Chapter thirteen:
"Will you maybe be my mate?" Matt asks glancing away feeling a little embarrassed.
After a moment of silence Matt begins to worry that the answer will be a no.
"Of course!" Linda says happily. "I would be glad to be your mate!"
Matt sighs in relief then nuzzles the other wolf. "That makes me so happy." He doesn't even see that Mello is watching them.
Mello has a squirrel in front of him but he watches as Matt and Linda snuggle together. He turns away wondering when and if his relationship with Near might be that way one day. "I hope soon." He says and he will admit that looking at others with their mates make him a little jealous now that he might have found his mate he is meant to be with. He used to not even care about the whole mate thing until he met Near if he's honest. He starts to dig into the squirrel. He's going to need his strength for the journey back… back to see Near.
….
Near heads to his room as it begins to get dark outside. He crawls into bed snuggling underneath the covers. "I wonder when Mello will come back." He says to himself then finds himself drifting off into sleep. He opens his eyes to find himself walking along a cliff area.
"You coming?"
He turns to see Mello in wolf form up ahead waiting for him. "Yeah." He heads to follow Mello as they climb further and further upwards making him wonder if they are on some kind of mountain.
Mello suddenly seems to start to get further and further away making Near start to worry.
"Mello! Wait!" He reaches out towards the wolf when suddenly the ground crumbles from underneath him. "AH!" He reaches up hoping for something solid to grab a hold of. His eyes widen as he sees Mello being held back by two dark figures making him just have to watch as Near falls. He closes his eyes tightly then with a gasp his eyes snap open making him see his ceiling above his head. He is in a slightly cold sweat and panting slightly. He sits up a little slowly and glances around himself confirming that it is indeed his room at the Shadows housing. "It was just a dream." He sighs in relief. "It just felt so real. It was like we were really there together… Must have been because it looked so realistic." He reasons with himself. He turns to his alarm clock and sees that it is around four fifty am. "Might as well try to sleep some more." He lays down to attempt to go back into the dreamland but finds it won't be so easy this time.
….
Mello is laying outside in the open in the packs home and he glances up to the sky as he can see it begin to change color as the sun begins to rise.
"Can't sleep?"
Mello turns to find Matt. "You're up early." He comments.
"So are you. But I guess I wanted to catch you before you left." Matt sits down next to Mello.
Mello turns back to the rising sun. "I couldn't get back to sleep." He admits. "Not after that dream."
"Dream?" Matt asks raising his ears in slight interest.
Mello shakes his head. "Never mind that. Why did you want to catch me before I left?" He turns back to Matt.
"Well me and Linda are a thing." Matt admits.
Mello nods. "Imprinted mates. Good for you." He turns away.
Matt frowns. "Okay spill." He demands. "Something is bothering you." He taps his front paw against the ground as if a way to make sure Mello knows that he can't worm his way out of this.
Mello sighs softly. "It's the dream." He admits. "I felt like I was connected to Near in it. We were climbing a cliff mountain of some kind. Near fell and I was held back so I could only watch him fall because the ground under him had crumbled… Then I woke up." His ears fold back against his head. "I couldn't sleep after that."
"Just more proof to me."
The two turn and Mello's ears perk up only for their eyes to land on Jay.
Jay moves closer. "I wanted to speak with you before you left." He explains.
"What is it? And What do you mean more proof?" Mello asks feeling a little confused as he rises to a sitting position.
"You see every so often imprinted mates can share a dream." Jay explains sitting a little in front of Mello but a little off to the side as if to be a little diagonal from him. "It isn't at all often but when it does happen we feel more connected to our imprinted mate." He explains making Mello glance down almost thoughtfully. "Youngling." He says getting Mello's attention again. "Never underestimate an imprint. Good luck." He stands then turns heading off.
Mello watches him go for a few moments surprised then he smiles softly. "Thank you Jay." He says mostly to himself then he gets up to his paws. "Well. I should be going." He turns to Matt. "Remember to treat Linda well."
"Don't worry about that." Matt assures him with a smile. "I wouldn't dream of treating my imprinted mate horribly."
Mello smiles a little more. "That's the Matt I know. You're always loyal to those you care for."
Matt grins. "I'll see you next time we end up running into each other or visit each other."
"Yes. See you whenever." Mello then turns and slightly jogs excitedly out of the packs home to begin the journey back to Near.
Matt watches and only speaks when Mello leaves the packs home so he can no longer be seen. "And I know that Near is in good paws with a mate like you." He says to himself knowingly.
Mello's journey takes him quite a while so he rests in his house to wait for the next day. He realizes it's a school day and decides that he will pick Near up to walk him to school.
The next day…
Mello goes over to Near's place smiling but frowns slightly when he doesn't smell any fresh scents of Near. He knocks on the door and waits for an answer yet none comes making a flash of worry go through him. "Near?" He questions but still nothing. He listens intently but doesn't even hear the shower. "Maybe he's at school." He tries to reason with himself so he runs to school and begins looking around for Near just wanting to find him. "Come on. Where are you?" He questions himself. He pauses and closes his eyes then he takes a deep breath through his nose searching for Near's scent. He opens his eyes in determination as he picks up on the scent and he moves following it like an invisible trail leading him along where Near's scent is. He looks up as the scent gets stronger and he can see Near up ahead. "Near!"
Near turns in surprise then smiles. "Mello!" He greets to the blonde who skids to a stop only to pull him into a hug. "It's good to see you."
"You too." Mello responds as Near returns the hug.
"Mello." Near says as soon as the hug is broken. "There is something we must discuss."
Mello's face falls to worry. "Is everything alright?" He asks.