In a Heartbeat (MxM)

Chapter 31

A/N: Late, I know, so is Vince. Anyways, this is much shorter, the next chapter will be longer and hopefully out sooner. This chapter was actually originally supposed to be written in Simon's POV, but oh wells. I don't really have my chapters organized or thought out so there's bound to be inconsistencies, I apologize. 

On another note, thanks for the 60k views! As always, comment, vote, follow, etc.

Chapter 31

Vince's POV

This was a bad idea. A therapy session, Chase called it. Like what was that going to solve, but he insisted; claiming it would help us or whatever, but honestly, it was just going to turn into a shitshow.

It didn't help that I was late, but I didn't care. I wasn't in the mood to deal with this, and I don't think Simon was either. I mean the guy could barely even glance at me, let alone be in the same room.

And sure enough, he sat a few feet away from me, looking just about ready to vomit from being in here. Chase sat on the other side of the table, looking down at his papers, before looking up, giving a curt smile.

"Well, didn't think you'd show, Vince," he scoffed.

"I'm only a couple of minutes late."

"Sure," he scoffed. Chase shook his head before sighing. "Truthfully, I think this situation is ridiculous."

"Thank you," I sneered. "My brother is insane."

"But," he interjected. "I think you two can benefit from this in some way."

"Not you too," I said with disgust. I couldn't possibly understand what he was thinking. "Benefit how?"

I glanced at Simon from the corner of my eye, his head still trained downward, his left hand squeezing his thigh. Good, he thought this was a terrible idea too.

Chase sighed loudly, before pulling out a bottle of suppressants from his drawer. "For starters, you can get off of these."

"Nope, not happening," I responded.

"You will," he warned. "Or you'll never get your position back from Michael."

I smirked. "Yeah, right."

"Your wolf is dying, Vince." He said matter of factly. "And you'll follow suit if you keep this up."

"So what?" I exclaimed. "I don't-"

Chase interjected, "So, it would be wise to get off of them to get stronger. Your side effects are getting worse, Vince. If you lose your wolf, you'll go insane and most likely die before you could ever become alpha again."

"Even if I did get off the pills," I tilted my head in Simon's direction. "What does this have to do with what Michael proposed?"

Chase massaged his forehead in irritation before replying, "everything, Vince. Getting off the pills is one thing, but it's not magically going to get you back to full strength. But with Simon, your mate, the bond could potentially heal you faster and better. Even if it just meant you two being near each other, it could help your bond, help your wolves. It could help with the withdrawal symptoms or any other side effects the suppressants caused."

"That doesn't sound promising."

"It's better than wasting away on the pills," he rebutted. A tense silence filled between us before Chase continued. "Of course, I'd need you to wean off of it. As much as I'd like you to go cold turkey, I'll lower the doses over the next couple of weeks, and we'll monitor it from there."

He huffed before turning to Simon who had barely moved an inch. "I understand if you don't want to go through with this, he's quite insufferable."

I rolled my eyes, talk shit all you want Chase, this wasn't going to work out. After everything that's happened, and all the time that's passed, there was no way that Simon would willingly stay by my side. Everybody seemed so interested in what he wanted, but what about me? Nobody asked what I wanted.

Simon had let out a shaky breath before looking up at Chase, the first time he had looked up the whole conversation. He was training his eyes directly at him, still avoiding me at all costs.

It was just like the other day I had bumped into him with Michael. It was the first time he had looked at me directly, even though it was for maybe a fraction of a second before he jerked away. And of course, he leaned into my brother like he did at the council meeting, clutching at his sleeve like he needed to be protected from me. It annoyed me to no end. And Michaels god awful smirk he gave me as they walked away with his arm around Simon made it ten times worse. That bastard was doing it to piss me off.

And watching as Simon did anything but spare me a glance was getting on my nerves. Wasn't this what he wanted?

"Simon," Chase prompted, as Simon breathed heavily as his body slightly tremored. "Seriously, if you don't want to, no one is forcing you. You're welcome to take the suppressants if it'll help you, of course at a lower dose until you feel comfortable."

He shook his head before taking a deep breath, then replied, "is it true?"

Chase tilt his head. Simon gulped before asking again, "his wolf? Dying?"

"Yes," he answered. Simon sucked in a breath before looking back down again. Chase continued, "but not dead. It's no guarantee, but you may be the only one to help his wolf recover."

Simon didn't reply, but his brows creased as if thinking hard about what he said.

"Well?" Chase asked calmly. "Will you consider being near him? Living with him, perhaps?"

Surely, Simon wouldn't be stupid enough to believe Chase's bullshit.

Simon, in a quiet voice, replied. "I want to."

My brows shot up, turning my whole body towards him as he insisted on refusing to even glance towards me. I couldn't believe my ears. Him, of all people. My brother's idiocy seemed to rub off on him.

"Of course you do," I said incredulously. "Hell, you're probably loving how close we're sitting."

Chase cleared his throat. "Vince-"

"No," I held up a hand to him before trying to meet his eyes, only for him to look away. "Do go on about how you're so willing to just jump in my arms. After all, you've waited for so long for this."

Simon let out a shaky breath, his eyes fluttering, before keeping it shut.

"You can't even fucking look at me," I snapped. "Like hell you could go through with this."

"Vince," Chase warned as he shook his head at me.

"What? I'm not wrong. Look at him, he's cowering like a baby deer."

Chase slammed his hand down on the table, which made both of us jump. "And who's fault is that?"

Well, that shut me up. Chase hardly ever got heated like that, doctor's etiquette, he called it. He had his opinions for sure, but he seldom acted on it.

Some time passed before I heard Simon shuffle in his seat, turning towards me ever so slightly. I watched as he seemed to battle something in his mind, staring at his hand before looking back down at the table.

Almost smirking at his inner struggles, he suddenly reached his hand out, successfully shocking me and Chase, as he grasped my forearm tightly in his hand. He let out a short, almost inaudible whimper from the physical contact and what the bond was probably doing to him, but I was too busy focusing on the way he seemed to work up whatever courage he had to lift his head to meet my gaze.

The bastard had really done it. He was actually looking at me. Who would've imagined?

At first, it held the same fear, the deer in the headlights look, dilated pupils, his brows raised and mouth agape, until he shut it, narrowing his eyes, almost as if glaring at me. It had been the longest direct eye contact he held with me, and possibly with anyone.

His hand was cold to the touch, and as soon as he had grabbed it, he almost released it immediately, but he held my arm tighter, squeezing it like he did with Michael's shirt sleeve.

"I-I'll do it." He blinked before focusing, an intense look in his face, far different from the typical fearful, doe-like eyes I was used to. "I want to try."

What the hell were we getting ourselves into?