Chapter Six

Weldon

I breathed in Tatum’s scent as I squeezed him as tightly as possible without hurting him. My heart beat wildly with joy; Tatum wanted me as his Daddy. He saw everything I was, and he wanted me. I wanted to leave no doubt that I wanted him as well.

I rested my forehead on his and looked into his beautiful green eyes to tell him, “I want to protect you and care for you; to feed you, change you, and watch you play. I long to be your Daddy, partner, and lover. I want everything with you, Tatum.”

His voice was no more than a reverent whisper when he answered, “Yes.” To seal my promise of being everything he needed, I pressed my lips to his. Goosebumps exploded over my skin at the thrill of finally kissing my mate, but they vanished just as quickly when he pulled away.

I was worried I moved too quickly until Tatum slapped his hand over his mouth and said between his fingers, “I need to brush my teeth.”

I snorted a relieved laugh. I couldn’t care less about that, but I didn’t want him to be uncomfortable, so I took his hand and told him, “Come on, Taterbug; I’ll help you.”

I led him into the bathroom and picked him up to sit him on the countertop next to the sink. Sure, I could have easily reached him if he were standing, but this was more fun. Plus, he looked adorable with his feet swinging above the floor.

I searched the cabinet until I found a packaged toothbrush. I always kept spare supplies in the house so I didn’t have to go to town as often. Unfortunately, this wasn’t a fun toothbrush; just a plain white one with a blue stripe, but it would do the trick.

I dabbed on some toothpaste and held it towards his mouth. “Open up, baby bear.”

Tatum started to, before breaking into a wide smile instead. “Baby bear! It makes perfect sense!” I laughed again and he added, “You also could have called me ‘honey’. Bears love honey, right?”

I’d made it clear what I wanted with Tatum. He knew he was safe to be himself, and he fell sweetly and naturally into his ‘little’ mindset. “We do, but we love berries more.”

His smile squished into a smirk. “But not holly berries.”

I shook my head and answered firmly, “No, not holly berries. I’ll hate those bastards forever because of what they did to my baby bear.” Tatum giggled into his hand before opening his mouth wide. I gently scrubbed each tooth before instructing him to spit, and offering him a small cup of water to rinse.

When I reached for his hips to help him off of the counter, Tatum didn’t clutch me back. His eyes dropped to his lap and his fingers tapped on his thighs. “Is something wrong?”

“No,” he replied without looking up at me. “It’s just…well, my mouth is all clean and fresh now.”

“It is,” I agreed, still not catching the problem. “You did a very good job of letting me brush.”

“Thank you,” he sighed, and his disappointment finally knocked realization into my thick skull.

I cupped his cheeks and tipped his face up. “Does that mean Daddy gets a kiss now?” Tatum’s skin warmed beneath my fingers as he nodded slightly. His sweet innocence was so sexy, I could barely hold myself back. But why the hell should I?

I pressed our lips together again, and this time, Tatum didn’t pull away. He wrapped his arms around my neck and pulled me closer. I opened his mouth with my own, and dipped my tongue between his teeth.

Fresh mint tingled my taste buds as our tongues slid together. Tatum whimpered sweetly as he explored my mouth. His fingers tightly gripped my skin, as if he didn’t want to let go of the moment. He’d been waiting for someone to understand and accept him, and he wanted to latch on. He didn’t yet know that he never had to fear losing me or our connection.

I wanted the kiss to last forever. I wanted to hold his beautiful body and let him taste my affection. But there was one (not bragging, just honest) big problem; I was still very naked, and getting very turned on, and it would be impossible for him to not notice. I didn’t want Tatum to feel pressured or uncomfortable.

It sounded like he didn’t have much experience with men, which admittedly thrilled me. I wanted to be the only one to touch him. But I wanted him to be ready. I also didn’t know if he was interested in sexual activity while in little space. I was fine with any decision, but it was his to make.

And so, I broke our kiss. When I opened my eyes, I found that Tatum's were still closed, but his plush lips were slightly parted as heavy breaths passed between them. When his breathing settled, his eyes slowly opened, revealing his dilated, unfocused pupils.

He was so blissed out, I couldn't help but wonder out loud, “Was that your first kiss?”

Tatum shook his head no and jealousy dumbly built up until he added, “But it was my first kiss to ever feel like that.”

“Mine too.” I was more experienced than Tatum; over the centuries, I'd had many meaningless encounters with many men, but nothing could compare to what I shared with him. The bond between mates was a powerful force that surpassed everything.

I took a few deep breaths and tried to think of anything that would take my mind off of the sensual moment. Soon, I had deflated, and came up with a surprise I thought Tatum would love. I told him excitedly, “I've got a fun idea for us.”

He beamed and clapped his hands together, but when I went to help him off of the counter, he asked, “Will you change me first, Daddy Bear?”

The question warmed my heart, but hearing the name sent it soaring. “Of course.” I carried him to the bed, where I placed him gently on the mattress. I hustled to the nursery to retrieve wipes and a fresh diaper, then returned to my mate quickly, finding Tatum with wide eyes.

“You're fast!”

I chuckled and told him, “That's another shifter gift. I'm not as quick as my wolf friends, but I'm faster than any human.”

“I wish I could run that fast. I would've done a lot better in gym class.”

I laughed again, unable to hold in the happiness this sweet boy gave me. “I think you're perfect just the way you are.” I booped his nose and Tatum gave me a cheesy grin until I turned my attention to the task at hand.

I lowered his sweatpants to his ankles before noticing that his diaper was quite full. I popped the side tabs and peeled back the front flap before gently lifting his legs and sliding the cotton free. I rolled it up and set it to the side.

This time, I took a longer look at my boy's groin. It wasn't fully hard, but it was thickened, either from the lingering lust of our kiss, or the excitement of this moment. Tatum wasn't fully with it the first time I diapered him, and it was partly from necessity. But this was purely for enjoyment.

I gently cleansed his skin with the wipe, apologizing when he flinched at its cold temperature. Once he was all clean, I squirted some lotion in my hands and rubbed my palms together to warm it up.

First, I pressed my hands to his thighs and massaged the lightly scented pink cream into his skin. I looked up at his face and found him watching me intently, as if soaking in the moment. My hands inched closer to his fuzzy sack and I made sure, “Is this okay?” Tatum gave a bashful smile and a nod, so I continued on.

I tenderly rubbed lotion across his balls and dick, which hardened beneath my touch. But Tatum didn't mention it, so neither did I. His body was reacting, but this wasn't a sexual touch unless he wanted it to be. When he gave no signs of wanting more, I folded the front of his diaper and secured the sides.

After I wiggled his pants back up onto his waist, I told him, “I know you're feeling better now, so you may feel differently about using the diaper. It's okay if you want to, and it's okay if you don't.” Some littles liked the warm comfort of using their diapers, while others liked the security and softness of wearing one, or simply their Daddies looking after their basic needs. Whatever Tatum was searching for, was what I wanted for him.

His sweet smile brightened. “You answered my question before I asked.”

I chuckled and tickled his belly until he did the same. “You can always ask me anything; there are no secrets between us, and I never want you to feel embarrassed.”

“Thank you.”

“You're welcome, Taterbug. Hang on just one second.” I threw away the garbage and washed my hands before returning to him. I pulled on my jeans and a t-shirt, receiving a pouty look that made me chuckle. “Come on, let’s get to that surprise.”

I helped him off of the bed and led him into the kitchen, where I retrieved a pot from the cabinet, along with baking soda, cornstarch, and measuring cups. I placed the items on the countertop, and turned to face Tatum when he lightly tapped my arm.

Guilt plagued his face when he said, “I hope I don’t ruin the surprise, but I don’t think I can eat anything else right now. I’m sorry.”

I wasn’t shocked, given his illness, but luckily, that wasn’t what I had in mind. I cupped his cheek and told him, “Thank you for telling me. I wouldn’t want you to get sick again. But we’re not making food.”

“Really? What are we making?”

“You’ll see,” I winked, before using the measuring cup to scoop out some corn starch. “Do you want to do the pouring?”

“Yes, please!”

I handed the cup to my excited boy, who dumped the white powder into the pot. “Good job. Now we need a little of this.” I gathered some baking soda, which I also gave to Tatum to plop into the mixture. “Now just one more thing.” The last item was water, and Tatum was very careful not to spill a drop as he poured it in. “Great! I’ll do this part.” He nodded as I turned on the stove, and he watched intently as I stirred the mix until it bubbled.

The powder soon formed into a blob and I asked, “Do you know what it is yet?”

He squished his lips around as he studied it for a moment before gasping. “It’s PlayDoh!”

“That’s right, baby bear. And I think it’s just about done.” I turned off the burner and grabbed a cutting board. I plopped the white ball onto it and warned him, “It’s still hot, so don’t touch it yet.” He nodded and I grabbed one last thing; a box containing four small bottles of food coloring. “What’s your favorite color?”

“Purple.”

I was glad I chose the purple sippy cup earlier. I squeezed a few drops of blue and red dye onto the dough before testing its temperature with my finger. “Okay, it’s cool enough for you to mix the colors.” It was the best part, and I knew he would love it.

Tatum excitedly reached for the blob before stopping suddenly. He looked up at me and asked, “What’s your favorite color?”

“Purple is very nice, but I think my favorite is orange.”

He pinched off a chunk of the blob and asked, “Can we make some orange too?”

My heart warmed at the sweet request as I dripped red and yellow onto the second ball, and I smiled widely as he mashed each of them until the colors were perfectly blended.

“You did such a nice job,” I praised, and received a gorgeous grin in return. “Let’s take these to the island so you can play.”

I carried the colored dough to the small island, and pulled out Tatum’s barstool. Once he was settled, I sat beside him, wishing I had a bigger kitchen table to share with him. I had lived alone for so long, I never needed one. An idea popped into my head and I asked my boy, “Would you like to help me build a dining table one day soon?”

His green eyes widened with excitement. “Really? I’d love to! I’ve never built anything before!”

“I’ll show you everything,” I promised, and Tatum clapped his hands before turning his attention to the PlayDoh.

I rested my hand on his back and watched adoringly as he squished and squashed the dough into shapes. I’d tell him how pretty each one was, and then he’d smash it to pieces with a laugh before building something else.

Looking at him now, it was impossible to tell that he had been violently ill not long ago, or carelessly tossed away shortly before that. He didn’t appear to have a care in the world. He was blissful and free. That’s all I wanted for Tatum; to enjoy a happy life without limits or judgments.

I wondered how often he’d be in little space; if he preferred a schedule or to go by how he felt. Maybe he wished to be a full-time little. I didn’t want to interrupt the moment with questions; I’d just follow his cues. Because whatever he wanted was fine with me. I just wanted him . I’d spent so long alone, dreaming of the day I’d meet my boy, but having him by my side was better than I ever imagined.

I caressed my hand up and down Tatum’s spine as he made shape after shape. He’d make little animals and march them around the countertop before squishing them back into blobs.

He stopped for a moment and tapped his chin as he studied the two balls. Then, he pinched off a large piece of each and smashed them together, kneading and squeezing until they were the color of mud.

Tatum leaned over his workspace, hiding his creation from me as he rolled and formed it. Finally, he sat back and allowed me to take a peek. “It’s you,” he announced, pointing to a dough bear he’d made.

I carefully lifted the animal and inspected it. He’d formed it in a sitting position, and had crafted two little ears and a round nose. He even poked two circles into the face for eyes. “Oh, Tatum, this is beautiful. It’s much better looking than I am.”

He giggled as he shook his head from side to side. “No way! You’re the best looking bear ever!” His cheeks burned red, but he still added, “And the most handsome Daddy.”

“And you are the most gorgeous boy.” I kissed his lips, feeling the heat radiating from his face.

Tatum thanked me before eyeing the animal again. “I don’t want to smash this one.”

“Why don’t we let it dry?” I suggested. “It will harden, and then we can display it on the dresser in the bedroom.”

He beamed and nodded enthusiastically. “That way you can see it every time you go to sleep.”

“And you can see it too,” I pointed out, but Tatum wrinkled up his nose.

“When I visit?”

I mentally kicked myself for not making my intentions clear already. First of all, there was no way in hell I’d let anyone live alone out in the woods. But especially not Tatum; he was my mate, and I needed him with me.

I placed the figure in front of him and asked, “Do you remember when I said shifters had gifts, like speed and strength, and immortal life lines?”

Tatum nodded. “Those are very good gifts.”

“They are, but they’re not the best gift shifters have.”

“What could be better than neverending life?”

“Someone to share it with,” I replied, and Tatum swallowed hard. “Every shifter has a mate, hand chosen by Fate herself. That person is the shifter’s other half, their true love, and their whole heart. Remember when I said I knew you were mine when I smelled you?” He nodded slowly. “I didn’t just know you were my boy; I knew you were my mate.”

I didn’t know his eyes could bulge so wide. “I’m…your…”

“Mate,” I finished for him when no other words left him. “We are made for each other, and destined to be together for all time. I will never desire another, and my love for you will only grow. Protecting you is my purpose and my honor. I need you by my side. I want to spend everyday with you, and I want you to share my home.”

I left him to his thoughts, until he finally filled the silence with, “I never thought I'd be anyone's perfect match. What if Fate got it wrong?”

“Fate is never wrong.” Tatum still looked a little insecure, which had my Daddy instincts going haywire. I combed my fingers through his hair to soothe him. “You know how I know?” When he shook his head, I told him, “Because of the way I feel when I'm with you; the way my heart beats a little faster when I look at you, and my hands ache to hold you. My soul knows you, Tatum. It knows it could only be you.”

His expression finally softened into a beautiful smile. “That's how I feel about you, too.” Even though he was human, his spirit still felt the pull to its mate. “But how will this work? You're centuries old and still look amazing. I'll get old and crusty and look like this.” He squished his face with his hands to make wrinkles appear. I tried my best not to laugh because I knew he was serious, but he was so damn adorable I could barely keep it together.

“Once we bond, your aging will slow down and eventually stop. Your body will become immune to natural illnesses, but you can still be injured.” Not that I'd ever let that happen. “And you will inherit my immortality, because I could never live a day without you.”

Tatum's hands left his face and sank into his hair. I felt guilty; I knew I needed to tell him everything, but he was having so much fun and freedom while he was playing, and now I'd taken that away. “I know it's a lot to take in, and I'm sorry to drop it all on you. When you mentioned visiting , I needed you to know this is your home, too.” Of course, the choice was his, and I'd never force him into anything. “I hope you'll want to stay.”

Tatum let go of his hair, and picked up the unmolded lump of purple dough. He mashed it between his palms until it was as flat as a pancake. I could practically see the weight lifting off of him as he played again.

“It is a lot to take in,” he agreed once his orange lump was flat too, “But it is an easy choice. I want to stay with you, Daddy.” With that, he picked up the orange pancake and passed it to me with a sweet smile. “Do you want to play with me?”

“That's an easy choice, too.”

We each formed our dough into shapes, although Tatum's were much better than mine. All I could master was a snake and a donut. I could easily craft full size homes and furniture with my hands, but I lacked Tatum's creative spark.

Once my boy had his fill of making shapes, I put each of the colors into a separate plastic baggie to keep them fresh, though I kept out a small piece of the orange mush. I did have one idea.

I smashed it into a pancake as Tatum did before, and then pressed my thumb into its surface, leaving behind the print. I took my boy's hand and pressed his thumb next to my indentions, so that the prints left behind a heart shape. “What do you think?”

“I love it! Can we let this one dry and put it in our bedroom too?”

The ease in which he claimed the space made my heart soar. Everything I had also belonged to him. “That sounds perfect, baby bear.”