Chapter Four
Leyden was a bundle of nerves. His mate was coming today, at his insistence, and he had no idea what sort of mood Connor would be in when he arrived.
Given how big and strong Connor was, he was more likely to walk in and slug him for pushing the situation between them.
But Leyden refused to feel guilty about using his position to get what he wanted.
Having called Davis a half a dozen times since leaving the meet and greet and doing some research of his own when Davis brought up the term demisexual, Leyden knew if he ever had a chance with his mate, then he was going to have to take the time for Connor to get to know him.
Leyden didn’t have any doubts on his side of things - his cock was hard and his wolf was panting the moment he caught Connor’s scent.
Initially when Leyden had gotten home from the meet and greet, he had wondered if having a mate that might never want sex was worth it, especially when he was greeted by the sight of Lonnie and Trixie in his bed, naked and clearly waiting for him.
Leyden couldn’t help getting aroused - hell, he’d enjoyed the couple more than a few times since taking over as alpha of his pack.
They were his favorite couple of playmates.
But, fixing a picture of his delicious mate in his mind, Leyden had firmly but kindly removed the two from his room and then stripped down his bed, and made it with not only fresh sheets, but covers and pillows as well.
If he ever did get Connor into his room, the last thing he wanted his mate to smell was the scent of other shifters.
In fact, he wondered if he should just take a new room.
He nixed that idea because he loved his huge bed, with the four posts so handy for tying someone down, the warm rich colors of the furnishings and carpet that would complement his mate’s perfect skin.
Stifling a groan, Leyden thumped his cock.
If just thinking about his mate could make him feel so horny, then being around the man for the next three days was going to be impossible.
Davis had rung him earlier, letting him know that Connor was on his way, and told him that he had offered to keep Connor’s job open for a month in the event that Connor wouldn’t allow Leyden to claim him.
But for the moment all Leyden had was the three days he had asked for.
If he couldn’t convince Connor to at least try and give their mating a chance, then Leyden had no doubt Connor would be heading back to his own pack again as soon as the beta challenge was over.
“Your visitor’s here,” Leyden’s retiring beta, Matthew said, coming into Leyden’s office. “Do you want me to show him to his room or bring him straight here?”
For a quick moment Leyden was tempted to put off the meeting for another half an hour or so.
He needed to be sure his wolf was firmly under control.
But protocol dictated that Connor be brought to him first before being allowed access to the rest of the house, and Leyden didn’t want Connor to feel uncomfortable.
“Bring him in here please. Organize some coffee for us both and then see to it that we are not disturbed,” Leyden said, pulling on his alpha face.
Reminding himself he was not some wet-behind-the-ears pup, but a strong alpha, Leyden purposefully stayed sitting down as Matthew ushered Connor into the room.
He knew if he stood up nothing on earth would have stopped him from grabbing and kissing the stuffing out of his mate.
As he caught sight of the man that had haunted his dreams for three days, Leyden was thankful he was sitting down.
His dick hardened so fast he was glad his desk was covering his lower half.
Connor was not beautiful, he was stunningly handsome.
His hard face looked carved out of granite - high cheek bones, a long straight nose, and a set of full pink lips, all set off by a pair of the greenest eyes Leyden had ever seen.
Connor was only an inch or so shorter than him, at around six foot four, and every inch of that tall frame was covered in muscles.
Yet as Connor walked across the room and came to stand in front of the desk, the grace that the man showed in every movement was mesmerizing.
Then Connor spoke.
“Beta Connor, from the Davis pack, reporting as requested. Alpha Davis sends his respects and goodwill toward you and your pack.”
Simple words. A formal greeting perfectly acceptable from any visiting wolf shifter. But Leyden caught the hint of a tremor in the man’s gravelly tones and was entranced. The big solid man was nervous as fuck and trying so hard to hide it. That cemented Leyden’s decision.
“Matthew,” he said as the older man stepped into the office with a tray. “I would like you to meet Connor, our new alpha mate.” The sound of breaking china as Matthew dropped the tray was nothing compared to the look on Connor’s face.
/~/~/~/~/
Connor couldn’t believe his ears. Leyden had said nothing to him, nothing at all except for that possessive “mine” back at the meet and greet.
Yet he announced their mate status to a pack member within moments of Connor’s arrival.
Unsure what to think, Connor was aware that Leyden had come around from the desk and had walked Connor to a couch, before helping Matthew clean up the mess from the spilled coffee.
Long moments later, a cup of coffee was thrust into Connor’s hands. “Here, mate, you look like you could use this.” Looking up, Connor could see nothing but Leyden’s smiling face. A quick sniff assured him that they were alone in the office.
“Scotch would be better,” Connor rumbled. “Alpha Leyden, you shouldn’t have done that. I know what we are to each other. But you know that I don’t… What if I can’t… What if we don’t…?” Crap. Connor knew he sucked at having awkward conversations. He wasn’t good at conversations period.
“I still intend on biting you, Connor, and I want for you to bite me. So we’ll be mates, regardless of whatever else happens,” Leyden said, lounging back on the couch with an air of self-satisfaction.
The man still looked too damn perfect for his own good, but Connor couldn’t dwell on that.
His head was pounding with the thought that Leyden would mate with him regardless of whether or not sex was involved.
“Leyden, you can’t do that.” Connor was so worried about his mate that his lack of use of the honorific “Alpha” went unnoticed.
“I can’t let you give up your sex life for me,” Connor continued, his worry escalating until it overrode everything else.
“I’m weird. I accept that. But you have the virility of ten men, and I won’t have you shackled to someone who may never want to have sex.
Mating is for life and once you bite me then you can’t have anyone else. ”
“Which is why I think it is a good idea. It’s not as though I haven’t given it a lot of thought over the past three days,” Leyden said, apparently not put off with Connor’s protests. Connor was starting to think he had a really stubborn alpha on his hands.
“Look,” Leyden said, sitting forward and resting his elbows on his knees.
“You’re my mate - the one given to me by the Fates.
I am not about to give up that gift for anyone or anything.
We have been in each other’s presence for five minutes and you are already trying to protect me.
I imagine you are also as possessive as hell, right? ”
Connor nodded.
“Well, then, I am formally asking your permission to bite you, and I want you to bite me. That will take care of any infidelity worries you might have, and it will keep my wolf calm enough when we are around other people. You’re not the only possessive bastard in the room,” Leyden said with a grin.
“But what about sex?” Connor said, thinking fast. He would happily tie himself to Leyden for the rest of his long life.
Hell, he wasn’t stupid. A mate was a gift from the Fates and in Connor’s eyes Leyden was perfect.
An alpha, strong, gorgeous to look at, and the caring way Leyden helped Matthew clean up the spilled tray showed Connor that the man was thoughtful and was clearly a good alpha for his pack.
Connor had noticed the really positive vibe around the pack from the moment he arrived.
Everyone was happy, hardworking, and there wasn’t a hint of fear anywhere.
“I do want sex with you Connor,” Leyden said, and Connor found himself getting lost in those gray eyes.
“I’m not going to lie about it, or say that sex doesn’t matter, because it does.
But I truly believe that eventually, when you come to know me, you will start to feel something toward me, and whatever those feelings are, we will deal with them together. ”
Connor didn’t know what to say. Leyden was so full of confidence, so self-assured, and Connor would have to be blind to not realize how sexy the man was. But he felt no stirring in his cock, no tugging in his groin.
“What if I never feel the way you want me to?” There, he’d said it. He’d voiced his biggest fear to his mate. His mate who still looked amazing, even as he laughed, the loud joyous sound bouncing around the room. Connor didn’t know if he should feel pleased or insulted.
“If you don’t feel that way about me,” Leyden said at last, wiping his eyes. “Then you will just have to watch me jack off a lot.”
“Listen to me carefully,” Leyden continued, and Connor could tell the man was serious this time.
“I want to bite you and claim you as my own. I want you as my alpha mate. I want you to sleep in the same bed as me at night. I want you working with me during the day. I want to protect you and keep you from finding others.”
Connor snorted at that. He had never been interested in anyone in that way.
“Mating isn’t just about sex. It’s about finding the other half of your soul.
I have found mine, and I am not giving you up,” Leyden said earnestly, catching one of Connor’s hands with his own.
Connor’s first instinct was to pull back - he really didn’t like people touching him.
But Leyden’s touch didn’t make his skin itch like someone touching him usually did, so Connor left his hand where it was.
“Okay,” Connor said simply, feeling a huge sense of relief as he said it.
Connor knew he wasn’t anywhere near ready to have sex with Leyden.
He had to trust the Fates that if he was going to feel desire for anyone it would be his mate, eventually.
But his own instincts to be near, to protect his mate, were really strong and they were never going to go away.
Once claimed, the two men would have a lifetime to get to know each other, and Connor just prayed that Leyden proved to be as patient and understanding as he was being right now.