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He frowned and looked at his palm, and then his eyes widened as he stared at Beast. “Brooklyn had this same symbol on his hand.” Marcus paled. “That was when Kieran mated him.” He swallowed. “Are we mated, Beast?”
Beast didn’t say a word. Some kind of fallout was coming. One had to be. This was Marcus, after all. Dramatic was his middle name. The seconds ticked by, but Marcus just kept staring at his palm.
Finally, Beast spoke. “We’re mates.”
That drew Marcus’s gaze. “Why haven’t you run for the door yet? Any kind of closeness scares you.”
“Does not,” Beast argued.
“Like you changed the subject when I wanted to talk about our first kiss?” Marcus was downright adorable when he woke up. His blond hair was a mess, and his lips were still swollen from their lovemaking.
Beast wanted to take him again.
“I don’t panic.” Yet he panicked around Marcus, and he couldn’t understand why. “I’m just not used to talking about...that kind of stuff.”
Marcus snatched Beast’s hand and compared their symbols. They were identical. A tribal circle with a wolf inside. He’d seen the other marks of those mated in their pack, and although the wolf remained the same, the tribal symbol was always slightly different.
“This is what happens when you mate,” Beast said. “It’s the strongest form of bonding between two people.”
“Do I have to love you now?” Marcus joked, but the thought of Marcus loving him didn’t send him into a panic. The thought sent warmth through him as he dropped his hand.
“I guess that’ll take time.” He threw the covers back. “I’ll start a pot of coffee.”
“But it’s only three in the morning,” Marcus pointed out.
“Tell me you don’t need a cup.” Beast looked for his shorts and threw them on, forgoing his underwear. He couldn’t be angry about the situation. That would be like a guy getting mad because he found out the woman he’d slept with was pregnant. What did they think would happen without taking precautions?
In Beast’s case, if he hadn’t wanted Marcus to be his mate, he shouldn’t have had sex with him. That was the only way a wolf shifter discovered their mate.
“I need a cup.” Marcus got up and tossed on his underwear and T-shirt. Beast noticed the way Marcus kept side-eyeing him, as if waiting for Beast to blow a gasket. Beast was waiting for Marcus to do the same.
He didn’t trust the human’s calmness.
But they’d made it to the kitchen—Marcus starting the pot as Beast looked through the fridge for something to eat—and Marcus still had his composure. Miracles truly existed.
“So,” Marcus said, “what now?”
Beast grabbed six eggs, cracked them in a bowl, and beat them. He put some butter in the pan and poured the eggs in after the pan was hot and then made some toast. “We eat breakfast. Then I shower.”
“That’s one way of avoiding the conversation.”
Beast grinned. “It’s what I do best.”
“Not this time,” Marcus huffed. “This time you’re going to sit down like a grownup and talk to me.”
Beast couldn’t help but chuckle. It was like Marcus knew how to push all his buttons. He grabbed two plates with toast and eggs then took a seat across from Marcus. “So, talk.”
Marcus leaned forward, resting his chin in his hands as he looked at Beast. “We both know I’m too loud, too forward, and, okay, a bit of a pain. And you’re too quiet, too closed-off, and a bit of a grouch.” He paused, seeming to wait to see what Beast said.
Beast just waited, not sure where he should be starting the conversation.
“So,” Marcus continued, “what do you think we should do about this whole mate thing?”
“What is there to do?” Beast took a bite of his toast, chewed, then swallowed. “We’re mates. It can’t be undone.”
Now was where Marcus blew a gasket. Beast just knew it. He’d only known the human for a short time, but Marcus always erred on the side of sarcastic with a sprinkle of attitude.
“Sorry.” Marcus sighed. “I just always feel the need to put a label on something. You’re right. We’ll just... I don’t know. It’s early, and I’m overthinking this.”
