Chapter Eight

Watching Delta fight back tears struck Kalen square in his heart and left behind a small bruise. It had taken him only a microsecond to understand why Delta had a pained expression. The guy had yet to process his mother's death. It was also obvious from the way Delta clung to Elvine and the wet lashes his mate tried to hide.

Even Elvine had felt the pain Delta kept trapped inside of him.

There wasn't any shame in mourning the loss of someone you cared about. It had taken a long time for Kalen to get past his wife's death, and he more than understood his mate's grief.

Delta cleared his throat, clearly embarrassed to hear Elvine speak the truth out loud.

"Don't worry, Daddy Frost."

She patted Delta's cheek with a bright smile. "This house is filled with love and kindness. You'll get so much sweetness you'll have a bunch of cavities in no time."

Delta's stomach took that moment to rumble again.

"Looks like someone is hungry."

Elvine stated the obvious.

"Which means it's time I took Delta inside and whipped up something for him."

Kalen opened the screen door to allow his mate and Elvine to pass under his arm as the two entered, and then he glanced back at his son. "Are we good, or do we need to settle this further?"

Jax was gazing at the doorway. "It was my wolf reacting to another male touching our pregnant mate."

He looked compassionately at Kalen. "I have no problem with Elvine hugging him. She was right. He looks like he needs more than one. Do you know why?"

They were a close-knit family, had always had each other's back, and Kalen appreciated his son's concern. "He lost his mom six months back."

"Shit. I know how that pain feels."

Jax rubbed the center of his chest. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"I'll let you know if there is."

Kalen walked inside and headed straight for the kitchen. His mate wasn't the only one starving. When Kalen had come home to get ready for his outing with Delta, he hadn't eaten. It was late evening, and so far today, all he'd had were snacks at the ice cream parlor.

Kalen came up short when he spotted his mate by the stairs that led to the second floor, gazing up at Jaytee, then down at his flat gut. "I've never met twins before."

There was no doubt in Kalen's mind his mate was thinking the same thing he had earlier. Comparing Jaytee's flat gut to Damon's swollen belly.

Only Delta was too polite to say anything about the contradiction.

"If you get confused, just remember I'm the good-looking one."

Jaytee gave Delta a devilish grin. "But don't feel bad. Even my old man has gotten us confused sometimes."

By scent, Kalen could tell which one was which. By sight alone, he'd mixed them up at least a hundred times, if not more.

He also wished Jaytee wouldn't refer to him as "old man"

since Delta had confessed he normally didn't date older men. Now Kalen wondered what his mate thought of him after he'd revealed his age.

"How are you the better looking one when you two are identical?"

Delta's gorgeous smile was teasing, and damn, Kalen wanted to haul his mate upstairs to his bedroom and have the human smile at him in the same way while they were naked.

"Don't let him pull his Rick Blaine on you."

Damon exited the kitchen, a plate of fried chicken in his hands.

Kalen growled when he remembered his son had started a small grease fire earlier. He'd yet to see the damage, but hoped it wasn't too extensive.

Cooking was a passion Kalen thoroughly loved. So much so that when he'd built his home, he'd meticulously designed the kitchen himself, making it not only a blend of functionality and aesthetic appeal but also an inviting space to create cherished memories.

Bracing himself, he headed into the kitchen to assess the damage, leaving Delta with Jaytee. His mate was a part of this family now, and Kalen wanted him to become comfortable with everyone.

Besides, Delta didn't need him constantly hovering, even if that was exactly what Kalen wanted to do. None of this felt real. It felt like Delta was some gorgeous creation who'd entered Kalen's dreams. Eventually he would wake up, only to find Delta had been nothing more than a tortured reminder of just how alone Kalen truly was.

Surveying the stove and surrounding countertops, he was hard-pressed to find a single indication a fire had even started. There was only one explanation for the lack of evidence.

One of the fairies had "magically"

repaired any damage the fire had caused. On any other day, Kalen would give all three of them—Elvine, Raidh, and Casimir—a stern, but gentle reminder not to use their dark magic in the house.

But not today. Frankly, Kalen was thankful his beloved kitchen was as it should be. Satisfied the room wasn't fire damaged, he got to work making Delta something quick but filling to eat.

* * * *

Pursing his lips, Delta wasn't sure if he should follow Kalen or…what exactly? Wander around on his own until he found people to talk to? Like the twin currently standing in front of him.

No matter how hard Delta tried, he couldn't stop glancing from Jaytee's face to his stomach, as if his gut would suddenly start to inflate like a balloon until he really was Damon's spitting image.

Delta's gaze slid to the stairs when he saw a short, waiflike man descend them. The stranger's long hair cascaded down his back in soft waves of warm gold and yellow undertones, framing his delicate heart-shaped face.

It was impossible to rip his eyes away from the guy. Then Delta noticed the ears. The tips ended in points, just like Elvine's did. There was another fairy in the house.

"Delta, this is my mate, Raidh,"

Jaytee said with a touch of pride as he smiled lovingly at the fairy. Wait. Elvine had said they were fae, though Delta still didn't know the difference between the two words.

They sounded exactly the same to him, but clearly the word "fairy"

was offensive to them.

"Hi,"

Delta said with a smile, captivated with Raidh's lavender-gray eyes. He would say the guy was beautiful, but that didn't feel like a strong enough word. Maybe ethereal?

"It's nice to meet you."

Even Raidh's voice was like a fairy's, light and airy, like it was floating on a breeze.

Compared to Elvine and Raidh, Delta felt like a booby prize. How could he compare to fairies? Fae. Shit.

"He's doing what my dad keeps doing."

From behind Raidh, Jaytee curled his arms around the smaller man, grinning widely.

"What am I doing?"

Delta sniffed the air as the smell of something delicious drifted toward him, making his mouth water and his stomach rumble.

"Trying to figure out the optics between me and my twin."

The guy chuckled. "My gut is flat, yet when you look at a mirror-image of me, it's suddenly protruding."

So much for being discreet. Delta would suck as an operative if he'd been undercover. Subtly clearly wasn't his strong suit. He just hadn't realized how obvious he'd been. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. It's just that…"

"It's weird as heck,"

Raidh finished for him. "I'm mated to one of the twins, and every time I see Damon, I end up doing a doubletake."

Raidh laughed.

"How…?"

Delta curled his lips in, reminding himself he'd just met these people and he shouldn't get all nosy, even if he was dying to.

"How did a guy get knocked up?"

Jaytee plucked the question right out of Delta's head. The man was very perceptive.

"If you don't mind me asking,"

Delta replied.

"You do not have enough time on your hands,"

Damon said from behind him, causing Delta to startle. Oh great. The guy had heard them talking about him. Delta should leave and walk home before he embarrassed himself any further. He was going to plead insanity from lack of nourishment today.

His growling stomach was making him stick his nose where it didn't belong.

"We'll have to sit down sometime so you can learn about our family."

Jaytee regarded him with an intensity that nearly made Delta squirm.

"What is that wonderful smell?"

Elvine flew down the steps on her wings, her eyes fluttering closed as she deeply inhaled. Delta was afraid she would run into a wall if she didn't open them. "Oh, Papa Frost is cooking!"

Elvine clapped her hands together. "Feed me ," she sang out as she flew toward the back of the house.

"How is she still so skinny?"

Damon scratched his belly. "I swear she's become a nonstop eating machine since her mates knocked her up."

Mates? He recalled Kalen saying there were seven pairs of eyes, but he'd never told him why.

"Elvine, stop flying around the house! You're going to hurt yourself."

Delta gasped when a blur shot past him so fast he hadn't been able to make it out. Had it been a person, place, or thing? Taking his life into his own hands, he headed toward the back of the house, curious and afraid to know what that blur had been.

One thing he had to admit. It was hella weird in this place. Like he'd stepped into some fantasy world, but one a lot less scary than the demon realm. It was a miracle Delta had even made it out of there with his life.

As he entered probably the most amazing kitchen he'd ever seen, he almost slid across the shiny floor. A muted palette of cream and wood filled the room. A sturdy wooden table surrounded by chairs with woven seats was off to the right, anchoring the room.

The cabinetry had glass-fronted upper doors and solid lower cabinets adorned with ornate brass handles, making it look like a classic design, yet it felt more like a well-loved, rustically charming kitchen.

As he looked around at all the modern appliances, he spotted Kalen in front of a professional-grade stove. The guy looked in his element as he tossed a handful of something that smelled like smoked sausage into a sizzling pan.

The smell was enough to make Delta's nose happy as he deeply inhaled. Kalen had taken off his leather vest and now wore only a black T-shirt, which showcased all his glorious muscles.

Delta wasn't sure what made him salivate more, the smell of the food or the sight of Sexy Man as he moved around even more fluidly than Roman.

The guy was definitely in his element.

"Just one taste,"

Elvine begged, and that was when Delta noticed a very short and skinny guy next to her. The guy was roughly five inches taller, but standing next to Kalen made them appear even smaller. The top of Elvine's head only reached Kalen's biceps.

"I already gave your three bites, hon. If I allow you to keep nibbling, there won't be any food left for my mate."

Again with that word. As soon as he and Kalen were alone—if they managed that feat with so many people living here—he would ask the guy to explain what it meant.

"Do you know why he's so sad?"

Delta watched as she leaned back into the dark-haired man's arms. Now he knew why there were seven sets of eyes. Elvine was with two guys. The way the guy looked at her was nothing short of worship. Then he curled his arms around her, and Delta saw a ton of scars on them.

"As much as I appreciate your concern, what have I told you about keeping your nose out of other people's business?"

Kalen asked.

She sighed dramatically. "To mind my own flywax."

That made Delta grin. She was definitely peculiar, but he liked her.

The dark-haired guy snapped his head around. He gazed at Delta with a guarded and curious expression.

"Food will be ready in the next ten minutes or less,"

Kalen said, and Delta knew the guy was talking to him. He stepped further into the kitchen, his gaze locked on Kalen's strong, broad back while the dark-haired man continued to watch him.

"Honey bunny, this is Kalen's mate. His name is Delta. I like that name."

She gave Delta a huge smile. "Daddy Frost, this is my other mate, Arion."

The guy splayed a hand over her belly, but his eyes never left Delta, as if Delta might be some kind of threat to her.

The only threat in this kitchen was Elvine trying to tackle-hug him again. Jax was the largest of the threesome, a wolf shifter, yet Delta's self-preservation said this mate held a silent warning of death.

He eyed Arion just as intriguingly as the guy eyed him.

"Hi,"

Delta finally said. Someone had to say it first. They couldn't just stand there having a staring contest.

"He's not a threat,"

Kalen said. The steam in the pot rose heavily upward as he put noodles into the boiling water. Delta wasn't sure who Kalen was talking to, him or Arion. "So I'm going to politely ask you to stop eyeing him so closely."

Again, who was Kalen talking to?

A slow, hesitant smile curved Arion's lips. "Hi."

Crisis averted. Delta walked over to the stove but made sure to keep Kalen between him and the couple. "You didn't have to go through all this."

Arion grabbed Elvine's hand and gently tugged her toward the doorway. "Let's give them some privacy."

"But he's Kalen's mate! Don't they look so adorable together?"

Elvine shot Delta a beaming smile and said sweetly, "Take good care of Papa Frost."

Why did Delta have the distinct impression that was a threat?

"It's not a big deal."

Kalen picked up a piece of the smoked sausage then turned and held it to Delta's mouth. "I cook like this all the time, muffin."

No one had ever handfed him before, and Delta felt a bit awkward as he parted his lips and accepted the piece of meat. He had also never seen anyone appear so pleased either. Flavor exploded in his mouth, and at his expression, the spark in Kalen's diamond-blue eyes was breathtaking. Delta had smoked sausage plenty of times in his life but nothing this savory.

"You have got to tell me how you cooked that,"

he said after he swallowed.

"I take it you like it?"

Kalen grinned then softly chuckled. "Glad you approve."

Somehow he knew that was important to Kalen that he liked the man's cooking.

"Approve?"

He licked his lips, greedily chasing the flavor into his mouth. "I'm ready to eat that entire plate of sausage."

He eyed the pile of scrumptiousness. "Can I have one more?"

After grabbing another piece, Kalen turned and rested his butt against the edge of the counter, spreading his legs slightly. "Come here."

The command was spoken quietly but with just enough demand to make Delta immediately obey. He stepped between the guy's powerfully long legs, and then Kalen tore off a piece of the meat and again held it to Delta's mouth. With a smile, he opened for him, but this time, he made sure to lick Kalen's fingers before he closed his mouth and chewed.

A low, rumbling growl vibrated in Kalen's throat, but Delta felt it tremble inside of his own body. "I should have taken you somewhere to eat instead for ice cream. Did you eat when you went back to work this morning?"

Kalen fed him another piece, satisfaction and need filling the man's eyes.

Delta felt that need, too. Had felt it every single time Kalen kissed or touched him. When they'd made out in the parking lot at the parlor, Delta swore he'd been moments away from dropping to his knees to suck the man's cock.

Without warning, Kalen dipped his head and kissed him, running his tongue over Delta's lips. He curled his fingers into Kalen's T-shirt as he scooted even closer to enjoy the man's sensual, cock-hardening kisses. The guy gripped Delta's ass with both hands and gently massaged his globes.

Delta still wanted to sit on the man's beard.

"Aw, for fuck's sake!"

someone groaned loudly, and Delta knew it was Damon. He was becoming familiar with his voice. "You just crawled all in my ass earlier about the kitchen being for meals, not sex. You prepare food on that counter, Dad."

"Would it still be considered murder if the person constantly tested your patience?"

Kalen said against Delta's mouth.

Delta grinned, his lips still pressed to Kalen's. "Not if you properly dispose of the body."

"I'll grab the cast-iron skillet, and you grab a shovel."

Kalen gave him a quick kiss before he pulled back then said to Damon, "But I'm not in here burning food, son."

"Kalen, the noodles are burning!"

Delta shouted while frantically slapping the man's arm.