EverChange

Chapter 17

I was walking from the third floor to the main floor to get to the kitchen. I had been in such a bad mood, I only noticed how fast I was going when Illie almost fell down the stairs. I braced myself, and caught both girls so we didn't go tumbling head first into the wood.

I felt a solid frame grip my shoulders, cushioning us and then there was a sigh of relief.

"Watch your step there, aye?" he spoke with a light accent to his English. His large arms encircled us then gently deposited us on the landing. "There we are. Sending your new Nanny down the stairs, you girls are a handful."

Broad shoulders and built like daVinci's David statue. That seemed to be a common factor here when it came to any of the men, some of the women too. He had smile lines around his eyes, and a soft curve of his lips. His hands were calloused, but well kept. Dark brown hair, with slight grey to his side burns and a bit of scruff growing on his recently shaved face. Olive skin and genuinely kind looking hazel eyes. He wore tan kahkis, blue button down shirt and a wrist watch visible. He looked like... A regular guy. Aside from his size and height, he looked like the most normal person I'd seen in days.

"It was my fault... I was walking too fast..."

"She's not our nan!" Fafnir said, stomping her little foot. Illiad rung the edges of her shirt. "That's Donovan's girlfriend." she huffed, looking on the edge of tears.

"Oh?" The older man said, bending on one knee before them. "Then why the tears; You should be happy for your older brother."

Illie huffed, ringing her shirt more. "....'Kay."

I felt awful now.

"Ugh... I sort of kind of.... Gave them the impression I would be their new mom." I looked at the scales on my arms, gently patting them to make them go away. They sunk into my skin, fading mostly except for the faintest trace of their outline. I felt my hair and groaned at how big it was. "I must look like a mess..."

"You look like Simba!" Fafnir giggled.

Illiad sniffled, looking at me. "More like.... Kovu."

I blew a raspberry at them both.

"Geez. Thanks." I turned back to the man who was still kneeling. "Um... Jessamine Sinclaire... Everyone calls me Sam."

I held out my hand to shake. My petite hand was dwarfed by the sheer size of one of his hands, and completely disappeared when both clasped over me.

"Ailbhe Buchanan, pleasure meeting you." he said warmly. "I'm glad one of my sons is finally settling down. Welcome to the family, Miss Sam."

"Uuuhhhh." He looked very much like Alister and Donovan, and was more at ease with me then the guards ever were. "Um... Er... Oh geez.... You're like... An Alpha..." I felt dizzy, my knees a bit weak. "You're like... THE Alpha."

In a swift motion, he was able to lift each of his small daughters onto his arms, Illiad perched on his shoulder while Fafnir settled on the bend of his elbow. He must had almost been seven feet tall, two feet taller than me. Fafnir touched noses with Ailbhe.

"My wife is in the kitchen entertaining the other rascals. Why don't you join us?" he smiled warmly. I nodded dumbly, following them. Illiad and Fafnir took turned regaling all that had happened in the house. When we got to the kitchen, the twins Jules and Mia ran up to.

"Old Man." Jules barked.

"Aye, little Lass?"

"Dun go picking on Sammy!" She stomped her foot, looking fierce. "Donny and Ally are being butts!"