Page 130 of Bonds of Fate

Time for Gideon to do the same with his own ‘nut’.

“Okay, let me have it. Are you upset that Luca and I bonded him, or just that we were there before you?”

“Fuck you. Why must you always be an asshole about it?” Grayson’s voice is sharp, and Gideon is only a little sorry.

“If I wasn’t, we’d still be sitting here until Jay comes looking, and then you’d have to tell the both of us what this is about. I am doing us both a favor. Now spill.”

The wrapper from the croissant gets folded neatly in half and then in triangles. It’s mesmerizing the way his talented mate can make art out of anything.

“He’s my soulmate, Gideon, and at this rate, everyone will be bonded before me. My wolf is fucking loud about it, and he’s getting out of hand.” While talking, Grayson had kept his eyes on the wrapper and his fingers moving—like magic, the wrapper looked like a paper crane.

Hecouldtell Grayson to just do it. Nix wouldn’t mind. His wolf seems intent on getting them bonded as quickly as possible and throwing every skill and wile he has at the task to get it done. It wouldn’t take much. Gideon is not implying Nix is easy, not at all. He is justmotivated.

“What are you waiting for, then? Nix will welcome you regardless. You’rehissoulmate as much as he isyours.”

The paper crane gets crushed in his mate’s long-fingered hand, and Grayson’s eyes are damp. “I want it to be special,” he says, voice suddenly thick.

Ah. That makes perfect sense. Grayson is romantic in big ways. Grand gestures of affection that fill the mates’ minds with memories. Gideon knows that the picnic Leo had taken him to at the arboretum had been Grayson’s idea, even if the rest had been pure Leo.

“So do it. You have a brilliant mind, pretty, and I am sure you have imagined a million different scenarios.”

“We can’t leave the compound. His scent is addictive—we’d have every Were in Nashville following him around like the Pied Piper.”

Their new omegaisalluring and probably still too new for scent blockers. Gideon makes a mental note to check in with Finn about it.

“Romance doesn’t have to be big, Gray. What do you like? What does he like? And when you figure it out, just do that. I will magnanimously do my part to help you by keeping Luca busy.”

Grayson laughs at his generosity and sacrifice, even if there is still that frustration in his expression. “Thanks. I do have an idea, but…”

“No buts!” Gideon slams a hand down firmly on the table, garnering a few startled looks from neighboring patrons.

Grayson waggles his eyebrows, mood already a little lighter. “No butts? Then whatever will we do?”

“I am sure you’ll think of something, but you have to know—he will love it no matter what. The rest of our bonds so far have been perfectfor us.”

And they had. Jay’s warm morning of reconnection and Rowan’s fast-and-furious. Even Gideon and Luca sharing their moment with Nix and with each other. All are perfect in their own way, and Gideon is sure Leo and Finn will find theirs, too. Besides, Grayson is Nix’s soulmate. Hecouldn’tgo wrong.

“I believe in you, pretty.” He gives Grayson’s foot a bump under the table. “You good, now? Can we call an Uber? I do not want to chase you home with a box of pastries.”

Grayson stands and throws their trash away while Gideon gets them a car with his app. When he comes back, Grayson takes the box and puts it back on the table so he can get in close, hug Gideon, and kiss his cheek.

“Thanks for being—oh, hey, how’s your hand?” he asks.

Gideon cannot pass up the opportunity to grab his mate’s perfect ass withbothhands to show him it’s just fine, and fuck PDA.

The Uber drops them outside the gate, and Gideon feels lighter for the time spent with his prince. But his wolf still nags at him, an incessant pressure in his chest—he needs to get Nix in the gym, needs to see if he can draw out the wolf who had been ready to kill for Luca. Because until he sees it again—until he knows Nix has control over it, he won’t rest.

His kittens are on the couch, wrapped sleepily in a single blanket, pink-cheeked, and watchingHowl’s Moving Castle.Grayson drops the box of pastries on the table and beelines toward the couch, throwing himself down beside his soulmate so Gideon can mirror him on Luca’s side if he wants.

Washing his hands and starting up the coffee machine, he takes plates down and grabs forks, as well. A moment later, there are soft feet behind him, and Gideon can’t hide his surprise that it’s Nix and not Luca.

Luca is sitting in Grayson’s lap, face between his hands and tongue down his throat.

Ah. Grayson is sweaty, and Luca thinks he smells like the equivalent of Were ambrosia.Grayson’s hands are under theHe’s My Babyt-shirt, one up over Luca’s pec and the other with a firm grip on a bouncy ass cheek.

“Gideon?” His omega looks soft and hesitant—his vanilla scent so warm it puts the frosting on a cupcake to shame.

“Hmm?” Maybe he should have taken Grayson up on that blow job, after all. He can’t take his eyes off Luca, high on his knees, and the long finger Grayson has pumping in and out of the beta’s hole.

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