Chapter 405

"What?" I gasp, swatting his hands away.

But Rafe ignores me, reaching for my shirt, tugging back the neck on either side, looking for a bite, the signal that Jackson has claimed me as his mate, officially, incontrovertibly.

"Rafe!" I growl, shoving him away from me - god, sometimes, brothers are so damn annoying and have no sense of personal space. "No, he didn't! Why would you even think that!?"

"Um," Jesse says, staring at me wide-eyed and starting to laugh a little now. I narrow my eyes at him, adding cousins to the critique I just made of brothers. "Ariel... because you smell like you've been marked."

"What?" I gasp, my hands flying to my neck. I mean...no. But that's ridiculous. I would have known. My eyes fly to Luca, who is slumped against the bed, his head hanging, his shoulder shaking.

"He's right," Rafe murmurs, leaning closer, sniffing me. "You smell...all over of Jackson. But... mixed, the way a Luna's scent changes when she's been marked. What..."

But then Jesse laughs again, a huge guffaw this time. I gape at him, appalled, not knowing what's so funny. Especially as-

My eyes shift to Luca again, who is just staring at me, horrified. And as I watch, he actually gags, turning away from me and pressing his eyes shut. *Jesse!" I shout, my gaze passing over Jackson - who stands stock still and a little freaked out - as I look back at my cousin. "What the hell is so funny!? Tell me! Now!" I stomp my foot, getting mad and very overwhelmed.

"Ariel," Jesse says, stepping closer to me and shooting a grin at Jackson over my shoulder. "Did he... did he scent mark you?"

"Um," I say, looking at Jesse and then at Jackson, who still stares around at us, freaked out. "Is that...bad?"

Jesse bursts out laughing, tilting his head back to the ceiling, and to my shock Rafe goes with him. Luca makes no improvement, turning his head away from me and shaking it like he's devastated. My eyes lock with Jackson's and I can tell we both don't get it.

I lose my temper, striding over to Jesse and giving him a hard shove. "Jesse!" I shout. "Stop it! What's so funny about this! You used to scent mark me all the time - every day! What's the big deal!?"

*Ariel," Jesse sputters, still laughing and taking my cheeks between his palms once he recovers his balance. "I marked you with my wrists over your major glands - your wrists, and your neck. And that was enough to fool everyone - to cover your scent, convince everyone that you were someone else. The way you're smelling right now?" He sniffs the air around me, delicately, and then bursts out laughing again. "Damn, he gave you the full business, didn't you?"

I gasp a little, looking over at Jackson, who just...shrugs.

"Why did you do that!? Rafe asks, turning to grin at Jackson. And my shoulders start to unwind for a second because...well, Rafe's smiling. So...I don't think it's anything...bad....

"I don't know," Jackson murmurs. "She...smelled like him," he says, gesturing over to Luca, who still won't look at me. "...fixed it."

Rafe and Jesse burst out laughing again.

"What!?" I protest, stomping my foot. "Why is it so bad!?"

"How did you know how to do it, if you didn't know what the result would be?" Jesse asks, grinning at Jacks, clearly delighted and scandalized.

"I don't know," Jackson says awkwardly, covering his face with his hand, embarrassed. "I just...did what my body told me to do. I don't know!" "Why is it badddd," I groan, between my teeth, glaring between my brother and my cousin now.

"It's bad," Luca barks out, "because you smell fucking awful."

I gasp, staring at him, horrified by his words.

"Oh, she does not," Jackson murmurs, dropping his hand to glare at Luca.

"Do I smell awful?" I ask, whipping my head to Jesse - because he'll tell me. He won't sugar coat it, either.

"No, Ari," he says, smiling a little more gently now as he puts a hand on my shoulder. "You just smel...like Jackson now. A little bit. Like Jackson and like you honey, cloves, and pine needles. It's not bad."

"Oh," I say, my eyes going wide, and then I shoot Jacks a little smile because....I mean, that sounds kind of nice.

Luca mutters angrily, but he turns towards us now, apparently over his nausea.

"It doesn't smell bad," Rafe says, grinning wickedly at me now. "But...I mean, everyone's going to know what happened here."

"What.." I ask, my words faltering. "What do you...noveldrama

And then my mouth falls open in horror as I register what my brother is saying.