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If any of my shifter kin created an English Idioms Course for Shifter Beasts, I’d enroll mine. Not sure how it would work, though, because I’d have to be present too. Hmmm, I’d have to think about that. Someone would have to work out how to separate us first.

No way!

Yeah, that’s not happening. Don’t worry.

Back to what I was contemplating earlier which was… damn, missing my mate. It was easier wrestling with my fox about English idioms.

Staring at the empty chair as if by doing so I could make Joss materialize, I sighed ‘cause nothing happened. And I’d given him my chair, the brand-new one I wasn’t keen on, and he’d loved it. Should have gifted it to him.

No. He’d never come back if you did that.

Good thinking.

This relationship that wasn’t one had been going on for months, and I hadn’t revealed who I was to Joss. We’d had sex many times, had casual, work-related coffees, and while he’d never come out and confronted me, I sensed he expected us to move forward. And he was right, but it was me being a chicken that had us treading water.

“You look as though someone hid your puppy.” Booker leaned over my shoulder. He knew from years of experience that saying “hid” instead of kicking didn’t have me breaking down in tears and pummeling him with my fists, though hiding a pet was also pretty bad.

“Do you have to sneak up on me? That’s creepy.”

“You should have scented me, but you were in your head and oblivious to anything else.”

Damn, he knew me too well. But while he could fuck with my head, perhaps he could give me advice. I dragged Booker into my office and closed the door.

“Oh no. This is serious.” He plonked himself on the sofa and put his feet up. “Hit me.”

“Promise not to snark, whine, or bitch. Or freak out.”

“I’ll do no such thing.” My brother folded his arms.

“Why is everything so hard? Just be my brother, not an asshat, and don’t mention how you’re going to be the Alpha when I F up the company.”

Booker’s face softened, and he rolled his eyes. “I’ll try. No promises, though.”

That was as good as he’d give, and I had to be satisfied with it.

“I met my mate.”

That got a reaction, and he leaped off the sofa and grabbed me by the shoulders. “Your one true mate? Are you sure?”

I shoved him back onto the couch and nodded.

“That’s huge.” He looked under the sofa. “Where is he? Have you marked him? When can I meet him?” Booker furrowed his brow, and he smirked. I knew he couldn’t go five minutes without sporting his trademark expression.

“Have you told him every horrible thing I ever did to you and he refuses to meet me?” He tossed a cushion into the air. “Bro, I need to meet this guy and soon.”

Taking a deep breath and telling myself the worst that could happen was my brother reported me to the council and asked that I be removed from the line of succession. I’d survive, maybe even welcome being pushed aside.

“He’s not a fox shifter.”

Booker shrugged. “Okay, but I hope he’s a mammal and a predator, because shifting with a dragonfly won’t be much fun.”

Another breath. Maybe two more. “You don’t have to worry about that.”

“Excellent.”

“Because he is…” I paused, because once I said it, it was out there forever and there were no take-backsies. “Ummm, he’s human!”

“What?” That got my brother off the couch again. “Bro, that is going to cause so many problems.”