Chapter Five

Things had been tense, to say the least. Gary hated it, but even more he hated how terrified he'd been when he'd realized Chris had been hurt. He wasn't willing to play with his mate's health, which was why he was keeping an eye on Chris, even though he'd relented and had asked Nysys to heal him after checking for himself that the wound wasn't deep enough to create problems.

He frowned. He knew Nix healing was good, and he'd seen the wound for himself, but part of him didn't trust the Nix. What if he'd only healed the wound superficially? What if, under Chris's skin, there was still a wound that might get infected?

He couldn't stop thinking about that as he put together a breakfast tray and brought it to Chris. He'd been staying with Gary since he'd been hurt, and while Gary knew it was overkill, he didn't care about that, either. He wasn't going to lose his mate, dammit. He'd keep an eye on him until he was sure the wound had been healed completely.

He knocked on the guest room door. He'd been tempted to have Chris stay in his bedroom, but things had been awkward between them, and it felt like a good idea to give both of them space. It wasn't what Gary wanted, but it was what was best for both of them at the moment.

Gary could admit, at least to himself, that he was angry. He wished Chris would stop being a hunter and putting himself in danger, but he knew that even if he brought the idea up, Chris would dismiss it. He didn't want to stop being a hunter. He wanted to continue hunting Kudlaks and keep the world safe, and while Gary understood that drive, he wasn't sure he could live with it.

He wasn't giving up on his mate, but something had to break, and he didn't know if it would be him or Chris. Probably him.

"Yes?" Chris called out.

Gary pushed open the door, only to stop moving when he saw that Chris was on the floor, doing push-ups. Gary's heart raced, and he quickly put down the tray. "You shouldn't be doing that. You're wounded." He fretted as he gestured for Chris to get to his feet.

His mate was only wearing a tank top, so Gary could see part of the scar the wound had left behind. The sight made his mouth go dry, and when Chris didn't get up as quickly as Gary wanted, he frowned and gestured at him again.

Chris sighed and obeyed. His hair was messy, and there was a light shine of sweat on his face, a sure indication that the push-ups weren't the first exercise he was doing.

Chris flopped onto the bed and stared at Gary. "I'm not wounded anymore, Gary."

"You can't know that. The wound is healed on the outside, but you don't know what's happening on the inside." Gary turned back toward the tray. He needed something to do with his hands.

"I'd feel it if it weren't healed. I'm completely fine. There's no pain. It doesn't even ache."

Gary understood he was being ridiculous. It was a miracle that Chris was still here instead of having told him to fuck off and left right after Nysys healed him. Gary was overbearing, and right now, he was also unreasonable.

He didn't have a say in what Chris did or didn't do, just like he didn't have a say in the fact that Chris would continue being a hunter. Part of him wanted to throw a tantrum because Chris was his mate, which meant he should have a say in it, but he reminded himself that Chris was an adult and his own man. He didn't need to ask Gary for permission to do things like push-ups, and he'd been a hunter long before the two of them met. It wasn't fair to request he stop hunting Kudlaks, and Gary knew it, which was why he hadn't.

Even though every time he thought about it, his heart broke a little more.

Gary carried the tray to the bed. He didn't look Chris in the eyes because he was afraid of what he'd see there, so while he waited for Chris to settle into a comfortable position, he stared at his mate's pillow. He'd been grateful that the guest room was clean and furnished when he'd decided to move Chris into his house, but part of him wished it hadn't been so that Chris would have had to stay with him.

It was ridiculous. They could have gone to Chris's house, or Chris could just have gone home, because he'd been fine after Nysys had healed him. He didn't need to stay with Gary. He didn't need Gary to keep an eye on him. Gary was overthinking everything, and he was pretty sure everyone knew it.

Including Chris.

"You don't have to do any of this," Chris murmured when he took the tray Gary offered.

"Any of what? Taking care of you? Making sure you have food or that your wound is healed?"

"Yes. My wound is healed. I was fine right after Nysys took care of me. I realize you don't know him and that he's a lot, but that doesn't mean his healing ability isn't good. You know I'm fine. You've been watching me since I returned from the raid."

Gary wasn't sure what to say, so he was grateful when Chris's phone vibrated on the nightstand. That only lasted for a moment. Seconds later, as he watched Chris reach for it, he realized that it could be a call to go on another raid.

He watched Chris's expression to try to understand who it was. He wasn't surprised to see Chris turn grim, and when Chris put the tray on the bed to get up, Gary knew he'd run out of time.

"What happened?" he asked.

Chris grabbed his socks from the dresser and sat back on the bed to put them on. "That was a group text from Clay. There's another nest."

"He can't be asking you to go. You're barely healed."

"He's not asking me in particular to go, but I'm fine. I'm not going to let the others go on their own when I'm as good as new."

"You were wounded just a few days ago. You need more rest and to sit this one out."

What would happen if Chris went? He might be healed, but his arm was probably still weak from the wound, and it could give him problems at the worst of times. Knowing Kudlaks, they would take advantage of that. Gary couldn't allow that to happen. Chris had to realize how bad things were and tell Clay that he couldn't come today.

"I'm not going to sit this one out," Chris snapped. He pressed his lips together, then looked up at Gary as he grabbed his shoes from under the bed. "I'm perfectly fine. I promise you that I feel no pain and that I wouldn't be going if I did."

"You're a hunter. Of course you'd go even if you were in pain." Gary sounded bitter because he was. He hated all of this. He'd thought he could accept that Chris was a hunter, but he wasn't sure he could anymore.

Chris put on his boots, tied them, and got up from the bed.

"I'm sorry I snapped. I didn't mean to, and I shouldn't have. But I need you to understand that you can't keep me here. I've been a hunter for a long time, and I have no intention of stopping. I realize I'm only human, but that doesn't mean I don't have the power to keep people safe, and if there's anything I can do, I'll do it. I wouldn't put myself or the others in danger by going out there if I was still in pain or if I felt I wouldn't be able to fight."

Gary looked at his feet. What could he say? Nothing he could think of would stop Chris from leaving. Chris had already made his decision, and it wasn't to stay with Gary while the others headed out on the hunt.

"Gary?" Chris asked.

When he reached for Gary, Gary quickly stepped back. "You should go. I'm sure that whatever's happening is important."

Chris stayed still for a moment. Gary didn't look at him, but he watched him from the corner of his eye as he grabbed a few more things around the room and left. He only relaxed when he heard the sound of the front door opening and closing, but his relief didn't last.

What had he done? What if something happened to Chris, and the last thing they'd said to each other was that? What if Chris was distracted because of what Gary had said and got hurt again?

Gary dropped onto the bed and buried his face into his hands. He could run after Chris, but what would it accomplish? It was better for him to leave Chris alone so that he could focus on what he was about to do.

Fight Kudlaks.

* * * *

Chris was frustrated. He tried not to think about it as he made his way to Clay and Rowan's house, but he couldn't avoid it.

He understood where Gary was coming from. After losing his entire family and his clan in that attack, he was terrified to lose his mate, too. The fact that Chris had been recently wounded didn't help. That day, Gary had been terrified. He'd probably imagined how close he'd come to losing Chris, and he'd panicked. Since then, he'd been overbearing and a mother hen, and while Chris had tried talking to him about it a few times, Gary had always waved him off. He didn't want to talk about it. Chris had let him be for a while, but when he came back today, they needed to have a serious talk.

Chris couldn't stop being a hunter. When he thought about doing that, his first reaction was that he didn't know what else he could do with his life. More than that, he didn't want to do anything else until he was forced to. He was still young and strong, and he could make a difference. He could save people. Too many had been hurt, including Ronnie, and Chris would do whatever he could to get rid of as many Kudlaks as possible.

But he wasn't sure his mate could understand that, and even if he did understand it, Chris wasn't sure he'd agreed. Gary had allowed his fear to take over, which was why he'd panicked just now when Chris had told him he was going. Of course he didn't want Chris to go on the hunt. The last time he'd fought Kudlaks, he'd been hurt and could have been killed.

But he hadn't been killed, and he was back to his normal self. He was confident. He hadn't been lying when he'd told Gary that he wouldn't be doing this if he thought he wasn't ready. It would put him and his friends in danger, and that wasn't something he was willing to let happen.

"Fuck," he muttered as he reached Clay and Rowan's house.

The meeting was brief, and Chris spent the time wondering what Gary would do while he was away. He was relieved when they were finally shimmered to the area where they'd find the Kudlak attackers. From what Clay had explained, they'd hunted a Vila family who'd managed to escape and had sent word to the council. Apparently they'd been headed toward Whitedell to ask about the clan. They were with the council, so they were safe, but Rowan and Clay would go and talk to them once this was over.

Chris cracked his knuckles. It would be over quickly.

He was careful as he and the others entered the decaying warehouse, but as soon as he got his hands on the first Kudlak, he took all his anger and frustration out on him. He was careful not to get stabbed again, but he didn't need to be. With only two Kudlaks this time around, it was easy for a group of hunters to dispatch them.

He punched the Kudlak in the face again, and when the man stumbled back, Chris jumped on him. It brought both of them to the ground, and as he straddled the man's waist to punch him again, he let go of all of his anger. The man's face was a mask of blood, but for some reason, he was still grinning like a monster.

"Your village will pay for this," he said before another of Chris's punches reached him.

"What does that mean?" Kendrick asked.

The Kudlak cackled. "You'll lose everyone you've ever loved."

Chris rolled his eyes. He'd been hunting Kudlaks for years, so he was used to them trying to talk their way out of being killed, threatening them, and everything in between. It sounded like the Kudlak was trying to scare them, which was kind of working. The guy was creepy as he continued to laugh.

Chris punched him again to shut him up. The Kudlak spat out teeth, and it gave Chris a perverse pleasure to know he wouldn't be biting anyone else with those fangs.

"Stop playing with him and kill him," Alexis snapped.

It made Chris realize what he was doing. He'd been hunting for years, but he'd never taken pleasure in hurting Kudlaks, even after seeing what some of them had done. He'd always told himself that he was nothing like them. He wasn't cruel, and he didn't take pleasure in pain.

But right now, he was taking immense pleasure in hurting the Kudlak. He was taking his frustration out on him, but it wasn't fair.

Chris scrambled back. Alexis arched a brow at him, and Chris shook his head, not knowing what to tell him. Thankfully, Kendrick didn't give the Kudlak the time to get back to his feet. He stabbed him with one of his knives, aiming straight for the heart. The Kudlak's laughter cut off abruptly, and the silence was so loud that it echoed in the cavernous room.

Alexis offered Chris his hand, and Chris took it gratefully, even though his knuckles hurt. He allowed his friend to pull him to his feet, trying to avoid looking at anyone else in the room.

"You're in a mood today," Alexis said.

Chris sighed. "It's Gary."

Alexis grimaced. "He didn't take it well when you headed out?"

"He tried to convince me to stay back. He keeps saying that I'm wounded, even though Nysys healed me. I don't know why, but he got it in his head that the wound is still open deep inside or something like that."

"It would be easier to keep you home if you're still in pain."

"I know." Chris understood why Gary was frightened and why he wanted Chris not to go on hunts, but that was never going to happen. This was Chris's calling, and while he didn't want to give up on his mate, he also couldn't give up on this.

Alexis sighed. "You're going to have to talk to him. He lost everyone he's ever loved, and he's been on the run since then. It's been decades, Chris. Decades of running from Kudlaks, of hiding in the shadows and thinking about the people he lost. I'm sure you understand why this is hard for him."

"Of course I understand why it's hard. I'm just not sure how to deal with it. I can't give up hunting, and clearly, he doesn't like that. What if he can't accept it?"

"You're going to have to make a choice."

"Is anyone else worried about what the Kudlak said?" Kendrick asked as he pulled a cell phone from the pocket of the Kudlak's jeans.

"About the village?" Chris asked.

"Yeah. How did he know we came from the village?"

Chris and Alexis looked at each other. "The news that there's a new clan has been going around," Alexis said. "It's why the Vila family was coming to us. They found out about the village and want to be a part of it."

Chris grimaced. "And if they know about the village, it makes sense that the Kudlaks would, too. This isn't good."

Alexis's expression was grim. "I agree. I'm just not sure what we can do about it. I'm not surprised the news of the clan is making the rounds, and I hope it'll bring us more clan members, but at the same time, it does make us vulnerable."

"As long as the Kudlaks don't know where the village is, we're safe, right?" Kendrick asked.

"Yes, and there are the wards to consider. Even if the Kudlaks find out where we are, they'll protect the village."

Chris nodded, but he couldn't stop thinking about what Gary had told him. The wards weren't as strong as they should be. There weren't enough Vila in the village yet, so they couldn't make them stronger. There was no way for the Kudlaks to know that, but maybe they didn't have to know it. It would be enough for them to attack and see what happened.

"We should join the others," Alexis said as he clapped Chris's shoulder.

It wasn't painful anymore, but Chris still winced.

He looked down at the body on the ground. The Kudlak was dead, so he wouldn't be answering any more questions. Hopefully, the other Kudlak had said more, but Chris wouldn't be surprised if she hadn't. This one had been slightly unhinged and had probably just been trying to scare them. Even if the Kudlaks had plans to attack the village, they couldn't do it because they didn't know where it was.

Right?

* * * *

Waiting at home on the couch wasn't helping Gary. He didn't think anything would help as he waited for Chris and the others to return, and while he was tempted to go to Clay and Rowan's house to wait like some people did, this time, he couldn't. He remembered too keenly the last time this had happened. He'd been there when Chris had returned with a knife sticking out of his back, and Gary couldn't stop himself from thinking about it every time he walked past the house. He was sure that if he went there now that would be all he'd be able to think of, and that wasn't what he wanted.

He also couldn't stay at home. He'd tried everything to distract himself, from making himself a cup of tea to working in the yard. He'd cleaned up the guest room Chris had used, knowing his mate would probably return to his own home after today.

Gary had no idea where they stood. He hadn't begged Chris to stop being a hunter, but he'd come close, and Chris had to know it. He had to have seen how angry Gary was, how terrified he felt, yet he'd still gone on the hunt.

Gary sighed and got to his feet. Obsessing over this wouldn't help. He'd been wrong, and he knew it. The only thing he could do was apologize to Chris when he returned and hope his mate would give him another chance.

He quickly undressed, knowing the perfect thing to distract himself. It had been a while since he shifted, mostly because while he'd been on the run, there hadn't been a safe place for him to do it. Shifting made him feel vulnerable. He had to get naked to do so, and when he shifted back, he was once again naked. It would be easy for a Kudlak to attack him then, but at the village, he didn't have to worry about that. He could free the beast inside of him out to run.

Vila could turn into pretty much any animal they wanted, but they tended to have favorites. Gary did, and he couldn't wait.

He left his clothes on the couch and opened the back door. His yard gave onto the wooded area that surrounded the village, so he'd get from one to the other without problems.

He sucked in a breath, and for a moment, he enjoyed the warmth of the sun on his skin. Then, he shifted.

He stomped his front feet on the ground one by one, then shook out his mane. The horse wanted to run, and since that was why Gary had shifted, he let go of his control. Here, he didn't need to worry about how people would see him. He just needed to be himself, free and happy, even if it was only for a moment.

He ran through his backyard and into the forest. He moved around the trees, kicking his feet and making as much noise as he wanted. A human scream would worry people if they heard it, but not this.

What would Gary do if he could never get over his fear that something would happen to Chris while he was on a hunt? He couldn't forbid Chris to be a hunter, and he didn't want to. It wouldn't be fair to either of them, and it would make Chris unhappy. Gary couldn't ask his mate to choose between him and being a hunter, but that meant he'd have to accept what Chris was. He'd have to accept the fact that Chris could get hurt and probably would get hurt.

This time, Chris had been lucky. Even though he'd been stabbed, the wound hadn't been too deep, and Nysys had quickly healed it. What would happen if the wound was worse the next time? What would happen if a Nix couldn't get to Chris in time? Gary would lose him, too, and his heart wouldn't be able to survive that.

But could he really worry about something that might or might not happen and allow it to ruin his relationship with his mate? He was sabotaging their relationship and his own happiness, and he didn't want that to continue. He'd spent decades mourning the people he loved and running for his life. He wanted to be happy now.

But for that to happen, he would have to allow it.

He didn't know how long he ran, but he didn't want to leave the wards, so eventually he headed back toward the village. He took a different route, which was the only reason he saw the car parked on the edge of the road that led into the village. The car was just outside the wards, so Gary was wary of it, but when he reached it, he found a single man sitting inside, both of his hands grasping the steering wheel as he stared ahead.

Gary frowned. Who was the man? Since he was here, he might be a Krsnik or maybe a hunter. Gary was sure he wasn't a Vila because he didn't look like one.

He hesitated. He'd be naked if he shifted, but if he wanted answers, he didn't have a choice.

He walked closer to the car in his horse form. The man noticed him, and his eyes widened. For a moment, they stared at each other. Gary stayed still, not wanting to scare the man, and he was satisfied when the man opened his door and slid out.

"Okay, I'm not sure what I'm doing, but there are two possibilities here," the man said. "Either you're an animal, and you don't understand anything I'm saying, or you're a shifter."

Gary quickly shifted and grinned at the man. "The second one." Kind of, but this was a quick explanation that fit and that a human would understand.

The man looked away, probably to avoid staring at Gary's naked body. "Okay. Good. I suspected you were a shifter, but you can't be sure these days."

"It's fine. Can I ask what you're doing here?"

The man rubbed the back of his neck. "My name is Ronnie. I was told I'd be welcome if I moved here, and I decided to take that step." He gestured at his car, and now that he had a better look, Gary could see it was full of boxes and bags.

He didn't have to ask to know who Ronnie was. He'd heard the name often. "You're Chris's best friend."

Ronnie's eyes lit up. "You know Chris?"

Gary nodded. He didn't know if Chris had told Ronnie that they were mates, and considering the tense way they'd left each other earlier, he didn't think that spilling the beans would be a good idea now. If Chris wanted to tell his best friend about Gary, he could do so himself later.

"I do know him. He'll be happy to see you."

"Yeah, I'm sure he will be. He's been talking my ear off about the village since he moved here, and he made it sound like the most perfect place on earth."

"I wouldn't say it's perfect, but it's a great place to call home." Gary offered Ronnie his hand. "I'm Gary."

Ronnie shook it before quickly releasing it. "That's good to hear. And I'm really welcome, then?"

"Of course. Why don't you follow me into the village? I'll take you to Chris's home."

Ronnie relaxed. "That would be great."

Gary knew a bit about Ronnie's past, so he could understand why the man was so nervous and kept glancing around. The sooner he got to Chris's house, the safer Ronnie would feel.

"You don't have to worry about the wards. You're not a Kudlak, so they'll let you in," he quickly explained before shifting.

Ronnie seemed pleased at the news of the wards. He quickly got back into his car and followed Gary into the village and toward Chris's house. Everyone they passed turned to stare at Ronnie, but he didn't seem to care. His focus was on the road in front of him.

Gary shifted back once they reached Chris's house. "This is where Chris lives. He's out right now, but he should be back soon. You know him better than I do, but I'm sure he won't mind if you go inside."

"Thank you for your help," Ronnie said.

Gary smiled at him. "You're welcome."

Gary didn't know how this would change the relationship between him and Chris, but he'd find out soon enough.

* * * *

Chris was tired but pleased with how the raid had gone. There had only been three Kudlaks, but one of them had managed to escape, so Chris and the others had gone after him. They'd managed to catch him, and they'd killed him while he cursed at them that they would all die.

Weirdly, he'd been the only one to die.

A few hunters had been wounded, but everyone was all right, including Chris. Now that he didn't have to worry about the hunt, he was starting to worry about Gary and how they'd left things.

What would he find when he got home? Would Gary refuse to talk to him?

"You don't look happy," Kendrick said as they gathered to shimmer back to the village.

"It's Gary. He tried to convince me to stay home instead of coming today."

Kendrick grimaced. "He doesn't want you to be a hunter."

"I understand his point of view, but I can't give this up."

"I get it. I mean, I can see both points of view. He lost everyone he'd ever loved to the Kudlaks, and now he's scared to lose you, too. I don't blame him, especially after you were wounded."

Chris huffed. "I'm perfectly fine. Nysys made it sound worse than it was, but he apologized after healing me, so it's fine. I don't need you or anyone else to worry about me."

"Maybe not, but we're still going to worry. So will Gary. No matter how many promises you make him, you can't promise you'll come back every time. We've lost many hunters over the years, and I know you're aware of how lucky we were. We're still here, but not everyone is."

He was right, but Chris couldn't see himself leaving the hunters. He still had work to do, and he was young enough to hunt Kudlaks for a few more years. The problem was that he might have to choose between his work and his mate, and he didn't know what to do.

Kendrick knocked their shoulders together. "Talk to him."

"As if it's that easy."

"I never said it was easy. I'm sure it's not, but I wouldn't know since I haven't met my mate. I just mean that you're not going to find a solution if you don't talk to him."

Kendrick was right, but Chris couldn't go to Gary's house in the state he was in. He wanted to shower the Kudlak blood off his body, and he needed to be a bit more relaxed before he and Gary talked things out. He didn't know what kind of mood Gary would be in when Chris got to him, and he wanted to be ready to face him.

After they were shimmered back to the village, they quickly scattered. Chris headed to his house, ignoring the few people trying to stop him. They weren't who he wanted to talk to right now.

He was almost at his house when he noticed the car parked in front of it. He blinked and cocked his head, knowing he'd seen it before but unable to place it for the first few seconds. Even after he recognized it, his brain couldn't make sense of what he was seeing. There was no way Ronnie was here, right?

Chris quickly climbed the porch steps and threw open the door. He never locked it. No one locked their door in the village. They trusted each other.

Chris could hear voices in the kitchen, so he rushed in that direction, bursting into the room in time to see Ronnie smile at Gary. They were sitting at the kitchen table, both of them sipping on something warm in mugs—tea, if Chris knew them.

The two parts of his life had just collided, and Chris could only stare.

Both Ronnie and Gary had looked up when they heard him come in, and they quickly got to their feet. Ronnie beamed at Chris, who could only smile back and open his arms. When Ronnie threw himself into them, it was as if something clicked.

Chris's life was once again complete.

"I'm going to go," Gary whispered.

Chris couldn't allow that to happen. "Wait." He stepped away from Ronnie but kept a hand on his arm as he reached for Gary. "What happened? How are you here, Ronnie?"

"I decided to take up your offer and move to the village," Ronnie explained. "I wasn't sure where to go, but Gary found me."

"You two need to talk," Gary said.

Chris turned to him. "We need to talk, too."

"It can wait."

Chris wasn't surprised Gary was trying to avoid the conversation they needed to have. He was tempted to do the same and stay here to celebrate Ronnie's decision to move, but he had a choice to make.

In this situation, it was fairly easy.

He looked at Ronnie. "I'm going to go with Gary and spend the night at his house. Will you be okay here on your own?"

Ronnie blinked while Gary's face turned bright red.

"Why would you spend the night at his house?" Ronnie's eyes widened. "Wait. Is he your mate?"

"Yeah. He didn't tell you?"

The two of them turned to Gary, who looked like he was contemplating running out of the room. Chris dropped his hand from Ronnie's arm and grabbed his mate's waist, pulling him closer. Gary's face went even redder, which was adorable.

"No, he didn't tell me," Ronnie said slowly. "And when you told me you'd met your mate, I don't think you told me his name."

"I apologize," Gary said. "I didn't know if Chris had told you about me, and I didn't want to say something I shouldn't."

"I was an asshole earlier, so I want to go with Gary and apologize," Chris explained. "We also need to talk. I can stay if you're not okay being here on your own, but you're safe and protected."

To Chris's relief, Ronnie nodded. "Gary told me about the wards. I think I'll be fine, but tomorrow, I want to spend time with you."

Chris dragged him closer and kissed his forehead. "I promise we will."

Since Gary still felt tense as a rod, Chris didn't waste time. He dragged him toward the door, waving at Ronnie before leaving the house.

"You really should stay with him," Gary offered.

"Now that he's here, I can spend as much time with him as I want later."

"You can do the same with me. I'm not going anywhere."

"Damn right, you're not. After what happened earlier, we need to talk."

Gary sighed.

Chris had taken his hand so he wouldn't risk Gary running from him, but he didn't think Gary would. He seemed resigned.

"I shouldn't have left you when we were both angry, and I'm sorry I did," Chris said. "I understand why you're so anxious when I go on hunts, but I still have a few good years in me to be a hunter. I'd like to think that what I do makes a difference, especially with what's coming. We both know the Kudlaks are planning something, and I don't want to give up being a hunter before it happens. I have a feeling we'll all need to be ready for what's coming."

"You're right, and I understand how selfish it is for me to ask you to stop being a hunter. I never meant to, and I still don't. It's just hard for me to accept that my mate puts his life in danger every day by fighting the people who killed my family."

"I'm sorry you lost everyone you loved, and I can't promise I'll never be hurt or that I'll return after every fight, but I'll do my best. I'm not giving up on life, Gary. I have you and Ronnie, Kendrick and Boyd, and everyone else. I care about you, and I intend to live a very long life." He hesitated. "Would it make you feel better if we bonded?"

The relief was evident in Gary's expression, but he quickly hid it, as if he was afraid Chris would notice. "I can't ask you to do that just to make me feel better," he said.

"You're not asking me. I'm offering."

Gary frowned. "You realize that if we bond, that's it. You can't decide to leave me."

Chris hated that his recent behavior had made Gary think he might decide to leave him. He'd been hesitant about their bond, but not because he didn't want Gary. "Our life is fucked up, and unless all Kudlaks die or come to their right mind, it's going to be that way for a while. That's the main reason I was so hesitant. I was afraid to tie myself to you because there's a chance I might not return when I go on one of the hunts. I can see that trying to keep distance between us isn't going to work, though. Maybe bonding will make you feel better about me going on hunts."

"At the very least, I could feel that you're all right," Gary murmured.

They'd reached his house and were standing in the front yard. Chris could see people in the house next to Gary's, but his entire focus was on his mate. "If it makes you feel better and helps you accept that I'll continue being a hunter for the foreseeable future, I want us to do this."

"As long as you're sure you won't regret it."

"I'm pretty sure that's one thing I can promise I won't feel." Chris wasn't making that promise lightly. Things might be complicated, but with Gary in his life, he had the best reason to return every time he went on a hunt. He wanted his mate to be hopeful about their future and to know that he was all right even when he was outside the wards.

Chris pulled Gary into his arms. "Let's do it, then."

Gary reached back to open his door. Chris pushed him inside, then slammed the door shut with a foot.

Since he'd been staying here, he knew where Gary's bedroom was. He grabbed his mate's ass and urged Gary to jump, which he did with a sweet giggle that made Chris smile. Gary wrapped his legs around Chris's waist and allowed him to carry him deeper into the house.

Chris might not know what tomorrow would bring for either of them, but as long as Gary was in his life, it would be fine. He was sure of that.

When they reached the bedroom, he tried to drop Gary onto the bed, but Gary wouldn't let go of him. As a result, they tumbled down together, making Chris think of the first time they'd kissed. They'd been in a similar situation, but it had ended very differently.

"You're going to have to let me go if you want to get naked," he murmured as he kissed down Gary's jaw.

"What if I don't want to?"

"Get naked?"

"Let you go."

Chris tightened his arms around Gary and kissed him. "Even if you do let me go, I'll come back to you."

Gary hesitated for a moment before loosening his hold on Chris. Chris loved that he trusted him to return, and he was aware that their words had more meaning than what was happening right now. If it was in Chris's power, he would always return to his mate.

He hadn't had time to shower, but Gary didn't seem to mind. As soon as they were both naked, he opened his arms to Chris, and Chris couldn't resist. He should probably head to the bathroom, but maybe they could do that together later.

Gary wrapped his arms around Chris instantly when he landed on top of Gary again.

It was as if Gary was afraid to let Chris go, which Chris could understand. He knew that whatever would happen between them next, it would have to happen without them separating. Gary felt too vulnerable to let go.

With Gary, it didn't matter if the sex was quick or slow. There were feelings in every movement they made, and Chris made sure Gary could feel them. Even with Gary not letting go, Chris touched every inch of Gary's body he could. He ran his fingertips up and down Gary's thighs, then around him, gently cupping his ass and spreading his cheeks. Gary wasn't willing to let go for this, either, but he was thrusting with his hips, and both their cocks were hard.

Chris wiggled a hand between them and brought their cocks together. Gary sucked in a breath, and when Chris looked at him, he noticed the glinting of fangs where there hadn't been any before. Gary wasn't a shifter. He'd told Chris that he could choose what animal he wanted to shift into, unlike shifters, who could only shift into one animal. As far as Chris was concerned, that was incredible, but then, everything about Gary was.

Including the fangs that were about to sink into Chris's neck.

"How do I drink your blood?" he asked as he pressed closer and tilted his head to the side.

Gary blinked for a second as if he didn't understand the question, then raised a hand. He moved in a flash, but Chris saw the claw on his finger. It was only there for a moment, but it was long enough to open a long scratch on Gary's neck.

Chris didn't have any instinct when it came to bonding because he was human, but he knew what to do. Squeezing his hold on their cocks, he leaned forward and licked a long stripe along the cut. Gary's blood was coppery and warm, and while it wasn't Chris's preferred drink, he still sealed his lips over the cut and sucked hard enough to get more.

He jerked when he felt Gary's fangs sink into him. His hold on their cocks loosened, but the bite wasn't that painful, and as soon as Gary started drinking, it was easy to ignore the sting.

It was even easier when Chris started feeling his mate at the back of his mind.

It was odd. Chris knew those feelings weren't his, but at the same time, he was feeling them. He could sense how happy Gary was, how much he yearned for him, and how horny he was.

That made two of them.

Chris moved his hand faster. Gary keened, but the sound was muffled against Chris's neck. He dug his heels against the top of Chris's ass cheeks as if he wanted them to be even closer. That wasn't possible, unfortunately.

They were as close as two beings could ever be.

With the bond between them snapping into place, Chris could feel how relieved his mate was that this was over. From now on, he'd be able to feel if Chris was in trouble. Chris had no doubt that even though Gary didn't have a clue how to fight, he'd find a way to him. He'd save him if he ever needed to be saved.

And even better, he'd love him for the rest of what Chris hoped would be a very long life.

He panted against Gary's neck, moaning as he came. The cut on Gary's neck was a little swollen, but it wouldn't stay there for long. It would heal, but unlike the bite on Chris's neck, it wouldn't leave a trace. Chris felt a bit sorry about that, but it didn't really matter. Gary was his, and no one could separate them.

Gary shuddered in Chris's arms, coming right along with him. They were messy and sweaty, and they'd have to change the sheets, as well as shower if they didn't want to be stuck together for the rest of the night, but Chris couldn't remember the last time he'd felt so at peace. He didn't want the moment to end, so even though he rolled to the side, he took Gary along with him, pulling him against his body and wrapping his arms around him.

"Thank you," Gary whispered.

Chris kissed the top of his head. "There's nothing to thank me for. I wanted this as much as you did."

Chris could feel Gary wasn't convinced, so he pushed the happiness he felt through the bond. He felt like an idiot and had no idea if it worked, but when Gary relaxed against him, he knew it had been the right thing to do.

Chris doubted Gary would ever be comfortable with him being a hunter, but he knew his mate wouldn't demand he stop. Gary understood how important this was, both to Chris and the people he protected. The upcoming weeks and months wouldn't be easy, but Chris was ready to compromise to make Gary happy.

And he could feel that Gary was willing to do the same.