Aaron was way into reviewing the documents on his desk when the door to his office opened and Damor stepped in. He didn’t have to look up to know. He knew his brother’s scent from miles away. It was something he could do, even in his sleep. He knew all his siblings’ scents even when they were younger, and though Damor and Ivan smelled almost the same, he learnt to distinguish them. The older he got, the more mastery he had, and he could never be surprised by them. Ivan, with his ability over the years, has masked his scent so that it is almost untraceable and undetectable. Sesi and Damor couldn’t do that, so he could still tell.
A smile came onto his face at the awareness of his brother’s presence, and he dropped the pen in his hand on the document on the desk and looked up.
“It was about time you showed your face,” Aaron said, rising from his seat and approaching Damor.
“Well, better late than never, right?” He raised a brow, and his hand stretched out for a shake.
Aaron rolled his eyes and pulled him into a bear hug instead. Damor never liked hugs, but with Aaron, he had no choice. He had left close to two years ago and only came by over a year ago for his wedding with Zera. He didn’t stay long and returned that very day. This time, he might just stay longer.
“You sure are right about that.” He said, pulling away and stepping back to his seat.
Damor stepped towards the desk, his hands stuffed into the pockets of his navy blue suit trousers.
“How’s Ireland?” Aaron asked with a raised brow.
“Same as when you left it, but it misses you.”
He sighed. “And I miss it too, but this is my home now, and I’m happy about it.”
Damor stepped towards the seat facing him, and on getting there, he sat down. “I hear you, brother. Loud and clear. Ivan told me about the lab project. You know how much I hate when he tells me news about you. You should tell me; I’d appreciate it more.”
“Well, most times I’m either busy with work or with Zion and Zera. Besides, he’s your twin brother; you two share a bond.” Aaron said.
Damor almost laughed, and it was a sight rarely seen. “Have you seen him? The only thing we’ve had in common since birth has been our looks; there’s nothing else that’s alike.”
“You two have explosive anger; only Ivan tames it more. You both care a lot about people, but you hide it. You both sleepwalk, hate whisky, and prefer vodka. Last, you both have refused to give me nieces and nephews, just like you’ve refused to give Zion cousins.” He broke it down for him.
Damor pressed his lips together and raised his hands in surrender. “Alright, fine, we have things in common then, but you know what I mean.”
Aaron nodded. “I do, but I’d try more. At least tell me you’ve found a mate in England.”
“I haven’t, but I met someone. Her name is Charlotte.”
Aaron’s eyes widen. “It’s a she?”
Damor paused. “I love women, Aaron.”
He held his hands up this time. “I mean, I haven’t seen you with anyone in twenty-eight years, so I can’t help being curious.”
“I have been with women over the course of my life. The first time I was with a woman, I was sixteen; she was seventeen! Helen was her name,” he paused for a moment, as if remembering the time they spent together, “it was magic itself. Sadly, her parents left for Africa and never came back.”
“Oh, wow! How come I don’t know that story?”
Damor’s brows furrowed. “Because it’s my story, and nobody has the right to know it unless I want them to. I have been with a few others since her, but none compare yet.”
“Are you looking forward to finding a mate? Maybe soon?”
He shrugged. “Sure, but I’m not tired of the way things are yet; besides, Charlotte makes me happy. If there is anyone you should have this talk with, it’s Ivan.”
“Ivan has a girl,” he blurted out before he could stop himself. He didn’t know what she was to Ivan, but it was more than his brother let on.
Damor brow raised in interest: “That bastard keeps surprising me.”
“He surprises us all every day. How’s Sesi?” Aaron moved on to the more pressing question.
After she heard about what happened to Lionel, she asked if she could come. But he told her it wasn’t wise. After his awakening a week ago, he told her the good news, and despite being thousands of miles away, he could feel the joy he felt at the good news. She knew her place was beside her mate, yet she felt happy for Lionel. They had kept in contact with each other through calls and messages. She hadn’t called since the new week began, but she had left him a few voice notes. He didn’t know Manon well, but he prayed he knew Sesi was the treasure of the Harts family. If he ever wronged her, he would have so much to answer for.
Yes, he was protective of her; after all, she was his little sister, and his job was to keep her safe. It did not matter that Manon was her mate. He didn’t know him and, hence, couldn’t trust him.
The excitement in Damor’s face faded. “The last time we met was a week ago, and she told me she was fine.”
“But how is she, really?”
He drew a deep breath and said, “I don’t think she’s as happy as she should be with Manon. She was happier with Lionel, and he felt more like her mate.”
“I do not think the moon goddess would pull her away from Lionel and mate her with Manon by mistake.”
Damor sighed. “I don’t know, but I pray that doesn’t happen to me. How’s Lionel?”
“He’s better now than in the past month, but he’s alive. Zera is still angry and blames Sesi for it,” he answered.
“It isn’t Sesi’s fault.” Damor jumped to her defence.
“Well, I think she knows that, but that won’t change how she feels, not until Lionel fully moves on.”
“Oh,” Damor mumbled, remaining silent.
Aaron told him every other thing that had happened so far before they moved on to the reason he returned.
The lab was nearing completion now, and it needed a few things to operate properly. Since Damor had the brain of a mad genius, he was the only one who knew what they were.