Page 3 of Mated to the Human: Volume One

Internally, Hollis cringed at himself. Ugh. This is what his uncle was always talking about. Men don’t show weakness, Hollis. And they certainly don’t admit to it.

Derek watched him for another second before he got up and went to the door, telling someone on the other side they were ready now.

Lenette and her assistants followed Derek back in. Hollis could admit the hellhound wasn’t what he’d imagined. He’d only ever seen Derek in passing, and he’d expected a gruff, taciturn asshole…not someone who got him water and wanted to make sure he was okay before they signed their lives away.

Once Lenette and Derek were seated again, she laid their mating agreement back on the table and held out the pen. Hollis took it, with a much steadier hand, and signed on the line above his name. He handed the pen to Derek and watched him do the same.

Just like that, he was mated to the hellhound.

“Excellent,” Lenette said, pulling the paper back to her and spinning it around. She signed before handing the pen and paper off to her assistants, both of which signed as witnesses.

“Now, it’s of course your decision if you’d like to hold a ceremony at some point, but in the meantime, congratulations on your mating.” Lenette stood. “And remember, you’re expected at the joint paranormal and human gala in a month. Everyone will want to see the happy couples.”

Somehow, she made that sound like a threat.

As quickly as they’d come in, Lenette and the others left again.

The silence left in their wake was unnerving. Hollis felt like they were both holding their breath, waiting to see what the other would do. He had no clue what came next. Logistically he knew or thought he did. They’d go to the hellhound clubhouse—whatever that was—and…his blood froze all over again. Would Derek expect them to have sex? In a typical mating or marriage, that’s what happened on the night of the union.

Surely not.

Hollis was a virgin. A sad twenty-two-year-old virgin. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to have sex, but something always seemed to get in the way. Usually, his own hang-ups.

All at once, Derek stood up. “Let’s get out of here.” He offered Hollis his hand.

After a moment of hesitation, Hollis took it.

“Do you have anything with you?”

“Oh.” Hollis felt his face get red all over again. “Just an overnight bag. They had me pack up the rest of my things and said the council would take care of having them delivered tomorrow.”

“That works.” Derek looked around and, spotting Hollis’s backpack, walked over and lifted it away from the wall. “This one?”

“Yes.” Hollis went to him and took the bag, slipping his arms through the straps so it rested on his back.

“Ready?”

“Ready,” Hollis said with a nod. He so wasn’t ready. But he couldn’t tell Derek that. Come on, Hollis. Fake it til you make it.

Derek led the way out of the room.

A quiet stillness had descended over the building since Hollis had been shown to that conference room. He wondered if the two other humans were getting along with their new mates.

They made their way down the hall to a service door.

“I parked my bike in the alley. Did you drive, or did they pick you up?”

“Oh, my uncle brought me. I don’t actually have my driver’s license. I usually walk or take the train.” Hollis fidgeted with his backpack straps. There was no reason to be embarrassed about admitting he didn’t drive, but it crept up all the same.

“Makes sense. If you’re not going far, there’s really no need to deal with the traffic if you don’t have to.”

Hollis bit at his lip as they moved through the door and down another long hallway. This one was more narrow with a linoleum floor instead of carpet. “Is it okay if I ride with you? I can get a ride share if not—”

Derek shot him a strange look. “Of course it is.” He pushed open a door and a cool breeze whipped in.

“Hollis!”

Hollis cringed, turning only his head to see his uncle hurrying toward him from farther down the hall. He’d hoped to be gone before he got back.

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