Sawyer threw a pair of Keaton’s cargo shorts at the stranger and silently pointed back toward the bathroom he’d come out of. In just a towel. Fuck.
This was not the reaction Sawyer wanted to have to anyone that wasn’t Keaton. He did not want to be thinking about the tent pitched in that towel. He did not want to think about why the guy arrived in Keaton’s house naked.
When Sawyer sat in the other armchair, he looked to Kiaan. “You may begin now.”
Sawyer noticed the little shiver that Keaton gave and tucked that bit of knowledge away. He’d make use of it later. Once this clusterfuck had been sorted out.
“I don’t understand what would possess you to open a portal to another dimension. You know how dangerous that is. You know how many things we’ve had to battle because someone else did it.” Kiaan was waving his hands around, and Keaton just sank lower and lower. “Why would you risk our entire universe? What could be so important?”
Kiaan paused and just stared at Keaton, expecting an answer. Keaton darted his eyes to Sawyer, almost like he was asking for permission. Sawyer nodded subtly and Keaton swallowed.
“It wasn’t really another dimension. It was right here on Earth.” Keaton defended. “Our reality. Our dimension. I swear.”
Kiaan growled, and Sawyer had to admit that he was impressed. The mage had been dating one of Sawyer’s packmates long enough now that he’d picked up some of Anders’ habits. Like growling when he wanted more confessions from someone. Sawyer tried to hide his grin.
“Time’s up!” Sawyer said before Keaton could reply. “You’ve got one minute, Kaeden.”
“So… just to be clear,” Kaeden swallowed. “You didn’t… um… create him. You brought him here from Australia?”
Keaton nodded, and Kaeden looked toward the hall to make sure the man wasn’t coming back out yet.
“Then why did he look so deformed?”
“He’s not deformed?” Keaton looked genuinely confused, and Sawyer tilted his head, trying to pick up on what his pack mate wasn’t saying.
“He did not look like a normal octopus shifter,” Kaeden hissed.
“Have you met a lot of those?” Keaton sat back and crossed his arms.
“A few, yes.” Kaeden nodded. “Have a friend that’s close to a family of ‘em.”
“Huh,” Keaton shrugged. “Well, he’s not an octopus. He’s a gould’s squid.”
“Oh,” Kaeden deflated a bit. “Okay then.”
“Time’s up!” Sawyer grinned. “You two better get home before Anders and Blake start calling around for you.”
At the mention of their mates, both men jumped up and practically ran for the door. They tossed farewells over their shoulders, but didn’t wait for responses from Sawyer and Keaton.
Sawyer slowly turned to look at his boyfriend, sunk so far back into the couch cushions that he’d almost disappeared.
“Wanna tell me what you were thinking? Now that they’re gone?”
Keaton swallowed.