Page 31 of Honey Heat
“Let him breathe, colibrí,” Cesar called from across the room, amusement coloring his voice.
“Sorry!” Jamie grinned, not looking sorry at all. “I just never met a bear shifter before!”
Lucio surveyed his living room, now transformed into a chaotic jumble of bodies, voices, and laughter in less than five minutes. Brett hovered near the coffee table, arranging napkins and plastic utensils with careful precision. Percy rummaged through Lucio’s cabinets for “decent” glasses, and Jamie was still rattling off bear trivia.
Santiago had commandeered the kitchen, laying out containers of food on the counter in a makeshift buffet. The rich aroma of bacon, eggs, and something sweet filled the air, making Lucio’s stomach growl.
Despite the intrusion, Lucio couldn’t help but feel a surge of contentment. This was his family, his pack, and now they were meeting his mate. He loved every second of it.
While Ethan settled onto the couch between Jamie and Brett, Lucio loaded up two plates with food. He piled Ethan’s high with pancakes, remembering how much his mate had enjoyed them at the clinic, adding extra bacon and a generous portion of eggs.
The heat from the food wafted up, carrying the sweet scent of syrup and butter.
“Here you go, osito,” Lucio said, handing over the loaded plate.
“Thanks.” Ethan smiled gratefully then glanced down at his bandaged hands with a frown.
“Need me to feed you again?” Lucio asked with a wink, keeping his voice low enough that only Ethan could hear.
Color bloomed across his elegido’s cheeks. “I think I can manage, but thanks for the offer.”
“I’ll grab you something to drink.” When Lucio returned to hand Ethan a glass of orange juice, he stopped short.
“What are you doing?” Lucio asked, setting down the glass.
“They’re fine. Dr. Martinez was being overly cautious.”
“You sure about that?” He watched as Ethan wiggled his fingers, noting the stiffness in the movements.
“Positive.” Ethan started on his other hand. “I need to be able to feed myself. Plus, they itch like crazy under these wraps.”
Lucio couldn’t argue with that logic, though he made a mental note to keep an eye on his mate’s hands throughout the day.
The living room buzzed with energy—forks scraping against plates, multiple conversations overlapping, occasional bursts of laughter punctuating the din. The scents of coffee, maple syrup, and warm bodies filled the space, creating a comforting Sunday-morning atmosphere despite the early hour.
Lucio stepped into the kitchen to refill his coffee, keeping an eye on Ethan through the doorway. His mate seemed to be holding his own, nodding along to something Brett was saying.
“Your little bear seems to be fitting in,” Santiago observed, leaning against the kitchen island with a plate in his hand. “Doesn’t look much like Boone, though.”
“Takes after his mother,” Lucio replied, helping himself to more coffee. The rich aroma filled his nostrils as he poured the dark liquid into his mug.
“So…” Diablo sidled up next to Lucio, a smirk playing on his lips. “Boone McCade’s son, huh? You realize you’re going to need a fucking permission slip signed in triplicate before you can take his precious cub anywhere.”
Santiago snorted coffee through his nose, coughing as he tried to hide his laughter. “Papa Bear’s gonna make you fill out an application just to hold hands with his boy.”
“Does he know you mated his precious cub?” Cesar asked with a shit-eating grin. “Or should we expect a formal request for a permission slip crossing Matias’s desk?”
“Imagine that conversation,” Santiago said. “Dear Alpha Boone, please allow your son to mate my pack member. Check yes or no.”
“All of you can fuck off,” Lucio replied, though there was no real heat behind it. “Boone’s... coming around.”
“Coming around with a shotgun, maybe,” Santiago muttered, wiping his face.
“Just wait until family gatherings,” Cesar added, barely containing his laughter. “You'll be sitting at the kiddie table while Boone gives you the death stare from across the room.”
“You’re all assholes,” Lucio muttered, though he couldn’t help grinning.
“Bet he makes you call him sir,” Diablo added before he cracked up.
