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We were quiet for a while. The last remains of the fire cracked, and the sounds of the forest animals who were awake in the night reached our ears. It was peaceful. I understood why he came here to camp.
“I’m an accountant,” I said. I wasn’t sure why I felt he needed to know. I owed him at least some information about myself, and it was better to know that I was not the kind of alpha he might’ve been expecting, or possibly hoping, to come into his life. “I’m not a capital-A alpha and never will be. I’m pretty boring and very nerd-like, actually.”
I’d been told that by more than one omega who was looking for a stronger alpha, one of substance who could fight for them. One who could protect a growing family. I wasn’t those things. Shit, I hadn’t even been able to protect my best friend.
“Numbers, huh? They’ve never been my strong suit. But that is a noble job. An important one for any pride.” His words were sincere. “I don’t need a warrior, Silas. If that is what you are worried about.”
“I am… or rather I was. I have been told in the past... that doesn’t matter. What does is that I will do all I can to be a good alpha,” I vowed.
Pol leaned over and his lips brushed my cheek gently. The skin there still sensitive from the cut I’d received. “You already are. I can sense these things.”
I held him as best I could, listening to the sound of his breath as he slowly fell off to sleep. He accepted me so completely, even with all that was falling apart in my world. Fate had done well. But now it was up to us to go from here.
There was so much still up in the air. I wasn’t sure what tomorrow would hold, much less next week. But lying here with Pol, I knew everything would work out. He was mine and I was his, and together we were going to make this work and get our happy ever after. I refused to believe anything but.
Chapter 8
Pol
Starting my relationship with my mate with a lie wasn’t the best idea, but it was just a small lie. Telling him that things would look better in the morning was grossly overstating the situation we were in. I needed more information, more time.
Unfortunately, with Silas’s injuries and how fast Steelwick tended to operate, time was not on our side. They would pick up his trail somewhere, and if the Alpha of his pride ratted him out and disclosed where they dropped him, Steelwick would find him sooner rather than later.
The rain during the night would have washed away some of the blood and muddied the scents, making the trail difficult to follow, but Steelwick was used to difficult trails. They would find us.
I was surprised they hadn’t already. If there had been any way to get Silas out of here, I would in a heartbeat. But without bringing my pride into this mess, there wasn’t.
It was likely that the Alpha wouldn’t reveal that information, since that would mean incriminating themselves. If I were to guess, he’d left Silas for dead and was hoping they would discover a decomposing corpse and not a recovering shifter. Helping Steelwick in any real way would prevent that from happening. That was for sure.
Either way, we needed to figure out our next steps sooner rather than later.
I was leaning towards finding a way to get Silas back to the center of the territory safely so that he could turn himself in, with the caveat that he could remain with us until Steelwick figured out what actually happened. Would that work? I wasn’t sure. But I didn’t see another clear path. At least not with things the way they currently were. I prayed to the goddess that Nathan woke up and could explain everything. Not only was his injury hurting my mate, but the information he could give would put this entire mess to bed.
Morning came far too soon, and I woke up sore. I had been so careful not to move so as not to hurt my mate, and it did not work out well for me. Still, it was a thousand times better than having my mate in any more pain than he already was.
Now that I was up, there were things to be done. First and foremost, we needed breakfast. My mate needed food to heal, preferably with protein. I needed to fish and do it well.
Although I had a pole with me, I reverted to my more animalistic ways, shifting to my cat form and lying on a rock, perfectly positioned over the water. I had a fifty-fifty shot of getting anything with my pole, and even at that, it could take hours. I enjoyed using it as a leisure activity, but that wasn’t what I was doing now. I was providing for our mate, and hours was unacceptable.
I remained still, biding my time until I saw it – a beautiful trout. I swiped with one of my paws, and my claws took purchase. The fish never stood a chance.
Got him.
I pulled my paw up and the fish came with it out of the water. It squirmed a bit, but I got him positioned in my mouth and took him back to the cave, dropping him next to where I had left the others. My mate wasn’t going to go hungry today, not on my watch.
“That was impressive, mate.” Silas’s voice echoed through the cave. He must’ve awoken once I left. “I can’t tell you how long it’s been since I fished in my animal form.”
My cougar preened at our mate’s praise. We’d have to take him fishing when he had healed fully and we were out of this mess.
Silas’s eyes darkened as he looked at me.
“You are gorgeous in this form, mate. Stunning. Not unlike how you look as a man. Can I?”
He still lay on the bedroll. His leg wasn’t sturdy enough to stand on his own just yet. I stepped forward and butted my head against his hand. Once he touched me, I couldn’t stop. Careful not to step on him, I rubbed my face into his chest and over his shoulders, marking him with my scent.
He chuckled as he ran his hands over my fur. “You like your scent on me.”
I so very much did.
