Well, it was worth a try.
“Cael….”
“It’s okay,” Cael sighed. “I can have fun on my own.” Cael flicked a Styrofoam peanut. It fluttered pathetically down in front of him.
“Really? You’re really going to make me get in there?”
Ash looked pained, like the thought of getting into the box physically pained him. How could Ash resist? Ethan had spotted Sloane eyeing the box earlier. As if sensing his thoughts, Sloane met his gaze. They peered at each other.
No box for you, Brodie. Sloane looked like he might challenge him on that. With a wicked smile, Ethan petted Dex’s cheek. Sloane straightened.
“Um, that was weird,” Dex murmured. “Did you pet me?”
Ethan grinned.
Sloane narrowed his eyes at Ethan. “Did you just leave your scent on my boyfriend?”
“I’m not sure what’s happening here,” Dex murmured. He took hold of Calvin. “Help me.”
“Sloane was eyeing the box, and Ethan knows you’d let him shift and play, so he’s trying to wind Sloane up.” Calvin shook his head. “Besides, the box is about to become a little crowded.”
Calvin pointed to Ash, who was climbing into the box, the packing peanuts fluttering around him as his heavy mass took a seat, his expression less than impressed. At least until Cael started tossing up handfuls of packing peanuts.
“It’s like snow, except you don’t freeze your ass off!” Cael stated cheerfully, tossing a handful at Ash, who grabbed a handful and tossed it back. The two proceeded to have a packing peanut fight.
“This is perfection,” Dex said quietly. “Ooh, look at this one.” He showed them a shot of Ash half-buried in packing peanuts. “This one’s going in next month’s newsletter.”
“He will murder you,” Calvin said with a laugh.
“He’s always threatening to murder me, but I have an insurance policy in the form of an adorable cheetah Therian brother.”
“Hey, Hobbs!” Letty called out to him, and he turned, smiling when she waved him over. “Come here, big guy. I got a question for you.”
Rosa shook her head. “Tell her she can’t use explosives to unclog the kitchen sink.”
Ethan beamed brightly. He cracked his fingers and gleefully went over, then deposited himself between Letty and Rosa. Oh, Rosa. Sweet Rosa. You have no idea.
“SO HAS Hobbs always liked blowing things up?” Dex asked, swatting Sloane’s hand away from his ass.
They were so going to lose that bet.
Calvin couldn’t help but smile at Ethan’s dopey grin as he showed Letty his phone. “His favorite holiday was the Fourth of July because of the fireworks. Seb showed us how to be safe, especially since Ethan was so fascinated. He’d take the fireworks apart to see how they were put together, then reassembled them. Sometimes it didn’t work out so well. He burned his eyebrow off once.” Calvin’s phone went off. It was his mom. “Hey, Mom.” The moment he heard the screaming he straightened. Shit.
“Can you and Ethan come home? We can’t get ahold of Seb or Rafe.”
“We’re on our way.” Calvin hung up and turned to Sloane. “Hey, sorry, man, we gotta go. Ethan’s mom needs help with his dad, and she hasn’t been able to get ahold of Seb or Rafe.”
Dex looked worried. “Shit, everything okay?”
“Yeah, it’s his Therian Acheron Syndrome. Sometimes the pain gets so bad he needs to be sedated, but Julia can’t subdue him and administer the injection, and certainly not on her own. When it hits, Thomas’s strength peaks, and he can be dangerous. The doctors didn’t think he’d last this long. That shit’s fucked up his immune system, his joints, everything.” Calvin shook his head. “It’s heartbreaking to see.”
“Go, and if you need anything, let me know.”
“Thanks.” Calvin looked over at Ethan laughing at something Rosa said. “We won’t be able to come back, though. This is going to set off his anxiety really bad.” Calvin hated that he had to bring Ethan into this. If he was a Therian and could handle it, he wouldn’t even tell Ethan. “Thomas’s condition is difficult enough for Ethan at the best of times. Seeing his dad in pain like that, it’ll hit Ethan hard. That’s why his mom usually calls Seb or Rafe.”
“I’ll go,” Sloane said.
Calvin snapped his head up, his eyes wide. “What?”