Blue Mountain (Pack 1)

“It?” Simon asked.

“Usually we don’t have mates, so Alphas keep company with whatever pack members they choose.”

He knew more about that than Mitch probably realized. “I’m not in your pack,” Simon pointed out. “I owe you nothing.”

Mitch squeezed his eyes shut. “That wasn’t what I was trying to say.” He drew in a deep breath. “My brother and I have been here for over four years.” He opened his eyes. “In that time, I’ve never left and I’ve never”—he stepped closer to Simon—“ever been with a pack member.”

“So you’re lonely and you expect me to—”

“No!” Mitch snapped. He rubbed his hands over his face. “No. That’s not what I’m saying.”

Simon scrunched his eyebrows together, unsure what point Mitch was trying to make.

“I haven’t used my position or my strength to get sex from my pack members, and I’m not going to start with you.”

Nodding slowly, Simon said, “Okay. What do you want from me?”

“I want you to stay here.” When Simon tensed, Mitch held his hand out and said, “Hear me out. You can eat, catch up on sleep, and heal. You’re safe here. Nobody would dare come near my cabin.” He raised his nose in the air. “Check for yourself. No other scents. Just me.”

“What’s the catch?”

“No catch.”

“You’re going to let me stay here. You’re going to feed me. And you expect me to believe you won’t get anything out of it?”

“I didn’t say that.” Mitch’s eyes shone. “I’ll get a lot out of it. I’ll get to take care of you.”

“I can take care of myself.”

Mitch sighed and pressed his fingers into his nape. “Fine. Then I’ll get to be with you.”

“Be with me?”

“It’s not a big cabin,” Mitch said. “If we’re both here, we’ll get to know each other.”

“What do you want to know about me?” Simon asked suspiciously.

“Everything.”

Despite the seriousness of the moment, Simon chuckled. “Everything? Starting pretty high there, aren’t you?”

“You asked me a question. I answered honestly. You’re my mate. I won’t lie to you.”

“Stop saying that,” Simon said, decidedly uncomfortable with the declaration.

“It’s the truth and you know it.” Mitch looked him in the eyes. “You stay here. Eat, sleep, whatever. Nobody will harm you. And in exchange, you stop trying to run away, stop fighting me, and stop denying what we both know.”

The fact of the matter was, Simon had nowhere to go. He didn’t have much money. He had no pack, no friends, and no plan. The opportunity to rest, truly rest, wasn’t one he’d likely get again, and he’d never needed it more. Passing it up because of his pride would be a mistake. His gut told him he could trust Mitch. Though he didn’t put much weight in that, even if he was wrong, whatever the man did to him wouldn’t be worse than what he’d face if he left.

“How long?” he asked.

“How long what?”

“Your deal,” Simon said. “How long’s it good?”

“I don’t under—”

“A night? A few days? A week? How long will you let me stay here without expecting anything in return?”

Mitch opened his mouth to answer and then he paused, crinkled his brow, and said, “A month.”

“A month?”

He nodded. “You stay here for a month and you tell me before you leave. That’s the deal.”

That was longer than Simon had expected but not long enough to make him nervous. He wondered if Mitch would let him cook in the updated kitchen. Over the years, he’d done odd jobs in restaurants, and he was pretty sure he’d be able to make a turkey. Maybe stuffing too. And mashed potatoes.

“Okay,” he said, forcing himself to take a step forward. He stretched his arm out in front of him and held his hand to Mitch for a shake. “It’s a deal.”

Chapter 5

Despite trembling like a leaf, Simon still squared his shoulders and kept his grip tight when he shook Mitch’s hand. He was adorable. Not that Mitch would say so out loud. He could already predict that the compliment would be interpreted as an insult, so he settled for holding onto his mate’s hand as long as he could.

When Simon eventually let go, Mitch said, “Are you hungry?”

“Didn’t we just eat?”

“That was breakfast. It’s lunchtime.” And Simon was way too skinny for Mitch’s comfort. He wanted his mate nourished and healthy. His bones shouldn’t protrude, and he should weigh more than a child.

“Oh. I must have lost track of time when I was…” Simon looked at the bed guiltily, as if sleeping was a crime or a sign of weakness. “Uh, I must have lost track of time.”

“What do you like to eat?” Mitch asked as he stepped toward the door.

“I’m not picky.”

From the look of things, he hadn’t had the luxury of being picky. That would change. “I have plenty to choose from. Chicken, steak, ground beef that I can make into hamburgers.” He put his hand on Simon’s lower back and started steering him out of the room. “If those don’t sound good, I’m sure there’s something else in my kitchen you’ll like.”