"...What does that mean?" Damon asked. There was something uneasy starting to slide around in his gut. Technically, there were two possible things his mother meant by that.

One, she just didn't think he and Jun were going to work out – thus, they weren't 'meant for' each other.

Or two...that rumor of Mark's...might just have a smidge of truth to it?

As the pause stretched in their conversation, Damon cursed himself for trying to wait until there was a break in Jun's heat to ask him about that stupid rumor. At least, if he'd asked, he might have known the truth before deciding to sleep with him – and before having this conversation with his mother. Even if Jun had a secret fiancé and obligations to another pack, he didn't think he could truly regret sleeping with him, because god damn that had been a good time. But at least he would have been more prepared for this.

His mother sighed again. "It's not...I'm not really allowed to say. There are...don't tell anyone what I'm about to tell you, alright sweetie? Just keep it in mind the next time you see that boy." Damon was silent. He didn't know if he could promise that until he'd heard it. But his mother went ahead anyway.

"There are issues with pack politics around him, okay? I just...when I heard he had issued a courting claim with you, I wasn't really worried, because after Malachi, you didn't seem interested in dating anymore. I figured you would go through the courtship and not have much of an interest in him. I didn't want to say anything for or against him – because I wasn't sure if being too positive would push you towards him, or if being too negative would have the same effect and push you towards him as well. But getting involved with him stirs up a lot of trouble – political trouble. If you end up mated to him – or if you even sleep with him – there might be people who don't take very kindly to it."

Damon took this all in calmly, wondering how she was able to say so much while not saying much of anything at all. He also wasn't sure why she couldn't just tell him whatever she was holding back. Damon had already slept with Jun. It wasn't like he could take that back. But he didn't see how anyone would find out, and if they did, why they would care.

Unless Jun really does have a fiancé, a voice inside Damon whispered. And if he's the son of Venus pack's Alpha...attempting to be mated to someone from Ganymede pack...depending on how valued the fiancé is, and whether or not Jun leaving the Venus pack was an unplanned, unauthorized move...that could be cause enough for a pack war.

Sure, Venus pack and Ganymede pack were allies. And as long as Jun – if he really was the future Venus Alpha, as the rumor said – had gotten clearance to come to Ganymede pack to woo Damon, them being mated might cause a stir, but nothing serious enough to really bicker over.

Damon didn't feel like talking to his mother anymore. It didn't sound like she was going to give him a straight answer. If he wanted to know for sure, he had to go to the source. But before he hung up...

"Alright," Damon said. "That's very vague and unhelpful, but thanks for the warning, I guess. So let's say I don't end up mated to him. Why would helping him through his heat be a big deal?"

"Well, other than potentially pissing off the wrong people, you could get pregnant. And if that happened – avoiding a conflict between packs would be unavoidable."

Damon supposed that made sense. If Jun was the future Venus pack Alpha, having a child while in the Ganymede pack might raise some custody and inheritance issues. It didn't seem enough of a cause for real conflict, but Damon didn't know the full extent of the issue.

Still, he was done with this conversation. He hung up the phone, slid onto his back on the couch, and prayed Jun would lapse out of heat soon.

***

Three days later, Damon received his wish. He had thought about it a lot, and before agreeing to be Jun's heat partner, he figured it would be prudent to know the man he was giving his time to.

The problem was, though Damon's rational side was concerned about all the problems the rumor could cause if it was true, a larger part of him was concerningly apathetic about the results. Not because he didn't care about Jun.

Because he cared too much. He didn't know, at this moment, if it would really make a difference to him that Jun was some bigshot in Venus pack. So what? That larger part of him said. So what if he has a fiancé and obligations back home? Is it really going to make you like him any less?

There was something more than a little dangerous in that way of thinking.

Mark texted him in the morning that Jun was out of heat for the time being. He also mentioned that Jun was very excited to go sign the heat agreements. Damon wished he'd have left that part out. He didn't want to think about Jun being happy and excited – only for Damon to bust in a ruin it by interrogating him about his family.

Damon told himself it was a necessary evil. Maybe he would talk to Jun and none of the rumor would be true. And because Jun was Jun, he would forgive Damon for being paranoid, and they would go sign the heat agreements, parental disapproval be damned. Or maybe he would talk to Jun and all of it would be true. If it was –

...Damon didn't know what to do if it was true. A few weeks ago, he would have kicked Jun to the curb without hesitation. The Damon of the past didn't need a mate that would hide something that big from him, no matter the reason why, and no matter how great he was in every other capacity.

But now the thought of doing that was making Damon's stomach roll unpleasantly.

The only solution? Have a very, very long talk with Jun.

He left his house without giving himself time to think too much, arriving at Jun's house within five minutes. Then, at the door, he paused before knocking. What was he supposed to say? How was he supposed to work that into a conversation – and how was he going to get Mark and whoever he had helping him to leave first? Mark would think he was being slutty again. Not that he really cared what Mark thought. He would be able to explain easily enough, but probably not without receiving another stern lecture about the birds and the bees. It happened strangely often. Mark was eternally worried Damon would get pregnant and force him to interact with his children.

It wasn't a groundless fear. If Damon had kids, he would absolutely take every opportunity to bring them around Mark and revel in his child-phobia.

While Damon was lost in his thoughts, the door suddenly swung open, revealing Jun, who had a light expression, about one step away from full on beaming, if he were the type of person who beamed. He must have smelled Damon outside the door.

No – it was too soon! Go back in! I'm not ready!

Thoughts in a jumble, one thread still hung up on tormenting Mark in the future, another worried about getting rid of Mark for the upcoming conversation, and the last worried about the conversation itself – Damon blurted the first thing that came to mind, and watched Jun's face lose its beaming quality.

"Do you have a fiancé?"