His Other Half

Sixty-seven

Ares

Malik and I had been home for a while trying to kill time before Ahsha got home. Neither one of us had said a word since leaving the estate. "You need to relax." Malik finally said. I looked over at him. "What're you talking about?" I asked. "You're wondering which one of us is Ahsha's, true mate. You're thinking entirely too hard about it. It's giving me a headache." He said. "Are you not worried about it?" I asked. "What's there to be worried about? She's our mate either way." He said. "But if one of us is her true mate that changes everything—,"

"It changes nothing. She will still be our mate," he repeated looking up at me from where he sat on the floor with Nasir. Before I could argue further, the front door slammed shut and I heard Ahsha's soft footsteps approaching.

"Hey." She said softly kissing me on the cheek. She walked around me over to Malik doing the same before taking Nasir and kissing him all over his face making him laugh. "Hi, my love." She cooed before Louie came running up. "Sit." She called. Louie eagerly sat down looking up at her.

"Hi, baby boy." She said before kneeling. Louie leaned in sniffing Nasir before Nasir reached out touching Louie's head. Louie got excited and started running around making Ahsha and Nasir laugh. Malik stood next to me as we watched them, our bodies filling with love and adoration. "I'm sure you two have questions about today." She paused before looking up at us. "And I will answer them but let me have some time with my baby first then we can talk, okay?" She asked. We both nodded our heads agreeing.

She gave a small smile before walking off.

==

About 3 hours had passed when I finished cooking dinner. Malik set the table as we moved around quietly. "You two cooked dinner," Ahsha said stunned. I turned glancing at her as I plated our meals. "Don't sound so shocked. We can cook you know." I said. "And we figured with the day you had cooking would be the last thing you wanted to worry about," Malik added, and she smiled. "Well, aren't you two just full of surprises? This is very sweet." She praised affectionately. We walked over to the table, Malik sat on her right, and I on her left

We ate for a bit before I spoke. "Which one of us is your true mate?" Ahsha paused mid-bite before she looked at me. "You said you would answer our questions," I added. She nodded her head. "Well, I guess we're jumping straight into this." She mumbled. She looked over at Malik and then at me. "Swear to me that you won't get upset." She said looking between us. "I swear." We both said.

"I mean it. No going off plotting to kill or lock your brothers away." She said pointing at me. I sighed dramatically which only caused her to narrow her eyes before she looked at Malik. "You can't go ignoring me and shutting me out or hold a grudge." She said. Malik let out an exaggerated gasp making me chuckle. "And Pablo no running off with she who shall not be named and conspiring to banish people." She said causing me and Malik to let out a full laugh.

"We really have been a handful, haven't we?" I asked. "Absolute terrors," Pablo said laughing. "Y'all are laughing and I'm dead ass serious," Ahsha said mugging us. Malik grabbed her chin forcing her to look at him. "Ahsha Paisley Desrosiers, we swear that we won't go off and do anything crazy. No plotting murder, imprisonments, silent treatments, or banishments, okay?" He said before kissing her. "Isn't that right Ares?" He asked glancing at me. "Right—right, we swear," I said as she turned to look at me

I grabbed her hand and pulled her towards me before kissing her. "We know how you feel about each of us. Think of this as a bonding thing for me and my brothers. Something we can use to annoy each other with, in a totally harmless way." I said.

Ahsha

"Yes! At most, it'll just be used as brotherly banter. Besides we have several years of sibling fighting to make up for." Malik added. I pointed between the two of them. "Fine but if I get even the smallest hint that y'all are back on that bullshit it won't end well for any of you. You got it." I said. "Yes ma'am," Ares said. "Yes, your highness," Malik said.