by Marcy Jacks
She’d seemed so scared, and then he’d walked out the door and then fainted. God, why did he have to do that?
“I’m all right, sweetie. Did you get a good night’s sleep?”
“Uh…”
“Your mother wanted to take you to the hospital,” his dad said. “You looked all right to me, and this one here said you just needed to recover from the energy you gave to him.”
“Energy I…what?”
Declan took a drink of his coffee. He barely looked at Chris. “The energy exchange that comes from a wolf soul to their mate. Remember?”
Declan finally looked at him, though the expression on his face was…concerned to say the least.
Almost as though he were scared of what Chris would say.
“Oh, uh, yeah, I remember. Yeah, definitely. I just didn’t know it was going to feel like that.”
“Feel like what, sweetie?”
Heat rushed into Chris’ face. He didn’t want to explain that to his mother. The lack of control and the need to be as close to his mate as possible wasn’t something he was interested in sharing with the woman who’d birthed him.
“Nothing, it’s all right, Mom.” He looked at his dad and at Declan. “So…what’s going on here?”
His father shook his head. “Nothing. Your friend and I are just coming to an understanding.”
“You are?”
His dad got up from his seat. “Yeah. I need to head into work now.”
Chris couldn’t believe it. “After what happened last night? Is that a good idea?”
“He’s safe,” Declan said.
“Why, are you going to watch out for him?”
“I don’t need nothing like that,” his dad barked. “I’ve got my conceal-and-carry permit. Any of these fuckers tries to come near me, they’ll regret it.”
That didn’t make Chris feel all that better. His father liked his guns, and Chris respected them, but that didn’t mean his dad was suddenly invincible from any and all danger that might be coming his way.
Maybe his mom saw things differently, because her answer was to give her husband a kiss, grab his lunch bag, and see him out the door.
Not before his father put his hand onto Chris’ shoulder though.
He smiled a little, as though he were giving the okay. What had happened last night was all right and so was what happened this morning between him and Declan.
When he was gone, Chris went back to the table and got a look at the time.
It was much later than he’d thought it was. His dad had probably called into work saying he would be late. Now that Chris thought about it, his dad always left at about six in the morning to get to his job, and it wasn’t even that far away.
He’d definitely called in a half day if he was leaving at ten in the morning.
“Is everything all right?”
“Of course it is, sweetie. Let me get you something to eat. You’re probably starving.”
He was a little hungry now that his adrenaline had gone down but not so hungry that he could ignore the look on Declan’s face.
Chris sat across from him. Declan would hardly look at him, and Chris realized the other man was probably terrified of Chris’ reaction after what had happened last night.
That maybe he thought Chris would be angry with him? That he would rethink this whole mating thing?
Chris wasn’t about to have that, and he didn’t like the idea of his strong and powerful mate looking at him like that.
As though he’d done something wrong.
So Chris reached across the small table and grabbed Declan by his overly large hand, holding it tightly in his own.
Declan finally looked at him, his eyes flying wide.
Chris smiled at him. “Mom, you sure you’re all right?”
“Everything’s fine, baby.” She started pulling pans out from beneath the oven, placing them on top before going to the fridge. “Your father and I spoke to Declan, and I think everything is all right now.”
Chris looked back at his mate. “That’s all I needed to know.”
Declan smiled back at him, and Chris knew they were going to be all right.
He leaned in close. "You and I? We're good," he whispered.
Declan sighed, leaned across the table, and kissed him on the mouth.
THE END
MARCYJACKS.COM

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