Part 1

Sara sat across from Justice with a table between them. She had just finished explaining everything that had happened between her and Leo and the events that led up to Flame forcing her to leave Reservation. Justice had kept his expression completely blank until after she finished, not allowing her to gauge his emotions. However, now that was she finished, he sat at his desk with his head in his hands, his body wracked with tension.

Justice has always been a very mellow man, -male, she silently corrected herself. They want to be called males- so seeing him stressed out unnerved her. She sat, unsure about what it was exactly that caused him to react this way. Was it Leo, me, or Flame's actions?

Regardless, she sat there shaking slightly, running her hands through her still-damp hair to try and soothe her nerves. She had been staying at a hotel for several days before she heard from Justice North again and was asked to come back to Reservation to meet with him. She was in the middle of a shower, crying, when she heard her phone go off. It caused her to react quickly and she had jumped out of the shower, tripping and bruising her knees, while trying to get to her phone as quickly as possible.

She was ecstatic when she found out that she would be coming to visit and talk with Justice. She didn't have time to get ready though because as soon as Justice hung up, she heard a knock on her door and was surprised to see men in NSO uniforms there to come and take her back. She was escorted by the team of four and she was surprised to notice that they were all human. She wanted to ask them about why the NSO hired humans but kept the question to herself. Even though she used to work there, she did not know everything that went on in the NSO and was not given clearance for everything. Asking too many questions could get her in trouble.

She pulled her hair a little too harshly the second time that she ran her hands through her hair and sighed. This was so stressful. She just wanted Leo. To know that he was ok…

Justice suddenly looked up and gently said "come in". At that, she heard a door open and a large shadow fell across the room, the light and absence of light entering the small office with her and Justice.

Before even a second passed, a large hand spanned her waist and large, strong arms encompassed her form. She was picked up out of her seat and crushed against a massively warm chest. The arms tightened around her and she struggled against the force, scared at the sudden intrusion. The chest that she was tucked against started to shake and the sound of soft, deep sobs filled her ears. She was no longer scared but instead confused. Sara's face was tucked into the male's neck and her head was tucked there. At that, she knew who held her. Leo.

Her Leo was crying.

His head laid on top of her own, his cheek pressed to the top of her head and she felt the heavy tears that his eyes released caress her damn hair and roll onto her face.

This spurred her into action and she reached her arms around him to hug him as much as she could, he heart filled with heartbreak and pain for the male in her arms.

"Shhhhhhh…", she soothed him, reaching up one hand to lay against the side of his face not pressed against her hair. "Shhhh….", she stroked her hand through his long golden mane of hair, hoping to calm him.

At that, his arms tightened against her even more and he walked a few steps back, still holding her in his arms, until his back hit a wall. Then he slowly slid down until they both reached the floor.

Her heart was heavy for him and she was relieved that he still wanted her. She sat confused at his actions, though. Why the sobbing? Did he miss her so much that the strong, aggressive and loving male that she knew was reduced to such a state? The thought hurt her. It was her fault. The poor male.

When he sat fully on the floor, he readjusted her in his lap until her legs were tucked within his own and her ass was padded by his lap. She could feel the ridged, long evidence of his desire for her but knew that it was an involuntary reaction. He wanted her, but he wanted to hold her more.

Sara looked up into his captivatingly beautiful cat-like eyes, complete with elliptical pupils, and saw the red- rimmed tear duct and damp golden lashes. He had tears dried to his face and she wanted to lean up and kiss them away for him. She was about to when suddenly he dipped his face into her neck and nuzzled his broad, flattened nose against her pulse. Dragging it up and down in a soothing manner while breathing in deep, seemingly trying to fill his lungs with her scent. As though he couldn't get enough of her scent.

He tilted his head up slightly at an angle, not removing his face from her throat and licked at her ear lobe, then dragging his tongue down to her collar bone. It felt so good -wait. Is he… marking me?

Something must have been going on because Justice suddenly cleared his throat and Sara jumped. She had forgotten that he was there, but Leo must not have because he did not even more a muscle. In fact, he continued his ministrations and she could barely keep herself from shivering and revealing the full effect of her reaction to the males in the room. She started to feel hot and bothered and it seemed to spur him on even more.

She looked up to Justice for help and he just stared back at her with amusement glinting in his eyes.

He said, "Perhaps you should stop that, Leo. I am mated and would never go after your mate and you know this because you obviously do not care that I am in the room with her but know that everyone will smell her needing scent when you leave this room. Most males here are at Reservation and they could attempt to take her. That would put her in danger. If you keep that up, she could be put in harm's way".

This caused Leo to roar so loudly that her hearing went away for a few seconds and she heard ringing in her ears. She grabbed her head and covered them, waiting for the sound and the subsequent slight pain to fade.

Leo must have noticed her distress because he instantly cut off the sound and wrapped his hands around hers, covering her hands with his own and he peered deeply into her eyes and whined at her, seeming to apologize. She knew it hadn't been on purpose and she leaned into his hands, showing her support of him. At that, he wrapped his tail around her waist and laid the fluffy end at the crook of her neck. It calmed her even more and she snuggled into the full embrace. Loving the feeling of safety and contentment.

Once she regained her bearings, she looked back over to Justice North and saw that he was leaned back in his office desk chain, analyzing the situation with a small smile on his face.

"I see that you both are content with each other", he started, "Are you in need of mating papers? I can have the office draw them up within the hour".

Part 2

Leo lifted his gaze from his mate's delicate profile to glance at Justice. He did want mating papers. His Sarah was his. Forever.

However, when he glanced at his mate, she did not seem to want this. She looked at him, paling, her mouth slightly ajar and her eyes wide.

He wanted to roar in rage, fury, hurt, but he kept himself composed because he did not want to hurt hit little mate's delicate ears. Never hurt her, his beast whispered.

His heart felt pain and he closed his eyes, trying to focus just on her scent to calm him. It always calmed him. She did not want to be his mate right now, but he knew that he could change her mind. He would convince her that he would be the best mate. He would provide for her. She already has a nest and they will love together. They will have offspring. He will watch her belly swell with his seed and she will love him.

He focused on the fact that he had her in his arms, that she sat in his lap, that her scent surrounds him.

He gathered himself and with his eyes still closed, his face contorted in pain, he shook his head. Unable to force words out in most cases, it was even more difficult when strong emotion wracked him. No wonder his mate did not want him. He was damaged.

Just as he was about to start to wallow in grief, his mate lifted a soft, small hand and held it against his face. He leaned into her touch, reveling in the fact that she touched him on her own accord. That she tried to console him. At that moment, he knew that he had a chance.

"I understand", Justice said. "Mating papers are a big deal and they are a lot like marriage. You do not need them to be mates. They are only a formality. I do not know any species that signed them right way, no matter how much they are in love. Human females seem to be resistant to such matters. They have strange cultures. They seem to need to be around males longer before they make a full commitment even if they are already mates to us. Sometimes they want their families involved in the ceremony too. That is what Valiant and his mate, Tammy, did"

He continued, "I see that you two are close and I implore you to stay at the hotel tonight. It is now dark, and I know it is chilly out right now. We would not want Sara to catch a cold. Are you two willing to share a room?"

Leo wanted to instantly agree but knew that it was up to his mate. He couldn't force her to do anything if it would make her unhappy. He glanced down at her with the intent of reading her emotions but noticed that she had fallen asleep. Justice's ramblings must have bored her.

"My mate…", Leo started, trying to force the words past his throat, making a huge effort, "My mate and I need a room", he finally completed the sentence. It was painful to say, and he only ever wanted to make the effort with his mate, but he knew it had been necessary.

Justice beamed at him, his almost black eyes crinkling at the corners to express happiness. "I seem to have bored her to sleep", he laughed. "I see that she likes your tail, are you keeping it?", he asked.

Leo glared at the man and wanted to growl but decided not to in order to not wake his mate. He would not get rid of his tail now. She liked it and he could not take away something of hers that gave her pleasure.

"I see that you made an appointment under Valliant's name in order to see if she would help remove you tail. She is not a surgeon and therefore would not have even if you had not kidnapped and claimed her. However, I am glad that you have decided to keep your tail and have found your mate. I just want to warn you though that human females are sometimes hard to deal with and their emotions are not quite the same as ours. They do not bond like we do, and it is hard for them to commit to us and we commit wholly to them. I do not see you having a hard time, but I do not want to see you hurt", Justice finished.

Leo felt panicked at the idea of his mate not wanting him anymore and leaving but he knew that he could make her stay. She was small and fragile, and he would take care of her. She would want to stay. He would see to it. He fixed Justice with a look that hopefully conveyed his annoyance.

Justice just chuckled and walked to the ne do the room, opening the door. "Come", he said, "Let's take you to the front desk and get you a room and a key so that you can take your mate to bed this night".