42 – Prom

Eventine counted vehicles in the parking lot of the event house, which looked like a rustic barn on the inside, but which would be done up like an Enchanted Forest on the inside. She’d paid the Serenity High School Pep Club fifty dollars each, to get it done on short notice. “Whose truck is that?” she said about a red extra-cab parked at the end of the line of trucks.

“Conri’s,” Harlan told her.

“What’s he doing here?”

“Not sure,” Harlan said, “Maybe prom-as-an-adult sounds like fun to bears.”

“He’s not mated,” Eventine said under her breath. “Him being here could be a very bad idea.”

Harlan turned a disbelieving eye on her. “Don’t tell me Jaggar didn’t claim her yet.”

Eventine shook her head. “I’m not sure he’s going to.”

“Can you talk to him? Or maybe you can, you know, order him to?” Harlan said, his voice tight. “It ain’t no joke to be fucked up by the beast,” he said, rubbing his ribs.

Eventine didn’t scoff. “I’d try anything. Would he respond to that?”

Harlan thought for a long time. He finally shook his head. “No way. Nobody is going to talk Jaggar into doing something he’s decided not to, not even you. But why? It makes no sense to me. The claiming is the fun part.”

“Not when you’re Jaggar,” Eventine said patting her mate on his upper thigh, earning a rough look from him. She smiled. “Maybe we’re worried about nothing. Maybe he did it this morning.”

“I hope so,” Harlan said, “for all our sakes.” He pulled into a stall. “Speak of the devil,” he said, watching Jaggar’s truck as it pulled into the parking lot. Jaggar locked eyes with Eventine as they went past and he shook his head.

“He didn’t do it,” Eventine said quietly.

Harlan threw it into park and opened his door, halfway to the ground before the engine shut off. “I never thought I would say this about Jaggar, but that is one stupid male. Damage control time.”

They jumped out, stopping halfway between the barn and the cars, trying not to act like they were hovering. “Should I run in and clear all the unmated males out?” Harlan whispered to her.

“Maybe the mated ones, too,” Eventine whispered back. Judging by the vehicles she saw, all the mated couples were there but Heather and Graeme. Even Trevor and Ella had come, leaving Track and Treena with Burton and Blake. Burton had been very excited about the babysitting gig.

Eventine needed to measure Jaggar’s temperament before he got inside that building. She watched Jaggar get out of his truck, his back bent so he could continue to hold onto Leilani while she scooched over to come out his door. She jumped down to his side, and they froze in silhouette for a moment. Him tall and big and looking down at her, her short and slim and looking up at him, both of them holding on to the other with a desperation evident in every line in their body. It was enough to make Evie’s heart hurt. They had each other, but they needed each other so much, it was almost hard to watch.

She studied them, looking for clues to Jaggar’s temperament. He looked good, dressed in a light suit. Leilani was in a flowing, floor-length, wine-colored formal dress, her hair twisted in an up-do, her feet in dainty silver heels. The wraparound sunglasses were the only thing that ruined the look, but at least Eventine couldn’t see any silver through the lenses. They could go out in public.

Eventine waved at them and headed that way, pulling the ring box out of her pocket, holding it silently out to Jaggar, no words spoken. She should have known all of those uneven requests added up to him somehow not claiming his mate. Jaggar thought he could control his way through any situation with enough planning and thought. He was trying to outthink his nature.

Jaggar took the box from her silently, his face hard. He nodded once and curled his mate into his body.

“Where are we?” Leilani asked him, her face shining.

“It’s a surprise,” Jaggar said, bending to her, kissing her on the temple. “I’ll tell you as soon as we’re inside.”

He faltered, though, and stared at the box Eventine had handed him, his face distraught. Leilani waited patiently for him to take her where they were going. Eventine held her breath. Jaggar looked at her, eyes wide. He held up the box. What was I thinking? he mouthed to her. I’m so fucking stupid. This is stupid.

Eventine shook her head hard. Not stupid. Sweet. She’ll love it, she mouthed back. It was sweet. If she was Leilani, she would be thoroughly charmed by what Jaggar had orchestrated. An actual prom, a real dance like Leilani had never been to, one with a theme and all. He planned to get down on one knee in the middle of it all and propose to her in front of everyone. They would throw a party bigger than the one Trevor and Ella had, because this joining didn’t represent new beginnings, but rather, reinventions, and that was something just as worth celebrating. Ella had been flown in on a helicopter? Leilani would come in on the back of the beast.

Eventine cleared her throat. “Hi, Leilani,” she said.

“Hi, Evie,” she said, her expression dreamy as she clung to her mate.

He dropped the ring box into his pocket, then looked around possessively, his expression tightening.

“I’ll see you two inside,” Eventine said, then she ran for it. Harlan had been right. The night was going to be all about damage control.

***

Eventine shushed all the males hiding in the broom closet, then shut the door quickly. They were in a front alcove, a kind of entryway into the ceremony hall. There were private rooms in the back, but that would put Jaggar between the males and the exit, so Harlan had pushed them all in the closet until Jaggar went into the main room with Leilani.

The couple passed, and the door to the main room closed behind them. Eventine opened the broom closet door and let all the big males out. First was Trevor, then Conri, Crew, Beckett, Mac, Wade, and Harlan last. They all thronged around the door that led to the dance area, peeking through the glass.

Eventine stood on a chair so she could see over their heads. Rogue was drinking punch with Ella. Lorna, Dahlia, and Cerise were crowded around Leilani, talking to her all at once. She looked happy. And beautiful. Jaggar stood behind her, his hands on her shoulders, his eyes locked on all the males looking through the window at him. His lip sneered and he snarled, the sound coming through the door to them. Leilani patted his hand. The other females ignored him.

“He could not have done anything stupider than try to get us all to come to a dance,” Mac said grumpily, pushing everyone away from the glass of the door. Eventine jumped down, still peering into the other room. Rogue shook her head, said something to Ella, and the pair headed toward the entryway.

“I don’t think that’s it,” Eventine said, her thoughts working. She watched Jaggar closely through the glass, around Rogue and Ella who had pushed through the door and approached the knot of males. “I think Jaggar’s testing himself. Either that, or he’s trying to force himself to claim her.” She looked around, her eyes wide, understanding uncoiling from her heart.

Harlan was the one who nodded at her. He held up his hand, then snapped his fingers and pointed at the others in the room. “We have to make him claim her! Someone needs to ask her to dance.”

“Good plan,” Mac said. He looked around. “Raise your hand if you want to die tonight.” He stared hard at Harlan. “No volunteers? What a surprise.”

“I’ll do it,” Harlan said.

“It will be better from an unmated male,” Rogue said. She held up Conri’s hand. “And a bear.”

Everyone looked at Conri “No way,” Conri said, yanking his hand away, taking three steps back. “This is clearly a wolf issue and bears should not be involved.”

Mac looked at the entrance so suddenly, Eventine couldn’t help but follow his gaze. “Oh shit, is that a human?” Mac whispered.

Troy came through the door with a woman on his arm. She was almost as tall as him, curvy, and wearing the same wraparound sunglasses as Leilani had on. Just like the extra pair Eventine had left on the front seat of Harlan’s truck.

Wade pulled his keys out of his pocket. “I’m out of here. You know who’s in charge.” He opened the door to the other room, ignoring Jaggar’s growl, and yelled for Lorna. They were out the front door too quickly.

Trevor gave Ella a look. She nodded and went to him right away. “It’s been fun,” Trevor said, “but Burton says the pups need us.”

Mac glowered at him. “Your phone didn’t ring.”

Trevor beamed and clapped Mac on the shoulder. “Who needs phones? Good luck with Troy.” He and Ella disappeared out the door.

Mac growled, but softly, as he stared at Troy. He’d pulled the human to a chair in the corner and was kissing her ear. He actually looked pretty good, Eventine thought. His outfit was a little Hawaiian-style, but it was pressed and showed off his broad chest. His light-brown hair had been cut and styled, if left too long, and his masculine face had been recently shaved.

“Troy,” Mac called. “A word?”

Troy lifted a hand to him, then kissed the woman on her cheek one more time. He bounded over. The group opened up slightly and let him in. Conri had returned and had his best wolf face on, directing it at Troy.

Mac shook his head at Troy, then took a deep breath. Mac spoke in ruhi, making Rogue snarl. The others who couldn’t speak ruhi were used to it. Is that a human?

Don’t worry, she’s blind.

Really? Mac asked, clearly not believing it. Is she deaf, too?

Deaf? No.

Mac rolled his eyes heavenward. You can’t take her in there. You can’t bring humans around events like this. Don’t you know that?

“T-ster?” the woman called.

Troy turned around and flashed her a thumbs-up. Look at her, though, she’s so cute, right?

Like a button, now get her the fuck out of here.

“Wait,” Eventine said, catching Troy by the arm. “Can you do one thing for us first?”

What?

“Ask Leilani to dance.”

Troy winked at Eventine, earning a growl from Harlan.

We fucking with Jaggar? Totally. Point me to her and tell my babe I’ll be right back.

Eventine cocked her head and pitched her voice low. “He hasn’t claimed her yet.”

Troy’s face went worried. Ah, shit, he said, peering at Jaggar through the closed door. This is gonna hurt.

Crew held up a hand. “Wait, Troy, have you…?” He pointed a look over Troy’s shoulder, then leaned into the middle of the group and whispered, “Have you shifted back into a wolf yet?”

Troy shook his head slowly.

Harlan scoffed. “Fuck this,” he said, heading that way, hitting the door with the heel of his hand. Eventine hurried in behind him, motioning at Cerise and Dahlia in big arm waves to clear out, find their mates and get away. Troy, get her out, now, she sent to Troy.

Harlan went straight to Leilani, ignoring Jaggar’s snarl of warning.

“Leilani, it’s Harlan. Will you dance with me?” he said, almost growling his words.

Jaggar amped up, snarling, growling, teeth sharpening and growing. He swiped once at Harlan. Harlan pulled back but otherwise ignored him, leaning toward Leilani so he could hear what she was saying.

“Ah, no thank you.” She smiled sunnily at him. “But thank you for asking.”

Jaggar let go of Leilani and pushed up into Harlan’s face, the features of the beast making Jaggar’s face elongate, then sharpen. The wet-flesh, kill-you-now noise coming from his throat made Eventine slightly sick to her stomach.

“Holy shit,” Mac said from behind her. “His fucking eyes are changing color.”

Eventine held up a hand to him. “Harlan’s got this. Nobody step in unless he calls you.

“Or he’s unconscious,” Rogue said.

Harlan bumped Jaggar in the chest with his own chest, like they were on the football field. “Come on, Jag, you know the wolf code. Unless your teeth have been in her skin, she’s fair fucking game.”

Whoa. Eventine snarled, her fangs growing in her mouth. She exerted her human will, controlling Butterfly, but barely. They both knew what Harlan was doing, she’d put him up to it, but his words and his tone were messing with her and Butterfly on so many levels.

Strain lines showed around Leilani’s mouth. Her hand crept to her temple. Silver flashed through the thick lenses of the sunglasses.

“Jaggar,” Rogue snapped. “Leilani needs you.”

For a moment, Eventine thought Jaggar wasn’t going to respond, that instead he was going to rip into her mate, for a second time.