Chapter 9
nine
ZOE
We spent the next few days fucking, eating, and talking.
It was a good thing I had already taken the week off work for my marriage plan, or I definitely would’ve had to call in sick.
Right around the time the climax ended, we had to pick up our wedding stuff and hop on a flight to my hometown. All of our friends and packmates came, with Ethan and Maya both wearing mirrored sunglasses to prevent accidental mating.
I didn’t think either one of them cared how many weird looks they got for wearing them inside the building or on the plane. They even sat next to each other in our tightly packed economy seats.
Emmy had offered to pay for everyone to upgrade, but me and Finn both politely told her no. Me, more politely than him, though I imagine he followed his up with more touching.
He told her that her trust fund money was to keep her comfortable, not the rest of us. I told her there were way more useful things to do with it.
So, she was squished in the back with the rest of us.
Abby and Nico, and Jade and Wyatt, were separated by the aisles between our two rows. They’d gotten unlucky when we drew names.
Connor had been elected as the neutral party to put everyone’s names in a hat. I hadn’t found out until after everyone was gone, but he left ours out. I wasn’t entirely surprised—or mad.
Mostly because I had been on the verge of a panic attack about seeing my family since we started packing. Him touching me and distracting me constantly was the only thing getting me through.
Despite my stress, our flight and hotel check-in went smoothly. We had a few hours to kill before the rehearsal dinner, so we went to the pool with the pack. Some of my extended family members came by while we were swimming, and Connor won them over with surprising ease.
It probably helped that he was gigantic, and extremely attractive. And that the rest of his friends were too. Together, they looked like they could take out as many people as they wanted to—and hide all of the bodies.
My parents weren’t won over quite as easily, but they seemed intimidated enough by the size of my mate and his friends that they didn’t say anything cruel or make a scene.
I got a text from them late that night telling me I was breaking the contract I’d signed, and that there would be severe consequences, but I’d planned for those consequences.
They couldn’t take my degree or Connor’s house, even if they cost me my job and the apartment I’d already left.
Worst case scenario, I had enough money saved to get by for a few years. If I lived with Connor, which seemed pretty much nonnegotiable now, I’d make it much longer.
By some miracle, the wedding went smoothly the next day. Before I knew it, Connor was kissing me in front of everyone. Our friends cheered and whooped loud enough to offend all of the wealthy people in the crowd (except Emmy, who cheered the loudest).
We were up late drinking and dancing. There wasn’t nearly enough food to satisfy a group of werewolves, but it would’ve been suspicious if we ate that much anyway.
Stella and Graham snuck an assload of greasy burgers (and veggie burgers) and fries into the hotel, so we all met in their room to stuff our faces at the end of the night.
By the time Connor and I made it back to our own room, we just collapsed in bed together in our wedding clothes.
A movie played on the TV, but we were too busy talking and laughing about the wedding and some of the weird conversations we had there.
Without Connor there to laugh with me, there was a damn good chance I would’ve been having a panic attack over something that had happened. Or over what my family was going to do next.
He made it easier to stay calm.
So much easier.
I knew everything was going to work out, because we were going to make sure it did. Together.
Having the rest of the pack to back us up didn’t hurt, either.
“Thanks for being here with me,” I said, my side pressed to his as he held me close with an arm draped over my shoulder.
He grinned. “Thanks for deciding to come to our book club to find a mate instead of marrying Maya.”
“If only she and I had chemistry, things would’ve been so much easier,” I teased.
“Too bad she’s only got eyes for Ethan these days.”
“Glasses, not eyes.”
“Good point.” He brushed my hair off my shoulder so he could kiss it lightly. My dress was strapless and had a sweetheart neckline, so he’d been doing that all day. “What’s your bet? Do you think she ever agrees to take the glasses off?”
“I don’t know. She’s a wildcard. The more he bugs her about it, the more she’ll probably resist. And the more she resists, the harder he’ll try. What are you betting?”
“Three weeks.”
“I’ll go with three months.”
“What does the winner get?” Connor asked, kissing my shoulder again.
“Definitely a trophy.”
He nodded. “Definitely.” He kissed my shoulder yet again. “Do you know what I’ve been itching to do, all day?”
“No. What?”
“Get you out of this dress.” He rolled on top of me, his eyes warm.
“You’ve been missing the scar on my hip, huh?” I teased. He still touched it obsessively.
“Yep. Just the scar.” He kissed my throat.
Then my collarbone.
Then my sternum, since the rest of me was covered.
I rolled over, lifting myself up on my hands and knees to give him more space to work. He sat up enough to undo the buttons that went up the entire back of my dress.
Connor started with the top one, and slowly made his way down my spine. His lips followed the trail his fingers made, and by the time he finished the last one, I was ready to roll over and have my way with him.
He tugged the dress down my thighs. As soon as it was free, he slid beneath my legs. I gasped as his tongue met my clit, his hands opening me up wider.
“You’re insane,” I moaned, my fingers tightening on the pillows.
“You love it,” he rumbled against me.
“I really do.”
He was right—going to the pack’s book club meeting was the best decision I’d ever made.