“We do indeed,” Ben said. “Besides, I’m starving.”
“So that’s not you doing your grizzly bear impersonation? Your stomach is growling that loud?”
Ben nuzzled Koios’s cheek. “Funny guy. I’ll do my grizzly bear impersonation for you later.”
Koios’s wings shuddered again. He needed to learn how to control the damn things if they were going to continue to betray his emotions.
Phoebe cackled and dropped her duffle onto the bed. “This is going to be an interesting adventure. I never thought to find a mate. I imagined a very lonely life, at least until my father returned from the hell realm. Even then, Father prefers isolation. Now, I get to see my twin mated and experience the joy I could find one day.”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Koios said.
Ben froze behind him, his arms locking Koios in their suddenly stiff embrace.
“You, uh, can’t be, uh—Ben, you handle this.”
“Your twin and I are delighted you find our mating joyous.”
Koios scowled before twisting around to look up at Ben. “We are?”
Ben grinned. “Pretty sure.”
“Should I not be joyous?” Phoebe asked.
“You can be as happy as you want,” Koios explained. “It’s just, well, I didn’t realize Ben and I were mates until you pointed it out and…would you mind not mentioning this to anyone else? I think Ben and I should discuss it first.”
Phoebe scowled. “They do not know? It’s obvious.”
“It is not.” Koios wrapped his arms over Ben’s and pressed back against him. “I’m super smart, remember? If it was obvious, I would have known.”
Phoebe snorted. Ben choked and sputtered. After Koios wiped the side of his face, he stared up at hismateagain. “Was that necessary?”
“Sorry.”
Koios sighed. “You are not. Okay, fine. Maybe it’s a little obvious, but my point is still valid. Ben and I have not discussed this, so I’d rather it not be a topic for dinner.”
“Agreed,” Phoebe said. “What is the etiquette for meeting your pack and family? Fortunately, I’ve already met the alpha, but the hierarchy of the others is a bit blurry.”
Ben groaned. “Oh, this is going to be complicated.”
“No it’s not.”
Ben tucked his face into Koios’s neck instead of arguing with him.
“It’s not,” Koios repeated. “We’ll let Logan decide.”
“You would throw him under the bus like that? After he drove ten hours today and risked his life meeting your sister? No offense, Phoebe, but the whole cloak-and-dagger thing was pretty intense.”
“Hey, cloak-and-dagger. That’s funny. I like it. I should get Gideon to teach me how to use daggers. I wanted to learn to use the katana like Scout, because damn was his whole leap off the stairs and slice the manticore’s tail off move impressive. I’d probably chop my wing off, though, and I’m finally going to be able to use them. I hope.”
“You will,” Phoebe said.
“No sharp objects until we’re sure your heart is stable.” Ben’s announcement would have annoyed Koios, but his brown-eyed bear’s belly decided to growl at the same time.
“Fine, let’s go feed you before you starve. You do realize I don’t cook right?”
“I don’t either,” Ben said.
“This could be a problem.”
