16. Kace
16
KACE
The bright May sunlight shone through the kitchen window, dappling the floorboards and warming my toes. I sat at the kitchen table with a bowl of shredded wheat in front of me, heaped high with sugar.
Across from me was Nevin. Dressed in a pair of cute baby blue PJs that once belonged to my little brother, complete with a pom-pom bunny tail and hood with ears, he was busy squishing his cereal down with his spoon, drowning it in the milk.
I couldn’t help but grin at the face he made, the tip of his tongue stuck out in focus. Like making his shredded wheat soggy was the most important task in the world. He didn’t seem to notice me watching him; that, or he didn’t care. As time went on, he seemed to care less when he caught me staring, and I couldn’t help it—I stared at him often. He was just so beautiful and perfect and mine.
I sighed happily. We hadn’t been together very long, but Nevin really did make me the happiest Alpha in the world.
He glanced up, his silvery-blond bangs fringing over his eyes, in need of a trim. He shook his head to toss them out of his line of sight, then fixed me with a curious stare. “What?”
I grinned. “Nothing.”
“You sure about that?” But he was smiling back, even as the faintest of blushes pinked his cheeks.
I opened my mouth to say something most likely corny and over-the-top when my phone chimed with an incoming text. Distracted, I picked it up and swiped my thumb over my screen to unlock it. It was a text from Xan. You up?
Yeah, but why are you? Don’t you usually sleep in till 2 on Saturdays? I typed back.
He sent me a rolling-eyes emoji. Whatevs. My schedule is all funky now that I’m working more hours. The other day, I woke up at 6 AM!
I snorted softly. Gasp! The horror!
I know, rite? It was a longass day. Never been so thankful to go to bed in my life. A moment later, another text rang in. Anyway, what you doing?
Eating breakfast. Why?
Cuz everyone’s met your new boyfriend but me! I wanna meet the guy whose got you all twisted up in knots! ;)
It’s not like that.
It is SO like that. Quinn says you’re practically over the moon for this guy and like, no offense, but you haven’t dated anyone like, ever. Remember Parker Phillips? That cute British Omega who was here on holiday a few years ago? We met him at Mom’s Christmas party. He was SO into you. I thought for sure you two would get down and dirty, but NO. Not even a bit of mild flirting. And now you meet some random wolf on death’s doorstep and suddenly you’re in LUV? This Nevin guy must be something else.
I paused to think about that. Honestly? I barely remembered the British guy. I’d been polite, I’m sure, but I hadn’t been interested. Nothing about him stood out to me. Why Xan remembered him, I had no idea. Unless Xan was the one playing matchmaker, trying to hook his forever-alone older brother up with a suitable partner. Come to think of it…
Xan. How did Parker Phillips even get invited to Mom’s party anyway? I asked.
He sent me a smirking emoji. Someone had to do it. He was SO your type! But no.
You set me up?
Duh. Obviously it didn’t work. But whatevs, it’s in the past. I wanna meet Nevin. Can I come over?
Today? I blinked in surprise, glancing up at the clock on my phone. It wasn’t even ten in the morning. Nevin and I were still in our pajamas. I’d hoped for a quiet morning of movies and cuddling, but… Let me ask.
“Hey, Nev?”
“Hmm?” His blue eyes trained on me, curious.
“Would you be up for some company here in a little bit?” At Nevin’s hesitation, I quickly added, “It’s just my brother. He’s dying to meet you and I don’t think he’s gonna take no for an answer.”
“The one whose clothes I’m wearing?”
I chuckled. “The one and only.”
“I mean… He is the only one of your family members that I haven’t met, so I guess? Let me get dressed first, though, and do something with my hair.” He pushed his chair back with the backs of his legs, then padded off down the hall.
I turned back to my phone. How about 10:30? Give us a bit of time to clean up and get dressed.
Yay! Came his immediate response. I can’t wait!
At exactly ten-thirty, Xan waltzed in through the front door, no doubt having used the key stashed under the flowerpot next to the door. “Honey, I’m hooome!” he singsonged as he paraded into my cottage like he owned the place. He popped around the corner, to the living room, where Nevin and I were sitting.
“You ever heard of knocking?” I dead-panned.
“You ever heard of ‘I’m your baby brother and what’s yours is also mine’?” he shot back, sticking his tongue out with a playful butt-wiggle. He rocked back on his chunky-heeled combat boots and looked past me, to Nevin. “Hi! I’m Xan, and I must say, you have impeccable taste in fashion.”
Of course, Nevin was wearing an outfit that had been in the bag of clothes Xan had given him—a pair of tight blue jeans with slits cut down the sides of the legs and a fitted v-neck tee with a cutesy Loch Ness monster on it that said “I Believe In You!”
Still, Nevin ducked his head with a blush and a little giggle and mumbled a thanks. Xan kept on grinning. “Aww, you’re shy. That’s okay. I’m not. I’ll do all the talking, don’t worry!” He cut a glance to me, bouncing his pierced eyebrows and widening his eyes. “So. I see where I went wrong with the British guy.”
Oh lord… “Xan,” I warned, but Xan laughed and waved his hand, dismissing me.
“You’re into femboys! Oh, this is better than I ever could’ve expected. My big burly brother and his cute little mate.” He clasped a hand over his chest, like he couldn’t take it. “Adorable! Nevin is so cute, too. How’d you get so lucky, huh?”
Nevin blushed an even deeper shade of red. “Um… I’m right here…”
“Sorry,” Xan said, though he didn’t sound very sorry. “I’m a little…”
“Obnoxious?” I offered.
“Sure, why not. You are super cute, though, and my clothes suit you so well. It’s like this really was written in the stars, like Kace always dreamed about.” He winked at me. I rolled my eyes with a sigh. “Wish an Alpha would fall into my lap like that,” Xan said with a wistful sigh.
“You’re young,” I told him. “I waited twenty-six years to meet Nevin.”
“Yeah, but I don’t wanna wait,” Xan whined, stamping his boot on the floor. He flopped down in the overstuffed arm chair and crossed his leg at the knee. His foot bounced, making the hardware on his boot jingle softly. “I’m only twenty, sure, but I’m ready to settle down. I want an Alpha. I want a family.”
“Xan.” I didn’t want my brother going into a “my body needs babies,” tirade when I knew Nevin was sensitive about the subject, so I cut in. “Why don’t you tell Nevin a bit about yourself?”
Thankfully, it worked. Xan sat up a little taller in his chair and smiled at Nevin. “Right. So, my name is Xan. Short for Xander. Not Alexander, just Xander, though Mom only calls me that when she’s pissed off at me, which is often.” He giggled. “I’m a brat, what can I say. It comes with being the youngest.”
“I’m the youngest, too,” Nevin murmured. “But my father would’ve belted me, had I acted foolish.”
Xan and I both grimaced. “Ouch. Harsh.”
Nevin shrugged. “It’s just the way my pack worked. Rubydawn is so different than anything I’m used to. It’s a breath of fresh air, honestly. I’m so thankful you guys rescued me.” He looked at me as he spoke the words, and my heart squeezed.
“Always,” I said softly, reaching out to squeeze his fingers lightly in mine. “It’s what we do. And you’re worth saving, Nev. Believe that.”
“Wow. Mushy, much? Is this what love is like?” Xan joked, earning a glare from me. He didn’t even have the good grace to wither. Then again, I wasn’t that threatening.
“Oh, right!” He swung his messenger bag around so that it was in front of him. Flipping up the flap, he dug around inside of it for a moment before pulling out a plastic bag of malted milk balls. And not just any malted milk balls, but the fancy ones from the candy shoppe at the mall. “I brought treats!” he proclaimed.
Suddenly, he was forgiven. I practically drooled. “Yes, please. Gimme.” I held out my hands and my brother laughed, then untwisted the golden twist-tie and poured some of the chocolate delights into my cupped palms. I immediately popped one into my mouth and groaned at the burst of chocolatey sweetness and malty tang as I bit down with a satisfying crunch. “So good.”
Xan laughed. “You’re such a slut for chocolate.”
“Guilty as charged,” I admitted without an ounce of chagrin.
At Nevin’s confused look, Xan held out the bag. “Here, try one! They’re that good.”
Nevin carefully reached his hand inside and plucked out a single malted milk ball. He brought it to his nose to sniff it, then put it in his mouth and began to chew. I saw the very moment the lights came on, because his entire face brightened as he tasted the deliciousness.
“Oh, they really are good,” Nevin said, humming with happiness.
“Right? And I get discounts,” Xan boasted. “The perks of being an employee.”
I glanced between my boyfriend, my brother, and the large bag of malted milk balls. “You wanna stay awhile? We were gonna stay in today and watch a movie.” Nevin nodded along with me, telling me he was on board with this idea.
Xan beamed. “I’m game, so long as it isn’t anything too mushy. My hormones can’t take it!”
Nevin laughed. “I understand that all too well.”
“See? We’re gonna be best friends, I can already tell,” Xan said, matter-of-fact. “I’ll be your favorite brother-in-law.”
“You’ll be his only brother-in-law,” I pointed out.
“Exactly.” He popped another malted milk ball into his mouth and smiled. I glanced to Nevin to see him grinning, and it made me feel good. I had the feeling that they were going to get along just fine.