"Did I stutter?"
"No, sir."
Alpha Colton stood.
Randal quickly got to his feet, but he didn't move.
"Well?"
"Now?" Randal asked.
"I assume he lives around here?"
"Yes, sir. He has a studio in town."
"Studio? Is he an artist?"
Randal smiled. "Of a sort. He has a tattoo studio." Personally, Randal thought Luca was an amazing artist, but most people disdained his career choice because he liked drawing tattoos instead of painting. They also tended to look down on him because he had tattoos over a large portion of his body, and that didn't even take into account the numerous piercings.
Randal thought they were sexy.
"Awesome. I always wanted to get a tattoo."
Randal's eyebrows lifted. "You want a tattoo?"
He was the alpha.
"I think it would look cool."
Randal smiled weakly. "Luca is very good."
"You know, even if I accept your mate into the clan, you're still going to have to pay Jeb restitution for kidnapping his mate, right?" Alpha Colton asked as they headed for the door.
"Yes, sir."
"You'll need to work that out with him."
Randal glanced at the tall shifter and shuddered. Jeb had pain etched in his eyes, and the man had a right. Randal would want blood if someone kidnapped his mate. He couldn't blame Jeb if he did, too.
"I'll accept any punishment Enforcer Jeb feels is adequate for what I did to his mate."
The big man grunted. "You can start with calling me Jeb. Enforcer is what I do, not who I am."
Randal's eyes widened.
"Unless it's a formal situation," the alpha said, "you can call me Rob."
Oh, hell, no!
"Relax, Randal," Rob said. "We're pretty laid back. I mean sure, you have to follow clan rules and you need to be respectful, but, unless we're in a formal situation or dealing with someone outside of our clan, I don't require all that title crap."
Randal didn't know what to think of that. Alpha Kersey had always been a fair alpha, and he was family so things had been pretty easy between them, but Randal's father had been a stickler about using the appropriate title when addressing someone. He'd been almost fanatical about it.
"Tell me more about your father and brother," Rob ordered. "How do you feel about their banishment? Jeb said you didn't even want to say goodbye to them."
"No, sir, and I'm glad they are gone." Randal wasn't sure how much to tell Alpha Colton. He didn't know the guy. Even if the alpha seemed friendly now, nothing said he would stay that way.
"Are you not close?"
