Page 179

T he mate ball was held at the Court of the Rising Sun.

Queen Cleia had offered, and Rosana had been so thrilled that Adric had agreed, even though he’d assumed they’d hold the ceremony out of his den. Still, at the end of the night, she’d be going home with him, and that was all he cared about.

The ritual was scheduled for sunset on the spring equinox.

Adric slid a finger under the collar of his bronze button-up shirt as he waited for Rosana in the crowded, flower-filled tent.

A fae light drifted by, a soft pink dotted with lazily spiraling bits of gold.

More fae lights cast a hazy rose hue on the assembled clans—his, hers, and a sizable number of sun fae.

At his side were Zuri and Jace, and nearby were Rosana’s attendants, Merry and Jenny. Dion and Marjani were joint officiants.

Dion was imposing in a deep blue shirt and dark slacks, his long hair flowing over his shoulders, his big feet bare. His pint-sized daughter was cuddled in one arm, her bright eyes taking in everything.

“Savonett.” The other alpha nodded, unsmiling. “All the best on your mate-day.”

He nodded back. “Thank you.”

He turned to Marjani, stunning in an African wax-print dress with cheerful red poppies splashed on a green background. It was still a shock to see his sister in something besides brown, gray or camo-green.

“Jani.” He embraced her. “You look—”

“Gorgeous?” She hugged him back. “Glowing?”

He grinned. “Yeah. All that.” He stepped back to scan the meadow for Rosana again, but she was closeted with Cleia and her former nurse Isa in the queen’s fanciful, four-tiered white mansion.

After they’d left Virginia, Dion had taken Rosana back to Rock Run to rest and prepare for the mating celebration. She’d visited Adric every few days, but at his request, it had been a week now since he’d last seen her. He’d spent the time making his den ready for her.

But damn, he ached for her. And not just his cock, which had been half-hard all day. No, it was his heart that ached. It hurt to be separated from his mate.

He shoved his hands into his pockets and scanned the tent again. This mating stuff was for the birds. It made you weak, vulnerable—and he wouldn’t trade places with another man in this tent for any amount of riches.

The sun was painting the sky a spectacular peach and purple when Rosana and her entourage finally emerged from Cleia’s mansion. An excited murmur rippled through the crowd as Tiago and the queen escorted her across the meadow to the tent, with Isa following, a proud smile on her elderly face.

Adric craned his neck, but after a brief glimpse, all he saw was the top of her black head as she wended her way through the crowd, greeting and being greeted.

It seemed like hours before Rosana finally came into view—and stole the breath right out of his chest.

She was gorgeous in a calf-length gown of ivory and gold that clung to her upper body, showing off her high, firm breasts and nipped-in waist before widening to an airy froth around long, sleek-muscled legs.

Her only jewelry was his amethyst pendant, the charm bracelet, and a pair of dangling earrings, and she wore short lace gloves on her hands.

But what made him grin were the red kitten-heel boots on her feet.

“Breathe, Ric.” Marjani slanted him a teasing smile.

Breathe. Right.

Adric sucked in a loud inhale that had everyone nearby chuckling.

Tiago took his place with the other men, and Cleia took little Brisa from Dion before joining the other women.

Zuri stepped forward to take Rosana’s hands and thank her before everyone for saving Adric’s life.

Marjani and Adric had made sure everyone knew what Rosana had done at New Moon, starting with how she’d refused to leave him alone at the court after he’d been badly injured.

It had gone a long way to reducing the clan’s antagonism against her.

It didn’t hurt that they had a healthy respect for Rosana’s Gift. Some of them were even a little afraid of her, which was a good start. Fada respected strength.

True acceptance would take longer, of course. But he had a feeling Rosana would win them over. She’d already won over Zuri, and he wasn’t an easy sell.

As for the hardliners, the ones who muttered their alpha shouldn’t mate with the enemy?

Adric had made sure they knew that Rosana was his mate—period—and they’d treat her with courtesy, or find another clan. He’d only had to shove a few of the more dominant up against a wall to make his point.

Now, he stepped forward and extricated her from Zuri.

“Ready?”

She took his hands. “You know I am.”

The ceremony passed in a blur. All he could see was Rosana, blue eyes smiling, a constant smile on her lips. Crazy in love, and unashamed to show it.

He no longer wondered if she’d ever learn to protect her heart. Instead, he thanked the gods that she’d given it to him. It was a gift he intended to treasure the rest of his life.

He spoke his vows to her loud and clear, proudly claiming her as his before everyone present. She accepted his claim in the same clear tones.

His mate gift to her was a three-strand bracelet of semi-precious stones—amethyst, lapis and green jasper—with a silver cougar and dolphin intertwined at the center.

Her mouth rounded in a soft Oh as he clasped it around her wrist next to the charm bracelet. “I love it,” she said, leaning in for a kiss.

But he stopped her, removing his quartz. “Take off your gloves.”

When she did, he wrapped her bare hands around the chunk of gray and orange. The earth fada sucked in a breath, understanding the symbolism.

Rosana was truly his mate.

Taking back the quartz, he cupped her face and kissed her as Dion and Marjani pronounced the last few words of the ceremony, asking for their mating to be blessed by the gods and goddesses, the sun and moon, and everyone present.

When he released her, her eyes were a deep, saturated blue.

“I love you,” he said, and they turned to accept the congratulations of their clans.

Hours later, Dion and Adric ended up side-by-side, watching the dancers. Their two clans had managed to get through dinner and the dancing that followed without any incidents. They were even intermingling. Zuri was currently charming a sexy older river fada, and Davi was dancing with Suha.

A tall, golden-haired sun fae spun Rosana in a circle and then bent her back over his arm. She laughed up at him and pivoted away, the skirt swirling around her slim legs.

An almost noiseless growl escaped Adric at seeing her so close to another male.

Mine.

It was primal, primitive—and he didn’t give a damn. He was a newly mated fada male, and he wanted his woman all to himself. But he folded his arms over his chest and stayed where he was, because he also wanted his woman to be happy, and Rosana was clearly enjoying herself.

Dion’s look was knowing. “It isn’t easy watching your mate with another man.”

He scowled and shrugged.

“You kept her alive. I owe you my thanks.”

Adric snorted. “Like hell you do. I almost got her bound to the prince in a geas .”

“You did what you had to do. I know the whole story—how she went to Baltimore, tried to get you to take her with you. And then when she had a chance to leave, she refused.”

Adric met his eyes. “If this is the part where you say be good to my sister or I’ll bust your balls, don’t worry. I know I don’t deserve her—but I love her. I’d burn down the fucking world for her.”

A short nod. “I know you would. Do I trust you? You still have to earn that. But in this, I do—you won’t hurt her because it would hurt you too much.”

Adric moved uncomfortably on his feet. “She’s my mate,” he muttered. “Don’t make me into some kind of hero.”

Dion grunted. “Believe me, I’m not. I’m a mated man myself, remember? I know how it is.” A feral grin. “And if you did hurt Rosana, I wouldn’t have to do a damn thing. She’d bust your balls for me.”

Adric gave a bark of laughter, watching as Rosana danced by with another man—Jace, this time. “You’re right.”

“But I have a proposition for you. I want to see my sister more than once every couple of weeks, and I know you’re never going to be satisfied until you have more land for your clan.”

“Go on.”

“Here’s the deal. You need a place for your people to run free as their animals. Rock Run might be able to help you there.”

Adric’s heart sped up. “Yeah?”

“I’ll rent your clan the portion of our territory farthest from the base.

I’ll give you a line that you’ll tell your people not to cross, but you’ll still have a few hundred acres of forest to run in.

Maybe down the road, you can buy up some of the nearby land, expand.

When that Factory of yours finally gets off the ground, you’ll have some extra cash. ”

“I see.”

“Well? You interested?”

“Very,” he returned with a cool nod, although inside, he was leaping for joy.

“We’ll have to work out the details,” Dion said, “but I’d say we have ourselves a deal.” He brought his fist to his heart, and then offered his hand to Adric.

Adric touched his heart as well, and the two of them shook on it.

“Thank you,” he said. “You won’t be sorry.”

“See that I’m not.”

Adric nodded—and then grinned. “But for the record, I’m not done being a pain in your ass.”

Dion smiled back. A white-toothed, frankly evil smile. “You just took on my sister. I figure we’re about even.”