Chapter Eight
George pulled away from Leon and started to roll to the side of the bed. He couldn't stand to see the condemnation in Leon's eyes that he knew was coming. You didn't mate someone without their permission. It just wasn't done.
He started to stand when a hand on his wrist stopped him.
"Sit back down."
George sat. He dropped his head down to stare at his hands. He'd take anything Leon had to dish out to him. He deserved every nasty word. He'd violated Leon's trust. He was a monster.
"Would you stop?" Leon snapped. "I can hear your brain turning from here. Knock it off."
When the bed moved, George turned and peeked at Leon. The man was scooting up to lean against the headboard. Sadly, he pulled the covers up to his waist, as well.
Leon must have seen him, because he frowned. "Explain to me what you meant. How did you mate me?"
"Uh, well, I bit you during sex."
Leon shook his head. "Shifters bite during sex. That's a gimme. How does that make us mates?"
George shrugged. "My bear decided you were our mate."
"And he just gets to decide that?" Leon asked. "We have no say in it?"
George dipped his head and stared down at his hands again. "You're human. You can refuse the mating."
"And what about you?"
George swallowed tightly. "I'm a bear."
"That much is obvious by the bite mark in my neck."
Nothing on earth could have prevented George from turning and looking at the red puckered bite mark on Leon's throat. He couldn't help the pride that streaked through him at how deep it was. Every shifter knew, the deeper the bite, the better the mating mark would be when it fully healed. Everyone would know Leon had been claimed.
Except he hadn't, not really.
True, he had claimed Leon. For as long as he lived, he would never want another, never even get hard for another. Leon was it, even if Leon didn't want him. The man could leave and never come back, and George would still be mated to him.
George wasn't positive how it worked for humans, but he was pretty sure they didn't have the same imperative need for their mates as shifters did. He'd heard enough conversations when he was growing up to know it would be horribly painful for him if Leon didn't stick around, but after what he'd done to the man, did he have a right to ask him to stay?
Leon didn't know him, and he didn't know Leon. The man had no reason to stick around once his assignment was over. George certainly hadn't given him a reason. He'd attacked the man and claimed him without permission.
"I'm so sorry," he whispered. "I never meant for this to happen."
"George—"
George twisted his fingers together until they turned white. "What I did was unconscionable."
"George—"
"I'd completely understand if you want to have someone else assigned to me." Leon was totally within his rights to do just that, and George wouldn't blame him a bit. He'd crossed a line he couldn't come back from.
"George, shut up."
George pressed his lips together, but he couldn't bring himself to look at Leon, not knowing that he had so totally screwed up, he'd never have his mate more than this one time. He wasn't sure he'd survive the heartache that brought him.
It was funny really. Today, he was going to claim more money than most people dreamed of, and yet at that moment, he had given up every dream he'd ever had in one disastrous bite. He'd give up the money without a single regret if it meant keeping Leon.
"Look at me, George."
