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Emilio snorted. “I’m not a fucking idiot. You have magic that can make you invisible. It’s not a fair contest.”

Although, given the relentless tug in his chest towards his mate, he was pretty certain he’d know if Rocco was watching him even if he’d screened himself from all sight, hearing, and scent with his air magic.

A whisper of air preceded the sound of Rocco’s voice, impossibly quiet in his ear, while the man’s lips didn’t even move. “ Such a clever puppy. The silver contrast with his blood was beautiful. I can’t wait to see what other colours of rope you have.”

Emilio froze. What the fuck? Rocco was the one who’d been watching him in the warehouse earlier? How much had he seen?

“ Stop freaking out. I’m not going to tell on you or your pretty vampire. ”

Emilio’s nostrils flared, and he glared at his fiancé. Why was he calling another man pretty? And now he’d lost track of the damn conversation deciding his future again , dammit .

“This is non-negotiable. Rocco has a history, and I won’t risk conflict between us when he goes hunting down Emilio,” Blaze said, addressing his words to Marco.

“It’s fine. We agree,” Marco said.

Emilio growled under his breath, but quickly cut off the sound at his Alpha’s glare. There was no way Marco would’ve agreed to that if he hadn’t realised Rocco was his mate, but that shouldn’t have been relevant when Emilio clearly had no intention of completing the bond.

A phantom hand gripped his nape firmly, just like Rocco had earlier, settling his wolf. His fiancé, the asshole, was pretending obliviousness as he read over his copy of the contract.

Clearing his throat, the lawyer who’d been silent up to that point chimed in.

“The required events were already agreed, so I assume you are still fine with them—a public date of the gentlemen’s choice within the next week, an engagement announcement at the city’s Winter Ball two weeks from now, and a solstice wedding.

The contract also requires joint attendance at all other major family events one would expect spouses to be present at.

The only remaining question is where the happy couple intends to reside? ”

“They can have one of the pack’s apartments,” Marco said.

“And make it look like you’ve stolen another of my witches from me? No. They’ll stay in Rocco’s room at the clubhouse,” Blaze snapped.

“Cal was never yours to begin with. I’m not sending my cousin to live isolated in witch territory.”

“It’s not like he’s been living with you up until now. You said he hasn’t lived with the pack in over a decade. He’ll be fine.”

Emilio was struggling to follow the argument because the phantom hand that had been at his neck was drifting down his front, brushing cool air over his nipples before heading further south.

A quick glance at Rocco confirmed his fiancé’s attention was locked on him, his muscled thighs spread wide as he leaned back on the couch, and a growing bulge clearly visible through his jeans.

The murderous glare he sent Rocco’s way was entirely ineffectual as the phantom touch continued its inevitable progress down his body, skirting around his now leaking cock to squeeze his balls slightly too tight. It was all he could do not to whimper.

“My fiancé will come live with me,” Rocco said, an irritating level of certainty in his voice as the touch slipped closer to his hole.

Emilio’s eyes widened. No way could he handle his mate touching him there like this.

He was going to come in a room full of people if Rocco had his way.

Fuck. Using the safe word he hadn’t had any say in was only going to encourage the man, but there was nothing else for it.

Keeping his eyes locked with Rocco’s, he bit his lip.

The touch instantly disappeared, and the bastard looked smug as the words “ Good puppy ” whispered in his ear from his magic.

He was so going to get the air witch back for that. Just as soon as he had control of his body again.

“Emmy? It’s up to you,” Marco said, concern in his tone as he dragged Emilio’s attention back to the discussion he really should’ve been more focussed on.

“I have a loft apartment near the Boundary Road with the MC territory. We can stay there,” he said.

It was his safe space in the city. The place he went to get the alone time he craved that made him so unusual in the pack.

No one but his cousin and Marco had ever been there, but that was going to have to change if he didn’t want to end up stuck living surrounded by people.

Deep inside, his wolf was thrilled that he was bringing his mate into their den .

Marco looked surprised. He knew what the place meant to him. “You’re sure?”

Emilio jerked his head in assent, avoiding looking at his mate. He’d never been more certain of anything, and that was a problem. How the fuck was he going to stop himself from bonding his mate? He didn’t want to be tied down to the city, and he definitely didn’t want to be tied down to the MC.

“That works,” Rocco said.

“I want them in the clubhouse at least one night a week,” Blaze added.

“Fine. Then they’re at the packhouse once a week as well,” Marco shot back.

Emilio resisted the urge to sigh, not willing to undermine his Alpha in front of the witches.

This was like some fucked-up custody dominance battle.

Why couldn’t they just let him be in his own space?

The pack still looked at him like being a traitor was a genetic inheritance, and that would only grow worse with the announcement of his engagement to a witch, given his dad’s history.

He didn’t imagine he’d get any warmer welcome from the witches.

The sooner he found a way out of this situation, the better.