Chapter Six #3
Serin nodded. “Ah. Well, at least he hasn’t just hijacked a random person because you thought they were hot.”
Deno snickered. “I agreed. I think you are hot as well, Serin. I plan to embarrass our little one at every opportunity by proving how attractive I find their mother.”
Harper grinned. “Couple goals.”
Serin chuckled. “Right. Stop stalling. Oh, when is your assistant going to be arriving?”
Harper looked down at her phone and grinned. “In ninety minutes. She’s getting a flight out with a shipment of clothing for you. Costumes for a project.”
Deno blinked. “Just like that?”
“You will understand when you see her.” Harper chuckled. “She can’t be missed. She’s amazing.”
Deno smiled. “I will meet her at the helipad. What does she look like?”
Harper grinned and stood. “Sex in human form. It will make sense when you see her.”
Serin snorted. “Maybe I should go get her.”
Harper grinned. “She’s also the most honourable woman I have ever met. She can sense a bonded male from a distance of fifty paces. Piper will probably come to the square after she changes.”
Serin nodded. “Okay. I will wait here to see how sex walks the earth.”
Harper giggled and headed for the path to the square. “Only on Wonder.”
She thought she would be early, but Tez was waiting for her. He smiled, his glowing gold hair catching the attention of several ladies. His tan indicated that he had been out on the beach for a while.
“Harper. You look... lovely.”
She sighed and tugged her silky hood forward. “What is this about, Tez?”
“Dinner. It’s a meal consumed in the latter portion of the day. Come on, we have a reservation.”
She wrinkled her nose, and he took her hand, leading her into the restaurant. They were led to a seating area that was raised and overlooked the square, where the dancing would commence in a few hours.
He helped her sit on a cushion and sat next to her.
An order for drinks was placed, and she looked at him. “So, as I said before. What is this about, Tez?”
“Can’t I just meet up with one of my favourite people in the world and have a pleasant conversation?” He gave her an innocent look.
She hummed and smiled at the server, who dropped off their drinks and said they would be back later to go through the specials.
Harper sipped at her cocktail and gave him a serious look. “So you want to chat? Chat.”
He sighed. “First, I am very sorry that your engagement to him fell through.”
“I am not. I wasn’t going to share a mate with my brother. Bleah.” She shuddered.
“Who would you share a mate with?”
She smiled. “As few folks as possible. The way you are staring at my chest, you look like you know something.”
“You are a wildling.”
Harper looked at him and paused with her drink nearly to her lips. “Well, aren’t you clever?”
“I only know that because my beast is trying to take over and sweep you away.”
“That wouldn’t go over well. I have secondary adaptations, and they aren’t skin-friendly if I don’t want them to be.”
She sipped at her drink. “So, what are you?”
“Forest lord. Nearly extinct. If you were back home, the Department of Conservation would be at your door and sending you for a checkup.” He smiled.
“Uh-huh. But we are not home. I am here, and they don’t have that department, and I have citizenship on Emerald and am a business owner in good standing, so there is no reason to deport me.”
He blinked. “You knew.”
“I knew that eventually someone would come calling. I wanted to make sure that any links would be on my terms or, at least, negotiated equally.”
Tez paused. “What?”
“I have met Dell. I have met Honey, and I have met Mickey, though she is a little young. Honey is servicing a lot of the dark elite shifters, Dell has her dire wolves, and she’s looking to dabble with a forest lord that doesn’t make her vomit. So there are two active and operating wildlings.”
He blinked. “I don’t want to get near the wolves.”
“Uh-huh. It isn’t a switch I want to flip with someone who travels as much as you do.”
Tez stared. “What?”
“I have heard about forest lords and their wandering. Wildlings are touch-sensitive. We need it once we activate and certainly while we are pregnant. I am not going to be pining for a missing mate and losing my child because he has better things to do.” She sipped again and set her drink down.
She looked at her friend, and for the first time, she saw his beast in his eyes. “Oh, wow. When did you learn about me?”
“Your brother mentioned it.”
She curled her lip. “Were you fucking him, too?”
He shook his head. “No. We were in school together and ran into each other at your aunt and uncle’s anniversary party.”
“Oh. Sorry. I have issues. I love him, but they both betrayed me, and I am not going to be moving past it. If you have a close relationship with them, you might want to surrender the idea of pursuing anything with me. I do not forgive betrayal.”
His gaze flickered. “What about if you have multiple mates?”
“Well, I have been betrayed by friend and family. Being betrayed by a straying lover who might bring home a disease to harm my body and anyone that I am carrying is enough to make me want to murder someone. I am not an omega. I don’t have to be handed over to someone.
I make my own choices, and I don’t trust any swinging dick.
If they are interested in me, there must be something wrong with them. ”
She finished her drink and set the glass down. She looked at him and smiled. “So, how is your mother doing?”