Shannon disappeared, taking with him the heat of the moment. Devan shook his head, trying to clear it. His body still throbbed with desire, but with alpha orders hanging over him, it was easier to control.
He retrieved his clothes from the floor and threw them on while Zio watched, the emotions seeping from him so conflicted Devan couldn’t pin them down. Want. Relief. Sadness.
Devan stamped into his boots and crouched at Zio’s side. “I’m sorry. That was my fault. I let my imagination run away with me while you slept.”
“’S okay. It’s not like I did much to stop it.”
“That’s the point. You couldn’t, because how I was feeling influenced you before you even woke up. I’ll work on it, I promise.”
“I don’t want you to work on not wanting to jump me.”
“Yeah, well. I have to, or I’ll have to leave.”
Like that’ll ever happen.Even without the risks to Zio, it wasn’t something Devan could contemplate, but the threat worked. Zio blinked. Shook himself. Banged his head on Devan’s shoulder and nodded. “We’ll both work on it. Should I come with you to see Varian?”
“No. Rest here.”
“I just slept all day.”
“Yeah, and you’ll be out all night. Humour me.”
Devan slipped out of the tent before Zio could argue. He was under no illusions that Zio would consider his instructions an order but had faith that he wouldn’t want to leave their scent addled sanctuary unless he had to. Devan certainly didn’t, and his displeasure at doing so led him to greet Varian with a surly grunt.
Varian scented the air. “Hard day?”
“Is that a joke?”
“I doubt it. Tomas has spent our entire relationship reminding me that I’m distinctly unfunny.”
“Lucky you.”
Varian’s eyebrow twitched. Amusement or annoyance, Devan couldn’t tell, and he didn’t care. He folded his arms across his chest and leaned against a stack of crates. “What can I do for you, Alpha?”
“Michael let slip that he told you about the risk to Zio if you are forced apart before the bond completes.”
“The bond we’ve beenforbiddento complete?”
Varian sighed. “You will never know how much that haunts me.”
Devan could debate that all day, but he lacked the patience. “The semantics aren’t important. Michael confirmed what I had some vague knowledge of already, but I doubt I’d have found the willpower to leave anyway. And I’ve no intention of abandoning my pack.”
“I knew that, which is why I didn’t tell you of the risk to Zio. Perhaps I was wrong, but it never crossed my mind that you would leave him, even if your clan alphas ordered you to.”
“They didn’t.”
“I know, and I’m forever grateful to Dash and Luca for their friendship. They have risked much to support us, and so have you. Devan, I need you to believe how much I appreciate all you’ve done in the short time you’ve been with us.”
“I do know it, but this bond... it’s leaving me a little irrational. I don’t mean to be rude.”
Varian smiled. “And I don’t mean to irritate you, so I suppose we’re even, but Iamsorry I didn’t tell you about Zio. I thought it was for the best, but Michael convinced me otherwise.”
“I haven’t told Zio.”
“Hopefully you won’t have to. It’s a rare thing in my living memory, at least, but the way our luck is going, you never know.”
“Trouble at home?”
“No. And not much here. Worrying, don’t you think?”