Nymon sucked in a breath when he noticed something fluffy hiding in the bushes.He’d found his prey.
He didn’t want to startle the wolf and get people’s attention, so he stopped moving.He glanced around, trying to find a way to warn the wolf that he was there, but before he could, the wolf retreated and turned.They froze when they saw Nymon standing there, and for a moment, the two of them stared at each other.
“You like my new ring?”a woman asked close by.
Nymon was tempted to peek and see the ring, but he kept his focus on the wolf.
“Arkya bought it for me,” the woman continued.“It has to have cost a fortune.”
“It was cheaper than you think,” a man mumbled, almost as if he didn’t want to confess how much he’d paid.Maybe he didn’t.Maybe it was a gift.
The wolf turned.Nymon opened his mouth to tell them to stop, but the people close by would hear him if he did that.He didn’t want them to.He couldn’t attract attention with the wolf shifter hanging around.When the wolf trotted away, Nymon had to make a decision.
It was an easy decision to make.
He followed the wolf into the forest.He had to be fast but also careful so he wouldn’t fall on his face or make too much noise, but to his surprise, he managed to keep up.He wasn’t sure where the wolf was taking him, but he wasn’t surprised to see they were getting deeper into the forest.Hewassurprised when the wolf suddenly stopped walking and turned to face him again.
Nymon was panting slightly by the time he stopped.He raised his hands, hoping to convey the fact that he wasn’t here to hurt the wolf.“I’m just curious,” he said.“I’ve only told my best friend that you were here, and I told him that I’m not sure that you’re a shifter.”Nymon snorted.“That’s because I’m not, I guess.You could be a wolf, which would mean I’m talking to an animal, which is kind of stupid and embarrassing, but if you’re an animal, you don’t know that, so it’s fine.If you’re a shifter, well, I’m rambling, and I’m sure you have better things to do than to listen to me.”
Nymon snapped his mouth shut.If he continued talking, he’d spill his entire life history, and he doubted the wolf wanted to hear that, shifter or not.He was nervous, and when he was nervous, he tended to talk as a distraction.Usually it worked, but he could feel the wolf watching him, and it made him feel some kind of way.He wasn’t sure what way that was other than confused.
He needed to reassure the wolf.The shifter probably thought that Nymon would call the authorities or something and get them dragged out of town, but that wasn’t why he was here.He wasn’t entirely sure why he was here, but it wasn’t to give the wolf away.“I promise I won’t tell anyone else that you’re here.My best friend won’t tell anyone, either, so you don’t have to worry about that.I know you’re not supposed to be here, but I don’t care about that.I think it’s stupid.”
The wolf huffed in a way that sounded like laughter.It made Nymon smile and relax, but the wolf was still just staring at him and not doing anything.
“Okay, so you’re not shifting.Does that mean you’re not a shifter?Because I’m going to feel like an idiot if you’re not.I’m also going to wonder if you’re planning to eat me.Areyou planning to eat me?”
The wolf huffed again.They took a step forward, and Nymon told himself not to move.If this was a real wolf, he doubted it would do him any good, and if this was a shifter, he didn’t think he had a reason to fear them.He wasn’t sure why he felt that way, but he did.He knew deep inside that this wolf wasn’t going to hurt him.
“It’s just that you have to be here for a reason, right?”Nymon asked.“And I could help you.Maybe you’re looking for someone or something?I know a lot of people in town.Well, I’m pretty sure I know everyone, but we live in a small town, so that makes sense.Anyway, if you’re looking for someone, I can help you find them.I guess you could be here for bad reasons, but I don’t think so, so I really want to help you.It would be easier if you shifted, though.Not that you have to,” Nymon quickly added.“I get why you’d be uncomfortable.You guys are naked when you shift, right?And you don’t know me, so it would be awkward.I could close my eyes if you want?I could even give you my sweater, unless you have clothes stashed in the area.I don’t know how long you’ve been hiding, but it doesn’t look very comfortable.You couldn’t pay me to live in the forest, although I guess I don’t have fur, so maybe I just don’t understand.I’m sure it’s more comfortable when you have four paws and everything else.”
The shifter looked amused.It wasn’t an expression Nymon would have expected to see on an animal’s face, so he was ninety percent sure that he was in front of a shifter.He could still be wrong, but he’d never met an animal that was so intelligent.
He took a step forward.“I just want to talk,” he murmured.He didn’t know if any of what he was saying would help, but he had to try.He had to know why this shifter was here and why Nymon felt like if he didn’t talk to them, he’d die.
Chapter Three
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TEX DIDN’T THINK HEhad a choice.He could turn and leave, but he suspected that his mate would try to come after him.It made sense.Nymon had no way to know that they were mates, but even though he was a demon, he could probably feel the bond between them.It would make him want to spend time with Tex and be as close to him as possible, just like it did for Tex.The only difference was that Tex knew what it was.
Tex didn’twantto leave his mate, and he hoped he wouldn’t have to.For now, they were both here, and Tex had to make a decision.He could still hear the people he’d been spying on talking.They were too close for comfort.They might not have a reason to enter the forest, but one of them might, or Tex or Nymon could make a sound that would alert them that someone was there.No, if Tex and Nymon were going to talk, they needed to do so away from town.Nymon had a home, but Tex couldn’t remember exactly how to get there, and he suspected it would take too much time.The best thing he could do was put more distance between them and the town and shift once he was sure no one would notice.
He took a step back, then another.Nymon frowned and reached for him, but Tex didn’t stop.He was relieved when Nymon came after him as he walked away.He didn’t argue or ask what was going on.He just followed as if he trusted Tex, which didn’t make sense but made a lot of sense at the same time.Nymon’s soul knew he could trust Tex, even though he’d never even seen his face.
They were silent as they walked, and Tex made sure not to go too fast so that Nymon could follow him easily.Nymon had lived here all of his life, though.He moved through the forest as if he belonged, and he did.
“No one ever comes this deep,” Nymon eventually said.“It’s too close to the shield, and most people prefer to stay away from it.It makes us feel sick if we try to cross it.”
Nymon was saying that as if it was completely normal, but Tex hadn’t realized that was the case.He’d thought that the only people who felt sick when crossing the shield was people trying to get in.Apparently, the same went for anyone trying to leave, and it was good information to have.
He stopped moving and turned to face his mate.Nymon was waiting patiently for Tex to make his decision.He didn’t look anything but calm and settled.Tex wanted to kiss him, but it wouldn’t be possible in his wolf form, and he didn’t want to freak out the man standing in front of him before they could even talk.
He sucked in a breath and shifted.He didn’t have a choice, and he wanted to talk to his mate.He wanted to find out more about him than his name and the fact that he had a best friend.He wanted to knoweverything, and the intensity of that emotion scared him a bit.
“There you are,” Nymon murmured.His cheeks were flushed, and he was making an obvious effort not to stare at Tex.His gaze was above Tex’s shoulder, directed toward the trees behind him.He probably didn’t understand that Tex didn’t care if he saw him naked.He was used to being naked around people, and Nymon was his mate.If there was someone whoshouldsee Tex naked, it was him.
Tex hoped he hadn’t made the wrong decision.Nymon might be his mate, but Tex didn’t know if he could trust him.He wouldn’t find out for a while.
