Free Gregory's Rebellion by Lavinia Lewis

stony, uncomfortable silence had filled the car and every time he’d glanced at Hayden, his mate had been staring out of the passenger window, chewing on his bottom lip. Gregory had made a few feeble attempts to lighten the mood and to involve Hayden in a conversation about the Crazy Horse and some of the people that worked there, but for the most part Hayden had replied with one-word answers and offered nothing in return.
    The mating bond was something that shifters revered, something they cherished, but Hayden was acting as though it was the worst thing that could ever happen to a person. His indifference to their bond made Gregory’s heart ache. Didn’t he realise how good they could be together? Didn’t he care? Since Hayden had emerged from the bathroom that morning his cat been absent, shoved back into his hiding place, and now Gregory wasn’t even sure if his mate could feel their bond anymore. He wasn’t sure about a lot of things. Hayden was a mystery, and he wasn’t forthcoming with any clues.
    When the journey was nearly at an end, about five minutes from the Crazy Horse, Gregory decided to question Hayden because the not knowing was killing him. They probably wouldn’t get the chance to talk when they arrived at the ranch and then he’d have to report to the council, so their talk had to happen now.
    “Aren’t you happy we found each other?” he asked, taking his eyes off the road for a moment to glance at his mate. Hayden shrugged.
    “That’s not an answer!” Gregory snapped. “Is it me? Are you sorry your bond is with me? Don’t you like me?”
    “I like you,” Hayden said quietly. “I just don’t get how you could like me. Let’s be honest here—if it wasn’t for our bond, you wouldn’t have given me a second look.”
    Gregory lost it. “Don’t fucking tell me what I would or wouldn’t have done, Hayden! You don’t even know me! For your information, I watched you for three goddamn days in Las Vegas when I should have picked you up because I was mesmerised by you, couldn’t take my eyes off you, and that was before I got anywhere near you and knew anything about our damn bond!”
    “Is that true?” Hayden whispered, eyes wide with surprise.
    Gregory placed a hand on Hayden’s knee and squeezed. “Yes, it’s true. I wouldn’t lie about something like that. You intrigued me, and, damn, but I thought you were beautiful. Still do. And before you say anything, I didn’t even notice your damn scar. Are you ready to tell me how you got it?”
    Gregory didn’t need to be looking at Hayden to tell that his entire body had stiffened.
    “I can’t talk about it, I’m sorry.”
    Gregory sighed. He didn’t want to have this conversation while he was driving, so he pulled over on a quiet road just before they reached the lane that led to Kelan’s ranch. When he switched off the engine, he reached out and took hold of Hayden’s hand. It felt small in his, but fit perfectly nonetheless.
    “You know there’s nothing you can’t tell me, right? There is not a single thing you could say that could make me think any less of you, if that’s what you’re worried about.”
    Hayden snorted. “That’s bullshit. I could tell you a ton of things that would not only make you think less of me—they would make you hate me.”
    “No, Hayden, you’re wrong.”
    “Am I? Do you know what I did to survive when my parents kicked me out, huh? Shall I tell you, Gregory?” The anger radiating from Hayden crackled in the air between them. “Fine! If you want to know so goddamn much, I’ll tell you exactly what I did. I—”
    “Hayden—” Gregory interrupted.
    “Sold m—”
    “ Hayden !” Gregory’s voice boomed out in the enclosed space and Hayden snapped his mouth shut.
    “I know,” Gregory said, lowering his voice and staring into Hayden’s eyes. “I know what you did.”
    “What? How do you know?”
    “Your records at the council. I read them before I came to Vegas to pick you