There was no way he would let his mate get away without a kiss. Connor craved Jamie like nothing he had ever wanted in his life, and even though he didn't want to spook his mate, he just had to.

He had to taste.

So he pushed his face into Jamie's, rubbing his cheek against his, feeling how soft Jamie's skin was, rubbing that amazing smell into his own pores, and just swimming in his own and his mate's pheromones.

Connor could swear that Jamie wanted this, by the way he didn't pull away, by the way he whimpered when Connor's hand found his waist, by the way his mate had closed his eyes, hopefully feeling everything Connor felt.

Fuck. This was heaven.

Connor made the adjustment and Jamie's lips tasted like... home. They tasted like something that was his.

Connor pulled Jamie's chair toward him, making a godawful sound, but he didn't care, and he pressed his mouth firmer against Jamie's, his tongue licking his top lip, then his bottom, nipping at the flesh, moaning, and Jamie was no better. He made these delicious little sounds that made Connor painfully hard.

Finally, Jamie opened his mouth, giving Connor permission to enter the place he wanted to live in. He wanted to live inside Jamie, wanted to have him in any way he could get him. He kissed Jamie thoroughly, and Jamie responded in earnest, kissing him back, licking and nipping, and moaning, making Connor so hard he could hammer nails with his cock.

Fuck.

He had the most precious angel in his arms and all he wanted was to keep him, to show the world who he belonged to. Connor's wolf growled, his teeth elongated, and Jamie's responded immediately. They both wanted this to happen, but Jamie suddenly pulled away, leaving Connor empty.

Jamie shook his head. "Sorry, I didn't mean to – I just –" He hugged his own body like he was trying to protect himself.

Feeling bad about scaring his mate, Connor took his face and looked into his eyes. "I'm sorry if I scared you. We can wait as long as you want."

Jamie shook his head. "I don't even know you."

"But you know who I am, don't you?" Connor said and looked into Jamie's eyes, communicating without words. I am your mate. I love you and want to protect you. I won't let you go, not ever. You are mine. Forever.

Jamie shuddered. "You don't know me either."

"I know everything I need to know."

Jamie looked away from Connor, breaking their connection. "I have to think about this. I don't know if I can just... accept it."

Connor frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I don't like things that are out of my control."

"Jamie," Connor sighed. "This is what I've been trying to tell you. This thing between us, is up to you. You hold the reins, baby."

Jamie bit his lip, but said nothing.

"I'm sorry, this is too much. I'll let you think about it."

It took everything out of Connor to leave his mate behind and to make his way back to his empty bed, afraid that he had scared Jamie away for good. All these years he had thought that his mate couldn't wait to meet him either. He had thought that it would be a joyful reunion. Instead, he found a mate who not only was promised to someone else, but also didn't believe in true mates as deeply as Connor did. Connor had always wanted it more than anything, but it seemed Jamie might not even believe in it.

Well, fuck a duck.

This was getting more and more complicated, and they had just now met.

***

It was time to show that Connor was serious about wooing Jamie. That's a word Connor never thought he'd use, but wooing was what Connor had to do. If Jamie wasn't sure, then Connor had to be twice as sure, for both of them.

Which is why when the full moon finally rolled around, as did the time for the Big Run, where all the wolves ran together in the woods (among other things), Connor made sure to ask Jamie to join them.

Jamie kept changing the subject, which made Connor frustrated, but instead of arguing with his mate, he decided to show him, damn it, show him that he meant business.

So Instead of running and playing joyfully with the other wolves, he went hunting. A rabbit was too easy to carry and a deer was too big, but he picked a doe, and after a few minutes of arduous hunting, he fell it. Connor growled at anyone who approached his kill, because it was meant for Jamie. His wolf huffed and dragged the large carcass across the forest, out into the meadow, and finally, through the garden, sweating and cursing in his head.

Maybe he should have picked a rabbit.

His nose told him Jamie was in the palace, so despite the protests of the staff and shock of any bystander who witnessed what he was doing, Connor dragged the doe inside and up the stairs.

It was an uphill battle and frankly, a ridiculous one, but his wolf was determined to find Jamie and present him with the present.

When he finally did find Jamie in his room, he started scratching on the door and whining. Jamie opened the door and stared at the large brown wolf, who shoved the carcass in the room and happily yipped at his accomplishment.

Jamie stared for another minute, then started laughing.

The wolf growled. Was that his thanks?

"Sorry," Jamie said, heaving. "This is... wow."

The wolf growled again, then whined, then pushed the carcass toward Jamie with his nose.

Jamie finally stopped laughing and looked at the wolf. "You brought this for me?"

The wolf yipped.

Jamie smiled and beckoned the wolf to go closer to him. The wolf approached apprehensively, but when Jamie sank his fingers in his fur, he started rubbing his snout all over his mate, scent-marking him.

Jamie said, "You shouldn't have done it. People might have seen."

The wolf, drunk on his mate, looked at Jamie and couldn't understand why his mate was in human form. He wanted to play with him, run with him, but Jamie was still stubbornly human. Finally, Connor shuddered and shifted back to ask Jamie what was the matter.

Jamie gaped at his naked form. "Uhh..."

"I thought you'd shift and join us later," Connor said, trying not to sound accusatory. Then he remembered the doe. "Do you like it?"

Jamie smiled. "Yes, thank you. But what if someone saw?"

"I don't care," Connor said. "But why aren't you shifting? The call of the moon is too strong at this time. I could barely shift back."

Jamie's face reddened and he looked down at his slippers. "No one's supposed to know, my dad would kill me if I told you."

"Know what, Jamie?"

He sighed. "I can't shift."

"Your wolf hasn't awakened yet?" Connor asked, trying to think how that was possible. He knew that Jamie was almost twenty years old, and usually, one's wolf woke around their sixteenth birthday.

Jamie shrugged. "He's probably never going to."

"But--"

"Look, it's not a big deal, okay? He's still in my head, he recognized you when we met and everything, I just... can't shift."

"Oh," Connor said stupidly. He'd never heard of such a problem, not being able to shift, not even under the moon's pull. "I'm sorry, Jamie."

"It is what it is."

"Should we ask a healer, or maybe the Elders?"

"No!" Jamie shouted, then lowered his voice. "My dad would kill me if he knew I told you. I'm supposed to stay in here, pretend I'd shifted and ran somewhere else. Please don't tell anyone."

Connor felt the pain that was apparent now on his mate's face. "Okay, I promise, Jamie, I'll never tell anyone."

"So you see why we can't be mates now, can't you?" Jamie said numbly. "The Alpha can't have a dud for a mate."

"Don't use that word," Connor growled. "Don't ever talk like that or I'll have to spank you, got it?"

Jamie's eyes widened, his cheeks flushed, and he looked away, anywhere but at his still naked true mate. "Connor..." He sighed. "My sister can shift, she's a good breeder, and she can give you everything you want."

Connor took Jamie's hand. "Everything I want is right here."

There was a crash out in the corridor, which startled both of them, and Jamie took his hand away. "You should go," Jamie said with some urgency.

"Sorry about..." Connor gestured at the giant carcass that was now pointless since his mate couldn't shift and eat it.

Jamie smiled. "Don't apologize, I love it," he said and kissed Connor on the lips shyly, but Connor captured his mate's face and kissed him thoroughly, hoping Jamie would let him.

They kissed for a while, then Connor left, happy and hopeful.

He would convince Jamie they were meant to be.

Hahahahaha.

Finally, they kissed! :D

And what did you think of Connor's present?