I know,Scott admitted.So why am I afraid?
It’s better to chase the rabbit and miss than never chase at all,his coyote replied.Can’t catch what you don’t chase.
Scott had to admit that his other half had a good point.I need to man up and go after what I want.
Or coyote up,the amused voice in his mind replied.
Scott yawned and thought about shifting, then decided to do a run in the morning.
Researching and writing all day shouldn’t make me quite this tired. But it does.
His coyote snorted.That’s because you stay inside. In the woods, there’s more to see and sniff.
Unless you want to live in a burrow, that writing pays for this place and our food,Scott pointed out, and his other half gave a huff and retreated into his mind.
Since he finished his degree in regional history and land management, Scott had found himself surprisingly in demand to support several projects on those topics for area universities and magazines. That suited him fine, because he wanted to build a career where he could work from anywhere, and he loved researching and writing. Thanks to the internet, he could even present at conferences and teach classes remotely, which opened plenty of exciting possibilities.
For being what most people would consider a boring topic, Scott found his expertise relatively rare, which opened a variety of opportunities. He thought back to the people who had tried to talk him out of going into such a niche specialty and warned him about limitations.
So far, that hadn’t been a problem.
Scott poured a whiskey and cola after dinner and took a sip, imagining the warmth spreading through his body. He smiled thinking about Justin and how quickly their budding relationship had moved to the next stage.
I like how things are going. I love him. He loves me. Now we just have to work out the details.
He was already packed for the weekend, planning to stay with Justin, but hoped to include some time for a visit with his cousin at The Lone Coyote.
Scott thought about the call and Justin’s agreement that the “dark” side of the old mine was a topic best avoided. As much as it intrigued him, Scott understood the danger and agreed, especially since he had gotten several more hang-up calls, which he hadn’t mentioned to Justin but had him checking the locks and leaving on more lights.
How do I tell the Mob—if that’s who is behind the calls—that I’m not looking to expose them? Maybe if they’d actually talk instead of hanging up, I could say something.
He sat back on the couch and flipped through options on streaming until he found a show he’d been following, trying to get his mind off the situation. Scott settled in to catch up on the last couple of episodes, but his mind wandered.
Justin is already established in Fox Hollow. How hard will it be for me to relocate?
Scott figured that with how quickly their relationship had progressed, they would be figuring out the details in weeks instead of months, which was surprisingly okay with him. He took his shifter side’s acceptance as a sign that he was moving in the right direction.
We’re fated mates. I felt the “zing” when we touched. My coyote says he’s ours. Justin isn’t a shifter, but he felt it too. We’re supposed to be together. Figuring out a relationship is challenging enough without the complication of being so far apart. I believe in fated mates, but I don’t want either of us to feel rushed or pressured. And fate aside, we’ll learn more about each other and how we are as a couple when we’re together more than just on weekends.
You’re making this too complicated,his coyote said, surfacing in his thoughts.Bite him and get it over with.
We need to figure out the mating bite, since he’s not a shifter. Would it be more than just a regular bite? Can he give one that counts?Scott realized that he really wanted the visible sign of claiming and being claimed, like a wedding ring, but even more intimate.This is why romance is complicated!
It’s not complicated for coyotes,his other side protested.Bite first, then get on with the mating.
Scott ignored his coyote, although he couldn’t help agreeing. He thumbed open the screen on his phone where he had saved the results searching “best Taurus traits for relationships.”
According to the internet, a Taurus was loyal, sensual, and calm as well as stable and affectionate. Those traits matched hisown Scorpio profile well, even if Scott wasn’t completely sure how much he believed everything about the zodiac.
Still, he had been happy to see that a Scorpio-Taurus pairing was highly compatible and was described as being “soulmates” with traits that reinforced the best in each other and countered weaknesses. Whether their fate really was in the stars, Scott thought the description was accurate and hoped it held true for them.
At least being in Fox Hollow, he already knows about us, and I don’t have to give him “the talk,”Scott thought, not envying having to convince someone that people could shift into sentient versions of animals.
And since I made sure he knew about me up front and he’s okay with moving forward, he’s clearly not too hung up on the concept. Another point in our favor.
Of course he is,Scott’s other half said.Coyotes are awesome.
It wasn’t like they were going to make babies together. That was one reason why it meant so much when his cousin had taken him aside and let Scott know that if he found something special with Justin, being a mixed paranormal shifter partnership was perfectly fine. On top of the assurances from Dr. Jeffries, it was the extra boost he needed.
