"Can we be this close forever and ever? – Lover

"Have you decided what you all want to study?" Tharn asked, as Rain, Sky, Dao and Aew sat around with their families and discussed future plans. "Well, all of us thought seriously about it, and we want to go into Arts, but most likely different fields," Sky said. "Visual Arts for sure," Dao said. "Me too. I want to go into Fashion Designing anyway," Aew said, as Khun leaned back and smiled happily, putting his hand out to his husband. "You owe me 100 baht I believe," he said, smirking. "You bet on me?" Aew asked, pouting sulkily. "Your Dad was not ready believe that you will take up Fashion Designing. Despite seeing how well you dress all of us for all the family events," Khun said, and everyone laughed. "I am going into Visual Arts as well, most likely Art and Graphic Design," Dao said. "Sky and I will take up Liberal Arts, since both of us want to write in some form," Rain said, and Sky nodded.

"And as you prepare for that, you also have your transformations coming up. Are you ready for that too?" Pete asked, looking a bit concerned. "We are ready and raring to go!" Sky said, looking excited. "Look how excited they are," Vegas said, laughing. Ever since the three older boys had moved out, the families had found solace in the four younger boys. Now they were also getting ready to move out, and the adults were feeling a bit of the 'empty nest' syndrome. But they knew it was necessary. "Which Uni are you all thinking of?" Kinn asked, leaning back, drink in hand. "Chula, like the Hias," Dao said immediately, then hissed out a breath and looked at Rain. Surreptitiously, but everyone noticed it, and the way Rain's smile dimmed. Type was about to speak up but Tharn put a hand on his and slightly shook his head.

"Dao called," Pai said, looking at Saifah and Phayu. "And what did he say?" Saifah asked, noticing that Phayu didn't utter a word, head buried in his book. Since his transformation three years ago, Phayu had completely withdrawn into a shell. He rarely spoke, rarely participated in any activity, and very rarely went back home. Most of the time Saifah had to drag him back because the family would miss him desperately. Something had definitely happened that had changed his brother inside out, and he hated that. Even Pai had been troubled by that. Soon after Pai's transformation, he had realised that Sky was his mate, and had claimed him. But until Sky turned 18, and his own wolf came out, Pai would just be his friend and support. After that, the claim would be strengthened, but only when Sky was ready.

They had all thought Rain would be Phayu's mate, but when Phayu had walked off after he had returned to his human form, everyone had been left staring, or that's what Saifah and Pai had thought. Truth was, the elders had probably known something, because no one stopped him from leaving. While Saifah and Pai commuted from home every day, Phayu had chosen to leave the compound, not even bothering to give any excuse. Saifah and Pai had seen the heartbreak growing on Rain's face, but they had been helpless. If Phayu had given a clear response, then Rain could have moved on. But they were just very thankful that Rain's transformation was coming soon. Hopefully, he would find his mate and this whole painful experience would be over soon.

"Well, it's Sky's transformation ceremony this month, so I will need to go back, but that's not why he called. He wanted to tell us that the four of them would be coming for the open house, and would we keep ourselves free to show them around?" Pai said, breaking Saifah's train of thought. "Of course we will be free, right Yu?" Saifah asked, turning around, only to see Phayu stand and pack his bags. "I have class. You guys show them around," he said, leaving abruptly, as his brothers stared after him. "How long is he going to do this? He didn't even go near Rain after his transformation. How the hell would he find out if Rain was his mate or not?" Pai said. "Pai, if Rain was his mate, he wouldn't have to even go near him, you know that as well as I do," Fah said, leaning back and pinching his nose, as if to ward off stress.

Phayu sat in his class, staring at his book, not able to understand a word that the lecturer was saying, and not able to take down a single word. He remembered the exact moment he had understood that Rain was his mate, his and his wolf's intense need to run up to the boy and stake his claim, make Rain his for all eternity. But he had been stopped, his wolf had been reined in, and it had not only broken his heart at that moment, but seeing Rain's face had killed him. He could not wait to know the real truth, the real reason, and he had run up to his room, wanting to talk to his wolf and understand his reasoning.

3 years ago:

Phayu lay on his bed, trying to call on his wolf, but fatigue from the shifting and the efforts in contacting him finally took a toll and he fell into a deep sleep. And in sleeping, he dreamed. The place he was walking in was dark, but not desolate. Beautiful dark coloured flowers bloomed, giving off serene vibes, shadows dancing in and out of trees. Although it could have been dull, the overall aura was vibrant and ecstatic. Peace stole over Phayu as he walked further and further in. He stopped by a stream, the blue colour of the water startling, but not jarring. The rhythms of the night settled around him, and he felt himself drawing a deep breath.

"Feeling better?" a voice had him whirling around, coming face to face with the two most beautiful women he had ever seen. Both of them were dressed identically, but for the colour of their clothes. One was dressed in the brightest white, silver hair tied up in a bun and pretty white flowers, deep-set grey eyes and a sweet smile. The other was dressed in a similar black dress, black hair left loose and unpinned, with the same white flowers, blue eyes, sparkling with the secrets of the world. Her smile was gentle and kind as well. "Do you know who we are Venice?" the lady in white asked. Phayu shook his head. "I am sorry," he said. "Don't be sorry dear boy. We were just checking. Come sit with us," the lady in black said.

Phayu sat on a bench near the stream and was quickly joined by the two women. "My name is Luna, the Moon Goddess, and this is Hecate, my sister," the woman in white said, pointing to herself and then the other lady. Phayu immediately stood up and bowed. "No need of that child. Just sit," Hecate said, smiling broadly. "Why am I here?" Phayu asked, a worried look on his face. "I am sure you have questions. And we are here to answer them," Luna said. "Rain is my mate. Why am I not allowed to claim him? I have waited for 12 years for him," Phayu asked, hating the tears that thickened his voice. "Venice, do you know how you and Rain came to be?" Hecate asked. Phayu shook his head, wiping his tears. Luna and Hecate took turns in explaining his past to him, his origins.

"But the fact of the matter is, you and Rain, you are true mates. Which means, unlike others, you must physically consummate your bond the moment the claim has happened. Rain is too young for that to happen the moment you turned. He needs to grow and come into his own wolf, become someone powerful enough to match you, walk side by side with you. You are the future Venice, and this means that you both must be equally balanced, like Yin and Yang," Hecate said. "But even then he is too young!" Phayu said, sounding a bit shocked. "Yes, he is. But as a wolf, as an Omega, his body will be able to control his heats. This is the power we have given him. He will be able to decide when his body is ready for pups, and he will let you know," Luna said. Phayu blushed, finding it weird to have such a conversation with two women. Even more so, with Goddesses. "Also, Rain must choose you. He must take the first step. Although Alphas are considered way more powerful than Omegas, in case of the two of you, your Omega must wield the power," Hecate said. Phayu nodded thoughtfully.

"But..," he trailed off, afraid to even ask the question. "But what dear boy? You may ask us," Luna said. "What if he hates me for not choosing him?" Phayu asked. "He won't hate you. He cannot hate you. You are the other side of his soul, the missing piece in the puzzle that is his life," Luna said. "He has been drawn to you from the beginning. And he will understand why you did what you did. So please don't worry about it," Hecate said. Phayu remained quiet, ruminating on whatever he had been told. "Maybe I should leave him for a while, stay away from, let him take his decisions on his own," he said, contemplatively, looking away into the distance. "If that is what you think is right, then so be it. But do not forget to return for Rain's ceremony. He will need his mate, and you have to be there for him just as he was there for you," Luna said. "I will!" Phayu vowed.

Present day:

Rain stepped out of the car, along with Sky, Dao and Aew, slinging his bag over the shoulder. He turned, when Sky called out a greeting, only to see Saifah and Pai walking towards them. He smiled perfunctorily, with it not reaching his eyes. But mostly everyone was used to it now. Rain had almost completely stopped smiling since that day, three years ago, his eyes almost a dead giveaway to the pain he was hiding within him, but he never showed anything outwardly. He was still the same beautiful soul, happy and cheerful. Sky had taken over from where Phayu had left, becoming Rain's anchor and umbrella in this harsh world, helping him constantly with his ADHD. Dao and Aew helped as well. Flighty as Aew was, when it came to Rain, he turned into a mighty warrior who could take anyone on. They were steady as rocks for their baby and loved him to bits.

Rain was the youngest in all of them. Dao and Aew already had met their wolves, and run with them. Sky's birthday was barely 2 days later and Rain's a month later. P'Pai had claimed Sky as soon as he had come of age, but considering Sky's age, he had been his friend. Dao and Aew had not found their mates yet, but then, they had just turned 18, so they were not worried. Saifah had neither, but he was in no hurry. He was too busy taking care of his elder twin, or that's what he said whenever anyone asked him why he was not actively looking for one. Which was probably partly the truth, and partly procrastination.

"We are so excited to see you here. Have you guys decided which faculties you want to visit? Any special one?" Saifah asked, breaking Rain out of his thoughts. "We all want the Faculty of Arts Phi. Rain and Sky will go into Liberal Arts, and Dao and I into Visual Arts," Aew said. "Wow! You guys seem so damn sure! I like that!" Pai said, sounding like a happy puppy, as he pulled Sky towards him. Sky immediately batted his hand away. "Too hot!" he said, stepping as far as he could. "Would you guys like to visit our faculties too? Just for the fun of it? The Engineering faculty has great food," Saifah said, smiling broadly. "Then lunch will be there. C'mon, let's go!" Aew said.

The four of them, accompanied by Saifah and Pai, made their way to the Arts faculty. Just as they reached there, Aew sniffed the air. "Aew? What is it?" Saifah asked. "Mate," Aew whispered, sounding awed, as he walked away, leaving the other three staring at each other in amusement and happiness. He came back five minutes later with an absolutely cute looking Alpha, with the brightest smile and an adorable dimple. "Guys! My mate, Teh Krittikorn Saetan," he said, with his own smile that could probably light up the world at this point. Teh greeted everyone and waiied to Pai and Saifah. "Welcome to the family Nong. We are so happy to meet you," Saifah said, and everyone nodded, agreeing with his sentiments. "College is gonna be fun!" Dao whispered and Sky and Rain snickered.

Rain looked out of the window, staring at the beautiful fairy lights still hanging up after Sky's ceremony. He watched as Pai and Sky shared the sweetest kiss under those lights and his heart melted a little. He really hoped that a month later, he would find the one meant for him and be his partner in every way possible. He knew that Phayu had not found his mate, so he hoped that his beloved Phi would also find his forever partner. Now that Sky had P'Pai, Aew had Teh and Dao had found Kleun, a freshman from the Veterinary department, only Rain, P'Phayu and P'Saifah were left. That was the biggest gift he could ask the Moon Goddess to give to him and his loved ones, the best blessings.

One month later:

"Are you excited for your birthday tomorrow?" Sky asked, hugging Rain from the side, as they sat for lunch in their faculty canteen. Dao and Aew leaned forward, chins resting on their palms, wanting to know Rain's answer. "I am feeling okay I guess. Just want to get this done and over with," Rain replied, not even bothering to look up from his food. Sky and the others exchanged a glance. They knew what Rain was feeling at the moment and they hoped that everything would work out for him. That's all they could hope for.

"Rain, welcome to our world," a voice had Rain whirling around. Two very beautiful women stood there, and Rain was nearly blinded by how gorgeous they were. "Do you recognise us Rain?" the one on the right, dressed in complete white, asked him. Rain shook his head, unsure of what to say. "My name is Hecate, and this is my sister Luna, and we are the Moon Goddesses," the lady in black said. Rain immediately waiied politely, smiling. "You look sad, despite the fact that you are smiling. Are you not happy you are turning 18? Aren't you excited to meet your mate?" Hecate said.

Rain hung his head down. "Actually, I don't know. The person I thought was my mate is not. And I am not sure if I want to be someone else's. Because I know for sure that I will never be able to love them the way I love..," Rain trailed off, his heart clenching. "And what if we tell you that the one you thought is your mate?" Luna spoke up. "That's impossible. He has already transformed. If he was supposed to be my mate, he would have claimed me," Rain said. "Rain, let us tell you a story," Luna said, tugging Rain to sit on the bench beside her and her sister. The two of them recounted the same tale they had told Phayu, and Rain sat there in shock, absorbing everything that was told to him. "Are you saying you asked him not to claim me? Can you imagine how much that would have broken him? Can you imagine how much that broke me? Did you allow this to happen just because of your whim?" he asked, his voice a whisper, but the pain in it a scream in the silence that followed them. He stood up. "Send me back. Right now!" he said, voice quivering with anger and tears!

Rain lay awake, heart breaking at the amount his Phi had suffered and he couldn't wait for his ceremony to get over, and his transformation as well, so that he could hug his mate and give him his everything. He wanted to rave and rant at the Gods, but he was too tired to do that. He hated that his Phi and he had become victims to such a cruel fate. And he would do everything in his power to make sure that his Phi had not suffered in vain. All the pain that Phayu had gone through, Rain knew he could not even begin to imagine. Rain hadn't even know that Phayu was his mate, yet he had felt so upset and lost. But Phayu? Phayu had known. He had known and he had turned away from everyone in silence, meeting his family as less as possible, knowing that he could run into Rain, and not wanting to hurt him. But Rain was going to change that. He was going to love his Phi so much that even the Gods would not be able to stop them!

Phayu watched as everyone rallied around Rain, waiting for him to transform. He couldn't wait, but was mortally afraid too. What if Rain refused to accept him? What if..? His thoughts trailed off when Rain groaned and fell to the ground. Eun-Bi, who was present for the ceremony, pushed Phayu to the front. "Go on! He needs you!" she said, and Phayu didn't even think for a moment before he rushed to his Omega. He put his hand into Rain's hair and carded it through. Rain looked up at him, his eyes filled with tears and pain. Phayu knew, from his own experience that the first shift was always the hardest, so he stroked his back too, murmuring soft words of encouragement, hoping Rain was finding some peace with him. Because his hands were on Rain's body, he could feel the contorting of his bones, and Eun-Bi tried pulling him back, but he glared her away. He would not let Rain go at this critical time.

Everyone watched inmesmerised fascination as Rain transformed into a wolf with the most gorgeoussilver fur. Phayu stood up and stepped aside, as Rain slowly came to his feet.He looked up at Phayu and nodded once. Phayu immediately transformed into hisown wolf, as did the rest of the pack, howling as one, as they set of on therun. Rain easily kept pace with Phayu, his heart almost beating out of hischest at the thought of returning back. It was obvious that Phayu had steppedforward to help him, but what had shocked him was the fact that the Elders ofthe Clan as well as the family, seemed to know that he and Phayu were mates. Hedefinitely had a bone to pick with them once he had made Phayu his, and hehoped that they were ready to get an earful from him. They ran back to theclearing, and as they shifted, Rain and Phayu stood in front of each other.Every single person there moved away as one and soon they were the only onesleft. "Can we be this close forever and ever Phi?" Rain said, cupping Phayu'sface, his smile finally reaching his eyes, after almost three years!