“No?” she asked, standing a little straighter.
“No. If Angelle and I decide to be married, we’ll plan it, the way we want it on our own terms.”
“Well, I thought we’d just take care of it right here. While everyone is gathered.”
“No,” Boon said.
“Why not?” Lily asked, a little irritated that her plan was being rejected.
“We are mated. Fully bound. We do not need a wedding to further cement our bond to one another. If for whatever reason Angelle and I decide we want a wedding, it will most likely take place in her community, with everyone in her clan.”
“We can’t possibly take everyone from Whispers to her community to celebrate the wedding.”
Boon thought about it for a moment, his lips pressed into a flat line as he considered what Lily was trying to do. “Bottom line, we’re not worried about a wedding at all at the moment. If we choose to have one, we’ll work it out then. If it ever takes place it will be the way Angelle wants it to be, her vision, in her own time, not thrown by someone else according to their vision.”
“Then what is the party for?” Lily asked.
“Eli.”
Lily’s jaw was set as she stared right at her brother, and it was clear that she was more than a little perturbed that her plans were being called into question.
“Look, the only reason I agreed to a party at all was because you said it would be a low key get together that we would not be the focus of. That’s not the way this is sounding. I’m beginning to think that it might be best if we drop the whole idea.”
“Angelle deserves a wedding. Every female deserves a wedding. And we’ll celebrate Elijah at the same time,” Lily said, her voice sounding calm to anyone who heard it.
Boon took a moment to really look at his sister, and he realized what this was about. She wanted to be a part of a wedding. Tempest had never had one, and Lily felt like she missed the opportunity to be involved in her daughter’s wedding, so she’d decided to plan one for Boon.
“Lily, Angelle is my mate, my wife, my life. I’ve just said as much to her. She agrees and is very happy with the way things are. If we’re forced to be the focus of your grand party, we won’t be attending.”
“Boon! I thought that was your voice!”
Boon shot some side-eye at Marauder who was still standing at his side.
Marauder grinned at him. “Oh, yes. Saige is home.”
Boon sighed.
Saige flounced out of the house wearing a flowing, gauzy skirt and a snug-fitting silk vest with no blouse beneath it. She very gracefully ran across the thirty or so feet from her family’s porch to where Boon stood with Marauder and threw herself at Boon — literally. She pressed her body against Boon, hugging him tightly despite the fact that he made no move to embrace her or welcome her greeting.
“You’re not going to give an old friend a hug?” Saige demanded.
“No. I’m not,” Boon said, pulling his arm free from where she kept it pinned between her body and his as she still tried to embrace and cajole him into putting his arms around her.
“I’ve missed you so much! In fact, it’s the reason I’ve come home. We have so much to talk about. It’s surprising how clear your path can become when you’re away from the things that really matter,” Saige said, lifting a hand to caress his face.
Boon yanked his head back out of her reach. He took her by the shoulders and set her away from him. “Don’t start this, Saige. You’re embarrassing yourself.”
“We’ve always been meant to be together. Everyone has known it. You always did, and though I fought it, I’ve finally realized only you are my true mate,” Saige said.
“I’m mated, Saige. And she is my true mate. You are just a childhood friend. Any more than that was a mistake.”
Saige threw her head back and laughed. When he didn’t laugh, her lighthearted behavior soon stopped. “Oh, you’re serious. You’ve actually thought to replace me.”
“Saige, just don’t,” Marauder said, shaking his head at his sister’s antics.
She shot daggers in the gaze she aimed at Marauder.
“You have to have belonged to someone to be replaced. You never belonged to me, and I never belonged to you. You will respect my mate, or you will be kept away from us forcefully, if necessary.”
