Once Sean and I were done with our job at the college that afternoon we headed together to Sang's home.
Seeing the procession of cars pulling behind my own I notice that the other boys, with the exception of North, were all just behind us.
Hiding, boys?
Sadly, I could understand their trepidation...
After running out of my own office once I saw that Sang was losing her temper I had run smack-dab into Sean, who had been hiding in the corridor waiting for her to calm down before he came in.
We had looked at each other and silently agreed that the library was a good place to be at that moment. Especially since it was located on the other side of the campus.
Cowardly, perhaps, but they were just boys, all of them, and an angry Sang was more than any of them knew how to handle.
Parking my car I stepped out and walked to the front door, Sean and the others all following behind me.
I opened the door to the house and entered, walking through the front hall and into the living room, where North was sitting in the couch, watching television.
I paused in the doorway. "How are things?" I asked him, keeping my expression blank.
He didn't raise his eyes from the Tv to answer me. "Last I checked she was killing... I mean, she was baking some bread to make chicken sandwiches."
I gulped quietly; the image of Sang punching the dough instead of kneading it filled my mind.
Deciding it was better to get the whole ordeal out of the way I straightened my spine, turned around and walked into the kitchen, the boys still silently following me.
As I walk through the door I see Sang standing at the counter with her hands in a basin full of chicken parts.
"Hello Darling." I greet her.
"Owen." Her voice is calm and serene but something about it makes the hair at the back of my neck stand on end.
"What are you doing?" I ask her, stalling a little bit, trying to determine how mad she still is for hiding the fact she was being stalked from her.
She took a chicken breast in her hands with the wing still attached. "Just a dismemberment." She said before snapping the joint.
And with that I decided she was still furious at us.
I felt the air move behind me, proving that my brothers had left. Taking a step back, I slowly backed out of the kitchen, never turning my back to her.
I wouldn't be surprised if she threw that chicken at my head right now.
Entering the living room I my team, all eight of them, looking at me expectantly.
I snorted. "If you are thinking I am going to face her alone, you better think again."
They deflated.
It was amazing how our little darling managed to put a team of the best Academy members in the defensive.
I was so proud of her. Even while I hide myself in the living room with the rest of my brothers, waiting for her to calm down, I was still proud of her.
Victor, who had been sitting at the couch, suddenly stands up with a determined look on his face and heads over to the kitchen.
We all watch in silent mourning as our brother walks alone in there, disappearing through the doorway.
......
I spent the whole afternoon fuming at the boys. I had thought they trusted me, but still they kept secrets.
No, that was wrong; I knew they did trust me. But they were overprotective Neanderthals.
I felt like bashing their heads against a hall...
Deep breath, Sang. In, out...
It was annoying. I had taken care of myself my whole life, I could handle a stalker.
I knew they hid the information from me because they cared and wanted to protect me, but still the anger didn't go away. I needed to calm down.
I was snapping the last chicken wing when I felt the air move and glanced at the doorway, the scent of berries and moss reaching me as he walked into the kitchen, his fire eyes looking subdued.
"Princess..." Said my gentle sweetheart.
Victor had such a gentle personality that it was hard to think of him as a Neanderthal male at times.
Stepped closer to me, "Can I help you with anything?" He asked, voice hesitant.
I looked around the kitchen; the bread was in the oven, the chicken would go into the pressure now to be shredded later. All that was left was prepare the sauce and cut the vegetables.
"Yes," I told him. "Take the vegetables I left in the counter and cut then up for me."
Turning back to the stove I started to make the sauce as the chicken cooked.
We worked in silence, but his presence was relaxing, making my anger diminish to a manageable simmer.
After we were done preparing the sandwiches we moved to the table and called for the others to join us. They came in quietly, all sending Victor questioning looks, trying to determine my mood through him since I kept a blank face that was almost as good as Owen's.
From the wary look on Owen's face, it was obvious that at least he could see that I was still incensed at them.
We sat down and dinned quietly, the boys talking between themselves about inane things.
Once we were finished I crossed my arms over my chest and gave them all a look. "Now, you listen up, boys, because I am going to lay down the law."
They focused their eyes on me, their expressions a mix of wariness and hopefulness.
"No more secrets or lies." I said and they flinched. "I understand that until I become an official member of the Academy there will be things that you can't tell me, but when it is about myself, our family, or anything else for that matter, you better always be sincere with me. If there is something you can't tell me so said that, but don't lie to me. Never lie to me."
By the time I was done talking they all had solemn looks on their faces and sa one they all answered.
"I am willing and I will obey."
......
After a long day working in the hospital I was glad to be finally able to return to my house for a good night of rest.
Driving through Sunnyvale court I passed Nathan and Sang's home when something caught my eye.
I parked my car in the middle of the street and got out to check.
Approaching the front door I was met with a strange sight. There, lying in the ground was a white mask.
......
After Pookie was done we moved on to the living room for the rest of the family meeting. Owen told us about the Academy request for a formal introduction with Sang and she agreed to meet with them.
Luke looked a little uneasy, but the other boys seemed fine. Even Kota, surprisingly.
I thought his tranquility might have something to do with her confession of loving him a few days ago and I knew Luke would settle eventually too.
Soon Luke, North and Sang left for a late shift at the dinner. They would both be out until late and skip college the next day to go on missions in the afternoon.
Silas, Victor, and Gabriel went home. Kota stayed with Nathan and me and Owen stood up to leave too once he was done talking with Kota about upcoming missions.
Opening the front door we came face to face with Dr. Roberts.
The older doctor had a puzzled expression on his face as he stared at something in his hands.
"Phil?" I asked as I felt Owen moving in behind me in the doorway.
Phil looked up from the mask on his hands and said, "Someone left this on the doorstep."
My eyes went to the mask and I frowned. Why would someone leave a white mask in front of the house?
It wasn't a coincidence; the front door was quite removed from the sidewalk so it couldn't have been just something that they dropped on the ground.
Turning the mask around, we saw that there was something written on the back:
"They will pay for what they did. I will make sure of it. Ʌ."