Chapter 129: *The black bandage on the right wrist*
Kevin then said to him, "What a relief; I hadn’t thought that your keen senses could be double-edged. Of course, they are very useful, but if it’s to make your daily life a hell, it’s better to do without them."
Axel smiled at him and said, "It was Liam who taught me how to control them. Without him, you’re right; my life would have certainly become hell."
They didn’t talk much until Liam arrived, and Liam motioned for them to follow him slightly away from the training grounds. After greeting him, Kevin asked him directly, "How can I help you? Axel told me you wanted to talk to me."
Liam proudly showed them his left hand, where there was now the mark of the Union, and he said to Kevin, "I wanted to thank you for your advice, and I would like to ask you for a favor. But before that, I want you both to know that Ian and I aren’t fooled and that we know that something is wrong with you."
He then turned to Axel and said, "I know you told me before that you don’t want the Sun Sect to be involved, but as a friend and mentor, it’s very frustrating; I hope you can get that."
Axel looked at Kevin, unsure of what to say, and Kevin used their telepathic link to communicate, ’Do you trust him?’
Axel replied without hesitation, ’Yes.’
Kevin then put his arm around his waist and leaned against him. Axel immediately put his protective arm around his shoulders, and Kevin then said to Liam, "It’s give and take; I tell you what you want to know on the condition that you show me what’s under your black bandage on your right wrist."
Liam was shocked. Did Kevin know something about the mark and the organization, or was it just curiosity? While Liam still hesitated, Kevin quickly explained to Axel that he just wanted to check something. He told him that he had already noticed the same sort of bandage around Caleb’s and Ellis’ wrists, and he had even seen it on Ashton’s wrist.
Each time it was a black bandage on the right wrist, and each time, it was obvious that they had tried to cover it up. If his guess was correct, they were all part of the same organization. He had already had doubts about Ashton after what Ian had said about his family. And if families of mages, fighters, and assassins were involved in the same organization, then some leaders of the most powerful sects also had to be part of it.
He said to Axel through their telepathic link that he would tell Liam the whole truth if he chose to trust them enough to show what was hidden under this bandage.
Axel really wondered how Kevin could pay attention to such details; nothing ever escaped him, and he wondered how, with so little evidence at his disposal, he could draw such conclusions.
He looked at Liam, who had remained silent after Kevin’s request. He was obviously watching them, wondering if he should show it to them or not. But Axel knew Kevin wouldn’t make it easy for him; he needed to have absolute trust in the person to be able to tell him the truth.
This was also why he hadn’t said anything to Caleb, Ellis, and Tony yet; he was still testing them, and he didn’t fully trust them. Neither did he; he didn’t know Tony as well as he knew Alan, Erik, and Liam, whom he trusted completely.
As for Liam, it was really a dilemma, but he absolutely wanted to know what Kevin was hiding from them because Ian really liked him, and Kevin was Axel’s mate now. So he decided to show him what he wanted; after all, he hadn’t asked him to explain anything.
Liam then nodded and removed his bandage to show him the inside of his wrist. On the inside of his wrist was a black ink tattooed pentagram. Kevin’s smile widened, and he said to him, "You can re-cover it now; thank you... Is there a safer place nearby to speak?"
Axel then said to them, "And if we go for a walk in the woods? No need to use our wolf, but let’s move away; it will be safer... Babe, get on my back; it will be faster."
Liam nodded, and once Kevin was on his back, Axel sped off toward the woods. Liam followed him, letting him decide where he wanted to stop, and Axel didn’t stop until he couldn’t smell any human scent nearby.
When Kevin got off his back, he couldn’t help but ask him through their telepathic link, ’Are you really sure of yourself? You really want to tell him the truth?’
Kevin replied to him using their link too, ’Liam is already involved anyway; he will find out someday or another, and I think it’s better if he learns the truth from us.’
Axel had nothing more to add to that, so he asked him aloud this time when he saw that Liam had crossed his arms over his chest and was leaning against a tree while waiting for them to start, "You tell him, or do you want me to do it?"
Kevin winked at him and walked over to Liam, suddenly looking very serious. He looked at him straight in the eye and said, "There are several things, and I need you to keep a very open mind. The first thing I’m going to tell you is that only those I consider close friends will be aware of it; as for the second thing, I guess sooner or later everyone will know."
Liam raised his hand to interrupt him; he was rather flattered that Kevin counted him among his close friends, even though it was probably more for Axel than for him that he was counted into it. But he had to clarify something with them first, "Whatever you are going to tell me, I won’t hide it from Ian, so if you don’t want him to know about it, then don’t tell me anything."
Kevin smiled; he had already guessed that Liam wouldn’t hide anything from his mate. If their bond was as strong as the one he had with Axel, then of course, he wouldn’t be able to hide something so important from him.
But Kevin was still a little curious, so he asked him, "Does he know about the organization?"
Liam frowned; so Kevin really knew something about the organization. He answered him honestly while he was still wondering who he really was, "I never hid anything from him; he knows everything."
Kevin nodded in satisfaction and said, "If he already knows about this, then it’s okay; you can tell him everything you will learn from us."
