Elvin shrugged."He's not unreasonable, and the psychic community isn't his territory."
He had a point, but they still had to drive through Averett's territory."Okay, I still have to inform him."
"Call on the way."Elvin gestured for Franklin to follow him out of the kitchen.
"Now?Are you insane?"It was twenty past three in the morning.
"Why not?You're not sleeping, haven't in months, and as you said, it's been five weeks.I don't want you to lose your mind."He grimaced."I don't know how long you can keep this up.You need to see him more often."
Franklin stared at him until he threw his hands in the air."I've known you since we were toddlers.Did you think I wouldn't notice?He's your mate, right?"When Franklin didn't answer, he continued."The first time I believed it was a fluke, he happened to match his visit with the five minutes you were able to smile in months, but no.It's been what?Eight months?And you're growing grouchier by the minute, to the point where no one dares approach you."
Had it been eight months?He'd been floating around in a dark cloud.
Elvin clapped his shoulder."You need to smell him more often.I get what you're facing--or I don't.I don't have a clue what it's like to have a mate and not be able to be close to him, not knowing if being close to him is the right thing to do, but without his scent, you'll lose yourself.You don't need to fuck him to smell him is all I'm saying."
Franklin stared at him."Excuse me?"
Elvin grunted and looked away."I've heard two months is about what a normal person can take before it starts getting to you for real, and it's been weeks, between every time, I might add.So let's go ask him about Neoma.You get to smell him, hear his voice, and maybe we learn something."
Franklin ignored everything he'd said other than the go-see-him part."Go to Foolshope at a quarter past three in the morning?He'll be sleeping."
"Or not.Didn't you see how exhausted he looked last time?"
"He'd been running."
"I meant the dark circles underneath his eyes."
Franklin hadn't noticed any dark circles last time, but he had noticed them before.Maybe Axar had insomnia.
"Let's go.I'm driving, you're calling Averett."
They locked up, and Franklin texted Averett--no need to wake him if they managed to pass through his territory without anyone noticing.
When the houses of Foolshope came into view, his entire body was straining.His wolf threatened to take over.It wanted to shift, wanted to track down their mate, but Franklin pushed it back.They would only ask a few questions.
"I think it's here."Elvin slowed to a crawl.The house looked sterile.Square, white, and apart from the lawn, nothing was growing in the garden.Depressing.Where there should've been a flowerbed by the house, they had sea stone.
"There are fucking bars over the window."
Franklin raised his gaze from the ground at Elvin's snarl and looked at the window.There were bars.Like a prison.What the hell?
There was motion behind them, a hand waving from behind the glass."Look."Franklin pointed.
"You think he can talk through the window?"
Franklin's claws were threatening to push through.Was he a prisoner?
"Let's be quiet.Two wolves sneaking around in the dark in a psychic community isn't a good look for us."
Franklin snorted a laugh, feeling lighter than he had in ages despite the situation.Elvin gave him a soft look, which made Franklin groan."Shut up."
"I didn't say anything."But he was grinning as he opened the car door.
Silently, they neared the window.It protested when Axar opened it, followed by a clank as it hit the bars.It wasn't safe.What if there were a fire?How would he get out?
"Axar?"Franklin leaned closer to the window and almost groaned as Axar's scent reached him.
"Hi."He smiled, and Franklin's heart melted.He wore pajama bottoms with a matching T-shirt in dark blue with silver snowflakes, and on the chest, it said:Up to snow good.
