“I know.” Connor’s fingers stilled over Leyden’s heart. “I liked when you kissed the claiming bite. That’s an intense sensation.”
“Good intense?”
“Very good intense.” Connor’s cock stirred at the memory. He shifted against Leyden’s thigh, surprised his body was already interested again. “I didn’t expect that.”
Leyden’s hand slid down Connor’s back, settled at the small of his spine. Not pushing, just touching. Being close.
“Anything you didn’t like? Or want to try differently next time?”
Next time. The words didn’t elicit any panic, like it might’ve done in the past.
“I can’t think of anything just yet. Last night was my first time experiencing any of this.” Connor propped himself up on one elbow, looking down at Leyden. “But I want to try again. Figure out what works for us.”
“We can have sex as often or as rarely as you want,” Leyden said firmly. “If that’s once a week or once a month or once a year, that’s fine. Whatever feels right for you.”
“What about what feels right for you?”
Leyden pulled Connor down for a slow kiss. “What feels right for me is being with my mate. However that looks.” Leyden’s thumb traced Connor’s bottom lip.
There was something deeply settling about Leyden’s confidence. Connor ducked his head, pressed his face against Leyden’s shoulder.
“I probably won’t want it every day,” he said quietly, needing Leyden to understand. “My desire for you is real, but it’s notconstant like yours. It seems to build over time, and comes in waves.”
“I guessed that. That’s okay.”
“You say that now…”
“Connor, look inside yourself, connect with our bond, commune with your wolf. You’ll know I’m telling the truth.” Leyden gripped his chin, forced him to meet his eyes. “This…you…is what I want. Your desire on your timeline. Not some fantasy version of you that doesn’t exist.”
His mate was right, and Connor knew it. “Sorry,” he said with a small grin. “I do believe you. It’s just some habits die harder than others.”
Their next kiss was warm, as if sealing the deal. Connor’s body thought about being interested in more, but he ignored it.
“What about pups?” Connor asked when they broke apart. The question had been circling his mind for weeks. “Do you ever think about that?”
“All the time since meeting you.” Leyden’s expression softened. “I’d love pups. Two, maybe three. Adopted, since we obviously can’t make them ourselves.”
Connor huffed a laugh. “Definitely not biologically possible.”
“There are always wolf pups who need homes. Orphans, pups from broken packs.” Leyden’s fingers resumed their path through Connor’s hair. “We could provide stability. Safety. Love.”
“I’d like that.” Connor imagined it - pups running through the pack house, learning to shift in the yard. Teaching them to be comfortable with themselves, whatever that looked like. “We should probably solidify the pack first, though. Make sure everyone’s completely loyal.”
“Most of them are. The rest will fall in line or leave.” Leyden’s jaw tightened. “After last night, our bond is complete. They’ll smell it on us. No more questions about whether we’re really mated.”
Connor thought about that - about returning to the pack house marked inside and out as Leyden’s. Belonging to someone completely for the first time in his life.
“I spent years thinking I was broken,” Connor said quietly. “I always believed I was defective because I couldn’t just fuck someone and move on.”
“You were never broken. We’ve established that at least a hundred times.”
“I know that now.” Connor traced the claiming bite on Leyden’s throat. His mark. His claim. “You helped me see it. That being demi doesn’t make me less. Just different.”
“Perfect exactly as you are.”
Connor’s throat tightened. He kissed Leyden, slow and deep, trying to convey everything he couldn’t say – gratitude, love and bone-deep trust.
“Thank you,” Connor whispered against Leyden’s lips. “For waiting. For understanding. For choosing me.”
