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Chapter Two

Chris was supposed to continue painting the kitchen walls, but he just stood there like an idiot. He had the brush in his hand and everything, but his focus was somewhere else entirely.

He huffed, dipped the brush into the paint again, and went to work.

He wasn't surprised that he couldn't focus. After all, he'd found out he was someone's mate. Having just told Boyd he didn't want a mate, he wasn't sure how to feel about it.

Did he need a mate? No. He was pretty sure most people didn't need someone like that in their life. Did he want a mate? That was an entirely different question.

Since he'd become a hunter, he'd avoided having relationships as much as he could. He hadn't always succeeded, but it hadn't been easy to trust the people he worked with. The last woman he'd been with had stayed with Cornelius and his hunters, and he'd realized that he hadn't known her as well as he'd thought he did. He hadn't expected her to continue following Cornelius, considering what Cornelius was doing and believed was right, and he hated that he'd been with her.

He couldn't change that. The only thing he could change was the future, but he had no idea what it would look like. What was he supposed to do with the knowledge that he was Gary's mate? He was Gary's only chance to have that kind of relationship, so he didn't want to dismiss it, and he wasn't completely opposed to being with Gary, but he didn't know the man. He also wasn't sure he'd be a good mate or boyfriend.

There was a way around him not knowing Gary. It wasn't like they were in a rush. After telling him he was his mate, Gary hadn't demanded they bond right away. He'd actually looked like he expected Chris to reject him, and while that wasn't what Chris had done, he'd panicked and left before dinner. Boyd had called him as he'd reached home, and Chris had reassured him that he was all right and just needed time, but he still didn't know what to do, and he'd had time—the entire night and this morning.

He'd gone to training this morning and had carefully avoided looking in Alexis's direction. Alexis was Gary's friend, and Chris didn't want to put him in an awkward situation. Boyd hadn't been there since he'd decided he didn't want to be a hunter anymore, so Chris hadn't needed to talk about his feelings. Kendrick had pushed to find out why Chris was so grumpy, but Chris had told him to fuck off, and Kendrick had let it go. Thankfully, he didn't get offended easily.

But Chris couldn't avoid people forever. He couldn't even avoid them for more than a day or two. The problem was that he didn't have answers to their questions.

He didn't even have answers to his own questions.

He needed to talk to Gary, but what was he supposed to tell him? He supposed that at the very least, he could explain he'd been in shock and had needed space. He was pretty sure Gary would give him time if he needed it, but Chris didn't want to lead him on. What if he eventually decided he didn't want a mate? What would Gary do?

But could he do that to him? Chris might be human, but he knew how important mates were to paranormal beings. He'd also seen how happy their mates were, even when they were humans. He just had to look at Boyd. He'd been fine before, but now that he was with Alexis, he never stopped smiling. Chris was glad to see his friend happy, but he had a hard time imagining himself in Boyd's place.

A knock on the door made him freeze. Was it Gary? Was he here to get an explanation of what had happened yesterday? If he was, he wouldn't get what he wanted because Chris didn't have an explanation beyond the fact that he'd freaked out.

He looked in the direction of the front door and wondered if he could ignore it. It might not be Gary, but Chris wasn't sure he wanted to take the risk. He wasn't ready to talk to the man. He didn't even know what he'd tell him when he did.

He stayed where he was, and the knocking stopped. He relaxed, thinking that whoever had been standing at his front door was gone, only to turn and find Boyd standing outside his kitchen window, glaring at him with his arms crossed over his chest. Chris yelped and dropped his brush, getting his t-shirt dirty with paint.

"You're an asshole," he called out.

The window was open, so Boyd heard him. " I'm an asshole? You're ignoring me and Kendrick."

"I didn't know it was you."

"You would have if you'd opened the door."

He was right, but Chris wouldn't give him the satisfaction of admitting that. "What are you doing here?"

"We came to help you paint your kitchen. Kendrick has snacks."

Chris narrowed his eyes. "Is that the only reason you're here?" He was pretty sure Boyd knew what was happening with Gary. Gary was friends with Alexis, and there was no way Alexis would keep this kind of secret from Boyd.

"Why? Is there something you need to tell me?" Boyd asked, arching a brow.

Chris rolled his eyes. "Come in," he said, resigned. It looked like he was going to have to talk about Gary whether he wanted to or not. Maybe it was a good thing. It might be what he needed to decide what he wanted to do.

Boyd left, and seconds later, Chris heard the front door open. He ignored it and looked down at his t-shirt, grimacing at the sight of the paint. Luckily, it was an older t-shirt, but he didn't own that many clothes, so he needed to be more careful.

"I thought you weren't in," Kendrick accused as he walked into the kitchen. He was carrying two bags and dropped both on the table.

"Sorry," Chris told him. "I didn't hear the knock."

"And I'm a Kudlak. Don't bullshit me. I might not be as confrontational as Boyd, but it doesn't mean I don't know when you're lying to me."

Chris pinched the bridge of his nose. "Why am I friends with the two of you again?"

Kendrick blew him a kiss. "Because you love us." He dropped onto one of the chairs at the table and dragged the bags closer. "Go wash up. We have a lot of talking to do." He looked around the room. "And even more painting."

Chris groaned but obeyed. There would be no getting out of this.

As he left the kitchen, his path crossed with Boyd's, who was checking the staircase. Chris remembered telling him about it, so he wasn't surprised. Boyd was good with his hands, and he wouldn't want Chris to get hurt.

"This needs work," Boyd said.

"I'm aware."

"Be careful when you use it."

"I always am. I thought you'd forbid me to continue using it."

"You'd still do it. You don't listen to people when you think you know better."

That much was true, and Chris could admit it. It wasn't a good personality trait, but he knew it was there, and he could work on fixing it. In this case, he had to use the stairs because his bed was on the second floor, as were his clothes.

As promised, he was careful as he climbed up. He thought about taking a shower, then decided that if the three of them were going to work on the house anyway, he shouldn't bother. He quickly washed up at the sink, then went back downstairs, not a bit surprised to see that Boyd and Kendrick had made themselves at home. They each had a beer, and Kendrick had opened a bag of chips.

Chris grabbed a beer from the fridge and flopped into one of the two remaining chairs at his table. He looked at his friends, once again stunned by the way everything had gone. It was hard to believe that after living in the hunters' warehouse for so long, he had a home where he could sit at the table with his friends.

"Boyd told me about Gary," Kendrick offered.

Chris grimaced. "I'm not surprised. I can't really focus on having a mate right now, though. I'm trying to convince my best friend to move to the village, and I don't think I'll be able to relax until Ronnie's here." It was an excuse, but it was also true.

Boyd frowned. "Have you told Gary that?"

Chris sighed. He wouldn't get out of this conversation, and he might as well be honest about all of it. Ronnie was his best friend, but Boyd and Kendrick were his friends, too. They might know what Chris should do.

And if they didn't, they could help him come up with a plan.

* * * *

Even after Gary had been offered a home and a place in the village, he hadn't been sure he belonged here. He hadn't felt like he deserved to belong to a new village and clan, and he still didn't. He was sure he belonged here now, though. It didn't matter if he deserved it or not. His mate was here, which meant that Gary should be, too. If this weren't the right place for him, he wouldn't have found his mate here.

But knowing that he belonged didn't help. It made him feel slightly better but also more guilty. He wouldn't be able to defend these people if they were attacked. He'd lose everyone again if the Kudlaks found them.

But that wasn't his problem right now. No, his problem was that he had no idea what to tell his mate.

When Gary had told Chris that he was his mate yesterday evening, Chris had stared at him for a long time as if his brain was trying to make sense of what Gary had said. Gary understood how shocking the news was, so he'd let Chris be, and he'd done his best not to be offended when Chris had shakenly gotten up from his seat and run out the door. Gary couldn't think that Chris was horrified or afraid. He had to give him the benefit of the doubt and hope it was shock and awkwardness that had sent him running.

Not the thought of being Gary's mate.

Fate had brought Gary to the village. He didn't know what would happen if Chris didn't accept him as his mate, but he didn't think he could leave. That would hurt as much as losing everyone would, and maybe he deserved that, but he wouldn't survive it.

But maybe Chris did want him, and if he didn't now, maybe he would eventually. Gary had decided to give him time, but he also couldn't help but wonder if it would be a good idea to try and talk to him. The problem was that he didn't know Chris, and things between them were awkward. They wouldn't get better until they talked, but Gary didn't want Chris to feel like he was hounding him. There was no way for Chris to know that Gary didn't expect him to accept their bond right away until Gary told him, though.

Gary groaned and leaned back in the grass. He'd cleaned up part of his yard this morning, needing something to focus on, but it hadn't helped. The yard was neater, but Gary's every thought was focused on Chris. He suspected that would continue for a while. He needed to find a way to fix what had happened yesterday, but he didn't know how. Would talking to Chris make him more comfortable or less? Would Chris feel like Gary was pushing if Gary tried telling him he wanted to give him time and get to know him?

Gary didn't know Chris well enough. He didn't know Chris at all. He had no idea how his mate would react to any conversation between them, but maybe there was someone he could ask.

He wiggled until he managed to get his hand in his back pocket, then took out his phone. It was new. Rowan, the clan leader, had gifted one to every Vila who'd arrived with Gary. Gary had never needed a phone. He'd never had anyone to call, which was sad. Now, though, his phone had numbers saved into it.

Including Alexis's number.

That was who Gary selected and called. He didn't know who else to talk to. He supposed he could tell Dermot or one of the others he'd been on the run with, but even though they were friendly, they weren't exactly friends. They'd banded together to survive, and they'd done what was necessary in order to do that, but while they'd been close, it didn't mean that Gary could trust them with this.

But he could trust Alexis. He was sure of that.

"I knew you'd call," Alexis said when he answered.

"I'm that predictable?"

"No, but you know Chris is Boyd's best friend. You're probably not comfortable enough to call Boyd, but me? You are."

Gary smiled at the sky. It was endlessly blue, so much so that he felt he could lose himself staring at it. Maybe it would help him stop obsessing over his mate.

He doubted anything could achieve that.

"I just need to know he's all right. I don't know how he took the news yesterday, but considering he ran from me, I think I can say it wasn't well," Gary explained.

"Why don't you come over? Boyd left, so I'm alone at the house. We can sit down and talk."

Gary sat up. "I don't want to bother you."

"You're not bothering me. Come on. I'll get lunch together, and we can eat as we talk." Alexis hesitated. "You don't have to talk about Chris if you're not comfortable with that. I realize we weren't best friends before, and we don't have to be now, but I thought I'd lost every member of my clan. Finding out you were still alive was a shock, and I feel we should get to know each other better. I love the new clan we have, but I don't want to forget about the old one."

Gary's chest squeezed. He couldn't believe that Alexis didn't hold what had happened against him, not even a little. Gary wouldn't have been able to defeat all the Kudlaks who'd attacked their clan, and he would have died along with the rest of the clan members if he'd tried, but the guilt was always strong. Even though he knew it wasn't logical, he felt that everyone had died because of him.

Alexis didn't seem to think that. He wanted to be Gary's friend, and Gary wanted the same.

"I'll come," he said.

"Good. The food won't be elaborate, but I suspect you already know that."

Gary did, and he didn't mind. The village was still tiny, and while Whitedell was close, it felt like most people here were wary of leaving the village to go and get groceries. They did because they didn't have a choice, but things would be much better once the village had a small grocery store.

Maybe Gary could take care of it. He'd never owned a store before, but he'd need a job. He loved tending to his yard and being a healer, but he wanted to contribute to the village's life more.

"Whatever you have is perfect," he promised.

After he and Alexis hung up, he went to clean up and headed out. The sun was warm on his skin, and he looked around as he walked down the path. He could hear people in the houses as he walked past, the sound of a hammer and a saw. He could smell fresh paint and wood in the wind.

The village was coming together. It would take time for it to be like Gary's old village, but Gary didn't mind. He liked feeling like he was starting something new, maybe giving himself a fresh beginning. He hadn't been born in this clan, but that didn't mean he wasn't part of it. His mate was here, which meant Gary was supposed to be here, too.

He'd help the village, one way or another. Alexis had agreed to give him self-defense lessons, but it would be a while before Gary could be helpful against an attacker, especially a Kudlak. That wasn't the only means he had to be useful to the village, and he decided he would talk to the two clan leaders about the grocery store. He suspected most clan members would feel relieved if they had a store in the village. It wouldn't be as big as the stores in Whitedell, so it wouldn't hold as many varieties of food, but it might still be enough. At the very least, it would mean people wouldn't have to go all the way to Whitedell if they only needed a few things.

Gary could do this. He could build himself a new life here and protect it if he had to. He had even more incentive this time around.

He had his mate.

* * * *

Chris took a sip of his beer. "No, I haven't told Gary. I haven't talked to him at all since yesterday evening."

Kendrick rolled his eyes. "And how do you suppose you'll find a solution? You can't do it on your own this time, Chris. Gary is as involved as you are. It's not fair to shut him out."

Chris groaned and rubbed his face. "I'm not shutting him out. I just need time." Gary probably understood, right? He had to know how much of a shock the news was to Chris. He probably hadn't expected Chris to run away, but Chris's reaction was understandable, wasn't it?

"I'm not going to say what I did yesterday evening was fair, but it's the only thing I could do," Chris explained. "And I know I need to talk to him. I promise I will."

"But you want to move your friend to the village first," Boyd offered.

"It's not that I want to do it first. I'm just worried about Ronnie." Chris hesitated. The three of them had talked about the reasons they'd become hunters before, but Chris had never gone into details. None of them had. Maybe his friends would understand more easily why he was so worried about Ronnie if he gave them more.

He rolled his beer bottle between his palms as he tried to find the right way to say this. He didn't think there was one. He just had to say the words.

"I hate that I couldn't help Ronnie when we were taken. I don't know if the Kudlak thought I was dead or if he was keeping me for dessert, but he didn't bite me. I'd lain there, unconscious while Ronnie was tortured and drained almost to the point of death."

"You saved him," Boyd said gently.

"I guess I did. I dragged him out of that place and back home, and I took care of him as well as I could, but he went through hell. He's been stuck in his apartment since he moved in there. When he was still with his parents, at least he talked to them and saw someone every day, but now he's completely alone. I don't think he's left the place for years. I call him as often as I can, but it's not the same, and he deserves to stop feeling like he's in danger. He deserves to be safe and know that people will protect him if anything happens. He needs to know that I won't allow another Kudlak to hurt him ever again. I can't promise that if he stays in his apartment, but I can promise he'll be safer here in the village."

"Maybe so, but it's not something you can decide for him," Kendrick said gently. "We all have trauma in our lives. We all deal with it in different ways. This is how Ronnie has decided to deal with it."

"But that's the thing. He's not dealing with it. He's hiding, and the years are passing. I only ever wanted him to be happy, and I thought that by showing him I could kill Kudlaks, he'd know I could protect him. I wanted to bring him the head of the Kudlak who'd hurt him, but I never saw the monster again. I think it's time to let go of that, but I'm never letting go of Ronnie. If he comes here, he'll be protected. He'll never have to worry about what will happen to him again."

"But it might also put him in the line of fire," Boyd pointed out. "We're trying to make the village as safe as possible, but there are still so few of us that someone might slip in."

"But if Ronnie were here, I wouldn't feel as helpless as I do now. I'd be able to protect him better, and even though there are so few members of the clan right now, more people are starting to arrive. I have faith in Clay and Rowan. I truly believe this is the safest place from the Kudlaks Ronnie could live at."

Boyd nodded. "Well, you can't force him, but you can try to convince him."

"How? I've tried already, but he's stubborn and scared."

Which was understandable. Chris was afraid, too, even though he hadn't gone through what Ronnie had been through. He was always terrified when he went out on hunts, but he'd learned to live with that feeling and to use it to his advantage. Ronnie would never be a hunter, but that didn't mean he had to be a recluse in his apartment. If Ronnie moved to the village, he could make friends, go to the grocery store, take walks, and go back to a mostly normal life.

Boyd grinned. "What would Ronnie do if he knew you'd found your mate but haven't even talked to him?"

Chris didn't even have to think to know the answer to that question. "He'd kick my ass for not at least telling Gary I need time."

"And how can he kick your ass from where he is?"

Chris leaned back in his chair. There was no way to know if this would be a good enough reason to get Ronnie to leave his apartment, but it wouldn't hurt to try. Besides, Chris wanted to tell him about Gary. Ronnie had always been the smarter of the two of them, so he'd know what Chris was supposed to do. He wouldn't let Chris hide and be stubborn about any of this. He'd forced him to treat Gary the right way, something Chris should really start doing on his own.

He would. He didn't know what he wanted from Gary or what he had to offer, but he wouldn't reject him. He had no idea if things could work between them, but rejecting him felt harsh and cruel. Gary was a Vila, and Chris was his mate. The least he could do was get to know him before he decided things could or couldn't work between them.

Kendrick mirrored Boyd's grin and leaned forward. "Call him and put him on speaker. I always wanted to meet him, and I can't wait to hear what he has to say about the mess you made with Gary."

Chris rolled his eyes, but if Ronnie was going to move here, he might as well get to know Boyd and Kendrick now. He was sure the three of them would get along. They all shared at least one thing.

They knew how stubborn Chris was.

He grabbed his phone from the kitchen table and pulled up Ronnie's number. He hesitated, then went for a regular phone call rather than a video call. He didn't know if Ronnie would want Kendrick and Boyd to see him.

"Twice in two days? What's going on in that village of yours?" Ronnie asked when he answered.

Chris grinned. "To be fair, you called me yesterday."

"I didn't think anything would happen so quickly after my phone call. What's going on?" Ronnie paused. "Are you calling to try to convince me to move?"

"I'm calling to introduce you to two of my closest friends here. Boyd and Kendrick, say hello to Ronnie."

Both of them obeyed. Kendrick was smiling like an idiot, while Boyd seemed amused. It was a pity Chris couldn't see Ronnie's expression. He could read his best friend so well that he would have known what Ronnie was thinking.

"It's good to meet the two of you," Ronnie said. "But I don't understand what's going on."

"Well, I was talking to Boyd and Kendrick, and you came up. Something happened yesterday evening. They convinced me to call you so I could tell you right away, and since they were here, I decided I might as well introduce the three of you."

"Stop making me worry and tell me what's going on. You're going to make me think the worse."

"Sorry," Chris quickly said. "That's the last thing I want."

Ronnie sighed. "I know. Just tell me."

"I think you'll want to visit the village soon because I want you to meet someone."

"Your two friends?"

"Not them. I met my mate yesterday evening."

* * * *

Alexis was smiling when he opened the door after Gary knocked. That helped Gary relax—Alexis wouldn't be smiling if he didn't want him there.

Gary realized he needed to stop thinking that he wasn't welcome here and that Alexis blamed him for what had happened to their clan. He didn't. He'd been clear about that, and he was happy that Gary had survived. It was only the two of them now, and Gary didn't want to lose Alexis, especially not because he was an idiot and overthinking everything.

"Come in. I have leftovers from yesterday evening, if that's all right with you. Or I can make sandwiches," Alexis offered.

"Whatever's less bothersome for you."

"Let's reheat the leftovers, then."

Alexis had made pasta with tomato sauce yesterday, and Gary expected him to shove it in the microwave and call it a day. Instead, when he walked into the kitchen, he saw that Alexis had taken out a pan. Alexis gestured at the kitchen island, and Gary slid onto one of the stools as he watched Alexis open the fridge and take out the leftovers and butter. He put some of the butter into the pan and turned the heat on under it, then turned to Gary.

"Boyd is Chris's best friend, or at least one of them," he explained. "But I haven't lived here very long. I know Boyd's friends because they're important to Boyd, but Chris and I aren't close, so I'm not sure how helpful I can be. You should probably talk to Boyd."

Gary crossed his arms and sighed. "I might have to talk to him if Chris doesn't open up to me, but for now, I'm not sure anyone can help me."

Alexis spread the melted butter into the pan, then took the pasta leftovers and opened the container. It had been tasty yesterday, and Gary was sure it would be today, too. The tomato sauce had been delicious, and it had reminded him that it had been a long time since he'd eaten something he'd cooked for himself. Even now that he had his own home, he was often invited by Dermot and the other people he'd been on the run with. They'd become kind of a family, even though not all of them were close. Their closeness had been caused by being on the run and fear, and it was hard to let go of that and create a new basis for their relationship.

But Gary wanted to start cooking. He wanted to settle down in his new life. Before, he'd thought he didn't deserve it, so he'd kept himself ready to leave at any moment. Now, he wasn't sure where to start because eventually he hoped he'd have to include Chris in his decisions.

But that would come later.

Alexis dropped the pasta into the pan. The butter sizzled, and Gary's stomach growled.

"What I can help you with is the beginning of your relationship with your mate. I just went through it, and I find that the most important thing is communication," Alexis said as he moved the pasta around, spreading it until it covered the entire pan. He put down the wooden spoon and fully turned toward Gary. "You haven't talked to him yet, have you?"

"I want to, but I don't know if I should. It's clear from how he reacted yesterday that he needs time and space, and I want to give him that."

"Understandable, and I'm sure you need the same. My advice is to not let him put too much space between the two of you. We both know that obsessing over things doesn't help. It only warps your thoughts and makes you see what happened differently, and it's not easy to ignore it. I don't think you want Chris to ignore the fact that the two of you are mates."

"Of course not." But the thought of talking to Chris was terrifying. What if he didn't want to be Gary's mate? What if he rejected him?

But what if he welcomed him?

Gary would have to take a chance. It wasn't easy, but it wasn't the first time he'd done it. He'd taken a chance trusting Dermot while he was running from Kudlaks. He'd been right to, and he was glad he had. The decision to talk to Chris was just as life- changing as the decision to trust Dermot, but in a different way. He wasn't risking his life.

Just his happiness.

"Then talk to him," Alexis said before grabbing the wooden spoon again.

The pasta was delicious this time around, too. Warming it in the butter had created a nice crust, and topped with grated cheese, it was the most delicious thing Gary had eaten in a long time, even better than it had been the night before. Gary liked it so much that he asked Alexis to explain what he'd done to make it, then decided to fix dinner for Chris. Chris hadn't eaten Alexis's pasta yesterday evening, and Gary's was bound to be different, but it would be a way to start a conversation.

*

The recipe wasn't complicated, and luckily, Gary had all the ingredients at home. Between that and taking care of his yard, the afternoon hours flew by, and soon enough he found himself walking to Chris's house. Alexis had told him which one it was, and Gary hoped Chris wouldn't mind him appearing on his doorstep without warning. He could easily have gotten Chris's number from Alexis or Boyd and asked him if this was all right, but he suspected that Chris would have tried to avoid him. If he was still freaking out, he might not want to see Gary.

Once he stood in front of the door, Gary sucked in a breath and quickly knocked before he could change his mind. He waited, shifting from one foot to another, hugging the dish with the pasta to his chest. It was warm, and he hoped Chris would open soon.

He did, then stood there, blinking at Gary. Gary raised the dish and smiled. "I'm sorry to bother you, but I cooked dinner, and I thought we could share. It's not Alexis's pasta, but I hope it'll be good anyway."

He waited, half expecting his mate to tell him to leave. Instead, Chris smiled and stepped to the side. "That smells delicious."

"I hope it is. I haven't cooked in a long time."

Chris closed the door and led Gary deeper into the house. "I can't imagine you had many opportunities to cook while you were on the run," he said.

"I didn't," Gary confirmed. "But I should get back to it. I enjoy cooking." Especially if he cooked for more than himself.

They settled at the kitchen table after Chris grabbed plates and silverware.

Gary dished out the pasta, and for a moment, they both ate in silence. It was the third meal in a row—except for breakfast—that he'd eaten pasta, but he didn't mind. He enjoyed it, although maybe tomorrow he'd eat a salad.

"I'm sorry I left so quickly yesterday evening," Chris said eventually.

Gary put down his fork. It was hard to make himself vulnerable, but he had to. It was the only way to get answers to his questions. "I understand why you did. It was a shock to you as much as it was to me, and I want to make things clear. I understand that you're human and probably didn't expect to be someone's mate, and I can give you all the time and space you need. I just need to know if you're willing to give this a chance. I don't want to hope only for you to tell me you don't want a mate in a week or a month."

To Gary's surprise, Chris set down his fork to cup Gary's cheek. The touch was startling but not unpleasant. Chris's hand was warm and slightly rough, as if he worked a lot with his hands. Looking around the house, Gary could imagine that he did. It was clear he was renovating the place himself.

"As I said earlier, I'm sorry I ran out," Chris said. "I was in shock, and I didn't know how to deal with it. I needed time to think about what you said, and that was enough for me to make a few decisions."

Gary's heart raced. "Yes?"

"I have a lot on my plate right now. I'm a hunter, of course, and I'm trying to convince my best friend to move to the village. That doesn't mean I don't want you. I just feel like this is a lot, but I do want to get to know you. I'm just not sure that rushing into anything will help."

"But you want to get to know me."

"I do, and I'm sure that eventually we'll feel it's time to bond and all of that. But like you said, I'm human, and I'm used to dating people before taking big steps like moving in with them. I know supernatural beings often don't date, but if it's okay with you, that's what I'd like to do."

It was more than Gary had expected, so he found it easy to smile. "We can date," he confirmed.

That was all he needed—a chance to show Chris that he could be the perfect mate for him and that they'd work well together. Fate had chosen this man for Gary, and he had no intention of giving him up or giving up on the bond they shared. He didn't care how long it took Chris to deal with his hang-ups and to feel he was ready for more.

Gary would take whatever Chris was willing to give him. Besides, Chris wasn't wrong. This was a lot for both of them, and it was best to take things slow.

As long as they gave each other a chance, Gary was sure everything would work out.

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