Chapter 83 - Convinced

Once they were done, they sat down on the stairs of the front door gazing at the sunset, which was not quite clear thanks to the trees. Grazing his eyes through the sharp scars along his arms Ashton complained, "Would you look at these scars? How deep did you scratch that they are still not healed"? 

"Relax, you'll be fine by tonight, or at max by tomorrow morning" Caleb shrugged. 

"I want a rematch"! Ashton declared suddenly, earning him a are-you-crazy look from Caleb.

"A rematch? What a sore loser". Caleb scoffed. 

"Hey! I am not a sore loser"! Ashton was offended due Caleb calling him out like that. "I just think that was unfair. How about we arm wrestle"? Ashton suggested once more. He was indeed quite determined not to be on the losing end today.

"What's the point"? Caleb rolled his eyes. "We both know you will win in that. You are definitely stronger than I am. But you know what you are not? More skilled and experienced than I am. And you're definitely slower than I am. That was the reason you lost today. If you use your strength the right way you can literally kill anyone"!

"Your point being"? Ashton raised his eyebrows suspiciously. 

"I just...I don't understand why you don't want to learn this. It's not like knowing how to fight in your wolf form will make you a part of the pack or something. It will simply help you protect yourself, and the ones around you, whom you care about". Caleb tried his best to convince the other. 

"It's not that, I just…" Ashton trailed off, trying to think of an appropriate excuse, "I don't know, but why do you care so much? Why does it matter to you that I learn it"? 

"Because…" Caleb sighed. "I believe if you learn you will be great  and that you can protect your family better". Caleb sighed. "I won't force you of course. I actually can't, but please at least think about it" he suggested. 

Ashton was silent the whole time immersed in his deep thoughts. Every argument proposed by Caleb was reasonable enough, and yet he found himself hesitant. He knew that it was a better option but he also feared how it would affect them. He was worried about spending too much time around him, what if he does something inappropriate? 

The pull he felt towards the other just kept getting stronger with each day passing. He could share that and be honest with Caleb but he did not want Caleb to blame himself, or feel bad for this. He promised he will keep his hands off Caleb to his brother, and he was determined to abide by it. 

Unable to find any reasonable excuse, Ashton sighed, "Fine, let's do it. Every weekend, let's come here to practice". Ashton suggested. "That's the only time I am available to be honest". 

"Sounds good", Caleb agreed with a cheeky smile, before regaining his composure. 

Caleb didn't bring his car, so they had to walk back to his pack, since he can't be seen in his wolf form with Ashton. He didn't really understand that logic, his father was fine with Ashton being a human who knew about wolves but somehow they weren't allowed to be in their wolf forms in front him unless it was absolutely unavoidable. 

On their way back after walking for a few 100 meters, the pain of heat hit Caleb. After being marked, with consecutive months the intensity kept getting painful. However the duration of his heat decreased gradually, which also meant that the sequence of his heat went at a faster pace. Before it was almost a week, but not it was over in four days. With Ashton next to him, he couldn't help but feel the urge to jump on him, but he resisted with all his might. 

Ashton, who could most definitely tell what was wrong, held Caleb by his waist trying his best not to let him fall over. Ashton could feel a bit of the pain Caleb felt, and wondered how on earth was he still on both of his feet. Ashton was secretly glad that he couldn't smell him, or otherwise this time he might have actually attacked him.

"Let go of me" Caleb said in a groggy voice. "I will run and go to the pack house soon".

"You can't run in this condition"! Ashton scolded him. "Besides we both know it's not safe out there! Let's not be careless"! Looking around he asked him, "Do you want to go back? I will give you my bed". Ashton tried to use humor to calm him but that only earned him an unamused glare from the former.

"I can't go back there," Caleb mumbled. 

"Why not"? Ashton scrunched his eyebrows. "If you are bothered by my presence, don't worry about it. I know the mark makes it harder for me to resist, but I promise you I won't touch you inappropriately by any means". Ashton declared confidently despite not feeling so confident himself. 

"What about me? I don't have your self control. What if I jump on you instead"? Caleb snarled at him in pain. 

Ashton blinked, taken aback by his words, since he actually didn't expect Caleb to say something like that. Taking a moment to consider, he replied "Then I will do my best to push you away".

It would be wrong to assume that Caleb wasn't hurt at all by that sentence. Did Ashton find him that repulsive? He wondered. He knew his feelings were one sided, that the chances are very thin that Ashton would actually like him back, but still… it hurt. "Fine" he sighed. "Let's go back".

Pulling his hand, he positioned Caleb on his back. "Hold on, tightly". He ordered the other before pulling him up. Given Ashton's strength, despite Caleb's bulk, he was pretty light for him to carry. On the way, every time the pain hit the peak, biting his lips to keep himself from screaming, his hold became tighter around Ashton's neck.

It made it a bit harder for Ashton to breathe, but he didn't let it bother him and kept running in a not too aggressive manner, making sure that Caleb didn't have to be any more uncomfortable than he already was. He always knew, ever since he marked him, that how much Caleb suffers every heat, but having him near him this time somehow melted his heart.

Able to feel what he felt, able to see the painful grimace on his face, it was hard for Ashton to see him like that. Even without his confusing feelings, he cared for Caleb enough to not just let him suffer like that. But what else could he possibly do to make things better? There was only one answer to that, but he would never cross that line.

At this moment all he could do was make sure he did everything else to make the other comfortable, which was not much. He couldn't bring him the soup his mother made for providing comfort during heat, because he had no idea how to make it or did he have enough ingredients to make it. The house was more or less empty, dust covering almost everything in the house. 

Upon reaching his room, instead of making him lie on bed, he put him on the chair first. He cleaned up the bed as much as he can in the short span of a whole minute while Caleb clutched his clothes over his body fighting through the pain. Once he was done, he supported Caleb to the bed, who collapsed on it as soon as he touched the bed.

Unsure of what to do he tried to think of all the ways that are comforting to an omega in heat. Seeing the sweat bubbles on his forehead, he recalled that high temperature was a common feature and thus got a towel and a bowl of cold water to soothe him.

Folding it, slowly and gradually he wiped his forehead followed by his whole face. Ashton confirmed the comfort of Caleb when he noticed the forehead creases lighten, and he himself felt much better. Following his face, he moved onto his hands and legs, while Caleb's breathing became a little more even.

He was hesitant about wiping him under the shirt, not quite sure how intimate that would be. He decided not to take it off, and instead unbuttoned the upper three buttons and reached out to his whole chest from there. Ashton looked away, feeling a bit aroused and reminded himself multiple times to calm down.

"This feels so good" Caleb mumbled in his haze with a groggy voice. Looking back at him, for the very first time he regretted marking him that day. Maybe if he didn't mark him, things wouldn't be so hard. At this point, for Caleb, it was like having a mate and yet not having a mate.

Caleb opened his eyes, and slowly peeked at Ashton with an earnest expression. He raised his hands as if he was trying to reach out for something, but put it down soon enough. Not sure what the gesture meant, Ashton brought his face closer to Caleb, "What is it?'' He asked softly, in a whisper. Caleb touched his face for a moment, before slamming his lips onto Ashton's.