It was a cold winter morning. I was outside walking in the woods. The grounds blanketed with new-fallen snow. You could hear the small footfalls of my bare feet against the snowy ground. The cold-crisp air settled around me; making me feel alive and refreshed. Not knowing what I was doing out here in the woods I just continued to walk for it was a beautiful, silent, peaceful morning. I felt a cold spot on my check; and another. I look up to see that once again it’s snowing. I close my eyes and smile; letting the snowflakes fall freely upon my person. I hear light giggling when I realize that it’s me; it must be me. All too soon what started as a gentle snow fall turns into a blizzard and I can’t see in front of me. I’m stuck; frozen in place if you will. The light giggling turns into full manic laughter when
“AH!”
I’m jolted awake to see my brothers hovering above my bed laughing. Not really caring about them right now and just wanting to know why I’m so cold I find that my window is open. I move to sit up to ask my brothers what they’re doing in my room when I notice that I’m covered in a white blanket. But I don’t have a white blanket so I rub my eyes to try and wake up fully, my brother’s loud laughter helping a bit, when I see that it indeed is not a white blanket.
My jaw hits the ground. I look frantically between my brothers and my bed trying to make sense of what happened when I see the buckets that my brothers are hiding behind their backs.
I make eye contact with one of them and their laughter instantly stops; the other following.
“Run.” I say softly.
And they do.
As soon as they take off I jump out of my bed and follow behind them.
“I’m gonna get you, punks!” I yell after them.
Their laughter starts again.
“We know how much you love snow. We were just being good brothers.”
I shake my head and can’t help but laugh; silently though so that can’t hear me.
By the time I get to the stairs they’re already half way down it so I do the most obvious thing to do in a situation like this. I slide down the rail.
My feet hit the ground just in time to tackle one of them to the ground.
There was no way I could have taken him down but I thank him mentally for the added drama.
I “flip” him on his back and he has a huge grin on his face.
I hear laughter behind me and I can’t help but crack a smile.
“Admit it. We got you good.” My brother asked below me.
I put my finger to my chin and pretended to think.
“Yeah a pure classic.” My other brother added to their case; coming into my line of vision.
I was just about to agree with them when I hear,
“Regan Tate Connor, just what do you think you’re doing to your brother?”
I look up from Braden and past Levi to see an angry CJ walking our way.
Feeling and most likely looking like a deer caught in headlights I just sat there dumbly.
Shaking his head he picks me up by my oversized shirt and sets me on my feet.
I had to take a step back and crane my neck just to meet my brother’s eyes.
“Can’t you stop the pranking for just one day? Especially today.” He asked; a smile playing on the corner of his lips.
I look over to Braden and Levi standing off to the side and see them fidgeting where they stand.
I send them a look that says ‘He’s not really mad. We’re safe.’ and they visibly relax.
Not wanting to throw my brothers under the bus I apologize. It was partially my fault as well. I started it yesterday when I saw Braden and Levi in deep sleep on couches and a whole lot of saran wrap in the kitchen. I saw an open door and strutted right through it.
Judging by the frowns on Braden and Levis faces and the huge grin now on CJs face, they could tell what I was thinking about.
CJ picked me up and gave me a huge bear hug whispering my praise.
“Good job, baby sis. That’s my girl.”
We both laugh softly and he set me on my feet again.
As he kisses my cheek and puts an arm around my shoulder we hear,
“You guys are up early.”
We all look to the stairs to see our mom and dad walking down them hand in hand; smiling brightly.
We return the smiles.
I can’t wait till I find my mate. That is if my brothers even let us be together.
The day that I get to look at someone with as much love that my mom looks at my dad with will be the best day of my life.
I wonder if I’ll blush as much as my mom whenever my dad so much as looks in her direction.
I wonder if my mate will kiss them away the way my dad does.
“Why don’t you all get washed up before your uncles, aunties and cousins get here.” My mom says cheerfully; interrupting my thoughts.
We nod and start to go our separate ways.
“Don’t forget that I have a friend from college coming over today everyone. Try not to be too weird.” CJ says with a playful smirk but you could see slight worry in his eyes.
I chuckled because our family not being weird is just wishful thinking.
He knew it too because he groaned and ran his hand over his face in frustration.
I giggle and make a mental note to try and save him and his “friend” from our family today.
I have a feeling that this “friend” is anything but. Maybe something more and that’s why he’s so intent on us being normal. Poor guy.
“Come on College boy, let’s get you ready for today.” I say smiling and wrap my arm around his waist since his shoulder is out of the question. I’d need a ladder.
He looked down at me and gave me a genuine smile.
My mom and dad has always told us to never miss a chance to love our family. Love them with everything you have and never take them for granted because they can be taken from you in a second. ‘Cherish each other’ they always tell my brothers and I.
They haven’t told us the whole story but there was a time where things went completely wrong in my family and packs lives. All we know is that if what happened wasn’t handled my brothers and I wouldn’t be here today.
You hear parents telling their children what ours tells us every day.
But ours has been through hell and back to give us this valuable information and my brothers and I respect that whole-heartily.
We all love each other immensely.
I can tell that my brothers look up to our uncles and I can see them treating me the way our uncles treat our mom.
They dote on me all the time. It can get a bit too much at times with their over-protectiveness but I let them be because, hey, I’m the same way with them.
As CJ ushers me into my room I turn around to face him and gasp.
He looks at me worriedly and asks me what’s wrong.
Not bothering to answer his question I jump on him and wrap him in a huge hug; giving him a kiss on the cheek.
After jumping down he looks at me like I’ve completely lost it when I step out into the hallway past him and yell loudly for everyone in the pack house to hear,
“MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!”
After hearing everyone return it happily with laughter throughout the house and another hug from CJ I walk into my room and get ready for what I know is going to be a very eventful day for the Brightwater pack.
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Merry Christmas everyone! Sorry if you don't get this till the 26th. It's 3:30pm here in Hawaii and I actually just decided about two hours ago that I wanted to give you guys a Christmas chapter. :)
Hope you enjoyed it and seeing how the offspring of our lovely LC and Chase interact. :)
I hope you all have an awesome day whether you celebrate Christmas or not.
God bless and love you all!
As we say in Hawaii,
Mele Kalikimaka me ka Hau'oli Makahiki hou! :)
(Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.)