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“Why not get both?”
“Really? I can do that?”
I chuckled at his sweetness, and the way his eyes were rounded with surprise. Even though he wasn’t in full little space, it was ingrained in his personality. He never tried to hide who he was, and I loved it. “Why not? We didn’t have much of a lunch, and we definitely worked up an appetite.” I flicked my eyebrows and he giggled into his hand. “Even if you can’t eat it all, we can take the leftovers home for tomorrow. I think I’m going to get steak and ribs.”
“That sounds yummy!”
Our waitress arrived to take our order, along with a beer for myself and a fruit punch for Tatum. Service was surprisingly fast, and we had our plates before us in no time at all.
Just as our waitress walked away after delivering our meals, a familiar scent cut through the savory smell in the air. I turned around in my seat just as Stone, one of my wolf shifter friends, and his mate Wren entered the room.
They reminded me a little of Tatum and myself; Stone towered over his smaller human mate. But where my body was broad and soft, Stone’s was a mass of carved muscle. All shifters were strong, but not all of us looked the same.
Our personalities were quite different as well. I was a gentle giant, while Stone was a foul-mouthed, intimidating creature. But he had a heart of gold; his whole pack did. And one thing we had in common was that we both doted on our mates, and were head over heels.
I’d known Stone, his packmate Rowan, and their Alpha Phoenix for decades. They were all incredible men who had found their perfect partners. I didn’t see them as often as I would like, but I was thrilled to run into the pair.
Stone’s face lit up when he saw me. “Well, I’ll be damned.” He strode over in two large steps, and slapped his heavy hand on my back. He probably would have shaken my hand, but he had a firm grasp on his mate. “It’s been a while. How have you been, Weldon?”
“I’m doing great.” Anxious to show off the reason for that, I motioned to the beautiful man across from me. “I’d like you to meet Tatum.”
Stone’s eyes dropped to the mating mark on Tatum’s throat before he gave me a lopsided smile. “Congratulations. It’s about fuckin’ time.”
“Tell me about it,” I chuckled, reaching across the table to take my boy’s hand. “He was worth the wait.”
“Aww,” Wren cooed, turning his attention to Stone. “Is that how you felt about me?”
“You know it is, Songbird.” Though he was a tough figure, Stone would never hide his feelings for Wren.
I squeezed Tatum’s hand and told him, “Baby bear, do you remember me telling you about my friends who lived on the far side of the forest?” I was proud to use his nickname. He nodded and I added, “These are two of them; Stone, and his mate Wren.”
His eyes widened. “Mate? So you’re a…” Tatum looked around, checking for any eavesdroppers. Everyone seemed immersed in their meals, and even the hostess had given up trying to show my friends to their table, and walked away. Still, instead of asking out loud, Tatum let go of me and used his hands to make cupped wolf ear shapes behind his head.
“Holy shit, he’s adorable,” Wren smiled.
“I am,” Stone answered my boy, leaning in closer and giving him a smile, allowing his canines to drop.
“Wow,” Tatum whispered in awe. Stone shot him a wink and put his teeth away. “It’s really nice to meet you both. Daddy told me a lot about you.” I was glad Tatum was comfortable enough to use my name as well. My friends knew all about my lifestyle and needs, and would never dream of judging. “He told me about your boy scout camp too. It sounds really cool.”
“You should come check it out sometime,” Wren suggested, and my boy’s face lit up.
“Really? Daddy said we would go camping sometime. Maybe we could all go together.” He was jumping right in with both feet, and I couldn’t be prouder of him, or happier that he was so taken with my friends.
“That sounds fun,” Wren nodded. “I’ll get with Rory and Dax and we’ll find a date that works for all of us.” Tatum clapped his hands excitedly, and Wren’s grin told me my boy had completely won him over.
“For now, we’ll let you get back to your dinner,” Stone added, before slapping my back once more. “Don’t be a stranger.”
“I won’t,” I promised. In the past, it had been a little difficult being the seventh wheel in a group of happily mated shifters. But now that I’d found my own mate, I was excited to spend more time with my friends, and allow Tatum to grow close to them as well. I had a feeling that Dax and Rory would absolutely love him.
Tatum and Wren waved at one another before Stone led his mate to an empty table. I wasn’t sure if it was the one the hostess had chosen for them, but I was positive no one would tell the giant man to move.
“They were so nice,” Tatum said once we were alone again. “I hope I can meet everyone else soon. I’m excited to have friends! And I’m so excited for our camping trip!”
He absolutely melted my heart. “So am I, baby bear.” I soaked in his smile for a moment before realizing, “You better eat before your food gets cold. Would you like me to cut your steak?”
“Yes, please.”
I chopped his food into small pieces, and Tatum ended up eating nearly every bite on his plate. I cleared mine as well, so we didn’t have anything left to take home with us. I offered to buy him dessert, but he said his belly was way too full, and one more bite may cause it to pop.
