Christian (bxb)

Just Give Me Time

(Jaxon)

The party was finally ending. Most of the pack had already left, and the people who remained were helping put things away. I kept looking over at Christian while Greyson and Mason talked nearby. He'd been doing better, but I could tell he still had a lot on his mind.

Christian stood near one of the trees away from everyone else. He wasn't trying to run this time. He just seemed like he needed a few minutes to himself. I waited before going over to him.

“Hey.”

Christian looked at me. He seemed surprised that I'd come over alone instead of bringing Greyson and Mason with me. Maybe that was a good thing. I wanted to talk to him without making him feel surrounded again.

“Hey, Jaxon.”

I stopped in front of him. There were a lot of things I wanted to say, but I didn't want to make this harder for him. We'd already made enough mistakes today. I needed him to understand that we'd listened.

“Can we talk?”

Christian looked toward Greyson and Mason before returning his attention to me. Neither of them followed me over. I'd told them I wanted a few minutes alone with him. Thankfully, they'd agreed.

“Sure.”

I nodded toward a spot farther away. Christian came with me, and we stopped where the others couldn't hear everything we said. I wasn't trying to hide anything from my brothers. I just thought Christian might talk more freely this way.

“I've been thinking about what you said earlier.”

Christian looked down. I could tell he already knew what I meant. Running into the forest hadn't happened for no reason. We had to accept our part in it.

“You don't have to explain everything again.”

Christian looked back at me. I hoped that helped. I didn't need another explanation for why he'd run. He'd already told us.

“I know we've been too much sometimes.”

Christian gave me a look. Apparently, he thought sometimes was being generous. I couldn't even blame him. Greyson, Mason, and I had been watching over him for years.

“Sometimes?”

I laughed. “Okay, a lot.”

That got a small smile from him. At least I hadn't made things worse yet. I leaned against the tree beside him.

“We thought we were protecting you.”

Christian didn't answer immediately. I waited instead of filling the silence. Eventually, he looked at me again. His smile was gone.

“It doesn't always feel like protection.”

“I know that now.”

I meant it. We couldn't keep saying we cared about Christian while ignoring what he actually wanted. If he needed space, then we had to learn how to give it to him. Shylo might hate it, but he'd have to deal with it too.

“I don't want you to think I'm rejecting all three of you because I hate you.”

I hadn't expected him to say that. My attention went straight to him. Christian looked uncomfortable now, like he wished he could take the words back. I wasn't letting him.

“You don't hate us?”

Christian rolled his eyes. “Don't make me regret saying it.”

I grinned. That sounded more like him. I liked seeing this Christian better than the one we'd found crying in the forest. At least he was arguing with me again.

“I won't.”

Christian looked toward the pack house. I followed his gaze but didn't say anything. Micah and Landon were still nearby. Father and Dad were talking with Greyson and Mason.

“I just don't know what I'm supposed to do.”

“You don't have to do anything today.”

Christian looked at me again. I could see he was trying to decide whether he believed me. After the way we'd acted before, I couldn't blame him for questioning it. We'd have to prove we meant what we said.

“But you think I'm your mate.”

“I know you are.”

His expression changed immediately. I held up my hands before he could get annoyed with me. I wasn't going to start another argument.

“That doesn't mean you have to accept us today.”

Christian looked away again. I knew his missing wolf was part of the problem. He'd turned eighteen, and there still wasn't any sign of him. Until his wolf appeared, Christian couldn't feel everything we already could.

“I don't even have my wolf yet.”

“I know.”

That bothered me too, but I wasn't going to tell him that. Christian already had enough to worry about. Father didn't seem concerned, so I was going to trust him.

“What if he comes and doesn't want you?”

I stared at Christian. Shylo immediately had several things to say about that. I ignored him.

“Then Shylo will probably spend the next hundred years complaining.”

Christian laughed. “Only a hundred?”

“You haven't met him yet. I'm being hopeful.”

Shylo complained inside my head. I ignored that too. Christian was laughing, and I wasn't ruining it because my wolf couldn't take a joke.

The laughter ended after a few seconds. Christian looked at me again. I could tell another question was coming.

“What if I wanted to date someone else before deciding?”

Shylo reacted before I could.

A growl came from me, and Christian immediately moved back. I stopped it as quickly as I could. The last thing I wanted was to scare him after everything we'd just discussed.

‘Cut it out.’

Shylo wasn't interested in listening.

‘Our mate isn't dating anyone.’

‘He was asking a question.’

‘It was a terrible question.’

I nearly rolled my eyes. Shylo could be impossible when Christian was involved. Apparently, the idea of another person touching our mate was where his patience ended.

‘Calm down.’

‘Tell him no.’

‘I can answer him myself.’

‘Then tell him no.’

I pushed Shylo away before he could keep arguing. Christian was watching me with a curious expression. He probably knew exactly what had happened.

“That was your wolf, wasn't it?”

“Yeah.”

Christian looked almost amused now that he realized I wasn't angry with him. I wasn't going to pretend I liked his question, though. I hated it.

“What's his name?”

“Shylo.”

Christian nodded. “And Shylo doesn't want me dating.”

“Shylo would probably lose his mind.”

Christian laughed again. I wanted to keep it that way. Still, I needed to answer his question without letting my wolf answer it for me.

“I wouldn't like it either.”

Christian's amusement disappeared. I stayed where I was instead of moving closer. He'd asked me a question, and he deserved an answer.

“But you said the choice is mine.”

“It is.”

Christian frowned. I knew what he was thinking. Telling him he had a choice and then telling him he couldn't date didn't exactly fit together. I needed to explain it better.

“I can't tell you what to do.”

That seemed to surprise him. Honestly, it surprised Shylo too. He immediately started complaining again. I refused to listen.

“But I'm not going to lie and say we'd be happy watching you date someone else.”

Christian considered that. I could live with him thinking about it. At least I hadn't told him what he was allowed to do.

“Greyson would lose his mind, wouldn't he?”

I laughed. “Completely.”

“And Mason?”

“Worse.”

Christian stared at me. “Mason?”

“Don't let the quiet thing fool you.”

That made him smile again. Mason didn't say much most of the time, but when Christian was involved, everything changed. Greyson wasn't any better.

“And you?”

I thought about lying. There wasn't any point. Christian deserved the truth from me.

“I'd hate it.”

Christian nodded. He didn't look scared by my answer. That was what mattered. I could tell him how I felt without making the decision for him.

“I wasn't really planning to date anyone.”

“Good.”

Christian gave me a warning look. I laughed and raised my hands again. I couldn't help that one.

“I was only asking.”

“I know.”

He stayed beside me instead of walking away. That felt more important than anything else we'd talked about. A few hours ago, he'd run because he couldn't stand being around us.

Now he was choosing to stay.

“We should probably go back before they come looking for us.”

Christian glanced toward my brothers. Greyson was already watching us. Of course he was.

“See? Overbearing.”

I laughed. “I'm not defending him.”

Christian started walking back toward everyone. I went with him but made sure I didn't get too close. If we wanted him to trust us, we'd have to stop treating every step he took like something we needed to control.

Shylo might complain.

Greyson and Mason might struggle with it too.

But Christian had asked for time, and we were going to give it to him.