Taylor huffed.He didn’t know what to do.“We both stink at this point.I wouldn’t be able to tell if you’re a panda shifter or a real panda.From the smell, I’d go for the second.”And he stank, too.The whole room did.
“Maybe you could shower with them,” Tony suggested.
“I’m not showering with anyone I don’t know.”
“Well, something’s going to have to change,” Gal said as he strode into the room.Taylor could tell from his expression that he was here as the alpha, not as a friend.He prayed nothing else had happened because he wasn’t in a state to take care of it.He couldn’t even convince the panda shifter to let go of him.
“How are you doing?”Gal asked Taylor.
“I’d be better if our panda here would let me go.They scratch on the bathroom door when I use it, for fuck’s sake.”The first time it had happened, it had taken Taylor a moment to understand what was happening.He’d come out of the bathroom with a scowl, but the panda’s sad eyes had stopped him before he could say anything about it.He didn’t want to be the bad guy here.He just wanted his freedom back and some answers.
“I can understand this is frustrating,” Gal said, his tone gentle as if he knew that Taylor was close to snapping.He turned his attention to the panda.“This has to be very confusing for you, and I understand the need to feel safe.Is that what Taylor is doing for you?Making you feel safe?”
The panda didn’t say anything.How could they when they refused to shift?
Gal sighed when it became clear that he wouldn’t get any answer.“Taylor isn’t going anywhere.Tony’s his boss, and he agreed that Taylor could stay home for as long as you need him to.But you have to understand that refusing to shift back is making everything more complicated.Taylor’s right.You both need a shower, and I would like to talk to you and learn your name.I’ll help you regardless of what you want to tell me about yourself and your past, but you’re not a panda.You’re a shifter, and you have a human form I need you to take right now.”
Taylor didn’t expect it to work.Nothing had until now, so why would this be any different?Gal wasn’t the panda’s alpha.Technically, the panda shifter didn’t have to listen to him or do what he asked.Gal could kick them out, but he wouldn’t.It wasn’t the kind of person he was, and Taylor suspected that the panda knew it.
But to Taylor’s surprise, the panda vanished, leaving in their place a painfully thin and very naked man.He didn’t let go of Taylor, even now that he was in his human form.In fact, he tried moving even closer while at the same time making himself smaller by curling into a tight ball.He clung to Taylor’s arm with both of his, clearly not ready to let go.
But he’d shifted.That was a step forward, and hopefully, now that they could speak, Taylor would find out why the panda had chosen him of all people to cling to and what he could do to make it stop.He had a life to go back to.He might even be able to reschedule his date.
Everyone stared at the man in Taylor’s bed, including Taylor.He didn’t think that anyone had expected that to work.He certainly hadn’t.
He was glad things were moving along.The panda clearly needed more than they’d been giving him.He was painfully thin, making it obvious that he hadn’t been eating regularly for a while now.He stank even in his human form, but like this, he’d be easier to move.Taylor just hoped the panda wouldn’t shift back if he felt pushed in a direction he wasn’t ready for.Taylor wasn’t sure he’d be able to deal with more time in bed with a panda wrapped around him.
He reached down and gently tried to push the man away to see what happened.He wasn’t surprised when the panda shifter clung to him harder and buried his face against his neck.Taylor was glad the panda shifter hadn’t done that while he’d been in his panda form because he was pretty sure he’d have ended up a pancake under him, but it still wasn’t particularly pleasant.
Taylor wrinkled his nose.“Hey, I’m not trying to offend you, but you really need a shower.We both do.I can barely smell you under the stench of the forest and everything else.”The panda shifter wasn’t going to get offended, was he?He hadn’t showered in a while.He had to know that he stank.
The panda blinked up at him.He was adorable, which wasn’t something Taylor had ever thought about a grown-ass man.His dark eyes were mesmerizing, though, and he looked young.“You can’t smell me?”the panda shifter asked.
“Not really.Mostly, you smell like you haven’t bathed in a while.”
The panda shifter was still watching Taylor and clinging to him.Taylor wasn’t sure what he’d expected would happen, but it wasn’t for the panda shifter to slither higher on the bed.He kept looking from Gal to Tony, to Jacob to Taylor, then started again.Taylor would pay a lot of money to know what the panda shifter was thinking and his story.
He didn’t get the opportunity to ask.
* * * *
BEN HAD KNOWN HE WOULDN’Tbe allowed to stay in his panda form for much longer.He was actually surprised they’d allowed him to do it for as long as they had.He was glad, too.He’d needed a little time.Hell, he’d need a lot of time to get over what had happened to him, but these people had welcomed him into their home and their pride.They deserved to know what was going on, especially because there was always a chance that Jimmy would find Ben and start trouble here.
Telling these people meant that there was a chance they’d kick Ben out, unfortunately.He wanted to hope that being Taylor’s mate would convince them otherwise, but Taylor had just said that he couldn’t smell Ben, so there was a chance his alpha wouldn’t want Ben there until Taylor acknowledged their bond.Ben wouldn’t know until he was honest with them, and he couldn’t do that if he didn’t shift back to his human form.
So, he had.
He hadn’t expected anyone to react badly.He certainly hadn’t expected Taylor to start screaming after smelling him.He’d thought Taylor would be shocked just like he had been when he’d realized that Taylor was his mate two days ago, but being mates wasn’t a bad thing.It shouldn’t elicit the kind of reaction Taylor was having.
“Holy shit,” Taylor screeched.He grabbed Ben’s shoulders and tried to push him away.
It wasn’t the first time he’d done that, but the other times, Ben had clung to him.He’d been scared to be away from Taylor, and he still was, but he didn’t have it in him to continue clinging to him.It was obvious that Taylor didn’t want it.
As soon as Taylor was free, Ben scrambled away from him, just in case.He still didn’t think that Taylor would hurt him, but he couldn’t be sure, and he didn’t want to risk it, especially when it was obvious that Taylor was freaking out.Ben hated that Taylor felt that way when it came to their bond, but he was too tired to do anything but press his back against the headboard and hug a pillow.It wouldn’t protect him, but it made him feel less exposed, and for now, that was enough.
Taylor was off the bed before Ben could say anything.He almost fell against the wall, and Ben had to resist the urge to reach for him so he could check that his mate was okay.He didn’t think that Taylor would want Ben to touch him or even be close to him right now considering the way he was pressing his back against the wall as if he couldn’t get far enough away from Ben.
Taylor was staring at Ben, but everyone else seemed confused.Ben wanted to ask Taylor to come back, but he felt he’d already been humiliated enough for today.He knew that reaching for his mate would end in rejection, and he wasn’t strong enough to deal with that right now.He was sure he never would be, but he’d have to deal with it eventually, and he hoped it was shock that was making Taylor behave this way.
