Chapter Eleven

Leon

I've had many good ideas in my lifetime but this, by far, was the best one. And I wondered why the healer had not suggested he do this. His burns were painful but not dangerous, certainly something a shift would handle.

Running with my omega.

"Where are we going?" he asked, putting the window down. His dark-brown hair blew in the breeze, and it was the first time that night where his face hadn't been pinched in pain.

"There are places outside the town limits. Others run here all the time. I even saw a lion once."

My omega shuddered. "There's not going to be a lion out here tonight, is there?"

I laughed. "Not tonight, I hope. But don't worry. I won't let any lions get you, little bear."

We arrived at the field where shifters ran free to the east of town and shut off his car. "Promise?"

"I promise. Now come on. I'm ready to get you naked again."

We got out and stood under the sky. The stars were so bright, and the moon was almost full. Still, even with the sky and the stars and the blessed moon, Tobias was the most beautiful of all, by far.

"Before we shift, there's something I need to tell you, Leon." My name on his lips was music to my ears.

"Go on. You can tell me anything."

He nodded, and a light blush dusted his cheeks. "You asked me a question the other day. Do I mind the age gap?"

My breath whooshed from my lungs. This was it. The make-it-or-break-it time. "If you're undecided, omega…" I started.

"I'm not undecided, alpha. I'm 100 percent decided. My mind is made up, in fact." He gave me a small smile.

"Stop teasing me, Tobias. If you've decided I'm too…that we are too far apart in age, then…" I prepped myself mentally for heartbreak. A nearly impossible task, but I tried nonetheless.

"Leon, please listen to me." He walked over to me and looked into my eyes. "It's not an issue. You're my alpha. Period. Besides, the silver hair coming in on the sides of your hair is hot."

"Is that right?" I asked.

He reached out and stroked my face. I leaned my head into his hand, so hungry for his touch. A soft whimper left my mouth. "That's right. I belong to you."

Leaning down, I grabbed him up and kissed him deeply. This was the only obstacle between us, and Tobias had dissolved that notion with only a few words.

"Let's shift and get you healed."

We took our clothes off and while I'd seen my mate naked before, I found myself almost drooling at the sight of him.

We shifted at the same time and for a few minutes, my jackal simply checked out his new bear mate. He sniffed his body as did Tobias as we got to know each other.

His bear was truly beautiful.

We ran that night for hours. I chased him. He chased me. We played, and through that play and running, built a bond. Our human sides already shared a bond through mating and that translated to our animals, but the bond didn't fully secure until tonight.

Shifting together solidified the bond.

There was no way I could ever let him go.

After running, we lay together under the stars as our animals and then in our human forms. There was no one around, so why not?

I turned, looking at Tobias' arm. He was laying on his back with one arm under his head and the other one, the one that had been burned at his side. "Sweetheart, how is your arm?"

He lifted the arm on the ground into the air and showed me. "All better. I should've shifted earlier. Didn't even think about it for some reason."

"I'm glad we thought of it. No residual pain?"

Shaking his head, he looked at me. "No. No pain."

Nodding, I laid my head on his stomach, content to be here with him and listen to his heartbeat forever. "That makes me happy. I almost lost my mind when I heard you had injured yourself."

"Want to know something?" he asked.

"I want to know everything about you."

"Earlier, when I had to go to the healer and then home, throughout that fiasco…I wished you were there the whole time."

I turned on my side to face him. "I would've come to you right away. No matter what, you can call me day or night. You can count on me, Tobias." My jackal insisted I make that point clear. Perhaps he'd picked up something about Tobias through the bond that told him our mate would need reassurance.

"I'm here for you as well," he whispered.

"I know you are."

For a long time, we lay like that until he suggested we get dressed and head back. What a shame. If I had my way, the omega would never put clothes on again.

"I'm hungry," he said as I opened the passenger door for him.

"I am too. Should we stop and pick up some sandwiches, or I could make you something."

I rounded the truck and got in. "Leon, I wasn't talking about sandwiches."

"What did you want, then?"

He snickered. "Alpha, I'm not talking about food at all." He reached over and ran his hand up my thigh.

"Oh," I whispered. "That hunger I am happy to take care of."