Chapter Eleven
While Cade ate with Joe in the kitchen, Hunter tried to think of his next move. It would be easy to make Cade’s life so miserable that staying would be the last thing he wanted but, for one thing, he wouldn’t get away with it under Sybil’s watchful eye, and for another, that wasn’t the kind of person he was. He didn’t want a mate, but he wasn’t going to be cruel to Cade just to get rid of him.
Upstairs, he found three bedrooms, the largest of them had the bed already made up, clearly supposed to be their room. He set about getting one of the other rooms in order, so he and Cade wouldn’t have to share a bed again. It wasn’t just the awkwardness of it, it was that Cade wasn’t exactly ugly to Hunter’s eyes. Sure, he was a little skinny, but there was a lot about him, physically, that Hunter found appealing. Not a good start to their sham mating.
He heard Seth arrive and came back downstairs to greet him.
“Dad wants us to do a patrol of the border,” Seth said. “You up for that or do we need to give you two lovebirds more time?”
“Joe is keeping Cade company. Let’s go.” After a morning on the road, he could do with stretching his legs. He could see by the look in Seth’s eyes that his friend wanted to talk.
They avoided the coast road, heading inland toward the nearest border, then backtracking along it toward the coast. Once they were out of earshot, Hunter expected Seth to start talking, but he didn’t.
“What?” Hunter asked eventually.
“How are you and Cade getting on?”
“Swimmingly. Why?”
“Do you really think he’ll run?”
Hunter hoped so. If it was in his nature, then being stuck with Hunter for more than a few days should have been enough to send him packing.
“Who wouldn’t run from the prospect of being my mate?”
“Don’t sell yourself short. You turn a lot of heads.”
“I’m too young to settle down, Seth.”
“My parents settled down when they were our age.”
“Yeah, well things were different back then. I mean, they were actual shape-changing shifters when they got it together. And we’re… not.”
“Not so different, though. Their mating was arranged by their parents, to tie the packs closer together.”
“See,” Hunter said, “that’s a sensible reason for a mating. Expecting some stranger to manage my emotions for me is not.”
As they neared the border, they both fell silent, walking more carefully, senses alert for anyone nearby. All was quiet.
“Red Fang are probably still seething about their defeat at your hands,” Seth joked.
“Yeah, that might not have been the smartest move I’ve ever made.”
“You making foolish choices? Unheard of.”
Hunter made a grab for him and Seth ducked to avoid it, tearing off into the forest. Hunter followed, knowing just where he was going. The sound of running water grew louder as he gave chase, until Seth disappeared ahead of him, diving off the bank and into the water. Hunter paused for just long enough to shed his clothes and did the same.
They walked back to the cottage in companionable silence.
“What’s the plan,” Seth asked quietly, “if Cade doesn’t run?”
“Why would he stay? He’s already told me he doesn’t have any intention of mating with me. He wants to be free.”
“Okay,” Seth reasoned. “And you don’t actually like him anyway, right? There’s no attraction there for you two to battle with.”
Hunter thought back to seeing Cade step into the kitchen in his T-shirt. In just his T-shirt, the hem hugging his hips, the faded material skimming his ass…
“No, there’s nothing there.”
Seth’s sideways glance said that he hadn’t quite bought Hunter’s denial.
“Besides, he will run,” he added. “I can tell just from looking at him.”
Joe was gone when he went inside, Seth heading back to the pack house. Cade had resumed his position in front of the fire, curled up under the blanket Hunter had left him.
He looked up when Hunter came in, his dark eyes wary. “I’m not sleeping with you now, either.”
“Fine, suit yourself. I made up the spare bed for you upstairs if you’re tired.”
He went into the kitchen to get a drink, returning to the living room to find Cade had already gone up, his footsteps audible on the landing above. Hunter decided it would be a good idea to set a precedent for him not being around the house much. A good way to lull Cade into a sense of safety for when he decided to leave. He knew it wouldn’t be today, the omega was exhausted.
He avoided the pack house, knowing Cade’s absence by his side would raise questions, and instead went to Benjamin’s house. He hadn’t come with them to the Gathering this year, having chosen to stay behind and guard the pack. Hunter knew he’d have been filled in already about the mating but also knew Benjamin and his mate Cato would be sympathetic and wouldn’t raise an eyebrow if he spent the evening with them.
A few beers and many hours later, and he headed home, glancing up at the midnight sky as he walked. There was an almost full moon in the sky. That shit used to mean something. Kids couldn’t control their changes so well around the full moon, the pack would be a hive of activity. And now, it meant almost nothing. People had stopped looking up there, stopped searching for meaning.
Climbing the cottage stairs, he pushed open the door to the main bedroom, only to find Cade asleep in that bed. The little—he had done that deliberately, knowing Hunter meant him to sleep in the smaller room, the smaller bed. Well, two could play at that game.
He strode forward, yanked back the covers, and picked Cade up, throwing the omega over his shoulder. Cade yelped and struggled as Hunter carried him from the room, his hands beating uselessly at Hunter’s back. The alpha dumped him onto the spare bed and Cade turned over, glaring up at him. Hunter set his hands on his hips and stared him down.
“You sleep in my bed,” Hunter challenged, “you’re mine. You want me to keep my hands to myself, you sleep in here.”
Cade flushed then, his eyes dropping to the bedspread. That was when Hunter realized the omega was still wearing his T-shirt. He stepped closer, reaching out to catch the collar and tug Cade toward him. He leaned in, hearing Cade squeak under his breath, and scented deeply. With Cade wearing his clothes, their scents had intermingled. It awakened something in him, and he latched onto Cade’s shoulder, letting his nose trail up Cade’s neck and along his cheek. His other hand rested on Cade’s head, his fingers tangling in that curly hair, and then their lips were pressed together. Cade’s body melted against him and Hunter tried to move them both, tried to lie Cade down on the bed. Only the omega’s hands went from clutching at him to pushing him away and he broke the kiss, turning his head from the alpha.
“No.”
The word broke through the spell and Hunter pulled back, releasing his grip on Cade. He wiped a hand across his mouth, trying to get a hold of himself. This wasn’t what he wanted. This wasn’t what Cade wanted. And sure, maybe their bodies had something to say about that, but he wasn’t about to be a slave to his hormones, not if it meant a lifelong attachment neither party was happy about.
“Sorry, I… your scent.”
Cade glanced at him, his eyes troubled.
“Thank you for stopping.”
“You said no.” He got to his feet, running his hands awkwardly over his jeans trying to think of what else to say.
“I don’t get you,” Cade said, suddenly far more animated than he’d been before. “You fight like an animal, but you can’t shift. You take me to be your mate but you back off the second I say no. You’re… confusing.” He seemed put out more than anything.
Hunter huffed a laugh. “Sorry to be a disappointment. Go on, get some sleep. If I find you in my bed again, we’ll have more than words.”
He didn’t think his threat had any impact after what had just happened between them. But as he turned and stepped out into the hallway, quiet words followed him.
“I never said I was disappointed.”
There was nothing dignified about being thrown over the alpha’s shoulder and carried from the room. But his indignation died as the alpha’s large hands were suddenly on him, one clutching his shoulder, the other tangled in his hair. This close, Cade could hear the thrum of blood under the alpha’s skin, feel the heat radiate from his body. He’d watched Hunter fight, knew the strength that lay beneath those hands, a strength he could trace across the alpha’s body, in his broad shoulders and the muscles of his forearms.
When Hunter’s lips pressed against his mouth, his first instinct wasn’t to push him away but to give in, yielding to all that power and strength. His body ached to be touched the way Hunter was touching him, his head and heart singing ‘yes’ in unison. Until the alpha tried to lie him down. That was all it took to jolt him from the haze of passion. Hunter let him go, pulled back when he did. And seemed almost… relieved, that Cade had put a stop to things.
His threats to make good on their mating seemed empty. Huh. It made no sense to him. More than that, it surprised him. What was Hunter up to? Why was Cade here? He was starting to get the sense that there was something going on that had nothing to do with him and everything to do with Hunter.
As he settled down to sleep, he absentmindedly trailed his fingers across his mouth. He could still feel the sensation of Hunter’s lips against his. Baelon had tried to kiss him once, it had been an unpleasant experience for both involved. Mostly for Baelon after Cade bit him. The alpha hadn’t tried that again.
Now, if he’d bitten Hunter, that would have made more sense. Instead, he’d kissed him back. That was not good. He couldn’t fall for an alpha, not now. And even more importantly, Hunter couldn’t fall for him. An alpha who was truly in love would never give up the chase if Cade ran.