Devotion

by Grace R. Duncan

  Tanner grinned. “Well, I’ll have to remember how easy you are.”

  Finley, without turning his face away from the coffee, reached out and smacked Tanner on the back of the head.

  Tanner laughed, kissed Finley’s temple, then stood. “We’ll need to find a place for your stuff. I’m going to go see what I can do about my closet.”

  “I’ll be in in a minute,” Finley promised, taking another drink.

  Tanner chuckled. “I’ll see you in, oh, ten. After the second cup.”

  Finley flipped Tanner off, grinning at the laughter that followed.

  “HELLO?”

  “Hello, Mom!” Finley said from next to Tanner.

  “Hi, Fin. How are you?”

  “I’m fine. Hold on a minute.” He glanced at Tanner, who hit the merge button on his phone, then said, “Mom?”

  Two voices answered at the same time. “Yes?”

  “Oops,” Finley said. “Uh, Finley’s mom?”

  Laughter answered him. “Well, dear, I think we both sort of consider ourselves your mother. Hello, Hannah.”

  His mom laughed. “Hi, Carol. What’s up, guys?”

  “Uh, Finley and I have a… concern,” Tanner said, glancing at Finley.

  “Concern?” Hannah asked. “What kind of concern?”

  “Uh, well, Mom, the thing is… you said you’re planning something for the… claiming?” Finley stumbled over the word, then rolled his eyes at himself.

  “Yes. Bob is providing drinks and Sandy offered to barbecue. We’re still working on—”

  “Um… what about after the p-party?” Finley asked.

  Tanner put an arm around him, pulling him close and kissing his temple.

  Silence greeted this question for a long moment. “What about it?” Carol asked.

  “Well,” Tanner said. “I guess we’re wondering, uhm, when you and our dads are planning to leave.”

  Again, the silence sat for a moment before both moms started laughing.

  Tanner and Finley exchanged glances. “Uh…,” Finley said.

  “We were planning to run with the rest of the pack afterwards.”

  “No,” Tanner said, shaking his head, even though they couldn’t see him.

  Finley was too. “Oh no. Nope, nope, nope, nope, nope.”

  “Nope,” Tanner agreed.

  Finley wasn’t sure if their moms could even hear them, they were both too busy laughing so hard.

  Carol apparently got control of herself first. “Really, guys, you’ve got to get over—”

  “No,” Tanner said, talking over her. “You guys are not going to watch us have sex.”

  More laughter answered that. Eventually, Hannah spoke. “Finley, are you really—”

  “Yes, Mom, I’m really telling you I do not want you—or my sisters—there when Tanner and I… when he claims me.”

  Both women snickered again. “Real—”

  “No!” Tanner and Finley said together.

  After one more round of laughter, Tanner’s mom cleared her throat. “Fine, fine. We’ll shift and run before the claiming itself.”

  Finley wondered about that, but he wasn’t sure how he could insist they drive away, guaranteeing they didn’t watch from a distance in wolf form or something. He glanced up at Tanner, who shrugged. “Fine. Just so you’re not there,” Finley replied.

  “Good! That’s settled, then. We’ll see you at the clearing! Don’t be late!”

  Both women hung up, and Finley shook his head. “I don’t get it. I mean… we’re their kids. Do they really want to see—?”

  “Don’t even say it. Even thinking about putting my parents in the same thought as ‘sex’ makes my balls crawl up inside me,” Tanner said, shaking his head.

  Finley laughed. “No doubt. Well, hopefully they’ll keep their word.”

  “I’m sure they will. At the very least, I sincerely hope they don’t say anything after.”

  Finley groaned. “Oh gods, that would suck.”

  “Yeah, well, we could always threaten to not have any grandpups,” Tanner said, thoughtfully.

  Finley looked up at him. “You want pups?” They’d never actually talked about kids. Finley had thought about them, but for some reason, the subject never came up.

  Tanner met his gaze. “I thought, later on, we’d see what we could do. Even among the wolves, there’s bound to be a way to get a surrogate or adopt or something.”

  Finley beamed. “I’d love that!”

  “Well, then, that’ll make a very effective threat.”

  “Yes!” Finley said, laughing. “Good thinking.”

  “Well, you know—”

  “Yeah, you have good ideas now and again.” Finley shook his head and glanced at the clock. “Come on, we’ve got to get ready.”

  Tanner nodded as they stood and went into the bedroom. As they undressed and stepped into the shower, Tanner looked down at Finley. “I seriously hope my nerves calm down before tonight.”

  Finley smiled. “Mine too. It’d be kind of hard to claim me if we can’t even get it up.”

  “Oh gods, wouldn’t that just look good for a future alpha?” Tanner asked, eyes wide.

  “Somehow, I think, when the time comes, it won’t be a problem,” Finley said as he grabbed the shampoo.

  Tanner took it from him and poured some into his hand, then worked it into Finley’s hair. “I’m sure you’re right. I’ve just never been quite that… public before.”

  Finley nodded. “Well, maybe we can pretend we’re alone or something.”

  Tanner took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I’ll find a way. Because when we come home tomorrow morning, it will be as full mates.”

  Finley smiled. “I’m so glad you’re willing to do this.”

  Tanner leaned in and kissed him. “Let’s get done so we can.”

  FINLEY WIPED his palms on his pants as Tanner pulled in next to Alpha Noah’s Jeep. An entire butterfly conservatory had set up shop in his stomach, and he was afraid he was going to throw up.

  Tanner shut off the car and turned in his seat to face Finley. “Hey, baby, it’s okay,” he said. He took one of Finley’s hands and kissed the back of it. “I’m nervous too, but if it’s too much, I will break tradition.”

  Finley shook his head. “No, no. I’ll be okay.” He would be. Besides, Finley wasn’t actually worried about the claiming itself. He was more nervous about what he wanted to do before. The little box in his pocket seemed to be burning straight through the cloth and into his skin. It wasn’t, he knew that, but that’s what it felt like.

  He also knew he shouldn’t be worried. He didn’t think for one minute Tanner would react in any way other than how he thought his mate would. But that thought didn’t seem to evict the butterflies like he hoped.

  His wolf was confused as all hell. They both knew Tanner loved them, wanted them, and was mated to them. He didn’t understand what Finley’s problem was.

  “Really,” he said, taking a deep breath. “I’m not worried about the claiming tonight.”

  Tanner studied him for a moment, then nodded. “Well, if you were lying, I’d be able to tell. Is there something else? Something I can do?”

  Finley shook his head. “Not yet. But soon,” he said, letting Tanner puzzle out the cryptic comment, then leaned in and gave a fast kiss before he climbed out of the car.

  Tanner followed suit, came around, and took Finley’s hand as they walked toward the clearing. “What did you mean by that?”

  Finley grinned. “You’ll find out.”

  “Oh ho, you’re keeping secrets?” Tanner growled.

  “It’s a good one, I promise,” he said, kissing Tanner quickly, then stepping past the tree line. His grin widened when he heard Tanner’s sigh, knowing they wouldn’t be able to talk any more for the time being.

  Finley stopped dead as soon as they cleared the trees. The clearing was full, and he had a moment of pure terror at the thought of all those people watching him during th
e party, then watching them together later. “Oh gods, not… they’re not all….”

  “Hey, hey!” Tanner said, pulling him close. He wrapped his arms around Finley, dropping light kisses on his temple. “It’s okay. Shh, it’s okay,” he murmured, and the calming feeling coming across their bond finally broke through his fear.

  “Sorry, I’m sorry,” Finley said, forcing himself to take slow breaths.

  “It’s all right, baby. And no, they’re not all going to be there tonight, I promise.”

  “I’m not, it’s not, I mean… I just… the whole pack! Too many, yeah?”

  Tanner nodded. “Yes, it is. We’ll get more comfortable at some point, but right now, yeah, it’s too much.”

  Finley took another deep breath and finally felt like he could move. “Okay. Let’s do this.”

  Large round temporary tables had been set up, most of which had chairs that were currently filled with people. Music played from somewhere, and on the far side, Sandy, one of their elders, had set up a huge barbecue grill. The smell of grilling steak drifted over to them.

  Bob had another table set up with a keg on it and was passing cups out to the pack members. His wife was shaking her head at one of the younger teens who was obviously pleading for a cup. Finley couldn’t resist smiling. Even if wolves metabolized alcohol fast, they still had limits on how young they were willing to let people drink. Usually, mid to late teens was early enough, assuming they were watched.

  Finley saw one table set apart from the rest with two empty seats. He squeezed Tanner’s hand and pointed. “I think that’s for us.”

  “Ah, yes. Well, shall we? Get this over with?”

  Finley chuckled. “Sure.”

  They started across toward their table, but had to stop every few feet to be congratulated or well-wished. It took entirely too long to get to the middle of the clearing.

  As they approached, Alpha Noah stood, and Finley tilted his head. “There they are!” To Finley’s surprise, Noah pulled him into a brief hug. “Congrats, son,” Noah said as he let Finley go.

  Finley blinked, then smiled. “Thank you, sir.”

  Noah turned to Tanner, and Finley found himself engulfed in Carol’s arms next. It wasn’t until they’d hugged all four parents, both sisters, and Bob and Laura—Finley hadn’t even seen them come over—that they could sit down.

  A moment later, Bob set a cup down in front of Finley. “Looks like you could use one of these,” he said in Finley’s ear, and Finley smiled gratefully up at him.

  “Thank you.”

  Bob winked. “Don’t mention it. Really, I don’t want your mate on my case.”

  “And I would be,” Tanner said, though he winked at the same time.

  Bob held his hands up. “Guess that means you don’t want any?”

  “He’ll have some too,” Finley said, smirking. Tanner blinked at him. “What? Isn’t it up to me now too?”

  Tanner’s eyebrows went up. “Guess I didn’t think of it that way. Though… I’ve been overage for a few years. I don’t need permission anymore.”

  Finley rolled his eyes. “I know. Let me have my illusions.”

  Tanner laughed and accepted the cup from Laura. At the same time, Sandy brought plates loaded with steak and baked potatoes over to them. Another round of congratulations later, Finley focused on food. If he was eating, he didn’t have to try to talk. He knew he’d have to soon enough.

  “Hey! The new mates need to kiss!” someone called from the back of the clearing.

  “Kiss! Kiss!” The rest of the pack picked up the chant, and Finley blushed but turned to Tanner. He’d meant to keep it to a peck, but when their lips met, Finley forgot the rest of the world. The only thing he felt, the only thing he could focus on, was his mate. Their mouths opened and tongues tangled. Finley threaded his fingers into Tanner’s hair, and Tanner’s arms came around him.

  It wasn’t until the loud cheer went up that he remembered they had an audience. He broke the kiss, blushing again. “Gods, are they like this for every mating?” he muttered.

  Carol answered, grinning. “Oh no! I mean, we have parties, but it’s not every day the future alpha is mated. Even if they don’t all get to watch as they normally would—” Finley groaned and the fading heat came back. “—they still want to celebrate.”

  “It’s important to know that the alpha and his mate are truly bonded,” his mom said. “It shows that the pack will have a good, strong leadership with a settled, happily mated alpha.”

  Finley nodded. “That makes sense. But… why do they watch? I mean, I know they do, but I don’t get why.”

  “First off, you forget most of them aren’t quite as… prudish… as you are about sex,” Carol said, glancing at his mate, who scowled.

  “We’re not prudish, just because we don’t want to f—uh, have sex in front of the whole pack,” Tanner nearly growled.

  None of the parents bothered to argue. “You’ll get more used to it, really,” Carol said, patting his hand. “But there is a reason for the public display. It’s not just to embarrass you.”

  “So… what is it?” Finley asked.

  All four parents exchanged amused looks. “You’ll find out, son,” his dad said.

  Finley sighed and rolled his eyes, pointing at Beth with his fork. “See, Kid B? They do it to me too.”

  Beth giggled. “I’m glad I’m not the only one.”

  “Duh! It’s a parent thing,” Anna said, sighing.

  Finley snickered. “Get it a lot too, Kid A?”

  “I have a name, Finley! I’m not a kid!” Anna said, glaring at him.

  Finley simply smirked at her. “Talk to me again when you’re old enough to mate.”

  She pouted. “That’s not for another three years!”

  “Yup,” Finley said, nodding. “Until then… Kid A.”

  “Totally not fair. Just cause the mating pull doesn’t happen until then. So not a kid,” she grumbled to her baked potato.

  This only earned her laughter.

  She scowled, but ignored them.

  “Besides, it’s really unusual to find your mate that young, honey,” Carol said, patting Anna on the hand.

  “Finley found his!”

  “Yes, but that’s not typical for us. It usually happens much later. I’m sure, back in the beginning it wasn’t so rare, but that was long before high school existed.”

  “And… I didn’t so much as find my mate as we sort of….”

  “Ran into each other,” Tanner finished for him.

  “Almost literally,” Finley agreed, grinning at Tanner.

  Anna rolled her eyes, obviously not comforted.

  Finley was grateful when the conversation turned to more mundane topics. When he finished his food, he knew he had no more excuses for putting it off. He glanced at his mom, who knew what he was about to do.

  She winked and gave him a single nod.

  Finley took a deep breath, pulled the little box out of his pocket, and held it tight. “Tanner, there’s something I’d like to ask you.”

  Tanner turned in his chair and looked at him in mild surprise. “Okay….”

  Finley managed a small smile. The butterflies, which had gone to sleep, woke up and started rioting around his stomach with a vengeance. He realized he probably shouldn’t have eaten until after he did this. Too late now. He cleared his throat and opened his mouth.

  And completely forgot everything he’d rehearsed.

  He stared blankly at his mate for a long moment.

  Tanner raised his eyebrows, but simply waited.

  Finley closed his mouth, then opened it again and took a breath. “I’m so happy tonight is happening. I couldn’t have asked for a better mate. Tonight is about our wolves, the primal side of our mating. But I think we should also honor the human side. Because the side of you that makes me laugh, that carted me bodily out of the nightclubs… the side of you that came for me when it counted, that’s just as important. Even the part of that side that
worried so about our future. In the end, you just wanted us to last, just wanted us to be happy.”

  Finley had to forcibly relax the muscles in his hand to be able to pull out the box. He slid down onto one knee next to Tanner and opened the lid. The white gold band had wolf paw prints engraved all the way around it. It was a little corny, maybe, but Finley thought Tanner would like it. He turned the box toward his mate and looked up to see Tanner’s eyes wide and looking a little watery. “Tanner, will you honor my human side? Will you marry me?”

  Tanner swallowed several times and opened his mouth. As he croaked the word yes, a tear slid down his cheek. Then Tanner yanked Finley into his arms and their mouths crashed together.

  Chapter Eighteen

  AS SUNSET approached, the crowd in the clearing dwindled as the pack members shifted and went to run or went home. Tanner and Finley sat through a steady stream of well-wishers until finally there were only a few left: the elders, Bob and Laura, and both families, along with the pack doctor, a younger man named Miles who said he should be there “just in case something happened.”

  Tanner wouldn’t be able to relax more until the families were gone too.

  He looked down at his hand and the ring he wore. He’d been… floored was too mild a word. He’d never considered a human wedding, but with his and Finley’s personalities, it made a lot of sense. He loved that Finley had thought of it, and the way it had been worded…. Well, if he let himself think about it, he’d choke up again.

  He wanted to focus instead on what was ahead. He was still a little worried he’d be too nervous to actually do what they needed to do. Every time he started thinking that, though, Finley would sense his nervousness and squeeze his hand, and he’d calm down again.

  When the sun went down completely, his dad built up the fire in the center of the clearing. After he had it going well, he rejoined the families, standing in front of Finley. He put a hand on Finley’s shoulder. “I’m proud to have you as part of the family, son,” he said, then squeezed Finley’s shoulder and turned to Tanner, who couldn’t stop smiling—at both what his father said and Finley’s pleased smile.