Men danced with, and against, other men. Women danced with, and against, other women. They swapped dance partners like trading sweets. One minute, a woman was grinding against a man with moves most Vihaans would believe belonged in the bedroom, the next she sandwiched herself between two girls.
The biggest surprise was the circle in the far corner of the dining room. One guy had shown off fancy dance moves while another gave an improvised rap.
Drew appeared and explained they frequently used their war of words and dance moves to get the party started.
The half-dozen guys who formed the circle were talented, no doubt. Even Gale drifted closer to watch their ‘battle’, but when Isaac started muttering under his breath on their third round, Gale shoved him into the group. It was unfair to throw him in, but Isaac began a rap without hesitation. He was fast, and his words focused on life in the pack, how they’d been pushed and controlled for years but they were bursting free of those confines to live a safe and liberated life.
It was bloody beautiful.
Drew leaned a hand on his shoulder. “Damn, I feel like a proud dad.”
The best part was seeing the humans accept him and try to retaliate, their raps revolving around freedom and expression. Isaac thrived in their company, and one guy started trying to teach him dance moves.
Gale drifted away to let him enjoy the party. During the night, he’d lost track of the team. Isaac had stuck close, feeling out of his depth until Gale forced him to face the strangers of the party.
He found Janet grinding against one of the Vihaan frat boys, with enough pheromones flying to suggest Janet would be coming back or the poor Vihaan would follow her to the pack. At least Janet was old enough to make mistakes and live with them. He didn’t need to keep an eye on her like he did with Isaac.
Eliseo was in his element, talking to a group of students. He was carefully situated on the sofa by the front window, where he wouldn’t get jostled but could rest and enjoy the party atmosphere. He was deep in conversation with two men and a woman who were hooked on his every word. If he didn’t decide to stay, Gale might break his arm and throw him through the doorway to show him what a mistake that would be.
Jude was…Jude. He wandered around the room, chatting to a Vihaan or exchanging polite but vague words with the humans. He drank slowly and didn’t seem to be enjoying the party.
Gale was about to head over to talk about the mate bond, when a twink touched Jude’s arm. Gale heard the glass break and felt it cut into his hand but didn’t care. He tapped into his m’weko senses and focused to block out everything but Jude’s voice. It was hard to isolate the guy talking, but Gale hadn’t been trained as a warrior for nothing.
“Want to go somewhere private?” the guy asked, fingers trailing over skin that didn’t belong to him. Fingers about to be broken if he didn’t back off.
The real mind fuck came when Jude glanced across the room to catch Gale’s eye and responded cautiously, “Why?” Not an agreement. Not a rejection.
“I want to fuck you.”
Gale nearly broke a tooth clenching his jaw. He had no rights. Jude hadn’t accepted or rejected him. Gale was in an intolerable limbo where he couldn’t storm over to claim his mate but was at the mercy of the mate bond demanding he do exactly that.Aftersnapping the bastard’s neck.
A faint laugh had Jude leaning in to whisper, “You wouldn’t know where to start.”
The blatant rejection was all Gale needed, all he could bear to wait for. He unfurled his hand over the plant pot beside him, dusted off the glass shards, and stalked across the room. He didn’t try to temper his jealousy. He pushed the flirt aside and advanced on Jude, who stumbled back a single step.
“What did I tell you?” he said, a growl lurking beneath the surface, one he failed to hold at bay as he caught Jude by the nape of his neck and pulled him close enough to kiss. “Your ass is mine.” Gale plastered his mouth to Jude’s, urging him to surrender for once in his stubborn life, to accept the bond and stop the torment.
Jude grasped his belt loops to tug Gale closer, opened his mouth for a deep kiss, and moaned the second Gale gave him what he wanted. He didn’t speak but didn’t need to. This was public acceptance, a real, visual, visceral acceptance as good as an official mating.
Thrilled, he cupped Jude’s ass and lifted him off his feet, relieved Jude wrapped legs around his waist and locked his ankles. He was determined to do this, to make it real.
A feigned m’weko howl filled the room, and he laughed against Jude’s mouth, recognising Janet’s familiar voice. Still grasping Jude’s ass, Gale managed to flip her off but couldn’t wipe the smile from his face when the m’weko call spread to Eliseo, Isaac, and then all three. Acknowledging the mating, accepting it for what it was. Celebrating.
Jude’s face was a picture. Flushed bright red, he could have hidden—he would have, not long ago. This time, he bit his lip and caught Gale’s face in both hands. “This time, I’m saying it to you, and it’s not a question,” he warned, holding eye contact as the words slipped from his lips. “Mate me.”
Nipping at his full, tempting bottom lip, Gale smiled. “Baby, I’m going to do so much to you tonight,” he promised, already heading for the door to carry Jude to their room. “I will mate youafterKeon makes you mine. Officially. In front of the pack.”
A shuddering sigh escaped Jude. “Okay.” He waited for Gale to cross the threshold of the room to kiss him. “I want that.” He stole another deep kiss as Gale shut the door.
“I know.” He wasn’t naïve. He knew what Jude wanted, what he needed. The question had been whether he’d allow it.
Gale didn’t waste time. He planted Jude on the edge of the bed and undressed them, without hesitation, without lingering. That could come later. Tonight, they didn’t have the patience or the time. This was the last affirmation before they returned to Vihaan, to the pack, to their families and their old lives. The last chance at freedom before returning to how life used to be, and the struggles they’d face once they announced their mate bond.
Tonight was for them.
As soon as they were naked, Gale stepped between Jude’s legs and kissed him. Nothing—not their doubts, fears or the reality of going home—between them.
Jude gasped when he broke the kiss.
