Everyone looked at him when he stepped in, and he remembered he was still only wearing his underwear.
“Well, I think I’m going to come back quite often,” the man Mihaja didn’t know said, peeking from above his mug.
“Keenan, behave,” Jonah said. He looked at Mihaja. “How about you go get dressed and come back? Elliott says breakfast is almost ready.”
Mihaja nodded. He looked at Elliott, hoping to catch his eye, but Elliott carefully avoided looking at him. Mihaja huffed and went to dress. He wasn’t comfortable being half-naked in front of people he didn’t know. It took him only a few minutes and he was back in the kitchen. He ignored everyone around the table, even when Keenan mumbled, “Rude.”
Mihaja stopped by Elliott’s side, and Elliott still wasn’t looking at him. Mihaja gently touched his arm. “Elliott. Are you all right?”
Elliott nodded but didn’t say anything. Mihaja focused on their bond, surprised to feel shame coming through it. “Elliott, talk to me, please. Have I done something wrong?”
Elliott finally looked Mihaja’s way, but he kept his eyes on Mihaja’s throat. “No, of course not. I’m fine.”
The voices coming from the table rose, and when Mihaja looked to see what was happening, Simon winked at him and loudly complained about Mal’s snores. Mihaja smiled gratefully and turned back to Elliott, who was flipping the pancake in his pan.
“You’re not fine. I can feel it.”
“I am.”
Mihaja shook his head and grabbed the pan. Elliott squeaked, but Mihaja just put the pan down, took Elliott’s hand, and dragged him out. “Simon, check the stove for me, please. I need to talk to Elliott.”
“Sure thing, boss”
Mihaja dragged an unresisting Elliott to the living room. He closed the door behind them and turned to face his mate. “Talk to me.”
“It’s nothing,” Elliott insisted.
“It’s not nothing. I was there, remember?”
Elliott’s shoulders sagged. “I’m just... it never ends. I finally found my mate, and I love him, and I want to give him my entire self, but I can’t because of what someone did to me more than a year ago. Why can’t I heal? Why am I still stuck like this?”
Mihaja’s heart bled for Elliott. He reached for him and wrapped him in his arms, and Elliott came willingly, clutching at Mihaja and burrowing his face against Mihaja’s neck. Mihaja rubbed his back. “It’s all right, Elliott. There’s nothing to be ashamed of. We didn’t have sex yesterday, so what? We can have sex any time you feel ready for it. I love you. No sex isn’t going to push me away, and you being too hard on yourself isn’t going to help.”
Elliott sighed. “I know.”
“I love you,” Mihaja said again. “And I’ll repeat that and every other thing you need to hear any time you want to hear them. Okay?”
“Yeah, okay.”
“Are you ready to go back to the kitchen and present me to your friends?”
Elliott looked up, his eyes shiny with tears that didn’t fall. “Yeah, but I want a kiss first.”
“You only have to ask.”
Mihaja knew they looked a bit flustered when they got back to the kitchen, but no one pointed it out. Keenan did arch a brow at Mihaja, but he just winked when Mihaja shrugged.
“So, uh, this is Jonah, and this is Keenan, his mate. Guys, this is Mihaja.”
Keenan snorted. “I think we already knew that, unless you keep a lot of yummy men in your house. Do you have a special room for them? Can you show it to me?”
Jonah growled. “No yummy men for you.”
“Aww, Boo, you know I’m just joking.”
Jonah rolled his eyes and shook Mihaja’s hand. They all sat at the table and started eating. Mihaja was pleased when Elliott took part in the conversation and waved his fork around as he talked.
They weren’t fine just yet, but they were getting there. It would take time, patience, and love, but Mihaja was going to support Elliott no matter what it took. Elliott was his mate, and they loved each other. That was all they needed. The sex would just be a bonus.
Chapter Seven
“Mal! Hurry up, the film’s starting!”
Elliott wrinkled his nose at the volume of Simon’s voice. He snuggled deeper in Mihaja’s hold. “Still not regretting asking Simon to move in?” he asked in a soft voice, so that Simon wouldn’t hear him. He probably couldn’t anyway, not with the TV’s volume and his own voice.
“No. Do you?”
“Only when he’s noisy.”
“Which is most of the time.”
“Yeah, okay. I don’t regret it. I love to see him happy.”
And he was. They all were. Simon had moved in only a week before, but Elliott could already see the difference. He had fewer of the sad spells he used to have, and he smiled more.
Of course, his parents had raised hell when he’d told them he was moving in with Mihaja, Elliott, and Mal. They were under the impression that they all were in a foursome, which was ridiculous. The only man for Elliott was Mihaja. As much as he loved Mal and Simon, he didn’t love them like that.
Mal skipped in the room, two bowls in his hands. He gave one to Mihaja and kept the other one. He sat next to Simon and Simon immediately started munching on the popcorn.
The movie was only fifteen minutes in when the front door opened. Elliott raised his head, wondering who it was. There was a gurgle, and Elliott smiled. Aranck was there.
Merle and Nootaw came in the room, Merle holding Aranck. A woman followed them, and Elliott frowned at Merle in question. She had black hair, dark eyes, and looked like she’d rather be anywhere but there. She looked around with wide eyes, though, like she’d never been inside a house.
Merle slumped next to Elliott while Nootaw took the free armchair. He always took care not to be too close to Elliott, and Elliott was grateful. He liked Nootaw, but he wasn’t sure he trusted him just yet.
Aranck held his hands out to Elliott and Elliott took him. He tickled him a bit and managed to get his fingers away in time to avoid being bitten. “So, who’s she?” he asked in a whisper.
The woman was still standing near the door, still looking around. She carefully avoided looking toward them, but Elliott could see she wanted to.
“Nepi. Aranck’s mother.”
“Oh.”
Merle grimaced. “Yeah.”
Elliott leaned closer to him. “Not that I don’t want her here, but what’s she doing here?”
“She’s been having a hard time getting used to living with the pack. Kameron asked me and Nootaw if we could take care of her until she does.”
“You’re not happy about it, huh?”
Merle sighed. “It’s not even that I don’t like her, because I don’t know her. She refuses to talk to me, and she doesn’t really want me to take care of Aranck. Nootaw talked to her and told her my presence in both his and Aranck’s life wasn’t in question. Let’s just say she didn’t take it well and hasn’t talked to me since then. It’s like I don’t even exist.”
“Eh. Could be better, but as long as that’s all she does...”
“But it’s not,” Merle said, his voice raising. Mihaja cleared his throat and Merle lowered his voice. “It’s like now that she knows me and Nootaw are mated, she wants him back. Not that she actually had him to begin with, but she’s Aranck’s mother, you know?”
“Yeah.”
“She’s been trying to get Nootaw alone and seduce him, and it’s making things weird and very uncomfortable.”
“And you didn’t kill her?”
“Believe me, I wanted to, but she’s Aranck’s mother, and she doesn’t know how civility works. She lived with the tribe all her life, and I know it can’t have been easy. She only knows Nootaw here, so my guess is she’s trying to hang onto him for that.”
“She doesn’t have to seduce him for that.”
God knew Elliott would have scratched her eyes ou
t if he’d been in Merle’s place. He could see his point, but it was good for her that Merle had more patience then Elliott, or anyone else in the pack, really. Not many shifters would have let her walk away after trying to seduce their mate.
“I know, but it’s the only thing she knows. Women are at the bottom of the tribe, and the only way they have to rise is by having children with the tribe leader or his seconds.”
“Shouldn’t she be trying to seduce Kameron, then?”
“Yeah, but he’s a wolf shifter. Wendigoes don’t mix.”
“What are you going to do?”
Merle sighed and leaned his head against Elliott’s shoulder. “I don’t know. Nootaw talked to her, but honestly? I don’t think it’s going to do much good. She just doesn’t get it, and a few months in the pack aren’t going to help much. She has to change her mentality, and I’m not sure she can.”
Aranck smacked a wet kiss on Elliott’s cheek and reached for Mihaja. Mihaja smiled at him and let him climb all over him, and Elliott moved to the side to give the kid space. Nepi was still near the door, but Elliott had noticed how she sneaked glances toward them. It had to be hard for her. Elliott didn’t have children, but knowing your kid would have a third parent couldn’t be easy.
He smiled at her the next time she looked at him, but instead of smiling back she plastered her back against the wall and looked at him with wide eyes. He elbowed Merle. “Hey, I think I scared her.”
Merle looked at Nepi, then at Elliott. “What did you do?”
“I just smiled at her.”
“Yeah, that’s what scared her. Women are below notice in their tribe, remember? When the males do notice them, it’s usually for one thing only.”
Elliott grimaced. “There’s no way I’m having sex with her.”
“I sure hope not,” Mihaja said before Aranck stuffed his little fist in Mihaja’s mouth. Mihaja grunted and gently extracted it. “No, Aranck. You can’t put stuff in other people’s mouth. Or in yours. Just food, okay?”
Aranck smacked his hand—the same that had been in Mihaja’s mouth—on Mihaja’s cheek, leaving a wet imprint. Elliott laughed, and Aranck laughed with him while Mihaja cleaned his cheek.
“Very funny,” Mihaja said, a glint in his eyes. He quickly reached for Elliott’s face and cleaned the hand he’d used to wipe the drool from his cheek on Elliott’s face. Elliott yelped and tried to push away, but they were in three on the couch, so there wasn’t anywhere to go.
Aranck clapped his hands and reached for Elliott, too, but Merle caught him and put him down. He crawled toward his mother and Nepi finally moved away from the wall.
She looked happy now that her son acknowledged her, and Merle sighed deeply. Elliott kissed his cheek. Merle arched a brow, and Elliott shrugged. “Just wanted you to know I love you.” Nepi made a sharp sound and Elliott hurried to continue. “As a friend! I love you as a friend. I swear, between Simon’s parents who think we have orgies in here and, well. Really, the only man I go to bed with is my mate, and it’s not even to have sex.”
He added the last bit in a disgruntled voice and Mihaja immediately gave him a one-arm hug and kissed his temple. “You’re still worried about that?” He asked in a whisper.
Elliott crossed his arms on his chest. “Of course I am.”
“Don’t be.”
“Yeah, I know.” Elliott sighed. “You don’t need sex.”
“I really don’t. I’m happy with you, just like this. Sex would be a bonus, the sprinkling of sugar on the cake, but I don’t need it to enjoy the cake.”
“You’re spending too much time with Mal and Simon.”
Mihaja laughed. “Probably. Doesn’t mean what I said isn’t true.”
“I know. I love you.” Elliott kissed the corner of Mihaja’s lips.
Mihaja smiled, and Elliott’s heart beat faster. It was true. They didn’t need sex to be happy. They had love.
Bonus Scene—Arlen, Gentry, and Nick’s Mating.
Gentry hurried after Nick and Arlen, his hands shaking.
He couldn’t believe they had this opportunity. He couldn’t believe they could have been mated ever since they met and fell in love, and he didn’t want to let himself believe it, because what would happen if it didn’t work? What would happen if Arlen and Nick bonded and Gentry was left outside the bond? Mihaja had seemed convinced of what he was saying, but maybe things were different for his people.
Gentry snorted and Arlen gave him a questioning glance. Gentry shook his head and climbed into Nick’s car. Nick barely waited for him and Arlen to close their doors to start the car and drive away. He was tapping his fingers on the steering wheel, nervousness obvious in his movements.
Mihaja wasn’t different from Gentry. They were both human beings, shifters, and what kind of shifter they were or where they came from didn’t make any difference.
“Do you think it’ll work?” Arlen asked from the passenger seat.
Gentry didn’t know who Arlen was asking, but he answered. “I don’t know. I don’t see why not since he’s already seen it.”
“But he said he wasn’t sure about the bond. I don’t want to mate with only one of you.”
“That’s why we’ll both mate with Gentry first,” Nick said as he turned the car into their driveway.
“You make it sound so romantic,” Arlen teased him.
Nick turned the car off, but instead of jumping out like Gentry had expected him to, he leaned his head backward against his seat and closed his eyes. “Maybe we should make this special, with candles and stuff, but I don’t think I can wait that long. I know we haven’t been together for even six months, but I don’t want to wait. I want to mate with both of you, because I love both of you.”
Gentry bit his lower lip. It was very rare for Nick to be so emotional and to tell either Gentry or Arlen he loved them. They both knew he did, of course, but hearing him say it, and right before they’d try to mate, was special for Gentry.
Even though he knew Arlen and Nick loved him, he couldn’t help but feel like he was the odd man out in their relationship. He’d been the one stopping them from mating, and even though they’d both told him they didn’t care, he knew it wasn’t true. Sometimes he could see them eyeing the other’s neck, especially during sex. He hadn’t thought of leaving them, not anymore, but he still felt like he was stopping them from being fully happy. Now they had a possibility to mate, to be a real mate throuple, and suddenly he couldn’t wait, either.
He opened his door and got out. He heard the other doors open and quick steps on the gravel, but he didn’t look backward. He hurried to the front door and opened it, his other hand already on his throat, untying his tie and pulling it off.
Arlen passed by Gentry’s side toward their bedroom. Nick was close behind, but instead of going after Arlen, he wrapped an arm around Gentry’s waist and pulled him close. Gentry let himself be pulled and put his cheek on Nick’s chest. “I can’t believe this.”
Nick kissed Gentry’s forehead. “Neither can I, but we’re going to make it, you’ll see. We love each other.”
It didn’t mean it solved all their problems, but Gentry didn’t want to point that out. He still had to ask something, though. “What happens if it doesn’t work?”
Nick sighed and kissed Gentry again. “Then we’ll stop there.”
“You and Arlen could—”
“No, we can’t. We already talked about this, and I’m not talking about it again, especially not today, of all days. Let’s go, Gen.”
Nick started walking, pulling Gentry along. He let go only when they entered their bedroom, and Gentry looked at the sight that greeted them. Arlen was on the bed, already completely naked.
“What took you so long?” he asked.
“Nothing. Gentry was having a small crisis, but I solved it,” Nick answered as he started unbuttoning his shirt.
Arlen rose and knee-walked closer to Gentry as Gentry took his shoe
s and socks off. He got to work on the buttons of Gentry’s shirt, his fingers brushing against Gentry’s skin with every button he opened. “We won’t mate if it doesn’t work,” he said softly.
Gentry wasn’t surprised Arlen knew what his worst fear was. He always knew somehow. “Nick said the same thing.”
“When we decided we were it, that we’d be together and we’d make it work, I meant it. Nick meant it. We love you, and we want you. Life wouldn’t be complete without you, bond or no bond.”
Arlen pushed Gentry’s shirt off his shoulders, and Gentry let it fall on the floor. He usually wouldn’t have, but he had better things to do than to pick clothes up right now. Arlen’s fingers were already at his pants, opening them, and Nick stepped behind Gentry, wrapping him in his arms. Gentry could tell Nick was as naked as Arlen was, and he shivered.
Sex between them was always good, so very good, but this was different. There was an anticipation to it, almost as if it were their first time all over again.
Arlen pushed Gentry’s pants down, along with his underwear. Gentry stepped out of them, the length of Nick’s body a furnace against his naked back. Arlen cupped Gentry’s face and kissed him, gently at first, but it quickly shifted into passion. Gentry knew he had to stop it from going too far. They might be naked, but he knew the sex would happen only later. Whether it would be celebration or consolation sex remained to be seen.
Gentry gently pushed Arlen away and Arlen nodded. He took Gentry’s hand and Nick let go. Gentry sat on the edge of the mattress, his heart in his throat. He closed his eyes and waited, but instead of the bite he’d expected, hands touched him and tried to make him move. He opened his eyes and saw Nick was sitting on the bed too now, his legs opened and stretched in front of him. Arlen was sitting in front of Nick, his legs on top of his. They’d left some space between them, and Gentry knew it was for him.
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