***
“You’ve managed to be intimate with Ryan without marking him,” Gloria said innocently with an impressed look. “I could have sworn you wouldn’t be able to hold your beast back.” Gloria didn’t notice that both Ryan and Jeremy had gone still at her words. She went right on talking. “You two will still have to complete part of the mating ceremony though. The heads and elders would have to take in Ryan’s scent like how it’s done for all mates of the alphas of a pack.”
She put down her now empty glass and reached for the teapot.