“Look, I know Laurent means a lot to you and I’m sorry he thinks I’m his one and only and I don’t feel the same way. I just…I need to know.” He looked up. “I need to know there’s a way out. I need to know we’re not stuck permanently.”
“You will not be stuck unless you wish to be,” Nana said quietly. “Once you have completed the bond you will feel it here.” She tapped Paul’s sternum lightly with one finger. “It will be rooted in your heart and connected to Laurent. Should you truly wish to break the bond, you have only to concentrate and remove the bond—like pulling a plug with your mind instead of your fingers. But—” She shook her finger at him. “I warn you, it will hurt. You will be pulling out a piece of your soul and the pain will be considerable.”
Paul lifted his chin. “I’m not worried about pain. I’ve had enough of it running with my pack—it’s an old friend.”
Nana frowned. “I do not speak of physical pain, Paul. But you will have to find out for yourself—or not, whichever you choose.” She patted his arm. “Why do you not take these two weeks you have to think it over? Much can be learned in a short amount of time if you are both willing.”
“I don’t know…” Paul looked uncertain but Laurent squeezed his hand.
“Please, mon amour. I have been searching for you my entire life. Can you not spare me two weeks?”
Paul sighed. “Well…Angel did say he would give me about that to get my shit together. And I could use a break from the pack and my old man too. So, yeah, I guess so.” He frowned. “But I’m not promising anything.”
“Of course not,” Laurent murmured. He leaned forward and nuzzled Paul’s cheek with his own. “Thank you, mon amour.” “Uh, okay. You’re welcome.” Paul leaned away, obviously uncomfortable with the open display of affection.
Nana smiled. “I see that I will have to show you the guest room sooner rather than later. Laurent, you and I can catch up with each other at another time.”
“I look forward to it, Nana.” He smiled, feeling a burst of relief in his chest. It was true that all he wanted was to be alone with Paul. He needed to convince his wolf that they did, indeed, belong together—as well as convincing him to complete the bond.
Because once Paul found out what they would have to do to complete it, Laurent was sure he would protest.
“Why would I protest?” Paul frowned at him, having apparently caught his last thought.
“Never fear, mon amour,” Laurent murmured, squeezing his hand. “You will find out soon enough.”
Chapter Twelve
“We have to do what to complete the bond?” Paul asked incredulously.
“Do not pretend it is such a surprise, mon amour,” Laurent said quietly. “Think of what was involved during our blood exchange. Bonding is a sexual thing, there is no way around it.”
“Yeah, but… fuck. ” Paul ran both hands through his hair and paced back and forth in front of the queen-size bed in the center of Nana’s guest suite.
“Exactly.” Laurent sat quietly on the white antique lace bedspread, watching him.
He is upset, just as I suspected. But I feel the desire in him as well. He wants this—he just doesn’t want to admit he wants it.
“Stop that.” Paul glared at him. “Stop thinking that you know what I want because you fucking don’t. You hadn’t even met me a week ago.”
“That’s true,” Laurent acknowledged softly. “But I was searching for you. Wishing for you.”
“Well I wasn’t looking for anybody. I didn’t ask for any of this mierta. ”
“But it happened anyway. Call it fate or simply coincidence but we are in each other’s lives now. And we will remain so unless we complete the bond…”
“And then break it,” Paul finished for him.
Laurent inclined his head. “If that is what you truly wish.”
“What I wish is that none of this had happened in the first place.” Paul’s shoulders were tense, his frustration and confusion like a hand pushing Laurent away.
“Is it really so bad?” Laurent asked softly. “The idea of making love to me?”
“No, okay?” Paul sank down beside him on the bed and put his head in his hands.
“Which is what makes it so fucking frightening. You’re right—I want to. Want to…to do that with you. I shouldn’t want that.” His voice was muffled but Laurent could still hear the agony in his tone.
“Don’t think of it that way if it distresses you, mon amour. ” Tentatively, in case Paul might shake him off, he put a hand on the other man’s broad back. Paul shivered but allowed the touch. Laurent stroked along his wolf’s spine soothingly, trying to think of a way to make this easier for him. “Think of it as a necessity,” he murmured.