“But of course. I might have had an advantage on one bet I made because I wrote a program to determine what name Jackson and Steel would choose and I won that.”
“Tell me more about Carson,” David said, curious to learn more about Zane’s ‘archrival’.
“Right. Well he was studying business because he wanted to join the corporate jungle.”
“Did he?”
“No. After our parents died, we went into hiding so he wasn’t able to pursue it, but when Steel claimed Jackson, Carson was offered a job with Dire Enterprises. So, now he’s climbing the corporate ladder that he thought had eluded him and is happier than I’ve seen him for some time.” Glancing around the cottage, Zane realized it had grown quite dark and the fire was dying out. “Babe, while I make dinner, would you throw another log on the fire?”
“Will do,” said David. “What’s for dinner? Can I help?”
“I noticed there are cans of Beef Stew, so I thought I would heat them up and dig around to see what else there is. It won’t be a gourmet meal but it’ll fill our bellies and, of course, we have plenty of cookies for dessert.”
“After we eat, would you tell me about the claiming ceremony?”
Zane rose, pulling his mate up with him and into a hug. “Absolutely, but babe, trust me you have nothing to worry about.”
“I’ll take your word for it because as soon as we can, I want you to claim me,” David murmured.
“I’m all on board with that,” Zane crooned before lowering his lips to David’s, keeping his kiss light until he felt his mate push back. Then, his kissing harder, Zane felt David’s cock stiffen; his mate began to lightly grind against his own turgid cock.
Though David’s eyes were closed, he sensed bright flashes of sparks each time they touched each other, sending sensations such as he’d never felt before coursing through his body. Nor had his cock ever grown so long and hard. The pleasure radiating through him made his legs shake and his body shiver.If sex is anything like this, I think I’m going to love it.
Chapter 17
It’s time I tell my mate about me. I don’t care what the High Priestess said—she was wrong about me never having a Fated Mate.He was caned so viciously the day he dared to mention it, he had to be helped back to his room because he couldn’t walk. Later that night, his mother snuck into his room, dried his tears and coated the bloody marks with a soothing salve to minimize the pain, but the scars were still there, each a reminder of that punishment along with hundreds of others.
He hated those scars, until his mother explained his Fated Mate would view them as a testament to his bravery. Now he regarded them the same way—as his determination to persevere against evil. After listening to his mate that afternoon, David knew why the Fates had given him Zane and he said a prayer of thanks to them as he was tending to the fire. Finally, he would be safe—safe from those who wanted to harm or use him and, if his mate agreed to help him, he might be able to save everyone.
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“Macushla,when are we going to see Brian?” asked Kieran, while they were riding back to the hotel from the Wolf Pack Pub.
“Tonight,” Logan replied. “First, I want to see what Dylon and Slate can find out about Antonio, now that we have his last name.” Hauling his mate up on his lap, Logan said, “So when were you going to tell me about the wedding?”
“Right now,” Kieran laughed. “Can you believe it? Norman proposed to Theo and I get to marry them!”
“I can’t wait to see you standing there, in your ceremonial robe, joining your two best friends in marriage. I’m going to take lots of pictures to show our squirt.”
“Oh, my gods,macushla,I need to make my robe. The ones my Shaman made for me were trashed by my parents when I was sold. It will take me a while to hand sew the symbols. Do you know where I can find gold thread…although I could use silver, I guess, but I want my friends to have the best. I better put that at the top of my list which I started right now since Theo wants me to help him plan the wedding. Do you think you can design a gazebo I can wrap in roses, maybe white but maybe not? Hey, I have a great idea…why don’t you design one for their wedding out of branches like they’re in the woods and I can make it a Woodland theme wedding? Oh,macushla,I can just picture it now, pink roses twined around the wooden branches with a candle chandelier hanging from the center. It can take place at dusk, with lots of hanging candles flickering in the light breeze, the sky streaked with pink, the faint moon rising in the sky, and my two best friends, dressed in deep brown suits…that will complement their eyes, you know…with pink ties, and deep pink shirts as they become husband and husband. Oh my, it will be so swoon worthy!”
“Uh huh, it does sound beautiful but maybe you should run it past them first, just in case they have some additional ideas.”
“I will, I promise,macushla,it’s just that my mind is going a mile-a-minute thinking about all the possibilities.”
Wrapping his arms around Kieran, Logan murmured, “That’s what I love about you. So think away. I knowTheo and Norman will be very happy with whatever you come up with.”
“I hope so,” Kieran said, a bit of worry evident in his voice.
“I know so,” Logan said firmly.
“That isn’t the only thing I’m worried about,macushla. Bears mate in threes, so what happens when their other Fated Mate shows up and finds out Theo and Norman are married? I didn’t ask them that, because ever since their horrible time with Arald, they’ve rejected the concept of Fated Mates because of what happened when Norman came out to his parents, but I know they have one and how do you think he’s going to feel when he finds out Theo and Norm didn’t wait for him? Will Theo get angry at Norman for insisting they get married? I don’t know what to do about it and, as much as I’m happy my friends are happy, I just worry about them making a mistake by rushing to get married. Don’t tell me to talk to them because I won’t. My best friends are happy for the first time in a really long time and I won’t take that away from them.” Exhausted by his rambling narrative, Kieran sighed and waited for his mate to unscramble all the issues and come up with some answers.
“Well,” said Logan thoughtfully, “I would never suggest you bring this up to them, but I think Cody and Dylon should. I agree with you, but I also know what they went through, so as far as I’m concerned, they should seize happiness with both hands and enjoy it. The other thing is this, if and when their other Fated Mate shows up, I don’t believe he’ll begrudge Theo and Norman’s marriage once he understands why they did it without waiting for him. Their lives were on hold long enoughwhen they were prisoners and they’ve earned the right to be happy.”
“I hope so,macushla.Oh, here we are!”
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