He hugged Taylor’s pillow harder against his chest.Okay, he could admit that he probably was safe.No one here had tried to hurt him, not even when they hadn’t known who he was.A lot of alphas would have hunted him down and kicked him out of town, but not Gal.Instead, Gal had worried about Ben.He’d wanted to talk to him and to ensure that Ben was okay.He’d taken Ben home with him and had given him a safe place where he could rest, clean up, and eat.
Ben knew how lucky he’d been.If Gal had been anyone else, Ben wouldn’t be here right now.
But hewashere.He was here, and he’d met his mate.The fact that his mate had run away from him didn’t change what had happened.Ben had met his mate, who was somewhere in the house right now.
He sat up.If he wasn’t so afraid, he’d leave the bedroom and go look for Taylor.He knew that since it was early morning, Taylor was probably getting breakfast, so he’d be in the kitchen or the dining room.
Ben didn’t know where either of those rooms were, but he could find them.If anything, he could follow the smell of food that reached the bedroom and made his stomach growl.
He knew better than to actually do that.He had no idea who he’d meet if he opened the door.The only person he trusted was Taylor, and maybe the other men who’d been there when he’d first met his mate.Anyone else, he wanted to stay away from.
A noise just outside his bedroom door made him jump.He stared at the door, wondering who was about to come in.For a moment, nothing happened, but he knew someone was out there.He could hear them.
That someone finally knocked.Ben sucked in a breath.He didn’t want to answer, but he didn’t have a choice.He wasn’t in his home.He was here because he was a guest of the pride, and if someone wanted to talk to him, they should be able to.
“Come in,” he croaked.Before yesterday, it had been a while since he’d used his human voice.He’d been surprised it still worked after everything.
The door slowly opened, and Taylor appeared.Ben watched him, surprised.It wasn’t only that Taylor was here, but also that he was carrying a tray.
Taylor kicked the door closed.He looked around the room briefly, hesitated, then moved toward the nightstand on the side of the bed where Ben was sitting.Ben held his breath, wondering what was about to happen.He watched as Taylor put down the tray, then quickly took a step back.It looked like he was trying hard not to look at Ben, which wasn’t what Ben wanted.
He needed to convince Taylor that he would be a good mate.He had no idea why Taylor had freaked out when he found out yesterday, but whatever it was, Ben was sure they could find a solution.
“Is that food for me?”he asked.
Taylor finally looked at him and nodded.“Yeah.Has someone brought you breakfast already?”
“No.I haven’t seen anyone since last night.”
“But you got dinner.”
“Gal made sure I had something to eat, yes.”
“Well, I brought you breakfast.”
“Thank you.”Ben was hungry, but he didn’t reach for the food yet.He continued watching Taylor, wondering what he should say.Was Taylor planning on leaving the room now that he’d delivered the food?Ben didn’t want him to.
“I wanted to talk to you,” Taylor eventually said.“And to apologize.”
“You have nothing to apologize for.”
“That’s not true.I ran.I didn’t give you an explanation, even though I knew I was the only one you trusted.I should’ve told you what was going on, but I was in shock.”
“Because you didn’t expect me to be your mate.I understand.”They’d spent two days sharing a bed.Ben had thought Taylor knew they were mates, but if he hadn’t and had spent two days hugging Ben and never noticing, it had to have been a shock.
Taylor shook his head.“In part, that was it, but that’s not all there is to the situation.I mean, I was shocked because after spending two days together, I should’ve known, but it’s also that you’re a guy.”
Ben blinked.“I don’t understand.”
“I’ve only ever been with women before.I never considered being anything but straight, but you’re my mate, and you’re a guy.”
Ben was slightly confused.He understood where Taylor was coming from, but they were mates, so what did their sexuality matter?Maybe he didn’t understand because he’d had boyfriends before.
He shuddered at the thought of the last one.That wasn’t a situation he ever wanted to think about again.
“I’m not sure what to say,” he admitted.“I feel like I should apologize, but at the same time, this isn’t my fault.”
“I know, and you don’t need to apologize.I freaked out, and the way I reacted is on me.I should’ve remembered everything you’ve no doubt gone through, but I panicked.I wasn’t planning on meeting my mate.”
