “I hope so,” he said, and the sincerity in his voice filled Ciel with relief.

“It feels like there’s always so much happening in those meetings,” Ciel proceeded. “I just want us to sit down and have a beer together in peace for a few minutes.”

“What makes you think I like beer?” Kei countered, and Ciel could swear he could hear the smirk behind his words.

“We can also have wine if it suits your refined tastes, Sir.”

Kei’s low chuckle did strange things to Ciel’s heart. The man had the most enticing voice he had ever heard.

“We’ll see if your choice of beverages is worth sitting down for,” he said in a smooth, defiant way. “If not, we might as well drink tap water in the restrooms. At least it would certainly be more private.”

Drinking tap water was the last thing Ciel would want to do in a restroom, especially if he ever had the opportunity of having some private time with Kei. The thought alone made heat flood his body. Ciel had to lean his shoulder on the kitchen threshold to keep his bearings.

Just thinking about being alone with Kei made him lose composure, and it was unnerving. He’d flirted with dozens of people, and still, he had never been able to feel the way he did when Kei teased him like this.

“Take your head off the gutter, blondie,” Kei mocked as if reading his silence.

“It wasn’t in the gutter,” Ciel lied, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath through his nose.

For a few seconds, Kei didn’t say anything, the mood changing suddenly.

“Ciel, we’re joking, but we need to be careful,” he said, choosing his words carefully. “Our families don’t want us to talk to each other, not even during the meeting, and it’s a bad idea to try and put that to the test.”

“Yeah,” Ciel agreed, opening his eyes and looking up at the ceiling. “Why do you think that happens? They used to be fine with it before. Whenever I tried to ask my grandmother about it, she refused to tell me.”

“You’ll just feel self-conscious if I tell you,” Kei said. “It’s better if we don’t actively try to see each other in the meeting. If they can feel that us coming face to face isn’t a threat anymore, they’ll loosen the leash.”

“Why would being face to face be a threat?” Ciel asked, feeling confused. While he had never understood the feud between their Packs, he had assumed that the way he was being pulled away from Kei was related to that and not to Kei specifically.

Had he been wrong?

“Just trust me on this,” Kei said, with his usual confidence that made everything seem possible. “Do as I say, and I’ll text you as soon as there is an opening.”

“Alright,” Ciel agreed, nodding to himself. He didn’t understand, but he had to trust Kei if he wanted to see him. Feeling the anxiety inside of him slowly dissipate, Ciel smiled. “Don’t go feeling bad when I ignore you, though.”

“You’re not that important, you stray mutt,” Kei said, playing along.

“Keep telling yourself that, fancy puppy.” Again, Kei laughed, a beautiful, silky sound that soothed every note of despair living in Ciel’s heart. “I have to go. The hag is going to whip my ass because of you.”

“Send nudes so I can see it,” Kei said provocatively. Ciel felt his cheeks burn.

“I’m sure you’d like that, pervert,” Ciel retorted to hide his embarrassment. “And don’t answer that. I’m hanging up.”

Kei all but chuckled, and the hint of fondness Ciel could hear made every nerve of his body thrum with longing. “See you soon, Ciel.”

Swallowing hard, Ciel heaved a deep sigh. “See ya, asshole.”

He didn’t wait for a response as he quickly hung up, knowing he wouldn’t be capable of handling the emotional impact of their conversation anymore.

Putting a hand over his chest where his heart was still beating painfully fast, he felt the effects of their conversation filling him with adrenaline.

Talking to Kei always made him feel immensely happy, and yet, it took an emotional toll on him every time.

This ridiculous, confusing longing that would lead them nowhere was an onerous burden to bear, and he didn’t understand why neither of them had withdrawn from this situation yet.

Sometimes, he considered it. His life would be so much easier if he didn’t have to think about Kei every single day of his life, constantly wondering about how things would be if they ever had a chance to be together, even knowing it was impossible.

However, more often than not, he also wondered what would become of him without Kei’s constant presence in his life – this sweet yet agonizing feeling of raw desire for another person who wants you back but is still unfairly out of reach.

He didn’t know if he could live like this forever. For now, though, all he could do was go through one day at a time. He was more than excited about seeing Kei again in just a few days.

Taking a deep breath, Ciel put his phone back inside his pocket and hurried outside.

The old fart would give him a hard time for this.