“Is something up that I should know about?” asked Smokey, keeping his voice low.
Frowning slightly, Norm tilted his head, looking intently at his mate. “Honestly, I don’t know. Why?”
“My bear is doing weird stuff…”
“Like what?” asked Norm.
“Well dancing for one,” growled Smokey. “Grizzlies don’t do that but he is now…”
“Maybe it’s because he’s happy about the cub,” Norm replied.
Smokey thought for a moment, then shook his head. “Nope, I’m pretty sure that isn’t it.”
“Did you ask him why he’s dancing?”
“Duh! Of course I did, but he’s not talking.”
“Well, I don’t have a clue, but I’m sure you’ll find out eventually,” Norm said. “Let’s go, Theo will be wondering where we are.” Reaching out, he grabbed Smokey’s hand, pulling him down the hallway to the stairs. “Wait until you taste our mate’s cooking.”
~/~/~/~/~
Wiping off crumbs from the counters, Steel looked up when he heard the kitchen door open, grinning when he saw who it was. “Hey, congratulations! On both your pregnancy and finding your third mate.”
“Thanks,” Theo said, beaming. “I don’t know which one was the bigger surprise because neither were expected. Mac thinks the cub will be born in less than five months so I have to talk to Dakota about what I should eat to make sure he stays healthy.”
Steel leaned against the counter, his eyes scanning Theo’s face before asking, “Did Mac say it was okay for you to continue your chef duties?”
Nodding, Theo moved over to the refrigerator. Opening it, he stuck his head in, looking at the contents. “So did Jackson.” Pulling out the rest of the roast he’d made that afternoon, he set it on the counter before heading to the pantry for a loaf of bread. Sandwiches would be perfect.
“What about Norm and Smokey?”
“Uhm…” Theo murmured, absentmindedly, as he ducked his head back into the fridge, grabbing a jar of mustard and setting it on the counter next to the other food.
“Theo…your mates…are they okay with you going back to work?” Steel asked.
“Huh?” Theo stopped slicing, turning to Steel, confusion on his face. “Why wouldn’t they?”
“That’s a question you need to ask them.”
Theo frowned for a moment, thinking over what the Alpha Mate had said, before relaxing his face. “Don’t worry, I will.”
“When? Hopefully before you return to the kitchen.”
“All taken care of,” Theo replied, slathering mustard on the bread. “Jackson suggested we go for a walk in the woods so we can talk without any interruptions.” Pointing to the sandwiches he was making, he added, “I decided to make us a picnic basket to take with us…since we missed dinner.”
“Sounds like a plan…”
“Yup…you’ll see…everything will be fine,” Theo said, giving Steel a reassuring smile. “I just know it.”
Keeping his doubts to himself, Steel murmured, “I’m sure it will.” After his many years of dealing with all kinds of bear shifters, the likelihood that a walk in the woods would resolve all the issues facing them was slim. But then, Theo and Norm had constantly surprised him with their ability to quickly adapt to new circumstances. Before he could say anything else, the kitchen door opened with a bang, raising his wolf’s hackles.
“Do you always do that?” asked Norman, frowning at Smokey as they entered the kitchen.
“Do what?” Smokey replied, sniffing the air. If he wasn’t mistaken, roast beef was on the menu.
“Open doors loudly,” Norm muttered. Then catching sight of Steel’s face, he stepped in front of Smokey, shielding him from the Alpha Mate.
It took a moment before Smokey realized what his mate was doing, though it was unnecessary. He wasn’t in danger, at least not from Steel. His bear could easily take down the Alpha Mate’s wolf but Norm’s action caused Smokey’s bear to roar his approval. Smiling, he grasped Norm’s biceps, tugging him back to him. “Eagle Feather,” Smokey murmured, running his hands up and down his mate’s muscles, turned on by the way his mate shivered at his touch. “Don’t worry…his wolf won’t attack me.”
