Page 418 of Bride of Choice

Tired of listening to Rek harangue Odix, while my big, bootylicious mate just ignored him and did as he may, Celuk reached over, snagged Rek’s shoulder by his fur, and just dragged him over. “Sit,” Celuk barked.

Rek immediately did, then sat there with a sharp blink, like he was surprised he’d done just as he’d demanded.

Holding out a rather deadly looking blade, he waited for Rek to take it, then handed him a small bottle, rag, and sharpening stone.

Jeh-kal glanced up briefly and his lips twitched up into a brief smile.

Rek glanced from the weapon to Celuk as Celuk spoke in their native tongue, rumbling instructions at him.

When Celuk had finished, Rek nodded and got to work cleaning and sharpening the blade.

Odix looked over his shoulder, spied Celuk making sure Rek was following his instructions properly, and cocked his head.

Feeling eyes on him, Celuk glanced up and tossed Odix a very practiced wink that had Odix smirking and happily getting back to his current task at hand.

A grin stole over my face, to note this.

Celuk glanced up sharply, our eyes met, and his lips slowly tipped up into a sweet, sexy smile that had my insides going all gooey-melty.

Buu’s happy click-purr rumbled to life. He didn’t pause as he spoke to Gopher over my head, but I knew he’d picked up on my happy feels.

Reaching over, I took one of his hands in mine, then one of Gopher’s, content to sit sandwiched between them and just sit and breathe and do nothing for a moment.

This was all rather nice, homey.

The stupid fist hammering the door barged in on our blissful domesticity.

Fucking asshole, whoever they were.

“EY! HEY! EY!

“Eh, it’s just Pepé,” I muttered. Making to stand, I reluctantly let Buu and Gopher’s hands go.

“I get,” Celuk rumbled out, motioning for me to let him grab the door.

With a shrug and a nod, I looked to Buu. I knew what this was about. Celuk had filled me in on all the deets. “Maybe tell Dace to hang back?” I whispered to Buu softly. “Just until Pepé leaves?”

Buu nodded and hopped up. He was down the hall before Celuk had made it to the door.

Walking over to the entrance to the hallway, I stood sentry. You shall not pass. No Pepés allowed. He could try and charge down the hall to get at Dace, but he’d have to get through me and all my mates first.

She’d saved my life. Yeah, she was an odd one, who the fuck isn’t, but she’d saved my life and she was part of Buu’s clan, meaning she was now part of my clan. Nothing was going to happen to her while she’s under this roof.

Gopher joined me. Wrapping his arms around me, he curled me into him, my back to his front, and reached around me to rub his hands over my belly. His little rumble of ownership slipping past his happy purr was everything.

“Where?!” Berkr stormed in, all shouts and demands.

Rek stood, the knife he was working on still in his hand. Baring his teeth at Berkr, he growled, “No come in, shouts, angry, yells, tell us what do. You not boss!”

When Berkr would have turned his ire towards Rek, Jeh-kal stood, the huge axe he was retying a strip of hide around in his large hands, a warning rumble in his throat, and Celuk, looking equally as rumbling and ready to tussle if need be, snapped something at Berkr that had him taking a healthy step back.

“Female no stay! She bad! Not Bad Jo bad, she bad-bad,” he clarified. Motioning to the scar Celuk had explained was a bullet wound from Mina’s crazy ex-boyfriend who’d talked a delusional Dace into helping him, Berkr snarled as he tapped the spot. “Help bad male! Candy-ass no goot!”

Alright—I’m fired. I couldn’t help it. Candy-ass? My spluttering laugh was ill-timed but oh my fucking god. Candy-ass. I died with laughter at that one, mostly on the inside because this wasn’t the time or place.

Berkr looked ready to snarl at me and bare fang my way but must have thought better of it considering his reception doing just that to Rek, our clan pain in the ass.

A startled noise sounded off from behind me.

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