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“Is that egg on your shirt?” She blinked in confusion and Darius looked down at himself before offering a sheepish grin.
“I’m cooking breakfast.”
“He’s burning breakfast actually.” Leo’s voice came from behind his husband and Maya laughed when the smoke detector went off only a second later. “Told you.”
“Dammit, you could have gotten the door if you didn’t want your food burned.” Darius harrumphed, glancing quickly back at Maya, “Come in. Come in. I swear nothing is on fire.”
Maya stepped into the house, shutting the door behind her and then following them as Darius rushed back to the kitchen, reaching up and grabbing the smoke detector off the ceiling with one hand and then plucking the batteries out of it all on his way across the room. Her brother lingered for a moment longer. His attention was clearly on his mate, a small smile playing on his lips as he watched Darius struggle to get the burned toast out of the oven without electrocuting himself, but he glanced back at Maya as she moved to his side.
“You know you don’t have to knock. This was your house too.”
“It was, but it’s not anymore.” She shook her head, “Besides, I didn’t want to walk in on anything intimate.”
“Good call.” Darius gave up trying to fish the toast out of the machine and instead opened the back door and tossed the entire appliance into the yard. He looked pleased with himself until he caught Leo shaking his head in exasperation. “What? That’s your fault. You distracted me coming into the kitchen looking all hungry and sexy.”
Maya snorted, “I know you two so well.”
“It’s probably a good thing you knocked when you did.” Leo only smiled knowingly, the look of a man totally and completely enchanted by his mate even all these years later. “Or D may have finally succeeded in burning the whole house down.”
“Again. Not my fault.” Darius shrugged and Maya unfortunately couldn’t help but notice that though her brother’s shirt was buttoned that it was askew, which explained why he hadn’t been the one to rush to the door. “So now it’s your turn to figure out breakfast.”
“I don’t care what we have. You know that.”
“Well I do, which is why I was trying to make us an actual meal.”
“I’ll just grab a energy bar out of the cabinet and call it good.”
“Those things taste like cardboard.”
“That’s because they’re good for you.”
“I’m not eating cardboard for breakfast.”
“Then go get the toaster out of the yard and try not burning the bread this time around.”
“We needed a new toaster anyway. The damn thing sticks or else it would’ve popped up before it burned in the first place.” Darius grumbled and Maya decided interrupting their little bickering match was the only way she was going to get their attention.
They had always been like this. Always. Since the first time they’d met they’d been arguing and fighting and going toe to toe. She assumed at least some of it had to do with two Alpha wolves being mated and constantly striving for dominance but she also thought a lot of it was just that they enjoyed riling one another and then using the fire to fuel their make-up and make out sessions.
“Um, hi.” She cut in loudly, “Remember me? Your sister? I came to visit because I need to talk to you about something important.”
That shut them down and they both turned to face her, suddenly serious.
“You need something?” Darius frowned at the same time Leo raised an eyebrow, “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing’s wrong.” She shrugged when Leo narrowed his eyes at her. “It’s not that anything is wrong. I just need some advice about the mating bond.”
“And you came to us?” Darius’ face softened and Maya’s heart followed suit just like it always did when the big man got emotional.
It didn’t happen often. He was serious and stoic most of the time. But Darius had helped to raise her after he’d mated with her brother so she knew the big softie he was beneath that hard exterior. He didn’t show it to many people and she counted herself among the lucky few who got to see this sweet side of him.
“Of course I did. You’re the best mated pair I know.” She smiled when he raised a hand to touch his chest just over his heart and then she cringed a little when she realized her brother was still staring at her with that look of suspicion. She groaned. “Okay, fine. I also came to you because it’s about pack stuff.”
“There it is.” Leo snorted but motioned towards the kitchen table, “Have a seat. I’ve been expecting this conversation ever since the night at your apartment when you told us Zander Leery had sparked the bond.”
Maya frowned, “You know why I’m here?”
“You’re worried how it’s going to affect your wolf.” Leo nodded, pulling out a chair for her and Maya must have been gaping at him because Darius chuckled.
