Autumn Feast - Charlie Richards Page 0,65

husband who failed to value it. It was his father’s misfortune the human he’d chosen had been the daughter of a hunter. That hunter felt no remorse in ridding the world of a monster, one who’d defiled his offspring.

Never mind the monster had a wife and a child.

His father was dead, but his legacy lived on in his mother’s fears.

Never change.

Never release your wolf.

Never marry.

Trey had already broken the first two promises, and his mate was trying for a triple play.

And Calyx wasn’t alone in his campaign. He had enlisted the help of his father, Haru, who had not married a mate of his own but saw nothing wrong with extolling its virtues for his sons. And not just Haru, but it seemed the entire community had joined the cause.

He’d been asked when the date would occur, been offered places for the ceremony, and reminded of suitable times by nearly every member of the sanctuary.

Every day.

It was driving him crazy. At night when Calyx drove into his body, entwining their souls together once more, he couldn’t get the fucking questions out of his head.

When Calyx lapped at his skin murmuring tender words, Trey knew what the man wanted.

“Are we getting closer?” Kindling asked.

Trey had been trapped in his thoughts and recognized the thread of impatience lacing his cousin’s words.

The same tone laced his mate’s words enough these days as the Autumn Feast drew nearer.

“Soon,” Trey muttered, grunting as they hit another bump along the way, this one nearly making him rise off the seat.

“Why can’t we park this monster truck and wolf out? We take off, run, and enter this sanctuary you speak of so lovingly. We could come back for the vehicle in the morning.”

“Our clothes.” Trey sighed, trying for patience. It was a necessity when dealing with Kindling, whose energy was not for the weak. They had time before they had to park his monster truck, as Kindling called it. Then they could grab their bags and walk into the veil.

“Aw, come on! Like these people would be shocked to see a few dangly parts.” Kindling crossed his slim arms in an imitation of a two-year-old.

From what Trey had learned of his free-spirited cousin, he had no hesitation in showing his dangly parts. When Trey had arrived to pick him up from his apartment, Kindling had been stark naked, his brown skin glistening with water and foam from a shower. Kindling had opened the door without hesitation, his amber eyes shiny with recognition.

Trey had had no idea what meeting Kindling would be like after all those years of absence. They’d been children, he older than Kindling by at least six years, or was it more? Hell, Kindling had been a pup, nothing like the creature that bounced in the seat next to him, a Jack-in-the-box waiting to pop out of an open door and hit the grass running.

His mother hadn’t reached out to their pack after his father died, choosing to be a recluse instead. She didn’t trust his father’s brother, his family, or his pack. After all, she’d accepted them into her life, married their brother, only to be abandoned by him with a young child to raise.

She’d wanted no part of them. She’d taken her son and returned to her people, shamed and broken, staying long enough to get on her feet and then deserting them as well.

Alone.

Always alone.

It had only been the two of them.

“I mean, really? Who would care? All this land? Let’s go for it,” Kindling persisted.

Trey shook his head. He would be lying to himself if he didn’t admit how much he envied the way Kindling accepted his wolf. He was mercury on two legs the way he flowed and danced around any obstacle. Trey liked him and was pleased Calyx had suggested reconnecting with his family, with his people.

Trey had reached out, and his uncle had been pleased to hear from him. He’d known about Trey and his mother, where they’d lived, and that Trey had moved away. He’d kept watch as much as he could, considering his mother’s hatred of them. But Trey was his brother’s son, and he’d hoped they could repair the divide someday.

When Uncle Lore had suggested they start with Trey and Kindling spending time together, it was Calyx who proposed bringing him to the sanctuary. Trey knew what his mate was thinking. The more wolves Trey surrounded himself with, the more comfortable he would become with his beast. They would see.

“We’re going to wait until we’re