Chapter Nine
“What about it?” Keeland didn’t know exactly what was going on, but hearing someone else talk to him in his mind couldn’t be normal. And if it wasn’t normal, it probably wasn’t a good thing. “What’s going on here, Dom?”
Dom winced. Again, that couldn’t be good. “I think I mated you.”
Keeland knew he couldn’t have heard that right. “I’m sorry, you what?”
Dom sighed deeply before pulling free of Keeland’s body. Keeland grimaced. He knew he needed information, but he felt so incredibly empty now. He would have preferred to stay the way they were.
He started to say that, but Dom rolled out of bed. Keeland sat up, leaned back on his hands, and watched Dom walk into the bathroom. He heard the water turn on for a moment, and then Dom was back, washcloth in hand. Keeland’s face heated up when Dom leaned down and swiped the washcloth between his legs.
At least the man was polite after sex.
Dom tossed the washcloth toward the bathroom, then climbed back onto the bed. He scooted back against the headboard and then stared down at his hands for several moments.
“Dom?”
Dom sighed again as he raised his head to look at Keeland. “Look, you have to understand that I’ve only known about being a shifter for a couple of weeks. I’m kind of learning things as I go along.”
“And?” There was always anand.
“You know I’m interested in you. I suspected you might be my mate with the way my cat went crazy every time you were around, but—” Dom swallowed hard. “But I wasn’t positive. I don’t know how this mate thing works. Hell, the only reason I know about it at all is because Chay and Gabriel are mates.”
“Chay and Gabriel are mates?”
Dom nodded.
“And what exactly does being mates mean?”
“Well…uh…”
Keeland’s eyebrows peaked as he watched the hottest man he’d ever encountered become unsure and hesitant. Keeland knew he was the shy one of the two of them, so it was kind of mind-boggling to watch Dom unravel.
“Dom.” Keeland scooted close enough to grab Dom’s hand. “Surely it can’t be that bad. Just tell me.”
Dom drew in a deep breath and then started talking so fast Keeland could barely understand him.
“Ibityouandnowwe’rematedandthat’sliketheshifterversionofamarriage. Wecanneverbewithanyoneelseanditsabondthatstaysinplaceforlife. There’snowaytobreakit.”
Keeland blinked. “I’m sorry, what?”
Dom huffed. “I bit you and I think I bonded us together. For shifters, it’s like a marriage, and there is no divorce. It’s for life.”
Oh.
Dom winced. “I’m sorry.”
