Unclaimed

Chapter Twenty-Eight - Jokes! Just Jokes!

Judas went on a run to cool off. I could feel how happy he was, just overwhelmed with sheer joy.

It made me giggle as my mother once again helped me into the clothes I wore for the full moon. She wrapped the shawl around me delicately laying it over my shoulders.

"I cannot believe you marked him first." She says with a chortle.

"I asked and he said yes."

"But to be the first in the relationship!" She says coming around so I see her shocked expression.

"What Ma?" I sigh. She sucks her teeth reaching by her feet for a wet wipe. Reaching forward and wiping the blood from my mouth.

"It's just...it's a big thing Isabeau. The men are usually the first to initiate it and lycan men are particularly more dominant then most. Their need to dominate is preternatural. It's almost freakish and that's saying something." She says as she wipes away the blood, the white thin rag turning red the more she cleaned.

"Trust me, I have a front row seat to how freakish it is." I say with a rueful smile.

"I seriously wonder how you two found out you were mates. There was absolutely no indication at the party." She shrugs still fiddling with the folds of the skirt. "He smelled like he just showered. There was no way to scent him."

"We didn't meet at the party." I admit.

"Isabeau?" She eyes me before realization dawns on her. "Bathroom?"

"I was nosy and bored. We talked and drank wine and might have gotten into an argument but that was nothing." I wave my hand and she slaps my open thigh, scolding me. "Ma!"

"My dear Nyx, Isabeau!" She groans. "Do you realize that could-" she stops seeing how I move away from her.

"Well there nothing that can help it now." She sighs. "It's not like you were ever the conventional type that would listen to your mother."

"Guilt tripping, that's nice." I chide holding my thumb up.

"My natural response is to scold you, but that can wait for some other day. It's supposed to be a happy night tonight." She says her mate walking up to us painted a blue just like my mother. Wearing dark brown pants and a matching robe tied shut as he embraced my mother.

"The cook is almost done. Luca and Yazmin have been dancing around the fire basting the life out of it, so who can say it's not flavorful." He says my mother laughs dreamily looking up at him. "They want Beau to carve it."

"Let's get this over with, I'm dying to get some actual shut eye when this is over." I say striding past them to the blazing fire, the cow perfectly caramelized and filling the air with a rich smell. Everyone gathering around clapping and cheering as I take the knife from Luca, striding forward twirling the knife in hand. Everyone crowding in as I surveyed the best place to cut.

Judas also in the crowd, I wag my finger at him to step forward. The flame illuminating everything around us as he pushed through the crowd stalking towards me. Eyes set on me. The question in his head.

What are you about to do?

He looks for an answer on my face but I give away nothing. The yellow lines moving on his face matching a look of caution. Once he's close enough, I dig the knife through the cooked meat, cutting a generous piece off and holding it up to his mouth.

His eyes darkening as they look at me. We're frozen like that for a moment until he opens his mouth and accepts the piece of meat.

Chewing slowly as the juices from the meat drip from his mouth down his chin. I turn away quickly before I could get caught staring and continue carving the cow. Carving out pieces for everyone as they gathered around to grab their own portion. Everyone pushing the lycans to the front as they were the guest of honor, thus the first to get a piece.