The Wolf King (The Wolf Kings #1) (MLM)

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN.

                "Am I being punished?" Jack asked. "Is – is this because of last night?"

Tiberius only laughed like Jack was adorable, and took his hands. "Last night," he breathed, kissing Jack's fingers, "was the best of my life."

"Was it?" Everett raised a brow. "Do tell."

"Tiberius," Jack cut in quickly, "when I said it was quiet, I didn't mean I wanted a ball. Besides, do people still even have those?"

Everett scoffed, incredulous. "Maybe the brutes don't, but any civilized people certainly do!"

"It's our custom," Tiberius said, "to throw a ball when royalty visit. Did you really think I'd let the arrival of the new king, and my mate, go by uncelebrated?"

As he said my mate, his smile turned a little bit vicious, his eyes darker, and not for the first time since last night, Jack wondered what Tiberius had done after he'd left his room.

Jack looked around. There were servants hurrying in and out with platters of wine glasses and more tables and chairs, gold ribbons and gilded lanterns.

"Lot of gold here."

"Do you not like the color?"

Jack met Tiberius's gold eyes and was sure to keep his own averted as he muttered, "I – I like the color fine. I just really don't think I'm a ball kind of person."

"Don't worry," Tiberius grinned. "I'll be by your side every second of it."

The words caught Jack off guard, though they really shouldn't have. Now, more than ever, Jack was painfully aware of the way Tiberius squeezed his fingers ever so slightly, the way he brushed Jack's knuckles with his thumbs, the way his smile turned more to a smirk that rose at the corners like he could see into Jack's mind and was eager to kiss him again, to make the next one more memorable than the last.

Jack could almost feel Tiberius's curls between his fingers again, and shoved the thought aside, pulling his hands gently out of his own.

"W-Well, just – just tell me when to show up," he murmured, and turned to leave.

"Wait," Tiberius caught his wrist at the last second, and as Jack faced him, he closed the distance between them, his lips right against Jack's ear. "You look beautiful today." His breath sent goosebumps up Jack's arms and made the hairs on the back of his neck rise. Jack swallowed thickly just as Tiberius pulled away. "That's all."

It wasn't dismissive. Tiberius's smile was soft, so overwhelmingly loving as he clung to whatever of Jack's attention he was allowed. Because he thought Jack was warming up to him, that Jack was considering staying. Which he wasn't, absolutely not.

Nonetheless, all he could do was nod. Tiberius's hand slid down from his wrist, squeezed his fingers, and let go. Jack and Everett headed towards the door, but right at the threshold, Jack stopped and turned back around.

"Aren't you going to have breakfast?" he asked.

"I will as soon as I finish here," Tiberius told him.

Jack glanced at Everett, and, cheeks burning, crossed back to Tiberius who looked startled to see him return. Before Jack could think too much about it, he said, "Let me know when you start. I'll wait for you."

Tiberius blinked. "You don't have to do that, Jack."

Jack swallowed, very aware of the more than few servants who were looking over their shoulders at him and Tiberius, and pretending to wipe already clean glasses as they listened intently.