I nodded and sat up, letting the covers pool around my waist. Seeing him go felt like my heart was tearing right out of my chest. Everything about Lux and this encounter was overpowering. Almost fantasy-like. He went to the bathroomwhile I plugged my info in his phone and then washed his hands and stared at me in the reflection of the mirror while he did.
My chest ached. “I’m okay. It’s okay.” I didn’t know who I was convincing, me or him. Maybe neither of us.
“I’ll see you soon, okay?”
I maintained my calm, but barely. “Text me when you get home safe, okay?”
He lingered by the door. “I will. Thank you for worrying about me, Rain. I’ll see you soon. I promise.”
That promise of his felt sincere. As soon as the door shut, I flopped onto my back and groaned, covering my eyes with my arm. This bed felt so big and cold now with him gone, even though I’d never slept with a lover before. Never had a lover before. I replayed the events of the night in my head. The way Lux talked to me. The way he kept eye contact, and asked that I looked him in the eyes while we orgasmed together.
The way his mouth felt wrapped around my cock. If he hadn’t left, I would’ve either been on top of him or had him in my mouth right this very minute.
And at the end? When he leaned down while still pumping his cum inside me? The rush of explosive feelings for him. Biting him on the shoulder seemed like the only thing I could do. Like it was out of my control. I was somehow compelled to sink my teeth into his rounded shoulder.
What a thing to do.
Still, that didn’t seem to bother him. In fact, he looked pleased with me as I pulled back, mortified.
Lost in my thoughts of him, I dozed off after a quick shower. I didn’t even bother putting my clothes back on, having a wild inkling that Lux might come back and tell life and reality to go to hell.
That was what I wanted him to do anyway.
Soon after, I became aware that I was dreaming. It had to be a dream. I was in a forest with so many shades of green and browns. The sounds of birds and breaking branches and the wind were so crisp and profound in my ears. I tasted blood in my mouth but I wasn’t put off by it. It seemed like the most natural thing in the world. From behind me, I heard a noise and turned to see what it was. It was a fox. It was lean yet strong. A reddish coat on top and white on the chest and belly. It’s tail wide and fluffy, brown for the most part but a puff of white at the very end. A fox. I’d never seen a fox before in real life, but then again, this was a dream.
The weirdest part? I wasn’t scared. Not one bit. I crouched down without thinking twice and reached out my hand for the animal. His face was so beautiful, and I swore there was nothing but sweetness in those piercing brown eyes. Step by step, he got closer until I felt his soft fur underneath my fingers, skimming across my palm. He lay down in front of me, bearing his belly and I let out a laugh. I got the feeling he was being playful. I sat down and ran my fingertips across his belly as his eyes drifted closed. I looked around, thinking there must be someone else in this forest, this dreamy place, but there was no one else. Just me and the fox. When I stopped rubbing his belly, he pawed at me, asking for more without words.
But as fast as it started, the dream began to fade. The colors of the forest and the leaves on the ground lost their luster. The fox got up and made a couple of rounds before deciding my lap was the best place for a nap.
And right before I woke up, I heard the word reverberate in my mind.Mate.
Chapter Ten
Lux
It took everything I had not to bite my mate back. As it was, he’d totally caught me off guard. Who knew a human would do that? But he did it like a champ—as if it wasn’t his first time. Which I knew it was. My mate had waited for me, even if he didn’t know that was what he was doing. I wish I’d been able to give him the same gift and not been such a horndog when I was in my late teens.
Of course, I wasn’t doing that any longer. Hadn’t for a few years. It hadn’t taken too long before I recognized the futility of it all. I always felt empty afterward, no sign of that afterglow everyone talked about. It was better to be alone than with the wrong person. No settling. No compromise. If Fate had chosen not to give me a mate or if, goddess forbid, they didn’t want me, then I would go it alone for the rest of my life.
And I’d thought that might be the case until I walked into that motel office…
But I needed to help him with something besides an orgasm just now. The flattened tire might be fine, but I wanted to get it looked at before I would allow my omega to drive on it again. Roadside assistance would have come from the same place he’d need to buy a tire anyway, so I was going for the experts.
The car would be all right for the rest of the night, and I wasn’t going to be able to reach the tire guy or the person I really wanted to talk to anyway. I could have stayed with my mate…but I had things to take care of and a lot of thinking to do. He’d marked me. How did that even work? I knew of a few alphas who wore their mate’s mark, but I’d always considered it kind of symbolic. Like—the alpha did the claiming and “let” his omega mark him back because it made him happy.
The second those teeth sank into my shoulder, I knew none of that was true. I might as well have marked him then because I was fairly sure it wouldn’t have made my connection to him any different. He’d claimed me. The omega claimed me. But I couldn’t claim him back until he knew the truth about me.
Most humans didn’t even know we were real and among those who did, how many would be interested in mating with a shifter? My dad’s mate hadn’t. What if he had? I’d never have existed, or if I did, I wouldn’t know Father. And he was not only wonderful to Dad but an incredible parent to me and my siblings.
The connection between my mate and me was forged by his claiming, but if I marked him back without his knowing my secret, I feared that might impede on his free will. So I left. And went home to toss and turn and wish I was lying beside my mate. Wished I had shown him my fox—something my beast agreed with heartily. He was sure his handsome self would be the deal closer. And he could be right. Or…my shift might chase him away and break my heart.
As the sky lightened in the east, I climbed out of bed, giving up on the idea of getting any sleep at all. I glanced at my phone, where Rain had typed in his number, wanting to chat him up. Maybe FaceTime. But it was so early, and he might not be awake. I didn’t know how early he rose, although I wanted to. To know everything about him.
Urging myself to patience, I vowed to let him meet my fox as soon as possible. This morning, I wanted to make sure his transportation was back on track. So, I showered and dressed and climbed into my car and headed for the diner. I wanted one more look at the tire before I called the repair guy.
There were a few people sitting inside, eating, when I arrived, but it was too early for the crowd. They would be arriving later, but for now, I thought I might be able to have aword with someone before they were too busy to have time for me. Or use time as an excuse. Before entering, I stopped beside Rain’s car.
I thought so.
