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Mateo

“You are doing wonderfully,” Mateo whispered against Scarlett’s ear with a kiss.

“I feel like a wreck,” Scarlett admitted, even her mind feeling the exhaustion.

“Would it comfort you if I told you how beautiful you look?”

“Yes,” she admitted with a quiet laugh.

“You look absolutely breathtaking and seeing our mark on you is something I will never get enough of.”

Scarlett offered him a grateful smile before returning her attention to her plate.

Ezra’s storm was still raging, but she was handling it far better than any of them would’ve thought.

He sat to her other side, seeking her company to calm him and fighting the urge to run as far as he could from her to give her some peace.

Looking around, Mateo soaked in the image of their families mingling.

Maximilian was talking to his father, while Karena was in a deep conversation with his mother explaining the rune Scarlett had carved into Ezra’s palm.

His brothers were stupidly trying to beat Kurt in a drinking game.

Clearly, they had forgotten that a human’s metabolism was nothing compared to a wolf’s.

He let out a sigh and walked over to them, not wanting this special night ruined by them puking their guts out.

“I regret allowing alcohol,” he said, snatching their glasses away.

“Aw, that’s the only reason we came!” Fabian whined.

Adrian, on the other hand, seemed to have forgotten his manners already. “Well, that and maybe the chance of getting some insight on the Moonlight Pack.”

Kurt grinned with an arrogance Mateo only knew from Ezra. “If you outdrink me, I’ll tell you everything— even the codes to the security system and where the cash vault is.”

Adrian’s eyes grew to the size of saucers. “You have a vault of cash in that tower?”

“So large you could swim in it.”

“Fuck,” Fabian spat, forgoing the glasses and snatching the bottle.

“You make them puke, you clean it,” Mateo warned, unable to help laughing at his brothers’ stupidity.

“Nah, your family, your mess to deal with,” Kurt countered, taking a long swing from the bottle handed to him.

“Might make them wake up next to it and have them clean it themselves,” Mateo grumbled.

Kurt chuckled and while Fabian swayed on his feet, Mateo went on to sit next to his father and Maximilian.

“I can call Kurt back if he takes it too far,” Maximilian offered.

“They brought this upon themselves.”

His father grunted, displeased, but didn’t say a word about it. They fell into easy conversation until his mother interrupted to remind him to fill a plate for himself. As he stood in the kitchen, his father stepped up next to him.

“Is there a private space we can talk?”

His father’s words took him by surprise, but he indicated the office. “As long as you promise not to trip and fall into the cake. Scarlett will have our heads if something happens to it.”

That drew a chuckle from the man. They sat opposite each other in front of the desk and for the first time since leaving his family’s ranch, Mateo couldn’t help but fear the conversation to come.

“I now see that I’ve made a mistake by following my father’s tradition.

” Mateo stayed silent and waited for his father to continue.

He rubbed a hand over his beard. “I should have given you the ranch and made you the family heir. Instead, I have to watch my eldest son forget his heritage and pass out drunk before an alpha and his warrior.”

Mateo could only sit, stunned. What was he supposed to say to that? His father had never been a man to apologise. This still wasn’t technically an apology, but it was the closest he would ever get.

Then, his father shifted and pulled an envelope out of his back pocket. He laid it on the desk, and stood. “I’m proud of you.” Without giving Mateo the time to come up with a response, his father left the room.

He stared at the thick envelope, terrified to even touch it. He could feel Scarlett’s worry and a moment later Vince stepped into the office.

‘Would you like Vince to open it?’ Scarlett asked.

‘Maybe catch me when I faint.’

Ezra chuckled darkly through Scarlett’s mind, but Vince sensed how serious Mateo was and stepped closer the second he reached for his father’s envelope.

Inside was a deed to the lake house by Kirkwall.

Shit. Adrian was eager to get his hands on that one. He spent at least a weekend every month out there. This would break out a family feud—no, an all out war and even though he was satisfied to finally have something he felt he’d earned, Mateo was not ready to lose his brothers over this.

‘They are too drunk to know their own names and you don’t have to tell them anything. They will figure it out soon enough.’

Hearing Ezra’s voice through Scarlett’s link was odd but Ezra was right. Mateo wasn’t about to ruin his special day over this. With Vince by his side and a plate piled high with food, he sat down next to Scarlett and enjoyed the time with his family.

When it was time to say their goodbyes, Scarlett was barely able to keep her eyes open. Once the last taillights disappeared down the dirt road, Vince swept her up in his arms and carried her to bed.

“I’m sorry.”

“There is no need,” Mateo hummed, trailing after the two with Ezra by his side.

She didn’t have to tell them why she was disappointed in herself—she was too tired to consummate their union, and she felt horrible about it. Ezra too was fighting to keep his emotions in check, hating to see Scarlett this exhausted from just spending a few hours in his brain.

Vince sat Scarlett on the edge of her bed, and Ezra rushed to kneel and help her out of her shoes.

Mateo sat behind her, carefully undoing the pearl buttons trailing down her spine.

It took a while to get them all open, but Ezra kept her content with a foot rub while Vince grabbed pyjamas and a brush.

When she finally stepped out of her dress Ezra carefully hung it up while Vince and Mateo dressed her.

Mateo took off her jewellery while Vince removed the hair pins and combed out the braids.

Scarlett was out cold within seconds of them tucking her in.

They each kissed her cheek and went out to conquer at least some of the cleaning so Scarlett didn’t have to worry about it.

Though Mateo tried to hide it, Ezra could feel that he was struggling to accept the heightened bond between the two of them.

“Fuck you,” he growled, always the one to seek a fight.

Ezra wasn’t ready to listen, nor was it what he needed so Mateo continued storing the leftover food away. “Are we freezing some of the cake for our anniversary?”

Vince gave a quick nod, but Ezra answered by slamming his fist into the wall, the pain silencing the dark thought about not being there for their anniversary. He was terrified that Scarlett would reject him, asking him to leave so she wouldn’t be burdened by his turbulent thoughts.

The second the pain shot through him, Scarlett let out a panicked gasp, startling awake.

Ezra was sprinting up the stairs right away. Him and Vince followed, finding Ezra cradling their woman and whispering apology after apology into her ear.

“Ezra,” Scarlett murmured, taking his face into her hands. “Shh.”

“I’m so sorry.” And he was, truly and utterly devastated for what he was putting her through. “We shouldn’t—”

“None of that.” Scarlett’s tone had grown frosty and stern in an instant. “I don’t regret our bond. My only regret is that I can’t figure this out faster.” She shifted out of his lap and pointed at her bed. “Lie down.”

Sensing where her mind was going Mateo went to fetch ropes while Vince was off to grab candles, a dagger and a feather—for whatever reason. It wasn’t so much that they could see her plan, more like a mental list of the things she wanted. It was odd, and Mateo couldn’t even begin to describe it.

Ezra was completely naked when he returned. Vince undressed as well and sat in her armchair to have a full view of what was to come. Not that they particularly liked seeing Ezra naked, but they loved this side of Scarlett.

“Fuck the both of you,” the man growled.

Mateo shrugged and secured the ropes to the headboard so Scarlett could fasten Ezra’s waiting wrists.

Once that was done, he stood by the side of the bed and awaited further instructions.

He didn’t have to wait long, a picture of him fucking her in the cabin over Ezra’s tormented body forming in their minds.

Ezra snarled but at the same time he loved it. Not just the thought of being teased again, but Scarlett no longer needing words to tell them what she wanted.

Scarlett removed her pyjamas and settled between Ezra’s legs, Mateo making himself comfortable behind her with kisses along her shoulder.

She wore nothing but their mark on her neck, the thought of her being theirs and theirs alone hardened his dick instantly.

Mateo snaked his arms around her waist, pulling her flush against him as her head lolled back on his shoulder.

While his fingers found her clit and made her whole being buzz, she grabbed the dagger and made a shallow cut along Ezra’s thigh.

She was surprised to feel his pleasure and his emotions actually calming.

To feel the effect for herself was rather pleasing.

She repeated the motion, the pain she was feeling soothed by Ezra’s pleasure.

“Fuck,” Ezra groaned, tugging at his restraints. He wanted to hold her, touch her, be inside her, but Scarlett only shook her head and sliced him again.

When Vince’s lust flooded the bond, her head turned.

His fist shuttled over his cock, his lazy grin and bright eyes resting on her.

She loved to feel how much joy this brought him.

She’d always feared that Vince held himself back, not wanting to interfere.

Though now, through the bond, she could feel that Vince generally enjoyed watching her and she was pleased to finally have that reassurance.