Chapter Fifteen

Shane

My heart had never been so heavy and my body never so empty as it had been watching Zhang ride away in the Uber. His train left after my flight and so, I had to stand there, my heart in my hands, knowing that it was the absolute wrong decision to let him go without some promise of tomorrow.

I had nothing other than his phone number. He had mine as well, but my mountain lion paced inside me, insisting I should've proclaimed something.

Love.

The assurance I wasn't going to stop pursuing him.

The fact I'd mated and marked him, making him mine.

The fact was, I already did love him. He was my fated mate, perfectly made for me and I for him.

So why hadn't I stated that when he was right in front of me?

I flew home in a haze of regret. I did ask Zhang to text me when he got home, and he asked me to do the same. He would relax once he arrived.

I had to get back to routine. Usually, getting back to the everyday was something I looked forward to but now, I was thoroughly distracted by the lingering scent of the omega I was in love with and so far away from.

Except I didn't wait that long. On the second plane, my fingers hovered over the send button for a good three minutes before I got the courage to transmit the message.

Every ounce of tension left my body when I got his response.

I already miss you too, Shane. This train ride is lonely without you.

Damn it all.

I wanted to be with him, but I also had to return to my life.

But now, he kind of was my life and everything else was something I did, not who I was.

We texted the entire flight and, on my car ride home, I called him just to hear his voice. My mountain lion was so lonely for him after only a few hours.

"I've got to go. I arrived at home. Can I call you tonight?" I asked, getting a knowing look from the driver. I could only imagine the array of phone calls he overheard.

"Yes, please. Get back to lifting dumbbells or whatever you do, strongman."

Damn, hearing him call me that meant more than all the applause and trophies in the world.

"Goodbye."

This time, the word on my lips wasn't so bittersweet. I would talk to him later.

I walked in and got settled only to hear a knock on my door. Chad. Of course.

"Hey!" He came in and plopped on the couch, clipboard and notebook in hand. Back to the grind.

"Wasn't expecting you until tomorrow morning." I chuckled.

He set the clipboard aside. "Tomorrow morning, you are back to training, my friend. We need to go over schedules and new routines. I shoved my way into your training a bit more over the weekend. James took it well."

"He did?" I asked. "He didn't kick up a fuss?" I sat across from him on the sofa.

"No. I think he knows it's time. Besides, I'm not taking over, just putting in more hours."

I scooted to the edge of the couch. "Then we need to talk in the morning or sometime tomorrow about you getting paid full-time. You've been taking care of all kinds of things around the gym and absorbing more responsibilities and hours. What do you think? Want to be a full-time trainer?"

"I would, Cousin. I was actually going to ask you about it."

"No need," I said, waving him off. "It's done but, we have to talk to the accountant. Make sure you get an industry-appropriate raise. Plus 10 percent. Now, what do you have for me?"

He leaned back. "First things first. How did this weekend go?"

My face instantly heated as my mind wandered back to the events of the weekend. Of Zhang. That sweet panda was inside me now. Even if we never saw one another again for some reason, I would never forget. "I met someone."

"Of course you did! It was the Bearclaw Inn. What's his name?"

The rest of the night, we talked about Zhang and me and how the weekend went. Once I divulged how much junk I'd eaten, Chad revealed my new plan for the week. I was on a bulk, so the weekend didn't matter, but the quality of what I was eating did. I was always on some kind of bulk or cut, depending on the season, but now was time to eat extra to build more muscle.

I was all in for it. Being with my omega had given me a surge of energy and drive.

Perhaps the next time I had a competition, I would invite him. Fly out there or him fly here. Either one would do.

"I have one more question, Shane. If this weekend was bliss, and Zhang is your mate, then where in the hell is he?"

I chuckled. "He has his life, and I have mine. I don't know is the very best answer I can give you right now. But I'm hoping we can find a way."

"Fate will make a way. I'm sure of it. But no getting goo-goo eyes while you're training. If I see you getting soft, I'm calling you on it." He handed over my new meal plan and routines.

It was far stricter, but I was looking forward to the challenge. "I'm regretting moving you to full-time already," I said.

"No you aren't." He shook his head. "At least, I'm not. Let's keep moving upward."