Montgomery Beck brushed the long white hair back from the most ethereal face he'd ever encountered. Fagan's Sidhe genetics were strong. High cheekbones, soft ivory skin, plush kissable lips. He was almost beautiful enough to be a girl.
Beck was really glad he wasn't.
"How was the trip?" he asked absently.
Greyson grimaced, which belied his response. "It was fine."
"What took you so long? I was skating way too close to death's door." For a moment there, he didn't think they were going to get back with Fagan in time to save him.
"The bloody headmaster, man," Greyson snapped. "He didn't want to release Fagan."
"Why not? Did you show him my seal?"
"I did, but he said Fagan had been promised to someone else."
Beck's arms tightened around the man in his arms, the one being on the planet who had the ability to keep him from death's door. "Bullshit," Beck growled. "Fagan has been mine since the day he was born." That was the way it worked. "He was bonded to me on the day of his birth. He can't be promised to anyone else."
"I'm just telling you what the headmaster said. He only gave in when I pulled out my phone and started dialing the high council."
"Who did he say Fagan had been promised to?"
"He didn't, but I got the feeling it was someone the headmaster was afraid of."
Beck felt a growl begin to rumble through his chest. Fagan was his. "Someone on the high council?"
"No, I don't think so. He seemed even more afraid of the high council."
Beck was not impressed with this headmaster.
"There's something else, Beck."
He was afraid to ask, but..."What?"
"They never told Fagan."
Beck glanced at the head laying on his chest. His heart ached just a bit at finally holding his mate in his arms after all these years. He had waited so long. "They never told him what?"
"About you," Greyson said. "About being your mate. Generally, about anything. He doesn't even know what a mate is."
"How is that possible?"
The monastery had been established over a thousand years ago, it's sole purpose to train omegas for their roles as mates to shifter kings.
"I don't know, but I think the high council needs to investigate. It's a clear violation of the peace treaty between our people, the Sidhe, and the humans."
"I'll call them just as soon as I'm back on my feet."
Greyson raised an eyebrow. "And just how soon do you think that will be?"
"Not as long as I'd thought it would be."
Greyson gave Fagan a long look. "So, it worked then?"
"It worked." He could already feel his strength returning to him. The wounds he'd suffered in an unprovoked attack were mending far faster than they would have if he hadn't mated with Fagan. Beck threaded his fingers through Fagan's silky white hair. It was long, hanging down to the top off his ass. "He's really beautiful, isn't he?"
"He's lethal, that's what he is."
Beck raised his gaze to Greyson. "Explain."
"There was a little incident on the way here. Fagan was riding with Jaggar and they crashed." Greyson quickly raised his hand when Beck opened his mouth. "They are both fine, although Jaggar's bike might have been damaged. He was supposed to catch up after fixing it, but he never did. There might be more damage than we originally thought"
"Send Talon after him with the truck and trailer."
"I will."
"Now, explain to me what happened."
"Well, you know Jaggar and his love for his bike. He was pissed."
Beck stiffened. "Did he hurt Fagan?"
"No, Fagan hurt Jaggar."
Beck stared. "He what?"
"Yeah." Greyson laughed. "Jaggar raised his hand and not only did Fagan block him, but he jabbed his fingers into Jaggar's throat so hard, the guy was practically choking on his own tongue. Dropped him right to his knees. Fagan called it Krav Maga. He said he learned it at the monastery."
Beck knew what Krav Maga was. "They're teaching omegas Krav Maga at that place?"
"Well, they certainly aren't teaching them about being mates."
Beck wasn't against his mate knowing Krav Maga or any other form of self defense. He was actually in favor of it. He just didn't know that was part of the curriculum at the monastery. It had certainly never been discussed with him in his quarterly check-ins with the headmaster.
"Go send Talon after Jaggar then have someone cook up some food for me and Fagan. We will both need it."
Greyson chuckled as he saluted Beck. "As you command, oh great master."
Beck's eyes rolled. "Bite my hairy balls."
"Not my job."
Beck snorted. "Get out of here and give me some time alone with my mate."
"Go easy on him, Beck. I think he's pretty confused by all of this."
Beck nodded, but didn't say anything. Once the door closed behind Greyson, he turned his attention back to his mate. Fagan really was stunning. Beck knew he'd lucked out in the mate department. He just hoped Fagan's outer beauty wasn't only skin deep. Fagan would need a strong backbone to be the mate of a shifter king.
When Fagan's eyelids fluttered and then lifted, Beck's breath caught. Fagan's eyes were milky white with a hint of green. Beck had never seen anything like it.
"Who are you?" Fagan whispered.
"Montgomery Beck, but everyone just calls me Beck."
"Did you..." Fagan's hand trembled as it touched the bite mark on his neck. "Did you bite me?"
"I did." He wasn't about to lie to his mate. He couldn't. It would cause him actual physical pain to lie to Fagan.
"Why would you do that?"
"I was dying," Beck replied. "Mating with you was the only way to save my life."
"Oh." Fagan frowned. "What exactly does mating mean?"
"Greyson did say no one at that fancy school of yours explained that to you."
"Fancy school?" Fagan's eyebrows rose swiftly then snapped back down when he narrowed his eyes. "Have you ever been inside that fancy school of mine?"
"It's not allowed." Surely Fagan knew that.
Technically, it was considered sacred land. Kind of like a diplomatic embassy for the omegas. The only time shifters were allowed to be there was when they went to claim their omegas, and then they weren't allowed any farther into the place than the headmaster's office. Any breach of that rule negated the peace treaty between shifters, humans, and the Sidhe.
Beck just couldn't figure out how it couldn't be fancy considering the amount of money he'd sent the school each quarter for Fagan's upkeep. It had been a lot, but it had been worth every penny, especially considering he was holding his mate in his arms.
"Exactly what did that school of yours tell you?"
"About what?" Fagan asked.
"About why you were there."
"Oh, well, we were being trained to serve our masters."
Beck growled. "You were what?"
"They were training us to serve our masters."
Beck scooted up until he could lean back against his pillows. He pulled Fagan up with him. Now that he had his mate in his arms, he refused to be separated from him. He might let him go to the bathroom and eat at some point.
Maybe.
"What exactly were they training you to do?" Maybe if he started there, he'd figure out what in the hell was going on.
"We were trained to care for our masters."
"You said that already, Fagan."
"Right, well, um." Fagan's forehead wrinkled with a frown. "I was taught manners and etiquette so I never shamed my master. I can speak seven different languages fluently so I can converse with my master, five enough to get by, and understand a host of others. I can cook gourmet meals and can keep a house clean. I was also taught massage and reflexology, trained as a personal valet, and learned how to balance a household budget. Most importantly, I was taught how to protect my master if he was in danger."
Most importantly?
Was he insane?
"You are Sidhe, Fagan. You can't win in a fight against a shifter."
Fagan sat up and pushed back from Beck. His milky white eyes slowly rose. "What do you mean by shifter?"
Holy fuck!
"Fagan, you don't know what a shifter is?"
"No." Fagan frowned again. "Well, I know what the dictionary says they are, of course, but I don't know what you mean by shifter."
"I imagine it's the same thing."
Fagan stared for a moment before snickering. "Shifters aren't real."
"Yes, they are."
Fagan stopped cold. "Look, just because I'm blind doesn't mean—"
Beck's heart lurched. "You're blind?"
Why hadn't he been told this?
"All omegas are born blind. Don't you know that?"
No, he hadn't, but he should have.
"I'm sorry," he whispered as some of his bluster dropped away. He reached up and brushed some of Fagan's snowy white hair back from his face. "We were never told."
Considering the peace treaty between Sidhe, humans, and shifters was over a thousand years old, he wasn't sure how he didn't know. He figured someone would have said something at some point. He hadn't even heard any rumors.
"I figured the milky eyes would have given it away."
They probably should have. "I thought that was something unique to omegas."
"It is," Fagan insisted. "It means we're blind."
"No, I mean, I thought the color was unique to omegas, not that it meant you couldn't see. Besides, your eyes have a hint of green in them." Now he felt like a heel. "Shifters are real, Fagan." He needed his mate to understand that. "I can prove it."
Fagan's head cocked to the side. It was very cute. "How?"
"Sit back."
Fagan scooted back.
Beck climbed out from under the covers. It was a good thing he was already naked. He wouldn't have to get undressed. He grabbed Fagan's hands. "Okay, I want you to remember that I am totally sentient in my shifted form. I will know exactly who you are and I will not hurt you. Tell me you understand."
"I understand."
"Good." Beck moved back, putting plenty of room between him and Fagan. He was pretty damn big in his shifted form. He didn't want to crush his mate.
Beck swallowed tightly then allowed his tiger to come forward. He'd been shifting for years and the process was quick and easy. He knew of others who agonized through their shifts. He'd always assumed it was because he had shifted at such an early age and because he was an shifter king.
As soon as his shift was complete, Beck shook out his fur. It felt good. He could feel the remaining wounds he'd suffered when he was attacked heal.
"Hello?"
Beck stepped toward Fagan, his movements slow and measured. He chuffed, blowing a breathe out over Fagan's face. His tiger liked the way the human man smelled, even if there was a hint of uncertainty and fear in the air.
"Beck?"
"I'm here, little one." Beck gloried at being able to speak to his mate for the very first time in his tiger form. He waited so long for this special part of the bond between them to solidify.
Fagan's hand shook as he raised it to his head. "B-Beck?"
"It's me, Fagan."
"I can hear you in my head."
"It's part of the bond, Fagan. It is not to be feared."
"But—"
"Reach out, Fagan. Feel me."
Fagan inhaled a shaky breathe then reached out with his hands. Beck shuddered when Fagan's fingers sank into his fur. "By the gods, you were telling the truth."
"I would never lie to you, Fagan." He couldn't. It was impossible for him to lie to his mate. He was hardwired to always want his mate's complete happiness, and that included always telling him the truth.
Fagan's fingers clenched in Beck's fur. "How is this possible?"
"Shifters have been around since the dawn of time, much like the Sidhe have. We're born as shifters, so don't worry about that. You cannot be made into a shifter. You have to be born a shifter."
"You were born this way?"
"I was."
"Does...does it hurt to shift?"
"It did when I first shifted, but that was years ago. I've grown used to it by now."
"Huh." Fagan's hands clenched then stroked through Beck's fur. "You're so soft."
"I'm a Siberian tiger. We have soft fur."
Fagan gasped. "Siberian tiger?"
Beck felt like preening at the shock and awe in Fagan's voice. "Yes."
"Can I...?"
"You can touch me anywhere." Beck welcomed it. He started purring when Fagan's hands slid through his fur.
Fagan gasped. "You're purring."
"I am a cat. We purr." He doubted he would ever do it for anyone else, or even admit that he did it, but for Fagan, he'd purr as loud as he could.
The weight of Fagan's body pressed against him. He purred louder. Fagan seemed to readily accepted his tiger, but Beck couldn't help but wonder if the man he was would receive the same acceptance.
"I wish I could see what you look like," Fagan said as he mapped Beck out with his hands.
Beck held still as Fagan's hands moved over his face to his ears and then down his thick neck. He flopped onto his side when Fagan started running his hands over the fur of his stomach and back.
"You're so big."
If he could have smirked, Beck would have. In his shifted form, he weighed over seven hundred pounds and stood nearly twelve feet long. Siberian tigers were considered some of the biggest tigers in the world.
Beck was bigger.
"I have to be," Beck replied. "I'm an shifter king."
"What's a shifter king?."
Beck growled as he shifted back to his human form. "I don't understand how you don't know this."
Fagan shrugged. "They never taught us."
"They were supposed to."
Fagan frowned again. "Why?"
"Because you need to know these things," Beck replied. "You're my mate."
"Mate?"
Hell.