“He helps me, too,” I admitted, wringing my hands together.
Skel and Kat joined us a few minutes later.
Skel’s arm draped over my shoulders as he leaned in. His expression was lighter, and his soul was less burdened. “Thank you, princess.”
“Anything for you.” I turned and met his lips in a soft kiss before he pulled away. He looked over at Kat and Durge, who were huddled together in a similar way.
“I can tell that he cares for her,” Skel murmured. “For the first time in a long time, I don’t feel the need to hold on to any grudges.” He inhaled, exhaled, then finally spoke directly to Durge. “You’re good to her.”
Durge turned from his conversation with Kat, blinking at Skel like he hadn’t expected him to speak at all. “I always try to be.”
Skel nodded slowly, his fingers tapping against my arm. “She deserves that.”
Kat, mid-sip of her drink, choked slightly. “Whoa. Who are you, and where is my brother?”
“Shut up,” Skel muttered with an eye roll.
Durge smirked. “I’ll take that as brotherly approval, then?”
Skel huffed. “Don’t push your luck, Durge.”
“I’ll take what I can get, then,” Durge chuckled as we all gathered back around the table. “Since we’re all talking about feelings tonight, let’s hear about your mates, Pandora. Four of them other than Skel, right? I met them when we had dinner at your father’s manor.”
“Yes, that’s right.” I smiled.
Durge let out a low chuckle. “I can barely manage the three I have. How theFatesdo you keep up with five?”
“I love them,” I answered instantly. “Getting time with all of them is probably our biggest obstacle, but...I wouldn’t change it for anything.”
“I can relate to that.” He grinned, kissing Kat’s cheek.
“Where are your other two mates?” I asked.
“They’re at work. Evening shift at the market.” He frowned, and his soul lit up with longing for them. “They insisted for us to come without them tonight, but it never feels right doing that.”
I related to that.
“That’s true. They’ll be home by the time we leave, though,” Kat reminded him with a soft smile before turning her attention back to me. “So, who’s the one who causes the most trouble?”
“Dex,” I murmured with a soft smile. “I love it, though. He’s always around.”
“I’d vote Dex, too,” Skel muttered.
“Does not surprise me,” Kat snickered.
Durge chuckled. “Mine would be Kat. What about your other mates?”
I smiled, loving the fact that he asked about them at all. “Reed’s my rock. He’s always the one I know will back whatever I want. Hunter’s more of a protector in a way that gets me vengeance in the right way. Bram’s got a lot of chaos, but he’s sweet and shy. Then there’s—” I looked over to my mate. “Skel.”
Skel shook his head, exhaling through his nose. “Still weird to process that I’m hers.”
Durge tilted his head. “I get the sense you wouldn’t change it, though.”
He snapped his gaze to Durge. “Never.”
“Skel’s always there for me when I need him.” There was a comfortable silence as we smiled at each other. I glanced at Durge again. “And you? You have two mates other than Kat, right?”
Durge nodded. “Yes. Aris and Patricia.”
