"No." Kam brought his hands up to grip his head. "It's not possible." Kam seemed to recover really fast. His face was now hard, and his eyes were narrowed at PJ as if he were the enemy. "I gotta get out of here." And with that, Kam pushed opened the doors and took off.
Every bone in his body told PJ to go after him, to chase his mate, but he didn't. The human part of his brain, the part that understood the confusion and turmoil going on inside his mate, respected Kam's need to have some space right now. Deep down, PJ knew that no matter how hard Kam tried to fight it, it was pointless.
PJ turned around and headed out the door that led to the baseball field. He started walking, then broke out into a run. He hopped the fence that surrounded the outfield and darted toward the woods that surrounded the campus. Once he was in the safety of the trees he took off his clothes and stood naked under the night sky. PJ closed his eyes and brought about the change from human to bear form. He bent over and fell to all fours as he jerked and shifted. His bones reshaped and broke to make his grizzly bear body. Dark hair grew out of his pores to make his thick shiny fur. His nose stretched and elongated to make his snout. After only a few seconds, the transformation was complete and he took off running.
The great thing about Silver Creek was the miles and miles of uncharted forest that surrounded the large town. It was beautiful out here. It reminded PJ of home. The plush green grass was soft under his paws and he ran through the trees. The scent of damp mud and wildflowers whirled around him as he sped through the forest. PJ had no destination in mind. He just knew he had to get as far away from Kam as he could. If he didn't, he'd take Kam whether Kam wanted him to or not.
PJ slowed his trot to a slow walk. A break in the trees allowed the crescent moon to shine down on him. PJ stood on two feet, let his head fall back, and released a loud, rumbling roar. He let out all his frustration and unrequited affection toward his mate.
It wasn't PJ's fault, and he couldn't blame Kam for reacting the way he had. Kam had probably kissed a ton of girls but never a guy. That had to be a little disconcerting for the young man. But PJ didn't understand the anger. Didn't the connection Kam felt ease on the uncertainty that clouded his mind?
PJ fell back onto all fours and walked over to a spot under a tall oak tree. He lay on his side and tried to breathe through the ache in his chest. He wanted Kam without a doubt and after that one kiss it became abundantly clear waiting was no longer an option but he couldn't make Kam feel and act the way PJ wanted him to.
A warm summer breeze blew over his body, ruffling his fur. PJ yawned and settled in for a long rest. PJ was a patient man. He'd give Kam the time he needed but only so much. A shifter could only be denied for so long before the beast broke free and took over. For Kam's sake, PJ really hoped the kid got his head on straight and saw reason. They were mates, and destiny couldn't be ignored.
Chapter Six
"Holy shit." Kam winced at the feeling of his nails digging into his scalp. He'd been so flustered he hadn't felt his nails shift into that of his cougar claws. "Breathe, Kamden." Kam tried to calm himself down but it wasn't working. Kam jogged toward his jeep and climbed inside. He wasn't sure where he was going but he knew he couldn't stay on campus that night. If he did, he'd do something totally out of character, like go find the head coach of the baseball team he played for and beg the man to fuck him.
"Fuck!" Kam screamed once safely in his car. So many thoughts were bouncing around his head. The main one was that kiss he had shared with Henson.
The kiss wasn't bad. No, it was magical, earth shattering, toe curling great except for one thing. Henson was man, a very large man and, from the feel of it, huge all over. Kam clenched his eyes shut as he remembered the way Henson's cock felt pressed up against his own. It was amazing, and it made Kam want more. Never in his life had he thought about touching, let alone putting another guy's dick in his mouth, but in that moment Kam wanted it all. His cougar whimpered in submission to the larger man, eager to be taken. That view was not shared by the human part of Kam's brain.
For twenty-one years Kam thought he knew who he was. He was the adopted son of Seth and Caleb. He was Ryan's brother, Carson's best friend, Riley's uncle, a member of the Nehalem pack, and a horny young guy who liked to fuck women. These were all things he felt and knew without a doubt. This was his life but now all that was changing. He was still the same person, but instead of picturing what lucky female would be his mate, all he saw was Henson. A man, a gorgeous man that made Kam feel so many different things. It was so confusing.
Kam wasn't a small man by any means. He was tall and strong and didn't lack an ounce of self-confidence. He still felt that way but he also felt a little vulnerable. After that kiss Kam realized he liked being wrapped in Henson strong embrace. He liked not having to be in control. Henson knew how to kiss, touch, and move him to make Kam succumb to his needs, and Kam wanted that. Never in his life did he think he'd ever be in this position. Kam was a man. He didn't want to be some guy's bitch even if they were mates.
"Mates!" Kam gasped for a breath, feeling as if the oxygen was being sucked from his car. "How in the hell did this happen?"
Kam pulled up alongside the curb to Maurice's apartment building. He hadn't realized he was driving there until he stepped out of his jeep and hustled up the steps. He hated to wake his friends but he really needed someone to talk to and now. He raised his hand and knocked.
A couple minute had passed before he heard the shuffle of feet and Asa cursing as he ran into the coffee table. When the door finally opened, Asa, his face sleep-wrinkled, glared at him.
"This better be good, Kam." Asa held open the door and waved for Kam to come inside.
"It is." Kam walked straight to the back hallway toward Asa and Maurice's room. "Is Maurice awake?"
"I am now." Maurice whined as he sat up in bed. "What are you doing here?" Maurice looked over at the clock on the table beside his bed. "It's almost eleven." Maurice's eyes widened. "Is it Dylan? Is he home?" Maurice started to climb out of the bed.
"Babe, stop." Asa rolled his eyes, then tackled Maurice back to the bed. He moved so he had one leg and one arm draped over Maurice. "Dylan is at Ryan and Carson's tonight. He fell asleep watching a moving with Riley."
"Oh thank god." Relief was clear in Maurice's voice. "Being a parent is hard work."
"Parent?" Kam squinted at Maurice. "That kid is seventeen years old. He doesn't need you to mother him."
"That's what I said." Asa glanced over at Kam. "I worry about him too, but we can't watch over him every minute of every day."
Kam nodded. He remembered being seventeen and all the things he got himself, along with a shy Carson, into. He smiled fondly at the memoires. Good times.
"Not to be a dick." Maurice pushed himself up into a sitting positon. "But why in the hell are you here?"
"Yeah, right." Kam started to pace the bedroom floor. He was doing his best to get his thoughts put in order. So many things had happened tonight and he didn't know where to start. "Why am I here," he mumbled to himself.
"Dude, will you stop moving?" Asa tossed a pillow at Kam's head. "Just spit it out."
"Okay." Kam stopped in front of them. He took a deep breath and let the words just fly out of his mouth. "I think I met my mate tonight."
"Really?" Maurice's face lit up in happiness. "That's awesome, Kam-Kam."
"And it's a guy." Kam flopped onto the bed and buried his face in his hands.
"Whoa wait a minute." Maurice's voice cracked when he spoke. "Did you say a guy?"
"Okay, yeah, this is better than sleeping." Asa chuckled.
Kam frowned over at his friend.
"What? You can't possibly blame me for finding this entertaining. Ouch!" Asa grabbed at his side from where Maurice elbowed him. Maurice glared at his mate, and that seemed to be all it took to put Asa in his place. "Sorry, Kam. I don't mean entertaining as I want you to suffer but you have to admit it's interesting."
Kam jerked back and looked at Asa. "Interesting? How so?"
"Well, you've been straight all your life." Asa shrugged. "I'm forever amazed at how the mating bond between shifters and humans works out. It's fascinating."