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“Who took you? How?” Desperation laced my voice. My mate’s disappearance was a mystery that had never ceased to fill me with pain and regret. The memory of that day throbbed in my head, a migraine that lasted forever.
“I was murdered. When I went to the market. It was murder, my love. Erik…I have to help Valentina. After maybe…just know that I would never leave you. You have always been the one my soul wanted. I…she needs me. I must go.”
I didn’t miss the irony of her telling me she would never leave me and then she did just that, abandoning me for battle. But she was right. We had to finish this not only for our friends but for the good of the city and maybe the world.
Dean was a menace that needed to end.
Chapter One
Onyx
“It’s…red,” Raven said, sitting on the edge of the bed while Asher sat on the trunk that held our blankets and throws, not that we needed them. We generally nestled together in the same California king, leaving the need for extra warmth null.
I looked down at the monstrosity Valentina had convinced me to buy. A dress with a hem swishing along my ankles while the neckline plunged all the way to my navel. It was sexy, even I would admit that, but was it fit for a formal party with Asher’s high-society wolf-shifter family?
I had not a fucking clue.
“Oh?” I looked down and took the delicate skirt in one hand. “It is? I thought it was silver all this time.”
“Let’s not get into a sarcasm fight again. The last one was exhausting.” Raven stood up and came over to assess me, walking around and around my form and making me feel like prey. “I prefer you in royal blue but I understand this is a holiday-themed ball. Asher? What do you think of this gorgeous female in red?”
Asher had been staring the entire time. Without him saying, I already knew what he was thinking, and it had nothing to do with dances or the holiday and more about the bed behind him.
“I think Onyx looks sexier than ever in that dress but I don’t want her to wear it.”
I gasped. Before being mated, I hadn’t given two rhino’s asses what anyone thought of me, my choices, and certainly not my fashion sense, but now, I had these two in my life, and their opinions mattered. “Is it too much? This?” The gentle curvature of the bottom of each breast was visible even though there was a sheer fabric between that technically covered the slits. Asher’sparents were a bit conservative but I kind of liked this dress on me. It was feminine yet made me feel powerful in my own skin, which I was—powerful.
“No. It’s just enough, mate.”
I threw my arms up and let them fall against my thighs. “Then what? That’s it. I’m not going.”
One red dress and a ball in the future, and I sounded like a fucking debutante.
“I’m just…” Asher stood and came to stand next to Raven. They slipped their arms around each other’s waists while Raven reached out to touch the satin at my waist. “I’m not pleased about everyone at that party seeing what’s mine. What’s ours. We’re going to have to fight them off, aren’t we, Rave?”
“For sure.”
Scoffing, I whirled to look in our floor-to-ceiling mirror. I had to admit, I did love it. “No one’s going to look at me anyway, but, if they do, I’m hoping to have one of you nearby. It’s Raven’s turn to show us her dresses.”
Raven shrugged. It was no secret that she and I weren’t pleased about going, but Raven was more reluctant than me. “Not now. They’re all in the garment bag. I don’t want to take them out again.”
“I…” Asher started and my chest tingled knowing we were going to have a redo of the conversation we’d been having for weeks, and we’d come to the same conclusion as always. “We don’t have to go. It’s bringing nothing but anxiety for both of you.”
It would be stressful. “Asher, I want to go meet your parents. I’m only afraid that we could see mine in the process. These balls…everyone and their brother is invited. I don’t want to have a confrontation. And what if your parents are the same? What if they take one look at us and decide they hate us?”
Asher walked over and took Raven’s face in his hands. Hewas a good mate. Always thoughtful and gave his all for this mating. There were snags in every relationship, but both of my mates were worth it. “What are you really afraid of, love? Because the woman I mated doesn’t give two shits about what others think, and I love her for that.”
Raven’s gaze met his and then mine. All of us in one way or the other had to let go of our walls and be transparent with each other. Mine had been thicker than everyone’s combined, and being taken from Asher and Raven had broken them down in one blast. Raven’s were lighter than they had been, but Asher could always coax her from her mental kingdom. “If they don’t like us, then…” She sighed. It was hard for her. I went to stand behind her and wrapped my arms around her waist, resting my chin on her shoulder. “What’s going to happen if they don’t?”
We knew what she was saying. If they didn’t like us, if they didn’t want any part of someone whose parents—members of their own social set—had disowned her, was Asher going to abandon us like her parents did? She brushed the whole thing off but the truth was, her parents rejecting her mates and her choices in love cut her to the marrow.
“Raven, if they don’t like you, then they don’t. Nothing about us or this mating or our lives change. If they cut me off financially, it’s okay. I’ve been smart with my money, and we have plenty to take care of all of us.” His gaze shifted to me. “And while we’re on the topic, if we ever see your parents, I have some choice words for them. I honestly hope I do see them one day. I hope they see us happy and desperately in love and wish they hadn’t been colossal jackasses to one of the sweetest daughters on the earth.”
“Promise?” Raven asked. Gods, I loved her even more when she allowed herself to be this vulnerable.
“I promise. You two are mine, no matter what life throws at us. All of us belong to each other. Nothing will change ourminds, right, Onyx?” He leaned forward and kissed my lips and then Raven’s, sealing his vows.
“Absolutely. No one has a say in our lives but us.”
