Jason would put money on it being him.
When the rest of their pack were out of earshot, Alpha Cornell stood between them, glancing from one to the other. She scented the air, eyebrow arched to let them know she was well aware of what had happened. “Well, gentlemen. This isn’t quite what I had in mind when I set you those pack-bonding challenges. I apologise. I should’ve realised this was a possibility, and not taken Jason captive.”
Daryl remained on the ground, head tipped back against the tree trunk, while Jason stood a few feet away. He wanted to go over and sit next to him, let their shoulders brush, their thighs press against one another. Anything to feel some sort of physical connection. Daryl’s expression remained neutral, which in Jason’s mind was worse than if he’d started cursing and shouting.
When neither he nor Daryl’s said anything, Alpha Cornell sighed. “I assume you’re aware you’ve triggered a potential bond?
“Yeah,” Jason answered. “We know.”
“Good.” She eyed them curiously, and Jason wondered what must be going through her mind. It didn’t take a genius to recognise they weren’t overjoyed by this prospect. “I won’t ask what you intend to do, that’s none of my business.”
There was abutcoming any minute . . .
“But,” she continued, and Jason almost smiled. Almost. “I will ask if you can handle this new development and remain here, or do you need to go home? I realise this isn’t something you planned for when you came here, so take some time to discuss the matter between yourselves.” She gestured in the direction the others had taken. “This path is a more direct route to your lodge than the one you took to get here. Go back, talk to each other, and we’ll be there in two hours to hear your decision.
Use your time wisely, gentlemen.”
With that, she signalled to the remaining alphas and they left the clearing heading in the opposite direction.
The silence they left behind felt suddenly uncomfortable, and Jason crossed his arms to stop himself reaching out to Daryl. Before this happened, he wouldn’t have thought twice at walking over to him and plopping down beside him. Now they had the beginnings of a connection, the basis for a mate bond, and Jason was far more unsure of his welcome.
“We should get back,” he tried, wondering if Daryl was planning to ignore him from now on. But for fuck’s sake, it wasn’t like he’d done this on purpose. He hadn’t made it happen. Just as his ire started to increase, Daryl let out a long, heavy sigh.
Jason glanced over at him, biting his tongue on the words he was about to say.
“Fuck.” Daryl scrubbed a hand over his face. “I’m sorry. I know this isn’t your fault.” He let out a harsh laugh. “If it’s anyone’s, it’s mine. So fucking stupid,” he muttered. “I thought we were safe.”
He met Jason’s gaze. “I should’ve realised we were playing with fire. You were right.” Jason held his breath, not wanting to interrupt in any way. “And I should’ve recognised the signs when we were
searching for you. Maybe I could’ve stopped it, maybe . . .” He let his hand fall to the ground. “Not that it matters now.” He shrugged a shoulder. “I know I’m not handling this well, I just . . .”
“What?” Jason whispered.
“You have no idea how much I hate bonds.”
Jason begged to differ. “Will you tell me why?”
Pushing himself to his feet, Daryl dusted off his trousers, all the while keeping eye contact with Jason. It sent a shiver down his spine to be the focus of all that intensity, and his wolf preened under the attention. “Yeah,” Daryl muttered after a few moments. “Come on.” He turned abruptly and headed for the path through the trees, the injuries to his feet apparently healed.
Jason hurried to catch up to him, heart racing at the thought of finally learning the history behind it all.
It wasn’t going to be pleasant. Something awful must have happened to make him feel the way he did, but Jason needed to know, needed to understand why Daryl would reject him when every instinct inside told him they’d be great together.
They were a few paces into the trees before Daryl let out another heavy sigh.
Jason put his hand on Daryl’s arm to still him. “You don’t have to tell me.” For all he was desperate to know, he didn’t want to force it out of him.
Spinning round to face him, Daryl backed him up against the nearest tree. “Tell me something.”
His voice was so soft, Jason strained to hear it. “Do you want this bond? Do you want to spend the rest of your life connected to me like that?”
Jason’s heart thumped against his rib cage. “Yes.” He closed his eyes, breathing the scents swirling between them, gasping in surprise when Daryl rested their foreheads together.
“Then you deserve to know why I just . . .I can’t.”
Jason swallowed back the urge to protest. Instead, he took a deep breath and whispered, “Okay.”
Stepping back and taking Jason with him, Daryl muttered, “It’ll be easier to do it while we walk.”
