Page 46 of His Bonded Omega Mate
“I went to the elf facility.” I slumped into the seat next to him, stole his fork and a bite of his lunch. “Where’s Sunshine?” I asked around my mouthful.
“Had a patient to see. Couldn’t get home.” They were so cute and tried to have lunch together every day. I was pretty sure lunch included a quickie and then food. “Are you okay?”
Seemed like my subject change wasn’t enough to get Roan off the topic. “I don’t know, I guess. Ívarr is running some tests. My symptoms —“
“Symptoms?” Roan looked alarmed.
“Relax. It isn’t anything major, just feeling weird in my skin. Temperature fluctuations and things. I’m not sick.”
He relaxed fractionally. “If you’re sure.”
“I am. This is why I have said nothing to anyone about it.”
Roan wrapped an arm around me and I sank into his side, comforted by the simple affection. “Did he ask about the bond?” I stiffened slightly, and he began stroking long fingers up and down my spine. The action was both soothing and arousing, which warred with my discomfort. I didn’t want to hurt Roan, but a theory about my symptoms was the fading bond with Roan.
“They asked and can’t rule it out. None of the rest of you are experiencing it, though, so they think it’s unlikely.”
Roan relaxed a fraction. I looked into those gem-like green eyes and saw pain, longing, worry, so many emotions focused on me. Roan cared about my wellbeing. Cared about me.
I don’t know which of us reached for the other. Our lips met in a gentle but passionate kiss. It was beautiful and sad. It felt like a goodbye.
Roan pulled me off my seat and onto his lap. He broke from my mouth to ask, “is this okay?” When I nodded, he lifted, taking me into his arms and leading us to the bedroom.
My lips met his again, and I was loath to separate long enough to get our clothes off. We left a trail of fabric down the hall to the bed, where we all slept night after night.
He laid me down gently, blanketing me with his body as he reached for the lube. He kissed along my jaw and neck before tugging my earlobe between his teeth. I groaned at the sensation. “You sure?” he muttered against my collarbone. I nodded frantically. Desperate to be filled.
With slicked up fingers, he teased around my hole, making me clench and groan. Slowly, he pushed a finger inside and I panicked. “No!”
Immediately, Roan pushed off me, moving to the other side of the bed. Just a glance at his face had tears spilling down my cheeks. “I’m sorry, Roan. I can’t!” He looked terrified.
His face softened. “Hey, it’s okay,” he soothed. “Can I hold you? Nothing else, I promise.”
My throat was too clogged with emotion to allow words to pass, so I nodded.
Carefully checking my face, Roan moved closer, pulled me into the circle of his arms, and held me while I cried. In a halting burst, I poured out my feelings. My worry over the bond, my inability to be intimate with one of my mates. The feeling that I was to blame, that I’d pushed Asher into it and we just couldn’t all work.
“Hey, slow down,” Roan whispered into my tousled hair. “We all knew going in that it might not work. All we could do is try. Now we have.” He sounded so resigned.
“What are we going to do?” I don’t know why I expected him to have all the answers.
“There’s nothing to do. We just have to follow where fate guides us.”
Altered Bond
Roan
IfeltguiltyleavingTate alone at home to go back to work, but I had so much to do in the office that it was impossible to take the afternoon off. I sent Asher a text to let him know how Tate was.
Roan: Tate is upset. He went to the elf facility for tests.
Asher: Why?
Roan: I’ll let him explain. Look, we tried to get up to stuff, and he panicked. I think he needs you.
Asher: You were trying to fuck him??? What the hell??
Roan: Not like that. Look, go check on your mate if you can.
