Serenity’s POV
“Well I can’t say I didn’t miss this.”
I grinned hearing Jean whine, sitting on a stool by the breakfast bar behind me. “Yeah, well, you didn’t miss much, really.”
“Not what I was told.” She mumbled.
I looked over my shoulder and raised a brow, “If it’s Hope-“
“Nope.” She said with a light shake of her head and popping sound.
This time I turned to face her, giving her my full attention and crossing my arms.
“Not that I don’t trust Chance but, I’m expecting him to be out of Hope’s room by the end of the day.”
I sighed, “I already tried and begged, I asked him if he wanted to go to the beach he said no, and pretty much gave me the same response to every place I offered.”
“You know he’s supposed to be in the dungeon, they both are supposed to be in the dungeon.”
I frowned and looked away, “As much as I would want to…” I whispered, remembering the scene Chance and Ximm made the day we arrived. “Anyway, he has an amazing control of his wolf, Siam said so himself.”
“Amazing it may be, I still don’t like it.”
“I do hope you aren’t talking about us.”
Cole, Eric and Adrian stepped into the room. Cole stood behind Jean, wrapping his arms around her making her smile and lean back.
“I wish…” she grinned up at him, while entwining her fingers with her mate.
I smiled as I watched them finally let fate have its way. From the moment Jean woke up early in the morning and checked on Hope, while Cole had been beside Jean not wanting to be away from her again.
“Love she’ll be fine.” I remember Cole begging earlier to get Jean back in their room to rest.
“No, I’m fine, it’s our daughter whose in a coma!” she snapped, tightening her hold on Hope’s hand.
“Jean calm down, this isn’t good for you.” Eric added, “Everything has been taken care of, the kids who did this are already being punished as we speak, so all we can ask for is for you to fully heal and for Hope to wake up.”
“Hopefully for the celebration.” Adrian added.
“I’m not that good you guys…”
“You aren’t.” Fate says, “Cause you are amazing.”
“That’s what you use to tell us when we were younger.” Chance says, “Whenever you would treat Hope, you’ll tell us you aren’t that good- cause you are amazing aunt Jean.”
“And Hope knows that too.” Ken agrees.
I chuckled remembering Jean’s face turning all red with all the compliments she was getting.
“What’s funny?” Eric asks, wrapping me in his arms.
“Nothing,” I smiled, “anyway, I believe we have kids to wake up?”
“And everything is in order?” Adrian asks.
“Yes,” Jean and I said, picking up the plates of banana pancakes, one each for the twins.
“They’re still in Hope’s room?” I asked.
“Yes, they fell asleep there last night.” Cole says giving Eric a smile, making me wonder why.
“Then I’ll meet you girls upstairs.” Eric says kissing me on the top of my head and jog out of the room.
“Where are you going?” Arian asked.
“Music room.” Eric says over his shoulder, “Music is needed.”
We all stifled a laugh as we give Adrian and Cole the other stuff to carry.
“Hey, hey, hey, where are you off with all those?” Siam asked stealing a piece of bacon from the plate Cole was carrying.
I shrugged as the huge kitchen now seemed so small with everyone filling up the room.
“It’s tradition, breakfast in bed during birthdays.” Jean says.
“Aren’t you supposed to be getting the breakfast in bed?” Aaron asks Jean.
“No.” Jean rolls her eyes. “I’m fine, you’re just as bad as this big bad wolf here.”
“I can’t say I don’t like that.” Aaron grinned.
Cole chuckled and shook his head, “Oh, how’s Ximm?”
“Preparing for the dungeon,” Siam sighed and turned to me, “Serenity, I know I promised-“
“It’s ok,” I smiled, “I’m pretty sure even if Chance was given the opportunity to shift he won’t back down on his own words. He’s as stubborn as I am.”
“That means he won’t budge.” Eric nods.
“Well, tonight is as much as theirs,” Anna says, “It’s their birthday, Fate’s debut, introduction to our kind-“
“Basically, it’ll be a very busy day.” Tasha chuckled.
“And it’ll be a good one.”
“It won’t be if this doesn’t reach the room.” Adrian reminded us.
“Then let’s do it!” Liam says clapping his hands, “I’ll call the kids.”
“You guys do that, I have to speak with Ximm first.” Siam says. “I’ll meet you there.”
“Everything ok?” I asked.
“Yeah, just…” he glanced at Anna who gave him an encouraging smile, “I might have been missing him a bit.”
“Aww, that’s so cute.” Jean teases and pinched his cheek.
Siam laughed and messed up her hair, “Don’t make me regret having you woken up.”
“Speaking of that…” Jean says and turns to me, “you just couldn’t not irk him, could you?”
“All in the right time.” I grinned, “Besides, it gave him time to talk to Hope.”
“Yeah, yeah…” Jean shook her head and start to leave, “let’s go, and all of you just have to see this little sound of music gig they have.”
“We’ve seen it-“
“So you’ve heard them sing?” Jean smirked.
“Sing?”
“Oh they are a natural Von Trapp Family.” Jean teased some more.
“Shush up.” I rolled my eyes walking pass her.
“Well you sure weren’t lying when you said they were natural.” Jake tells Jean.
“Told you so.” Jean grins as she takes another piece of apple from the bowl of fruits Cole prepared for her.
“Thanks for this mom.” Fate says wrapping an arm around my waist.
“Don’t be silly, baby… it’s your birthday.” I said. “And as promised I prepared a day out just for you guys. No strangers, no alphas and guests. Just you, your brother, Ken and your cousins.”
“No.”
I frowned hearing the familiar rejection.
“Chance…”
“No mom, I’m not leaving Hope.” He says.
“But-“
“It’s alright mom.” Fate smiled, “it wouldn’t be the same without Hope anyways, we can just stay here and-“
“No.”
I rolled my eyes as another familiar rejection was expressed.
“I’m sorry Chance, I do trust and love you, your control over your wolf is admirable, but your presence here right now is endangering everyone especially Hope.” Jean says.
“I won’t hurt her Aunt Jean, you know that-“
“I do, but what about your wolf?” she says, “Thank you for your great concern over my daughter, but I would want you to spend your birthday elsewhere.”
“Jean…”
“Now she’s your daughter?” Chance sneered, “Eighteen years and she needs to be attacked by a vampire for you to admit that you are her mother?”
“Chance.” I stepped forward.
“No.” he snapped back, “I never hurt Hope, not even once, and I’m not gonna start now.”
“You leaving her won’t hurt anyone but your ego.” Jean snapped back.
“Jean, love, listen-“
“No!” Jean stepped out of Cole’s hold and turned to me, “I think we have been here long enough, I would like to leave and find a place of our own.”
“No!” Fate and Chance says at the same time.
“You can’t do this Jean.” Cole says.
“Why not? You were so excited to leave years ago, what changed? Have you gotten use to the royalty lifestyle?”
“Jean, please listen to reasons first.” Eric pleads.
“No, my daughter is in danger here.” She says, “Maybe I have taken the truth away from her the past 18 years, but that ends now, and we are leaving by the end of the week and that’s final.”
She stormed toward the door, fuming mad, as expected from a worried mother.
“Fine!” I turned and saw an equally angry Chance, “I’m leaving, but the moment that I do shift, I will come back here and you cannot demand me to leave cause I will control my wolf! I will keep it away from Hope if he is such a danger! But the moment you try to take her away I will track you and I will find you, you can bet on that!”
With that he stormed out of the room, walking pass Jean and soon I heard a set of doors slamming shut.
“Jean…”
“We are still leaving whether he allows it or not, he isn’t my alpha, not yet.”
“Aren’t you over reacting Jean?” Aaron asks, “I mean, the boy is losing a sister… you can’t expect him to accept that easily.”
“It doesn’t matter, Hope is my child, I will do whatever is necessary to keep her safe.”
With that said it was her turn to walk out. I sighed and rubbed my forehead.
“Mom…” I turned to Fate who was quietly crying in Ken’s arms. “would aunt J really take away Hope? Uncle Cole?”
We all turned to Cole who just shrugged, “I’ll talk to her…” then he glanced at Eric, “she’ll understand.”
“Thank you.” Eric answers with a tip of his head, Cole nods back and follows Jean.
“Well that was dramatic.” Jake says.
“We should leave Hope to rest, Jean would probably want to come back here after that, and knowing her, she wouldn’t come back with us here.”
“What’s with all the eye and head signals with Cole?” I asked Eric when we were alone in our room while he was preparing to meet with the guests who were arriving early for the ball tonight.
“It’s nothing.” Eric says.
“What secret are you keeping from me Eric Johansen?”
“One that is not mine to tell, love.” He shrugged, “I shouldn’t even know it.”
I frowned, “Should I be worried?”
He chuckled, “I’m thinking you’ll be ecstatic once you do find out.”
I rolled my eyes, thankful for his attempt of lightening the mood. “Great, now I’ll have to force it out of you.”
“I have sworn to secrecy,” he laughs, “and an alpha never breaks a promise.”
“Well, as long as it’s under control…”
“It is.” He assured, “I’ll make sure it is.”
I nodded and forced a smile at him, wanting to press on what it was about but was disturbed by a knock on the door.
“Come in.” Eric answered.
The door slowly opened and Tam peeked inside and smiled, “The Alphas are in the meeting room and dad says Uncle Siam wants you to join them.”
“Us?” I asked.
“Yes.” She said looking away.
“That’s odd.” I turned to Eric, “Why didn’t they send the message through the mind link?”
“Uncle Siam doesn’t want the mind link used during meetings.” Tam explained, “He said it’s rude.”
“Oh,” Eric says, “it does make sense. Very well, tell them we’ll be right there.”
“Thank you Tam.” I said
She smiles and closes the door behind her, Eric and I exchanged looks and shrugged.
“Let’s get this show on the road then.” He said. “By the way, are you sure that it was safe to let the kids go to the lake?”
“Yes.” I said, “I mean, Ken and his sisters are with them, Aaron, the girls and the kids… guards would probably be on high alert.” I sighed again, “If this party wasn’t for the twins I would probably be there leaving responsibilities to you and just hanging out with the girls.”
Eric laughed, “Nah, I don’t think you can do that.”
“Really?” I raised a brow.
“Yeah…” he says checking is reflection, “you’ll do so much worse than that.”
“Shush up!” I whined, hearing him laugh as I step into our closet to change.
“Princess, it is good to see you.” Another alpha says.
Ray of Green Meadow. I hear Josephine tell me.
Thanks, I smiled at the man.
“Thank you Alpha Ray.” I said, “It is nice to be home.”
“We haven’t seen the celebrants the whole day,” he says, “we were wishing to be able to greet them personally.”
“Oh, well, they are out with the family.” I said, “I want them to bond with the family before we are to move to Redwood.”
“So your husband is taking over his late father’s pack.”
“Why shouldn’t he?” I frowned.
“I mean no disrespect princess, but you have been away from pack life for almost two decades, would you still know how to live with one?”
I frowned, “I assure you, Alpha Ray, my parents have taught me well and so has Eric’s adoptive father. I have no doubts that we will be able to run Redwood smoothly.”
“Well, there’s just one way to find out, is there?” with that he tipped his head and moved to talk with Siam.
“You ok?”
I turned around and saw Jake walking up to me, water bottle in hand.
“I need something stronger than that.” I said, snatching his glass of whiskey and taking it in one gulp.
“Whoah, slow down princess, we don’t need other gossips roaming around.”
“Gossips?” I raised a brow.
“Yeah, well, aside from Green Meadow’s inquiry of taking over Redwood pack, there is also the little issue of Chance roaming around the place with no collar.”
“My son is not a dog-“
“But he is supposed to shift tonight making him dangerous.” Jake says, taking the glass from me and handing me the bottled water. “Jean is right, his control is admirable, but you saw how angry he was that could have triggered his shift.”
I stared at him, not knowing what to say. There were no arguments with that, Chance will shift if his anger is tipped lower.
“I am only tolerating my wife and children around him because I know Aaron is there.” He looks around the room. “I trust Chance, I truly do, but he is just like any new shifter. He’s an alpha, almost as high ranked as Ximm too. It is in his genes to be one, and another alpha who hasn’t even shifted yet can be that small grain to tip the scale.”
“Is this what you all think?”
“It’s what I think.” He shrugged turning back to me. “But I won’t hurt him, I can’t say the same thing for these men though. You know they’ll do anything for power.”
I looked around the room and realized the truth in Jake’s words.
After that moment with Jake I decided to leave and just join the others, my son could be the new shifter, but a mother wolf is more dangerous when it comes to the safety of her cubs.
“I heard you were called to join the alphas.” Aaron said.
“I may be independent but there are some jobs that I’d rather leave to men.” I shrugged.
“That bad huh?” Cam asked.
I shook my head and rubbed my forehead, “Might be worse.” I looked around and saw the kids were out in the lake playing, Tam was surrounded with kids reading a book, I frowned.
“Where’s Chance?” I asked.
“Docks.” Aaron pointed out at the far-east part of the lake, “I have guards with him, don’t worry.”
“That’s what I’m worried about.” I mumbled and walking toward where my son was.
“Where you going?” Anna asked.
“I haven’t had a moment with my son for days.” I said, “That’s something new for me.”
With that I left for the docks and sees Chance sitting at the end of the dock feet hanging at the edge feet in the water.
“Hey…”
“Hey…” he mumbled.
“You alright?”
“You here to make sure I don’t hurt anyone?”
“What?”
“Cause those guys are.” He says pointing at the guards.
I forced a grinned, “It could be just because your Uncle Aaron is protecting you from danger.”
“I think Aunt Jean made it quite clear who the danger around here is.”
I sighed, “Chance, it’s not you who’s dangerous-“
“It’s my wolf, right?” he says, “You always say that we are one and all that crap, how is it any more dangerous than I am?.”
“Chance, you have a clear head and a good control-“
“Which isn’t enough for Aunt Jean.”
“Baby it’s your birthday, why would you want to be locked up-“
“That’s not how it feels when I’m with Hope!” he snapped. I frowned and stared at him in surprise. He sighed and looked away, “Sorry.”
I pressed my lips together, and reached for his shoulder, “Is something wrong Chance?”
“Nothing.” He said, “That’s the problem.”
“I don’t understand.” I said, my brows knitting together.
He turned to me and smile, “Everything is perfect mom, just…” he looks away again, “Wrong timing.”
I stared at him for a moment, finally realizing what he was trying to tell me. I don’t have the answer to why he was troubled, that’s for sure, but I know my son and this was him trying to handle things on his own.
“There’s no such thing as wrong timing.” I said, this time it was his turn to give me the questioned look. “If everything is so perfect why would you think of it that way?”
He stared at me, thinking.
“If things are perfect and yet you’re still troubled, that just means there is space for it to be better.” I continued, “It might take a while, maybe it’ll be tomorrow, whenever it is, hold unto to what you have now and never let go, cause then there’ll never be a perfect time.”
He finally gave me a smile and nodded, “Thanks mom.”
I stifled a laugh, “Anything for you, love.” I pulled him into a hug, “Anyway, you know those guards are just there to make things more fun, right?”
“What?”
“I use to escape them when I was younger.” I chuckled, “I don’t want you to right now though, knowing there are people who would want to hurt you, but those men just makes living here more tolerable and fun.”
He chuckled, “I should have expected that from you.” He says, “Aunt Anna was telling us stories about how you always escaped the house.”
I laughed again, “She did tell you that she masterminded half of those escapes, right?”
“Yeah.” He grinned.
Our little world was disturbed when we heard a scream from where the others were. I frowned and saw Ken stand in front of Fate up on shore and glaring at the water.
I followed his gaze and saw the water break into ripples. Ken’s sisters were lined up at in the water, heads bowed. Chance and I rushed to stand and ran to where they were.
“Mom!” Fate called.
I pulled her behind me, and stepped forward to keep Chance behind me as well, I was pretty sure he would not let me pull him back.
“Ken-“
“I’m sorry Aunt Serenity, I didn’t know why she’s here…” he says, troubled.
“She?” Chance asked.
“Mother.”
Well this day just keeps getting better, doesn’t it? Josephine says.