Page 72 of Real

“You’re so beautiful,” a familiar voice says.

It’s Manny. He’s the one in there with Candlewick.

Buddy’s eyes widen, so it’s clear he heard Manny’s voice too. A part of me is happy for my friend, but another part of me worries for him. Manny’s clung to the red wolf shifter religion for so long. How is he going to react to succumbing to the need to see his mate through a heat, knowing he can’t offer Candlewick a true bite of intention or a bond afterward? That’s against his religion in every way.

I’m not just worried about Manny either. What if he leaves Candlewick after it’s over? Getting rejected by a potential mate after sharing a heat together is a steep blow for an omega red wolf shifter.

“Alphas always like Candlewick,” Buddy says. Maybe he’s trying to reassure himself that his friend won’t get hurt.

“Manny’s a complicated guy.”

Buddy takes another bite of his omelet. I can see the pleasure on his face warring with the worry in his heart. My sweet mate just wants his friend to be happy.

“If you want, I can threaten to come after him if he hurts Candlewick or something alpha-holeish like that.”

Buddy smiles. “You did look pretty intimidating when you took your shirt off in front of Dorian.”

Did I? That surprises me.

“We should probably give them some privacy,” I suggest. “There are other cars in Dorian’s garage, right? We could drive somewhere.”

Buddy doesn’t answer right away. He’s too lost in the pleasure of eating. When he finally stops to take a sip of water, Candlewick is screaming again.

“Dorian had an apartment a block away from the Den of Dreams,” Buddy says.

“I didn’t see that in the documents.”

“He wrote it off as a business expense. Would the sanctuary let us adopt children if we lived in the city? Or would we have to move to a cabin in the middle of the woods?”

The question is much more complicated than our ability to adopt children. Regardless of whether we live in a cabin or an apartment in New York City, I’ll probably be too far away from the sanctuary to continue working there. But if we were in the city, Buddy wouldn’t be too far away from the Den of Dreams to help out Skatt. He’s asking me what kind of life I want with him. I think he underestimates how open-minded I am to whatever would make him happy.

“The sanctuary could let us adopt mixed kids, but we couldn’t raise a full red wolf shifter in New York City before finding out if they’re alpha or omega. Their thrall would be impossible to manage in a city that big.”

Buddy considers that for a moment. “Candlewick… He’s mixed.”

“Yeah.”

“And there are others?” he asks.

“There are a lot of mixed kids out there, Bud. Not all of them are displaced. Most of them are in safe, happy homes. But there will always be kids of every type of shifter who need homes.”

Buddy rests his head against my shoulder again. “I think that’s what I am. Mixed. Half skatt, half whatever Dorian wanted me to be. Maybe it would be good to adopt kids who are the same. We could be mixed together.”

I like the sound of that.

“Does that mean you don’t want to bear any children yourself?” I ask.

He shakes his head. “You told me you wanted as many children as I’d be willing to give you. I think I want to give you a lot.”

I wrap my arms around him and close my eyes. I shouldn’t be surprised that Buddy wants a lot of kids. He’s my mate, isn’t he?

“I guess I’ll have to breed you every night, then,” I say playfully.

He laughs. “I guess so.”

31

Buddy

---