Chapter Thirteen
Sothea
It had been too long since I’d had a night out with my brothers, but this time, we had mates, and Altan was bringing his best friend Brent. We all managed to get a night off. I moved around some appointments to make it happen because my family and omega were worth it.
We all needed time. We had our own sleuth now.
“You know, the last time we were here together because Altan lost a bet,” Brent said. “I changed his life that night if I do say so myself.”
Altan’s eyes widened. There was a story there. One my omega hadn’t told me. “Shut your filthy mouth, Brent.”
“I will not. What? You haven’t told Sothea about this?”
“No. We were busy.”
Brent waggled his eyebrows. “I bet. It all started in a bar, actually. My very drunk best friend and I played darts, and he lost.”
“Don’t tell me,” Greta said, slapping the table. “You were responsible for him getting the tattoo.”
Brent nodded, all damned proud of himself. “And it was my idea to get one from the machine. So I win the best friend award.”
We raised our glasses to Brent. He really had made a good decision. I chose to believe he was helped by Fate, but most humans didn’t believe in that stuff, aside from what they read in books or saw in movies.
“So you suck at darts,” I said, kissing Altan’s forehead. His cheeks were bright red. “And you are really bad at drunk darts.”
“Shut it. Not all of us have…” Altan snapped his lips closed. We were in mixed company. Brent wasn’t a shifter and the people around us weren’t either. Altan was getting better at being able to tell the difference. “Such a fast metabolism. Two beers, and I’m a goner.”
Brent scoffed. “You had way more than two that night.”
“Shut it, Brent!” Altan laughed.
Greta cooed, “I think your story is so cute. Fate makes a way when there is no way.”
I’d heard her say that more than once. She was a real believer.
“You know what?” my mate said. “Another round. Right now. I have had nothing to drink.”
I noticed for the first time that his beer was untouched. I wondered why but it was his choice. We walked over to the dart board and waited our turn. “Hey, do you want something else to drink? I noticed you haven’t touched your beer.”
“My stomach is a bit off today. I don’t want to test it. Maybe a seltzer water if you don’t mind?”
My brother and Greta stayed behind in the booth, but Theo and I watched from right behind Brent and Altan. My little brother had his eyes on Brent. I could tell.
“Do you know if Brent is single?” I asked.
When it came to my brothers, I had no shame. I took every opportunity to embarrass them the way they did when I was a kid. In fact, lately, I was taking it too easy on them. “Hey, Brent, Theo wants to know if you’re single but he’s trying to whisper to me about it instead of asking you himself.”
I got punched in the arm for that. Worth it.
Brent turned around and cocked his hip out. “I am single. Thank you for asking.”
Punched again.
“What? You wanted to know. You think he’s cute, or are you getting a feeling about him. A beary good feeling?”
“Shut up. Don’t you ever say beary good again.
It’s bad enough that humans use that pun.
And maybe. My bear likes him very much. But humans are different.
I can’t just walk up to him and say ‘hey, my bear really likes you. Want to mate for life and let me bite your shoulder.’ You know what I’m talking about. ”
I was well aware bear puns got on his nerves. More reason to use them.
“Theo, just talk to him. Flirt.”
“Flirt, huh?”
I nodded and watched as Altan sank another dart right into the bulls-eye. I clapped but denied his high five in favor of a kiss. “One of those for every bulls-eye,” I said.
“A kiss? That’s all I get?” My omega batted his eyes at me.
“In public, yes. Go on and kick his ass.”
Brent and Altan ended up playing three rounds because Brent claimed Altan was somehow cheating on the first round. Turned out, not-drunk Altan was very good at darts.
“Fine. You win. What do I have to do?”
Altan looked at Theo and then to Brent. “Oh, I’m sure I will think of something. In the meantime, I’m gonna make my alpha dance with me.”
Right on cue, a slow song started. Greta and Xavier made their way to the dance floor, followed by us.
Altan rested his head against my chest as we swayed to the music.
This was what life was all about. I savored each moment with him, branding it to my heart.
Did I even have a life before him other than working and surviving?
I couldn’t remember. Everything before my mate was kind of a blur.
“I think my best friend likes your brother,” Altan whispered into my ear.
“Theo really likes Brent. Look, they’re coming to the dance floor.”
“I have something to ask you,” my omega said. His eyes danced with mischief.
“You can ask me anything.”
“What do you think about having kids? I know we don’t live together yet and things are moving fast, but we also haven’t been using protection. I could go on some birth control but I wanted to talk to you about it first.”
“I would like kids,” I answered. “Some cubs that look like you. With your cute nose. But, the timing is yours to decide, omega. You are the one who will carry the baby inside you. And then feed them afterward. If you want to wait or not, that’s really up to you.
Even if you decide not to have any children, I’m perfectly happy having you all to myself for the rest of my life. ”
He raised up on his toes so that his lips grazed the rim of my ear. His hot breath drove me to madness as he pressed his body against mine. “No protection. No birth control. We’ll let Fate decide. How does that sound?”
“Sounds like I need to get you home.”
“No way.” He giggled, unfortunately putting space between us. “You owe me two more dances. I like this side of you, alpha.”
“You’re mean. Calling me alpha and talking about making babies. You’ll pay for that, little omega.”
“Promise?”
We danced until my omega’s feet hurt which didn’t take long.
“Hey,” Theo said, tapping on my shoulder. “I’m leaving.”
“Already?” I asked. Altan made his way back to the table where he and Greta were already cracking up about something.
“Yeah. I’m…I’m not going home alone. Tell Altan for Brent, okay?”
“Got it.”
I watched as Brent and Theo left the pool hall together, hand in hand. Maybe my brother could flirt after all.
“I’m supposed to tell you that Brent and Theo left.” I slid into the booth beside my mate.
“What? He didn’t even tell me goodbye.”
Greta raised her eyebrows while Xavier put his arm around her. I was surprised that was all they were doing. “I saw them getting cozy while we were dancing.”
“Wait, Brent left with Theo? Like with?” Altan seemed surprised. I was not.
“Yep.”
Xavier spoke up after finishing off his drink. “Wouldn’t that be cool? All of us a family. A sleuth of our own.”
“Sleuth?” My mate looked to me for the answer.
“A pack is for wolves. A sleuth is for bears.”
“Learn something about other people every day.” Other people. That was the term he used when humans were around.
I did notice my mate still wasn’t drinking. Despite claiming his stomach wasn’t right, he sure did put down a dozen mozzarella sticks.
I wondered if his question about expecting cubs was already answered. Time would tell.
A bear could hope.