Page 8 of A Bunny for the Bear (Beartastic Summer of Love)

Chapter Eight

Hutton

Days passed in a fog. I was acutely aware of Ross being next door. His scent traveled through the walls. That, or my imagination was so great it felt like he was here with me.

I spent hours researching how to be a good mate. I watched videos online. I read articles. Anyone who appeared to have their shit together became my mentor.

To add to my studies, there was my aunt and uncle.

They popped in more than once. Sometimes it was because I texted them.

Other times it was just to check on me. They did always reach out before they showed up as we’d originally agreed upon.

But after the third time, I told them just to come whenever they wanted.

I wasn't bothered by their company like I would have been before all this happened.

It was strange for me to loathe the thing I had come to love: silence. A big part of my life was having space to myself. I moved away from Collier Cover because I wanted to be separate from the small-town life. I wanted to experience things without worrying about everyone knowing my business.

It was nice. It was quiet. And yet now all I wanted to do was go out into the streets and interact with people. I wanted to be able to accidentally run into my mate on the sidewalk. I wanted to see his face light up or maybe peek in on him at work.

None of those were options for me though.

I respected boundaries. My mate needed the freedom to live without me interfering in his life. Part of rebuilding the trust that I had lost when my bear got loose entailed me being a man of my word. I refused to back down from that.

When a knock came on my door late in the afternoon on the tenth day of my stay, I thought for sure it was my aunt again. I had seen her earlier that day, but she was known to come back around if she thought I needed more attention or if I wasn't as friendly as she thought I should have been.

Imagine my shock when I opened the door to find Ross standing there. He was covered in sweat from head to toe, his clothes clinging to him as he panted.

"Ross?" I asked, worried he's somehow gotten sick. Was this something he might have picked up at the pharmacy? Maybe an illness that was contagious?

He shook his head and stepped closer to me, his hand moving as if to touch me. I held as still as possible, fearful that if I moved closer I would scare him, and if I stepped away, he would think I was rejecting him.

When his hand met my chest, a spark of lust shot through me. This man was my world. My fated mate. And something was terribly wrong.

"Need you, Alpha," he slurred.

I could tell he wasn’t aware of himself. I doubted he would have ever been so forward under normal conditions after the initial meeting we had.

As quickly as possible, I ushered him inside and closed the door. After getting him situated on the couch, I pulled out my phone and dialed my aunt.

"Something is wrong," I told her. “Ross just showed up. He's covered in sweat.”

"Oh my," Aunt Souli said. "I think I know exactly what it is. You need to call Dr. Hepbuck immediately. I'll send you his number."

She hung up before I could say anything else and a second later, a text popped up. I pressed the number on the screen and waited for an answer. On the third ring, he answered jovially. "This is Dr. Hepbuck. How can I help you?"

"Dr. Hepbuck. Hi, my name is Hutton. I'm calling because my mate just showed up on my porch sweating profusely and dazed. Can you come check him out?"

The other man hummed across the line. "I could, but I already know what's wrong. When did you first come across your mate?"

"About ten days ago."

"Yes, ok. And in those ten days have you been near him in any way?"

I paused. "Technically, yes. We live next door to each other in a duplex. We haven't actually physically seen one another though. Why are you asking all these questions instead of coming to see him?"

The last part came out as a growl as my bear tried to surface. He wanted to take control to wrap our mate in our arms and rush off to seek assistance.

The doctor took on a serious tone as he replied, "Because by the time I got there, you would be even more agitated, young man.

I can tell you based on what you've expressed over the phone that your mate has gone into heat.

It's not common, but when mates don't go forth with the bond immediately there's a pool that happens.

It's Fate's way of ensuring you two wind up together over and over again.

If you do not complete the bond with a physical mating bite, then your mate goes into heat to further entice you. "

I gulped at the news. "To entice me?"

"Yes. His scent will become more potent, his body producing slick at an abnormal rate. Your Alpha side will go into a rut soon if you're close to him. I would suggest completing your bond if you're both consenting. There isn't another way."

His words held a note of finality to them.

I knew he was right. There wasn't anything else to do to stop a heat.

I had heard stories of such in my research over the last few days.

That didn't mean I felt any better about it.

How in the world was I supposed to make love and knot the man I would spend forever with when he was not of cognizant mind?

It wasn't fair to him. It wasn't fair to me either. I wanted us both to remember this.

I turned to Ross and dropped down to my knees in front of him. "Mate," I said softly, gaining his attention.

His eyes had been trailing over my body as if he were fascinated with what he saw. I internally preened at the notion; however, on the outside, I kept my expression neutral.

"Mate, you're in heat. Your body is trying to convince us to complete the bond, but I won't do so if you don't understand what I'm saying right now. I need to know that you want me as well, that you want this for forever."

Ross nodded quickly, and my heart sank. He was too eager. The heat had clearly messed with his mind, because less than two weeks ago, he was running away from me. I pulled my hands away from him and moved to stand.

"I can't," I said.

"No, Alpha," he begged, his hands reaching out to stop me. "Watch.” He produced his phone from somewhere on his body. After opening the device, he turned it toward me.

"Watch," he repeated as he tapped the screen. I took it to mean that there was something on his phone he wanted me to see.

"Is it your photos?" I asked him.

He nodded quickly again, so I went looking. The screen showed a gallery of images, some of the town, and others of my mate. There were four in a row that appeared to be videos.

"Is this what you want me to watch, these videos?" I turned the screen to him and pointed.

He gave me that same enthusiastic nod, so I climbed onto the couch beside him and pressed play on the oldest one. He came across the screen, his expression lively and sure.

"Hi! I don't really know what I'm doing, but I feel like it's important to catalog what's happening in my life right now.

I have never felt safe to do so before coming here, but Collier Cover is different.

I'm different. I want to be better. Stronger.

Not in the physical sense because, well, my kind doesn't get all that strong.

Still, I want to be able to hold my own with my mate.

He shouldn't have to spend all his days protecting me or taking care of me.

" Ross paused, his gaze going distant for a few moments before he came back.

"Most of all, I want him to understand that I do want him.

I want to spend forever with him. I'm just terrified of what that means.

Every example I've ever had of a relationship between shifters was toxic.

The Alpha had all the power, and the Omega just had to do what they wanted.

There was no understanding, no questioning what the Omega needed.

So many of them suffered. They didn't speak up, didn't search for help.

Everyone around us acted as if it was normal.

“Since I've been in Collier Cover, I've seen the complete opposite. People respect one another. They ask for help and show up in ways I thought were fairy tales. I want to be mated to Hutton. I just need a bit more time. I think in a few days, it'll be better.”

The message ended there. I immediately went to the next one and started it.

He said mostly the same things, though this time he talked about receiving the gift basket I'd sent and then the potted plant, the comfy blanket, the chocolate treats, which I was unsure about. Every detail he went through for the next two videos warmed my heart. I could see the timestamp on them meant he’d spaced them out a couple of days.

The last video was marked as being recorded late the night before.

I wondered just what I would find. Had he already been in a heat haze? Was he aware enough to understand the gift he'd given me by recording these?

When he came on screen, his face was slightly flushed. It was nothing like he looked now. You could still tell the haze had started.

“I'm recording this now because I think something is happening to me. My body feels like it's on fire. Like I can't get cool and all I want is to roll around in my Alpha’s skin. It's a really creepy thing to say out loud, but I don't know how else to put it.

“I think I'm going to go see him tomorrow.

I have to tell him how I feel. This desire building inside me is only getting more intense.

In the other videos, I mentioned how much I want him and how I wanted to be mated to him.

I'm still not where I would like to be, but waiting any longer just feels foolish at this point.

“Hutton wants me. He wants a future with me.

And I want the same with him. Putting it off doesn't make any kind of sense.

I'm gonna sleep on it and then tomorrow, I'll go to him.

I can't wait to see his reaction. I can't wait to be his mate officially.

Souli is gonna lose her mind. I think I'll wait until after to tell her.”

The video ends with him frozen, an amused smirk gracing his handsome face. It was beautiful. A gift. A blessing. Everything I dreamed of and more.

Placing the phone down, I turned to him. He wore a look that was similar though this one was met with his flushed skin and wide eyes.

“You want to be mine?” I asked, my voice soft as I cupped his cheeks.

He leaned into my touch, his eyes closing. “Yes, Alpha.”

His reply broke through the last of my restraint. I kissed him with everything I had. It wasn't wild and passionate. More gentle and all-encompassing. I wanted him to feel it deep in his bones that I would never ever let him down.

As we kissed, he inched closer to me. His body was drawn to mine like a magnet. I knew what he needed. Knew that my knot was the only relief that would quell this spell he was in.

Pulling back, I grabbed his hips to stop the grinding he had begun against my leg. “Alpha,” he whined.

“Omega,” I replied. “You have to be patient. I don't want to hurt you.”

He shook his head. “No hurt. Too slick.”

As if to prove his point, he grabbed my hand and shoved it down the back of his pants. When I pulled it back out, I was coated in so much slick, I would have thought he poured a bottle of lube down his pants.

He nodded eagerly, biting his bottom lip as he looked from my hand to my face. It was with such a bright look of hope; I couldn't help but return the expression with a wide smile.

He sighed as if seeing me happy was a joy all its own. This man was going to wreck me. Going to destroy every sense of peace I had. And I couldn't wait for it.

Lifting him, I rose and headed towards the bedroom. Our first time wouldn't be on the couch in the living room.

I wanted him in my bed. Wanted his scent coating every inch of the space. When I bit into his shoulder, and he bit into mine, I needed to know that it was for forever. Nothing less would do.