Page 25

The day of the wedding—the winter solstice—dawned bright and sunny.

Although the only reason Emilio caught the sunrise was because he was just getting home from his night’s work as the pink light filtered down to soften the city’s harsh angles.

Too tired to linger, Emilio dragged himself off to bed, wishing the absence of a certain witch wasn’t so damn noticeable.

Within twelve hours, they’d be bound in the eyes of human law.

His wolf rumbled inside his chest, not satisfied it was enough.

Stretching as he woke that afternoon, Emilio scented another sneaky food delivery from his mate. When he made it to the kitchen, he saw it was accompanied by a beautiful plant to add to the collection that had been appearing. This time, it was a black bat flower.

Alongside it was a boutonniere made from one of the gothic-looking blooms twined in silver wire.

It was stunning. Settling into that dining chair with his coffee and doing his best not to look at the hole in the seat where his knife had embedded, Emilio read the attached note in Rocco’s handwriting .

Dear husband-to-be,

This flower reminded me of you—complex and exquisite with a darkness that calls to me. The wire is made of cadmium, so you can have a piece of your true self hidden in plain sight.

I can’t wait to make you mine.

Your mate, Rocco

Emilio rolled his eyes at the message, but the words made him feel like he was wrapped in his mate’s arms. He’d resisted the overwhelming urge to get Rocco anything for their wedding. Now he felt guilty.

As he made his way to the bathroom and turned on the shower to get ready, his eyes caught on the bottom drawer of his vanity, and a rash urge shot through him.

He’d put the plug Rocco had given him there after he washed it, safely out of reach of his bed, so he didn’t cave and use the toy again when he was struggling to sleep.

The intrusive thoughts about the toy wouldn’t leave him as he showered extra thoroughly.

He wasn’t stupid enough to imagine his mate was going to let him off easy on their wedding night, and his wolf was clearly going to take Rocco’s side on that.

His shaft thickened and throbbed as he imagined slipping the plug inside himself, knowing his mate would feel it from across the city like it was him that was stretching and filling him.

What was Rocco doing right now? Would Emilio make him cry out in front of his fellow club members if he gave in to the urge to play?

Shower complete, he pulled out the plug, holding the weighted metal in his hand and feeling the familiar thrum of his mate’s power.

He’d thought the magic might’ve faded, but it hadn’t yet.

This would be his gift for Rocco. It was only fitting that it would torture him as well.

Before he could overthink it, he grabbed a bottle of lube and slicked the toy up before sliding it inside himself with a long, low groan.

Fuck , that felt good. It was almost like the magic went both ways and he could feel the veins of Rocco’s cock pulsing against his rim. Maybe he could.

A wicked smile stretched across his face as his phone buzzed as soon as he stepped into his bedroom. Swiping to accept the video call, he lay back on his bed and took in his mate’s face, flushed with arousal.

“Happy wedding day,” Emilio said in lieu of a greeting.

“Mmm… isn’t it just? I’m going to get you back for this, puppy.”

“You don’t like my present for you?”

“I didn’t say that. It’s a good thing it’s the longest night of the year tonight because I intend to show you just how much I like it all night long.”

“We have to get through the wedding and reception first,” Emilio pointed out, not even bothering to pretend they wouldn’t be fucking.

His need for his mate burned through his body. He still wasn’t going to bite Rocco, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t do something to relieve the ache of need between them.

“Does your present mean you’re feeling playful?”

“What did you have in mind?” Emilio asked, wary of the too-sexy drop in Rocco’s voice.

“I just want to touch you where no one can see while everyone is looking.”

“Where exactly?”

“Everywhere.”

Emilio groaned as the metal inside him vibrated. Wrapping his hand around his leaking cock, he stroked down his length.

“Ah, ah, ah. No touching yourself,” Rocco chided him.

“How can you even tell?”

“Because I can feel your hole pulsing around that plug, beautiful. So, are you going to let me play tonight?”

Emilio sighed. “If you can keep my scent from the rest of my pack.” At least this kind of touching couldn’t end with his teeth in Rocco’s neck.

“Done.”

The leather wrapped around his wrist warmed a little.

“Can you really cast your magic this far for something like that?” Emilio asked.

“Only because it’s you, puppy. My magic is drawn to you like a lodestone.”

Their conversation was interrupted by a loud knock on Emilio’s front door, right before the sound of the lock unlatching.

“You decent, bro? We’re ready to party!” Aria’s voice called out.

“I need to go,” Emilio said.

“See you soon, puppy.”

Pulling his suit pants on, Emilio went out to see how many of his family had descended on him.

It turned out, all of them. The pop of a champagne cork sounded from the kitchen and gold balloons filled his living room as he looked around at his cousins and their men, feeling emotional despite himself.

“You didn’t all have to come,” he said.

“Yeah, we did, brother,” Luca replied, pulling him into a hug.

“We weren’t going to let you face this alone,” Marco said, pressing their foreheads together as he scented his throat.

“We’ve gotta show these witches how it’s done,” Aria said.

“Any excuse for a party, sugar,” Vin added, winking at him as he leaned against Angelo, encased in his mate’s arms.

Cal emerged from the kitchen with a tray full of champagne flutes a moment later, but he paused mid-step as his eyes tracked down to Emilio’s wrist before flicking back to his eyes. Putting the tray down, he moved closer .

“Can we have a word? In private?” Cal asked.

“It’s consensual,” Emilio said, fighting the urge to blush as he stroked the leather at his wrist.

“Even the stalking magic he has on your neck?”

Emilio swallowed hard. Well, that explained how Rocco found him so easily, at least. “I agreed to that in the contract we signed.”

“Doesn’t mean you have to put up with it. Even if he is your mate.”

“It’s fine.”

“There’s more of his power around you than there should be,” Cal said, brow furrowing in concern.

“I know what it’s all doing.”

Cal searched his eyes and then nodded, stepping away. “Okay.”

“So, I’m walking you down the aisle, but who are you going to have as your best men?” Marco asked.

Emilio groaned. He knew his Alpha had been keeping that from him. Maybe he should’ve let them run a rehearsal like they’d wanted, so he didn’t get caught by surprise. Too late now.

“Luca and Vin.”

Everyone but Marco, Vin, and Luca snapped their attention to him in surprise.

“Why Vin and not me?” Aria pouted.

As long as they were all showing up for him, the least he could do was finally let the cat out of the bag. One of them, at least. “Vin trained me when I took up my side hustle in Europe. He’s always been there for me when I needed him.”

Marco huffed a laugh into his prosecco. “Side hustle? That’s what we’re going with?”

“Wait. What? You’re an assassin ? Why didn’t we know about this?” Aria cried.

“I knew,” Luca said .

“The pack was already looking at me funny for leaving. I didn’t want to deal with the rumours it would’ve started if they knew I was taking contracts for other families while I was overseas. Now, I’m even more glad they never knew. They’d think I was a traitor for sure,” Emilio said.

“They can deal with me if they so much as hint at it,” Marco growled. “I know every single contract you took. You would never betray us.”

“Even if my fated mate is a witch, just like my father’s was?” Emilio asked.

“You are not your father. And Rocco isn’t Ethan. He could’ve saved just you when the police showed up at the warehouse, but he damn near killed himself to save everyone there because he knows what we mean to you,” Marco said.

Emilio just shook his head. He had nothing to say to that because it was true.

He wasn’t even sure why he was still holding out.

That was a lie. He did know. It was because his father’s mate hadn’t just betrayed Gio, he’d killed him.

A bond with a human would never be equal, and Emilio’s instincts, his human ones at least, rejected ever handing someone the power to destroy him that way.

His own mother had abandoned him. His father had betrayed everything he held dear.

Trusting a random witch he’d known only a few weeks just because fate made his scent intoxicating and drove his wolf crazy wasn’t going to happen.

“You’re really not going to complete the bond?” Aria asked.

“A wedding ring is enough. No point making myself vulnerable.”

“You’re just as vulnerable with an uncompleted mating bond. What if something happens to him and he doesn’t have the healing benefits a bond would give him? Your wolf might go feral,” Silas chipped in, frowning .

A chill swept through him at his cousin’s words. “Rocco can look after himself.”

“Enough. We’re supposed to be celebrating. To Emmy and his kinky little air witch!” Vin said, grabbing a glass and holding it high to toast.

Emilio rolled his eyes and took a glass, draining it. “He’s hardly little,” he muttered, sparking a howl of laughter from Vin and smiles all around.

“Is that right, Emmy dearest? And how do we know that?” Vin asked.

“I meant his height ,” Emilio growled.

“Sure you did.”

“I can’t believe I let you talk me into this,” Emilio muttered as they stepped out of the car at the entrance to Hex-Rated.