22. CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
PEM
My mate talks faster than I’ve ever heard her speak. Pure joy radiates off her features, making her dark eyes sparkle.
Even though she explains what the NTFR is, I know— I know —thanks to her gift. It’s as if everything about Gumiho culture, anatomy, and more has been downloaded into my mind.
If only I had this information before I kissed Iseol.
Although she explained my faux pas, the fox marble’s knowledge is much intimate. I understand her kind on an intimate level, including all their strengths and weaknesses.
The more she talks, the more spirited Iseol becomes, and fuck if she’s not the most gorgeous creature when she’s this animated.
It reminds me of that day on the lake and our impromptu hockey game—how Iseol absolutely decimated me on the ice.
I wanted nothing more than to tackle her into the snow and make her mine. At the time, I couldn’t, but now…
A feral grin lights my face, and I know it’s wicked when my mate stutters before taking a step back.
“P-Pem—”
“Yes, fynuhmar?” I all but purr.
Iseol wags a finger and narrows her eyes, trying to appear stern, but unfortunately for her, it just makes her look cuter.
“Behave! We have a lot to sort out right now, and we can’t let…”
“Lust get in the way?”
“Exactly?”
“Counterpoint, maybe we should slake our thirst for one another now so that we aren’t distracted by it later?”
My mate bites her lip to keep from laughing, and I stifle my groan at the sight of her worrying the plump, pink flesh between her teeth.
“That’s ridiculous—we both know we’re going to be…needy later, regardless of whether we do anything now. Besides, patience makes the reward all the much sweeter.”
I snort. “Remember this when I’m edging you within an inch of your life.”
She narrows her eyes again, and I smirk. But my mate is smart—too smart—my power play won’t hold up long when she turns the tables on me.
As if realizing the same thing, Iseol grins and arches a brow. I groan, feeling her smugness through our bond.
Before I can think of contingency plan for my future sexual torture at my mate’s lovely hands, there’s a knock on the door.
I open it to reveal my sister…and a disgruntled Puck.
“You done making up, ya tosser?”
“Good to see you, too, Coach.”
“Shut it! Yer sister got me and the team so we can talk with your mate and the Ice Giants. Whatever is going on between you two is private, but we do need to speak openly before the media catches wind of this and twists it into something it’s not.”
Iseol pales at Puck’s words, and I wrap an arm around her waist, hauling her close. Over my dead body is anyone going to spread rumors about my mate.
“Are you comfortable with talking to everyone?”
“Yes. Not just for the reason’s Puck mentioned, but also for our players. They deserve an explanation.”
“Ok, right, well give us…”
I squint, doing some calculations about how much time I’ll need to…
“What are you doing?” Iseol demands, wrinkling her nose.
“Math,” I tease, echoing her words from when she was in heat.
Her eyes widen, and she swipes at my shoulder. “Not funny!”
“Kinda funny.”
Puck grunts. “I have no idea what’s going—and I don’t wanna know! Just get yer arse down to the meeting room.”
“Meeting room?” Iseol repeats.
“The Huldufólk offered to let me use their bókalán. It’s large enough to seat everyone comfortably,” my sister answers.
“Oh, I will need to thank them.”
A grin tugs at my lips. My mate is so polite, and already thicker than thieves with my sister—to which I’m not sure if it’s a good thing or a bad thing.
“I’ll introduce you later,” Ramani promises, coming over to link arms with Iseol.
Before I can protest, she waltzes away with my mate, leaving me with the less-than-desirable grump called my coach.
Being a smartarse, I loop my arm through Puck’s and march after the ladies. The other Puca sneers over at me, yanking his arm back before smacking me upside my horns.
I chuckle but don’t antagonize the man any further. That he hasn’t murdered me in cold blood yet is a miracle in itself.
No need to rock the boat more.
Ramani leads the way through the winding cavern halls, all illuminated with different colored gemstones.
Iseol seems particularly entranced by the rubies, and I make a mental note to buy her something with the red stone that matches the circles on her cheeks and forehead.
Finally, Ramani stops at two double doors, both intricately carved. She flings them open to reveal the Huldufólk’s legendary bókalán.
My mate gasps. The high ceilings glitter with what appears to be diamonds, their light casting soft rainbows across the stone floor.
I step over to Iseol and lace my fingers with hers when I notice everyone staring at us from across the ornate room.
The Ice Giants and Goodfellows sit on opposite sides of a long table—less because of rivalry and more out of instinct. Opposing teams tend to gravitate to their own, but the massive center for the Ice Giants sits right in the middle.
To his right, the Gallagher twins make calf eyes at my sister, and I glare at them while tugging Iseol over to the table.
Ramani doesn’t even acknowledge those twats. Instead, she saunters over to the Ice Giants’ center, urging him to duck down so she can whisper something in his ear.
Honestly, I have no idea how the man even made it into the caves, let alone down the hall and into this room.
Then, to my surprise—and maybe horror—Ramani climbs into the stranger’s lap like it’s her own personal throne.
She wiggles around, trying to get comfortable against the myriad of icy protrusions sticking out from the monster.
I try not to blanch as my wingers pout and Puck grumbles under his breath about being over “young people”.
The wee cranky bastard.
He swivels his head to stare at me, and I quickly look up at the ceiling, pretending that I wasn’t just insulting the moody Puca in my head.
“What’s your center’s name?” I whisper to Iseol.
“Kening.”
“Right, well Kening seems to be getting a little too cozy with my sister.”
“Actually, I think it’s the other way around.”
“I agree, but it’s easier for me to blame him.”
My mate scowls, throwing yet another elbow into my side.
“Ow.”
“Behave!”
From across the room, Ramani winks at Iseol, and I stifle a groan when Kening bands an arms around my sister’s waist to keep her anchored in place.
“Thank you all for coming. I’m going to let Puck get things started. Coach?”
Now, everyone groans.
“Knock it off, ya slebogs! We have business to attend to.”
“What did he just call us?” Iseol whispers.
“Sheep’s testicles.”
“I see…wait, what ?”
“Yeah, the Welsh and the Fae are rather creative with their insults. It’s mostly said with love.”
She snorts, clearly not believing my half-truth.
Wise as she’s beautiful.
Lucky me.
Puck continues, ignoring everyone around him like usual.
“We called this meeting to clear the air. We’re a family—on and off the ice—and families talk things out. We all know how rumors can ruin relationships, and even lives sometimes, in this sport. We’re not letting that happen, though. We’re not humans .”
He sniffs, and I sigh as Iseol stifles a giggle.
“Wow, he doesn’t like them, does he?”
“Most Fae are not a fan—have you read any of the shite their authors write about us? I suppose the horror stories might be true, but the romance ones?”
“I can’t say that I have, but my country’s humans created K-Drama. Although, I find some of it entertaining. Maybe you should give these romance novels another try.”
It’s then that I realize the room is silent, and everyone is staring at us, Puck especially with a disgusted expression on his face.
“Care to share with the class?” he snarks.
“Ah, yes, Iseol mentioned a doctor in South Korea who’s renowned for removing sticks from people’s arses. Cutting edge technology, I hear. Want me to book you an appointment?”
The twins and our tendy whoop with laughter, but everyone else seems to know better than to poke the beast.
“Cromlech, yer this close to needing to have to remove my foot from yer arse if you don’t quit with yer shite. Need I remind you that the mess we’re in is because of you ?”
My mate stiffens beside me, and I scowl at Puck. Not only does she not like being the center of attention, but this isn’t anyone’s fault, let alone hers .
“It might be, but I’m not apologizing except for one thing. Me using Iseol’s plays—that’s on me. I didn’t realize what I was doing until it was too late, and I’m sorry to both her and the Ice Giants. It was a misunderstanding, and I should’ve said something to you, Iseol.” I turn to my mate. “I’m sorry.”
“You don’t have to keep apologizing to me. I know now that it wasn’t deliberate.” She looks over at the Ice Giants and takes a deep breath. “When Pem and I first met, we didn’t know who the other was. We played hockey together, but it was never meant to be used against my team.
And while Pem did use my moves, again, it wasn’t intended to be used against us. I trust him, not just because I love, but because he’s an honest man who wouldn’t want to play if the game wasn’t a fair one.”
Puck nods. “That’s all we need to know, but going forward, the Goodfellows won’t use them anymore, even though I assume neither will the Ice Giants. We have five more games in the finals, and my biggest question is will you and Cromlech, I mean Pembroke, be able to be on opposing teams as mates?”
Again, Iseol answers.
“Yes, while both of us love one another dearly, we’re not going to throw the game just so the other person can win.
Pem wants the Norsphere Cup just as much as I do, but we’ll win it through our own merit. Or, in my case, my team’s merit.”
“Ok. Good, good. I also suggest that if you’re going to be together, do it away from prying eyes. I know it’s not my place to tell mates how to act, but since this involves the integrity of both our teams—and we don’t want the media accusing anyone of nepotism—you two should keep your relationship quiet.”
Puck’s words settle heavy in my stomach, but I know he’s right. Out of the corner of my eye, Iseol nods, too.
Ramani waves a hand to get my attention. “I can always ask the Huldufólk to get you a room together. No one is permitted within these walls without explicit permission.”
Iseol smiles at my sister. “That’s sweet of you. Pem and I will talk later. In the meantime, I need to regroup with my team.”
“Us, as well,” Puck adds, and the Gallagher twins make a face.
Even though we won, Coach is sure to still yell at us.
Most likely just me, in this case.
“Back to the hotel?” my mate asks the Ice Giants, and I try not to pout, knowing they’re getting her undivided attention.
“Five days,” Puck growls under his breath. “Keep it together for five fucking days, Cromlech.”
I glower. “I can do that.”
“And keep you grubby paws off yer mate, too.”
“What?! You said what we do in private is only our business!”
“Aye, but you can barely walk straight thinking about Coach Kim, adding mating acts to it, and you’ll be a disaster on the ice—and we’re winning that Cup. So, I repeat. Keep. It. Together .”
“Pft. Please, I can not touch my mate for five days. Easy peasy.”
From across the room, Iseol waves to me and heads out with her team, her tails swishing as she walks, reminding me of how she mewls when I pet them…
I’m screwed.