"How did we end up here?" Juniper asked, staring at the ceiling of Black's bedroom. "The last thing I remember is crashing on that couch late last night..."

"I carried you up here." Her mate said, one hand caressing her face, fingers tracing down to the Mate Mark on her shoulder. Black lines almost instantly turned red with desire.

Juniper went the exact same colour.

"Don't look so embarrassed."

"Isn't it a bit embarrassing, though?" She asked, turning to face his as they lay tangled in the sheets. "I mean, the whole world will now know whenever we're turned on..."

"If you're that worried, then cover it from the world." Black pulled her into him. "But never cover it from me..."

"The same goes for you." Juniper said, staring at his matching mark.

"I think this is the part where we skip breakfast and continue on from last night..." He murmured, rolling over, smiling down at her. "What do you say?"

"Yes please."

***

Fourteen eyes stared at her at breakfast in shock, staring between the rapidly decreasing stack of pancakes, and the petite girl who was shovelling them into her mouth like there was no tomorrow.

"They really went for it, didn't they?" Blaze mumbled, shock written across his face as the pair wolfed down their breakfast. "Somehow, I feel oddly proud..."

"You two should take notes." Blaine, his partner in crime, grinned at the Alpha King and his mate.

"Oh, shut up." Rylan muttered.

"I wonder how soon Juniper will be going into Heat..." Blaze mumbled, stroking his chin.

"Don't ask about private things like that, Blaze." Rylan sighed. "It's a more of a girl thing..."

"I'm still surprised Lyra hasn't gone into Heat yet..."

Rylan pushed him off his chair.

"Enough you two." The blue-haired Alpha said, staring between the two. "You should start behaving like adults."

"Now, where would be the fun in that...?" Blaze smiled.

"Use that." Hunter passed over a thermometer to Juniper, ignoring the rest of the conversation. "If your temperature is up ever so slightly, then you'll be approaching the time of your Heat, but if it's on thirty-seven, then you'll be waiting a while longer."

And that was how Juniper found herself sitting at the breakfast table with a thermometer under her tongue.

"Thirty-six point five..." Hunter mumbled, his eyebrows creasing.

"Is that bad?"

"Not entirely... It's just low..." He said, biting his lip. "And if my suspicions are correct, then Juniper's one of those wolves..." Hunter shrugged. "The ones who don't go into Heat, or get pregnant, very easily..."

"How long until she has her Heat?"

"That eager for little pups?" Hunter smiled at the blush on Black's cheeks, shrugging in the next second. "I have no idea, Black." He sighed, running a hand through his ragged brown hair. "It could be months... years even..."

"On the plus side," Blaze stuck his head in, "you get to have lots of sex for a very long time without worrying about the kids..." He grinned. "You could even try out some different moves from time to time..."

"Our sex life is our own, Blaze." Juniper rolled her eyes. "But if we ever need your help, we'll happily ask."

"My door is always open."

"Of course it is."

***

"Is this party really necessary?" Juniper sighed, staring at the pool which was currently filled with Alphas.

"It's a pool party in celebration of us completing the bond..." Black shrugged, lying on another poolside recliner. "Most people tend to celebrate that kind of thing... just like the tradition that those who are unbound to each other celebrate... What's it called?"

"Marriage."

"That's the one."

"Blaze has been itching to throw me and Rylan one, but seeing as we haven't... completed the bond..." Lyra said, her cheeks flushing slightly. "You arrived in the nick of time, Juniper." She grinned. "Now, Blaze's attention won't be as directed on me as much."

"Yay?"

"You certainly make things interesting around here, June." Lyra smiled, watching as her mate swam about in the pool. "It's alright if I call you that, isn't it?"

"I've got no problems."

"You can call me Ly, if you want to..." Lyra said, her gaze drifting back over to the brunette lying on the recliner next to hers. "I mean... We will be seeing a lot more of each other, seeing as both our mates are on the Alpha Council."

"Sure thing, Ly." Juniper nodded, blinking in confusion when she started rolling towards the pool edge. "Don't you dare!" She was sitting up in an instant, quickly tumbling off of the lounger, landing on the poolside without a single sound. "Blaze... I could've guessed..." She grumbled, glaring at the blonde who'd been caught red handed.

"You don't think the plan ends there, do you?" Blaine smirked up at her as she stood at the edge of the pool.

Black's hands met her back.

"Oh no you don't!" Juniper growled, grabbing a hold of her mate's wrist as she fell back into the pool, taking the blonde with her.

"Nice." Black mumbled, spouting water at her as he resurfaced soon after her. "Now we're both soaked..."

"I know." Juniper sighed, wrapping both legs around his waist, staring down at him as he kept them afloat.

"Somehow you look even better in a swimsuit compared to last night..." He said, taking them back to the shallow end slowly.

"Are you trying to say that you don't like me being naked?"

"Hardly." He whispered, his breath tickling her neck. "I loved it, Pookie. It's just that when you're wearing a swimsuit you seem like you're trying to be modest..." He pinged the straps of her bikini. "And I know you're anything but."

"You do know that you just broke my bikini, don't you?"

"Oops?" He tilted his head. "I suppose we'll just have to pop back to our room and change..."

"And how long do you think that'll take...?"

"An hour or more at least." Black's grinned devilishly. "That OK with you?"

Juniper's smile matched his. "Of course."

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ILLENIS HERE

Slight filler chapter, I suppose...

Stay tuned for more action next time (hopefully).

Until then.

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