The Omega Sacrifice

Ghian

Ghian

Aalyan followed him silently back towards his tree—for now, it was best to remain in the open where he’d not feel trapped. Ghian didn’t say anything to him either; he couldn’t think of a single thing that wouldn’t have made things even more awkward.

He’d been so worried about what he’d done that he hadn’t really pictured how this would go. He’d met Leopards before—among many other shifters—but it was quite different to lay eyes on someone already knowing you’d mate them.

It wasn’t like Ghian had never enjoyed a tumble with a friend, of course, even before... He shook himself, digging his nails into his palm to get back his focus. That was all done with, long gone. He’d missed it, of course, but who wouldn’t when all the s*x they could have was more a favour between friends than true intimacy?

This would be different, claiming someone was beyond intimacy, it meant they became a part of you—to protect and nourish.

Ghian had no idea how it would feel. And he had no idea who the man following him through the forest was, other than a leopard.

Leopards weren’t that different, really. Still a cat, and still shifters. Once upon a time, one of his ancestors had taken a human mate after falling for her when he’d been hunting close to human territory. She’d been seduced by the mysterious stranger who spoke a tongue just close enough to her own for basic conversation, but she’d not taken it well when he’d taken her home to his people and revealed his secret nature.

Humans didn’t like strangers, and they most definitely didn’t like strangers who were stronger and faster than them.

Not that any shifters would even think of touching a human in anything but self-defence in their day and age—even the most traditional of human tribes seemed to have forgotten their responsibilities to the land that fed them. It was not fair to generalize, but it was hard for him to forget or forgive the cries of the trees as their fellows were cut down across the forest.

It was only when the omega stumbled that Ghian remembered he was there. He turned to see him holding onto a low branch, the arm he extended was corded with muscle. He was younger than Ghian but maybe not that young—leopards were a little smaller than them in general and Aalyan was no exception. But he was at least 5’9 and well-built for all he was slim. His green eyes had just a hint of yellow to them and dark heavy lashes that matched his eyebrows.

As he straightened, those eyes met Ghian’s, then flickered away.

“Come up,” Ghian asked and leapt until he could get one of the thicker branches to swing himself up his tree.