"Harper." I gestured for the big Alpha to step forward, watching him move with that surprising grace, his massive frame somehow not seeming threatening despite his size. "You first." I said, noting the way Gumbo's amber eyes had opened, tracking Harper's approach with ancient, patient awareness.
Harper stopped about ten feet from the rock, his boots planted firmly on the dock, his hands hanging loose at his sides. He didn't crouch, didn't make himself smaller, didn't try to appear non-threatening. He just stood there, steady and solid as the cypress trees surrounding us, and waited.
Gumbo's head lifted slightly, his snout turning toward the big Alpha, nostrils flaring as he took in Harper's scent. I watched the alligator's body language carefully—the position of his tail, the angle of his head, the subtle tension in his massive jaw.
Nothing aggressive. Just... assessment.
"He's reading you." I said quietly, moving to stand beside Harper, close enough to intervene if necessary but far enough to give Gumbo space. "Deciding what you are. Whether you're a threat." I explained, watching the silent exchange between predator and Alpha.
"What should I do?" Harper asked, his voice low, his eyes never leaving Gumbo's.
"Nothing." I said simply, feeling something warm unfurl in my chest at his willingness to follow my lead, to trust my judgment. "Just be. Let him see you." I reached out and touched his arm, feeling the tension coiled beneath his skin. "He respectsstillness. Patience. Quiet strength." I paused, a smile tugging at my lips. "You two have a lot in common, actually." I added.
Harper made a sound that might have been a laugh, soft and surprised, his dark eyes crinkling slightly at the corners. He didn't move, didn't speak, just stood there like a mountain waiting to be measured.
A full minute passed. Then two.
Then Gumbo's head lowered back to the rock, his eyes drifting half-closed, his tail settling into stillness.
"He accepts you." I said, something like pride swelling in my chest, my hand still resting on Harper's arm. "That was fast, actually. Usually takes him longer to decide." I looked up at the big Alpha, finding his dark eyes warm when they met mine.
"We understand each other." Harper said simply, echoing Silas's words from the bayou tour, his massive hand coming up to cover mine where it rested on his arm. "Both of us are used to being the biggest predator in the room. Neither of us needs to prove it." His thumb stroked across my knuckles, gentle despite the calluses.
"Well." Remy's voice cut through the moment, high and slightly strained. "That's lovely. Really heartwarming. Can I skip my turn?" He asked hopefully, his amber eyes darting between Gumbo and the relative safety of the cabin behind us.
"No." I said firmly, releasing Harper's arm and turning to face the nervous Alpha. "You're next." I watched his face pale beneath his golden tan, his throat working as he swallowed hard.
"Chere." Remy's voice dropped, losing its usual playful edge, his amber eyes earnest and slightly desperate. "I don't think this is a good idea. That thing—" he gestured vaguely toward Gumbo, "—he doesn't like me. He's made that very clear. Multiple times. With his teeth." He held up his hands, showing palms that were conspicuously unmarked.
"He's never actually bitten you." I pointed out reasonably, crossing my arms over my chest.
"He's tried." Remy insisted, his curls bouncing as he shook his head. "He's definitely tried. I saw the intent in his eyes, Artemis. Cold-blooded murder intent." He pressed a hand to his chest dramatically.
"Alligators are literally cold-blooded." Silas observed from where he stood, his voice carrying that bone-dry humor I was learning to love. "That's how their biology works." He added, his pale eyes glinting with amusement.
"Not helpful, Boudreaux." Remy snapped, shooting the other Alpha a glare that held no real venom. "This is serious. My life is on the line." He turned back to me, his expression pleading. "Can't I just... observe from a distance? Show my respect from afar? Mail him a nice fish?" He suggested, grasping at straws.
"Remy." I stepped closer to him, reaching up to cup his face in my hands, feeling the stubble rough against my palms. "Trust me. Okay? I won't let anything happen to you." I held his gaze, watching the fear flicker behind his amber eyes, the vulnerability he usually hid beneath charm and humor.
"You promise?" He asked, his voice small, his hands coming up to wrap around my wrists like he needed to anchor himself to something solid.
"I promise." I said softly, meaning it with everything I had. "Now go introduce yourself to my roommate." I released his face and stepped back, gesturing toward the rock where Gumbo still lounged in the afternoon sun.
Remy took a deep breath, squared his shoulders, and walked toward the alligator like a man approaching the gallows.
"Hey there, buddy." He said, his voice pitched higher than normal, his steps slow and careful on the weathered dock. "Remember me? Remy? The handsome one with the great hair?" He stopped about fifteen feet from the rock, his whole bodyvibrating with nervous energy. "I come in peace. Bearing gifts of future fish. Many, many fish." He held up his hands, showing his empty palms. "See? No threats here. Just a friendly guy who wants to get along with his girlfriend's... roommate." He winced at the word, clearly uncomfortable with the terminology.
Gumbo's head lifted. His eyes opened fully, ancient amber fixed on the fidgeting Alpha with an intensity that made my own instincts prickle.
"That's good." I said encouragingly, watching the interaction with careful attention. "You're doing fine. Just stay calm. Don't make any sudden?—"
Remy sneezed. It happened without warning—a sudden, explosive sound that shattered the careful quiet of the afternoon. Remy's whole body jerked with the force of it, his arms flailing, his feet stumbling backward on the dock.
Gumbo's jaw opened.
Not all the way—not the full, terrifying gape of an alligator preparing to attack—but enough to show a glimpse of teeth, a flash of pale pink gums. His tail lashed once against the rock, a sharp crack of sound that echoed across the water.
"Oh shit." Remy yelped, stumbling backward, his arms windmilling wildly as his foot caught on a loose board. "Oh shit oh shit oh?—"
