Chapter 196

“Would you stop it!?” Ben growls, his voice a little frantic now, looking over at the bar where Rafe is finishing up. “I’m never going to see the Atalaxians again, so it won’t matter and I’ll be fine, just drop it –“

I gasp, going still. “So, it has something to do with the Atalaxians!?”

He groans, turning away from me and clenching his jaw, clearly pissed at himself for letting that slip.

“What did they do to you!?” I growl, grabbing his arm, livid now.

“Nothing!” he snaps, turning his head to glare at me. “They did nothing, Ariel, just drop it!”

“NO!”

He grabs me by the arms then, dragging me to the corner of the room, giving up at any attempt to be inconspicuous. “If I tell you, will you drop it, and tell no one!?”

I glare at him a little, not sure if I trust this. “I agree, if you tell me everything,” I say, snapping my finger up to point into his face. “And if you don’t need healing. Because if you’re sick! I’m taking you to mom!”

“Fine,” he bites out, glaring hard at me and then glancing over at the bar, where the other three have their back turned. But still, Rafe is picking up the glasses, and I know that we only have instants left. “It’s my…my fucking mate, Ariel.”

My jaw drops utterly open and I just stare up at him. “What?” I breathe, utterly shocked.

“Yes, okay? So, can you please just let it go, and stop bringing attention to this!?” He looks anxiously over at where Rafe is turning back towards the room, looking for us.

“One of them,” I whisper, grabbing Ben’s arm, dragging his attention back to me. “One of them is your mate!?”

“Yes!” he snaps, frantic now, wanting to get back to the group before someone notices.

I hang back, grabbing his hand and putting my weight into my heels, not letting him get away. “Which one!?” I hiss, desperate to know.

“The…fucking cute one! Obviously!” He hauls his hand back to his side, tugging me with him and making me stumble back into the center of the room. But I gasp in delight, ignoring my stumble as I trot along at his side back towards our friends, because I know instantly which one the cute one is – the tall and lanky one with the blue eyes, standing next to the prince.

The one who sent a little shudder through me too.

My wolf perks up at the thought of him, both of us wondering what on earth that was, that shiver when we met his eyes? Was I just feeling the residual effects of his mating bond calling to Ben? I mean…I guess that’s possible….but…

No, his wolf looked at me too, my wolf murmurs inside my chest, curious and interested.

But there’s no time to think on it further, because Rafe and Daphne and Jacks are already looking at us with curiosity. I scowl up at Ben a bit, letting him know that this conversation is not over. Ben just rolls his eyes.

“What were you two up to?” Rafe asks, smirking as Ben and I come back to the group.

Ben just scowls at me. “Ariel just needed my advice on a very embarrassing situation. But I’ll never tell,” he clenches his teeth here on the words, clearly reminding me of my promise. “Because I would never do that to her.”

I beam at him, nodding, a silent promise that I won’t tell anyone. “Yup!” I say, turning my grin on Rafe. “It’s very embarrassing. I’m mortified. Thank god I have Ben to advise me – I’d never survive if I didn’t.”

Jackson just frowns at me, baffled, while Daphne laughs, not buying it, before she lifts her drink to her mouth and takes a long sip.

“Cool, well, I’m taking this nightcap to bed,” she says, sighing with exhaustion. Then to my surprise she stands on her toes and presses a kiss to Rafe’s cheek. “Night, everyone!”

Daphne waves a hand over her shoulder as she heads to my room, where we agreed she’d sleep again tonight. Mom gave her her own suite, like she did Jackson, but tonight? After the events of the day? I think we all want to stay close.

Rafe clears his throat, blushing adorably as he presses a glass of whiskey into my hand and then another into Ben’s. “Ready for bed, Ben?” he asks, raising an eyebrow his way.

“More than I have ever been,” he says, heaving an exhausted sigh and then draining his glass. Rafe laughs and pats him on the shoulder.

“Come on, then,” he says, nodding back towards the family bedrooms. “Bunk with me tonight, like you did the first night. No sense in wandering the palace trying to remember which room is yours when you’re already dead on your feet.”

“Youuu got it,” Ben murmurs, smirking at Rafe and wandering away with him.

I smile after them, shaking my head a little, because…well, in many situations, I imagine that Rafe inviting Ben to his room for the evening would be kind of a dream come true. But are things different now that Ben has discovered that he has a mate? And a really cute one? Or does he still have a crush?

“What’s going on there?” Jackson asks, making me jump a little out of my reverie.

I turn my head to stare at him, my mouth making a little “o” of surprise.

He just smirks at me. “I know something’s up. I felt your shock and surprise and delight coming down the bond. Are you going to tell me?”

Grimacing a little, I step to Jackson’s side and wrap my arms around his waist, careful not to spill my glass of whiskey. “I promised Ben that I wouldn’t,” I say in a whisper. “Do you mind?”

“No, I don’t mind,” he murmurs, lifting a hand and drifting his thumb softly over my cheekbone. “Keep your promises to your friends, Ari. Though…” he hesitates here, and I grin. He just sighs, shaking his head down at me. “I never liked gossip before I got all wrapped up in your family, Ariel. But now I’m like…dying to know. What have you done to me?”

“You’re one of us!” I squeak, delighted at the revelation, smiling so hard my eyes crinkle up into little half moons. “We’ve converted you! Aw, Jacks, that makes me so happy – I’m going to tell you everything –“

He laughs, pulling me tighter and taking a tiny sip of his drink. “Please, start me off easy, Clark. I’m a gossip novice, after all.”

“Okay,” I say with a sigh. And then I surprise myself by breaking into a big yawn.

He grins down at me. “Tired, little mate?”

“Yeah,” I sigh, leaning my full weight against him, happy and content even after such a harrowing day.

“Ready for bed?” he murmurs, his eyebrows going up.

I grimace a little, not wanting to leave him but…well, knowing I need sleep. “Yeah, I think so,” I whisper, nodding.

“Good!” he says, and then Jackson shocks me by moving fast, ducking his shoulder down, tucking it beneath my waist, and then wrapping an arm around the back of my thighs as he stands up straight.

I gasp as I’m quickly lifted high in the air on his shoulder, shocked and confused and –

But then I burst into laugher, even as half of my whiskey sloshes out of its glass. “Jacks!” I half shriek, working hard to keep my voice quiet even as I vent my shock. He ignores me, striding for the door to the hall.

“Jackson!” I burst out again, laughing, pounding my free hand on his back as I use my stomach muscles to hold me up so that I’m not just dangling over his shoulder with my head down, like I was at the examination. “Put me down! What are you doing!?”

When Jackson doesn’t respond to my smacking him, I use that hand pressed tight to his spine to prop myself up, looking backwards over his back even as he carries me away.

“I’m taking you to bed, Princess,” Jackson murmurs, pulling open the hallway door and stepping swiftly out.

“What!?”

“I have no intention, Ariel,” Jackson says, his voice joyful even as I can tell that his words are dead serious, “of ever going to bed without you ever again, if I can help it. Starting...now. Or, well. Last night.”

I’m completely shocked by this declaration even as I can’t keep the smile off of my face. “You know, I can walk to your bedroom,” I murmur, twisting to grin at him.

“I’m faster than you,” he mutters. “And feeling impatient tonight.”

And I just laugh again, shaking my head, letting my mate carry me away, pleased to bits at this surprising turn to the evening.