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 thepeople 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.”
