ARES

I gave Kassi a big hug and kiss on the cheek, smiling when she hugged me back just as fiercely.

"When did you become so grown up?" she murmured in my shoulder.

I laughed "Probably around the same time you did."

"Hey!" she smacked me in stomach "I've been a grown up for a while now!"

"Do grown ups usually pull pranks that teenagers do?" I raised an eyebrow "Because, if I recall, I don't remember Mom or Dad declaring a prank war on those who they hold dear."

Rhys winced, grazing the left side of his face softly "I still remember when her paintballs hit my face."

I snickered "Imagine Matt's pain when she shot him in the balls."

He winced again and nudged Kassi forward.

"Thanks for the reminder" Rhys muttered "Now I have to feed my babies."

I waved them goodbye and closed the door, leaning back on it as I closed my eyes.

What a long freaking day.

When a creak sounded to my right, I smiled.

"You can come out now" I called "You've been standing there long enough."

Madi came out of her hiding spot with a bashful expression on her cherry red face. 

"I'm sorry!" she rushed out "But Markos knocked out early tonight and I didn't want to interrupt your conversation and..."

"Madi..." I walked over to her and grasped her "Babe, you're fine."

She looked up at me, her mouth agape "What?"

"I said you're fine" I grinned down at her "In fact, I should be apologizing to you for not inviting you to sit down sooner."

She blinked at me.

Then blinked again. 

I laughed and intertwined our hands together, leading her towards the kitchen.

She dragged her feet and I gave her a questioning look. 

"I know Rhys replaced the glass windows" she said, nodding towards the newly replaced windows "But is it safe to stay here?" 

"We'll probably be moving tomorrow" I said softly "But for tonight, she has wolves post around the houses as well as the perimeter surrounding the whole three acre property." 

With a kiss to her knuckles, I nudged her towards the island chairs before moving to the fridge and looking at its contents.

"I'm not the best cook" I admitted ruefully "But I'm good at following orders. Tell me what to make and I'll start dinner."

"I can cook" she jumped off her chair and walked towards where I was at stationed at the fridge, leaning against me as she peered in the fridge "It's no problem."

"It's a problem for me though" I wrapped my arms around her waist and she closed the door "How am I supposed to learn if you're denying me that right?" I teased her.

She leaned her head back on my shoulder and smiled at me "I wouldn't want that Mr. Dimitriou."

I grinned down at her "No you wouldn't Ms. Miller."

"We have two options" she bit her lip "I can either make some chicken tacos or we can have a lasagna."

My eyes lit up at her menu options "Can we have both?"

She laughed and pulled away from me "If we have both then what will we have tomorrow night for dinner?"

"We'll order some pizza?" I beamed at her "Or Chinese or Mexican or BBQ or..."

She cut me off with a grin "Are you thinking with your stomach again?"

I nodded vigorously "They all sound so good."

"Okay here's what will do" she began taking ingredients out of the fridge "I'll make lasagna tonight and chicken tacos tomorrow."

She grabbed a clear small container bucket under the sink.

She then grabbed a black sharpie and a piece of paper from the table and handed everything to me.

"Write down all the cuisines that you can think off" she smiled "Then write down some restaurants that correspond with the cuisines. Whenever we don't know what to make, we'll just use this jar to decide."

I beamed "This is brilliant!"

She blushed and turned towards the food.

I smiled down at the piece of papers she handed me and began writing down as many restaurants and cuisines as I could remember while also keeping an eye on her.

"How do you know when the noodles are done?"

"When I was little, my Mom used to fling the noodles against the wall" she smiled, her eyes lost in a memory "If they stuck then they were perfectly done. If they didn't stick then they weren't ready yet."

"Really?" I snickered "That sounds like fun."

"It was" she laughed "One time, when Mia first began dating Matt, she tried to make him this lasagna. Right when she flung the boiling hot noddle at the wall, he walked in and it smacked him straight in the face. For a good five minutes he was running around the kitchen with a long lasagna noodle covering his eyes trying to find the sink."

I snorted out a laugh "He didn't."

"He totally did" She was giggling like crazy "And then at dinner the only thing I could stare at was the big red red mark going across his eyes."

I snickered "I would have been laughing my butt off if I saw him sitting there with that red mark on his face looking like Cyclops from X-men."

"I almost broke" she giggled "But Mia kept shooting me death looks from across the table that promised me pain if I mentioned Matt's embarrassment."

I was about to open my mouth and spill Kassi's most embarrassing moments when Markos let out a wailing cry.

I stood "Looks like the little guy is up."

She shot me an apologetic look "I'm sorry."

"For what?" I kissed her cheek "You're cooking us dinner. This is the least I can do for our little dude."

I made my way towards our room where Mars crib laid, a little off to the left.

Man did the little guy have a set of lungs on him.

I gazed down at his little red face.

He quickly quieted as he spotted me above his crib.

I grinned down at him but that grin soon died when I smelt what he let out.

"Looks like someone had a blowout." I raised an eyebrow at him.

He gurgled at me as he let out a gummy two teeth smile.

I grabbed all the supplies I needed for changing him before picking him out of his crib and laying him on the bed.

I changed him quickly before grabbing a new outfit set.

I grinned at the set I choose.

Soon, I carried his handsome self to his Momma.

"Dinner's going to be ready in half an hour" Madi said without turning around from the sink "I'll let you attempt to make the salad."

I cleared my throat "Now presenting his handsomeness, Prince Poops a Lot!"

She turned and shot me an amused look before gazing down at her son.

The amused look turned into a breathtaking full blown smile.

"My Mommy's a Queen and I'm her loyal Dragon" she read the front of his onesie and I turned him around so that she could read the rest "If you want to get to her, you'll need to get through me."

"Where'd you find this?" she grinned "It's so adorable!"

I grinned "I found this at Target in the Halloween aisle."

"They have Halloween stuff out already?"

"Yep, I was surprised too" I handed Mars off to Madi and she snuggled him to her chest "Want me to work on that salad?"

"Can you handle it?" she raised and eyebrow as she sat on the island chairs "Or do I need to get a crash helmet for me and Mars?" 

I shot her a droll look "Very funny Babe." 

She snickered as Mars chewed on his fist, looking at me with innocent interest in his blue eyes.

She bounced Mars in her lap as she watched me chop the lettuce.

"Do you really think your brother is involved with this?" she asked quietly, biting her lip nervously. 

I slowed down my chopping "It's possible." 

"Why did you immediately accuse him?" 

I sighed, putting down the knife next to the cutting board "Because my brother has a lot of secrets hiding up his sleeve." 

"You make it sound like you know some of those secrets."  

I shrugged. 

"You do know!" she exclaimed. 

 "I have no idea what you're talking about" I gave her an innocent look and resumed my chopping "Besides, even if he is involved with the Hunter's, I don't think that they'll accept him with wide smiles and open arms just because he has their insignia tattooed on his body." 

Mars let out a little squeal, his eyes fixated on my chopping. 

I smiled and Madi rolled her eyes. 

"I won't forget this Ares" she sent me a pointed look "Next time Nikki tells me a secret about you, I'm not telling you." 

I straightened "You guys talk about me?" 

 "I...uh...ergh" she flushed "That's not the point!" 

I grinned so widely, my cheeks started hurting. 

She changed the topic "You almost done there?" 

I nodded and went to hand her the salad bowl when my phone rang. 

I groaned. 

"You don't even know who it is" Madi laughed "How could you look like the Grim Reaper is on the other line?" 

"Because I know who it is" I sighed "And this was the second to the last person I was dreading to call me." 

I slide my finger across the screen and put on a fake smile. 

"Hi Mom" I said "How are you-" 

"ARES ALEIXO DIMITRIOU! HOW DARE YOU NOT TELL YOUR MOTHER THAT YOU'RE STILL LIVING IN TEXAS!!! WITH A LITTLE BIRD NO LESS!" 

"Traitor" I muttered under my breath, cursing Kassi's big mouth "Mom-" 

"Mom nothing young man!" she scolded "I expect you and Madison to attend our family dinner here, tomorrow night." 

"Mom" I said, exasperation lacing my tone "We're busy tomorrow." 

"You have to eat dinner sometime" she said "So you'll eat with us. Seven sharp." 

Before I could even say another word, the call was cut. 

I dropped back into my chair as Madi pushed a plate in front of me. 

"What did your Mom want?" 

"Guess who has dinner plans tomorrow night?" I took a bite into my lasagna and grabbed her hand "This couple!"