Callum #2
His smile only grows at whatever I’m projecting down our bond.
I don’t care, I’m so fucking relieved, and hopeful, and happy. “Sooo . . . you want to keep it?” I ask softly, needing clarification.
“Can’t you tell?” He places his hand over my heart. “Can’t you feel it?”
“It’s all I can feel. But I still need you to say the words, Ash. I need you to be absolutely certain that this is what you want.”
“Hey.” Ash’s hand slides up to cup my jaw.
“I don’t fully understand what this means or where we go from here, but .
. .” A flare of warmth hits me in the chest and it’s not mine.
“I want to keep it.” His fingers curl around the back of my neck and he pulls me down into a long, slow kiss that settles something inside of me.
We make out for a little while, the warm hum of contentment singing along the bond between us, and it’s so fucking glorious I could bask in it forever.
This wasn’t ever something I wanted. Sure, I was curious when Lynx told me how amazing it was with Morgan, but I never actually considered it happening for me.
And never with a human.
That, in and of itself, is gonna raise issues.
I press one more kiss to lips that already feel like home, then ease back so I can see his face.
He immediately frowns. “You’re not leaving, are you?”
I should.
I should’ve left the second I realised what I’d done, but there’s no way I’m leaving here until I absolutely have to. “No. But I’ll have to go as soon as it gets light.”
“To tell the others?”
“I have to.”
I don’t need to ask how he’s feeling, not anymore. Maybe it’s because we didn’t choose this willingly, but knowing that he’s a mix of nervous, defensive, and worried seems like a gross invasion of his privacy.
There aren’t many secrets between shifters. I’m used to having other people read me easily. But Ash isn’t.
So I ask him anyway. “What’s going through your head right now?”
He looks at me for a second, then closes his eyes, effectively shutting me out.
I don’t like it, but I get it.
“I don’t want to tell anyone,” he confesses, eyes still closed. “I don’t want to leave this room. Because in here, the bond feels like the most amazing thing that’s ever happened to me.”
My heart soars.
He looks at me again, conflicted. “And I’m worried that the moment we tell the others, that’ll all change.”
I sit up and pull him with me, straddling his lap. With my hands on either side of his jaw, I wait until I have his full attention. “I won’t lie. Not everyone’s going to be thrilled at this new development.” My thumbs stroke soothing lines along his cheekbones.
“Because I’m human?”
“Among other things.” I can’t resist leaning in for a kiss. “But none of that fucking matters. Do you know why?”
He shakes his head.
“Because this bond we have is more important than the club, than the pack.” I kiss him again, letting my tongue tease this time, before pulling back. “I couldn’t give a flying fuck if everyone tells us it’s wrong, because you are my priority now.”
His mouth opens and then closes once, twice, and I smile at the fact that I’ve rendered him speechless.
“Do you think they will?” It’s barely more than a whisper, like if he says it any louder it’ll come true.
That question deserves more than just my knee-jerk response, so I let it sink in, give it the consideration it deserves. “I think they’ll be shocked, yes. Probably worried for both of us, especially you.”
He rolls his eyes. “Because I’m a weak human?”
“Yes.” There’s no point in lying or trying to sugarcoat it. “Our world doesn’t play nice with humans, Ash.”
The grunt I get in response is quickly followed by a sigh. “I suppose you’re right.”
I wonder if he’s remembering Birch running out in front of his car.
“But to answer your earlier question, no. I don’t think any of the inner circle will tell us we’re wrong.
” They might not like it. In fact, I’m pretty sure there’ll be opinions.
Not because they don’t like Ash, but because of the risk he represents to both the club and the pack.
They were willing to take that risk for Morgan and Lynx.
I have to believe they’ll do the same for me and Ash or we’re going to have a problem.
“Good.” The yawn that follows reminds me that this has been a long, exhausting day for Ash, and I’ve made it a hundred times worse.
Rolling off him, I lie on my back and he lets me reposition him, tucked into my side with his brace resting on my chest. “Get some sleep, Ash.”
“Will you be here when I wake up?” He’s already got his eyes closed.
“No.” I kiss the top of his head. As much as I wish I could spend tomorrow exploring our connection, I have to go back and inform the others about this. “I’ll have to leave in a few hours.”
He grumbles but doesn’t open his eyes. “Come back tonight?”
I kiss the top of his head. “Just try and stop me.”
The sun’s barely risen when I arrive back at the compound. The gates open before I reach them, Flint and Mal on their way out.
They both stop to greet me, getting off their bikes and removing their helmets.
I do the same.
“Hey.”
Flint smirks. “Dirty stop-out.”
We meet in the middle and I brace myself.
Three . . . two . . . on—
“What the fuck!” Flint gapes at me. Mal’s eyes are wide, eyebrows reaching for his hairline.
Shit.
So not how I wanted this to go down.
“Can you wait ten minutes before you leave? I don’t want to have to go through this twice.”
It takes a second for them to recover, then Flint winces. “Think this is gonna take a bit longer than ten minutes, mate.”
“Why? It’s done.” I shrug. “This is just a fucking courtesy.”
“Okaaay.” Flint frowns, and I watch as realisation slowly dawns on him. “Wait . . . how?”
“I don’t know.” Well, that’s not strictly true. I sigh. “I mean, I bit him, obviously. But not with—” I run a hand over my jaw, hesitating. Can I say that with complete honesty? “He’s human. It shouldn’t be possible.”
“And yet . . . ?” He waves a hand at me. “You smell bonded.”
My smile is instant. “Yeah. I do.”
Flint claps me on the shoulder, then his fingers tighten rather than let go. “I take it this is a good thing?” he asks quietly.
“The fucking best.”
“Then congratulations.” He steps back, and Mal takes his place.
Pulling me into a one-armed hug, he laughs. “Jeez, man. I’m happy for you, but shit’s about to hit the fan.”
Don’t I fucking know it.
I texted Lynx the second I rolled up at the gates, so he’s already waiting for us inside. Mal leads the way through the house, Flint following, and me bringing up the rear. None of us speak.
Jet is out on patrol, so it’s just the four of us.
The second I close the door, Lynx stalks over to me, nostrils flaring. “How?” Confusion more than anger fills his eyes, which I should be thankful for, but my hackles rise anyway, and it takes effort to force myself to be calm. This is Lynx, for fuck’s sake.
The breath I pull in is steadier than I feel right now. “I don’t know, exactly.”
He stares back at me.
Waiting.
I’m going to need to give him more detail than I did Mal and Flint. Sharing what Ash and I did feels so fucking wrong, it grates on my soul, but rationally, I understand that I have to. Doesn’t stop my hands from curling into fists or the low rumbling growl building in my chest.
Sensing the emotional turmoil building inside me, Lynx steps into my space, alpha power rolling off him.
When he grips my shoulders, it takes effort not to shrug him off, and that scares me because I’ve never felt like that with him.
He’s my best friend, my alpha, my president. And he’s always, always had my back.
This time is no different. I know that.
It’s me who’s changed.
“Callum.” There’s power in that one word, and my eyes snap to his. “I just want to understand what the fuck’s happening here. That’s all.”
I take a deep breath and tell him everything he needs to know while trying to keep our night together as private as I can. All the while rubbing my chest, because the ache behind my ribs is only getting worse the longer we’re apart.
All three of them watch and listen with wide-eyed expressions. I don’t blame them. If it happened to one of them, I’d be exactly the same.
“Fuck.” Lynx leans on the table, shaking his head.
My eyes narrow. “You angry?”
“Well, it’s not ideal.” He exhales loudly. “But no, I’m not angry.” There’s nothing but truth in his tone.
Tension flees my body so fast I slump against the door. He closes the distance between us and touches his forehead to mine. Then laughs softly. “Pretty sure you wouldn’t give a fuck right now if I was.”
I grin because he’s right.
“If this is what I think it is, then I’m so fucking happy for you I don’t have words.
It’s the best thing that’s happened to me, and I want that for you.
I do.” He steps back with a sigh, and I can feel that but coming a mile off.
He offers me a wry smile. “But this has the potential to cause us a lot of problems.”
“I know.” I rub a hand over my face, wishing I was back in Ash’s bed, still wrapped around him.
Is he awake yet? The urge to pull out my phone and check is hard to ignore, but I don’t do it because we’re not done here.
“It wasn’t on purpose.” I lift my chin. “But I’m not sorry it happened. And we’re fucking keeping it.”
There’s no hiding the challenge in my voice, and I’m not surprised at the eyebrows that rise around the table.
But Lynx smiles. “I wouldn’t expect anything less, brother.” He gestures to the table. “Now take a seat and let’s figure out what this means for us. And how we’re going to break this news to Morgan without him going apeshit.”