Page 29 of Moonlit Alexandrite

Agate blinked.

Then they were laughing again. I stood patiently with my cock-warmer in hand, contemplating whether I should look into new friends.

“You guys suck.”

For some reason, they laughed harder.

Chapter Eighteen

Tase

Even in kelpie form, I was smirking like a motherfucker thinking of the look of appreciation on my mate’s face when I dropped the blanket. Clothing was so overrated.

It had been a good morning. Check-in with my mate, confirmation of delivery to a certain selkie who needed to back off my loch, and now I was off to find a moping faun. Talk about a buzzkill, but this had to stop. I headed north and east until I hit the loading dock of Flare. Castor had told us not to use the cargo elevator, but seeing as he kept leaving the keys inside, I figured it was fair game. The metal flooring had a texture that I hated on my hooves, so with a thought, I was once again a man as I strode down the hall toward the lower bar.

“Why the fuck are you naked in my club, Atanas?” Castor bellowed from the mezzanine level as I walked across the dance floor. I blew him a kiss and continued on toward a resigned-looking Dion, who had stopped stocking the bar fridge to watch my approach.

“Castor’s using your full name, you’re in trouble now,” he said, flinging an apron at me as soon as I was close enough. I obliged and wrapped it around my waist, not that I really saw the point, my ass was still in the wind, but if it made him listen to what I had to say I would wear the damn thing.

“He’ll get over it, not like there’s anyone else here at this time of day,” I said with a shrug, leaning an elbow on the bar. Dion gave a grunt that could have been agreement, or gas. Maybe gas with the grimace he was rocking. He pushed his glasses up his nose and began polishing the sparkling clean wine glasses that hung above our heads.

“I know why you’re here,” he said when it became clear I wanted him to talk to me.

It amazed me how often even my closest friends forgot I had patience beyond reckoning. I would be useless in the war I was waging if I were rash and impulsive. Give it time and your prey will come to you.

“She seems really happy with the two of you.”

I could see a single bead of sweat form at Dion’s hairline as I continued to watch him.

“I don’t know what you want me to say here.” He had no poker face. I watched as he adjusted his glasses once again and wiped down a spotless bench in his attempts to avoid eye contact.

“Why are you being a bitch about this? You’re hurting her,” I said.

Dion ducked his head with a snort. “I’m doing no such thing. She has you and Ren —”

“And she needs you,” I interrupted. Was this why he had been staying away? Had he really convinced himself there was no place for him in our family?

“You belong with us. We’re trying to find our way through this relationship together. You said you didn’t want her to come between us, but as of right now? You’re doing this to yourself. If you don’t want to be a part of this, then that’s your prerogative, but if you do? You’d better pull your head out of your ass and figure out how to fix things with our mate because I am not thrilled with you at the moment, and I don’t like that feeling, brother.”

There. I had said my piece, and now I needed to hope he would follow through. If only he knew how similar he and Lex were. Both ran from their problems, both needed the acceptance of a family unit, and neither knew their true worth. They would fit perfectly, if they ever got their shit together.

I left through the front door this time, better to avoid one of Castor’s bad moods, seeing as he saw me come in through the loading dock.

I wandered slowly back into town. It was a distance most would want to drive, but I liked the exercise, and I could always shift if I grew sick of walking on two legs. With little thought, I gravitated toward Crafty Seductions, where I could sense Lex was still working.

On impulse, I stopped by Jewels Cafe.

"No pants, no shoes, no service,” Nephrite hollered as the bell rang overhead. I smirked at her shit eating grin and sauntered over to the counter. My dick was covered, so I was more dressed than usual, and she knew it. Besides, I was a mated man now. The thought made me puff up just the tiniest bit.

“Ah, who am I kidding. If we enforced that in Moonlit Falls, we'd probably end up with no customers," she said, and made up two bubble teas, because I wasn’t stupid enough to forget one for Colbie. I asked her to put it on my tab — because, obviously — and headed out.

The smell of paint fumes hit me hard as I crossed the threshold into the craft store, and I paused to marvel at the sight of my mate in paint spattered overalls, her fiery hair braided down her back, perched on a ladder cutting into the corner near the ceiling. Across the room, Ren and Colbie leaned companionably on the counter, sniping at each other. I was sure this was both of their favorite hobby, as they seemed incapable of agreeing on anything outside of their love for Lex.

I passed one cup to Colbie with a smile and a wink before making my way over to my beautiful mate.

“Bubbletastic bubble tea for my beautiful mate,” I announced with a flourish, making her laugh.

“Ooh, fun! I’ve been wanting to try these,” she said with a grin as she accepted the beverage.

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