Page 72 of Bones

Nate crossed his arms. “I thought we agreed it’d be best if you waited to come over?”

“And let you be the first again?” Juno held up her hand and dramatically counted off as she ranted. “First to find his mate. First to get his memories. First to uno-reverse his soul curse. First to be tallest.” She glanced at the top of my head and then back to Nate before shrugging. “Well, not anymore, but still. Why did my siblings get all the height?”

“This again?” I muttered since we should’ve been focusing on the other more important things she’d said.

Her green eyes widened, likely because she was surprised I remembered the constant—and senseless—point of contention. “Yes, this again. Would it have killed the powers-that-be to take an inch or two from each of you and give it to me?”

“Then you wouldn’t be fueled by disgruntled short spite and those ridiculous sugary coffee drinks, pixie,” a stoic man behind her pointed out.

At his calm voice, my sister deflated and grinned. “This is true. Never mind that last one. But the rest still stands. I’m not missing out on being first to hear about my brother.” Her attention shifted behind me. “And his lovely lady friend.” Her panicked and apologetic gaze shot to me. “I didn’t see her.”

“It’s fine,” I said before basically repeating what I told Thanatos. “We’re both aware that I’m Famine, and she’s my soulmate.”

“Oh, thank the gods. That would’ve been awkward.” She grinned up at me. “They might’ve been stingy with my height, but powers-that-be were certainly generous with our mates, weren’t they?”

I lifted my chin because she wasn’t wrong.

“And she might actually be shorter than me.” She turned to subtly fist pump before spinning back to introduce herself. “Also, hi, I’m Juno.”

“This is Aurora,” I said.

“And look at that cutie. We’ll have to do a doggy playdate. What’s its name?”

“Victoria.”

“I already told them about Tom… And they thought I was describing your breathing-challenged mate,” Denny tossed in.

Juno’s man scoffed. “I don’t snore that bad. I don’t think anyone does.”

Her lips tipped, but Juno’s focus remained on Aurora. “This family reunion probably seems insane. And it is. Totally and completely batshit crazy. But we’re also nice, I promise. Are you from around here? How long have you known my taller and more annoying brother?”

When my mate nudged my back again, I answered, “Georgia. And a week.”

Juno’s hyperactive happiness—or possibly her high since she acted like a few of my employees after their breaks—dropped to a zero in an instant. Her eyes narrowed into slits, and she glared at me like I was scum.

And she wasn’t the only one.

Her mate’s neutral expression hardened as he studied me with eyes that were nearly the same shade of green as my sister’s, just with the addition of brown.

A coincidence? Or a mate thing?

Even Nate and Denny suddenly looked guarded again.

“There a reason you won’t let your mate answer for herself?” Juno snapped at me like I was a misogynistic, controlling prick.

For the love of damn angels.

Picking up on the tension in the group, Aurora shifted to step out from behind me. I reached back and gave her hand that still held my shirt a reassuring squeeze.

If she decided she wanted to talk eventually, it would be when she felt comfortable. Not when my hot-tempered sister forced her into it.

“Because she doesn’t speak. She communicates by writing.” Since it wasn’t their business—and I still didn’t know her reasoning—I left it at that.

With her hand still in mine, I felt Aurora’s hard shiver. I wasn’t sure if it was the cold weather or the frigid exchange, but I shook off my flannel and handed it back to her anyway.

“Huh. So this is what my own foot tastes like…” Juno murmured.

Denny bumped shoulders with her. “If it makes you feel better, they showed up in the living room when we were in the middle of having sex, so you didn’t have a lot of competition for best first impression.”

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