Haven 5: Invincible by Gabrielle Evans Read Free Book Online

expected of him. “Now, I want you to look at me.”
    Again, Aslan did as he was told. “I’m sorry,” he repeated in a whisper.
    “Stop. You didn’t do anything wrong.” Crap, he wasn’t good at explaining things. He could fire off commands without a second thought, but he would be screwed if anyone ever asked him to explain the reasoning behind his orders.
    “Then why don’t you want me to touch you? I thought you liked it.”
    “I did like it.” He shifted uncomfortably as Aslan’s ass pressed against his aching cock. “Aslan, do you understand what it means to be mates?”
    Aslan nodded at once. “I asked everyone who would talk to me.
    They said that we’re supposed to be there for each other, take care of each other…” He trailed off and pressed his hand to his mouth to muffle his giggle. Gods, that was cute. “They also said that we’d want to fuck like bunnies.”
    His cock jerked again, registering nothing of that sentence besides “fuck.” Focus! “There is that, but there’s also a little more to it. Did anyone tell you about claiming a mate?”
    “Yes,” Aslan answered proudly. “Galen was really scared at first because he didn’t want to die, but he loves Bannon so I guess he’s okay now.” His eyebrows drew together, and he wrinkled his nose. “It means that we’ll always be together no matter what. You have to love me if you claim me.” He nodded firmly as though since he’d declared it that meant it was now written in stone.
    “And what if I don’t love you?” It would be very easy to love Aslan. He barely knew the guy, though. Besides, Torren wasn’t sure he was capable as such a deep emotion. He cared about his brothers, but wasn’t sure he’d exactly call it love. Hell, he could barely stand himself.
    Aslan looked confused. “But you have to love me if you claim me.”
    “That’s why I asked you to stop.” He didn’t want to hurt his mate.
    He felt very protective of Aslan. He wanted to keep him safe and make him happy, but he couldn’t make himself love the man. “When I’m close to you, I want to claim you. That doesn’t mean I love you, though.”
    “But you have to!” Aslan yelled, frantically scrambling to get out Torren’s lap. “That’s the rule. That’s how it works! I’m your mate.
    You are the one person in the world that has to love me even if I’m crazy and stupid!”
    “Aslan, stop it.” Torren reached for him, but the little man jerked away and wrapped his arms around his torso. “You are not crazy or stupid. How do you expect me to love you when I hardly even know you? Do you love me?”
    “Yes,” Aslan said firmly. “We’re mates.” With a heavy sigh, Torren closed his eyes and scrubbed at his face. Aslan’s overwhelming need for acceptance wasn’t something he’d anticipated. He highly doubted the man loved him. There was no telling what his friends had told him, but he’d somehow twisted it in his head to mean that once he found his mate it would be love at first sight and singing birds in the background.
    Torren didn’t know what rules Aslan was talking about, but it was obvious that he was confused, and it was making him highly agitated.
    Aslan kept one arm wrapped around his waist, rocking back and forth as he rapped at the side of his head with the other.
    “Shut up!” he screamed. “I’m not useless!” Frozen in place by shock, Torren watched as Aslan continued to scream and curse while he alternated between knocking his knuckles against his temple and pulling violently at his earlobe.
    “Get out!” he exploded. “All of you shut the fuck up and get out of my head!”
    Before Torren could make a move to stop his mate’s self-harming behavior, the bedroom door burst open, and Raven, Demos, and to his complete surprise and bewilderment, Raith came charging into the room.
    They all rushed to Aslan, surrounding him and trying to calm him.
    Torren’s nostrils flared and a red haze settled over his vision when