I drape an arm around Arlo’s shoulders. “Derek, was it?” I ask, smiling around sharp fangs as I pull Arlo to my side. “Nice to meet you.”
Derek looks at where I’m touching Arlo and merely grunts.
“Caveman,” Arlo mutters as he and I settle into the booth opposite his friends.
I keep my arm around his shoulders. “I’m only playing the part of your doting betrothed.”
Arlo snorts, amusement dancing in his eyes. “Are you going to piss all over me to mark your territory?” I hum thoughtfully, and Arlo barks a laugh. “Oh, stop! You’re dreadful.”
“How do you know each other?” I ask.
Imogen grins. “My brother Rodney and I are in a band. Believe it or not, Arlo used to play with us!”
Arlo scoffs. “Back in high school!”
Derek gulps his beer. “And Arlo and I used to shag.”
Arlo chokes. “Freya’s tits, Derek!”
A growl rumbles in my chest.
Derek arches an eyebrow. “Down, doggy. He decided we couldn’t fuck around since we work together.”
“Der works at the TTA, same as me,” Arlo clarifies.
“Yup. We went on tons of hunts together, taking rogue shifters into custody after they lost their shit.” He narrows his eyes at me, and my wolf bristles under my skin. It feels like he’s threatening to takemeinto TTA custody. Derek darts his gaze between us. “So, how’d you two meet?”
“And why didn’t we hear about it?” Imogen asks, arching a pierced brow.
Arlo clears his throat. “Well, for a while we weren’t sure things were going to work out between us. You know how my family feels about wolf shifters. We wanted to keep things hidden.”
Imogen’s smile falls from her face, and Rodney puts an arm around her shoulders. Derek’s nostrils flare. Unease pricklesover my skin. Something happened that made Arlo’s family and friends mistrust wolf shifters. Was he hurt? Just the idea makes my lip curl.
He gives my hand a squeeze. “But…” He holds out his hand and shows them the ring. “We’re officially done hiding!”
Imogen gasps. “Hell yeah! Love wins!”
Rodney grins. “Awesome, mate. So happy for you guys.”
There’s that word again. What in Hel’s name is going on?
Imogen opens her mouth to speak, but I cut in. “Lo, can you show me where the restroom is?”
Arlo frowns but gets up so I can squeeze past him. He leads me around the corner to where there’s a small line to get into the bathroom.
“Does ‘mate’ mean something different in this time?”
Arlo furrows his brow. “What do you mean?”
“You said these people are your mates. But Rodney called me his mate, and—”
Arlo slaps a hand over his mouth. “Oh goddess! No, no, mate is just another word for friend!”
Heat rises in my cheeks. So all this time, I was getting worked up over nothing?
“Oh no. Did you…” Arlo hiccups, amusement bright in his eyes. “Did you think that Imogen, Der, and Rodney were my mates?”
I’m too humiliated to say yes, so I glower at the floor.
