Leo refilled Jedrek's goblet.
Smiling slyly, Kari also put her tablet away. "We will figure something out, Father. Do not worry about it."
"They're vicious. I love it," a female voice said from the doorway. Brie turned and stared. Growing up, her mother had read countless bedtime stories to her all revolving around female warriors, but her personal favorite had been the Valkyries.
That's what the group of women standing behind Declan embodied, with their long, blonde braids hanging over varying degrees of undercuts and visible arm tattoos. "God," she whispered.
Her father laughed. "Baby girl, you should see your face. You remind me so much of your mother right now."
"Aunt Elysa, what are you all doing here?" Declan asked, as he and the men stood to greet the women.
"We knew Ari had mated, but we didn't know Declan and his mate were visiting." She rotated her finger, pointing to the room. "We heard silence when doing our rounds and got worried." They frowned at Catherine. "All our baby boys are home, and you didn't tell us?"
The tall, built, blonde women converged on the Lionhart sons. They were passed around until each son had received his own hug from each aunt.
Once the women had hugged their nephews, they looked around the table. "Which ones are our baby girls now?" Elysa asked.
She and Kari exchanged worried looks and slowly they raised their hands. The women pulled up chairs and surrounded them. "We've heard a lot about Kari from Rex. He says that she practically runs Noctem Falls. I'd say that's good enough to be mated to Declan," the one with braids at each temple said, pointing to Kari.
Kari sat back. "Excuse me?" Her eyes began to bleed to red.
The women laughed. "She's so proper."
"Look, bizsnatches, you don't upset Kari on my watch," Meryn said, hopping from her chair.
"Oh gods, look how tiny she is," one breathed.
"She's getting so snarly; isn't she adorable!"
"Is she actually standing?"
Meryn's face flushed red. "I have a gun, you know!" she threatened.
"Can you not insult and threaten the strongest group of female warriors in existence," Aiden pleaded, grappling his mate. He froze. "When did you get your gun back!"
"She's fierce. I like her," Elysa said. It was as if that statement cemented the entire group's opinion. She then turned to her. "What about you? Are you good enough for our baby Ari? Strong enough?"
Brie simply chuckled and stood. "Let's go." She had been thinking of this since Ari had described his aunts.
"Is she serious?" one of them whispered.
Brie unlaced her gown and let it fall. She turned, facing the room in her silk chemise and leggings. "Whenever you're ready, Blondie," she said, pulling her arm back to stretch.
"Hot damn, girls!" the women exited toward the front of the house, leaving Elysa standing by Brie.
"Oh Gods," Rex, Declan, and Jedrek whispered.
Catherine shrugged. "I saw this coming."
Ari was already on his phone. "Kincaid, I need you and Ian at the Lionhart estate. Brie just challenged my aunts. What? No! We're not waiting for them to make snacks! Get your asses over here!" he hung up his phone.
"Ryuu, I need beatdown-watching food!" Meryn pleaded, her eyes bright with excitement.
Ryuu gave a half bow. "I spotted some chips and M&M's in the pantry, will they suffice?"
"Hell yeah!" Meryn bounced toward the foyer, throwing jabs in the air and humming the Rocky theme song.
Brie smiled. "I love that little terror."