Page 46 of Reclaiming Home

I understood the statement came from being self-conscious. Knowing that telling him he was wonderful wouldn’t help and that his view of himself would only strengthen over time, I only shrugged.

“I think you’ll be a fine mate for an Alpha,” I said casually, as if I wasn’t feeling his inner turmoil over being adequate. “And I’m incredibly fortunate that I get to be that Alpha.”

His lips curled up, but then the smile fell off. “There’s one thing I need to know, though.”

“What’s that? I’ll answer any question you might have. There are no secrets between us,” I vowed.

“Rian. I hear how you talk to him and….” He averted his gaze, clearly uncomfortable.

I wanted to chuckle but didn’t. It wasn’t a laughing matter when my mate, myunclaimedmate, already felt threatened.

Still in a pushup position over him, I lifted one hand and cupped his cheek. “Can you look at me, Kye?”

He took in a deep breath and let it out slowly, then did as I asked.

Smiling ever so slightly, he said, “As hot as this show of strength is, my human brain thinks you’re going to collapse on top of me and you weigh a lot more so can we maybe talk while you’re not hovering over me?”

I let my chuckle out and moved to lie on my side next to him. I waited for him to settle so that we could make eye contact.

“I met Rian nine years ago at a kink club in Seattle. I’d already gotten a bit of a reputation for a new Dom, and there were submissives who wanted to play with me. I just… there was something about most of them that I didn’t like; this needy quality that expected more than I felt I could give.

“I guess now I know why fate didn’t put anyone in my way that I could have a long term relationship with, since without knowing, I was waiting for you.”

He blushed, but said nothing, so I continued.

“Rian and I did a scene at the club and then went home together. To his place, which was a ton nicer than the hole I was living in. He doesn’t really flaunt his money, but his place was nice. We had sex that night, even though our scene hadn’t been sexual. In the morning, when I woke up, he was reading some brick of a book next to me and said, and I quote, ‘you Dom me like a God, but I don’t think I need your dick in the future. Wanna be besties?’”

At Kye’s startled laugh, I grinned, too. “Yes, that’s the kind of language he uses.”

“Doesn’t sound very… two-hundred years old,” he commented.

“He really exceeds people’s expectations, that’s for sure. He’s funny and fierce and… there’s a lot of life he’s seen, and death. I think he tries to stay positive because there’s this darkness in him, too. But even I have rarely seen it.”

Kye’s expression changed into something so compassionate it made my heart clench. “Now I want to hug him.”

I smiled. “Good. He’s a hugger. Anyway, so we decided we were best as friends, because the sexual chemistry didn’t work. It was totally fine, but why would we do that when we can just cutit out of the equation.” I took Kye’s hand. “But here’s a thing. If he needs submission, if he needs a scene? I won’t say no to him.”

Kye thought for a while, his gaze sliding from mine in a way that told me he was figuring things out in his head.

“I don’t have that much experience with BDSM. I’ve been to a couple of play parties and munches, so I’ve met people and played in a more limited capacity. For me, D/s is sexual and much like with sex outside a scene, I… it’s not easy for me to trust to that degree.” He made eye contact again. “With you? Absolutely. Put me on my knees, Alpha.” He smirked at my groan, then got serious again. “I can accept you being Rian’s Dom when he’s here and he needs you. I’m sure I’ll learn to love him as much as you do, based on what you have told us about him.”

“But?” I asked, feeling trepidation.

He shook his head, then pushed some long black strands of hair behind his ear and smiled. “No buts. It will take me a bit to truly internalize that you’re as much mine as I’m yours, since we’re so new. But I respect the fact that Rian knew you first and that your relationship isn’t romantic or sexual. He’s not a threat to our mate bond.” He then shrugged as much as he could lying down. “I have human sensibilities about stuff. Not only this, mind you. I was never really around werewolves and vampires growing up. The customs and differences between the cultures are kind of new to me, thus the studying. I’m learning, but it will take time for some preconceived notions to adjust.”

I found myself swallowing back sudden tears. Did he understand how amazing he was?

Overwhelmed, I blinked a couple of times and rolled onto my back. “Holy shit, Kye.”

He giggled, then moved closer to me and peered at my face. “So, wanna fool around?”

I chuckled a bit wetly. “We still need to talk about the bonding and all that, but yeah. Some fooling around would be welcome right about now.”

“Awesome!” He slithered down my body and settled between my legs. “I would like to taste you, Alpha.” He said the honorific in the way he probably would’ve called me “Sir.”

My throat clicked when I swallowed. “Are you going to be a good boy for me?” My tone was rough, my brain immediately going into Dom mode.

The smile that spread on Kye’s lips was breathtaking. “The best,” he said confidently, and I didn’t doubt him for a second.

---