“Are you okay?” Kivani took a step closer then stopped when Dakota flinched. “I know this is a lot to take in.”
“A lot to take in?” Dakota’s laugh came out hysterical, bordering on manic. “You just turned into a fucking tiger in my living room. That’s not a lot, that’s completely insane.”
“I know.” Kivani’s hands twisted together, apprehension in his gaze. “And I should have told you sooner. Should have been honest instead of letting you find out like this.”
“Why didn’t you?” Dakota lowered his hands, meeting Kivani’s eyes. “We've been friends for weeks. You had plenty of opportunities.”
“Because telling humans about shifters is complicated.” Kivani moved to sit in the chair, his posture defensive. “Most people don’t react well. They either don’t believe it, or they believe it and freak out, or they believe it and tell other people. And once the secret is out, once humans know what we are, it puts entire communities at risk.”
The explanation made sense in a terrible kind of way. Dakota’s first instinct upon finding out had been panic, followed by the urge to call someone and tell them what he’d learned. If every human reacted that way, if the knowledge spread, shifters would become targets. Test subjects. Threats to be eliminated.
Dakota tried not to stare at Kivani’s nakedness but failed, his gaze trailing over lean muscle and… He quickly looked away. “Maybe you should get dressed.” Or not.
“I’ll go get dressed then fix your door,” Kivani said before he walked out, leaving Dakota alone to quietly contemplate everything that had happened tonight.
Chapter Six
Kivani examined the damage more closely. “I’ll replace the whole frame if I need to. Make sure it’s stronger than before so nothing like this can happen again.”
He ran his fingers along the splintered wood, assessing what he’d need to make this right. The door hung at an angle, the deadbolt mechanism completely destroyed where he’d forced entry. His tiger had taken over the moment he’d scented Bennett’s presence through the door, heard the fear in Dakota’s voice. No thought, just action. Protect mate. Remove threat.
Now he had to deal with the aftermath of that instinct.
“I need to go to the hardware store to finish the repairs properly.” Kivani straightened, meeting Dakota’s eyes across the small apartment. “But it won’t open until six in the morning. That’s another seven hours.”
Dakota wrapped his arms tighter around himself, his gaze darting to the broken door. “So what am I supposed to do until then? Just sit here with a door that doesn't lock?”
The fear in Dakota’s voice made Kivani’s tiger rumble low in his throat, demanding he fix this. Make his mate safe. But he couldn’t repair what he didn’t have materials for, and breaking into the hardware store would create more problems than it solved.
“Come stay at my place,” Kivani offered. “Just until I can get the door fixed. You’ll be safe there.”
Dakota’s expression shifted, something between relief and wariness crossing his features. “I don’t know if that’s a good idea.”
“It’s better than staying here with no lock.” Kivani kept his voice level, reasonable, even though his tiger wanted to just pick Dakota up and carry him to safety. “Bennett knows where you live now. Knows you’re alone. I’m not leaving you here vulnerable.”
“Right. Because he's a vampire who could probably just walk through walls or turn into mist or whatever vampires do in the movies.” Dakota’s laugh came out hollow, his hands rubbing at his face. “God, I can’t believe I just said that sentence like it’s normal.”
“He can’t walk through walls.” Kivani moved away from the door, giving Dakota space. “And the mist thing is mostly fiction. But he is stronger than a human, and he clearly has no problem forcing his way into places he's not wanted.”
Dakota’s hands dropped, his eyes finding Kivani’s again. “And you really think your place is safer? What if he follows us there?”
“Then I’ll deal with him.” Kivani let some of the tiger bleed into his voice, the protective growl that lived under every word when it came to his mate. “Permanently this time.”
Dakota studied him for a long moment, teeth worrying at his lower lip. Kivani tracked the movement, his tiger purring at the sight of his mate even while his human side tried to maintain appropriate distance. This wasn't how he’d wanted Dakota to find out about the mate bond. Wasn't how he’d wanted any of this to happen.
“Okay.” Dakota’s voice came out quiet, resigned. “But just for tonight. Tomorrow, you fix my door and I come back here.”
Kivani nodded, relief flooding through him even though his tiger protested the temporary nature of the arrangement. His animal wanted Dakota in their den permanently, wanted to surround him with their scent and keep him safe forever. But permanent wasn't something Dakota was ready to accept, not after the revelations.
“Just for tonight,” Kivani agreed, though the words tasted like a lie. Once he got Dakota into his space, his tiger would fight tooth and claw against letting him leave.
Dakota grabbed his phone from where it had fallen earlier then looked around the apartment like he was trying to figure out what else he needed. His hands shook slightly as he picked up a charger from the counter, and Kivani had to force himself not to reach out and steady them. Touch would probably be unwelcome right now after everything Dakota had just learned.
They crossed the hallway together, the distance between their doors barely ten feet. Kivani had been hyperaware of that proximity since Dakota had moved in, his tiger constantly tracking his mate’s movements through the building. Now Dakota would be even closer, separated by rooms instead of walls.
Kivani unlocked his door and pushed it open, stepping aside to let Dakota enter first. His apartment looked the same as it had that morning when they’d kissed in the kitchen, but somehow it felt different now. Charged with tension that hadn't existed before Bennett had destroyed whatever careful foundation they’d been building.
Dakota walked inside slowly, his eyes moving over the space like he was seeing it differently now. Looking for evidence of what Kivani was, maybe. Signs that a predator lived here. But Kivani had never kept anything obvious around. No mounted antlers or animal pelts. Just normal furniture and copper pots and windows that let in too much light.
