Page 15 of Colton’s Mate

Remy shrugged. “Where’s the fun in that?”

Colt didn’t answer. He was the one who usually fucked with people—Remy just backed him up. But Remy had been on a tear ever since the battle. His new leopard had been getting riled up way too easily, and Remy burned off energy by screwing with everyone. He had that manic look in his eye right now—and it was setting Colt’s leopard off.

They were going to have to bleed each other before this was done, just to calm each other down. But before he could call Remy out, his brother turned his head sharply toward Colt and sniffed the air.

“You been with Callie?”

Colt stared at him. “What?”

“I can smell her on you.”

“Since when?” Remy, as an owl, had super-sight, but not the sense of smell of a predator shifter. Until now.

“Since my leopard got stronger. It’s kind of freaking me out. I don’t want to smell your fucking boner pheromones.”

“I didn’t bone Callie. I just happened to see her, at her construction site.”

Remy snorted. “And you rubbed up against her because you looove construction sites so much they get you all wiggly and excited?”

“Shut the fuck up.” If Remy wanted Colt to bleed him, he was going the right way about it. “Callie needed some construction advice.”

“Did she know she needed it? Or did you decide she needed it so you could rub up against her?”

“Will you shut up?” Colt snapped. “Geez. Are all owls annoying sociopaths?”

Remy turned his head and gazed at Colt, looking suddenly like the owl he was. He said, “According to Mom, yeah. Except hers. Hers is a total moosh-face, for some reason. That’s why she never got along with the other owls.”

“What about yours?” he asked Remy.

Remy still gazed at him, unblinking. Finally he said, “Mine doesn’t talk to me that much. The fucking leopard never shuts up, though. Makes me realize why you are how you are.”

Colt growled. “Which is how?”

“An emo little fuck.”

“You’re such a fucking dick.” He punched Remy, a little harder than he meant to. Remy swept his legs out from under him, and Colt pulled his brother down with him. In seconds they were wrestling on the ground.

It was only a play-fight, really, although Remy got in a shot at Colt’s nose and made it bleed. The violence and blood calmed his leopard, and he could tell it was taking the edge off for Remy, too.

He sometimes wondered how the two of them could survive without each other. Hell, if they could survive without each other. Especially now, when their new animals were out of control.

Suddenly, they were both doused with cold water. Brandon, their alpha, stood above them, an empty water pitcher in his hand.

“Fuck me against the wall—I turn my back for one minute and everything turns to shit around here. Are you two going to dance all night, or are you going to do a little work?”

Remy said, “You only love us for our muscles.”

“And our construction skills,” Colt added.

“That’s the only reason he wanted us in the crew.”

“Free labor.”

Kitty, who’d followed Brandon out of the house, gave a shout of laughter. She looked at her mate. “Sure. How’s that working for you so far?”

“Not at all,” Brandon snarled.

Jason walked out onto the porch, a hammer in his hand. “Am I the only one who’s doing any fucking work here? Because if so, I’m stopping.”