Chapter Eight

King

We rode together back to the other omega home, the one where Ryan spent most of his time and took care of the kids.

The omega was a natural-born leader. One day, he would make an incredible father.

"How old are you?" I asked, broaching the subject. If we were going to do this, I wanted everything out in the open. Everything.

"Twenty-one. And you?"

My stomach sank. "Thirty-six."

"Does that matter to you?" He. Asked. Me.

"I thought it would matter to you. You're so young."

Ryan looked out the window. His light-brown hair blew a little from the air conditioner pointed at him. "The first time I saw you, when I came here, you know what I thought?"

"Tell me."

"I felt safe for the first time. I knew you were out there and wouldn't let anything happen to me or the cubs."

That was right. He had six little ones already. They weren't his kin, but those babies were his nonetheless.

"I'm the last person you should feel safe around, Ryan. What I do for this organization—what my beast does…"

"You're saving the lives of people like me. Omegas like me. You're a hero, King."

"I'm no fucking hero, Ryan. If you'd ever seen the way…"

He reached over and threaded his fingers with mine. "I don't have to. What you do out there has nothing to do with us. You can be a vigilante and a hero."

"Can I? What if I lose control? If I ever hurt you, life wouldn't be worth living."

He turned and leaned against the headrest. My body thrummed with energy, thriving on his eyes boring into me. I always wanted his eyes on me.

About two hours ago, I was determined to stay away from him and now, I couldn't imagine a life without him.

Silly lion.

"He would never. My bear can feel him. The bond between us is already locked in. Gods, the way you smelled when I realized…"

"I think it was your age or your trauma or a mix of the both. You had to get through some things so you would be ready for a mate."

"It doesn't matter. We have each other now, right?"

"Right." We got to the omega house where Ryan hesitated to go inside. "What is it?" I asked.

"My bear is still restless. He wants to meet your lion."

I stiffened. My lion was more than ready to meet his animal, too. "I…what if he hurts you?"

"He won't. I know he won't. It's impossible. Mates can't hurt mates."

Goddess, this was how naive he was. He'd seen so much trauma and pain but at the same time thought that all matings had happily ever afters. If I had any say in ours, I would make it so. He would be the happiest omega in the world.

"How about I shift first," I suggested, "and he can get to know your human side. If you sense anything is wrong, you run inside for help. Hammer is there today. Get him."

"Yeah, okay. Come on." He didn't seem half as worried as he should be.

We walked a good distance from the main building—close enough for him to run to, but far enough away that no one else was seeing my omega naked.

"All right," Ryan said, cheeky as fuck. "Go on, then. Show me the big baddie."

I snorted but did as he asked. His eyes never left my form as I stripped down. My lion burst from me, eager to see his mate up close and personal. I padded toward Ryan slowly, forcing my will on my beast.

The anger, the rage, the bloodthirsty craving for violence—none of it came to the surface once he saw his mate.

"Oh, you are a King in all ways, aren't you? Majestic. Strong. Powerful. I knew you would be." My beast shuddered as our mate ran his fingers through my mane and then down the length of my spine.

My lion lay on his side and bared his belly.

He didn't bare his underside to anyone, ever.

"My turn." Ryan shifted. His bear was black with tinges of cinnamon. As stunning as his human side. We ran for hours. This run was about strengthening our bond. Thickening the tether between us.

Eventually, we shifted back to human and I stood, dumbfounded. Every pissed-off part of me was gone. It would resurface once I got wind of another abuse house but, for now, the rage was quiet, and Ryan had done that for me.

He reached out a hand. "Can you come in? Stay with me tonight?"

My lion lunged at the prospect. "I can't. I have to go on a mission. I…I'm so damned sorry."

"Yeah. Always on missions, right? Bad guys to take down."

I reached around his waist and pulled him to me. "I'm sorry. I really am."

He shrugged. "It's okay. I have tons to do. I'll see you when you get back, though, right?"

"Yes. You will."

He nodded and his chin quivered.

It killed me to leave him, but I had a job to do.