eyes and stood.
“How did you know I was awake?”
“Shifter senses. I could feel the air around you change as your breathing increased.”
“Oh.” Casey wasn’t sure why his heart sunk at that answer. “Why are you here?”
“I asked the Alpha to let me stay so I could watch over you. It’s not often that someone comes back from the dead.”
“I still don’t remember it. I mean I believe what you’re telling me, but I don’t understand how it’s possible.”
“You’re the shaman. They’ve done some pretty amazing things in our history. I mean you’re able to see beyond the veil, so that makes it a lot less impressive that you came back from the other side.”
“Is Mikhail okay?”
“Yes, thank you for asking. He came by earlier to check on you. I think he’s developed a bit of hero worship.”
“Yes, because the hero always dies in the end, right?”
“No, because the hero always comes back to those who need him. Like you did for me.”
Casey turned away. The rush of blood to his face would be a beacon for anyone looking. “I’m not gay,” he whispered softly. “We can’t be mates.”
“I’m not gay either. The spirits don’t care. They’ve chosen us for each other. It isn’t something we can decide not to accept. It’s fated to be.”
Fingers ghosted over Casey’s cheek and he leaned into the touch. How he’d longed for someone to be with him like this. No girl had ever made him feel this way. He should draw away, run from the room, do something. But there was a rightness when Sev sat beside him. Every instinct screamed that this was wrong, but Casey no longer cared. They would navigate this together. He turned toward Sev, who pulled him in closer. Casey could feel the breath, warm on his face, and he trembled.
“Please.”
“What, my mate? Do you want me to stop?”
“I don’t know what the answer is. I shouldn’t want this, but it’s more than I’ve ever wanted. I don’t know how it could happen, but I don’t want it to end. I’m very confused.”
“Perhaps this will ease your confusion.”
Sev pressed their lips together and Casey moaned. He’d thought kissing another man would be weird, but Sev went slowly, not jamming his tongue into Casey’s mouth. He coaxed, teased, led. When he pulled back, Casey longed for him to return. Sev pulled him down on the bed until they lay next to each other, then he started kissing Casey again. Strong fingers stroked over his back, touching spots that made Casey wish Sev had a dozen more hands, touching him everywhere at once.
Casey reached out, tentative at first. What would it be like to touch Sev? Would he be hairy? If he was, would Casey find it weird or gross? Would he be smooth? Could Casey close his eyes and pretend Sev was a woman? He inhaled deeply. Sev wasn’t a woman, and Casey couldn’t ever think he was.
A hot mouth clamped over Casey’s neck, sucking hard. He mewled and clutched Sev’s head, trying for more suction, more friction, more of everything. Sev’s hair amazed Casey. Gossamer wasn’t this soft, this delicate. When Sev’s tongue touched Casey’s lips, he pulled back. It was one thing to kiss him on the lips, but how far was he really willing to go? Ashamed, he said, “I-I can’t. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry. The fact you’re still here means a lot to me.”
“I kinda have to be here. It’s my house.”
Sev chuckled. “So it is.”
“Listen, I don’t know what’s happening, but I don’t think I can—”
Sev touched a finger to Casey’s lips. “Whatever we decide is enough. You’re my mate, and I don’t have a problem waiting. And it’s not like I have experience in this. I just know that being with you isn’t an option for me. My beast gets stronger each time it scents you, and it’s not easy to tell him no.”
“Oh, yeah! Why did you spray me? Three freaking times.”
“My beast was… I was jealous. When I saw you with the Protector and Alpha, I didn’t
“How did you know I was awake?”
“Shifter senses. I could feel the air around you change as your breathing increased.”
“Oh.” Casey wasn’t sure why his heart sunk at that answer. “Why are you here?”
“I asked the Alpha to let me stay so I could watch over you. It’s not often that someone comes back from the dead.”
“I still don’t remember it. I mean I believe what you’re telling me, but I don’t understand how it’s possible.”
“You’re the shaman. They’ve done some pretty amazing things in our history. I mean you’re able to see beyond the veil, so that makes it a lot less impressive that you came back from the other side.”
“Is Mikhail okay?”
“Yes, thank you for asking. He came by earlier to check on you. I think he’s developed a bit of hero worship.”
“Yes, because the hero always dies in the end, right?”
“No, because the hero always comes back to those who need him. Like you did for me.”
Casey turned away. The rush of blood to his face would be a beacon for anyone looking. “I’m not gay,” he whispered softly. “We can’t be mates.”
“I’m not gay either. The spirits don’t care. They’ve chosen us for each other. It isn’t something we can decide not to accept. It’s fated to be.”
Fingers ghosted over Casey’s cheek and he leaned into the touch. How he’d longed for someone to be with him like this. No girl had ever made him feel this way. He should draw away, run from the room, do something. But there was a rightness when Sev sat beside him. Every instinct screamed that this was wrong, but Casey no longer cared. They would navigate this together. He turned toward Sev, who pulled him in closer. Casey could feel the breath, warm on his face, and he trembled.
“Please.”
“What, my mate? Do you want me to stop?”
“I don’t know what the answer is. I shouldn’t want this, but it’s more than I’ve ever wanted. I don’t know how it could happen, but I don’t want it to end. I’m very confused.”
“Perhaps this will ease your confusion.”
Sev pressed their lips together and Casey moaned. He’d thought kissing another man would be weird, but Sev went slowly, not jamming his tongue into Casey’s mouth. He coaxed, teased, led. When he pulled back, Casey longed for him to return. Sev pulled him down on the bed until they lay next to each other, then he started kissing Casey again. Strong fingers stroked over his back, touching spots that made Casey wish Sev had a dozen more hands, touching him everywhere at once.
Casey reached out, tentative at first. What would it be like to touch Sev? Would he be hairy? If he was, would Casey find it weird or gross? Would he be smooth? Could Casey close his eyes and pretend Sev was a woman? He inhaled deeply. Sev wasn’t a woman, and Casey couldn’t ever think he was.
A hot mouth clamped over Casey’s neck, sucking hard. He mewled and clutched Sev’s head, trying for more suction, more friction, more of everything. Sev’s hair amazed Casey. Gossamer wasn’t this soft, this delicate. When Sev’s tongue touched Casey’s lips, he pulled back. It was one thing to kiss him on the lips, but how far was he really willing to go? Ashamed, he said, “I-I can’t. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry. The fact you’re still here means a lot to me.”
“I kinda have to be here. It’s my house.”
Sev chuckled. “So it is.”
“Listen, I don’t know what’s happening, but I don’t think I can—”
Sev touched a finger to Casey’s lips. “Whatever we decide is enough. You’re my mate, and I don’t have a problem waiting. And it’s not like I have experience in this. I just know that being with you isn’t an option for me. My beast gets stronger each time it scents you, and it’s not easy to tell him no.”
“Oh, yeah! Why did you spray me? Three freaking times.”
“My beast was… I was jealous. When I saw you with the Protector and Alpha, I didn’t
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