you, though. You may not like it.”
At his wary nod, her smile faded, some of the amusement dying out of her eyes. She leaned forward so she could watch his reaction very carefully.
“Honestly, really, do you like Mouse? Enough to ever let her bite you? I’m not talking about this minute, but at some point in the future. Think hard on it before you answer me, because this is important.”
* * *
Analie laughed. “Jeez, Mouse! He’s gonna get over it, totally! I’m sorry I laughed, but you haven’t seen two Goliaths go at it. Like, go at it for real. One challenges the other and the next thing you know, there’s blood and fur and chunks of each other going flying every which way, with a ton of property damage to boot. Anyone who gets in the way is obliterated. Even cubs. Everyone gets the hell outta Dodge when two Goliaths start fighting.”
She hopped up and grabbed another cookie. “Christoph’s just learning to deal. Pretty soon he’s going to look at it like a dominance battle. A really tiny one, at that. Seriously, Mouse. We’re tough, that’s pretty much the point of our pack. The only thing that really scares us is being alone. Just be friendly with him and you’ll see how cool he is with you.”
* * *
Christoph did think on it, long and hard. He was silent for a good ten minutes, staring at the kitchen table. Jessica didn’t interrupt.
“Honestly,” he said slowly, “I don’t know Mouse. I mean, she’s very nice. And she saved my ass. But hell, I’ve been here for what, a week? I don’t really know her.”
He paused before continuing. “As for the biting, I’m not going to lie, the idea scares me. But out of everyone in the house, I’d be most okay with Mouse biting me.” He shuddered involuntarily. “Sorry. I’m still getting used to this. I’m trying to deal. It’s hard without my pack.”
Jessica reached out to set a hand lightly over his on the table, giving a reassuring squeeze. “Thank you for your honesty. Now, here’s my honest answer.
“Reluctance is understandable. You’re in a new place, with new things, and, yeah, I’d think you were out of your mind if you weren’t scared about being bit for the first time. It’s the ones who are eager for it that worry me.” She lowered her eyes, toying with the papers on the table. “And you’re right, Mouse is very nice. However, she’s also very sensitive about what she is. More than any Other I’ve ever met. If it’s going to be too much for you to handle, don’t apologize. Just stay away from her. Even if you don’t like the idea, let somebody else assume the claim.”
At his look, she met his eyes unflinching, remaining calm and matter-of-fact despite the words coming out of her mouth and the seriousness of the situation.
“I’d rather see her unhappy for a few days over losing you than tearing herself apart like she did last night because you’ll never let her near you. Find someone else, like Sebastian or Clarisse, who will be patient and understanding if you’re too scared to let them touch you for a while. Don’t do it to Mouse. She doesn’t deserve that.”
* * *
Mouse had confided in Jessica last night what had been bothering her about the fighting and Christoph’s reaction, and had thought she’d gotten something of a handle on herself.
Obviously not. Her eyes burned like she was tearing up again, and she quickly turned around to face the counter, masking the wiping at her eyes like she was getting more honey out of the cabinet. Judging by the look Christoph had given her when she laid her hands on him, being alone was not the only thing that scared Goliaths.
She didn’t want to go into another long explanation, so she just jotted down a few words for Analie, not really believing them.
Maybe you’re right.
* * *
Christoph scrubbed at the stubble on his face, looking thoughtful. It wasn’t a common expression for him.
“What’s it like to get bitten?” he asked.
“Kind of like sex,” Jessica waggled her brows and gave him a lopsided grin. “The first time hurts a little, but you get the hang of it pretty quick, and it feels damned good once you get past the ‘holy cow, this is awkward’ stage.”
“I don’t know if that makes it better or worse,” Christoph said. He was silent for a while before he started singing, “Like a virgin...chomped