This time he didn’t use his paws but dunked his head under the water, snapping the fish in his jaws.
I’m done. You can have your skin back.
He clambered out of the water and shook water off his fur before I shifted and pulled on my pants and shirt.
“As a vegetarian, it’s hard watching your bear tear the life out of a fish.”
But my beast only took what he needed, unlike humans who had desecrated the planet.
Plonking myself beside my mate, I shook my head and chortled as water sprayed over him.
“Hey, not fair.” He brushed off the drops.
I pointed out it’d been a couple of days since we’d showered, and he told me he’d get clean back in the cabin.
Now I was pleased that my mate had suggested a walk rather than secluding ourselves in the cabin, and I lay back and allowed the sun to warm my skin.
“I’d love to call Stoney River home.” Roland lay beside me but shaded his face with both hands. Unicorns had sensitive skin I’d learned.
“I’d like to work in the library if we’re allowed to stay.” I was a book fiend and read anything I could get my hands on.
“Working with the pack healer would be my choice, assuming they have one.”
“You could be the healer if they’re in need.”
He shrugged and told me he’d had no training. “Just because my horn has healing powers, that doesn’t mean I know what I’m doing. I just point and touch.”
“Interesting medical philosophy. Point and touch.”
Roland laughed.
“I’ve been thinking.” He turned on his side toward me.
“Oh no. That sounds dangerous.”
“Oh you.” He gave me a shoulder bump. “But I need us to be serious for a minute about marking.”
Huh? Why was he bringing that up when we didn’t have a permanent home or pack?
“That’s something for the future, right?”
“No. I’d like you to mark me, to make me yours.” He explained he’d never belonged to anyone, not really. His omega dad had been banished, and while his alpha father kept him in the herd, he didn’t even let him live in the Alpha house. It was as though he needed a reminder of the pain his mate had caused.
“But being marked by a rogue makes you unsafe.”
My mate tapped his nose. “Nope. My horn does that all by itself.”
“But why now?”
“Because I want to belong to you. I don’t give a damn about the outside world. And poachers won’t care if I’m marked or not. They’re not going to have a meeting about my non-existent mark. They’re all about the money.”
This didn’t sit well with me, but I’d had family growing up, friends and a community. Roland never had that.
“Fine, but we should do it in the cabin.” I peered at the boundary fence, imagining bad guys with binoculars and maybe drones.
We held hands as we went back. People stopped us to introduce themselves, and Roland waved to two small children, saying one was Larkin and Creven’s son and the other little one belonged to Torin and Otto.
Stepping inside the cabin, my mate removed his shirt and told me to mark his shoulder.
