Chapter 2
Chapter Two
THEO
Theo’s heart was racing.
He’d had a plan. A multi-step plan, in fact. A plan that hadn’t involved him revealing himself so soon.
Fucking Gabriel.
Theo had already been on edge when the asshole had touched the buck, but when he’d caught sight of the tears glistening on Rowan’s face? A red haze had settled over him, and he’d acted without thinking.
“Um.” Rowan’s arms started to slide back, his hold loosening on Theo’s midsection.
His stomach dropped out of his torso. This was it. Whatever confusion had led to Rowan defending him and turning to Theo for protection was clearing up. He was probably about to go inside and call Gabriel to come back.
“Thank you for the gift.”
The words were soft, nearly whipped away on the frigid breeze stealing all the lingering heat from where Rowan had touched him. Swallowing, Theo turned partway, keeping the left side of his face hidden. He was already pushing his luck; there was no need to terrify his sweet little mate.
“You don’t have to say that,” he said, tugging his hat off and running his hands through his short hair before pulling it back on.
He let himself glance at Rowan out of the corner of his eye and bit back a groan.
He was damn beautiful. Pale white skin sprinkled with freckles across his cheeks and cute little nose.
His lips were the perfect shade of pink, tempting and luscious.
And his eyes were a gorgeous hazel that fluctuated between an almost gray to honey gold ringed in emerald.
Theo could look at him for hours without getting bored.
“What do you mean?” Rowan asked, shifting on his feet and furrowing his brows.
Theo dropped his eyes to his scuffed boots and the worn hem of his black tactical pants. “I know you didn’t like it. I can take it away.”
“No, that’s not—ouch.” Rowan shook out his foot and scowled at the small rock he’d just stepped on.
His sock-covered foot.
“What are you doing out here without shoes?” he growled, hands twitching to grab him and throw him over his shoulder. He didn’t think Rowan would appreciate being manhandled by a stranger like him though.
Rowan huffed. “Stopping Enforcer Morde from smashing your windpipe.”
“I can handle Morde,” Theo grumbled, sidestepping a little closer with the hope Rowan would take the hint and move back into his apartment. Stubborn red panda didn’t move an inch, just let Theo crowd into his space. “Go on back inside, Rowan. I’ll deal with the buck.”
“Goddess, you aren’t listening.” Rowan grabbed his arm and tugged, then grumbled when Theo didn’t turn to face him or even sway at the pull. “You’re really strong for a human.”
Pride flushed through him. Rowan had said it with annoyance, but Theo could hear the faint admiration in his voice. He liked that Theo was strong—maybe even stronger than Rowan was as a small prey shifter without deep ties to his new pack yet.
“I’m listening,” he said softly.
“No, you aren’t. You keep saying—”
“Rowan.”
“Yeah?” He paused his small tirade, tipping his head back to look up at Theo.
“I’m listening. Tell me what you want.” Tell me everything you want.
Rowan inhaled sharply, like he could hear the second part. “I want,” he whispered, fingers tightening on Theo’s sleeve, “you to look at me, Theo.”
Fuck. He should have seen that coming.
“That’s… You don’t want that. Not yet. Let me follow my plan and woo you properly first.” He was desperate to hold off. It wasn’t that he thought Rowan was shallow and would be disgusted by his face.
He just… He was. Theo was the shallow one. He knew he used to be handsome. He’d turn heads everywhere he went. Had seduced more than a few marks with a wink and some light flirtation.
And now he lived in a pack full of shifters who could heal from pretty much anything that didn’t kill them.
His scars made him stand out even among other hunters, but around shifters, it was like a glaring neon light drawing attention to him.
Attention full of pity and horror instead of interest and arousal.
If only he’d met Rowan before.
If only he could—
Rowan hopped right in front of him while he was busy wallowing in self-pity. As soon as his eyes landed on the left side of Theo’s face, his mouth dropped open, eyes going wide. “Oh, Theo.”
He ground his teeth together and stared above Rowan’s head at the darkness of the trees behind him, calling to him to come and hide. “I don’t want you to pity me.”
Rowan didn’t say anything for a moment and then asked, “Are pity and empathy the same to you?”
“They feel the same,” he admitted, licking his lips and clenching his hands.
“Okay, I’m sorry, then.”
He jerked his head in a rough shake and squeezed his eyes shut, too tempted to check and see if Rowan was watching him with that familiar softness people used when they were worried he would fall apart.
“You don’t have to be sorry. It always happens.
If I hadn’t fucked up the gift, I could have followed my plan and gotten you to fall in love with me first.”
“That’s quite the plan,” Rowan murmured, planting his hands on Theo’s abs.
He held his breath, wishing he wasn’t wearing his thick jacket and he could more fully feel the pressure and heat from the touch. “It… had several steps.”
“Oh yeah?”
“Yes.”
Slowly, Rowan pushed his hands upward, driving Theo to distraction. He couldn’t stop himself from peeling his eyes open and looking at what his mate was doing. He was staring right at Theo, and he smiled brightly as soon as he met his gaze.
“Hi.”
He pressed his lips together, a smile tugging at the corners. “Hi.”
“Can you come down here, please?” Rowan asked, eyes twinkling more brightly than the stars above them.
His mate was stretched about to the limit, and his hands were just able to crest Theo’s shoulders. Stomach swirling, he bent forward and turned his head, giving Rowan a better look at the scars that covered most of his cheek and jaw and partway down his neck.
He jolted at the icy feel of Rowan’s fingers on his unmarred cheek, guiding his face back around so they were gazing into each other’s eyes. His heart was in his throat as he waited to see what his mate would do.
Gently, Rowan cupped both of his cheeks, watching him and waiting to see if Theo would pull away. But he wouldn’t. He’d never pull away from Rowan’s touch.
“You should have left a note. Or at least put a bow on it,” Rowan said, the soft words spoken inches from Theo’s own mouth. They were so close he could feel the heat of his breath on his lips.
“What?” he rasped, his lids growing heavy with the urge to just lean into his mate and relax for a minute. Or an hour.
Or forever.
“Your gift. If you’d have put a note or something on it, I wouldn’t have thought it was a threat.”
“What?” He jerked back, eyes wide. Horrified, he turned to stare at the enormous buck strung up on the makeshift stand he’d put together just to the left of Rowan’s door. “Fuck, Rowan. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you like that. I thought… God, Dean was right. I’m such an—”
Rowan grasped his face again and tugged him back down, eyes narrowed. “Who the fuck is Dean?”
ROWAN
A smug grin grew slowly across Theo’s devastatingly handsome face. “Are you jealous, mate?”
He sucked in a breath, that one little word like a punch to the solar plexus but in the best way. “Should I be? You’re the one who left me a courting gift. Do I need to be worried about this Dean?”
He couldn’t stop the sneer as he said the name. His damn toes were about to freeze right off his body, and Theo had the nerve to mention another person and how they were right. Right about what, exactly? That Theo shouldn’t try and woo him?
“No, you have nothing to worry about,” Theo said, all the humor draining away and his face turning sharp and serious. This was the hunter staring at him with a fierceness in his eyes that made Rowan shiver.
But not from fear.
“Are you sure? Because if you’d rather leave a deer on his doorstep, then just disappear back into the tre—oof.” He slammed against Theo’s huge, solid body, Theo’s arms wrapping around him like steel bands.
Theo tugged him up onto his tiptoes and bent until his lips were brushing against his ear. “I’m not going anywhere, mate. Not now that I’ve finally found you.”
The words were said almost like a threat, a dark edge in his voice letting Rowan know he was good and caught by this giant predator.
Would it be too obvious if he swooned right there on the sidewalk?
“Glad to hear it,” he whispered back, wrapping his arms around Theo’s thick neck. “Now, can we please go inside before I lose my toes to frostbite?”
Theo made a sound deep in his chest, scooping Rowan up without hesitation, and his insides wiggled with happiness.
He wrapped his legs as far around Theo as they’d go and nuzzled his face under the collar of his coat, finding warm skin that smelled woody with just a hint of citrus.
It reminded him of bamboo and eased every ounce of tension from his body.
“Fuck, your face is freezing,” Theo muttered, shivering. “Let’s get you warmed up.”
“You’re warm,” he murmured, clinging tighter. Sucking Theo’s scent into his lungs was lowering any inhibitions he’d had when it came to the hunter.
Not that there had been that many to begin with, considering he’d thrown himself onto the back of Enforcer Morde two seconds after Theo appeared. But still. His scent was filling up his brain, turning the edges fuzzy. He wanted to burrow inside Theo’s warmth and never come out.
He probably shouldn’t say that out loud though.
“Because I’m properly dressed for the weather,” Theo said, sounding way too grumpy.
He pushed Rowan’s door open the rest of the way, holding his weight with one hand, and then carefully closed it behind them and locked the deadbolt.
“Where are your blankets? I want you bundled up with a couple while I make some hot cocoa.”
Hot cocoa did sound delicious, but Rowan wanted to warm up another way. But there was just one thing niggling at his mind first…
“How did you know?”
Theo paused next to his couch, but when Rowan didn’t release his hold, he just sat down with Rowan on his lap. “How did I know what? About courting gifts?”
He sucked in one more deep inhale and then untucked his face, wanting to see Theo’s when he answered.
He tried not to stare at the scars covering half his face, but he couldn’t help but think about how much they must have hurt and wonder how he’d gotten them.
And who’d taken care of him while he’d healed. Had anyone?
“No, well, yes, that too. But, um, no, I wondered how you knew we were… mates.” He whispered the last word, cheeks flushing for some reason.
Theo cocked his head. “Can’t you feel it?”
Rowan sucked in a breath. He could. There was a tugging in his gut, drawing him to Theo, urging him to get as close as possible and fuse them together. But how could Theo feel that?
“Yes, I feel it.” He lightly slapped Theo’s shoulder when his handsome face creased with smugness. “How do you?”
Theo shrugged, settling his hands—goddess, they were huge—on Rowan’s hips, his long fingers almost touching on his low back. “I’m not sure. I’ve spent my whole life honing my instincts and listening to them. The second I laid eyes on you… I knew you were mine, Rowan.”
He let out a soft sound and then dove for Theo’s mouth, needing to kiss this man before he burst into flames. Their lips collided, Theo’s parting in surprise, and Rowan took full advantage, dipping his tongue into his wet warmth and getting his first taste of his mate.
His mate!
He knew now that Theo was what had caused him to leave his family and their tiny pack and venture out on his own, joining a pack that was enormous and intimidating. But somehow, his red panda had known he was here, waiting for him.
One of Theo’s hands cupped the back of his head and used his hold to tip Rowan’s face just a little to the side, and then he took over the kiss. It was brain-melting and soul-stealing and all good things wrapped in one. Theo tasted even better than he smelled, like fresh eucalyptus and new snow.
His mate devoured him, overwhelming him with teeth and tongue and the tight grip of his hands. He’d never experienced anything like it, but he knew he was already addicted.
He couldn’t imagine he’d ever get tired of feeling so wanted.
When he finally had to pull away so he could catch his breath, Theo simply moved down over his jaw and to his neck. He swiped his tongue up the length, and Rowan about came out of his skin.
“Theo,” he moaned, grabbing at his shoulders and then the back of his head, not sure where to grab hold but feeling like if he didn’t, he’d float away.
“Only time I’ve ever wished I was a shifter is right now,” he said, biting next to Rowan’s Adam’s apple and causing his whole body to jolt as white-hot pleasure shot through him. “I’d give just about anything to sink my teeth in you and leave a mark behind so the whole world knew you were mine.”
Shuddering, Rowan rocked against his hard stomach. “I guess you’ll just have to never leave my side.”
“Count on it, mate.”