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.Right then, Dylan completely lost his balance and pitched toward him.Dylan released the handle of his forearm crutches and flung his arms out in an obvious attempt to break his fall.Grabbing Dylan’s upper arms, Luc caught his lover.While his human stopped, his crutch didn’t.It continued to swing wildly and the handle slammed into Luc’s thigh.White hot pain erupted through his body causing dark spots to dance across his vision.Luc’s fingers became almost nerveless, causing him to release his mate.Cussing colorfully in French, he crumpled to the blanket.He hated showing weakness, but as pain radiated through his body, his only thought was wondering why hitting an existing injury hurt ten times worse than when it actually happened.Eventually, Luc became aware of Dylan kneeling beside him.He rubbed his hands over his forehead, neck, and arms.Dylan’s concerned words, asking him what was wrong, and apologies finally registered.Cutting off the string of obscenities he muttered, Luc hoped Dylan didn’t know a lot of French as he inhaled and exhaled slowly.He forced his fingers to release his thigh where he clutched just above his covered wound.Rolling onto his back, Luc willed his body to absorb the pain.“Donnez-moi un moment, mate,” Luc slurred, absently asking Dylan to give him a moment in his native tongue.“I’m sorry,” Dylan murmured again.Luc finally felt like he could think straight and opened his eyes.He forced a smile as he peered up at Dylan.“Not your fault.Got bit by a dingo and your crutch knocked into the wound.”Dylan frowned.“You got bit by a what? When?”Okay, so Luc realized he wasn’t thinking straight after all, or he never would have admitted that.Sighing, he pushed to a sitting position and reached for his mate’s hand.Glancing around the area, Luc’s mind spun as he searched for how to explain.“Luc? What happened? Tell me,” Dylan urged.Luc realized it was time to come clean and see where things fell.Kontra had warned that the longer you lied to a mate, the harder it’d be in the end.He focused on his mate and prayed that what he was about to reveal wouldn’t ruin everything.“There is something I need to tell you, but I’m not certain how you’ll take the news,” he admitted.Dylan frowned.“You are already married, aren’t you? Or, at least, involved with someone?” he accused.“Non,” Luc immediately replied, frowning.“Of course not.”“You’re leaving town?”Luc sighed and shook his head.“Actually, I plan to stay.Dorian is creating a community in these mountains and I plan to live there.”“Really?”“Oui,” Luc replied He squeezed the hand he still held.“I’m hoping to convince you to move in with me.”Dylan’s brows lowered as he murmured, “Isn’t that moving a little fast?”“Some may think so, but before you decide, there’s much I need to explain,” Luc told him.Cocking his head, Dylan mumbled, “Not married, not with someone else, wants to live in the mountains.In a biker gang.” Dylan’s eyes widened.“Are you part of a cult?”Luc snorted and he squeezed Dylan’s hand.Sometimes, a human’s imagination was their own worst enemy.“Non, just listen.If you live with me, you will see things you can never tell another.” Taking a deep breath to steady his pulse, Luc softly stated, “Secrecy, anonymity, is a shifter’s greatest ally.For our own safety, and the safety of those we love, no one can know we exist.”Dylan cocked his head.His brows furrowed.Luc waited for the questions.It didn’t take long.“Did you say shifters? What’s that?”The wariness in Dylan’s tone was completely expected.“Dylan, I am a shifter.I share my spirit with a European eagle owl and can change into that form at will,” Luc softly admitted.“I want you with me because you are my mate, the missing piece of my soul that I didn’t even know was lost.”“Uh…” Dylan swallowed and licked his lips.“Wow, romantic, but, um…are there some kind of meds you’re supposed to be on?”Luc shook his head, not at all surprised that Dylan wouldn’t believe without proof.“I am not on meds and I can prove it,” he quietly claimed.Dylan scowled.“Uh, okay.”“Know this,” Luc murmured.“When I turn into my owl, I’m still me.I’m still aware of who you are and everything around me.” He leaned forward and pressed his lips against Dylan’s lightly.“I still know what you are to me.”Sounding a little breathless, Dylan asked, “What am I to you?”Pleased to find that, even while upset and disbelieving, his touch still affected his mate so greatly, Luc murmured, “You are my mate, my everything, and if you allow me to bond with you, I will devote my life to pleasing you.”“Oh, wow,” Dylan muttered, his face flushing.Luc smiled at his mate’s dazed expression, knowing this time it was a good reaction.“When I get back, I will explain everything to you,” he promised.Rocking to his feet, he quickly stripped.Dylan’s breathing sped up, then hitched upon seeing the claw marks on his chest.Luc ignored it, knowing he’d have something else to explain…especially after he shifted and the bandages wrapped around his thigh fell away.With those thoughts in mind, along with a prayer to the gods that his mate would accept him, Luc shifted.Chapter Eight“I want you to take me home, please.”Those were the last words Dylan had managed to say to Luc three days ago.He’d just about hyperventilated when his lover had turned into a bird—a freaking bird—and not a little one, either.He’d become a massive owl! Then, Luc had flown around the clearing, returned, changed back, and told him all about how paranormals existed.“And he believes I’m his mate,” Dylan mumbled.Dylan sighed and bumped his head against his bedroom wall.He sat on his bed, his back pressed to the wall, and his knees drawn to his chest.Holding his shins to keep his legs in place, Dylan sighed.In the span of an hour, Dylan’s life had been turned upside-down.His lover could turn into a bird, wanted to mate him—the equivalent of marriage—and move Dylan in with him.Oh, and my cousin turns into a platypus.He’d had to look up what that animal was online.No wonder Kai loved swimming so much.Which brought up another question…did his cousin not trust him? Is that why he hadn’t deemed Dylan worthy of knowing his secret?Closing his eyes, Dylan rested his forehead on his knees and fought against the pin-prick of tears.I will not cry, damn it.A tear slipped from one eye, trickling down his cheek.Okay, maybe I will.Who could blame him? The man he could so easily fall in love with wasn’t human and had just rocked his world.A light couple of taps on his door had Dylan lifting his head.He spotted his father at the doorway, his hand on the knob, peering in at him through the foot-wide gap he must have created.He hadn’t heard his father open the door, but that didn’t surprise him considering his thoughts.“Yeah, Dad?” he asked softly.“Can I come in, Son?”Dylan nodded.His father didn’t customarily ask, so he wondered what was up.Mark entered, shut the door softly behind him, then crossed the room and sat on the foot of the bed.He turned his back to the footboard, cocking one knee on the mattress, and settled his arm on his knee.“Your mom just told me you’re refusing Kai’s calls,” his father commented.Dylan nodded again
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