15. Liam

We continued swayingside-to-side in the parking lot, wrapped up in each other"s arms. It was just the two of us, cocooned in our own little world.

Everything else didn"t seem to matter. It felt like time had frozen, leaving only Shane and me in our own private bubble.

When I had arrived with Shane earlier, a wave of anxiety had washed over me.

I couldn"t shake the nagging fear that someone would outright tell me I didn"t belong, that I didn"t fit in with this world of shifters.

And meeting Chris had only added to the awkwardness, stirring up a mix of emotions that I struggled to contain.

I still couldn't believe that guy had the guts to approach and flirt with Shane after breaking his heart.

But as I rested my head against Shane"s chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat, those worries began to melt away.

Thoughts of Shane"s house drifted through my mind, a place that was slowly but surely becoming a home—a home that could be ours if I wanted it.

The mere thought of it brought a surge of warmth to my chest, tinged with a hint of uncertainty.

Shane had said he didn"t care about labels, that we could be whatever we wanted to be.

And yet, the idea of us as a couple, of building a life together, filled me with a sense of longing I couldn"t quite put into words.

As we continued to be lost in each other, a group of shifters walked past us. One of them gave Shane a thumbs-up. I pretended not to notice, my focus solely on Shane.

To my surprise, another shifter called out to me. "It"s good to meet you, Liam," he said. "I hope we"ll see you at another pack event."

I nodded in response, a faint smile playing on my lips as Shane and I came to a stop, our impromptu dance coming to an end.

In that moment, I realized that maybe, just maybe, I had a place here.

"Let"s head back home," Shane said, a playful glint dancing in his eyes.

"Let"s," I agreed.

Shane handed me my helmet, and this time, I accepted it without hesitation. I climbed onto the back of his motorcycle, feeling a sense of confidence wash over me.

Gone was the fear of falling and embarrassing myself—I held tightly to Shane, trusting him completely as we rode back home.

As the wind whipped past us, tousling my hair and sending a thrill coursing through my veins, I couldn"t help but savor the warmth and solidity of Shane"s body.

There was something intoxicating about the way he handled the motorcycle, the way he navigated the twists and turns of the road with effortless grace.

In no time at all, Shane was pulling his motorcycle into the driveway, bringing us back to the sanctuary of home. I climbed off the bike, feeling strangely giddy, like I was floating on air.

Not intoxicated, but drunk-happy—as if everything in the world was falling into place.

"Just me and my fox," I whispered.

The thought brought a giggle bubbling to the surface. My mother would probably have a heart attack if she heard me referring to Shane as "my fox."

After all, she had always encouraged us to be seen together, but only to paint a good image for the press.

The idea of her son being mated to a fox shifter would likely send her into a frenzy.

But strangely, in that moment, I didn"t care.

All that mattered was Shane, walking up to me with that trademark grin of his, looking impossibly gorgeous and utterly irresistible.

"Did you just refer to me as your fox?" Shane"s voice broke through my thoughts, and I swallowed nervously.

"You heard that, huh?" I asked, unable to hide the blush that colored my cheeks.

"Did you forget? We shifters have very sensitive hearing," Shane replied with a smirk, his eyes twinkling with amusement.

I laughed and before I could say anything else, Shane's gaze turned sober. Completely serious.

Gold swallowed both his irises. The possessive look sent a shiver of desire down my spine. He was hungry for me but so was I.

Shane closed the distance between us in a single stride, his hands coming up to cup my face with a tenderness that stole my breath away.

He pressed his lips against mine in a rough and savage kiss. The garage, the rest of the neighbourhood ceased to exist.

I melted into his embrace, my heart beating alarmingly fast.

We stumbled towards the front door, all over each other. I didn't want Shane to stop. I wanted his hot mouth on mine, his hands touching my bare skin.

I was distinctively aware of Shane, unlocking the front door. We momentarily paused until we were safely inside the house.

Shane didn't even bother turning the lights on. He closed his hand over mine and led me to his bedroom.

I didn't resist one bit. I didn't want to. Finally, inside his bedroom, we resumed what we started.

Shane shrugged off his jacket and I gripped the hem of his shirt. He smirked and pawed at my shirt.

In seconds, our clothes were discarded, leaving us standing before each other in our most vulnerable state.

There was no hiding, no pretense—just raw, unfiltered intimacy that laid bare the depths of our souls.

Yet, in that moment, I felt an overwhelming sense of peace wash over me, knowing that I was completely and utterly safe in Shane"s embrace.

Never before had I felt so exposed, so bared to the world. But strangely, it felt liberating, like shedding layers of armor to reveal the true essence of who I was.

And in Shane"s eyes, I saw nothing but acceptance and love, a silent reassurance that filled me with a warmth I had never known before.

My fox. The realization hit me like a bolt of lightning, electrifying every nerve in my body.

Shane wasn"t just my lover—he was my mate, my other half, the missing piece of my soul that I had been searching for all along.

Before him, I had dismissed the idea of a mating bond as nothing more than a fairy tale, something young shifters whispered to each other and had a good laugh afterwards.

But now, as I stood before him, I knew the truth.

The mating bond was real, tangible. An unbreakable connection that bound us together in ways I couldn"t even begin to comprehend.

Shane drew me into his arms, his touch igniting a fire within me that threatened to consume us both, I surrendered to the undeniable truth of our bond.

We ended up on the bed, with me lying on my back and Shane above me.

He lowered his mouth to mine, and every rational thought fled my body. I moaned as he spoiled me with kisses and I grew addicted to his possessive touch.

He lifted my legs over his broad shoulders and I could see his dick was already hard for me.

"One second," Shane said.

He parted from me, fumbled in the nearby drawer. Once he found the bottle of lube, he returned to his spot.

Shane applied a generous amount in me. Then he kissed me again.

"Take me Shane. Make me yours." I uttered those last three words in a whisper but Shane understood.

He entered me in one swift thrust and I groaned. In that moment, as our bodies merged as one, I knew I was home.

Shane didn't start slow, as if he knew exactly what I wanted. He soon settled into a rhythm both of us liked and I found myself meeting him for every push.

It wasn't long before the pressure inside me threatened to burst open. Shane found my sweet spot and I gasped as my fox kept focusing on the area.

My balls drew tight against my body and I came, painting his stomach with jizz.

Shane lay next to me, holding me close. He pressed his mouth against the side of my neck and I soon felt the sharp pinprick of his fangs.

I didn't tense, in fact I was more relaxed than I'd ever been. I was so sure of him, of us in that moment.

With trembling hands, I cupped Shane"s face, his gaze locked with mine. Then Shane pressed his teeth against the sensitive flesh of my neck.

A gasp escaped my lips as a surge of pleasure shot through me, mingling with a hint of pain that only served to heighten the intensity of the moment.

As Shane"s teeth pierced my skin, I felt a profound shift deep within me—a connection forming between us that transcended mere physical desire.

It was as if a floodgate had been opened, unleashing a torrent of emotions that threatened to overwhelm me—possession, want and contentment.

Shane withdrew his teeth and I felt a warmth spreading through me—a warmth that emanated from the very core of my being.

It was the mating bond, the unbreakable tie that bound us together as one.

I looked into Shane"s gaze and I knew with absolute certainty that we were meant to be together.

"Shane," I whispered, my voice barely above a breath as I searched for the rights words to say and realized I knew exactly what they were. "I...I love you."

"Liam..." Shane said. "I love you too."

The soft sound of Shane"s snoring soon filled the room, lulling me into a sense of peace and contentment.

I couldn"t help but smile to myself, feeling a surge of affection for the man sleeping beside me.

Was it strange that I enjoyed watching him sleep? Maybe, but I knew Shane wouldn"t mind. After all, we were mates now.

The word "mates" still felt foreign on my tongue, but I knew I would have to get used to it.

It was a new chapter in our lives, one filled with endless possibilities.

As I lay there, lost in my thoughts, it dawned on me that the first person I wanted to share the news with was Ollie.

He and James would be ecstatic for us. The thought brought a smile to my face, warming me from the inside out.

But my mood quickly dampened as my phone began to vibrate, the name "Mom" flashing across the screen.

With a sigh, I slipped out of bed as quietly as I could, not wanting to disturb Shane. The last thing I wanted was to wake him.

Padding out of Shane"s room, I answered the call with a sense of trepidation, unsure of what my mother would have to say.

"Liam— I"m glad I managed to get a hold of you," my mom began.

I clutched the phone tighter against my ear. "Mom? Did something happen to the family? To Grandfather?" I asked, suddenly worried.

"Your grandfather was shot at during a charity event, but our mages managed to erect a barrier in time," she said. "But that"s not why I called."

It took me a few seconds to process her words. She didn"t sound all that worried, so I relaxed a little.

"Mom, there"s something important I need to tell you," I interjected, my voice tinged with urgency.

I knew I couldn"t keep the truth about Shane and me hidden any longer and it dawned on me that I wanted her to know.

"Liam, your news could wait," she replied, her tone dismissive. "I called because that reporter from Mage Daily wanted to do a special on you."

I felt a pang of disappointment at her response, a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach.

It seemed that once again, my own desires and struggles were pushed aside in favor of maintaining appearances and furthering the family"s reputation.

But deep down, I knew that her approval mattered to me more than I cared to admit.

I wanted her to see me for who I truly was, to accept me and Shane and our love without judgment or reservation.

Then I thought on her words. Pierce wanted to do special on me? My mind raced with questions—what could he possibly want to feature about me?

With a heavy heart, I swallowed back the words I had been so eager to share, knowing that now was not the time.

"I know you dislike this reporter, but agreeing to this interview would put our family back in the spotlight," she insisted, her tone pleading. "All you need to do is turn up and answer a few questions. You can even bring that fox if you like."

I bristled at the way she mentioned Shane, as if he were just some sort of accessory.

In reality, he was so much more than that—he was my mate, my partner, the love of my life. However, I held my tongue, not wanting to escalate the tension between us any further.

Her next words caught me off guard, drawing my attention back to the conversation.

"If you do this," she continued, "I promise you, I"ll talk to your grandfather about returning home."

I felt a surge of conflicting emotions at her offer. On one hand, the thought of returning to my old life and the privileges that came with it held little appeal to me.

But on the other hand, if I could regain good standing with my family, perhaps it would make it easier to break the news to them about Shane and me being mates.

I let out a heavy sigh, knowing I would agree to the interview. It was a small price to pay for the chance to pave the way for a future with Shane by my side.

"Fine," I said finally, steeling myself for the challenges that lay ahead. "I"ll do it."