“Not weird.” Grayson moved up the bed and pulled Ryan against him. His mate came easily, settling into the curve of Grayson’s body. The fit was perfect, like they'd been designed to slot together. Ryan’s head tucked under Grayson’s jaw, his breath warming the hollow of Grayson’s throat.
They lay like that for several minutes. Ryan’s breathing gradually evened out, his body going loose and pliant. Grayson’s hand moved in slow circles on Ryan’s back, feeling the knobs of his vertebrae through his skin. His mate was small against him, fragile. The need to protect him, to keep him safe from everything that wanted to hurt him, burned through Grayson’s system like fire.
“I can feel you thinking,” Ryan said against his throat. “Your body just tensed up. What’s wrong?”
Grayson forced himself to relax. His mate was too perceptive, too good at reading him. “Nothing's wrong.”
“Liar.” Ryan pulled back enough to look at him. His eyes were clearer now, the post-orgasm haze fading. “You’re worried about something. The hyenas?”
“They’ll come back.” Grayson couldn’t lie to his mate. The bond wouldn’t allow it. “Tonight was just a test. They wanted to see what kind of resistance they'd face. Now they know.”
Ryan’s expression did something complicated. The satisfaction from moments ago faded, replaced by something harder. “They know you’re a lion. That you have a pride backing you up. Won't that make them back off?”
“No.” Grayson’s hand stilled on Ryan’s back. “It'll make them more careful. More vicious. Hyenas are scavengers but they’re not cowards. When they want something badly enough, they’ll take risks.”
“And they want the dogs that badly.” Ryan’s voice had gone flat. “Because the dogs are profitable. Because hurting them makes money.”
“Yes.”
Ryan was quiet for a long moment. His fingers traced patterns on Grayson’s ribs, the touch light and probably unconscious. Grayson could feel him thinking, processing. His mate's mind was always working, always trying to understand the world around him.
“What happens now?” Ryan asked finally. “Do I go back to work tomorrow? Pretend everything is normal? Or do I hide here until you've dealt with the hyenas?”
“You go to work.” Grayson’s hand resumed the slow circles on Ryan’s back. “We'll have people watching. If anything feels wrong, if anyone approaches you, you leave immediately and call me.”
“That’s a lot of trust you’re asking for.” Ryan’s gaze searched Grayson’s face. “Trusting that your people will keep me safe. Trusting that the hyenas won't just grab me in the parking lot. Trusting that this whole situation won't end with me dead in a ditch somewhere.”
The image Ryan painted made something violent rise in Grayson’s throat. His lion snarled at the thought of anyone touching his mate, of Ryan hurt or scared or worse. The need to lock Ryan in this room, to keep him here where nothing could reach him, pulled at Grayson’s consciousness.
“That won't happen,” Grayson said. The words came out harder than he meant them to. “I won't let it happen.”
“You can’t control everything.” Ryan’s hand moved to cup Grayson’s face, his thumb brushing along his jaw. “You’re powerful and scary and apparently you can turn into a lion, but you’re not invincible. The hyenas could get lucky. They could catch me when your people aren't watching. They could—”
Grayson kissed him. Cut off the spiral of fear with his mouth. Ryan made a sound of surprise that melted into something softer. His body relaxed against Grayson’s, the tension bleeding away. When Grayson pulled back, Ryan’s eyes were glazed again.
“You’re really good at the distraction thing,” Ryan said. His voice came out breathless. “Just kiss me until I stop thinking about horrible possibilities.”
“If it works.” Grayson’s thumb traced along Ryan’s lower lip. The skin there was swollen from kissing, darker than usual. His mate was marked inside and out now, claimed in every way that mattered.
Ryan’s tongue darted out to touch Grayson’s thumb. The wet heat of it made Grayson’s cock twitch with interest. His mate noticed, his eyes dropping down between them.
“Already?” Ryan’s laugh was soft. “We just finished. How are you already thinking about round two?”
“Shifter stamina.” Grayson rolled them until Ryan was on his back, Grayson’s weight pressing him into the mattress. “And you’re my mate. Being near you is enough.”
“That’s a lot of pressure.” Ryan’s legs fell open, making room for Grayson between them. “What if I can’t keep up? What if my human stamina is embarrassing compared to your shifter stamina?”
“Then I’ll take care of you until you’re ready again.” Grayson’s mouth found the mark on Ryan’s shoulder. The skin there was hot, slightly raised. Ryan’s pulse jumped under his tongue. “And again. And again.”
Ryan’s breath hitched. His hands moved to Grayson’s shoulders, fingers digging into the muscle there. “That sounds like a threat.”
“It’s a promise.” Grayson traced his tongue along the edge of the bite mark. Ryan’s whole body arched up, a gasp tearing from his throat. The reaction made satisfaction curl through Grayson’s gut. His mate was sensitive there now, the mark connecting them in ways Ryan probably didn’t understand yet.
“Okay,” Ryan breathed. His head fell back against the pillow, exposing his throat. “I’m on board with this promise. Very on board. Enthusiastically on board.”
Grayson’s hand moved down Ryan’s body, mapping the dips and curves. His mate was still loose from before, still relaxed. The evidence of what they'd done was visible in the way Ryan’s body responded, in the sounds he made when Grayson’s fingers brushed between his legs.
“Too soon,” Ryan said. His voice wavered. “I need more time. I’m not a shifter with magical recovery powers.”
