“Yes.”
“Into a miniature version of Loch Ness?” Salah pressed.
“Salah, yes.”
“I didn’t see that coming,” Salah admitted.
“Neither did Jess nor I, and while I expected the shift, the size was a relief.” Mitch grinned at Jess.
“Could the same happen to me, too?” Salah asked.
“Yeah. I believe the mate bond will find a way, no matter what. Once it’s formed, it isn’t bothered about anything else,” Jess replied.
“And you both felt it immediately? That’s odd compared to some of the others,” Maeve mused as she listened in.
“Maybe because Jess was so angsty, the mating process sought to soothe her fears and worries,” Mitch suggested.
“Possibly. Out of everyone since Vladimir discovered Emmaline, Jess and Salah have worried the most.”
“Did it upset?” Salah asked Mitch, who frowned.
“I don’t understand,” he replied.
“Being inside Jess when she was Ness. Did it turn you off?” Salah pressed. Mitch guessed why. Salah’s Scylla form was terrifying.
“No. It barely lasted a few seconds, and as soon as the mate bond formed, Ness faded. She certainly left her mating bite, though.” Mitch chuckled, rubbing his wound.
Jess sat up. “I hurt you?” she began tugging at Mitch’s tee and dragged it down to see his shoulder. “Oh no!” she gasped, seeing the bite. “Call Pandora!”
“What are you doing?” Mitch exclaimed, suddenly experiencing protectiveness.
“Getting you healed!” Jess retorted as she gently touched it.
Mitch shifted out of the way. “Leave my mating mark be! That belongs to me!” he snapped, and Jess grew wide-eyed.
“Wow,” Salah murmured.
Mitch continued moving away from Jess as he pulled his tee back over his shoulder. “It’s mine,” he repeated.
Jess looked confused at Mitch’s reaction. “Is it not hurting?”
“No, stop messing with it. It’s proof we’re mates,” Mitch replied, a little wounded Jess wanted to wipe the mark away.
Enlightenment dawned on Maeve’s face. “Jess doesn’t want to get rid of it. Mitch, she feels guilty because, honestly, that wound is huge and deep. She wants to mend it.”
“No, it’s mine. Why aren’t you offering Jess healing for her bite?” he demanded. He wasn’t weak, and he’d heal in time. To him, it sounded as if they were belittling his Mate Mark. They weren’t, but his emotions over the mark were slightly unstable.
“Jess, the mating bond is new and raw. Mitch probably thinks you’re trying to erase visible signs of it,” Maeve explained.
Mitch glowered as guilt flashed across Jess’s face. “Sorry, I just wanted to stop any pain you felt.”
“I’m not suffering any, and I’m perfectly happy with my bite,” Mitch said, a little more at ease now that he understood. Relief washed through him, and Mitch blinked. That hadn’t originated with him but had come from Jess. Mitch pushed reassurance down their bond and wondered if Jess would sense it. He guessed she did, as her eyes widened.
“Oh, wow,” Jess murmured.
“What?” Salah demanded.
“Mitch wanted me to be reassured and sent that through our mate bond. I experienced his emotions,” Jess said, stunned.
