The sun was shining through our blinds, dancing on the naked skin of my back that was peeping through my tank top–warming it like the breath of a lover along my skin.
I stirred and started to wiggle my toes under the soft sheets with a scent that was filled with him–a fresh scent of him that made me sleepily smile. Blinking my eyes open, I found Ethan still snoozing soundly; I was laying on his chest, his nose still buried in my hair.
Thinking for a bit, I decided to get up and make him breakfast before his arms pulled me back to him. "Where do you think you're going, nurse?"
"You're not sick," I replied back, my voice slightly raspy from just waking.
"Sunshine, I am too." He flickered his eyes open, blue-green gentle pools looking back at me. "I'm supposed to be very sick, remember? Isn't that the plan?"
He was right in a way. If we could convince her that they were all still unwell–Levi and Ethan that is, then we may buy ourselves more time. I tilted my head so I could look at him some more, a brow slowly arching while his eyes scanned over my face. "Well, I guess you're right, that would be nice."
"See, you're still a nurse then," he replied with an air of smugness in his voice.
"And you're still a horrible patient."
He pushed some of my hair back and kissed my forehead. "Yes but you still love me."
"I do," I sighed out, a faint satisfied smile on my lips.
"I love you too baby," he replied quietly, resting his forehead on mine. "Can I have some blobs now?"
I playfully slapped his chest; his hand caught mine and brought it to his mouth where he kissed the back of it. "Like I said, horrible needy patient."
He mused for a moment then nodded in agreement. "I do need blobs. And you–"
"Ethan no," I injected.
"Why not?" he asked as he pulled me closer to him.
"Because, your ribs are still not healed all the way, you still have a little silver in your system–I can smell it off the wounds that still are not fully healed, and you're still not well enough to shift. If you can't shift, you can't have sex."
"That is the dumbest rule that I have ever heard of."
"You only say that because you don't like it," I said, my arms pushing me away and my legs swinging out of the bed. "Much like your thoughts on the vitamin drink which you are drinking this morning!"
"Goddammit," he slowly sighed out. "I take it back–you're a horrible nurse!"
I chuckled while I slipped on some house shoes before I walked around to his side of the bed. "Fine, more coffee and blobs for me. Stay in bed Everette, see if I care!"
"You do care!"
"About blobs!" I teased.
I heard him muttered some curses out while I slowly jogged down the stairs and headed to the coffee pot, a soft smile on my lips as I enjoyed the moments of the morning–a time where it was just he and I and we didn't have to worry about Aurelia or a portal or hundreds of rogues that more than likely wanted to kill us. Right now the thought of just making blobs and coffee with Ethan was sounding pretty close to what I thought heaven could be like.
Loud slow footsteps came down the stairs, drawing an amused smile that I bit back while the coffee pot gurgled in the background. I had a mixing bowl out and was reaching for the skillet when he walked into the kitchen, causing the hair on the back of my neck to raise. Instinctually my hands opened the cabinet above the coffee pot and pulled out a mug.
I poured some of the steamy dark liquid in before I walked over to where he was sliding onto a barstool. "Here."
He took the coffee from me before I dipped down to kiss him, letting his lips linger on mine before I pulled away. "Thank you, sunshine."
"How many blobs do you want?" I asked while I walked to the refrigerator to pull out the eggs and milk.
"I don't want blobs sunshine."
I turned and caught his mischievous eyes looking at me while he sipped at his coffee. My cheeks flushed before I shut the refrigerator door. "If you can't shift, then–"
"That's got to be the shittiest rule that I have ever heard of."
I flickered my eyes up to meet his while I poured the pancake mix out of the box and into a mixing bowl. "And you have to be the worst patient that I have ever met."
He rolled his eyes while I cracked the eggs into the bowl. "Been playing nurse a lot, sunshine?"
I let out a breathy laugh while I poured the milk into the bowl. "Jealousy is cute on you dear."
"So," he mused while he rested is head in his palm. "You think I'm cute then?"
My beast rolled her eyes while I shook my head; my hands were stirring the pancake batter when I noticed something familiar about the bowl. "Hey, I think this is the same bowl my dad came out of last time."
"Your dad came out of a bowl?"
"Uh ya." I looked at him and shrugged. "You'll see later, your brother almost peed his pants."
"That I do want to see."
He was smiling down at his coffee before he looked back at me. I walked quickly to the skillet on the stove, dropping some butter in it and causing it to sizzle. My feet carried me quickly back to the mixing bowl I had left on the island when my eyes caught his; they were soft, almost day dreamy, watching me with a tiny smile on his full lips.
"What is it?"
He shook his head. "Nothing."
A brow on my face lifted while I walked over to him, butter sizzling some more in the background. "It's not, nothing."
He shrugged while I stopped in front of him, his hands resting on my hips. "No, I guess not," he sighed out, one of his hands lifting to tuck an unruly curl back into place.
"Then what is it?" I asked while I rested my hands on his shoulders. "Tell me?"
"Or?"
"Or I will make you drink that vile liquid until you do."
He chuckled as he leaned up to kiss me while his hands pulled me closer. "This is just nice."
"What is?"
"This–you, me, blobs, not a horrible cell," he said, his voice soft as it rolled out of his mouth. "It's just nice."
I kissed him again, letting my beast reach out to his through the bond that was thankfully no longer throbbing in pain. "I love you."
"I love you too baby," he murmured to me. "Even when you burn the butter."
"I didn't–" I turned quickly as the smell of it hit me. "Well, shit."
I rushed to the skillet while smoke started to rise from it as Ethan just sat back and laughed, wincing every now and then before he would laugh some more. "It's not funny!"
"Oh, it is." He laughed some more then cocked his head. "Baby, do I need to make the blobs?"
"No, I can do it. Just sit down." He smiled into his coffee before he stood up. "Ethan really, I can–"
"I'm getting you some more coffee sunshine, you didn't say that I couldn't do that." He smiled smugly and reached around me to get my coffee cup that was empty, leaning close to my skin and kissing my neck while I waved the smoke away from the skillet. "Ethan..."
He nipped at my skin one last time then walked to the coffee pot. "Horrible nurse."
I waved him off then started the blobs again, this time I was able to actually make them without burning the butter. Ethan was still a horrible patient; he insisted on making the bacon himself and he made a fresh pot of coffee when I was too busy to notice after we drank the first pot.
The plate of fresh blobs was steaming in the middle of the island. Walking back, I poured some fresh coffee in our cups while Ethan grabbed some napkins. "Your brother should be here soon."
"Ya, good thing we have plenty of food," Ethan said while he sat back down as I placed some syrup and butter on the table.
Then it was quiet, the moment simple and yet absolutely perfect. Because in moments like this when it's quiet, when it's only the sound of silverware cutting and lips sipping coffee, that I think I realize that all I want are more of these. More of these moments where Ethan looks at me from under his eye lashes and my cheeks flush from the look in his eyes because I don't think my cheeks will ever stop flushing when he looks at me like that. Like I am the only thing in this room that matters; like he can straight to my soul–all the good and bad and pain and love, yet he wants all of it. Like the pancakes are not what he truly is hungry for, but he can wait–a look that says that he will always wait for me.
"What is it, baby?"
I shook my head and took another bite. "Nothing," I said with a soft smile on my lips.
Ethan opened his mouth then paused and looked over at the door. "Evan's here."
I smiled and got up to get two plates and two more mugs out as Ethan waved them in. Evan opened the door to Lyanna who walked quickly to Ethan and hugged him. "How are you feeling?"
"Better, thank you," he replied before he kissed her cheek.
She walked over to me while Evan hugged his brother, beasts reaching out to beasts in a moment that made my heart squeeze. I rubbed my cheek against her before I let out a long sigh. "How are you?" she asked.
I shrugged. "I have my coffee, so I guess I'm doing alright."
Lyanna rolled her eyes then walked over to where I had the cups lined up for he and Evan. I walked over to Evan who was still rubbing his sleepy eyes before he hugged me. "Morning little sister. "
"Morning Ev," I answered while he kissed my hair.
"Your blobs don't look too bad little sister," he answered before he took a cup of coffee from Lyanna.
"Well," I sighed out as I walked back to the island. I moved my plate and silverware to the seat next to Ethan; walking around, Evan put a plate down for himself and Lyanna before Lyanna came over with the coffee put in her hand. She set it down on an oven mitt to keep from burning the table before she sat down herself.
"Well little sister," Evan said while he cut into the blobs. "These look good, but I may retire early if I were you."
"Ev!" Lyanna slapped his shoulder before she turned to me with an apologetic smile. "Sorry Char."
Ethan sighed and put a hand on my knee before he looked up at Evan. "So Ev, what have you done?"
"Well, we have scouts on the tree. We can't cross because that's mountain land, but we can watch it. The familiars are on it too," he answered before he put a large piece of pancakes in his mouth.
"What about the caves?" Ethan asked.
"Familiars found two caves but we think there could be more," he said as he swallowed down a bite. "We have them looking for more, and we have Cora helping us too. She's had some things come back to her, she's given us a lot of useful information–"
"Like?" I asked.
"She's drawn routes, been able to give us a better idea of the land since she's from there," he said while he sipped at his coffee. "We may need to order more dynamite. The witches have magic, but I don't want to take chances."
"Do it," Ethan said, his eyes firm as he held Evan's.
"What if we don't blow them? What if something happens and they still come down–we have the alphas and their men to consider," Lyanna said, her eyes grim.
"We have too many battlefields," Evan groaned.
"Get the map out," Ethan said. "Please?"
"I got it," Lyanna said with a soft smile before she kissed Evan's cheek.
"Babe, will you get me a pony tail thing too?"
"You should just cut your hair Ev." I met his eyes with a slight smug smile on my lips.
He waved me off before he shoved more food in his mouth. "Lyanna likes it, so I like it."
Lyanna rolled her eyes as she walked back from the living room with the map we had previously been using and a hair tie. "Lyanna likes it to a certain degree, you may need a trim."
"Baby!" Evan threw his hands up while Ethan chuckled into his coffee. He sighed and tied his hair up while Lyanna laid the map out; looking back at Ethan, his eyes turned more solemn. "There's more brother."
"What?" Ethan looked up at him, holding his gaze for a moment.
"Since you've been out, the alphas that betrayed us–Joe, Lawrence, and Donald have raised flags over their packs with the rebel brand on it–"
Evan was cut off by one of Ethan's snarls. I laced my hand in his then took another bite of food. "And they have two more packs."
"Who?!" Ethan bit out.
"Corey and Victor," Evan said before he let out a long sigh.
"Out of loyalty?" I asked.
"Maybe?" Evan shrugged. "Caden thinks it may be our of fear as well."
Lyanna pointed at the map to a place south of our packs, south of Levi, Deryl, and Gregs' where other packs touched our borders. "They make this line, if you will, their packs do that more or less cups us towards the mountains."
"Obviously," Ethan breathed out. "They want to circle us and trap us so the rogues can run us over."
"So we have new enemies, what of the rogues in the warehouses? Do we know of any more?" I asked before I took a sip of coffee.
"Riley said Nate and Darren found one more warehouse," Evan answered.
"Nate and Darren? Riley?" Ethan looked over at me with both his brows raised.
"He helped us get you out," I answered. "Nate and Darren work for him, they will be taking over his business when he retires I assume."
"Right," Evan quickly breathed out. "So what happens if things go to shit? What do we do with them, brother? She will know that they've been involved and they are just humans."
"We send them either with Bernard or with the vampires. The vampires could put a claim on them that would keep them safe."
" A claim?"
Ethan looked back at me and nodded. "A vampire can more or less 'claim' a human. It means that no other vamp could drink from them or harm them. They would be 'the property' of the vampire that claimed them, but if it was any of our friends they would just do it to protect them rather than enslave like some vampires do."
"Charlotte and I were talking about the pack–"
"We don't know–"
"Evan," Ethan said, his voice slightly louder and unyielding. "We need to talk about it, no matter how much you don't like it."
"If she comes to power, you will have her and Alex along with any friends he has made on your tail–have we heard anything about that?"
"We can ask Dominic," I said before I looked back at Evan. "Ethan and I talked. We think if anything were to happen to us, that you need to get our pack and get as many as you can and get in the emergency shelters. This week we need to make sure they are ready to go and have enough food and supplies to last over a month."
"You want us to surrender?" Ethan's brows were raised high and Lynna's mouth dropped a few inches.
"No," Ethan pushed back. "We want you to save as many as you can then start working on a plan to kill her. She will destroy anything in her path. It would be smarter to act like you are cooperating than it would be to fight her right off the bat. You fight her she will just kill you without blinking an eye."
"That's going to be impossible brother, she's not just another witch."
"What choice do you have Ev?" Ethan's eyes were holding Evan's in what looked to be a mix of pain and exhaustion. "If you keep fighting her she will kill you and wipe this pack out. If you lay low, and 'cooperate,' then when she's not looking you bite her. Take her out."
"And what if one of you makes it?" The words came out of Lyanna's mouth and were like a needle to my heart.
I felt Ethan's hand clench my knee a little tighter. "Same plan," he said before he took a long sip of coffee.
"Ok, what else Ev?" I said, trying to change the topic quickly.
"Well," he said while he swallowed down a bite of pancakes. "Naturally, the alphas in the north have posted more scouts. Callista is coming in with her witches. I think, just looking at this map, if we can hold the packs off in the south, and kill her then it's game over. Without their leader, they will fall apart."
"Easier said than done," Lyanna muttered, her eyes scanning over the map.
"Also Bernard is calling Hadrian up again, much to his disapproval," Evan said. I cocked a brow a brow and eyed him. He just shrugged at me. "He doesn't like the blood magic. Says it's unnatural and that we are doing more harm than good by using it."
"Well, what choice do we have?" Ethan said. "It's not like there's another 'not blood magic.'"
"I've been looking," Lyanna said. "Lucas and I found something before you were taken, well it's what we skipped about. Remember?"
"Ya, the inside out thing?" I asked.
She nodded. "I've been doing some reading. Derek and Helen both opened their coven records to me, Alister actually put two of his coven members on helping–he's very nice by the way. Callista and Bernard have opened up their records as well. Dagny and I are combing through and seeing if there's anything more about it or anything that can help."
"Found anything yet?" I asked.
She shrugged but Evan just turned back to look at us. "She's had an itch about it for the last few weeks."
"You do?" I looked at her silver eyes that were worn out.
She nodded slowly before she took a sip of coffee. "You know it's stupid to ignore a Thorne itch."
Ethan barked out a laugh, wincing slightly that made Evan's face twist into pain for him. "We do now," Ethan said before he took a long sip of coffee.
"Want anymore Ev?" I asked as he finished the last bite of blobs on his plate.
"No thanks Char," he answered while he wiped his mouth with a paper towel. "Shall we go plan her slow and impending death then?"
I laughed into my mug and nodded. "Are we meeting at our pack house?"
"Yes, Levi's is more or less in need of an extreme makeover pack house edition," Evan said.
My lips twitched into a frown before I slid off of the stool. "Well let's get going. Ethan, you need to drink that–"
"Come on baby," he whined.
"Doctor's orders," I sang out while I walked to the refrigerator.
"I hate the doctor," he grumbled while Evan snickered.
Ethan more or less grumbled and whined and complained the whole time while I made him drink his vitamin drink. Lyanna and Evan both found it more than amusing, and I would be lying if I said I didn't as well.
I showered off quickly then threw on some yoga pants, a tank top, and one of Ethan's sweatshirts which he grumbled about as well before I slipped on my Ked's. Ethan and I argued again about shifting. He was convinced that he was fine but my beast and I were not taking chances with him; he still had a faint trace of silver in his system and he was not fooling me with those bruises that were still staining his skin or the gashes that still needed heeling.
We walked hand in hand down to the pack house. Evan and Lyanna went before us; pack members yipped at us, some ran up to Ethan in their fur, rubbing against his legs affectionately before they rubbed against mine.
I sighed and leaned against his shoulder. I could only pray that we could keep them safe. We had to keep them safe from her.
Levi was in a real mood when we walked into the pack house. We could hear him barking out orders with curses from the meeting as we turned down the hall. I found myself smiling while Ethan just sighed and shook his head.
"Boy, just get me my damn coffee!"
"I don't know whether this is making me happy or infuriated," Ethan mused.
"Happy," I said before I looked up at him. "Definitely happy."
"I swear this room is getting more use than it did in the last twenty years," Ethan said under his breath while we walked in the doors.
Lucas trotted up while Lander was arguing with Levi to sit down. "I swear my dad is the worst patient."
"I'm not sick and I'm not your damn patient!"
I hugged Lucas then looked over at Levi. "Better get his coffee."
"And you thought I was bad," Ethan said with a sly smile.
I rolled my eyes and headed down the stairs while Lucas ran towards the kitchen. "You are bad, baby."
David waved to us from the floor where he, Jake, and Cora were looking at a map with Bowie. We waved back while Dagny bickered with Vincent over something, they had spell books scattered in front of them and sticky notes all over them; eventually, she sighed and he kissed her on the cheek, causing her to jump a little while her cheeks turned as pink as her hair.
Derek zipped over to me with Barrett and Evie. Evie hugged me while Barrett hugged Ethan. "Glad you're ok mate," Barrett said with a smile.
Derek sighed and hugged me while Evie gave Ethan a light hug. "Where's Elliot?" I asked.
"Out helping Remi, Ryder, and Becker. The scouting is a twenty-four seven job."
"Well, you look lovely," Dominic told Ethan with a sly smile. Ethan rolled his eyes before Dominic walked over to me and hugged me to him. "I'm so very excited for Hadrian to finally meet him. You know he asked for you last time Ethan."
"Fantastic," Ethan grumbled while Dominic chuckled.
"Where's Wynona?"
"Helping Sam, they are trying to work on a cure for the rogues."
"Right," I breathed out. "I'll be back," I said as I pulled away and walked over to Levi and Lander while Lyanna and Evan were woking on Skyping the others.
Levi sighed and smiled at me. "Hey, Charlie girl."
I smiled then walked into a hug, letting his beast come closer to nuzzle me before I pulled away. "I've heard you've been giving Lander and Lucas hell."
"Hell is an understatement," Lander muttered under his breath before he slumped down in his chair.
"Only because I am fine and I am not sick," Levi answered back.
"Levi," I groaned. "Really?"
"I just need my coffee Charlie girl, I'm fine."
"Just needs his coffee," Lucas grumbled from behind me as he handed Levi another steamy cup.
"Thank you, son, see, that wasn't so hard was it?"
Lucas sighed then looked over at me. "Hey, sis."
I chuckled then looked back at Levi. "I think you are actually the worst patient, I thought Ethan was bad. You definitely take the cake, Levi."
"I'm not sick!"
"I'm fine sweet thing!" Jaxon grumbled out from the top of the stairs.
Andrea threw her hands up and looked at me with wide eyes before she just sauntered past Jaxon, who was carefully walking down the stairs, and over to me. I rubbed my cheek against her's and hugged her while I eyed Jaxon. "He's the worst. He won't let anyone help him. He's tried to shift twice. He still has bruised ribs, bones, and all kinds of other things–that and he is convinced he can–" she paused and looked over her shoulder. "Well, you know."
I groaned and turned with her on my arm walking over towards where Ethan and Jaxon were talking. "Ethan is too. He's tried already this morning and has thrown a royal fit when he has to drink the vitamin drink."
"Ya! Jaxon just walked into the shower and tried to, well, you know. I told him if he can't shift he can't have sex."
"That's what I said!"
We both sighed and shook our heads while we eyed our males. "Wine soon?"
"Yes," I said not he edge of a breathy laugh.
Jaxon turned around and looked at the room while Lyanna pulled up the Skype with Talia, Ajax, and Deryl. Andrea and I turned to wave at Talia. "How are you Ajax?" I asked.
He nodded slowly while Talia rolled her eyes. "He's fine. A big baby, but fine."
"Issach and Blair?" I asked.
"He's still sleeping, we can relay to them. He didn't wake up too long ago."
"Alright, then let's get going," Ethan called out. I gave Andrea's arm another squeeze before I walked over to Ethan.
Jaxon sighed and looked back at Andrea. "Well come on nurse, let's go sit down."
Andrea growled lowly at him then marched over to their seats while Jaxon threw his hands up. "I give up."
Ethan rolled his eyes and pulled me along with him to sit down. "And you thought I was really that bad?"
"You are that bad. You and Jaxon are not that far off," I said with a slightly amused smile.
"Sunshine!" he scoffed out. "You wound me."
"You're already wounded Everette," I pointed out.
"Hence why you need to step up your nurse skills sunshine," he teased as we sat down.
"Or you could just be a less cranky patient."
"Or you could let me shift?"
"I'm not making the rules Ethan," I said before I turned to look at his mischievous eyes.
"Rule are meant to be broken sunshine," he practically sang out.
"Not all rules baby," I said while he slipped an army around my waist.
"But some rules?"
I sighed and shook my head while I leaned it against his shoulder. "I supposed it depends Everette."