“Nope.”
“Do you have to do something with Morin?”
“Nope.”
Noem shook his head. “I’m not going to play guess what Nysys is up to today.”
Nysys batted his lashes. “Who said I’m up to anything?”
“Oh yeah, you’re definitely up to something.”
Noem ignored everyone else in the room as he finished his first mug with his eyes closed. He felt someone sit next to him, but he didn’t look, not until he handed his empty mug to Nysys. Nysys didn’t even ask—he got up and went to refill the mug. He came back with two, handed one to Noem, the other to the person sitting next to Noem.
Noem turned to say hi to whoever it was and dropped his mug.
He yelped when the scalding coffee hit his lap and jumped up. Kay scrambled off his stool and pushed Noem’s sweat pants down, along with his boxer briefs, leaving Noem with his ass hanging out in the middle of the kitchen during breakfast.
Noem’s eyes widened, but Kay was already taking his sweater off and handing it to Noem. Noem wrapped it around his waist, thanking fate that Kay was much bigger than him and that his sweater covered most of Noem’s bits.
Noem realize everyone in the kitchen was looking at him—of course they were—only once he was covered, and more than a few looked like they were about to explode with laughter.
He knew why they didn’t. He wasn’t the most fun member of the pride, and he knew it, but he hadn’t thought it was so bad that everyone was wary of his reaction. He hated being in the spotlight, but he couldn’t help it at the moment, so he ducked his head and shrugged. He could feel his cheeks heat and he wanted nothing more than to run to his room and hide there the rest of the day.
“Did you, uh, burn yourself?” Kay asked, and Noem finally realized just what had happened. He’d startled when he’d realized it was Kay who’d been sitting next to him, and he’d dropped his mug, splashing his groin with scalding coffee. In front of Kay. In front of his mate.
Today already sucked, and it wasn’t even eight o’clock yet.
“I’m fine,” he said, hoping it would be enough to get Kay to sit again and forget about him. He’d been quick to dismiss Noem the day before, after all.
But instead of leaving him alone, Kay came closer. “Are you sure? You should probably go to the infirmary, just to check. Burns down there can’t be, uh, comfortable.”
Did Kay really have to be adorable when he was embarrassed? He wasn’t blushing, not like Noem was, even though they were both blond. He was doing his best not to look at Noem’s crotch even though they were talking about it, and he looked like he couldn’t pronounce the word dick.
“I’m fine. I’ll just go to my room and change.”
A bundle of fabric came his way, but Kay caught it before it could hit Noem’s face. They both glared at Nysys, who was grinning like crazy and looking from Noem to Kay, then back to Noem. “I got you a pair of sweats from outside. Put them on and eat breakfast. You can go shower and change later.”
Noem grabbed the sweats from Kay’s hands and shuffled toward the hallway. He’d just stepped out there when the laughter started. He smiled, because thinking about it now, it was funny, and he couldn’t blame anyone for laughing at him. He probably would have too if it had happened to someone else. The problem was, if Kay had thought he wasn’t good enough before, the coffee accident certainly wouldn’t make him change his mind.
He’d been sweet, though, more than Noem had expected after what he’d said the day before. He’d even given Noem his sweater, even though he’d known it would end up wrapped over Noem’s cock.
The thought was enough to make Noem blush again, and he hurried to the bathroom. He needed to get cleaned up. He wasn’t sure he’d have the nerve to go back to the kitchen, but he could always forgo breakfast and get to work right away. It wasn’t like he still needed coffee today. He was more than awake now, and he wished he’d drunk that coffee instead of throwing it all over himself.
* * * *
Kay watched Noem go. He kind of wanted to go after him, and he would have in any other circumstances, but it wasn’t like he could help him cleaning up, not with the body part that had been hit.
Someone cleared their throat beside him and Kay looked at Nysys, who was smiling as if Christmas had come early. “Sooo?” Nysys asked. “Care to tell me what that was about?”
Kay shook his head and went to sit back down. Someone had already cleaned up the spilled coffee—although most of it had gone onto Noem’s groin—and there was a full mug waiting for Noem to come back.
“I don’t know what you mean,” he told Nysys, even though he knew the man well enough to know he wouldn’t let things go so easily.
“Aww, come on. The way you took off your sweater right away and gave it to him? That was so fucking sweet.”
Kay breathed out. “Sweet? I would have done it for anyone.” Probably. It had never happened, so Kay wouldn’t know, but in theory, he’d do it for anyone. Really.
“Do you know why he spilled his coffee when he realized it was you sitting next to him?”
“He’s clumsy?” It wasn’t the first time Noem spilled something in front of Kay, although Kay hoped it would be the last.
Nysys settled on his seat on the other side of the counter and leaned toward Kay. Kay looked at Troy, hoping for help, but Troy snickered and shook his head.
“He’s not clumsy,” Nysys said. “Noem is anything but clumsy. He saves lives.”
“I’m not sure what that has to do with being clumsy, but okay.”
“So it’s not because he’s clumsy. It has to be because it’s you.”
Kay knew he was going to regret this, but he still asked, “What do you mean?”
“Well, I know Noem spilled orange juice yesterday.”
Of course he did. Kay was ready to bet Nysys knew everything that happened in the mansion. He’d be a detective’s wet dream if something ever happened in the house.
“So,” Kay said, because Nysys was waiting for a reaction, and who knew what he’d do if Kay didn’t give him one. “What does it mean?”
Nysys blinked. “Don’t you know?”
“Should I?”
Nysys gestured at Noem’s empty seat. “You obviously make him nervous, and let me tell you, there’s not much that can do that. Noem is very serious and poised, so I’m surprised to know he spilled stuff twice in two days, and there you were, present both times.”
“It could be a coincidence.” Kay didn’t actually believe that, because he was sure Noem had spilled his stuff just after he noticed Kay both times.
Nysys arched a brow. “I didn’t think detectives believed in coincidences.”
“It happens.”
“Oh sure. What a coincidence that Noem is distracted enough to spill stuff all over the place only when you’re there, right?”
Kay didn’t like where this was going, not at all. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Well, remember what we talked about yesterday? There could be a very good reason why Noem is so clumsy when you’re close to him.”
Troy finally took pity on Kay and elbowed Nysys in the ribs. “Nicky’s here.”
The three of them turned to look at a man Kay supposed was Nicky. He was talking with a guy with curls and tattoos and looking at him as if he was the center of the world. He wasn’t even looking at what he was doing as he opened the cupboard and took out a packet of Oreos—the one Nysys had tampered with the night before.
“What are you all looking at?” Noem asked from beside Kay, startling him. At least he hadn’t been holding his mug.
“Umm, Nicky, I think. That guy over there with the Oreos.”
Noem’s brows rose on his forehead. “And why are we looking at Nicky?”
Troy snickered. “Just look at him. You’ll find out soon.”
Kay watched Nicky open his pack of Oreos and take one, still looking
at what had to be his boyfriend, or more probably, his mate. He took a bite and Kay held his breath.
“What the fuck!”
At least Nicky had the presence of mind to spit the Oreo in the sink rather than in his mate’s face. Kay pressed his lips together, but he couldn’t help the snicker that escaped him. Nysys howled with laughter, even though it wasn’t that funny, and Nicky turned to look at him.
“You little shit,” he said, pointing at Nysys even as he scrubbed his hand on his mouth. “How could you? Those are Oreos!”
Nysys beamed. “It’s time you paid for what you did to me.”
Nicky narrowed his eyes. “Oh, that’s how it is? Wait until I catch you.”
Nysys squeaked and ran away, Nicky behind him, threatening him as he ran. Kay chuckled and shook his head.
“So, what did I miss? What happened to the Oreos?” Noem asked.
“Toothpaste.”
Noem grimaced. “Ugh. That has to be nasty.”
“If Nicky’s face was anything to go by.”
Noem looked down at the counter. “So, uh, I’ll wash your sweater and give it back to you, or I’ll give it to Troy.”
Kay’s lips twitched. “You don’t have to do that.”
“I kind of do. I mean, I wrapped it over my, ah, you know. So I’ll wash it and give it to Troy, because I don’t know if you’re going to come back. You don’t seem too... happy to be here.”
Kay sighed and his gaze moved to Noem’s pointed ears. They were cute. Kay couldn’t deny it, and he didn’t want to. “I’m sorry for what I said yesterday.”
Noem looked up at him and blinked. “Sorry?”
“I was an asshole. Troy made sure I knew that.”
“Well, I didn’t know you’d been mean to Noem,” Troy said between two bites of toast. “But if you were, then yeah, you’re an asshole. I can imagine what you told him.”
Kay raised his hands in surrender. “We already talked about it, remember? I’m an asshole, but an asshole who’s going to try stop being one.”
Nysys suddenly appeared in the chair he’d occupied earlier and Kay reared back. It would take him a while to get used to that. He eyed Noem, wondering if he could do the same thing. He and Nysys had the same pointed ears, so Kay guessed they were probably the same species.
“Where did you leave Nicky?” Troy asked.
“I locked him in the basement.”
Troy groaned. “He’s going to kill you.”
“He’s going to have to get the key before he tries to do that, and I’m good at hiding things.” Nysys put his elbows on the counter and lowered his chin on his hands. The way he looked at Kay and Noem told Kay they were about to have problems. “So, you two. Nothing to tell me?”
Kay shook his head and looked at Noem, surprised to see him blush and look down at his mug of coffee. He obviously had something to say, and even though Kay didn’t know Nysys all that well, he knew the man wasn’t going to let it go that easily.
Nysys looked delighted by Noem’s reaction, and Noem looked like he wanted to die or run away. Or maybe both.
“Noooeeem,” Nysys teased. “Come on. You can tell me. You know I don’t care about you guys being mates. I didn’t care about André and Nicky either. No one will.”
Kay swallowed, because while Noem hadn’t confirmed they were mates, Nysys seemed to take it as a sure thing, and he certainly knew more about mates than Kay did. “What do you mean?” he asked, not sure who he was asking.
Nysys looked at him, his eyes wide. “You mean he hasn’t told you?”
Noem jerked upright, his stool falling backward. It clattered on the kitchen floor and the room went silent again. Noem’s face was cherry red, and he was looking everywhere but at Kay. He pointed his finger at Nysys, and Nysys leaned backward, almost as if he were scared. “You’re an asshole, Nys. I love you, but you had no right to do this.”
Nysys shook his head. “I didn’t know. I was only teasing you. You know I wouldn’t have said anything if I’d known.”
“Whatever,” Noem said before turning and leaving the kitchen in a hurry.
The silence lasted a few more seconds before people started talking again, wondering what Noem’s problem was.
Kay blinked and turned to look at Troy. “What happened?”
Troy sighed and patted Kay’s hand. “What happened is that you told your mate you didn’t like shifters and paranormal creatures, Kay.”
Chapter Three
Noem was hiding in the infirmary.
He didn’t really have to be there, since Jared was, but it was better than hiding in his room. Less lonely, even though his only company was Jared and the still sleeping Jericho.
Noem looked at the man still tied to the bed. He wasn’t going to sleep for much longer, right? Noem didn’t think Jericho would be too glad to see him, but it was better than no one. Maybe Noem could ask him what had happened to him and why he didn’t like shifters. It might help him understand Kay.
“Already at work?” Jared asked from the door. He looked surprised.
Noem nodded. “Yep.”
“You know you don’t need to be here right now.”
“I know.”
Jared arched a brow. “I’d ask you why you’re here anyway, but I can see from your face that you’d probably send me to hell.”
“I wouldn’t.” Noem might spend most of his time with Jared since they worked together, but they weren’t exactly friends. They were more than colleagues—it was inevitable, living together and both being pride members—but not best friends, or even close. Still, Noem knew Jared had helped more than one person talk out problems, and he had a big one right now.
“Are you all right?” Jared sounded worried, and Noem sighed.
He looked at Jericho. This probably wasn’t the best place to talk about Kay, so he gestured toward the door. Jared nodded and stepped out. To Noem’s surprise, he didn’t go to his office, but sat on one of the empty beds instead. The infirmary was empty, but someone could come in at any moment.
Noem sat in front of Jared anyway.
He wasn’t sure how to ask, or even what questions he had, but Jared was obviously used to that. “Is it about Jericho?” he asked softly.
“Not really.”
“Because if you have problems working with him, I can take care of it.”
Noem shook his head. “No. I’m fine with him, and since he’s Aeron’s mate, well. It’s fine, really.”
“Aeron told you about him?”
“Yes. I was here last night when he came in.”
“But that’s not what’s bugging you.”
“No.” Noem pressed his palm on his knee. “When you met Chogan, what did you think of him?”
Jared blinked, his eyes just a little bigger than they’d been before, but he answered. “Well, the first thing I thought was that I had to help him since he was wounded.”
“And what about the fact that he’s a wendigo? I mean, you didn’t know much about wendigoes, right? And what you knew was bad.”
“It was. The only things we knew about wendigoes were what Keenan had told us and what Jayden had found in his books.”
“But you still gave Chogan a chance.”
Jared frowned. “Well, he’s my mate, and I knew he was the man who’d helped Keenan escape.”
Noem sighed. He didn’t think this was helping as much as he’d wanted it to. “Would you have given him a chance even if he’d been just a normal wendigo?”
“Of course. I’d give anyone a chance, no matter what they did in the past. Look at Jericho. We know he’s high in the hunters’ chain of command, but that doesn’t mean he’s going to try to hurt us. He deserves a chance just like everyone else. He deserves to be told the truth and make his own decisions once he knows it.”
Noem bit on his lower lip. Kay deserved to know the truth too, but Noem hadn’t told him. He hadn’t wanted to after what Kay had told him the da
y before. He’d wanted to protect his heart, and he didn’t think he could stand another conversation like that, but Kay hadn’t been as bitter this morning. He’d even said he was trying to change, so maybe it wouldn’t be as bad as Noem had thought.
The door opened, startling Noem out of his thoughts. Both he and Jared looked toward the door, and Noem groaned when he saw who it was. “Nysys. Did you hurt yourself?” he asked, hoping that was the reason for Nysys’ presence rather than the conversation Noem had fled earlier.
“I’m fine. I wanted to talk to you. I’m sorry about blurting out that Kay is your mate in front of him. I should have thought about it before I did. I didn’t know he didn’t know.”
Noem groaned. “And now you just blurted it out in front of someone who didn’t know again.”
Nysys’ eyes widened and he clapped his hand on his mouth.
Noem rolled his eyes. It was too late for that, and it wasn’t like it’d be enough for Nysys to shut up anyway.
“I’m sorry!” Nysys cried out, and he looked surprisingly distressed. It wasn’t an expression Noem normally associated with him. Nysys wasn’t apologetic. He meant everything he said, and he normally didn’t care what people thought about it, or about him.
Jared waved. “It’s fine. I know you might not have wanted me to know,” he told Noem, “but I won’t tell anyone, just like I didn’t tell anyone about Jericho.”
Noem nodded. “I know.”
“I’m going to my office to fill in some paperwork,” Jared said, and Noem wanted to beg him to stay.
He wasn’t sure he’d be able to stand an entire conversation with Nysys. He himself had still not wrapped his mind around the fact that over just twenty-four hours earlier he’d found his mate and realized Kay didn’t like shifters, maybe hated them. Noem had done his best not to think about it after his conversation with Aeron the night before. He needed time, but he knew Nysys wouldn’t give it to him.
“I really am sorry,” Nysys said. “I thought he knew.”
Noem shrugged. “We only met yesterday.”
Nysys came closer and sat in the spot Jared had freed. “Can I ask why you didn’t tell him?”
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