Chapter Eighteen
Jethro
I didn’t want to wake my bond mate up; he looked so peaceful. But dawn was only a few breaths away and we needed to be ready to face what was coming.
Pressing a kiss to Miles’ shoulder, I watched him stir, yawning as he rolled his shoulders. He came awake with the suddenness of someone who didn’t know where they were, but the minute he saw me, he sighed and relaxed.
“Morning, Jethro.”
“Morning, Miles.”
“Is it time?”
“Not yet. I was wondering if you wanted to watch the sunrise? It’s a bit of a climb but well worth it.”
He yawned again and stretched, his T-shirt riding up giving me a glimpse of his stomach. “Of course. I’d love to watch the sunrise with you.”
I shook off my lust and tried to focus on the matters at hand. It didn’t stop me helping undress him before we both jumped into the pool to wash off. When he dried off, I gave him my spare T-shirt to wear, wanting my scent on him. He smiled at that, hugging my T-shirt tight to his skin.
“When the authorities come, they won’t hurt you, will they?”
I cupped his cheek and kissed him but I knew that wouldn’t distract him for long. Pulling back, I rested my forehead against his.
“No. They won’t. Because we’re not going to give them any reason to panic. We’re going to be sitting down, nice and calm, our hands visible.”
Miles nodded, his expression serious. “And then what?”
“They’ll assist us down off the mountain.”
“Together?”
I shook my head, watching his face fall. “They’re going to insist on keeping us apart until they establish what’s happened. The trick is going to be us staying calm and being cooperative. If you can be brave, so can I.”
What I was trying to tell him, without outright saying it, was that if he panicked and started fighting and trying to get to me, I was going to lose it and fight to get to him, to keep him safe, and all hell would break loose.
“It’s going to be hard, isn’t it?” He spoke with his gaze to the floor rather than on me.
Slipping my hand under his chin, I urged his head up.
“Remember this. I am yours and you are mine. Our marks prove it. They cannot separate us indefinitely. By law, the longest they can keep us apart is seventy-two hours. Three days.”
At that moment, three minutes felt like an eternity. Three days would be torture. But we would weather it if it meant being together on the other side of this.
“But haven’t you committed a crime? Won’t they put you in jail for it?”
Miles’ concern was all for me and none for himself. A little too selfless for his own good.
“You’ve heard of a crime of passion right?”
Miles nodded against my hand.
“Well, there’s a segment of law that deals with the Alpha-Omega equivalent and even a whole section devoted just to crimes committed by those with active bond marks. Yes, it’s a crime, but the courts aren’t blind to what we feel and how that makes us act. There’s a built-in leniency there.”
“And they won’t make me go back?”
I threaded my fingers through his and we clasped hands, our bond marks pressed together. There was still a warmth there, a spark of pleasure when the marks connected. Something I hoped would never fade.
“Not with our bonds marks they can’t.”
Miles sighed and rested his head against my chest. I held him for a few moments longer before gently detaching.
“Let’s go take in that sunrise, hmm?”
Getting to the spot we’d sit in the watch the dawn break was a little trickier than I’d led Miles to believe. We had to climb up the wall at the back of the cave and through a gap where the rock had been worn away. Then there was a short drop onto an outcropping that faced due east. It was there we sat, arm in arm, as the distant sky lit with pink hues before the sun peeked over the horizon, throwing rays of light across the beautiful forest below us and bathing us in an orange glow. Birds sang in the valley below, the perfect soundtrack to our first dawn together.
I kept an ear out for the climbers. Though we’d only been bonded a matter of hours, it was even easier to hear them than it had been the previous day.
They were getting close now. Kissing Miles’ temple and then his cheek, I nudged him around to face me and pressed my lips to his. I wanted him so badly, needed him in my arms. But there were ducks to get in a row, and they weren’t going to wait for anyone, man or Alpha.
“Time to go,” I said, urging him up to his feet.
We climbed back into the cave, grabbed our bags and crawled out through the tunnel to await the arrival of the climbers. We sat our packs against the wall and took seats on the ground, both of us sitting cross-legged and leaving about two feet of a gap between us.
“Whatever happens,” I said to him, keeping my voice quiet so that new arrivals wouldn’t overhear. “Remember that I love you and that we’re meant to be together. That’s what the bond marks mean. No matter what anyone says your purpose is by my side, your duty is to me and our clan. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.”
Miles held my gaze, his eyes clear and tearless though I knew how scared he was.
“I’ll remember. And you remember, too. I love you and you’re mine.”
The first of the climbers appeared over the edge of the cliff. I laid my hands on my head, took a deep breath, and let what had to happen, happen.