Thoreau - Chapter 60: Chapter 60
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                    Wayne
There was so much to process in Spring's memory, and I didn't really get a chance to because everyone started coming over to congratulate us.
I was happy as hell that my wish came true and I could spend the rest of my life with the two boys I loved, but my mind wouldn't let go of one thought.
Everett Breckenridge was supposed to be my true mate.
I didn't have time to understand how I felt about that, let alone understand how I felt about the Goddess 'replacing' him - even if it was with Reau - and I needed that time. My gut churned, my head swam, and my heart stuttered, then sped up over and over.
Everyone was fucking hugging me and saying how fucking happy they were for us, and I... couldn't... fucking... breathe...!
Come on, Wayne, I heard someone link me, then felt a hand wrap around my clenched fist. Come with me.
Not really thinking anymore, I let them drag me away, although losing the mate sparks was a bitch that almost made me jerk out of their hold and go back, but some part of me knew it would be best to get away from everyone until I could sort myself out.
Everett fucking Breckenridge was supposed to be my mate!
And he was dead. Exactly three years dead, to be precise. Killed by a hunter's silver bullet at the exact right - or wrong - time to hit him and miss Spring, which was how his wolf survived to be merged with Reau.
And he died because he was saving Quartz. Fucking Quartz! Who could for damn sure take care of himself! He was the reason Ev was dead, to save that brutal bastard!
But then you wouldn't have Reau, and Reau wouldn't have Spring, Ocean pointed out in his practical way.
What gives you the right to say anything? I snarled. You have your mate!
And you have yours. Both of them.
My sudden spurt of anger faded almost as soon as it began, and I apologized to my wolf before I started dwelling on a thousand what ifs.
What if Jay never went to Crystal Caverns? What if he'd never answered Alpha Liam's request for help with those hellhounds? What if Ev had never died? What if I had gotten to know him better while he was alive? I should have gotten to know him better! If I had—
Dude, Ev was six years older than us. We weren't even fifteen yet when he died. Most twenty-one-year-olds aren't going to hang out with fifteen-year-olds!
But I don't feel any more grief for him than I would anyone else in the pack who died too soon, I explained as well as my fuzzy thoughts would allow. Shouldn't I feel worse than I do? What's wrong with me?
There's nothing wrong with you. You aren't upset because there is no mate bond. There hasn't been since his death. You heard the Moon Goddess. Even if Spring stood next to us today, without her intervention, I wouldn't have felt that he was my mate!
Still, I feel guilty that I'm happy, happy to have Reau and Arch, and not devastated about Ev. I should be deep into the grief cycle or something, I argued.
Aren't you? Ocean rolled his eyes. You just sped through denial, anger, and asking what-ifs, but I forget what that stage is called. Not that you need to experience all the steps, or even experience them in that order—
Okay, Osh, enough. I squeezed my eyes closed, and when I opened them again, I saw I was sitting on the floor in the center of Wesley's bedroom.
I knew it was his room because the walls had floor-to-ceiling shelves full of models in glass cases and about a bajillion biplanes hanging from the ceiling. The fourth wall was taken up by his workstation and bed, which was where he was sitting and watching me.
"Wesley?" I rasped.
"Oh, good. You're back. Everyone's worried about you, and your mates are about to tear the house apart to find you. Well, Arch is. Toro's on the verge of crying."
"Fuck." I scrubbed my hands over my face. "I'd better go find—"
"You'd better stay right there." Scooting off his bed, he came over and sat next to me, then leaned his head on my shoulder. "There were lots of people who wanted to bring you inside for a breather, by the way. I just beat them all to it."
I opened my mouth to ask about our Momma Bear, but the little chatterbox was unstoppable when he was on a roll.
"And some of them were busy and couldn't, even though they wanted to. Mom and Dad were trying to hold the heathens back because the Prices and Bridger just arrived and both Isabelle and Rosalie were sleeping, and those little girls are grouchy if you wake them up before they're ready."
I smiled a little at that. He was right; those babies did not like their beauty sleep interrupted!
"And Posy and our older brothers wanted to grab you, too, but you know how Quartz gets when Ev's brought up, and Jay is struggling to control him because he's upset, too," Wes finally paused to draw a breath, only to immediately pick up right where he left off. "So Posy's helping Jay, Cole is keeping Q in check, and Mase is explaining things to Ash and Wyatt, who are clueless as usual."
"Why's Jay upset?" I asked as I laid my cheek on my kid brother's soft brown hair.
"He feels guilty that you don't have your mate because of him."
"But I do have my mates," I emphasized.
"We know that, but Jay's Jay. Everything's his fault, and he bottles it all up until he can't take it anymore." Wes shrugged. "Don't worry. Posy's helping him."
He stopped talking, and we sat in silence for a moment. I could feel both Reau and Arch sending me so much love through our new mate bond, as well as friends and family pushing out waves of support and comfort, and I kind of felt like I was being a little attention-seeking drama bitch, but I had not been expecting that revelation at all.
I had always believed that the Moon Goddess either never gave me a mate or he or she died in the sickness, and I was okay with that because I had Arch and, later, Reau.
"You ever hear Posy say, 'Be like a tree and let the dead leaves drop'?" Wes asked out of the blue. "I think about that quote a lot because I don't understand all of it quite yet, but it's a good one to meditate on, don't you think?"
"Wes, how the hell old are you? Like fifty-two or something?" Wrapping my arm around his little bean head, I pulled him into a headlock so I could give him a gentle noogie.
"Mom says I have an old soul and that my future mate will appreciate it." His voice was muffled against my shirt as he sat there and didn't even try to fight out of my hold like any of our other brothers would have.
Because he knows it would be impossible to get out of and the expense of energy wouldn't be worth it, I thought with an eye roll. More proof he's really a middle-aged nerd in a twelve-year-old body.
Eleven, Ocean said helpfully. He's not going to be twelve for two more weeks.
Thanks for your two cents, Osh, but I'll give you a whole quarter to shut the fuck up.
What the hell am I going to do with a fucking quarter? I'm a wolf!
Spring doesn't like profanity. Better get that mouth under control before Daddy punishes you, I smirked at him.
Maybe I want him to. Ocean batted his eyelashes at me, and I gagged a little.
"Wayne?" Thankfully, Wesley came to the rescue before I learned more than I ever wanted to know about my kinky wolf.
"Yeah, little bro?" I loosened my hold so he could raise his face to look at me.
"There is no one else in this pack who will tell you this, but if you want to reject Toro because he wasn't originally your mate, I will stand by you." He held up his index finger when I opened my mouth. "Not because I think you are right, but because you are my brother. You could make the worst decision in the world, and that would be one, but you will always be my brother. I'll never turn my back on you."
"Fucking hell, Wes." My eyes filled up again as my throat tightened painfully.
"Language, Wayne." The little shit scolded me with a frown. "Do you know Winnie dropped a f-bomb two days ago right in front of Mom? He couldn't sit down for dinner!"
"And how is that my fault?" Damn! If I rolled my eyes any harder, I'd see my brain back there.
"Where do you think he hears cursing? Daycare?" Wesley gave me The Look, and I could see Mom in him so much that it made me chuckle.
Before I could roll him on the floor and start tickling the old man out of him, Reau knocked timidly on the link as Arch hammered on it, and I suddenly wanted to see my precious mates more than anything in the world.
As Spring ended the memory, everyone crowded around us and started congratulating us, but I felt uncomfortable. Wayne's breathing went funny and he wasn't linking with me. When I asked Arch, he said the same.
Are you okay, Arch? I asked.
Yeah, Curls. I'm happier than ever. Are you?
Yes, and I am also very happy, but what about Firth? Is he sad that he has Spring instead of Tanner for his mate?
He's not sad at all, Arch assured me. Wolves don't dwell on the past or things they can't change. He's overjoyed to have a mate, even if it isn't exactly who it was supposed to be. I'm more worried about Wayne.
I am, too, I admitted. What should we do?
As much as I want to pick him up and take him somewhere quiet, Wesley just linked me. He's going to take Wayne to his room for a bit.
Shouldn't we be with him? I mean, we're Wayne's mates.
True, and I want to be with him right now, too, but I think he needs some space to come to terms with everything Spring just revealed. Arch told me as Bubble Konnie came over to congratulate us next. Don't worry too much, baby boy. Wes knows how to help him, and he wants to talk to him, anyway.
Since Arch had known Wayne - and Wesley - much longer than I had, I relied him to be right and focused on Bubble as he picked me up in a big bear hug and squished me.
"I'm going to miss you, fratellino. Come visit us a lot, si?"
"I'm not going anywhere, Bubble." I tilted my head as I frowned at him.
"You're moving in with your mates, aren't you?" Now he tilted his head and frowned, too.
"Yes, but only to the old Barlow alpha house." I rolled my eyes. "I'm not leaving the pack or anything."
"Okay, fratellino," he chuckled.
By then, Wesley had taken Wayne by the hand and led him into the house, and Bubble released me to face Arch.
Do you think— I started to ask Arch as Bubble shook his hand. Do you think WayWay is sad or upset that he's stuck with me?
Of course not! I know for a fact he's happy he has the two of us. It's what he - and I - have both wanted since we met you. He needs to grieve a little, I think, and Wes said he'd link us if he needs help or Wayne wants us.
Feeling bad for my mate, I sniffed a little as Bubble moved aside so Dad and Papa could come over and glare at Arch.
"Even though you're officially mates now, and true ones at that, we will still keep our eye on you and Wayne to make sure you're treating him well," Papa growled.
"I wouldn't expect anything less, Papa," Arch grinned.
"Reau, I love you." Dad laid his big palm on top of my head and ruffled my curls. The tears glittering in his eyes made mine sting, too. "Every day I've had with you has been a blessing, and I can't thank the Moon Goddess enough for trusting me to love you and care for you."
"Dad!" I whined. "You're going to make me cry!"
My bottom lip wobbled and I flung myself at him. As I knew he would, he wrapped me up a tight hug, and I nuzzled my face into his hard chest.
This has always been my safe place, I linked him. When those people threw you away like trash, this is what I missed the most. I almost forgot about it when they locked me up in that crate in the attic, but Binda reminded me, and I will never forget again. I love you, Mama Bubba.
His chest shook against my cheek, and I felt Papa's arms close around both of us, so I knew Dad was crying. I didn't think they were happy tears, exactly, but I also didn't think they were sad tears.
Papa? I linked him to check.
He's okay, cucciolo. Your words touched him, si?
Touched him? How could words—
It's an expression that means you made him feel grateful. As he said, you are our little blessing, tesoro (treasure).
I've been so happy living with you, Papa. I lifted my face and smiled at him. Thank you for loving me.
Oh, my dear piccolo (little one), that is nothing you ever need to thank either of us for. It is no less than you deserve.
Arch must have been feeling left out because he squirmed his way between Dad and Papa, and I giggled at the look on Dad's tear-streaked face. He and Arch were just about the same height, although Dad was heftier, but that was only because Arch was so much younger. By the time my BearBear was twenty-four, he'd probably be just about the same size.
While most of my attention had been on my family, a small part of me was worrying about Wayne and, despite his reassurances, I knew it was the same for Arch.
Which was why, when Wesley finally let us know that Wayne would probably be okay to talk to us now, I didn't hesitate to gently tap on the link and ignored Arch whaling on it.
Can you both come here, please? Wayne asked before we could say anything, then closed the link.
So Arch and I excused ourselves and headed inside, ran up the stairs and went down the hall, following our noses to Wesley's room. I always liked his room. It had so many toys and things to look at, but right now I had to focus on my mate.
He was sitting in the middle of the floor with Wesley next to him, and I hated to see his frown because I'd caused it.
Spring and I were so sure we'd made the right decision, but I guessed we didn't.
Sniffing back tears, I knelt next to Wayne and touched the fingers of my left hand to his shoulder, careful not to crowd him in case he didn't want me this close right now.
"I'm sorry I'm not Everett," I whispered as I stared at his chin. "I know I'm probably nothing like him—"
"I'm glad you're not." He took my hand from his shoulder and I thought he'd fling it away, but he kissed my knuckles instead, then threaded our fingers together. "It would have broken my heart over and over every time we ran into one of his former lovers."
"But he was supposed to be your mate, and you lost him before you found him."
"Baby boy, you heard what the Moon Goddess said as well as I did. The bond snapped as soon he was killed, just like Firth's did when Tanner died. Yeah, I needed a moment to work through what I was feeling about all of it, but I did and now I'm okay."
"So Spring and I made the right choice? You're not going to reject me or Arch?"
"Fuck, no!" he bellowed, and I flinched hard.
"Wayne." Arch crouched down on my other side and rubbed his hands up and down my back.
"Sorry, Curls." Wayne dropped my hand, but only so he could hold my face in his palms. "You made the right choice. Right, Arch?"
"One hundred percent."
"We made a commitment to each other before the Goddess even considered merging our mate bonds," Wayne went on, "and I think that's all there is to say about it. I love you. I love you both. It's the three of us together forever, remember?"
"I love you, WayWay." I gave him my best smile, the one that Dad said would melt a heart of stone, even though there was no animal in the world that could have a stone heart. Then I turned to Arch. "I love you, BearBear."
"And I love both of you. Now more than ever."
Arch's deep, rumbly voice sent the butterflies in my belly into a tizzy and made my groin tighten, and I gulped.
Bad dicky! Now's not the right time to stand up!
"And now, I believe Reau asked for kissy-kissy to celebrate." Wayne's words made me swing my head back to look at him, and my heart went pitter-patter to see his half-closed eyes and tiny smirk.
Laying on his back, he pulled me down next to him, and Arch followed, curling his front against my spine and burying his face in the side of my throat. Wayne's lips found mine as Arch left damp little kisses all over my skin, and I shivered and moaned as the mate sparks tingled everywhere they touched.
"Um, hello?" Wesley cleared his throat. "Excuse me, but I'd prefer you didn't get any bodily fluids on my carpet."
I opened my mouth to answer him, and Wayne took advantage of that to slip his tongue between my teeth. As he explored, I forgot all about Wesley, especially when Arch ground his long, hard dicky into my tushy. I loved being squished between them, and now the mate scents and sparks made it even more pleasurable.
I can't wait to be naked between you! I linked them, then giggled as they both groaned at the same time.
"Okay, okay!" Wesley forcefully wedged himself in between the three of us, braced his back against Wayne's chest, and shoved Arch's shoulder with his feet to try and pry us apart. "Since you're all good again, and because I don't want to ever see live gay porn, let's go back to the party. Besides, it's almost time for Wayne to cut the cake, and Georgie and Reggie outdid themselves with this one."
"A cake from Fairy Cakes?" I untangled myself from my mates and jumped up because that was not something to be missed!
"How the fuck do you know what porn is?" Wayne demanded as he slowly got to his feet, too.
"Yeah, little bro. What have you been watching up here when you're supposedly gluing your models together?" Arch asked with a smirk as he laid there and slid his hand inside the front of his jeans to adjust himself.
"Not porn, I assure you," Wesley scowled and folded his arms over his chest. "I'm not Wyatt! And stop fondling yourself in front of me! I'm a child!"
"Dude. I'm not fondling myself. If your balls ever drop, you'll find out that sometimes you need to rearrange things down there to accommodate a woody."
"Goddess, you're disgusting, Arch! I bet you do watch porn!"
"Wait a minute." I looked at each of them, then settled on Wayne, knowing he was the most likely of the three to answer me. "What's porn, anyway?"
Archer
After Wes tastefully explained to Reau about porn, we returned to the party and enjoyed our time with our family and friends.
Posy managed to get Jay and Quartz calm enough for them to talk to Wayne, and he assured them that he didn't hate them or blame them for anything. Seeing how happy he was with Reau and me helped convince them - and everyone else who knew what happened to Everett - that he was fine.
As Wayne opened his presents, Mom and Mrs. Price surprised us with something we hadn't thought about. As part of his gift, they and Sissy had gone over to the former Great Rocks alpha house with Wade and Wesley and cleaned it from top to bottom. They also set up furniture in some of the rooms, including the master bedroom, and stocked up on basic toiletries and groceries.
The three of us had been prepared to sleep on the floor with our pillows and blankets, but now we didn't have to. I was happy about that because of Reau. He would have done it, but he wouldn't have been very comfortable and probably would have slept poorly, meaning he would be grumpy tomorrow.
Unfortunately, he wasn't very nice to anyone when he was grumpy.
And the thought a hardwood floor for our first time mating wasn't exactly appealing, but then again, I was so desperate to claim my mates, any reasonably flat surface would have done.
Another surprise gift came from Posy and our older brothers. They had arranged for the utilities to be turned on and paid the bills for all of them in advance for a whole year. That was quite an expensive gift, and neither Wayne nor I could stop thanking them for that, especially since it was another thing we hadn't even considered.
Finally, Mom and Dad wrapped up the party and we were free to leave, and my heart flipped over at the idea of going home with my mates.
I wasn't too convinced that Reau truly understood about living together, and Beta Emerson, now Dad, had warned both of us that Reau might need some help because his routines were changing. None of us knew how that would look, but Wayne and I had talked to Dr. York a week ago to at least have a basic game plan.
As for Wayne and me, we'd lived together since we were nine, when his mom and my dad became chosen mates. That was half of our lifetime! If we didn't understand each other's routines and habits by now, we never would.
As I drove us home in my truck, Wayne asked Reau a question I'd been wondering, too.
"What do I smell like to you?"
"You smell like chamomile and Arch smells like lavender." He took a deep inhale, then let it out with a soft, "Ahhh! So nice and calming! What about me, WayWay?"
"Sandalwood, and Arch is bergamot."
"What's bergamot?" he asked as the same time I did. I hadn't heard of it before and was curious.
"An orangy-lime smell. It's what makes Earl Grey tea smell like it does. Arch, remember when Peri was into making soap? She used it once, or I wouldn't know, either."
"Okay, Arch. Your turn," Reau chirped.
"Wayne oakmoss and Reau cedar."
"Rich and earthy," Wayne chuckled. "Ever wonder how the scents are assigned? I mean, do you think the Goddess looks a baby and says, 'Hmm. Your mate scent will be brimstone because I can just see that you're going to be a little devil.' "
"Ha!" I let out a crack of laughter. "Only if your name is William, Winston, or Walker Barlow!"
As we bantered back and forth, Reau fiddled with his fingers and joined in from time to time, but seemed distracted, and I hoped he wasn't worried about mating tonight. Wayne and I both wanted each other and him very badly, but we'd never pressure him into more than he was ready for, and I'd hoped he realize that without us having to tell him.
But maybe we do, I thought.
And that thought was proven correct soon after we got to our new home and did a quick tour of the place to see what Mom, Mrs. Price, and Sissy had set up for us.
When we entered the master bedroom, I was grateful to see the queen-size bed had been replaced with a king. It looked bigger than the normal king Mom and Dad had in their room, but not as big as the monster our older brothers had at the alpha house. I was just wondering if we'd have to get custom-made bedding for it when Wayne nudged my arm and pointed to not one, not two, but three extra sets of sheets stacked neatly on a chair in the corner.
"How fast do you think we'll go through all of those?" he whispered with a snicker.
"Good thing we have an extra large washer and dryer downstairs," I whispered back.
"Wow!" Reau ran ahead and jumped on the bed, then sprawled like a starfish in the dead center. "Look how big this bed is! Even if we shifted, our wolves could all fit on here with no problem!"
"No wolves allowed on the bed," I said, putting my foot down before our three hair-shedding machines got any ideas.
"Only naked boys." Wayne dropped onto the bed and stalked toward Reau on his hands and knees with a playful growl. "Are you ready for your big bad wolves to eat you all up, Curls?"
A surge of anxiety hit the mate bond, and my eyes widened in surprise. Wayne felt it, too, and sank back on his haunches about a foot away from Reau.
"What's wrong, baby boy?" I asked as I hurried to kneel next to Wayne.
"I'm not sure I'm ready to be eaten tonight." His fingers went to his hair, but Wayne grabbed his hands and pulled them away before he could start pulling his curls. "Papa said we might just want to look at and touch each other first. He said some gay couples don't ever even go any further than that, and he said it's okay not to."
"We can do whatever we're all comfortable with," I assured him. "If you only want to touch us, or even just look at us, that's fine. There is zero pressure here, I promise you."
"Yeah, baby boy," Wayne said as he rubbed his thumbs over Reau's knuckles. "We have the rest of our lives to figure everything out and decide what we like and don't like. There's no rush."
"Okay," he whispered. "I just don't want you to be disappointed in me."
"That would not be possible." I cupped his face in my hands. "If it helps, Wayne and I are nervous, too. We've never done this before, either. Wayne's afraid he's going to lose control and not be able to stop if we ask him to, and I'm afraid I'll get too rough and accidentally hurt one of you."
"But we're going to go slow," Wayne added. "I'm just so happy to be with you both, I don't need anything other than holding you right now. Well, I'd like to mark you, if you're both okay with that. Don't want some bitch getting any ideas about my mates."
"I would like you both to mark me, and I want to mark you, too," Reau admitted. "Can we do that without mating?"
"Of course we can." Smiling at him, I leaned down and pecked his lips. "Would you like to go first?"
"Yes, yes, yes!" he squealed and exploded off of the bed to tackle us.
Well, try to. He was only about half our body weight, so he wasn't ever going to be able to take us down unless we allowed it.
Glancing at each other from the corners of our eyes, Wayne and I smirked, then flopped backward on the bed with our baby boy draped on top of us.
"Who should I start with?"
He sat up, straddling one of my thighs and one of Wayne's, his knee dangerously close to something it should never be near, and I reached down and curled one of my hands protectively around my junk and the other around Wayne's as Reau started bouncing in his excitement.
"You silly goose!" he squealed. "I won't knee you in the balls!"
"I know you too well, Curls." I raised my eyebrows at him. "You say that and the next thing I know, one of us is doubled over in pain."
He opened his mouth, but Wayne grabbed him and pulled him down on top of his chest.
"Me, baby boy. Do me first."
Wayne tilted his head to the side to expose his throat, and Reau didn't waste any time diving in. I rolled onto my side so I could enjoy the show as our baby boy gave Wayne cat kisses, something I never in my life would have thought as sensual until he gave them to me the first time. With the mate sparks and bond added in now, I couldn't wait to feel them for myself, and my dick jerked as I watched Reau's quick little tongue lick down the column of Wayne's throat.
When he found the spot that made Wayne's whole body quiver, a little moan came out of his mouth, and I grew even harder than I already was.
Then Spring ascended, dropped their canines, and clamped down, and it was my turn to shiver as the moon magic flowed between us. When Reau raised his head, I eagerly looked to see what marks we'd been gifted with and was as confused as Reau when I saw nothing.
"Did I do it wrong?" our baby boy asked in a very small voice.
"No, love, you did it right." I stayed calm, although I was also wondering what happened.
"Maybe our marks will only show up after both of you mark me?" Wayne suggested.
"One way to find out." I shrugged. "Wayne, can I go next?"
When he nodded, Firth eagerly ascended, and my eyes fluttered back in my head as the sensation of bonding soon washed over me.
"Arch," Wayne groaned, and my dick hardened painfully as Firth finished up by licking away the tiny drops of blood before he subsided.
Raising my head, I looked down, fully expecting to see my mark appear with Reau's, but nothing. Not even a bite or broken skin that should be there if we'd messed up.
"Still nothing?" Wayne's silvery blue eyes blinked at me, and I shook my head. "Okay, then maybe we all have to mark each other first."
So he marked both of us, then I marked Reau, and Reau finished up by marking me.
And still nothing on any of us.
Now I was concerned. We were mates and the moon magic had flowed between us, so where were our marks?
While he, Ocean, and Firth were all on the same level as far as moon power went, Spring had actually been a beta for the pack, even if it was only for a few years. He'd traveled much further than any of us and had even lived at Royal Pack for a few months. Before I linked Mom and Dad - or Reau's papa as a last resort - I thought I'd ask him.
"Spring?" I called. "Any ideas here? Ever heard of mate marks not taking?"
They took, dummy, he scoffed. Look at your wrists.
In unison, all three of us held up our arms and stared at our wrists, but nothing was there except our friendship bracelets. Then I flipped my hand over and saw something peeking out between the bottom of my palm and where my friendship bracelet was knotted. Sliding the bracelet up as far as it would go, which wasn't much considering how thick my wrist had gotten since Reau tied it on me, I saw a solid blue line with the word 'forever' written in cursive in the middle of it.
Wayne and Reau were still examining their own wrists, and I quickly had Firth extend the claw on my index finger and cut the tie on my bracelet, then reached over and did the same for them.
"Hey!" Reau pouted before his eyes widened and his mouth fell open. "Look at that! WayWay, Bear-Bear, line yours up with mine!"
Chuckling as he thrust his hand out almost frantically, I pressed my wrist against his and Wayne did the same on the other side, and we all smiled as the blue lines connected perfectly.
"The three of us together forever," I murmured.
"Together for fucking ever," Wayne echoed.
"Forever!" Reau shouted and threw his arm up in the air, nailing Wayne's nose with a snap!
Blood spurted everywhere, and Reau freaked out.
"Motherfucker!" Wayne shouted, which made Reau panic even more.
Not exactly the bodily fluid I was hoping to christen our new bed with tonight, I sighed as I rolled out of bed in search of tissues.
                
            
        There was so much to process in Spring's memory, and I didn't really get a chance to because everyone started coming over to congratulate us.
I was happy as hell that my wish came true and I could spend the rest of my life with the two boys I loved, but my mind wouldn't let go of one thought.
Everett Breckenridge was supposed to be my true mate.
I didn't have time to understand how I felt about that, let alone understand how I felt about the Goddess 'replacing' him - even if it was with Reau - and I needed that time. My gut churned, my head swam, and my heart stuttered, then sped up over and over.
Everyone was fucking hugging me and saying how fucking happy they were for us, and I... couldn't... fucking... breathe...!
Come on, Wayne, I heard someone link me, then felt a hand wrap around my clenched fist. Come with me.
Not really thinking anymore, I let them drag me away, although losing the mate sparks was a bitch that almost made me jerk out of their hold and go back, but some part of me knew it would be best to get away from everyone until I could sort myself out.
Everett fucking Breckenridge was supposed to be my mate!
And he was dead. Exactly three years dead, to be precise. Killed by a hunter's silver bullet at the exact right - or wrong - time to hit him and miss Spring, which was how his wolf survived to be merged with Reau.
And he died because he was saving Quartz. Fucking Quartz! Who could for damn sure take care of himself! He was the reason Ev was dead, to save that brutal bastard!
But then you wouldn't have Reau, and Reau wouldn't have Spring, Ocean pointed out in his practical way.
What gives you the right to say anything? I snarled. You have your mate!
And you have yours. Both of them.
My sudden spurt of anger faded almost as soon as it began, and I apologized to my wolf before I started dwelling on a thousand what ifs.
What if Jay never went to Crystal Caverns? What if he'd never answered Alpha Liam's request for help with those hellhounds? What if Ev had never died? What if I had gotten to know him better while he was alive? I should have gotten to know him better! If I had—
Dude, Ev was six years older than us. We weren't even fifteen yet when he died. Most twenty-one-year-olds aren't going to hang out with fifteen-year-olds!
But I don't feel any more grief for him than I would anyone else in the pack who died too soon, I explained as well as my fuzzy thoughts would allow. Shouldn't I feel worse than I do? What's wrong with me?
There's nothing wrong with you. You aren't upset because there is no mate bond. There hasn't been since his death. You heard the Moon Goddess. Even if Spring stood next to us today, without her intervention, I wouldn't have felt that he was my mate!
Still, I feel guilty that I'm happy, happy to have Reau and Arch, and not devastated about Ev. I should be deep into the grief cycle or something, I argued.
Aren't you? Ocean rolled his eyes. You just sped through denial, anger, and asking what-ifs, but I forget what that stage is called. Not that you need to experience all the steps, or even experience them in that order—
Okay, Osh, enough. I squeezed my eyes closed, and when I opened them again, I saw I was sitting on the floor in the center of Wesley's bedroom.
I knew it was his room because the walls had floor-to-ceiling shelves full of models in glass cases and about a bajillion biplanes hanging from the ceiling. The fourth wall was taken up by his workstation and bed, which was where he was sitting and watching me.
"Wesley?" I rasped.
"Oh, good. You're back. Everyone's worried about you, and your mates are about to tear the house apart to find you. Well, Arch is. Toro's on the verge of crying."
"Fuck." I scrubbed my hands over my face. "I'd better go find—"
"You'd better stay right there." Scooting off his bed, he came over and sat next to me, then leaned his head on my shoulder. "There were lots of people who wanted to bring you inside for a breather, by the way. I just beat them all to it."
I opened my mouth to ask about our Momma Bear, but the little chatterbox was unstoppable when he was on a roll.
"And some of them were busy and couldn't, even though they wanted to. Mom and Dad were trying to hold the heathens back because the Prices and Bridger just arrived and both Isabelle and Rosalie were sleeping, and those little girls are grouchy if you wake them up before they're ready."
I smiled a little at that. He was right; those babies did not like their beauty sleep interrupted!
"And Posy and our older brothers wanted to grab you, too, but you know how Quartz gets when Ev's brought up, and Jay is struggling to control him because he's upset, too," Wes finally paused to draw a breath, only to immediately pick up right where he left off. "So Posy's helping Jay, Cole is keeping Q in check, and Mase is explaining things to Ash and Wyatt, who are clueless as usual."
"Why's Jay upset?" I asked as I laid my cheek on my kid brother's soft brown hair.
"He feels guilty that you don't have your mate because of him."
"But I do have my mates," I emphasized.
"We know that, but Jay's Jay. Everything's his fault, and he bottles it all up until he can't take it anymore." Wes shrugged. "Don't worry. Posy's helping him."
He stopped talking, and we sat in silence for a moment. I could feel both Reau and Arch sending me so much love through our new mate bond, as well as friends and family pushing out waves of support and comfort, and I kind of felt like I was being a little attention-seeking drama bitch, but I had not been expecting that revelation at all.
I had always believed that the Moon Goddess either never gave me a mate or he or she died in the sickness, and I was okay with that because I had Arch and, later, Reau.
"You ever hear Posy say, 'Be like a tree and let the dead leaves drop'?" Wes asked out of the blue. "I think about that quote a lot because I don't understand all of it quite yet, but it's a good one to meditate on, don't you think?"
"Wes, how the hell old are you? Like fifty-two or something?" Wrapping my arm around his little bean head, I pulled him into a headlock so I could give him a gentle noogie.
"Mom says I have an old soul and that my future mate will appreciate it." His voice was muffled against my shirt as he sat there and didn't even try to fight out of my hold like any of our other brothers would have.
Because he knows it would be impossible to get out of and the expense of energy wouldn't be worth it, I thought with an eye roll. More proof he's really a middle-aged nerd in a twelve-year-old body.
Eleven, Ocean said helpfully. He's not going to be twelve for two more weeks.
Thanks for your two cents, Osh, but I'll give you a whole quarter to shut the fuck up.
What the hell am I going to do with a fucking quarter? I'm a wolf!
Spring doesn't like profanity. Better get that mouth under control before Daddy punishes you, I smirked at him.
Maybe I want him to. Ocean batted his eyelashes at me, and I gagged a little.
"Wayne?" Thankfully, Wesley came to the rescue before I learned more than I ever wanted to know about my kinky wolf.
"Yeah, little bro?" I loosened my hold so he could raise his face to look at me.
"There is no one else in this pack who will tell you this, but if you want to reject Toro because he wasn't originally your mate, I will stand by you." He held up his index finger when I opened my mouth. "Not because I think you are right, but because you are my brother. You could make the worst decision in the world, and that would be one, but you will always be my brother. I'll never turn my back on you."
"Fucking hell, Wes." My eyes filled up again as my throat tightened painfully.
"Language, Wayne." The little shit scolded me with a frown. "Do you know Winnie dropped a f-bomb two days ago right in front of Mom? He couldn't sit down for dinner!"
"And how is that my fault?" Damn! If I rolled my eyes any harder, I'd see my brain back there.
"Where do you think he hears cursing? Daycare?" Wesley gave me The Look, and I could see Mom in him so much that it made me chuckle.
Before I could roll him on the floor and start tickling the old man out of him, Reau knocked timidly on the link as Arch hammered on it, and I suddenly wanted to see my precious mates more than anything in the world.
As Spring ended the memory, everyone crowded around us and started congratulating us, but I felt uncomfortable. Wayne's breathing went funny and he wasn't linking with me. When I asked Arch, he said the same.
Are you okay, Arch? I asked.
Yeah, Curls. I'm happier than ever. Are you?
Yes, and I am also very happy, but what about Firth? Is he sad that he has Spring instead of Tanner for his mate?
He's not sad at all, Arch assured me. Wolves don't dwell on the past or things they can't change. He's overjoyed to have a mate, even if it isn't exactly who it was supposed to be. I'm more worried about Wayne.
I am, too, I admitted. What should we do?
As much as I want to pick him up and take him somewhere quiet, Wesley just linked me. He's going to take Wayne to his room for a bit.
Shouldn't we be with him? I mean, we're Wayne's mates.
True, and I want to be with him right now, too, but I think he needs some space to come to terms with everything Spring just revealed. Arch told me as Bubble Konnie came over to congratulate us next. Don't worry too much, baby boy. Wes knows how to help him, and he wants to talk to him, anyway.
Since Arch had known Wayne - and Wesley - much longer than I had, I relied him to be right and focused on Bubble as he picked me up in a big bear hug and squished me.
"I'm going to miss you, fratellino. Come visit us a lot, si?"
"I'm not going anywhere, Bubble." I tilted my head as I frowned at him.
"You're moving in with your mates, aren't you?" Now he tilted his head and frowned, too.
"Yes, but only to the old Barlow alpha house." I rolled my eyes. "I'm not leaving the pack or anything."
"Okay, fratellino," he chuckled.
By then, Wesley had taken Wayne by the hand and led him into the house, and Bubble released me to face Arch.
Do you think— I started to ask Arch as Bubble shook his hand. Do you think WayWay is sad or upset that he's stuck with me?
Of course not! I know for a fact he's happy he has the two of us. It's what he - and I - have both wanted since we met you. He needs to grieve a little, I think, and Wes said he'd link us if he needs help or Wayne wants us.
Feeling bad for my mate, I sniffed a little as Bubble moved aside so Dad and Papa could come over and glare at Arch.
"Even though you're officially mates now, and true ones at that, we will still keep our eye on you and Wayne to make sure you're treating him well," Papa growled.
"I wouldn't expect anything less, Papa," Arch grinned.
"Reau, I love you." Dad laid his big palm on top of my head and ruffled my curls. The tears glittering in his eyes made mine sting, too. "Every day I've had with you has been a blessing, and I can't thank the Moon Goddess enough for trusting me to love you and care for you."
"Dad!" I whined. "You're going to make me cry!"
My bottom lip wobbled and I flung myself at him. As I knew he would, he wrapped me up a tight hug, and I nuzzled my face into his hard chest.
This has always been my safe place, I linked him. When those people threw you away like trash, this is what I missed the most. I almost forgot about it when they locked me up in that crate in the attic, but Binda reminded me, and I will never forget again. I love you, Mama Bubba.
His chest shook against my cheek, and I felt Papa's arms close around both of us, so I knew Dad was crying. I didn't think they were happy tears, exactly, but I also didn't think they were sad tears.
Papa? I linked him to check.
He's okay, cucciolo. Your words touched him, si?
Touched him? How could words—
It's an expression that means you made him feel grateful. As he said, you are our little blessing, tesoro (treasure).
I've been so happy living with you, Papa. I lifted my face and smiled at him. Thank you for loving me.
Oh, my dear piccolo (little one), that is nothing you ever need to thank either of us for. It is no less than you deserve.
Arch must have been feeling left out because he squirmed his way between Dad and Papa, and I giggled at the look on Dad's tear-streaked face. He and Arch were just about the same height, although Dad was heftier, but that was only because Arch was so much younger. By the time my BearBear was twenty-four, he'd probably be just about the same size.
While most of my attention had been on my family, a small part of me was worrying about Wayne and, despite his reassurances, I knew it was the same for Arch.
Which was why, when Wesley finally let us know that Wayne would probably be okay to talk to us now, I didn't hesitate to gently tap on the link and ignored Arch whaling on it.
Can you both come here, please? Wayne asked before we could say anything, then closed the link.
So Arch and I excused ourselves and headed inside, ran up the stairs and went down the hall, following our noses to Wesley's room. I always liked his room. It had so many toys and things to look at, but right now I had to focus on my mate.
He was sitting in the middle of the floor with Wesley next to him, and I hated to see his frown because I'd caused it.
Spring and I were so sure we'd made the right decision, but I guessed we didn't.
Sniffing back tears, I knelt next to Wayne and touched the fingers of my left hand to his shoulder, careful not to crowd him in case he didn't want me this close right now.
"I'm sorry I'm not Everett," I whispered as I stared at his chin. "I know I'm probably nothing like him—"
"I'm glad you're not." He took my hand from his shoulder and I thought he'd fling it away, but he kissed my knuckles instead, then threaded our fingers together. "It would have broken my heart over and over every time we ran into one of his former lovers."
"But he was supposed to be your mate, and you lost him before you found him."
"Baby boy, you heard what the Moon Goddess said as well as I did. The bond snapped as soon he was killed, just like Firth's did when Tanner died. Yeah, I needed a moment to work through what I was feeling about all of it, but I did and now I'm okay."
"So Spring and I made the right choice? You're not going to reject me or Arch?"
"Fuck, no!" he bellowed, and I flinched hard.
"Wayne." Arch crouched down on my other side and rubbed his hands up and down my back.
"Sorry, Curls." Wayne dropped my hand, but only so he could hold my face in his palms. "You made the right choice. Right, Arch?"
"One hundred percent."
"We made a commitment to each other before the Goddess even considered merging our mate bonds," Wayne went on, "and I think that's all there is to say about it. I love you. I love you both. It's the three of us together forever, remember?"
"I love you, WayWay." I gave him my best smile, the one that Dad said would melt a heart of stone, even though there was no animal in the world that could have a stone heart. Then I turned to Arch. "I love you, BearBear."
"And I love both of you. Now more than ever."
Arch's deep, rumbly voice sent the butterflies in my belly into a tizzy and made my groin tighten, and I gulped.
Bad dicky! Now's not the right time to stand up!
"And now, I believe Reau asked for kissy-kissy to celebrate." Wayne's words made me swing my head back to look at him, and my heart went pitter-patter to see his half-closed eyes and tiny smirk.
Laying on his back, he pulled me down next to him, and Arch followed, curling his front against my spine and burying his face in the side of my throat. Wayne's lips found mine as Arch left damp little kisses all over my skin, and I shivered and moaned as the mate sparks tingled everywhere they touched.
"Um, hello?" Wesley cleared his throat. "Excuse me, but I'd prefer you didn't get any bodily fluids on my carpet."
I opened my mouth to answer him, and Wayne took advantage of that to slip his tongue between my teeth. As he explored, I forgot all about Wesley, especially when Arch ground his long, hard dicky into my tushy. I loved being squished between them, and now the mate scents and sparks made it even more pleasurable.
I can't wait to be naked between you! I linked them, then giggled as they both groaned at the same time.
"Okay, okay!" Wesley forcefully wedged himself in between the three of us, braced his back against Wayne's chest, and shoved Arch's shoulder with his feet to try and pry us apart. "Since you're all good again, and because I don't want to ever see live gay porn, let's go back to the party. Besides, it's almost time for Wayne to cut the cake, and Georgie and Reggie outdid themselves with this one."
"A cake from Fairy Cakes?" I untangled myself from my mates and jumped up because that was not something to be missed!
"How the fuck do you know what porn is?" Wayne demanded as he slowly got to his feet, too.
"Yeah, little bro. What have you been watching up here when you're supposedly gluing your models together?" Arch asked with a smirk as he laid there and slid his hand inside the front of his jeans to adjust himself.
"Not porn, I assure you," Wesley scowled and folded his arms over his chest. "I'm not Wyatt! And stop fondling yourself in front of me! I'm a child!"
"Dude. I'm not fondling myself. If your balls ever drop, you'll find out that sometimes you need to rearrange things down there to accommodate a woody."
"Goddess, you're disgusting, Arch! I bet you do watch porn!"
"Wait a minute." I looked at each of them, then settled on Wayne, knowing he was the most likely of the three to answer me. "What's porn, anyway?"
Archer
After Wes tastefully explained to Reau about porn, we returned to the party and enjoyed our time with our family and friends.
Posy managed to get Jay and Quartz calm enough for them to talk to Wayne, and he assured them that he didn't hate them or blame them for anything. Seeing how happy he was with Reau and me helped convince them - and everyone else who knew what happened to Everett - that he was fine.
As Wayne opened his presents, Mom and Mrs. Price surprised us with something we hadn't thought about. As part of his gift, they and Sissy had gone over to the former Great Rocks alpha house with Wade and Wesley and cleaned it from top to bottom. They also set up furniture in some of the rooms, including the master bedroom, and stocked up on basic toiletries and groceries.
The three of us had been prepared to sleep on the floor with our pillows and blankets, but now we didn't have to. I was happy about that because of Reau. He would have done it, but he wouldn't have been very comfortable and probably would have slept poorly, meaning he would be grumpy tomorrow.
Unfortunately, he wasn't very nice to anyone when he was grumpy.
And the thought a hardwood floor for our first time mating wasn't exactly appealing, but then again, I was so desperate to claim my mates, any reasonably flat surface would have done.
Another surprise gift came from Posy and our older brothers. They had arranged for the utilities to be turned on and paid the bills for all of them in advance for a whole year. That was quite an expensive gift, and neither Wayne nor I could stop thanking them for that, especially since it was another thing we hadn't even considered.
Finally, Mom and Dad wrapped up the party and we were free to leave, and my heart flipped over at the idea of going home with my mates.
I wasn't too convinced that Reau truly understood about living together, and Beta Emerson, now Dad, had warned both of us that Reau might need some help because his routines were changing. None of us knew how that would look, but Wayne and I had talked to Dr. York a week ago to at least have a basic game plan.
As for Wayne and me, we'd lived together since we were nine, when his mom and my dad became chosen mates. That was half of our lifetime! If we didn't understand each other's routines and habits by now, we never would.
As I drove us home in my truck, Wayne asked Reau a question I'd been wondering, too.
"What do I smell like to you?"
"You smell like chamomile and Arch smells like lavender." He took a deep inhale, then let it out with a soft, "Ahhh! So nice and calming! What about me, WayWay?"
"Sandalwood, and Arch is bergamot."
"What's bergamot?" he asked as the same time I did. I hadn't heard of it before and was curious.
"An orangy-lime smell. It's what makes Earl Grey tea smell like it does. Arch, remember when Peri was into making soap? She used it once, or I wouldn't know, either."
"Okay, Arch. Your turn," Reau chirped.
"Wayne oakmoss and Reau cedar."
"Rich and earthy," Wayne chuckled. "Ever wonder how the scents are assigned? I mean, do you think the Goddess looks a baby and says, 'Hmm. Your mate scent will be brimstone because I can just see that you're going to be a little devil.' "
"Ha!" I let out a crack of laughter. "Only if your name is William, Winston, or Walker Barlow!"
As we bantered back and forth, Reau fiddled with his fingers and joined in from time to time, but seemed distracted, and I hoped he wasn't worried about mating tonight. Wayne and I both wanted each other and him very badly, but we'd never pressure him into more than he was ready for, and I'd hoped he realize that without us having to tell him.
But maybe we do, I thought.
And that thought was proven correct soon after we got to our new home and did a quick tour of the place to see what Mom, Mrs. Price, and Sissy had set up for us.
When we entered the master bedroom, I was grateful to see the queen-size bed had been replaced with a king. It looked bigger than the normal king Mom and Dad had in their room, but not as big as the monster our older brothers had at the alpha house. I was just wondering if we'd have to get custom-made bedding for it when Wayne nudged my arm and pointed to not one, not two, but three extra sets of sheets stacked neatly on a chair in the corner.
"How fast do you think we'll go through all of those?" he whispered with a snicker.
"Good thing we have an extra large washer and dryer downstairs," I whispered back.
"Wow!" Reau ran ahead and jumped on the bed, then sprawled like a starfish in the dead center. "Look how big this bed is! Even if we shifted, our wolves could all fit on here with no problem!"
"No wolves allowed on the bed," I said, putting my foot down before our three hair-shedding machines got any ideas.
"Only naked boys." Wayne dropped onto the bed and stalked toward Reau on his hands and knees with a playful growl. "Are you ready for your big bad wolves to eat you all up, Curls?"
A surge of anxiety hit the mate bond, and my eyes widened in surprise. Wayne felt it, too, and sank back on his haunches about a foot away from Reau.
"What's wrong, baby boy?" I asked as I hurried to kneel next to Wayne.
"I'm not sure I'm ready to be eaten tonight." His fingers went to his hair, but Wayne grabbed his hands and pulled them away before he could start pulling his curls. "Papa said we might just want to look at and touch each other first. He said some gay couples don't ever even go any further than that, and he said it's okay not to."
"We can do whatever we're all comfortable with," I assured him. "If you only want to touch us, or even just look at us, that's fine. There is zero pressure here, I promise you."
"Yeah, baby boy," Wayne said as he rubbed his thumbs over Reau's knuckles. "We have the rest of our lives to figure everything out and decide what we like and don't like. There's no rush."
"Okay," he whispered. "I just don't want you to be disappointed in me."
"That would not be possible." I cupped his face in my hands. "If it helps, Wayne and I are nervous, too. We've never done this before, either. Wayne's afraid he's going to lose control and not be able to stop if we ask him to, and I'm afraid I'll get too rough and accidentally hurt one of you."
"But we're going to go slow," Wayne added. "I'm just so happy to be with you both, I don't need anything other than holding you right now. Well, I'd like to mark you, if you're both okay with that. Don't want some bitch getting any ideas about my mates."
"I would like you both to mark me, and I want to mark you, too," Reau admitted. "Can we do that without mating?"
"Of course we can." Smiling at him, I leaned down and pecked his lips. "Would you like to go first?"
"Yes, yes, yes!" he squealed and exploded off of the bed to tackle us.
Well, try to. He was only about half our body weight, so he wasn't ever going to be able to take us down unless we allowed it.
Glancing at each other from the corners of our eyes, Wayne and I smirked, then flopped backward on the bed with our baby boy draped on top of us.
"Who should I start with?"
He sat up, straddling one of my thighs and one of Wayne's, his knee dangerously close to something it should never be near, and I reached down and curled one of my hands protectively around my junk and the other around Wayne's as Reau started bouncing in his excitement.
"You silly goose!" he squealed. "I won't knee you in the balls!"
"I know you too well, Curls." I raised my eyebrows at him. "You say that and the next thing I know, one of us is doubled over in pain."
He opened his mouth, but Wayne grabbed him and pulled him down on top of his chest.
"Me, baby boy. Do me first."
Wayne tilted his head to the side to expose his throat, and Reau didn't waste any time diving in. I rolled onto my side so I could enjoy the show as our baby boy gave Wayne cat kisses, something I never in my life would have thought as sensual until he gave them to me the first time. With the mate sparks and bond added in now, I couldn't wait to feel them for myself, and my dick jerked as I watched Reau's quick little tongue lick down the column of Wayne's throat.
When he found the spot that made Wayne's whole body quiver, a little moan came out of his mouth, and I grew even harder than I already was.
Then Spring ascended, dropped their canines, and clamped down, and it was my turn to shiver as the moon magic flowed between us. When Reau raised his head, I eagerly looked to see what marks we'd been gifted with and was as confused as Reau when I saw nothing.
"Did I do it wrong?" our baby boy asked in a very small voice.
"No, love, you did it right." I stayed calm, although I was also wondering what happened.
"Maybe our marks will only show up after both of you mark me?" Wayne suggested.
"One way to find out." I shrugged. "Wayne, can I go next?"
When he nodded, Firth eagerly ascended, and my eyes fluttered back in my head as the sensation of bonding soon washed over me.
"Arch," Wayne groaned, and my dick hardened painfully as Firth finished up by licking away the tiny drops of blood before he subsided.
Raising my head, I looked down, fully expecting to see my mark appear with Reau's, but nothing. Not even a bite or broken skin that should be there if we'd messed up.
"Still nothing?" Wayne's silvery blue eyes blinked at me, and I shook my head. "Okay, then maybe we all have to mark each other first."
So he marked both of us, then I marked Reau, and Reau finished up by marking me.
And still nothing on any of us.
Now I was concerned. We were mates and the moon magic had flowed between us, so where were our marks?
While he, Ocean, and Firth were all on the same level as far as moon power went, Spring had actually been a beta for the pack, even if it was only for a few years. He'd traveled much further than any of us and had even lived at Royal Pack for a few months. Before I linked Mom and Dad - or Reau's papa as a last resort - I thought I'd ask him.
"Spring?" I called. "Any ideas here? Ever heard of mate marks not taking?"
They took, dummy, he scoffed. Look at your wrists.
In unison, all three of us held up our arms and stared at our wrists, but nothing was there except our friendship bracelets. Then I flipped my hand over and saw something peeking out between the bottom of my palm and where my friendship bracelet was knotted. Sliding the bracelet up as far as it would go, which wasn't much considering how thick my wrist had gotten since Reau tied it on me, I saw a solid blue line with the word 'forever' written in cursive in the middle of it.
Wayne and Reau were still examining their own wrists, and I quickly had Firth extend the claw on my index finger and cut the tie on my bracelet, then reached over and did the same for them.
"Hey!" Reau pouted before his eyes widened and his mouth fell open. "Look at that! WayWay, Bear-Bear, line yours up with mine!"
Chuckling as he thrust his hand out almost frantically, I pressed my wrist against his and Wayne did the same on the other side, and we all smiled as the blue lines connected perfectly.
"The three of us together forever," I murmured.
"Together for fucking ever," Wayne echoed.
"Forever!" Reau shouted and threw his arm up in the air, nailing Wayne's nose with a snap!
Blood spurted everywhere, and Reau freaked out.
"Motherfucker!" Wayne shouted, which made Reau panic even more.
Not exactly the bodily fluid I was hoping to christen our new bed with tonight, I sighed as I rolled out of bed in search of tissues.
End of Thoreau Chapter 60. Continue reading Chapter 61 or return to Thoreau book page.