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Part of Lucien wanted to slug Clay right in the mouth for growling at his mate. But another part of him wanted to kiss the man for keeping at least one of his mates out of danger. He’d never felt so torn in his life.
Gio lifted his chin and crossed his arms over his chest. “Then let’s do it. Right here, right now. Bond us.”
Both Lucien and Calder were on their feet in an instant, surrounding Gio.
“What?” Calder demanded.
“Are you sure? We don’t want you to feel pressured into this,” Lucien said.
“This is forever,” Calder continued. “There’s no such thing as bonding divorce. You’re stuck with us forever.”
Gio’s expression softened, and he bumped his nose into Calder’s. “Not stuck. Never stuck. I’m lucky to have you both.”
Lucien shook his head, his throat tightening. “But not like this. I wanted you to want us because you might think you could love us. Not to stop the pestilents.”
“Who says I don’t?”
Lucien froze at Gio’s words and cheeky grin. His gaze darted over to look at Calder’s equally stunned expression.
“Really?” Calder croaked.
“Really,” Gio said easily. “I realized it when I was standing in my parents’ house while you were outside fighting the pestilents, risking your lives to protect me and my family. I knew in a heartbeat that I’d give anything to keep you safe. You’re both mine and I love you.”
Lucien grabbed Gio’s mouth in a brutal kiss and jerked away so Calder could do the same. “I love you. I love you both so much,” he whispered, stealing kisses whenever he could grab a free set of lips. Calder and Gio bathed him in words of love, but he could barely hear them over the pounding of his heart.
He’d let himself daydream silly fantasies about finding his mate and falling in love, but none of them were as amazing or humbling as this moment. He had mates, and he was going to do everything within his power to cherish and protect them.
“Did you plan this?” Grey asked.
Lucien’s head popped up in time to see Clay smile and lift one hand in the air. “Maybe a little. I wanted to see what would happen if I gave him a nudge.”
“Asshole!” Lucien snapped.
Clay only shrugged. “What did you want? Romance?”
“Maybe.”
Dane nearly fell over laughing. He clutched his stomach and shook his head. “Romance? Clay and I were bonded while Baer was bleeding out in our bed.”
“My dog was brainwashed and trying to kill us when we were bonded,” Baer volunteered.
Cort smiled up at his mate. “I guess we were lucky. You’d just gotten your eyesight back.”
Grey hummed happily as he kissed Cort. “Yes, but I’d fallen in love with you sight unseen. My soul knew you were mine.”
“Screw romance,” Gio said with a wide grin. “We can have romance when all the pestilents are dead and gone. Let’s get bonded so we can go kick some ass.”
Calder turned toward Clay. “We need the goddesses, right?”
Clay shrugged again. “Yep. But they have a knack for showing up when we need a bonding ceremony.”
The Earth Weaver had barely gotten the words out when there was a knock at the hotel door.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Gio’s eyes widened when three elderly ladies entered the room. They couldn’t have been more different from each other. One had long, gray hair and a colorful skirt that flirted with her ankles. A colorful bouquet of wildflowers was cradled in her arms. Another carried a blue, purple, and white scarf; her own hair in a severe bun. The last had curly hair to her chin, and she gave Gio a wink.
“So, you’re the new soul mate,” she said. “I’m Josephina, but they all call me Aunt Jo. I’m the goddess of animal and soul. We understand there’s to be another bonding.”
“You’re bonding to my ward, Calder.” This from the woman in the long skirt. “Lucien belongs to Flo.” She made a face at the fellow goddess in the bun. “I’m Willie, and I’m so thrilled to see three souls so perfect for each other. I’m the goddess of water and air.” She handed the flowers to Gio. “For you. You should get married with flowers.”
Gio took them, completely bemused by these women who seemed to know so much. There was an otherworldliness to them like he could almost taste their magic in the air.
“Why’d you knock on the door?” Baer asked. “Normally, you just appear wherever we are.”
Willie’s laughter rang out. “We’re smart enough not to appear inside an actual hotel room with bonded mates inside. Same reason we don’t arrive in your bedrooms. It’s not like there’s a lot of privacy with you all living in the same house already.”
“Boundaries are good,” the last woman said. She stepped over to Gio and held out her hand. “I’m Flo. It’s good to finally meet you. You’ve made Lucien and Calder so happy.”
