Page 23 of Lost Mate

“Even I can feel it as part of the pack,” Ross agreed.

“And Eli?”

“Not unless he’s forced to.”

Dylan sat up, his brows knit together. “We can’t force a human to become a wolf, Ross. That would be like you invading my mind.”

“Think Joe Senior needing to be turned or he’d die. Eli is too much of a dominant personality to change otherwise.”

Dylan muttered something under his breath that Ross didn’t hear, but he could guess. Ross sighed and slowed the truck to a halt.

“Is something wrong?” Dylan asked, looking uncertain.

“I know you’re floundering at the moment, but Eli is doing his best to protect the pack and take care of us and bring down the hunters.”

“You mean I should cut him a break?”

“Something like that.”

“My wolf said the same thing,” Dylan admitted, “but it’s hard when you’re made to feel the villain without knowing why.”

Ross stared at him. “Your wolf did? Your wolf talks to you?”

Now it was Dylan’s turn to stare at Ross like he’d lost his mind. “Of course my wolf talks to me. What do you think he does? Gets packed away in a drawer every time we shift?”

“I didn’t really think about it. It’s all so new. When our link was open, I could feel you and your wolf, but I just felt you were one being.”

“Oh.” Dylan seemed mollified by Ross’s explanation. “No, we’re two beings joined together by shifter magic.”

Ross grinned. “Magic? Are there wizards and witches too?”

Dylan rolled his eyes. “They only exist in books.”

“How do you know?” Ross teased.

Dylan paused. “I just do.”

Ross smiled at him. “Maybe your memory will return like a jigsaw. One piece at a time.”

“Maybe.”

Ross started the truck and Dylan settled against him again. He pressed a kiss to the top of Dylan’s head and meandered to the office. They had to start piecing together Dylan’s life, but could they not just have a few minutes ‘them’ time? Maybe Joe Senior and Peter had a point. Not everything had to be about life and death.

They dumped their packs in the small apartment attached to the office. It was barely one large room with a bed, a couch and a dresser, plus a tiny kitchen area and a bathroom. It was private and their own space which Dylan needed right now. Ross looked in the small refrigerator.

“Cal, you’re an angel,” he mumbled, because the shelves were full of Cal’s cooking.

Dylan looked over his shoulder. “Thank goodness. I don’t remember how to cook.”

Ross grinned. “I cook. I mean, I won’t kill you. And I can teach you to cook if you need me to. But Cal is so much better at it.”

“He’s a natural alpha’s mate,” Dylan said.

“It’s odd to think he’s only had that chance since he came here.”

Ross was about to explain more about Cal’s pack when Dylan cupped his cheek and reached up to kiss him. All thoughts of Cal went out of Ross’s head. He wrapped his arms around his mate and deepened the kiss, licking along the seam of Dylan’s mouth, encouraging him to open. Dylan parted his lips with a sigh allowing their tongues to dance lazily. They kissed for long moments, until Ross slid his hands down to cup his mate’s taut ass. Dylan’s hand traced slow circles on his back. Ross wanted more than a simple kiss but at the same he wanted to stay like this forever, just the two of them in this small room.

“Is anyone home? Are you dressed?”

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