Page 21 of Rescued by the Alpha

“This won’t be easy for you, Elam. I’m aware of that. But as your Alpha and mate, I’ll be by your side through every change you experience. I can’t reiterate enough that I’ll protect you no matter what—with my life if necessary.”

Just when I thought the shock was abating…

“Uh… Alpha? As in, wolf pack Alpha, is that what you mean?” He’d studied wolves and other favorite wildlife species as part of his job, so he grasped the concept of wolf pack behavior, still, he wasn’t sure how that would impact their relationship. He frowned as another part of Nic’s statement bled through. “And what did you mean about changes I’ll be facing?”

Nic cleared his throat. “Can we get off the floor? It’s not very comfortable.”

Elam drew his eyebrows together, nodding as he rose and bringing Nic with him. He could tell Nic was stalling for some reason, which only cranked up his worry again. Once they’d settled on the sofa, Nic angled his body to face Elam and gathered both of Elam’s hands in his. He locked gazes

with him.

“Elam, as my fated mate, I need to turn you. I won’t force you, of course. But the pack will never accept you as my mate otherwise.”

Elam’s gut clenched and his throat went dry. “But… I mean… Does it matter that they don’t accept me? You live way out here.” Elam gave a shaky laugh. “I can always stay here at Thanksgiving like the relative no one talks about.”

Nic let out a melancholy sigh. “I know this is all bizarre to you, insane like you said. But it’s not that way for me. This is what I was born into and has been my lifelong reality. I have yet to explain to you about how the pack works, the Alliance of packs and my family’s part within those dynamics. It’s not as simple as me keeping a secret human boyfriend.” Nic clutched Elam’s hands tighter. “If I don’t turn my fated mate, it could jeopardize my family’s standing within the Alliance. As it is, I only discovered today that my brother has already created an upheaval. But more importantly?

We would exist in a constant state of aggravation emotionally, and…” Nic squirmed on the couch.

“And physically.”

Elam arched his eyebrows. “We’d be in pain?”

Nic snorted. “Well, our balls would anyway.”

Something clicked in Elam’s mind. “Oh shit. That’s why you wouldn’t let me go down on you.”

“Wasn’t easy to stop you, trust me.” Nic offered him a crooked smile. “But I would never take a chance on exposing anyone to something as life-altering as that without their consent.”

Holy shit. “Wow. All right.” Elam ran the implications of everything Nic had shared through his head. “Then, it’s your semen that triggers the change? Which means women can’t change a man?”

Nic let go of his hands, but inched closer, wrapping an arm around his shoulders instead. Thatfucking pull. Without a thought, Elam had melted against Nic’s frame.

“At the risk of being too graphic, a woman can change a man. It’s the bodily fluids exchanged during sex that turns a human.”

“And saliva doesn’t count?”

Nic shook his head. “Not unless it’s accompanied by the claim bite at the point of orgasm.”

“Bite?” Elam tensed. “As in an actual, skin-breaking, blood-drawing, that-fucking-hurts bite?”

Nic’s mouth quirked and he gave a one-shouldered shrug. “Pleasure-pain. And with the combination of the new accelerated self-healing power you’ll have in combination with mine, I could lick the bite clean and you’d be like new within a few hours.”

Elam lowered his gaze. He wanted to be Nic’s mate, couldn’t deny the power of his feelings toward him, but… Bite? Becoming a wolf? He still wasn’t completely convinced he wasn’t hallucinating.

“What about my family, friends? Would I never be allowed to see them again?”

Nic gave him a squeeze and kissed his temple. “Of course not. You wouldn’t be able to tell them, but the rest of your life would remain the same. You can still go on assignment, travel. Whatever you want.” Nic startled him as he pulled Elam onto his lap, wrapping him in a stronger embrace. “But I’ll miss you whenever you’re away.”

Elam stomach swooped, Nic’s gentle tone soothing and gentle—so different than what he’d experienced from him so far—drawing him even deeper under Nic’s spell.

“You really mean it, don’t you? You want me here for good, for always.”

Elam no longer felt it necessary to question Nic as much as he wanted to say it out loud, to test the words on his tongue, release the inner doubt by bringing it into the light.

Nic caressed his back as he kissed Elam’s temple again. “I do.”

With his heart still jack-rabbiting and his belly fluttering, Elam pressed his forehead to Nic’s and forced himself to do the responsible thing and not just react with his swirling emotions.