“Yeah, sorry. He definitely wants to talk about your relationship. What will you tell him?”
I kick at the slushy snow along the walkway. “What do you think I should tell him?”
Luca frowns. “I think only you can answer that for yourself, princess. Is there anything he could do to win you back?”
“Luca, he’s mated. And mating bonds are only broken in death. He can’t win me back.”
“Then tell him just that.”
I nod, but frown and type out a quick message to Cassian.>
* * *
I havea mating celebration to take my mind off of Cassian’s texts, and as soon as we’re dismissed from History of Magic, I head to the small green space at the base of the hill the bell tower stands on top of. It’s a pretty little spot, already being made prettier by fresh flowers and string lights. Ian, Mai, and Daniel Huong supervise, our chaperones for the night. When I told Ian I was planning the celebration, he insisted on providing extra protection for the omegas in attendance. And when Mai found out that one of her favorite students was having a mating celebration, she demanded a gift registry.
I set my bag down and begin unfolding white linen tablecloths to cover the café tables Ellie helped us borrow from Ciel. Simon hangs floating lights above our make-shift dance floor—because if I know one thing about Alyssa, it’s that she’ll want the best food at her wedding. And if I know two things, it’s that she’ll want to dance the night away in her alpha’s arms and with her best friends.
I cast the warming shield I’ve been practicing for weeks, pretending I don’t notice the way Ian watches me, then scatter white rose petals around a small altar where Alyssa and Darika will light unity candles, a tradition in both of their families.
The dumpling truck arrives just before the happy couple do and Luca thumps the beta man running the truck on the back and sneaks us both the first bao of the night. “Want to see the only balls Darika will ever have in her mouth?” he asks with a smirk.
“I heard that! And no food until after vows,” the alpha chides. She’s as debonair as can be in and slacks and a gray vest, a cream blouse with translucent lantern sleeves beneath it.
“It’s my set-up fee,” Luca teases her, holding out the round dumpling for me on a pair of chopsticks. I take a bite and it’s all I need to know we definitely made the right choice in party food. “Looking good by the way, Momo.”
Darika gamely flips Luca off at the nickname.
Alyssa looks around the little space in wonder, shedding her coat as she steps beneath the heating charms, spinning around under the magical twinkle lights.
She’s resplendent in an off the shoulder pale pink gown that shows off her healed mating bite and hugs her curves, setting off the warm brown of her skin. It swishes around her ankles as she bounds over to me to wrap me in a tight hug. “This is perfect, Junie. Thank you so much.”
“Don’t cry, Lys. You’ll smudge your mascara.”
“Not with all the spells I put on it to keep it in place. But seriously, thank you.”
“Just you wait,” I tell her, as the surprise of the evening arrives just in time.
“Mom? Dad?” Alyssa shrieks, launching herself into the arms of a petite Hispanic woman, who laughs as she catches her daughter.
“You flew the O’Neills out?” Simon asks, coming up behind me and wrapping his arms around my waist, setting his chin on my shoulder. “You just got all the brownie points in the world.”
“Alyssa spent the holidays with the Modhis, so she didn’t get to see her family. It didn’t seem fair for them to miss this. And I getexcellentmiles on my credit card.”
“And you’re a good friend,” he says.
“And I wish I had the kind of parents I’d want to be there if I ever get a party like this,” I murmur.
“You want one, you’ll have one. Saints above, Juniper, even if your father mates you off to a bunch of jackasses, we’re having one hell of a last hurrah.”
“I can’t let him do that. I don’t want… I don’t want what he wants for me.”
“I know, kit-kat. I know. Now come on, let’s get the rest of the chairs set up for the ceremony.” He drops a sweet kiss on my cheek, grabs my hand and gives me a spin, the skirt of the dress I wore on New Year’s Eve twirling around me. “Actually, not just yet.”
He turns his finger in a circle and I give him another spin, laughing. “Radiant, Junes.” He pulls me in for a kiss, dips me backwards until I’m giggling and then spins me once more.
And like always, he catches me when I stumble.
* * *
