“You like me anyway.”
Connor’s expression softened, affection flowing through the bond. “Yeah. I really do.”
Chapter Seventeen
Connor couldn’t shake Taylor’s words. They circled through his head on endless repeat -available,unclaimed, the casual assumption that Leyden’s bond meant nothing without the traditional sex acts to seal it.
He sat at his desk three days later, staring at the security reports without actually reading them. Leyden had laughed it off. Dismissed it like it didn’t matter. But it gnawed at Connor, the way Taylor had looked at his mate, the proposition delivered with such confidence.
As if Leyden was still on the market.
His laptop sat open, cursor blinking in the search bar. Connor’s fingers hovered over the keys.
He’d spent years researching his own sexuality, trying to understand why he couldn’t just fuck someone and move on like every other wolf he knew. The worddemisexualhad been a revelation when he’d found it at twenty-three, a framework that finally made sense of the disconnect between his body and his brain.
But that was seven years ago. Maybe things had changed. Maybe there were resources now that hadn’t existed before – it’s not like Connor had ever tried to find any information relating to shifters with his way of thinking. He’d always assumed he was the only one.
Connor typed:demisexual shifters.
To his surprise results flooded his screen. Articles, blog posts, forum threads. A lot more than he remembered from his previous searches, and a few of them were shifter specific. He clicked on a forum calledAce Shifters United, and scanned the home page. He’d never seen that site before.
There were hundreds of members and thousands of posts.
His chest loosened slightly.
The pinned thread at the top read:You’re Not Broken - Read This First. Connor clicked it, skimmed the welcome message written by a moderator named GrayWolf.
Welcome to ASU. If you’ve found this forum, you’re probably feeling isolated, confused, maybe you have an idea that you’re some sort of broken. You’re not. Asexuality and demisexuality exist on a spectrum, and contrary to popular shifter belief, we’re not rare. We’re just quiet. This is your space to be loud.
Connor scrolled through the replies. Dozens of shifters sharing their stories. Wolves, cats, bears. Alphas, betas, omegas. Every age, every background.
It’s not just me!
He clicked on another thread:Successful Matings - Ace/Demi with Allo Partners.
The first post came from someone called MoonRunner:My mate is allo (allosexual - experiences sexual attraction regularly). I’m demi. Been mated five years. Here’s what works for us: communication, zero assumptions, respecting boundaries even when they change day to day. My mate never pressures me. I never feel guilty for my limits. We’re happy.
Connor read reply after reply. Similar themes threaded through every story.
Patience.
Honesty.
Respect.
Things Leyden already gave him.
He found a post from someone called NightHowl:Real talk - my allo mate still experiences desire for other people sometimes. Not like he’s gonna act on it, but the attraction exists. I used to feel guilty that I couldn’t be everything he needed sexually.Therapy helped. So did accepting that desire doesn’t equal action, and my mate CHOSE me knowing exactly who I am.
Connor’s throat tightened. Leyden had chosen him. Turned down Taylor without hesitation, defended their bond even when it meant banishing his own enforcers.
Another thread caught his attention:Understanding Different Types of Attraction.
He clicked it, found a detailed post breaking down attraction into categories: aesthetic, romantic, sensual, sexual.
Aesthetic attraction: appreciating someone’s physical appearance without sexual desire. You think they’re hot, beautiful, handsome, etc.
Rubbing his chin, Connor pictured Leyden’s face - the way morning light caught in his black hair, the sharp line of his jaw. He instantly felt a visceral punch ofwantwhen he looked at his mate – Connor had discarded it because it wasn’t sexual, but the feeling was equally powerful.
