Paul remained silent, even as they went through check-in, Juke spoke for him. Try as he might Kirk couldn’t get Paul to say anything. Paul only looked at him with sorrow filled eyes, and then at Juke, before lowering his gaze.
"How long are you going to keep Paul like this?" Dale asked.
"For as long as I want to. He broke the rules. He knew what his punishment would be. He's lucky he only has me to deal with. As his friend, I kept his punishment simple, something I was sure he could manage, and not fuck up." Juke said with a sideward glance at Paul, who kept his eyes focused on the floor ahead of him, although his cheeks deepened in color.
"Please, Juke, let him speak. I think he's learned his lesson, and I feel responsible, because it was me that brought this on him."
"Are you asking for leniency as my mate, or as Dale, his friend?"
Dale saw the slight jerk in Paul's jaw, as he pondered what Juke asked. If he made the right choice Paul would have his voice back. He saw the amusement on Juke's face as he watched him struggle for the right answer.
The answer should be easy, it had to be as Juke's mate surely, but other than a slight tilt to the head, Juke gave nothing away. His gaze trained on Paul. Juke’s behavior made Dale second guess himself. Dale knew the answer was in the question, but not in the way he heard it.
Kirk wasn't making his decision any easier by poking him in his ribs. His expression said for Dale to hurry up and choose one, and make it the right one.
Then it came to him. Something Juke had pushed into his thoughts when they were in the car. He disregarded the bitch boy comment, the clue to what Juke was asking lay in the rest of it. You have no idea who you are or what it means to be married to me. But you will soon learn.
Dale smiled, he knew the answer. "I'm not asking as either one," he said. Paul's head lifted a fraction.
"Fucking choose one, you idiot. I'm not sitting with a mute for the rest of this journey. Do you know how many hours we’re going to be stuck in that sardine can? Because I do," Kirk said, poking Dale in the ribs a few more times.
"Quit poking me, and shut up. It was a trick question." Dale grinned at Juke. "I don't need to seek your permission."
"What are you talking about?" Kirk asked.
"My education, that's what? Paul as the mate of your alpha leader I forgive you and give you permission to speak as soon as you have a mind to."
Paul looked up and smiled. "Thank you," he said, casting a sidelong glance at Juke. Juke narrowed his gaze at Dale, and strolled off into one of the duty free stores. He emerged sometime later with a few bags and a magazine. Dale was alone, sitting on one of the chairs in the main waiting area, when Juke found him.
"Where are the others?" Juke asked, taking a seat beside Dale.
"Buying cologne and alcohol. I mean Kirk's buying cologne and alcohol. Paul said he wanted to search for a gift for Leah, to smooth things over for when he tells her about Kirk."
"I strongly doubt, he will find such a gift in duty free."
"Maybe not, but at least he's trying?" Dale gazed at Juke from the corner of his eye.
"And I am not." Juke sighed. "I could be wrong, but I get the feeling we are no longer speaking of Paul."
"Nah...You think?" Dale turned and faced him.
Juke tilted his head closed his eyes and rubbed his eyelids with the heel of his palms, then opened them again and stared at Dale. "What is it your people say...you have yet another bug up your ass?" he asked, rearranging his bags between his legs.
"You're the bug in my ass." Dale hissed under his breath and slid down the seat putting space between them. Juke grabbed his bags, and scooted up to him closing the gap.
"What is it I have not done this time? Did you not find Paul to be an adequate teacher, while I shopped for souvenirs?"
"I didn't ask him anything. So I guess the answer is no. Why aren't you telling me the things I need to know?" Dale stared at Juke, and hoped the depth of his feelings showed—if Juke was not already digging around in his head to hear it.
Dale tussled with all kinds of emotions, all of them new as well as frightening. He felt alone in his depth of feelings, even though he was supposed to be attached to this jerk.
Juke stood, and held his hand out for Dale to take. "Come, let’s go to the VIP lounge and find something to eat. Paul will know where to find us." Dale ignored Juke’s hand, but stood and went with him.
They entered the lounge and Juke gave the receptionist his membership card. He told her two more guests would be joining them. Then left Kirk and Paul's name with the receptionist. A waitress came and took them to their table.
Juke waved the menu away. "Give your menu to him." He jutted his chin in Dale's direction. "I know what I want. Four T-bones, very bloody, no more than thirty seconds each side—got that?and a bottle of corked red wine. I don't care which, as long as it’s not a screw top."
Dale stared at Juke. "You're so rude." He sent to Juke over his thought waves. Juke shrugged his shoulders and said, "Please, if it isn't too much trouble for you. To do your job." He said the latter through his thoughts to Dale and smirked.
Dale ordered a burger and fries. As soon as the waitress left, he turned on Juke. "What's with you? You talk to people like they have no feelings."
"Why should I care how they are feeling?" Juke raised an inquisitive brow.
"If you need to ask, then I don't suppose there is a reason to care that the people who serve your food may just spit in it, because of your attitude." Dale smirked as Juke raised his head, and stared off, in the direction the waitress had gone with his order, before his gaze went back to Dale.
"You will learn, it's not so easy to spit in the food you offer to a werewolf. I would smell it, and they will be killed. It's that simple."
"To you maybe, but they don't know you're a werewolf, and the penalty for spitting in your food is death. They just see you as some rich asshole throwing his weight around, in need of an attitude adjustment."
Juke beamed. "You mean that's how you see me?"
Dale shuffled uncomfortably on his seat. His body warmed by the leap in his chest in reaction to Juke’s smile. "I think that's how everyone who’s ever met you, sees you."
"Really?" Juke covers his heart with one hand. "That would hurt, if I gave two fucks. Lucky for me I don't. And if anyone in here is so bold as to spit in my food, I will sniff them out, and I promise you. They will be wearing it, as an accessory before we leave this airport."
Dale couldn't help it—the thought of a member of staff walking around wearing four T-bone steaks, tickled him. He began to laugh and Juke joined in.
Dale sobered up first. "Should we order for Kirk and Paul do you think?"
"No, if I know Paul, he has already eaten, and is currently being eaten by Kirk."
"Please, less of the imagery."
"Anyway, we need to talk. I have to prepare you for the reception you'll receive. My father is going to have a stroke when I introduce you as my mate. I'm not so sure if that’s a bad thing. It would make my life a lot easier." He scratched his chin.
"That’s a horrible thing to say."
"My poor sweet naive Dale, my father is a horrible man. When you meet him you will agree, and wish for that stroke or something just as powerful like a bolt of lightning to strike him down before the day is through."
"I could never wish something so cruel on anyone."
"We'll see. The real problem we have is me. The man in me is uncomfortable with the idea of you being my mate. But my wolf loves you and the two sides to me are very conflicted. I'm at a loss for what to do about it. You are the first male I've ever been with and although the experience was not as unpleasant as I thought it would be, I'm not gay."
"Sure, keep telling yourself that. Your wolf might actually believe it."
"This is no joke to me." Juke’s accent became thicker the more he spoke.
"Believe me, it's no fun for me either," Dale said, pouring himself a glass of water from the jug on the table.
"You don't understand. I'm saying the man in me may not like the situation. But my wolf will protect you, and will always put your needs first. I will not let my father or anyone else hurt you, and there is a possibility he might try."
"Why would he want to hurt me?" Dale paused the glass at his lips and set it back on the table.
"Because you're male. Because I need pups you cannot give me, and most importantly, our family's reign as alpha is in jeopardy."