Chapter 5
SCOTT
Scott stared at the phone in his hand, the one that now had Justin’s photo as his background, and sighed. Justin’s parting words echoed in his mind and went right to his heart.
We’ve got it bad, his coyote commented. We know he’s our mate, so let’s get on with the mating.
I know, Scott admitted. So why am I afraid?
It’s better to chase the rabbit and miss than never chase at all, his coyote replied. Can’t catch what you don’t chase.
Scott had to admit that his other half had a good point. I need to man up and go after what I want.
Or coyote up, the amused voice in his mind replied.
Scott yawned and thought about shifting, then decided to do a run in the morning.
Researching and writing all day shouldn’t make me quite this tired. But it does.
His coyote snorted. That’s because you stay inside. In the woods, there’s more to see and sniff.
Unless you want to live in a burrow, that writing pays for this place and our food, Scott pointed out, and his other half gave a huff and retreated into his mind.
Since he finished his degree in regional history and land management, Scott had found himself surprisingly in demand to support several projects on those topics for area universities and magazines.
That suited him fine, because he wanted to build a career where he could work from anywhere, and he loved researching and writing.
Thanks to the internet, he could even present at conferences and teach classes remotely, which opened plenty of exciting possibilities.
For being what most people would consider a boring topic, Scott found his expertise relatively rare, which opened a variety of opportunities. He thought back to the people who had tried to talk him out of going into such a niche specialty and warned him about limitations.
So far, that hadn’t been a problem.
Scott poured a whiskey and cola after dinner and took a sip, imagining the warmth spreading through his body. He smiled thinking about Justin and how quickly their budding relationship had moved to the next stage.
I like how things are going. I love him. He loves me. Now we just have to work out the details.
He was already packed for the weekend, planning to stay with Justin, but hoped to include some time for a visit with his cousin at The Lone Coyote.
Scott thought about the call and Justin’s agreement that the “dark” side of the old mine was a topic best avoided.
As much as it intrigued him, Scott understood the danger and agreed, especially since he had gotten several more hang-up calls, which he hadn’t mentioned to Justin but had him checking the locks and leaving on more lights.
How do I tell the Mob—if that’s who is behind the calls—that I’m not looking to expose them? Maybe if they’d actually talk instead of hanging up, I could say something.
He sat back on the couch and flipped through options on streaming until he found a show he’d been following, trying to get his mind off the situation. Scott settled in to catch up on the last couple of episodes, but his mind wandered.
Justin is already established in Fox Hollow. How hard will it be for me to relocate?
Scott figured that with how quickly their relationship had progressed, they would be figuring out the details in weeks instead of months, which was surprisingly okay with him. He took his shifter side’s acceptance as a sign that he was moving in the right direction.
We’re fated mates. I felt the “zing” when we touched.
My coyote says he’s ours. Justin isn’t a shifter, but he felt it too.
We’re supposed to be together. Figuring out a relationship is challenging enough without the complication of being so far apart.
I believe in fated mates, but I don’t want either of us to feel rushed or pressured.
And fate aside, we’ll learn more about each other and how we are as a couple when we’re together more than just on weekends.
You’re making this too complicated, his coyote said, surfacing in his thoughts. Bite him and get it over with.
We need to figure out the mating bite, since he’s not a shifter.
Would it be more than just a regular bite?
Can he give one that counts? Scott realized that he really wanted the visible sign of claiming and being claimed, like a wedding ring, but even more intimate. This is why romance is complicated!
It’s not complicated for coyotes, his other side protested. Bite first, then get on with the mating.
Scott ignored his coyote, although he couldn’t help agreeing. He thumbed open the screen on his phone where he had saved the results searching “best Taurus traits for relationships.”
According to the internet, a Taurus was loyal, sensual, and calm as well as stable and affectionate. Those traits matched his own Scorpio profile well, even if Scott wasn’t completely sure how much he believed everything about the zodiac.
Still, he had been happy to see that a Scorpio-Taurus pairing was highly compatible and was described as being “soulmates” with traits that reinforced the best in each other and countered weaknesses.
Whether their fate really was in the stars, Scott thought the description was accurate and hoped it held true for them.
At least being in Fox Hollow, he already knows about us, and I don’t have to give him “the talk,” Scott thought, not envying having to convince someone that people could shift into sentient versions of animals.
And since I made sure he knew about me up front and he’s okay with moving forward, he’s clearly not too hung up on the concept. Another point in our favor.
Of course he is, Scott’s other half said. Coyotes are awesome.
It wasn’t like they were going to make babies together.
That was one reason why it meant so much when his cousin had taken him aside and let Scott know that if he found something special with Justin, being a mixed paranormal shifter partnership was perfectly fine.
On top of the assurances from Dr. Jeffries, it was the extra boost he needed.
While he enjoyed going for a run with his cousins in their fur, he had thought long and hard about what it meant not sharing that in the same way with Justin. That’s when Scott realized that everything else about their relationship was good enough that it didn’t matter.
As for whether a shifter and a non-shifter could still be fated mates, the “zing” seemed to settle the debate, and Dr. Jeffries hadn’t seen it as an issue.
Scott preferred to believe that it depended on their hearts, not the ability to shift, and took courage from the many non-shifter couples who stayed together for a lifetime.
Justin is a paranormal. Our mate bond might be a little different than two shifters, but can be just as real.
The episode he was watching ended, and Scott finished his drink. He carried his glass to the kitchen before turning off the lights and heading into the bedroom. Scott changed into flannel sleep pants, since the nights were much cooler now, and slipped between the covers.
His hand fell to his cock, which was already hard in anticipation. Scott didn’t believe that “distance made the heart grow fonder” long-term, but it certainly did whet the appetite in the short run to want what he couldn’t immediately have in person.
Fortunately, imagination supplied what Scott needed. He slicked his palm and started a slow rhythm as he pictured spending the night with Justin. Thinking about the feel of his boyfriend’s touch, his scent, and the sound of his voice got him to the edge quickly.
He came faster than he expected, with a release that seemed to rise from his toes, leaving him breathless.
Hard to believe the real thing is even better, Scott thought as he reached for a tissue to wipe off and sank it into the wastebasket near the bed.
Is he jerking off thinking about me while I’m gone? I hope so. I’ve got some ideas of things we can try when I’m there the next time.
Scott felt the urge to claim his fated mate with a bite like a persistent itch under his skin, but he hadn’t wanted to rush Justin.
Soon. Very soon. We’ll seal the deal.
Scott slept through his first alarm.
“Shit,” he muttered when he looked at the clock. A surge of adrenaline chased away sleep as he quickly tugged the sheets and comforter into place, stripped off his shirt and flannel pants and shoved them under his pillow, and headed for the bathroom.
The hot water and a quick towel-down brought him to full consciousness, and Scott dressed quickly, wanting to have a chance to eat something for breakfast before the video meeting with his editor.
He shaved, although with winter coming on, Scott planned to grow a beard for the cold months. A collared button shirt over jeans would be professional enough for his meeting. Freelance outdoors writers were rarely expected to show up in a suit and tie, which suited him just fine.
Having established clients and steady referrals for new business made the idea of moving to Fox Hollow doable.
Justin’s business tied him to the area, but Scott could relocate pretty easily, and he had already started brainstorming ways the two of them might team up to offer new combinations of seminars and aerial tours.
One thing at a time, he reminded himself as he logged into his meeting with the editor, Sam Freemen.
“Scott, good morning. Hope you’re doing well.” Sam Freeman was the editor of the Mountain and Forest Journal and often helped Scott connect with other publications and sites for his articles when they weren’t a fit for the journal.
“The coffee is still hitting my system, but the first signs are promising,” Scott joked, without admitting that he was still waiting for the initial three cups of java to hit.
“Good,” Sam replied. “Where would we be without coffee?”
Asleep, Scott thought, but didn’t say so out loud.