7. Chapter 7 #2
Arlo laughs. “Don’t be frightened. They’re great.”
“Why do they look like that?”
“They’re punk rockers! They’ve got their own band and everything,” Arlo explains, though I understand nothing.
Suddenly, the pink-haired woman flings herself at Arlo, crushing him in a hug.
My stomach sinks, fingers curling at my sides.
If she kisses him, I may bloody lose it.
The instant she lets him go, I grip the back of Arlo’s sweater and tug until his body is flush with mine.
Arlo tenses against me, then makes a contented little noise and leans into me. One hand comes up to cup my cheek.
“Jealous?” he murmurs.
“No,” I say, looping my arm around his waist.
“What the hell, Lo?” the woman says, smacking his shoulder. “When were you going to tell us you were seeing someone?”
Arlo smiles crookedly. “Well, erm—everyone, this is Gunnar. Gunnar, this is Imogen.” The pink-haired girl’s pigtails bob as she rushes to shake my hand.
“Ooh, Arlo, you didn’t mention how yummy he is!” She winks at me.
“Yummy?” I look to Arlo in confusion.
“And these two are Rodney and Derek.”
“Nice to meet ya, mate,” Rodney says, wrestling my hand into a firm shake.
Mate? Am I missing something? The air between them is friendly, and no kisses or lingering embraces were exchanged. Does mate in this time mean something different from what I thought?
“You could take out someone’s eye with hair like that,” I say, pointing to the purple and black spikes.
Rodney laughs. Imogen arches a brow.
“Get you a beer?” Rodney asks.
“Sure—” My jaw snaps shut, muscles tensing when Derek pulls Arlo into a hug. Unlike Imogen’s, this one lingers. A growl crawls up my throat, teeth aching from how hard they’re grinding together. Over Arlo’s shoulder, Derek shoots me a look so cold it would make a blizzard feel warm in comparison.
“Der, come on,” Arlo says, chuckling as he wriggles free.
“How are you, Lo? Good?” Derek asks, running his hand down Arlo’s arm.
Would Arlo be pissed if I savaged his friend in the middle of the pub?
Mayhap his relationship with Imogen and Rodney is friendly, but there clearly was—is?—something between him and Derek.
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 take me into 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 prickles over 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.
“Oh goddess! That’s why you scented me. That’s why you’ve been so moody and broody! You thought we were all together!” Arlo doubles over with laughter, clutching his sides.
I growl. “Aye, laugh it up.”
“You poor thing!” Arlo grips my arms so he doesn’t topple over. Tears swim in his eyes, cheeks pink with mirth. “No! They’re just my friends. Well, Der and I had a thing a few years back, but that’s over and done with.” He wipes his eyes. “I can’t believe you were jealous.”
I fold my arms as embarrassment heats my neck. “I was not.”
Arlo takes my chin between his fingers and forces me to look at him. The molten heat in his eyes makes my heart tumble in my chest. “There’s one thing you should know about me, stud.” His thumb rubs along my bottom lip, making my skin tingle. “I don’t share.”
“Nor do I,” I say, my voice a low growl. “You are mine. Fake or not.”
Arlo blinks and drops his hand. All at once, he’s gone from my space. He rubs the back of his neck and laughs. “Yeah. Fake or not. Can’t be acting out of character now, can we?”
Did I say something wrong? Mayhap I was too forward?
“Arlo, I—”
“Hmm, what’s that, Der? Coming!” He bounds back to the table.
I’m fairly certain I didn’t hear Derek call for him at all.
Once I’m done in the restroom, which took me some time because I became rather fascinated by the toilet’s ability to flush, I rejoin Arlo at the table only to find him scowling at Derek.
“—bit presumptuous of you to act like you know fuck all about my relationship,” Arlo’s saying.
“Der, mate, come off it,” Rodney says, elbowing him.
“You lot are being stupid.” Derek leans back in his seat, a muscle ticking in his jaw.
“Excuse you?” Imogen snaps.
“What in Freya’s name is your problem?” Arlo’s face twists in a mixture of shock and hurt.
“You really expect us to buy this?” Derek asks, voice rising in Arlo’s direction.
Fury ignites the blood in my veins. I settle in next to Arlo and lean across the table toward Derek. “Don’t yell at him.”
Derek winces. “Sorry, Lo. I just… You haven’t been in a relationship since—”
“I remember,” Arlo says through clenched teeth. “You’re not my bloody father, Der. I wanted your support, not this shit.”
Derek drops his gaze to the table, shoulders slumping.
“We are happy for you, Lo,” Imogen says, reaching over to pat his hand.
“Course we are!” Rodney chimes in.
“But…” Imogen trails off when Arlo blows out a sigh. “We were just surprised your new man is a, well…”
This again? First Arlo’s dad gave me a hard time, now Arlo’s friends? Why is everyone close to him so mistrustful of shifters?
“A what?” Arlo challenges, surprising me with the low fury in his voice. “A gentleman? A kind and loyal person?”
My lips twitch into a smile, warmth blooming in my chest from his support.
“—and we see that now, don’t we, Rod?”
Rodney nods. “I do,” he says emphatically. “You’re great, Gunnar. I can see you two are close.”
Derek scoffs. “Prove it.”
Arlo gawks at him. “Excuse me?”
Derek tips his chin in my direction. It’s a strong chin. Would probably hurt if I put my fist in it, but mayhap it would be worth the pain. “Prove this is the real deal, Lo.”
“And how do you propose I do that?”
“Kiss him.”
My heart drops into my stomach.
My wolf, though? He howls in triumph.