Page 56 of Wolf's Whistle
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Richard dreamed of werewolf movies and silver bullets. The idea that something could happen to his Julien because he loved Richard was an anathema. In his dream, Armand took Richard into the pit for laughing at him, and he couldn’t throw a knife, like Julio, and Julio refused to help him because it was his fault. In his twilight state, he sensed Julien’s breath on his neck and the pit disappeared, and Armand was kissing Sean. This time, Richard swore to himself he wouldn’t giggle.
His back felt good. It must be Julien trying to lull him back to sleep. Just as he fell into the darkness of a REM sleep and dreamed again, a kiss brushed his nape. Half-awake he dreamed of the mating and the wedding. His lips curled into a smile. If it wasn’t for the Stawski business, he’d be happy. In fact, happiness didn’t quite describe the way his heart sang; joyous, that’s what it was. He had never been so full of joy in his life. He had Julio back, five new close friends and best of all, his Julien. He could no longer imagine his life without his wolf in it.No wonder a Mate didn’t survive a year after their Alpha passed on. I wouldn’t want to survive an hour without my Julien beside me, even with Julio and all of my new friends.
Chapter Fourteen
Julien’s Townhouse
Master Suite
Thursday, Five in the Morning
Third Week in June
“Get up, lazybones.” Julien shook Richard’s shoulder while kissing the back of his neck. “I let you sleep because you had a restless night but you have to get moving. If we want to get to the airport on time, we have to leave in an hour. You’ll need to dress well for the plane ride, not your suit but something like that linen blazer we bought with a nice button-down shirt, shirt open at the collar, chinos, and loafers. We have a long day ahead. The plane ride is six hours, then another thirty minutes to the camp.”
Richard yawned. “Let me get a shower and shave. Just put out what you want me to wear. I’ll be ready in fifteen minutes.”
“Okay, I’ll tell Isabel to have breakfast ready, but you have to eat quickly. Don’t worry, though, she’s packing a couple of baskets for the plane. Here, have some coffee. I’ll start the shower.” Julien gave Richard a quick kiss on the lips and handed him a mug.
Richard put the mug on the nightstand and after rubbing his eyes, snaked his arms around his wolf’s neck. “I love you, Julien.”
“I love you too, mon ange.” Julien gave him another quick kiss. “Now get moving!”
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Julien went over a checklist in his head. His mother had arranged the brunch for tomorrow after the mating. Isabel called a caterer just outside of Eugene to contract for the wedding breakfast, and Armand said they would leave for Manhattan at one.
He searched his messenger bag and made sure he’d packed the wedding rings and the special lube. Richard had been in prior relationships, but most wolves were big men. He didn’t want to hurt his Mate. Curiously, Etienne also recommended elasticized cock rings. He’d told Julien, “You’re going to be so excited taking your Mate for the first time, you may lose control. You don’t want to leave him unsatisfied. So, if you feel you’re going to blow prematurely, use the rings.” The cock rings were there in their original packaging. Etienne had also mentioned that the Mates were jealous too and it was best to err on the side of caution and have the two in unopened packaging.
He heard the shower being turned off and then Richard rummaging around in the dressing room just as Isabel brought up breakfast.
“Breakfast is here, mon ange.”
Richard walked out of the dressing area, over to the table, and sat down. He immediately piled his plate with pancakes, eggs, bacon, and fruit.
“Isabel packed baskets for the plane and the ride to the airport. You need to eat every two hours until we mate at midnight. My body is producing pheromones at an increased rate. They will peak at midnight when we mate.” Julien took some eggs.
“How does your body know that we mate tonight?”
“It’s part of being a loup garou. As soon as we met, they started to get stronger in anticipation, getting ready to form the knot. I’ve been climbing the walls for days. I admire Etienne’s fortitude. Julio was ill for so long. I think his wolf realized that and damped it down, however, mine is straining at the bit.”
“You’re not the only one who’s anxious. I haven’t even been able to take care of things with Mr. Right Hand. Somehow, it felt disloyal.” Richard put more scrambled eggs on his pancakes and shoveled the food into his mouth.
“It’s the Mate link. It instinctively reacts like that when you think of anything sexual about anyone but your Mate. You’re stuck with me.” Julien’s tone was deadly serious. “Once you accepted my love, we became Mates. Coitus will cement the bond. By the way, your stipend arrived today.”
“But I already spent it.”
“I’m not talking about your salary. I’m talking about the stipend every loup garou gets from the council. Most pack members get two hundred and fifty thousand a year. You’ll get more because you have duties to perform for the loup garou as my Mate. Sean, Donal, and Kane get more than you do because of the gifts they bring to the pack. Armand set you up an account with a loup garou-run bank. I have the checkbook and debit card downstairs.”
“That’s good because I cleaned out my work stipend buying groomsmen gifts for the Mates, and a wedding present for you from Mr. Blanc.”
“When did you get a chance to do that?” Julien arched an eyebrow.
“I have a cell phone and know how to use it. I called Mr. Blanc and asked him to bring over some things to look at while you were busy at Etienne’s.”
“Was Charles with you?”
