Chapter 5: Fever

Asa POV:

Asa’s eyes opened again as Chris carried him into a small home away from the wooded area. It wasn’t close to his own home and— well, that wasn’t true anymore, this would be his home, not where he’d been living with his parents

The man’s scent, a sharp teakwood, enveloped him.

It smelled so good.

So much better than that whiskey scent that had burned its way into Asa’s nostrils, the offending odor covering everything.

But now the Teakwood took over the offending whiskey scent, washing it away.

Asa welcomed the change.

He looked up at the man to see who claimed him as theirs. Asa’s eyes widened in shock when he recognized the older shifter, Chris.

That was Chris, Felicity’s Chris.

Asa didn’t know much about his best friend's older brother. He was one of the best shifters in the pack, and he had one of the most impressive wolves, but that was it.

Felicity talked of him of course, but it was standard older brother things, how annoying he was, how much he picked on her, but he’d moved out when he first ran and they just never met.

But now, As Chris wrapped him up in those impressive arms, he wished that he’d known the shifter before.

The awkwardness that Asa remembered disappeared, a handsome, strong shifter left in its place. No longer a child, Chris embodied everything a mate should be and more. Striking, passionate, fierce, it flipped Asa’s belly in a delicious way.

Chris moved to sit him down on the bed before frowning when he realized just how much Asa smelled. Asa could smell where Jacob’s scent lay. It seemed as if he were trying to mark Asa, as if Asa belonged to Jacob instead.

Asa bristled at the fact, his inner wolf whining at the false claim.

“Bath,” Asa murmured, his voice loud in the room.

He hadn’t realized Chris’ quietness.

Chris carried him into the bathroom, sitting him on the toilet before mechanically going through the motions of getting Asa items to bathe.

He watched curiously, as Chris sniffed each item before giving them to Asa.

He turned at the door.

“I’ll be getting things ready for you,” He said with a stiff nod before leaving the room.

Asa limped over to the bathtub, turning the water on and watching it fill.

He took the time to look around, to see the Chris that existed before Asa came.. The neatness shocked him, but not as much as the bareness. It seemed barely lived in. perfunctory.

That said a lot about the man.

He didn’t expect anyone else here.

He slipped into the water, hissing as it made contact with his wounds.

The water became dirty with all of the blood and dirt and Asa frowned.

Mating night should go this way.

“Chris!” Asa called and Chris appeared at the door, no doubt standing outside of the bathroom waiting for Asa to finish cleaning himself.

“I need help,” He whispered, sad that he had to rely on his mate this way.

Tonight should be a joyous one, one best spent in happiness and bliss.

He could feel the telltale licks of flame in the bottom of his tummy that normally kicked off the mating sequence, but- fatigue and pain from the mating run somewhat doused the flames.

“Careful, the water’s hot,” Asa tried to warn him and Chris frowned as he dipped his hands into the water to lift Asa out.

“This is freezing, Asa,” He said and Asa groaned.

His heat kicked in faster than he thought it would.

“Your heat is starting,” Chris said and Asa leaned his head on his mate's shoulder.

“Everything hurts too much, I can’t do it,” He complained and Chris pushed his hair out of face.

His forehead damp with sweat.

Asa definitely began his heat.

“Let me get this taken care of, then we can get you settled,” Chris offered, taking Asa to his room.

Asa now smelled only like Chris, his Lilac scent intertwining with Chris’.

Asa felt a bit better now that the whiskey scent was gone.

Chris put Asa on the bed, and Asa turned on his side, giving Chris access to the wound.

The bleeding seemed to have stopped, the wound still an angry red, however.

He could sense the anger through the mating bond—

The mating bond.

Asa forgot just how close the two would become, and it seemed to be out of nowhere.

One moment Asa’s mind only contained Asa, then Chris appeared, taking up so much space there, tethering them together.

Chris focused on Asa’s skin, his fingers light as he began to rub a salve that he’d retrieved while

Asa bathed over his skin. Asa winced at the sting and Chris smirked slightly, a couple of curls falling into his eyes.

“Don’t be a baby,” He said and Asa stared up at his new mate, taking in his handsome features as they began to screw together in concentration as he began to wrap Asa’s wounds.

Asa couldn’t help but admire his mate’s strong nose, his thick plus lips, his cut jawline, and his thick manly neck. His mate, a perfect specimen of a man.

This really happened.

Asa had a mate.

Something about that set off a nervous fire in his chest.

“I’m so sorry that b*stard did this to you, I’ll kill him, I swear it,” Chris whispered, kissing down the bandaged wound, leaving shivers in his wake.

Asa gasped out, the burning inferno in his stomach erupted like a volcano and coursed through his veins. His whole being alight as Chris stared into his eyes. Asa suddenly realized that he laid bare next to this man.

“It hurts,” He whimpered, his mind reduced to this only.

Asa needed Chris’ touch, needed him to fix it and make it better.

Chris rubbed his thumb over Asa’s cheek, the heat followed the movement as if Chris’ skin contained some kind of gasoline, stoking Asa’s flames.

“I know, I’ll make it better okay? Just tell me yes,” Chris said and Asa nodded his head, letting the shifter take over him completely and distinguish the heat.

The mating was finally complete.