Punt: A British Bad Boy Football Romance (41 page)

A
few hours later
, Jasper looked down at his own trembling hands. In his left hand, two pre-printed boarding passes, one way airfare to Prague. In his right, a velvety black ring box. He’d spent hours on his project earlier in the week, searching every available website for just the right mating ring. He’d found it at last on a vintage site, a huge diamond nestled in a ring of amethyst stones. It was sleek and beautiful and timeless, just like Maddie herself.

A few clicks, a couple days, and an exorbitant amount of money later, and Jasper was prepared to surprise the female who’d held his heart for over twenty years. Maddie wasn’t much for jewelry, but he wanted to give her something that she’d cherish, something that would mark her as a properly-mated female. Mark her as his own.

Jasper stood on the broad clearing between the Den’s main buildings, surveying the crowd. Members of both the Louisiana and Alabama pack milled around, the tension between them more evident in some members than others. A handful of Alabama Shifters stood wide of the group, refusing to interact at all.

Maddie made a beeline for him, but before she reached his side a new group appeared on the steps of one of the big buildings. The Louisiana Alpha led the group, and judging by Shaw’s expression Jasper could guess what was happening now. Sure enough, two of the bigger males from the Louisiana pack came at his heels, half-dragging Donovan between them. The captive resisted, but his jailers were unruffled.

Jasper walked forward to meet them, keeping his expression neutral. He didn’t spare Donovan a second glance, not wanting to hint at the bargain he’d made with Maddie.

“Are you ready for him?” Shaw asked Jasper, jerking his thumb toward where the traitor stood between Rhett and Jesse. The males each gripped one of the traitor’s beefy arms, expressions stoic. Donovan on the other hand looked so terrified that Jasper almost felt sorry for him. Almost.

Jasper had very vivid memories of the few fools that had thought to betray the pack under Ennis’s rule. Pack law was very strict about Shifters that betrayed their own kind, and Donovan would be no exception. Whoever was chosen to punish him could do so in any manner he or she saw fit, and there were many worse fates than a simple and clean death by bullet.

“I’m ready,” Jasper said, looking around at the circle of Shifters gathered on the Grass in front of the Armory. Members of both packs formed a loose ring around the traitor, his two guards, and the two Alphas. Strange that this place had held a mating celebration just a week ago, and now it would be the site of an execution.

Shaw gestured to Rhett and Jesse, who stepped into the center of the circle and shoved Donovan to his knees.

“You’ve been charged with treason against your own pack mates,” Shaw intoned. Donovan’s gaze fell on Jasper, a burning glare. When the traitor didn’t respond, Rhett gave him a kick.

“What do you have to say for yourself?” Rhett prodded.

“This is bullshit,” Donovan muttered.

“Speak up!” Shaw barked.

“I said, this is bullshit! I have rights,” Donovan said, louder this time.

“I didn’t realize that calling the Legion down on your own kind was a right,” Jasper said.

“You’re not my kind,” Donovan spat.

“Did you or did you not make an oath of loyalty to Jasper?” Shaw asked.

“I never would have if I’d realized he’d take away our women,” Donovan maintained.

“Did you swear the oath?” Rhett asked, giving him another kick.

Donovan gritted his jaw and dropped his gaze to the ground, remaining silent.

“He did,” Kellan piped up from the audience. “I was there.”

“Did anyone else witness this oath?” Rhett asked, looking around at the gathered Shifters.

A murmur of agreement rose from the Alabama Shifters.

“It is decided, then,” Shaw said, looking at Jasper.

Jasper stepped forward, taking a deep breath. He looked up and caught Maddie’s eye, then released a huge sigh.

“I cede him to my mate,” Jasper said. There was an instant uproar from the crowd of Shifters.

“Are you fucking crazy?” came Jace’s angry voice.

Jasper held up a hand, staying the other male when Jace would have rushed into the circle and confronted Jasper.

“Maddie?” Jasper said, turning his attention to his mate.

“I cede also,” Maddie said. “To Gwen.”

Gwen’s head snapped up, her expression one of surprise.

Shaw stepped closer to the female Beta, unholstering a large pistol from his belt and offering it to Gwen. She looked at the gun, looked up at Shaw, and shook her head.

“No,” she said, looking upset.

“It’s your right,” Shaw said. “And we don’t have a sword lying around.”

“I’m not executing anyone,” Gwen said, her lips thinning.

Jasper’s gaze snapped to Maddie’s, worried. They both knew that this was an unacceptable turn of events.

“What would you do, then? Let him go?” Shaw asked, his brow knitting with disapproval.

“We’ll do to him as he did to us,” Gwen said, looking down at the kneeling man.

“I don’t follow,” Maddie said. Crossing her arms, she was clearly trying to restrain herself from yelling at the other woman.

“I want to turn him over to the Legion,” Gwen said.

The whole group went silent and still, all eyes fixed on Gwen.

“I don’t know what they would have done with us, but it’s probably worse than anything I could do,” Gwen explained, motioning at Shaw to put his gun away. After a moment, the Alpha did as she bade. Everyone else seemed to relax a moment later, some of the tension bleeding away.

“I like it,” Rhett said. Jesse nodded too, and Kellan.

“It does fit the crime,” Shaw said, looking to Jasper.

“Alright. How do we turn him over?” Jasper asked.

“We won’t put ourselves at risk to do it. When we see the opportunity, we’ll turn him over,” Gwen said. She looked to Jasper for approval, the picture of a dutiful Beta.

“Accepted,” Jasper said.

“Bastard!” Donvan screamed, renewing his struggles to escape. “You can’t do this to me! I have connections!”

“I’m sure that’s going to help you when the Legion has you on the dissection table,” a man drawled. Everyone turned to see Mason step forward, staring down Donovan dispassionately.

Donovan swallowed and blanched, his sudden fear evident. Mason had been a lab rat at one of the Legion’s facilities for many months, only escaping death when one of the scientists had fallen in love with him and freed him. If anyone knew what the Legion did to the Shifters they captured, it was Mason.

“You’re lying,” Donvan spat.

“Am I lying, Rose?” Mason asked, stepping aside and glancing at his human mate. The young woman shook her head, her brow creasing. She didn’t speak, instead reaching out and clasping Mason’s hand. Mason turned his steely gaze back on Donovan and shrugged, expressionless.

“She’s one of them, one of the Legion doctors!” Donovan hissed. “You’re as much a traitor as anyone, Mason!”

Mason tensed, but his mate’s hand held him like a tether. Shaw stepped in to prevent any further action from either party.

“That’s enough. Take him back to the cell,” the Alpha commanded. Rhett and Jesse nodded, hauling the man away.

“You wait! You wait, bastards!” Donovan kept screaming. When the door to the Armory slammed shut and cut off his protests, everyone looked relieved.

Jasper released a pent-up breath, turning to smile at Maddie as she came up beside him and slipped an arm around his waist. She gazed up at him, her happiness radiating from her expression.

When Jasper showed her their boarding passes, she squealed with delight and did a little dance that made him die laughing.

“Satisfied?” Jasper asked, caught in the violet warmth of her eyes.

“For now. We still have a lot to do. Announcements to make,” she said, tilting her head to indicate the Alabama pack members.

“I haven’t forgotten,” Jasper said, his brow creasing.

“You know, I think they’ll understand. And Shaw is going to take good care of everyone,” Maddie said, giving Jasper an affectionate squeeze.

“I know. It’s just a big change. A lot to process.”

“We haven’t made it public yet. It’s not too late to change your mind,” Maddie said, looking worried. Jasper couldn’t help the burst of warmth in his chest at seeing his mate so concerned for him. Even now she was willing to throw away their plans and stay if Jasper needed that.

“Not going to happen. We have too much ahead of us now, Madd.”

Maddie grinned up at him, her delight both evident and irresistible. Jasper leaned down and brushed a kiss against her lips, savoring her whole being. Breaking the kiss, he pulled back to look at her.

He took her hand, slipping the ring box from his pocket and pressing it against her fingers. She looked down at the velvet-clad box, blinking. She opened it in a slow movement, her jaw dropping when it caught the bright afternoon light.

“Jas!” she cried, giving him a wide-eyed look.

“I hope you like it,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck. Despite the fact that he thought it was perfect, there was every chance that Maddie would hate it. “I could get you a different one, but I thought the amethysts were kind of your color.”

“My color?” she echoed.

“Yeah, like your eyes,” he said. Jasper could actually feel himself blushing. It was an odd sensation, to be certain.

“Wh— I—,” Maddie stumbled, flustered. “Gods, Jas, it’s amazing. I just… You didn’t have to do this, really!”

“I can take it back,” he started, but he stopped talking when Maddie actually reached out and pushed against his chest.

“Shut up and put this ring on my finger, Jasper,” she scolded.

“Yes, m’am,” he replied, pulling the ring from the box and sliding it onto the fourth finger of her right hand. A little big, maybe, but damn it didn’t look good on her.

“Well?” he asked.

“Well what?” she asked, giving him a look that was equal parts exasperated and frazzled. She looked down at her hand, her shock and elation evident.

“This trip isn’t going to plan itself, Madd. I think we’re going to need to start researching our next stop. That way we can start the trip around the world.”

“Do you think we have to start right this minute?” Maddie asked, glancing back up. The sultry expression that crept onto her face gave Jasper goosebumps.

“No, why?” he asked, playing it casual.

“Because as excited as I am to begin our adventure, I can think of at least one thing I would like to do first,” she said, slipping her arms around his neck.

“Oh? Like what?”

“Like this,” she said, and pressed her lips to Jasper’s own. Wrapping his arms around his mate, Jasper couldn’t help but agree. Good thing they had their whole lives to plan their travels, and to kiss.

Laughing, Jasper scooped Maddie up in his arms and carried her off to begin their own grand adventure.

V
ivian is an erotic romance writer
, author of the Alpha Guardians, Winter Pass Wolves, Red Lodge Bears, Werewolf’s Harem, and Louisiana Shifters series.

Vivian has been an autodidact from a young age, and to this day she'll read anything she can get her hands on - back of the cereal box, billboards, whatever. When she's not reading or writing romantic stories, Vivian likes making drinks from her Trader Vic's cocktail recipe book, snuggling her badly behaved dog, and drinking great coffee on rainy wraparound porches in New Orleans.

Vivian really enjoys her work, and is always excited to see what's in store next for her beloved characters.

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