Chapter 20 #2
I knew which path I’d take.
Okay, fine. I was afraid he’d head for the hills.. This would be life-changing for him and me. What bothered me was that I hadn’t come up with a way to make it balance for both of us.
But I would. Mase would know what I was keeping from him.
One way, or another.
Mason
I lay in bed with my eyes closed, hoping Kip would fall asleep.
It took a long while, but eventually his breathing evened out.
I moved gently, rolling onto my side to look at him.
He was far more handsome as an adult than he’d been as a kid.
He had muscles and hair on his chest, but the one thing that hadn’t changed was his kindness.
I think that’s what attracted me to him in the first place.
He’d said once that he thought he’d been my Dominant since we were little.
Something from our shared past had been an indication of that.
I never shared the story with anyone, but Kip had gotten sick once.
He had a temperature of 103 degrees, sweating and freezing at the same time.
It had horrified me to see him laid low like that.
His parents tried to tell me I couldn’t sit with him, but I persisted.
Wolves couldn’t catch human illnesses, so I knew I was perfectly safe.
Eventually, my parents told his that I’d been immunized, which was a lie, but they allowed me to stay in his room with him.
I’d gotten a washcloth with cool water and held it to his head, getting up every few minutes and refreshing the damp rag.
It had taken several hours, but finally a weight lifted from my chest when he sighed and the rigidity went out of his body.
His temperature slowly receded, and I cried like a baby.
I knew I needed him beside me. I hadn’t realized at that point he was my Dominant, just that he was a friend I never wanted to see walk away.
Or leave me alone.
He got better, of course. He’d been so out of it, he never realized I’d been there until his parents told him.
He probably didn’t know it, but our relationship changed after that.
Nothing huge, just subtle things. He was freer with his affections.
Finding out I was gay didn’t impact that at all.
He hugged me, and held my hands when things were rough.
He was like a boyfriend I didn’t kiss or have sex with no matter how much I wanted to experience that. With him.
“You’re not sleeping.” Kip sounded drowsy as he reached for my hand. “Want me to make you some hot cocoa?”
That sounded delicious, but it would require him to get out of bed. “Nah, it’s fine.”
He grumbled as he sat up. “Do you not trust me as your Dominant?”
What kind of dumb ass question is that?
“What a stupid thing to say!” I snapped.
He raised his brows. “Is it? Really? Because you keep holding me at arms’ length for months, despite saying you’re not. You’ve been doing it since we started our relationship.”
It was true and we both knew it. I’d said as much, but he calmed me, at least until the pressure built up and made me so scared I could scarcely breathe.
“I’m your Dominant, Mason. It’s not something that was forced on me. I chose to do it.”
My lip trembled. “But why? It just doesn’t make any sense.”
“Of course it does,” he countered. He squeezed my fingers.
“We’ve always been the best of friends. Not once in your life have you ever given me reason to doubt we would always be together in some way, shape, or form.
Was I surprised? Yes, of course. I mean, no one ever expects a werewolf to tell someone they’re going to be dominant in a relationship.
Even though it makes perfect sense. I mean, I’m me and you’re… well, not me.”
I couldn’t help but chuckle. That was Kip’s power over me. He held me together with duct tape and sticks, never allowing me to break fully.
Except I have now, haven’t I?
“I’m scared,” I admitted.
“I won’t let anyone hurt you.” The words came out as a vow.
“Not me.” I looked him in the eye. “You. I’m afraid someone will hurt you, because that would kill me.”
Kip studied me for a moment. “I want to make you a promise, to tell you nothing will happen to me, but we both know I can’t do that and keep my promise not to lie to you. We can only hope for the best for both of us.” He sighed. “That said, I want to talk about the two of us seeing someone.”
I knew it would come up eventually. “Okay.”
He blinked. “Really? That easy? Wow, that’s a shock.”
“I want to argue, but I can’t. I’m falling apart. Knowing I should probably be dead? That kills me.”
His lips twisted. “Not even funny.”
“If I don’t laugh, I’ll cry. I’m already fading. I can’t even sit outside because I’m terrified the next time I won’t survive. It was bad enough someone other than you touched me, but this? It freaks me out.”
Kip swallowed. “Look, I can’t tell you things will work out.
We all know life doesn’t go the way we hope.
What I can tell you is you’re my best friend, my lover, my submissive.
All those things will make me fight for you—for us—every time.
” He locked gazes with me. “But you gotta hear me, Mase. I need you to talk to me. You have to tell me what’s going on in that pretty little head of yours. ”
“You think I’m pretty?” I teased.
“You know I do. And don’t try to wheedle your way out of this conversation.”
I expelled a soft breath. “Losing you would kill me. I mean that literally. I can’t live without you.
An Omega needs their Dominant to survive.
We’re not meant to be on our own. So if you leave, I’ll die.
If you die, I’ll follow.” It was my turn to give a hard swallow.
“I’ve imprinted on you, and I guess I’m scared of the future. ”
“Then take my hand and walk by my side. Where you go, I go. Where I go, you’re always welcome to come along.
I know you’ve had some shit thrown your way growing up, and that probably scares you, so I’m gonna make a vow, right here and now.
” His eyes gleamed. “I’m your best friend, and you’re stuck with me. ”
“I trust you,” I said quickly. “Don’t ever think I don’t. I’m afraid of what will happen if the person who attacked me decides to come after you.”
He smiled then, and it was the scariest fucking thing I’d ever seen in my life.
“Then they die,” he retorted.
My blood ran cold when I realized he meant it.