Sizzling for His Omega (Omegas of Oliver Creek #12)

Chapter Thirteen

Leon

There was nothing in the world as good or as beautiful as waking up with your mate in your arms. Or, in this case, draped over your body. Tobias’ head lay on my chest. One of his legs hooked over mine, and his arms held me tight even in sleep.

Like he was afraid I would leave if he let go—not that I was complaining.

I moved my arms a bit and felt the twinge of the mating mark on my shoulder. It would take a while to heal unless we shifted, but I didn’t mind. The tiny amount of pain reminded me that I was marked by my mate.

As if I needed reminding.

“Mmm,” Tobias made a noise in his sleep. He also snored, but the soft sound actually calmed me and my jackal.

“I’m going to shower and make us some breakfast,” I whispered to him.

His eyes flew open. “You’re leaving?”

I moved and covered him up with my comforter, placing a kiss on his temple. “I’m going to shower and make us breakfast. Not leaving. We’re at my house. I can’t really leave even if I wanted to, which I don’t. Sleep some more. It’s okay. I’m here.”

As soon as I wrapped the comforter around his shoulders, his breathing slowed once again.

Last night had been incredible. Different than the first time we’d mated. The first time was fueled by lust and attraction but last night, while there was plenty of lust and attraction, was born out of our new bond. Stroke for stroke, our tether thickened. And once he bit down on my shoulder, my world tilted in the best way possible.

Showered, I set about making my mate breakfast. I wanted to go out and buy us both some breakfast, so I could get back into bed with him, but my jackal insisted his breakfast the day after mating be made by my hands.

The jackal got his way most of the time, and this was no exception.

I gathered the ingredients for all different kinds of pancakes and hoped I got one combination right. My personal favorite was blueberry pecan, but I also intended to make banana chocolate chip and sweet potato cinnamon ones as well. I had some leftover sweet potatoes in the fridge and, while I was out of bananas, the dried ones would have to do.

I put on a pot of coffee and pulled out the creamer, sugar, and some alternatives like brown sugar and honey. One day, these things would be second nature and I would know exactly what my mate wanted for breakfast and every other meal.

While the coffee percolated, I heard the water in the shower turn on. I whistled a bit, picturing my mate under the spray, and I swore that if I wasn’t prioritizing feeding him after a long night of shifting and lovemaking, I would be in the shower with him, seeing all of it in person. Would this be a problem every day we were together? I hoped so.

Once the shower ended and I heard him bustling about in the bedroom, I rushed to finish up and have everything ready once he emerged.

“Good morning,” he said, coming down the hallway as I placed the platter of pancakes on the table.

“Good morning it is,” I replied and opened my arms. He smelled more delicious than all the pancakes in the world, but now his scent was mixed with mine, along with my soap and shampoo he’d used. “I hope you’re hungry,” I said. “I didn’t know what you’d like so I made a bit of every kind of pancake.”

He rested his head on my chest as I rubbed his back. “I’m starving and…I smell coffee?”

I chuckled at his raspy morning voice. “Yes. Coffee. Sit down and I’ll get you a cup.”

When I set it down in front of him, he blushed. “You don’t have to serve me, Leon.”

“I know I don’t but I like to. It’s my pleasure. You’re my mate.”

“I am,” he said. His tone was thoughtful as though he were still getting used to the idea. We both slathered our pancakes with butter and syrup and dug in. He added enough cream to make his coffee a caramel color but no sugar. I supposed there was enough sugar in our breakfast to make up the difference.

“What’s the verdict?” I asked once we were done and he sat back, patting his belly.

“They were delicious, of course.”

I chuckled. “I meant, which was your favorite. I’m making mental lists here.”

“Oh!” His eyebrows rose. “They were all incredible. But…I have a confession.”

“What is it?”

“Chocolate is not my favorite. If I had a choice, I wouldn’t eat it. It was delicious with the banana but, in general, I’m not a chocolate guy.”

I’d never heard of someone not liking chocolate. I leaned forward and touched his thigh. “Tell me all the things you like and dislike. I want to know everything.”

A scarlet hue rushed to his cheeks as he pursed his lips, trying and failing not to smile. “I hate eggs in the morning. I like them for lunch or dinner. I never use my top sheet. And lately, I really, really like jackals.”

“Jackals?” I asked, inching my fingers higher on his thigh. “Plural?”

He chuckled deeply and moved my hand to cover his groin. “No. Singular. One jackal named Leon. Do you know him?”

Gods, how I loved his playfulness. “I do. He has a beautiful mate. A bear.”