Seraphina (Book 2C of Wolfcreek Series)

Chapter 11

I walked into the kitchen a little while later and saw that my cousins were working on their homework, and my heart grew warm. "Hey, Guys," I said and moved a hand through my hair before I shook my head and cleared my throat. "Do you need any help with your homework?" I asked and raised an eyebrow in question.

"Yes, please," Maya said and wrinkled her nose in annoyance, much to my surprise. She looked at me with wide blue eyes and pouted, cocking her head, tears filling her eyes. "Can you come here and help me, please?" she asked innocently. "I don't like this problem."

"Uhhh.... Sure, sure," I said and nodded before I cleared my throat and shifted on my feet, even though I didn't move toward them, my heart skipping a beat before it started to pound harder and faster in my chest.

"Oh, Goddess," Maya said and rolled her eyes while she scowled and pressed her lips into a thin line, annoyed. "Very funny, TJ," she said. She stood and started to walk over to me. "You don't need to be acting like this. Why are you acting like this?"

I didn't say a word while I slowly blinked while I watched my cousin move closer to me.

She rolled her eyes again and scowled, pressing her lips into a thinner line. She didn't say a word while she grabbed my hand and started to walk back over to the table with her brother watching us, amused.

"Why are you being dumb?" she asked and looked at me, and my whole body grew tense while I bristled slightly and pursed my lips in annoyance.

"Easy," I warned while I bared my teeth and narrowed my eyes while I stared at her, and I tried to pull my hand out of hers because I did not want to accidentally hurt her. "There is no need for that, Maya."

Maya paused and looked at me, her eyes flashing gold while she stopped me from pulling my hand out of hers. "I know," she said. She smiled apologetically, but that didn't stop her eyes from turning more gold. "I'm sorry," she said, "but can you still help me, please?"

I bit back an annoyed sigh before I slowly nodded. "Ok," I said while I continued to follow her to the table. "I will help you with whatever you need to do, Maya."

My cousin looked at me and smiled before she let go of my hand when we reached the table, and she sat down in her chair and looked at me with wide innocent eyes. "Well?" she asked innocently before she patted the seat beside her. "Are you going to come sit down beside me?"

I bit back a small snort of amusement and nodded in confirmation. "Ok," I said before I did what I was told to do and sat down next to her. "So, what are you needing help with?" I asked and raised an eyebrow in question while I looked at her homework before I looked at her, again. "Are you having trouble with math?"

"I am having trouble with everything," Maya said, biting back a small groan. She banged her head against the table before she looked at me, frowning. "Can you help, please?"

Her brother snorted and rolled his eyes. "L-"

"Shut up, Bryson," she seethed, instantly turning her gaze to look at him. She scowled and narrowed her eyes, her eyes flashing gold again. "Why do you have to be such an idiot?"

Bryson looked at his sister and slowly blinked, pressing his lips into a thin line. He rolled his eyes and turned his attention back to his homework.

"Careful," I said and flicked Maya's pigtail, much to her annoyance. "Your Mom is showing."

The door opened when I said that, and I half expected Cass to walk through but was surprised when I saw that it was Charlie in normal clothes instead of his uniform or training clothes and was carrying a duffle bag with him.

"Who is acting like their Mom?" Charlie asked and closed the door behind him, looking between us while he set his bag down beside him.

"Uncle Charlie!" Maya and Bryson said with Maya bounding over to him and giving him a big hug, lifting her feet in the air.

Charlie looked at Maya and slowly blinked, amusement and sadness filling his eyes as if he was seeing Cass and not Maya. "Is it you?"

"Yes," Maya said and grinned, nodding. "Hi."

Charlie blinked again, looking very unimpressed. "Hello." He looked at me and cocked his head, studying me. "How is she acting like her mother?" he asked and raised an eyebrow in question, not caring about the child wrapped around his waist.

"Her eyes are flashing gold," Bryson said. "She is not acting like Mom because she is not being a TruthSeeker."

Maya whipped her head around and narrowed her eyes at her brother. "I am more of a TruthSeekee than you, Bryson," she snapped, earning a small smirk from her brother. "I do n-"

"And there is Cass," Charlie said, chuckling, interrupting her. "Now, can you let go so that I can get settled in, please?"

Dread filled the pit of my stomach, and I shifted a little in my seat while my face grew pale. My mouth went dry while I stared at him, my heart skipping a beat before it started to pound in my chest. "Are you..?"

Are you here for me..?

Charlie looked at me and smiled, sadly, shaking his head, no. "Nope," he said, and I couldn't help but breathe a small sigh of relief, my shoulders sagging.

Thank Goddess...

Charlie cleared his throat and shifted on his feet. "I am here for Cass and the Prince."

Maya hopped down from around Charlie's waist and cocked her head while she studied him with furrowed brows before she looked at me. "Why would he be here for you?" she asked, the frown in her voice. "Is something wrong?"

"Maya," Bryson hissed, his voice barely above a whisper. He scowled and narrowed his eyes, looking at his sister, and she looked at him. "Hush."

She furrowed her brows further, and her frown grew deeper. "But, he is our brother, Bryson," she said and gestured to me, and my heart grew warm. "I want to know what's wrong with our brother."

"Hmph." Charlie smirked and moved a hand through her hair, and she looked at him with a small scowl on her face. "In due time, Kiddo," he said. "You'll know in due time, but for now, stay young and don't worry about matters like these."

"And that means come over here and get your homework done, Maya," I said, offering her a tight smile. "Show me what you need "help" with so that we can get everything done and then have some fun. Ya?" I raised an eyebrow in question while I studied him.

Maya pressed her lips into a thinner line and gave me a look that reminded me so much like Cass that I couldn't help but smile.

Finally, she sighed and shook her head with her shoulders sagged, relenting before she walked over to me, grumpily. "Fine," she said with a small huff and a pout, and I bit back a small amused snort. "Just know that I don't like it."

I chuckled and moved my hand through her hair, and she scowled and narrowed her eyes while she swatted at my hands. "I know, Maya," I said. "But you shouldn't grow up so quickly yet. I am fine and will be fine. I promise."

Please, don't let her grow up quickly like the three of us did, I silently prayed to the Moon Goddess, my heart aching. Let her keep that childhood innocence longer than me. Please.

I beg of you, my Goddess....