Page 105 of My Broken Mate
“It’s going to be so weird again,” I sigh.
Joel grins, and I know I have the best older brother in the universe. “Let that be my problem.”
Joel works his magic for the remainder of the evening. The fact that it didn’t end in a semi-catastrophe or the most awkward dinner in the history of dinners is just thanks to him. I honestly didn’t realize how amazing he truly is until today.
Now that our guests have left, however, Eve and I are at each other’s throats.
“Seriously,” Joel mutters while munching on a leftover piece of the cheesecake. “You are blowing this out of proportion, Sandwich.”
“I am just saying,” Eve huffs. “That I would never meddle with Kata’s relationships, or yours or anyone else’s. But don’t you think this is a bit trickier?”
“No,” Joel blinks.
Eve looks exasperated. “I think it is. I know it sucks sometimes, but we are not nobodies anymore. Our decisions are being scrutinized.”
I hate that he is right, at least partly; however, I am not a child anymore. “Remy’s and my decisions are ours to make,” I argue. “Not yours.”
“It’s pack business.”
“It’s my business!”
“Kata—” Eve brushes through his hair in frustration. “We are the alpha’s siblings. It is always pack business!” He turns to Joel with a frown. “Do you have anything brilliant to say to this?”
“No.” Joel puts his plate aside and sighs. “Because you are right, but Kata is, too. However, thisisgood news. Our sister is mated to the younger brother of one of our strongest allies.”
“Of course it is good!” Eve exclaims. “It’s fantastic news. It would have made things so much easier in all our negotiations if we had known it!”
I blink. “I hadn’t thought about that,” I admit.
“Kata, you can’t hide this from us,” Eve argues. “They are important allies. And Remy has problems. It would have been important for his family to know.”
“Remy had his reason for not wanting to share this news with his family.”
“Please tell me none of his reasons were to hide you?”
“Why would you say that?” I blurt out. “Am I someone who needs to be hidden?”
“Of course not! But you are young and easy to manipulate!”
I grab the next-best pillow or soft object, which happens to be a plush dolphin, and toss it at Eve, accidentally hitting Joel instead. Joel is quiet before a devilish smirk curls his lips. “So, we are done with arguing! Awesome,” he smirks. “I hope you know what this means,” he says, grabbing the plushie and an additional one. “War!”
“Goddess, we are talking about something serious here, Joel!”
“Be prepared for the vengeful alpha and his dangerous assistant.”
Eve runs towards me to hide behind the sofa. “What did you do, Kata? You know how he is! He loves this shit.”
“I wanted to hit you, not him! You were the asshole!”
Eve sighs. “I didn’t mean to call you—” he pauses.
“Naïve?” I say. “Stupid?”
“That’s not what I said!”
“Easily manipulated, someone who Remy would hide away because he is embarrassed?”
“No,” he groans in frustration. “It’s just…You are young,” he says. “I don’t want you to get hurt.”
