Family (COMPLETED)- Eldred Series Bk 3

Chapter 9

Over the course of several days, Luka had been making Olivia eat and sleep. He didn't mean to hurt her this bad. He tried forgetting about what he did to her parents and was slowly getting over the guilt until Ivan started talking about it and the guilt rushed back. "Don't beat yourself up, Luka. You know you didn't mean it." Cordelia told Luka when he said he couldn't forget about it. He sighed.

"Mama!" Rosalia said, running into the room. "What, baby-girl?" Cordelia said and picked up Rosalia. "I want food please." She said over dramatically and set her hand on her stomach. Cordelia chuckled. "Okay. Give me a sec. How does salad sound?" Cordelia asked. Rosalia and Luka both cringed. "How about candy?" Rosalia asked. Cordelia shook her head no. "It's gotta be something healthy. Can't have you getting a stomach ache and rotting teeth." Cordelia said and set Rosalia down. "We're gonna have salad. Maybe something else too. But salad."

Blaze ran in and tugged on Cordelia's arm. "Mommy? When are we gonna eat dinner?" Blaze asked. "Soon. I'm going to make dinner now." Cordelia stood up. Luka groaned and laid on his bed. "Lasagna." Luka said. Cordelia looked over at Luka. "Is that what you want?" She asked him. Luka nodded. "I love lasagna. My mom would always make it whenever my dad wasn't home." Luka instantly cringed after saying that but Cordelia didn't seem phased by it.

"Okay. Lasagna it is." Cordelia shrugged. "Wanna help?" She asked Luka as she picked up Rosalia and Blaze. Luka shrugged and got out of bed and followed her out into the living room to the kitchen. But Pierce, Olivia, and Mekhi were already in the kitchen doing something. "What are you three doing?" Cordelia asked as she walked out to Pierce. "We're making food, mommy." Mekhi said, handing Cordelia a piece of cucumber. "Daddy's making something. It's veggies in a bowl." He continued before looking around on the counter he was sitting on before grabbing a piece of lettuce. He took a bite and made a disgusted face. "Daddy this has no flavor." Mekhi said, trying to hand Pierce the lettuce. "Give it to mommy, then." Pierce said.

Cordelia rolled her eyes before Mekhi handed her the lettuce and she threw the half eaten lettuce and cucumber away. "Come on, you. Go with Liv. All littles outta the kitchen for right now. Y'all can help mommy and daddy in a minute." Cordelia said and the triplets and Olivia groaned. Luka just stood in the doorway to the kitchen.

Olivia looked up at Luka and reached up to him. He picked her up and she slipped her arms around his neck and set her head on his shoulder. "I love you." She whispered to him. Luka lightly rubbed her back and walked into the living room where the triplets were. "I love you too, Liv." He told her.

After what felt like forever, Cordelia and Pierce were done cooking for their kids. They made lasagna and a salad. "Kids. Come and eat." Pierce called, plating some lasagna in bowls and salad. One by one, each kid came in and Luka was last. Cordelia and Pierce handed all the plates to the kids before they went into the dining room.

Mekhi, Rosalia, and Blaze all struggled getting into their high chairs. "Come here." Luka mumbled to Blaze, who's high chair was right next to him. "You're five. Why are you still sitting in high chairs?" Luka asked more to himself than to Blaze. "Because we're short." Blaze said. Luka chuckled. "You got that right, shorty." Luka teased. Blaze stuck his tongue out at Luka before shoving a bite of lasagna into his mouth.

Olivia pulled herself up on the chair to Luka's left and started eating. "Hey, kiddo." Luka said as he sat down and ruffled Olivia's hair. She huffed, setting down her fork to fix her hair. "I'm not a kiddo." She told him and started eating again. "You're six. You're a kid, my friend." Luka said. Olivia rolled her eyes. "Well you're a kid too, Luka." She told him. He chuckled. "I'm a teenager. There's a big difference." Luka told her. Olivia shook her head. "Like what?" She asked. "There's a lot of things different. Like growth spurts, puberty, other things I don't want to explain to my six year old sister." He mumbled the last part. "Why not?" Olivia asked. Luka had to learn at the school in the pack about mating and heat that females go through. It was a lot like a human period but different. Werewolves also desire a mate during heat. "You'll learn."

Cordelia and Pierce sat across from Luka and Olivia with Rosalia at the right side of Cordelia and Mekhi on the left side of Pierce. "Mommy? Daddy? What's the difference between a teenager and someone my age?" Olivia asked. Cordelia and Pierce blinked at Olivia. "You're too young." Pierce said and started eating. Olivia huffed. "Why?" She asked. "Because Olivia, you just are. Maybe when you're older." Cordelia said.

Olivia groaned. "Hey, now. Watch that attitude or you can go to bed hungry." Pierce said. "Yeah. Watch your attitude." Blaze giggled. Pierce glanced at him. "Blaze." He warned. Blaze looked at his father. "What?" Blaze asked cluelessly. Pierce sighed and started to eat again.

The family ate in silence until everyone was done with their food. Luka stretched before getting up and grabbing everyone's plates. Since the kids were getting older, Cordelia and Pierce gave their kids some chores. Luka's was getting the plates from the table and washing them and vacuuming, the triplets' job was to set the table because every time Olivia tried to, they cried about not being able to do it, and Olivia helped with laundry.

"Can I help?" Olivia asked as she trailed Luka. He looked back at her while setting the plates in the sink. "Sure. Grab the step stool." He said when he turned the faucet on and warmed it up a little. Olivia grabbed the step stool she or the triplets used to reach the sink. Luka reached over to grab the soap and put some on the washcloth. "Wash or dry?" Luka asked Olivia when he soaped the washcloth up. "Dry." She said. Luka washed a plate and handed it to Olivia to dry and she racked it.

After finishing, they both went into the living room where their parents and siblings were. "I'm gonna go take a shower real quick." Luka said and walked into the bathroom before anyone could protest.