Page 34 of Invasion of Sorority Z

I stiffen, hearing the concern in Megan’s voice. The rest of my housemates appear less groggy now, all swinging their heads to get a good look at my man’s soul seed. Looks like the conversation can’t wait until after breakfast.

Marrec peers down at me, wondering how to proceed in answering that. Words fail me, but Drak speaks up in my place. “He is a mated male, of course his chest glows. It is an honor to display such a light.”

“Mated male?” Megan asks, seeming to digest the words as she says them. Her jaw clenches and her eyes narrow at Marrec. “Did he just say you’remarried? What the fuck are you doing so close to Stevie if you’ve got a wife, you absolute dickhead?”

Brooke squeaks nearby, always made uncomfortable by confrontation. “Didn’t you two share a bed several times?” she whispers then promptly slaps a hand over her mouth, like she didn’t mean for the words to escape.

“Dik-head?” Marrec asks, frowning.

“Oh don’t do that ‘I don’t understand’ routine,” Megan growls. “He just said you have a wife and you’re all up on our girl like you’re single! Isawyou two making out and pawing at each other.Remember?”

“They made out?” Cayte blurts, face flooding with surprise.

Marrec gives me the saddest confused eyes I’ve ever seen.

“What is awh-eye-ff?” Drak asks, also confused.

“Wife!” Megan emphasizes. “A life-partner, mate, whatever you want to call it. He’s cheating on her with Stevie!”

“Stop yelling at them,” I snap, finally able to get the words out. “Marrec isn’t cheating on anyone. You don’t understand.”

“I also don’t understand,” Cayte mumbles.

“Stevie is Marrec’s mate,” Anna says, drawing everyone’s attention. “Duh.”

“Very good, mean one,” Drak says proudly. “This is why you are a warrior of your people, so clever.” She rolls her eyes at him, but hides a smile behind her water glass.

“I’m sorry for the misunderstanding and for not telling you all right away, but Megan, I need you to apologize to Marrec. He is the nicest person I’ve ever met and you just called him a dickhead without even letting us explain.”

Her face softens slowly and she nods. “Sorry about that,” she says, looking him right in the eyes. “I’m protective of my friends. I shouldn’t have called you names or yelled before listening.”

“I understand,” he tells her simply, but there is still an edge of hurt in his expression. I’ll have to kiss it off of his face later.

“Okay.” I take a deep breath. “Let’s just eat and I’ll talk to you guys after breakfast—like I had already planned.”

Everyone murmurs in agreements, and then we’re eating. Oatmeal has never been consumed with such awkwardness. Once all of my friends have finished, I start talking.

It takes a while to explain, especially since I have to leave the details about Sarah and Rem out of it. Sarah asked me to keep this between us, and I will. I’m also going to try and send her a message that being a mate to Marrec is the best thing that has happened to me, like ever. Maybe hearing that will help convince her to give Rem a shot.

“So, that’s it?” Cayte asks, brows furrowed. “His chest lights up and you’re just together now?”

I clear my throat, feeling a little bit awkward having this conversation with so many people listening. “The soul seed glowing doesn’t command me to be with him, if that’s what you’re getting at,” I tell her firmly. “I already liked Marrec before that. So when it lit up, I was already down to date him.” Marrec grunts, displeased by the word‘date’again, so I correct it. “I mean, I was already down to be his mate.”

His smile lifts high.

“Aww,” Brooke says, reaching out from her seat to hug my face into her chest. “I’m happy for you, hun.”

“So, we’re compatible,” Anna surmises. “Humans and Aprixians.”

“Wait,” Megan says, startled. “Isn’t mating about reproduction?” She lowers her voice to a whisper. “We can makebabieswith them?”

“Marrec and Stee-vee may makebabies,” Drak answers with a teasing tone. “It is unheard of for chosen mates to create young without the help of a mender. Even then it is not common.”

Cayte clears her throat. “Chosen mates?”

“Mates whose soul seeds do not shine for one another,” Marrec explains.

Megan considers this. “So we have like built-in birth control unless your chest turns into a nightlight for one of us?”

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