Page 57 of Shifter for Brains

“Look.” I waved a hand towards my face.

Chase watched in confusion for a few moments until the nothing happening registered for him. “You’re trying to turn your eyes red?”

“I’m tryingand failing.”

“Dude, give yourself a break.”

“I did it last night.”

“And you’ll do it again.”

“But—" I’d been doing so well. Until now.

I thought I wasn’t fully awake at first, that I needed a moment. I stared at myself in the mirror and splashed enough water on my face to nearly drown myself. Yet my eyes stayed the same color no matter how much I tried. What the hell?

"Breakfast is ready." Chase cut short the discussion by leaving and heading for the kitchen.

I followed, still troubled.The suppression needed to fully lift,they said.Foxy wants a say,they said. But every time the fox pops its head out for a moment, it retreats the next. If the fox desired its freedom, then why was it sending me mixed signals?

…possibly because we’d essentially spent a lifetime together as strangers. We were both wary. I understood but it still annoyed me.

Fortunately there was enough going on at breakfast to distract me.

I helped myself to bacon, fresh fruit, and coffee while Merritt took orders for omelets. The guy I snuck a glimpse of the other night was now on full display, domestic and sweet. He cooked at the stove while Aaron prepared the requested ingredients, working as a seamless team that didn’t have to speak but found plenty of reasons to brush against each other while they cooked. And when all the omelets were assembled and everyone sat down to eat, Merritt and Aaron immediately started playing footsie under the table.

“Oh, the payment for your services!” Aaron remembered the ‘bill’ due, which naturally was settled with a kiss. “Don’t forget your tip.”

Was that almost a smile on Merritt’s face? A lingering kiss meant I didn’t get the chance to find out.

I must have been staring because Chase nudged me. “Weird, right? He almost acts like a real person around Aaron, but he’s normally not so chipper in the mornings.”

"Don’t talk about me," Merritt snapped, turning back into the annoyed Director I met first despite still being in sleep clothes. “I’m right here.”

It was like magic. The Aaron spell created instant happy. The Chase spell created instant irritation.

Chase nodded like all was right in the world. "There’s the grump I know and annoy."

“Since this is the first morning we’ve spent together in a while, Iwasin a good mood.” Nobody had any doubt the ‘we’ meant Aaron and him, not him and Chase.

“Whatever, it’s the first morning of many,” Chase said. “Considering you’re about to move on Hod—your big case.”

Aaron’s eyes widened around his coffee cup. “You let him join the case?”

Merritt glared at Chase across the table.

Chase grinned triumphantly. “No, I just know my brother.”

"Shut up and eat or get out," Merritt grunted.

"Am I wrong?"

"…shut up and eat or get out."

"Knew it."

"Get out then.”

"Hey, aren’t you glad to have such a brilliant deductive genius on your team?" Chase grinned as Merritt contemplated homicide.