Pleasure flooded through Emory, and he cupped his own mark in surprise. Cameron’s eyes filled with tears, and a moment later, so did Emory’s. He could feel everything Cameron was feeling: a blinding joy, deep satisfaction, and a fair bit of overwhelm.
The good feelings mixed with and intensified Emory’s own, but their combined feelings of overwhelm settled on him like a heavy crown.
They were mated now. Cameron was his, and he was Cameron’s, and no person, job, or family tradition was going to change that. They had done it. They’d overcome every obstacle and made it out together.
Emory slowly settled his body on top of Cameron’s, mimicking his lion’s position so he could gather him in his arms. He was careful not to jostle his knot too much, but every slight adjustment made pleasure course in a loop through their mate bond.
“Words cannot do my feelings justice,” Emory murmured as his tears leaked onto Cameron’s cheeks, mixing with his own.
“I love you?” Cameron suggested, and Emory laughed.
“I love you,” Emory repeated.
Nope, it didn’t even come close.
“You’re my…” Cameron tried again, but he slowly trailed off.
“Your mate,” Emory said firmly.
“My everything,” Cameron whispered, and Emory let out a soft sob.
He rubbed his wet cheek against Cameron’s. It chafed a little uncomfortably, but Cameron pressed into it.
“My whole world… My fated mate… My Cameron.”
Meeting Cameron’sfamily couldn’t have been more different from their trip home to meet Emory’s.
Cameron’s parents greeted them at the door and ushered them inside with hugs and kisses for both of them. Shay threw herself at Cameron, trying to climb onto his back the way Emory knew Cameron liked to do to her. She was more reserved with Emory at first, but as their first evening wore on, drinks were had, games were played, and she warmed up to him.
The next morning, Cameron’s parents made them breakfast, and Emory insisted on doing all the dishes. Cameron’s ba offered to dry the dishes, and he gave Emory the least intimidating ‘shovel talk’ of all time.
“We’re so thankful Cameron has met you. So long as all the amazing things we’ve heard about you are true, we have no doubt you two will have a long, happy union,” his ba said.
“I think between the two of us, I’m the lucky one, sir. Cameron is the most amazing person I’ve ever met, and I can’t wait to be with him and to love him for the rest of my life.”
His ba gave one sharp nod of his head and then launched into a long-winded story about Cameron as a kid, with references to a tri-fold presentation Emory desperately wanted to get his hands on.
An idea had been forming in Emory’s head, and he needed to find a few minutes with both of Cameron’s fathers alone. Unfortunately—not that he wasreallycomplaining, but still—for the remainder of the morning, Cameron gravitated around him like a moon orbiting a planet. He enjoyed this needier side of Cameron when he allowed it to shine through, and Emory caught Cameron’s parents smiling fondly at them several times.
A little while after lunch, he was able to grab Cameron’s ba and pa, and he told them his plan to propose to Cameron. He wasn’t sure of the timing, but he knew he wanted to get Cameron a dark blue sapphire ring, and he wanted it to be a surprise. Cameron’s ba excused himself, and a few minutes later, he came back with a slip of paper with Cameron’s ring size on it.
“I had to ask Shay, but she promised not to say anything,” Cameron’s ba said. “So long as she gets to be in the bridal party.”
“I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Emory promised, and he accepted a hug from both of them before they rejoined Cameron and Shay in the living room.
A few hours later, Shay made a big show of stripping off her cardigan and skipping towards the back door. “Alright, Emory. Time to show us if you’re truly worthy of my brother.”
“I think it might be a tad late for that? But I’m happy to prove myself to you in any way you see fit,” Emory said, his lion eagerly rising to the challenge.
He followed after her but froze on the first step to the backyard when Shay began to strip off her shirt.
“Oh, my apologies!” Emory said, throwing his hands up in front of his eyes.
Cameron crashed into his back, and they both stumbled down the stairs.
“I’m so sorry,” Emory tried again. “I thought I was supposed to follow?—“
“She’s going to shift, Emory, that’s all,” Cameron said with a breathy laugh.
