“So is Joe.”
“You were here first.”
He huffed out a breath. “I’ve known. For a long time.”
“But you never said anything.”
He shrugged. “I thought it was obvious.”
It made me nervous. Nothing so monumental had ever made me feel so small. “Tethers can change.”
“It won’t.”
“You don’t know that.”
He said, “I do. It doesn’t matter what happens. If I get a mate—”
“Ew.”
“Shut up. You know what I mean.”
“That’s pretty gay, dude.”
He thumped me on the chest. “Don’t say that. It’s not nice.”
“Right. Sorry. I….” I was at a loss for words.
“Is that okay?” he asked quietly. He sounded unsure.
I couldn’t have that. “Yeah. It’s okay.”
We were quiet for a little while, just breathing in and out.
Then he said, “Tether bros. That’s what we are. Couple of tether bros.”
And it was like we were little again, only the two of us, and we were laughing, laughing, laughing, trying to keep our voices down but failing miserably. Dad walked by the door and paused, and we covered each other’s mouths with our hands. His breath was hot against my palm and it was gross, but I didn’t pull away.
Dad moved on.
Eventually we got ourselves under control.
I was drifting off to sleep when Kelly said, “It was always going to be you.”
IT WENT LIKE THIS:
“Joe!” I screamed into the woods. It was raining and dark, and lightning flashed overhead. “Joe!”
I couldn’t find him.
“Carter?” Kelly asked. He was wet and miserable, and his grip on my hand was so strong I thought my bones would turn to dust. “We have to go back.”
“No,” I snapped at him, feeling guilty when his face crumpled. “We can’t. We have to find him.”
I was fifteen years old, and a monster had taken our little brother away.
“Joe!” I shouted again.
Nothing.