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"What?" she asked, her tone almost panicked. "Why do you look like that?"

"Hey, hey, it\'s fine! Don\'t worry!"

"I wasn\'t until you looked like that!"

Zev shook his head and took her hands. "Look, it\'s just… it\'s going to sound weird. But our mating ritual… think of it like a wedding with lots of dancing, and a little male nudity."

"Dancing isn\'t—wait, what?!"

He raised his hands toward her, palms out. "Don\'t panic—"

"Why would guys be getting naked at my wedding?" she asked, her voice shrill. Then laughter bubbled out of her throat. She tried to catch it, but she was spluttering. "N-nudity? For real? What the h-hell kind of p-place is this, Zev?"

He gave her a flat look. "I was mostly being funny," he said. "But there are some, um, traditions that you\'ll probably find a little crazy. But you don\'t have to worry. It\'s all just for show. And… for you to prove that you\'re choosing me over the others."

"So, what," she giggled, "They all get naked to make sure I don\'t like their bodies better?"

Zev watched her warily and she stopped sniggering immediately.

"You can\'t be serious!"

"Sash—"

"Why does everyone here seem to think all a guy has to do is get naked and I\'ll suddenly abandon any feelings I have for you?!"

"It\'s not that—"

"That\'s what that displaying bullshit was about tonight, right? They were trying to… how did you put it, entice me?"

"Well, yes, but—"

"So does this mean the females are going to get naked too, so you have to choose me over them?"

Zev snorted. "No. That would be crazy." Even the thought was laughable.

Sasha gaped at him.

"What?" he asked, confused.

She widened her eyes, but he was still baffled.

"Zev, you\'re telling me it\'s crazy for women to get naked, but not men?"

"Males," he corrected. "And yes, because it\'s always up to the females to choose their mates. That\'s just… how life works. The males display and provide, the females choose. The females are always desirable. They don\'t compete, the males do."

Sasha dropped her face in her hands. "This is too much."

But Zev caught her hands and pulled them down, smiling at her. "Sash, seriously, you don\'t have to panic. By the time we get that far, the chances of anything going wrong are so small. It\'s the days between now and then we have to worry about."

"Days? How many days?"

"I\'m going to ask the wolf pack to arrange the ritual the day after tomorrow, if they can."

"What has to be arranged? Why don\'t we just do it now?"

Zev\'s lips flattened. "We have to give everyone a chance to learn about the choosing and challenge me if they want to."

"What? Why? I thought that\'s what you just did—?"

"No, I told you, we settled things with the wolves—and they\'re the biggest clan. But the Alphas still have to have a chance to challenge me for you."

Sasha sighed. "How many of them are there?"

"At this level? Not many. That\'s what I meant about Lhars doing me a favor. Now that I\'m pack Alpha, the only others who can try are other clan Alphas—but Oksa and Xar are already mated. So that only leaves the goats and the owls. Dunken will find out for me if Gheet has any plans. And Kyelle is technically Alpha of the owls, though she does have a male who could probably step up for their Clan if she wanted him to… I just… I doubt it." He trailed off frowning as the little voice in the back of his mind sang about the bird and the ways she might be motivated.

Sasha sighed. "Kyelle?"

"Yes."

"The one who\'s in love with you?"

Zev snapped his eyes up to meet hers. "She talked to you about that?"

Sasha had slumped, her elbows on her knees. She ran a hand through her hair and looked uncomfortable. "Sort of. I mean, it\'s not like I can blame her. But… seems like she might have a reason to see if she can put some kind of barrier between us."

Zev shook his head. "She\'s not petty like that."

Sasha shifted her weight. "She might not see it as petty. She might see it as… taking her last shot? She really cares for you, Zev."

He sighed, wishing this whole situation didn\'t have to be so complicated. "Well, she\'s out of luck," he said, pulling Sasha\'s chin forward so she had to meet his eyes. "You\'re my chosen mate, and I\'m yours. That\'s the end of the story. If she sends a male, I\'ll kick his ass. It\'s that simple."

Sasha smiled, but forced one eyebrow high as if she were skeptical. "So cocky."

"No, I just know my own strength. And it\'s… impressive," he grinned. "Wouldn\'t you agree?"

Sasha rolled her eyes, but her smile widened and she leaned forward to kiss him quickly.

Zev hummed and buried a hand in her hair, holding her close when she started to pull away, and deepening the kiss.

Her hands appeared on his chest, clinging, and she leaned into him with a little sigh that started a fire in his gut. He groaned, and forced himself to pull away.

He was slow opening his eyes because he knew looking into hers would urge him to plunder her soft mouth again. Thank the Creator that he only had two more days to wait until there would be no more waiting.

Her eyes were bright, and she licked her lips—which drew his gaze down to them and had him considering whether those two days were really, completely necessary? But he knew they were. He was giving no male any reason to challenge their mating. So he cleared his throat and forced himself to focus.

Sasha leaned back and tried to take his mouth, looking concerned when he pulled back, shaking his head.

"Lhars will be here soon with the others," he said quietly, his voice rough with desire. "I don\'t want to make it awkward."

She blew out a breath, fluttering her hair. "What\'s awkward?" she asked dryly. "I mean, he\'s coming to the wedding naked, isn\'t he?"

Zev smiled and she sighed again, stroking his cheek with her soft little hand. "I know you have to do this. I know it\'s important and I\'m glad that you\'re back in some kind of power. But… I need time with you, Zev. I need to… to get all of this straight in my head and remember why we\'re doing it. You\'re spending the night with me tonight, right? At the house?"

He nodded. "I\'m not leaving you alone for another night, ever, Sash," he said huskily.

When she smiled it was like something that had been tied around his heart just loosened and fell away.

He was leaning in to kiss her again, and she was leaning forward to meet him when she froze and her eyes went wide.

Zev went still, his eyes darting left and right. But there were no intruders, and no sounds outside of footsteps approaching. Surely she couldn\'t have heard something he hadn\'t?

"What it is?" he whispered.

Her throat bobbed. "Did you say… wedding?"