Page 20 of What the Hex

“These are amazing,” one of the girls said as she surveyed the photos. “Thank you so much!”

“You’re very welcome!”

Satisfied with the interaction, and that credit had been given where due, Storm signed the headshots they had brought of him, and smiled as they exited the stage. In his heart, he truly believed that most people were inherently good. Sometimes, they just needed a little reminder.

While he waited for the next person to approach, he leaned sideways and spoke out of the corner of his mouth. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

Instead of an immediate dismissal, King sighed and shook his head. “I’ll tell you about it later. Let’s just get through this.”

Although worried about what had happened to upset him, he respected that King didn’t want to talk about it in such a public setting. “Is there anything I can do in the meantime?”

King reached over and grasped his hand firmly but briefly before pulling away again. “Thank you, but I’ll be okay. Just some family drama.”

That could mean a lot of things, but judging by his tone and demeanor, Storm didn’t think the issue constituted an emergency. As such, he let the matter drop, adopted a camera-worthy smile, and turn to greet the next person in line.

His smile slowly morphed from practiced to genuine when he recognized the male approaching his table. They weren’t friends or even friendly, but Owen had made several appearances at different fan meets over the years.

They had only spoken twice, but the interactions kind of stuck with him. The guy’s bright pink mohawk and thick black frames definitely left an impression.

He stepped forward with his hand outstretched. “Hey, Owen. Thanks so much for being here.”

Obviously pleased at being remembered, Owen’s eyes widened behind his glasses, and his lips curved as he took Storm’s hand in a firm grip. At the same time, there was a reservedness, a stiffness that made Storm uneasy.

“Congratulations on your mating.”

Everyone he’d spoken with had said the same thing, but there was something disingenuous about this interaction. Maybe it was the flatness of Owen’s tone. Maybe it was the way his gaze cut to King and narrowed. Maybe it was the subtle surge of energy Storm had felt when they'd touched that triggered something inside of him.

Whatever the reason, his posture shifted from relaxed to guarded, and he sidestepped to place himself between Owen and King. Thankfully, the rational part of him not ruled by instinct butted in, reminding him that disapproval didn’t represent an actual threat.

He had known this could happen. He’d understood that not everyone would be pleased to learn that he was in a relationship now. On the other hand, it could have been a lot worse. At least Owen wasn’t being outright hostile, despite his disappointment.

“It’s good to see you again.” Benign as far as lies went. “Do you live near here?”

On the surface, it probably seemed like a regular question, typical small talk. Consciously, he might have even meant it that way. Subconsciously, however, he couldn’t shake the innate need to protect his mate, and he wanted to know if this stranger posed an ongoing danger.

“Oh, no.” Owen laughed. “I’m from Tucson. I’m just here for the week.”

“That’s quite the trip. I appreciate you coming out to see us.”

“I wouldn’t have missed it. I’m so excited about the new drama.” As he spoke, he pulled out his phone and held it up. “Do you mind if I get a picture?”

“Sure thing.” Seeing that Nita was busy managing the rest of the crowd, Storm looked to King. “Do you mind?”

Without hesitation, his mate hurried forward to take the cellphone. Once they were all in position, he counted down from three, then repeated the process twice more.

“Here you go,” he told Owen with a grin. “Check them out and let me know if they look okay.”

Owen flipped through the pictures with an unreadable expression. Eventually, he looked up with a small but authentic smile. “They’re perfect. Thank you.” Then he glanced between Storm and King. “Congratulations on your mating.”

And this time, he sounded like he meant it.

It gave Storm hope that the tides would turn, and those opposed would also come to some level of acceptance in the future. He wished he could invite them all to meet King in person, to encourage them to have a single conversation with him. Sure, he was biased, but he doubted anyone could dislike his mate after spending five minutes in his presence.

King radiated love and kindness, and he had such a generous soul. All he wanted was for those around him to be happy, giving everyone and everything priority over his own needs. In fact, he was so selfless, Storm worried he would give until the well ran dry, and he had nothing left for himself.

And that barely scratched the surface—just information he’d gathered from casual observations over the last thirty-six hours.

“Thanks for your time.” Owen chuckled as he backed away toward the stage stairs. “I’ll see you at the next meet.”