Chapter 711

I lean in, kissing my mate and believing him utterly.

The day-long train across the south of Moon Valley was bad, but honestly, compared to this truck?

I groan as we hit yet another bump and I'm tossed against Luca's side, hissing as my back again hits a spot on the wall that I know is going to leave a pretty purple bruise.

"You all right?" he murmurs, subtly putting an arm around me for support.

"I think they planned these stupid transports for big guys," I say, glaring around at the fabric-covered truck that at least forty of us are shoved into. "Yeah, well," Tony murmurs from my other side, dipping his head so that only I can hear him. "I don't think they anticipated the military being infiltrated by tiny magical women."

I laugh, just a single huff, before we hit another hole and I'm jolted again. My laugh dies, immediately replaced with a scowl.

Jackson and Rafe are at the front of the truck where they can see out the windshield - because this is their little legion, apparently. They brought Jesse with them up there, wanting his opinion, but there's another truck behind commanded by Blythe with a slightly smaller group, and then Ben and the rest of the Ambassadors have been sent to a different area of command.

"What are you even going to do here, Tony?" I ask, peering up at him with a frown. "How are you going to use your badass assassin skills if you're on the front line?"

"Oh, I think I've been reallocated for the moment," Tony says, looking down at me quite seriously. "We've got no access to the Atalaxian royalty for the time being, so all of my formidable skills are laying fallow. Until I can be put to use, I think my singular role is as your cooler."

I grin up at him. "My cooler?"

"Yeah, hose you down when you get all hot —“

I burst out laughing, but Luca snarls, pulling me subtly closer.

"Oh, get over it, Grant," Tony says, rolling his eyes, "or people are going to assume that I'm not kidding." He glances down at where Luca's hand has wrapped around my waist. Luca hesitates but then sighs and drops it, realizing that Tony's right.

Luca, I say, turning to frown up at my mate. Why do you let him bug you? You know he's kidding.

Is he kidding, Ari? Luca says, looking down at me kind of urgently. He hits on you all the time -

Yeah, I say, interrupting, my frown deepening, but...it's Tony - he's just saying it to make me laugh. There's nothing happening there. He's just my friend.

If he had any choice in the matter, Luca murmurs, raising an eyebrow at me. He wouldn't be so thoroughly stuck in the friend zone.

But I just shake my head, scowling at Luca, not understanding him at all. I mean, he has direct access to my emotions - he'd know if I had any romantic feelings towards Tony at all. But then I shift my eyes to his chest, wondering if...

My wolf trots out, inspecting and...yup. His wall is up, the bond blocked.

"How can we talk?" I ask, tapping on his chest. "If you've got the wall up?"

"Ari," Luca growls, glancing around anxiously. "Let's not do this here."

I scowl, kind of getting pissed at him for continuing to not let me in. My wolf growls, hackles raised, and moves quickly across the bond until she gets to the wall, where she rises up on her hind legs and starts to scratch at it vehemently with her claws, like she's digging.

Luca gasps and spins to me, shocked.

"What are you two doing?" Tony murmurs, watching us with fascination.noveldrama

I ignore Tony and flash my teeth at Luca, who scowls at me but takes down the wall.

My wolf turns as soon as he does, giving a little glare at his wolf on the other side, her meaning quite clear. Leave this down for your own good.

Before Luca can retort, though, we all notice a slight shift in the truck's gear and the slowing of our pace.

“Finally,” Tony sighs, and I look up to see him shaking his head. “We're here.”

"Thank god," I murmur, settling my shoulders and looking forward to a stretch. Luca sends a warm pulse over the bond, and I feel it with a vividness that makes me both smile and realize just how guarded he's been over the past few months. I turn to smile up at him, hoping he feels how much I love it when I get all of him unblocked,

uninterrupted.

He smiles down at me, feeling all of my joy. Subtly he traces a hand down my back, letting me know he gets it and he understands and is sorry. lean into that hand subtly, loving the experience of sharing emotions with him not just words.

Tony moves first off of the truck, turning to hold a hand out to help me down, which I readily accept.

The moment my foot hits the ground, though, my head snaps up, because a very, very familiar scent has just crossed my nose.

"Ari!" a deep voice calls, full of happiness and relief.

My face bursts in a grin as I turn towards the man who called my name.