Irregular (mlm)

Chapter 16

Owen wound up lying with Kai on the floor for the rest of the night. He was still extremely hot and if he was being honest, he didn't want to stop giving him the physical contact he needed to feel better. He didn't want to stop touching him, even if it wasn't needed.

Owen was lying on his back while Kai was curled against his side, using his shoulder as a pillow and with on arm tossed over his torso. Owen was rubbing his back with the arm that was stuck under him, unable to sleep. He was dead tired, but his mind was racing.

He's only just found out Kai was his mate, but everything has already become so intense. Somewhere deep down, he'd known, but now that he was fully aware... he was feeling the cliche 'werewolf needs his mate at all times' thing. He knew the mate bond was different for everyone. Some people felt it over time and others immediately fell for their person. For Owen, it happened in less than a month.

He wasn't sure he was to the 'love' part of it yet, but he definitely felt something. It was strong and he just knew. He knew Kai was his mate and he wanted to do everything that came with it—not just sex. He wanted to fall asleep with him and make him food since he probably couldn't cook and help him heal from everything that happened to him. He wanted to be his mate.

But he wasn't sure Kai wanted that. He seemed so scared when he found out. And the fact that his father was in the mix definitely didn't help.

Owen sighed and glanced down at his sleeping face. He looked so peaceful, despite his flushed skin and messed up hair. They were going to have to have a serious talk about everything when he felt better. For now, Owen just closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.

After the sun had risen, well into the morning, Owen woke with a start to pounding on his door. Kai snapped awake and immediately covered Owen with his body and bared his teeth.

Owen listened intently as whoever was pounding on the door called, "Owen! You okay?"

It was Paxton. Owen sighed and called back, "Yes, give me a second!"

Kai had calmed down by then and moved so Owen could get up. He protested with a quiet whine when Owen moved away, but he let him go answer first the door.

He unlocked it and swung it open, finding both Paxton and Amy outside. The guard wasn't there, and Owen didn't know when he'd left. Any sighed in relief and walked into the apartment. "Jesus, you scared us."

"What?"

"I called you like twenty times this morning and Joshua couldn't get you to answer the door so we raced over." Amy set her medical bag on the counter as Paxton came in and locked the door.

"Shit, I left my phone on the couch. I must not have heard it ringing." He swiped it off the cushion, and there were dozens of messages and missed called from both Paxton and Amy. "I'm sorry, we went to bed and I didn't even think about my phone."

Amy looked into the bedroom, where Kai was lying on his side, now in wolf form. "How's he doing?"

"Better, I think. We just woke up though." Owen tucked his phone into the pocket in his sweats. "We we're up pretty late."

Paxton raised an eyebrow. "Your bed is still made."

Owen stilled when he realized what this looked like. He had slept with Kai but he hadn't slept with him. "I stayed on the floor to watch over him. I never made it into my bed."

Paxton gave him an unconvinced look and Amy looked at him curiously. "Did you two...?"

Owen felt his face redden and he cleared his throat. "No. I just slept beside him."