The White Renegade (Viral Airwaves) Read Online Free

sake of being with him. What else? It seemed impossible that Alex—funny, confident, talented Alex—would go to such lengths for him. Seraphin tried to think of something to say and found the words had escaped, leaving his mind empty. He was also very hot, despite the wind slipping through his jacket and pushing his hair about. They remained there, unmoving, Alex still holding Seraphin’s gaze. After several long seconds, Alex’s eyebrows shot up.
    “You know, if you meant to kiss me, that was the exact moment you should have.”
    An embarrassed flush rose to Seraphin’s cheeks. He fumbled for words, failed again, and Alex laughed. They rolled their eyes, grabbed the front of his shirt, and pulled him down. Before his muddled brain could quite follow the sequence of events, Alex’s lips were pressed against his, and Seraphin’s discomfiture gave way to a very different warmth. It snuggled in the pit of his belly, throbbing. The kiss didn’t last, however.
    When Alex stepped back, Seraphin grinned.
    “That wasn’t exactly romantic.”
    “I don’t do romance. I …” Alex trailed off, and for the first time since Seraphin had known them, they seemed to hesitate. Doubts weren’t something they often displayed. “Look, don’t get the wrong idea. I don’t love -love you, that’s just not me. But you’re cute, and important. Really important, just not in that way? So I’ll be coming back.”
    At first Seraphin only stared, confused. Alex had just kissed him. They’d promised to come back every summer and said he was really important. All actions that intensified the warmth in Seraphin’s body, and made him crave more. He wanted to ask what Alex meant by ‘not love -love’, to have them explain away the sharp pain the words had brought. When he noticed Alex tugging at the corners of their open red jacket, lips pressed and gaze down at the ground, Seraphin bit back his question. Another day, perhaps. Despite the early explanation, it had taken the whole summer for Seraphin to wrap his head around Alex’s lack of gender. If they came back, Seraphin would have time to wrap his head around this second anomaly, too.
    “O-okay, then. I’ll remember.” Better to change the subject. He managed a smirk and added, “It took the whole summer, but I finally got you to admit I was cute.”
    Alex returned his smile and pushed him back a little. “Well played.”
    After that, Alex seemed to relax. Their conversation turned away from the twisted tree, to the long travel that awaited Seraphin’s friend. Iswood was way farther north than their hometown, and it sounded like the cross-country hike was quite the pain. As Alex retold some of the misadventures on their way up to Iswood, Seraphin realized just how much trouble Alex would be going through for the sake of spending another summer with him. Suddenly it didn’t quite matter as much, whether or not they loved him. He had been blessed with the truest of friends, and he would forever thank his ancestors for it.

CHAPTER THREE

    Three years had passed since Alex’s first summer in Iswood, and as Seraphin’s squad stopped on the plateau overlooking his hometown, he prayed his friend had left town early this year. The hot season was drawing to a close, and there was a chance Alex hadn’t stuck around since Seraphin wasn’t there. It might help ease his nerves to know they wouldn’t see whatever was coming. Seraphin had no idea what it’d be, but he already sensed it wouldn’t be good.
    Two weeks ago, General Vermen had given orders to march on this miniscule town, this little hamlet lost in Regaria’s tall pine forests, declaring he would make an example of it. What kind of example, no one could tell. The weight in Seraphin’s stomach had grown with every passing day, until he could no longer eat anything. He didn’t want to know. Vermen’s ruthless reputation conjured the worst fears to his mind. Sergeant Dresden had noticed and been kind enough to call