The sound of Benji’s heart thumping in excitement finally reached a peak. He suddenly gasped from the peephole. “He’s here! I can see him!”
“Nobody act weird,” Theo exclaimed.
Benji threw the door open. Standing in front of him was a thin young man with the same warm brown eyes as Benji. Instantly Caleb shouted and threw his arms around his brother, who hugged him back fiercely.
“Ow!” Caleb cried. “Not so hard, asshole!”
“Sorry,” Benji said. “I can’t help it! I feel like I haven’t seen you in forever!”
“Oh my god!” Caleb gasped and pointed at Benji’s belly. “You - you - “
Benji grinned and rolled his eyes. “Yeah, I gained a few pounds.”
I stepped forward and put my hand on Benji’s shoulder fondly. “That tends to happen when you’re pregnant.”
Caleb’s wide eyes darted to me in awe. He seemed so much smaller in person. “You must be Pierce.”
“Yes,” I said with a smile as I extended my hand. “Pleased to meet you.”
He shook it with a tiny polite smile in return. “Thanks for, uh, taking care of my brother.” He glanced at the floor in embarrassment. “And paying for my surgery. I really owe you.”
“Nonsense,” I said. “That’s what family is for. Now come inside. We’ve prepared dinner for you.”
As I turned towards the dining hall, Theo elbowed me with a mischievous smirk and whispered, “He’s a human, you know. You don’thaveto invite him in. They can come in on their own.”
“What are you two muttering about?” Benji called from behind us.
“Nothing, my love,” I said with a sigh.
“He calls youmy love?” Caleb asked, grinning.
Benji groaned. “Shut up. It’s cute.”
I couldn’t help but feel a pleasant warmth in my chest. Watching Benji interact with his brother reminded me so much of my own brother, Theo. It was good for the two of them to finally be reunited.
“Here, let me introduce you to everyone,” Benji said excitedly as we entered the dining hall. “You already know Pierce. He’s my… alpha,” he added, his cheeks turning red. He cleared his throat and gestured to Theo. “This is Theo, his younger brother.”
“I’m theyoungestbrother, which everyone loves to point out.”
“So…” Caleb bit his lip and glanced around expectantly. “Where’s, um, the third brother?”
Theo laughed. “You mean Adriel?”
Now Caleb’s cheeks tinged pink as well. I arched a brow at Benji, who shrugged sheepishly and mouthedI told him.
“You called my name?”
Caleb yelped and almost stumbled over when Adriel’s voice suddenly sounded from behind him. If Caleb wasn’t there, I might have chewed him out for materializing so abruptly - probably on purpose to give Caleb a scare.
“H-hi,” Caleb said, his eyes as wide as the plates on the table. “Are you Adriel?”
Adriel stared down at Caleb, unblinking. “Yes. And you are Benji’s brother, I assume.”
“That’s right.” Caleb swallowed. “Are you, uh, the one who writes the - the books?”
Adriel shot a glare at Benji, who grimaced.
“Yes, I am an author, if that’s what you’re asking,” Adriel said with thin restraint.
