“Feel what?” I hold my breath, desperate for the answer but also dreading it might not be the one I so desperately want.
He reaches formyhands this time, and I freeze, afraid to move a fucking muscle. “The bond, the connection, or whatever you want to call it. I feel a pull between us that’s getting stronger and stronger.” He moves our joined hands to his heart. “Here,” he whispers. “I feel it in here, and I don’t know how or when that happened, but it did.” He meets my gaze, and there’s nothing but the truth in blue eyes I could easily lose myself in. “Honestly? I don’t know if I’ll ever want to take it further.” He shakes his head, a bemused and bitter laugh escaping. “Or what that even means for me.” Then he lifts his chin, that familiar stubbornness rising to the surface, and says the words that almost break me. “But I want to stay here, with you. Don’t send me away, Lynx.Please.”
18
LYNX
“You sure about this?”Cal asks as we watch the others get ready to ride out.
“No.” My gaze lands on Morgan. He’s stood next to his bike, rucksack on his back, kicking at the ground. “But I can’t see another way.” I turn to face him. “Can you?”
“You could let him stay,” he murmurs, too quiet for anyone else to hear.
I’ve thought about it, after what he’d said.
Fuck, I’ve done nothingbutthink about it.
It’d be so fucking easy to drag that bag off his back, haul him into my side, and never let him go. But I listened toeverythinghe said in that room. And he’s right; as a human he has no idea what it means to complete a bond with me. How could he? That fucking book might have given him an idea, but it didn’t tell him everything that’ll change if we go through with it.
That it’s a forever thing.
That once we take that step, there’s no going back.
He doesn’t want it.
He said as much in the forest. Whatever’s changing his mind isn’t natural, it’s shifter magic affecting him somehow, and that’s not right. As much as I ache to sink my teeth into his skin andmake him mine, to become his... I can’t. He needs to get away from here, away from me, to regain some fucking perspective.
Our close proximity this past week must have accelerated the pull between us.
For him.
I’ve felt it ever since the night I first kissed him.
Maybe distance will let it fade away to nothing.
That thought hurts like a physical blow, but I shrug it off. Maybe that’ll fade too.
Yeah, right.
Cal nudges me as everyone but Morgan walks our way.
“We’re ready.” Mal shoots a glance back at Morgan, who still hasn’t looked at me once since we came out here.
I want to ride out with them. To prolong our time together for as long as possible. But that’s not how this works. As long as we’re keeping up the pretence that Morgan is a club prospect, then my place is here. “Good.”
“I’ve contacted the Trenton pack,” Beth offers, pulling her helmet on. “They know we’re coming their way.”
“Thank you.”
Mal, Beth, and Flint are riding north with Morgan. Since they’ll be in Trenton pack territory and Beth’s friendly with the betas there, I got her to send word. It’s good manners, and I don’t need to start a pack war on top of everything else.
“We’ll stay overnight and head back in the morning.” She grins. “They offered, and it’s rude to say no.”
“It is.” I raise an eyebrow. “And you hate to offend anyone.”
She laughs loudly. “You know me.”
I do. And I also know just how friendly she is with the Trenton betas. “Ride safe.” I grip her shoulder as I pass. If Morgan won’t even look my way, I’ll have to go to him.
