Page 207 of Fated or Knot

He came over, pulling at his jacket sleeve, lips parted. Whatever he was going to say went unaired. By the shape of his eyelids, he was definitely looking at my décolletage. “Kauz,” I prompted with a giggle.

“We have to dress you up more,” he said, giving his head a shake. “I’m here to place a tracking spell on you before we go.”

I nodded, unsurprised.“Kauz’s only job tonight is to use his magic and wings to spirit you to safety if things go sideways,”Fal had explained.

What was a little surprising was him pulling the top of my dress enough that he could pinch the edge of my undergarment to leave the spell on it. “This looks uncomfortable?” he ventured.

“It’s the extra lift version.”

“Aye, it’s lifting all right.” He flashed his blunt teeth in a grin. I smiled back, dazzled for a moment.

Fal’s confession of worry for his younger brother came back to me. I tilted my head at Kauz thoughtfully, figuring I’d never seen the version of him who’d suppressed himself because of his overwhelming empathy. Hopefully I never would.

He tilted his head back. “What is it?”

I could open up an awkward conversation where I’d have to tell him what his brother said, or just used a Fal-style deflection. I cleared my throat and did the latter. “I was just wondering if I shouldn’t have all this showing tonight. You’re the voice of reason right now, and even you’re distracted.”

“I have eyes, my Always.” He rested his palms on my hips, which I swayed in his hold to make my skirts rustle and ring with tiny bells. “Don’t cover a thing. I can’t wait to see everyone else’s reactions.”

“Me neither.”

We shared a conspiratorial look. “Let me see if anyone else is ready through the pack bond,” he murmured. His gaze was intent on mine as he stepped to the sway of my hips, drawing me into an impromptu dance in the meantime.

I didn’t think he asked anything over the pack bond for a few minutes as we enjoyed one another’s company. His lips eventually twitched as he said, “That’s right, Marius isn’t dressing up. He’s guarding you tonight.”

The kelpie in question walked into the room, and Kauz gently spun me toward the door. Marius had cleaned himself up, but he was in plain, dark clothing with a pair of axes tied to his hips. Hetook one look at me and growled. “I see I’m breaking some wrists tonight.”

“Better than necks,” I mused.

“That’s a good idea. Thank you, p’nixie.”

I nearly protested, but I could sense through our bond that he wasn’t serious, though that was combined with a hefty amount of lust and aggression boiling through his blood. He came over and sniffed me, his lips twisting to the side with a chuff of displeasure. I had a similar reaction, since he smelled faintly of moss rather than his rut scent. But maybe that was a good thing. Maybe I could focus on having fun tonight if I wasn’t constantly sniffing after my alphas.

“A gift is more enticing when it’s wrapped with a bow,” he said.

“And meant for another male?” Kauz added.

The kelpie’s ear flicked. “Aye, I suppose that’s how that saying goes. And not inappropriate for what we’re about to do to the bark brothers. I’m going to stand outside your door for now, so I’m not tempted to unwrap you early, mate.”

“Aw, okay.” My little pout didn’t change his mind, not when he was so pent up.

Kauz shrugged when the door closed behind Marius, and put his hands on my hips again. This time we swayed together with him behind me, and I leaned back into his chest to silently admire him and his starlit gaze. I was glad one of my mates was unaffected by all these pheromones flying around.

And like I’d summoned him with my thoughts, Tormund came into the room next and poorly concealed a growl. I sighed inwardly. The redcap seemed to find me every time I was having a moment with Kauz. He probably thought I just sat around staring wistfully in the dream warden’s eyes—not that I would be opposed to doing exactly that.

Kauz gave me his knowing smile and a wink, before letting me go. “Hi, Tormund,” I said. He and I took each other in across the room. Over time, I’d noticed Tormund had similar clothing tastes to an omega, preferring the feeling of certain fabrics over wearing the newest fashions.

Tonight, he wore something that was unlike him, more like armor. Leather sheathed his broad chest, hand-tooled with an elaborate set of redcap tribal knots in the center. He wore a heavy belt for securing a weapon, which he currently didn’t have, dark pants, and thick-soled boots. An elaborately embroidered red and orange cape hung from his shoulder like flashy distraction from the way he was dressed for war.

“Tormund is the bark brothers’ worst enemy. He knows our forests, breathes fire, and despite his gentle ways, would gladly kill another fae if it meant protecting you,”Fal had said.

At the time, I hadn’t seen it. But the decorative armor was a message of his intentions. I could picture him with it in his monstrous form, bathing Ellisar, Dalstin, and Floris in flames.

My gentle giant burst into his usual sunny grin and exclaimed, “li’l bird!” And picked me up by my hips to whirl me around with a merry peal of bells. “You look…” Tilting his head, he considered me, still lifted by his massive hands. “Straight from springtime. You need a flower crown.”

“Oh, that would’ve been cute.”

I wiggled a bit so he’d put me down, but instead he pulled me into his chest for a bear hug and murmured, “Mine.” He smelled, oddly enough, like roses. He sniffed me and squinted. “Did Dad say that you smell bad too? You don’t have to wear something that makes you smell like lavender. It’s weird.”

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