“Thanks,” said Slate. “I just want to eliminate all the stress I can for Dakota, especially with all he’s been through lately.”
Logan thought for a second before asking, “HowisDakota? Any symptoms yet? Hey, he should talk to Jackson about what to expect. It might ease your worry, too.”
“Good idea. We’ll be home in a few days so we can do it then.”
“Have Colton and Ian examined him yet?”
“No, but I guess they should,” Slate replied. “Do you think they’d mind if I asked them to do it while they are on vacation?”
“Are you shittin’ me?” smirked Logan. “Those two have medical genes and will never turn down a chance to use them. In fact, I’ll bet you Colton is fretting because he hasn’t examined Dakota yet. Do my brother a favor and put him out of his misery…take Dakota to him and let Colton have at him.”
Chuckling, Slate said, “I promise. Now, you want to tell me why my father is here?”
~/~/~/~/~
“If I understand you, I’m naked when you claim me?” asked David.
“Yup. See, no robes, nothing to memorize, just biting each other.”
“Then why do I need to be naked?”
“Because we’ll be fucking and it’s easier if we’re naked.”
“You mean we’re having sex when we bite each other?”
“Yeah, babe, that’s a claiming. What did you think it was?”
David looked perplexed. “I never thought about it once the High Priestess told me I’d never have a Fated Mate. Are you sure that’s all we have to do? It doesn’t sound right. Don’t we have to declare our intentions to each other? You know make promises, swear on blood, something like that?”
“No, babe, none of that. That’s what biting each other does. I’ll wear your mark and vice versa. Every shifter will know we are Fated Mates. Trust me.”
“I do trust you but I thought there was more to it…an announcement maybe, or blessed by the High Shaman…it just seems too simple to bind us together for our lives.”
“Well, if you want, after we claim each other, Kieran can bless us, I guess.”
“When we bite each other, will you get your gift?”
“I don’t know. Oracle will tell me.” Then Zane, sensing his mate was troubled, asked, “Babe, what are you uneasy about?”
David hung his head, unwilling for his mate to see his fear.What if I do something wrong when we’re doing sex? Will the claiming fail? How will I know if I’m doing something wrong when I’ve never done it before? For that matter, how do we have sex? I don’t understand this at all. Why can’t we just bite each other without the sex?
Zane looked at David, wondering what his mate’s problem was about the claiming. It was so simple and straightforward but David appeared to be very confused.About the biting? What’s so hard to understand about…oh fuck…that’s right, he’s never had sex before and doesn’t know what to do!“Babe, would you please look at me?” he asked, softly.
David reluctantly raised his eyes until he was staring into his mate’s, unsure what was to happen now.
“Babe, have you ever had sex with a man?”
Shaking his head, David’s face turned bright red, embarrassed at having to admit his ignorance.
“That’s not a problem. I can show you how to do it, but do youwantto have sex with me?”
Nodding his head, David said, “I do. I’m just afraid of screwing it up and then the claiming won’t happen.”
Zane gathered his mate in his arms, holding him close and rubbing his back while thinking about what he was taught about claiming. The last thing he wanted was for his mate not to enjoy sex because of his fear. Then he remembered what his teacher had added at the end of the claiming lecture. “Babe, I believe we can bite each other without having sex at the same time and it’ll still be a claiming. Afterwards, I can teach you about the many ways we can enjoy each other’s bodies, if that will make you feel better.”
“Really? Are you sure?” David asked, his words muffled by Zane’s chest.
“Yes, and you’ll know if it worked because there’ll be scars on both of us and you won’t have to worry about doing something wrong.”
