His Imperfect Mate 26 by Lynn Hagen

little man could scoot out the door. “But, you have to promise me one thing, D.”
    “What?”
    “Don’t go anywhere alone. Stay by my side.”
    “Sloane—”
    “I know they are your brothers, but I don’t trust them. Promise me, honey.”
    D sighed deeply. “I promise.”
    Sloane smiled and let go of D’s hand just long enough to climb out his side of the truck and hurry around to D’s side. Once there, he grabbed D’s hand again. Sloane drew in a fortifying breath when he looked at the house. This was going to be so much fun.
    Not.
    Sloane would rather have a root canal—on his canines.
    “Hot damn, look who it is,” Chauncey whooped at the front door.
    “As squirrelly as you are, I missed your mug.”
    Sloane wasn’t sure if the bear was insulting his mate or not. He decided to keep quiet and listen further.
    “That’s because you’re a big dork,” D said with a smile, “and off your rocker.”
    Chauncey reached out and shook Sloane’s hand. “What brings you two here?”
    Sloane cut his eyes over to D, telling Chauncey that his mate was the reason. Chauncey gave a slight nod and opened the screen door.
    “Come on in.”
    Sloane walked in with D, keeping his mate’s hand in his as they entered the bear’s home.
    “Your brothers are upstairs in your old room.” Chauncey waved a hand toward the steps. “Good luck.”
    D spun around, his eyes cautious as he stared up at the bear.
    “Why, what happened?”
    “They think we’re supposed to cater to them,” Chance said as he walked out of the kitchen with baby Cole in his hands. Sloane had heard that their pa mated a fey who had a son, and he was a cute little bugger.
    “I’ll be right back.” D tugged at Sloane’s hand, trying to get free, but Sloane refused to let it go. He wasn’t going to allow his mate to go upstairs with siblings that had tried to kill D’s mate. He’d be a fool to allow such a thing.
    “I’m coming with you. Remember your promise.”
    Sloane gave a slow nod of his head when D looked as though he wanted to argue. D drew in a deep breath. “Come on.”
    The twin bears snickered as D pulled Sloane up the stairs. He cut a glare at them, but followed his mate. Once they reached the hallway upstairs, Sloane spun his mate around until his back was against the wall. D looked wide-eyed up at him.
    Sloane caressed the side of his face, his fingers lingering on D’s jaw. “Last chance to cut your losses and run.” The sadness in D’s midnight-black eyes belied the smile on his face.
    “I can handle them. Remember, I grew up with all three.”
    “And I remember you telling me how they weren’t there for you.
    Listen, Dudley, you don’t have to do this.”
    D shook his head, chewing on his bottom lip as he looked up to Sloane and then down the hallway. “Yes, I do.”
    Sloane let out a long breath as he leaned back, allowing D to resume his walking. He knew what it was like to have a need to right the wrong, to question why something was happening. Sloane had felt that need on more than one occasion, and he wasn’t going to deny his vampire his right to do so.
    “I feel weird knocking on my own bedroom door.”
    Sloane had felt the same way the first night D had slept in their home. He reached out and turned the knob, pushing the bedroom door open. “Now you don’t have to.”
    D narrowed his eyes at Sloane and then walked into the bedroom.
    “Checking up on us, little brother?” Raven asked as he sat up from his lazy position. “Why, do you think the shifters ate us?”
    Sloane wanted to knock the smug look from Raven’s face. The guy was an arrogant jerk, and Sloane would like nothing more than to put him in his place. Too bad D was standing right here.
    “No,” D answered, trying to take a seat on the bed, but Sloane pulled him back by his hand, giving his mate a warning glare. D rolled his eyes as he looked back to Raven. “I want to know why you jumped ship. What made you leave Magnum’s