Free Keeping Dallas by Amber Kell

out his own heart to keep Laurence safe.
    “Our relationship. As much as I want you for my mate, there are too many obstacles between us. First there’s my shifter nature, then Rolf doesn’t want us together, and now Mila’s poisoned me. It’ll be better if I leave you.” Dallas’ stomach churned like a tornado and he had to concentrate hard to keep from throwing up, but he couldn’t allow his beloved master to be endangered any longer.
    Laurence gripped Dallas’ chin forcing him to look at him. “If you think you’re going to get away from me that easily, you need to think again. I’m not releasing you from our mating or whatever the fuck you want to call it. You will stay here and be mine. All you need to worry about is me. I’ll tell you when you need to worry about other things.”
    Dallas let his breath out slowly. He needed to find his centre. The wolf pushed at him from inside, determined to get out and argue with his mate. If he weren’t there, Laurence wouldn’t be in trouble.
    “I mean it!” Laurence snapped.
    The wolf subsided, settling down to lurk beneath the surface and wait to see what his master would do.
    “You belong to me and nothing will change that fact.”
    “Yes, master,” Dallas responded dutifully. He dared to look up at his pacing lover. Laurence’s eyes flashed fire as he walked back and forth beside the bed. “What do we do now?”
    “We need to get rid of the poison first,” Nate said, walking into the room.
    Laurence ran his fingers through his hair leaving it a rumpled mess. “I realise that, but how?”
    “I read somewhere that a wolf bond has its own magic,” Nate replied. He ran his fingers across his chin as he thought. “Wolf mates take on some of the abilities of their chosen. If you bond with him, it might protect him from the silver allergy.”
    “No!” Horror filled Dallas. “You can’t bond with me for that.”
    Mate bonds were sacred. If Laurence bound them together only to save Dallas’ life, even if it worked, they’d have nothing but misery together. No wolf wished to be bonded with a man only as a convenience.
    Laurence stopped his pacing. “You don’t want me?”
    “No. I mean yes.”
    Crap.
    “I don’t want you to mate with me because I’m going to die. I want you to mate with me because you are in love with me.” Dallas almost choked on the words and he couldn’t meet his master’s eyes afterwards.
    “Don’t be an idiot, pup. It’s obvious to a half-blind hermit that my brother’s nutty over you,” Nate declared.
     
    Laurence stared at Dallas. “How could you not know I love you?”
    He heard Nate leave the room and close the door behind him but his eyes didn’t leave Dallas’ bent head.
    “Answer me!” he snapped. He couldn’t remember ever feeling this out of control. Taking a deep breath he tried to find his quiet centre while Dallas trembled on his bed.
    Trembled ?
    With a sigh Laurence climbed up on the bed beside Dallas and wrapped an arm around him. After a long moment, Dallas snuggled up to his side, seeking reassurance from the source of his distress.
    “That’s right. Come to me. I’ll take care of you. I’ll always take care of you.” Laurence kept this voice calm and soothing as he stroked Dallas’ head. He wondered now how much of Dallas’ behaviour stemmed from his submissive nature and how much from his animal side. If Dallas saw Laurence as his alpha, Dallas’ wolf might offer more submission than a normal human.
    After Dallas’ body had stopped trembling, Laurence dared to turn and face his sub. He knew he had to come across as the strong one, but right now he had to have some reassurance himself. “Do you want to be my mate?”
    Dallas nodded, resting his head against Laurence’s shoulder. He should’ve made Dallas look up but he didn’t want to make it harder on his lover than necessary. Sometimes he needed to push Dallas, and other times he needed to provide the emotional support for his