A sad expression steals over his face, and I shake my head."I only meant, it's not fair that you..."What?
He takes a deep breath."What I'm gonna say next is not to pressure you in any way, okay?"
Oh, fuck.I nod, not sure I want him to continue.
"If we fulfill the mating, you'll feel the same way."
"Fulfill?"Feel what?
"When we mate, we bite."
I jump on his lap."Bite?What do you mean by bite?"
He grins a wicked grin that threatens to have my bones melt."I mean, I'll bite you here."He runs a feather-light finger over the crook of my neck."And a magic bond will snap into place, tying us together for the rest of our lives."
Bite me.As in...bite me?"Will it hurt?"
He shrugs."I don't know.I've never mated anyone.We'll make love, and when we're about to come, I'll bite you."
Crap."What if I'm not what you expect?"
Boris' eyebrows climb his forehead."Oh, honey.You're everything I want.You're strong, you've done such an excellent job raising Ira, you're fiercely loyal, honoring your sister's wishes, fighting so hard to give Ira the best possible life."
I stare at him, and he hugs me to him.
"You're handsome, you smell so fucking good, and the sounds you make when you come--"
I slap his arm.
"Boris, I'm trying to have a serious conversation here."
He grins."As am I.You are mine, and you can relax now.I've found you.From here on out, you'll never have to face a problem on your own.I'll be by your side till the end of time.I'll lay my life down for you and Ira, as will the rest of the pack."He shrugs."There will always be problems.I can't make them magically disappear, but we'll always have a roof over our heads and food in our bellies.If there is a problem, and we can't solve it between the two of us, the pack will step in."
He looks into my eyes, and I swallow hard.How many times haven't I wished for someone, anyone to help me, to carry some of the weight, but it sounds too good to be true, and when things sound too good, they usually are.
"And what will it cost me?"
"At least a few kisses a day."
I glare at him, and his expression softens.
"Nothing.If you want us to live like we did last week, then we can."
Last week, when I didn't see him but came home to prepared food ready to heat up for me and Ira.I shake my head.It would kill Ira to go back to how we were, and if I were being honest, it would kill me too.I want him.I shouldn't, but I do.I shake my head."No."
"So back to a few kisses a day, then?"He wiggles his eyebrows."I think there will be an outcry if the pack doesn't get to see Ira regularly too, so be prepared for that.Oswald, Mom, and Zahrah will appear on the doorstep if it goes too far between visits, and you should know Mom hates coming to the city."
I stare at him.I want to wave it off, but he looks serious, and deep down, I believe he is.I saw how Oswald had Ira on his lap and listened to his every word about how stupid basketball is."Oswald doesn't have children of his own?"
Boris shakes his head."Nah, he'd have loved a bunch, but I think all of us dream about one day finding our mate, and he never built a life with someone else.Some do.They deem the chance so small they might as well have a family with someone who isn't their mate.Like humans do.You can love someone who isn't your mate, but those who do start to fear running into their true mate.Imagine being the one who has to break it off with a person you love because you catch the scent of someone and suddenly love them more than the person you've forged a life with, had children with.So many lives ruined simply because you smelled someone."
I scrunch my nose.I have a hard time seeing anything good with this fated mate shit.Who'd want to risk it?Who'd want to be a slave to their senses?
Boris squeezes my hip."Hey, what's that look for?"
What if Boris and I had dated, and he'd found his mate?What would it have done to Ira?To me?
"Simon?"
