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The question gutted Rowan.

He had no clue what Milo had taken or what was going on. All he knew was that he didn’t want Milo to be upset ever.

“I’d trust you with them in a heartbeat. I didn’t think you would want to,” Rowan admitted shyly.

“Who did you get to do it instead?” Milo demanded, pouting before his eyes flashed from blue to silver. “That waitress?!”

He looked ready to find the poor woman and eviscerate her. Rowan held on to him tightly.

“No, my sister said she would.”

Milo gnashed his teeth just before he bent down and bit him unexpectedly, right in the same spot he had when they’d first met.

Rowan hissed, the sting zinging up his arm, but didn’t pull away. In fact, it made his stomach swoop and his dick hard. It felt possessive. Like ownership. Like Milo was trying to stake his claim.

“Well, fuck,” Ruben said, somewhere in the distant background.

Rowan growled again and turned them until Milo’s back was against the wall and he was in front of him where Ruben couldn’t see. Milo’s teeth never left his arm.

Rowan thumbed at his straining jaw. “It’s okay. I’m not going anywhere,” he rumbled.

Milo let out a small, frustrated whimper, his teeth digging deeper as if to make sure he couldn’t.

Rowan held still through it, keeping him eclipsed in his shadow until the pressure eased up and an imprint was all that was left.

Milo panted with his mouth open, saliva smeared around his lips and chin. “I’m going to slash your tires.”

“So I can’t leave?” Rowan guessed.

Milo nodded, head lolling on his shoulders.

Rowan got his arms around him before he fell over. He wobbled, hands migrating around from Rowan’s back to his front. Dangerous territory.

Rowan captured one from over his shirt, flattening it against his thundering heart. “Do you need a doctor?”

“He needs a spare brain cell so he can give it to you,” Ruben called.

Rowan turned his head and blew out an arc of flame. “LEAVE!”

“This is my dressing room, you unhinged baby!” Ruben yelled back. “Can you get your head out of your ass and put two and two together about your boyfriend here before the fire department needs to be called?!”

“What are you even talking about?”

“HE’S YOUR MATE, YOU IDIOT!”

The door burst open in more than Rowan’s head, opening the floodgates as people streamed inside.

Rowan vaguely recognized his family and Milo’s hoard and friend in his peripheral vision as he turned to face Milo.

It was like he was seeing him through a whole new lens.

A kaleidoscope had opened up before him, the facets of Milo making up every fractured, beautiful color and swirling together.

His mate.

“Milo,” someone called out, approaching.

“Don’t—” Ruben said, but it was too late.