Picture by FangsAndKisses ! Thank you!
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I lived in a constant state of worry when Mikko came around. He knew about my date with JJ, but he wasn't saying anything about it to me anymore.
I was thankful that he hasn't gone off on a rant about his child being in me, or whatever, but his silence did have me worried. It was never good when Mikko was silent.
Nikki was excited enough for the both of us. I was finally going on a real date. It was the first time in almost two years. I was nervous, excited, and worried as the time got closer and closer.
My dad was watching the triplets when Nikki finally made her way over.
We didn't really say much as I got ready. Nikki smiled a lot, but stayed quiet. I knew it was because Mikko was home. Nikki didn't want Mikko's attention just as much as I didn't.
But at a quarter to five, we heard his deliberately loud footsteps come towards my room. I was pretty much ready to go; I just needed to change clothes.
Mikko stopped at the doorway and looked at me. The situation felt more like I was waiting for my dad to tell at me instead of the father of my children.
"Where is he taking you?" he managed to ask without any anger in his voice, which was surprising. He didn't sound happy about it, but he wasn't stopping me. His eyes had flecks of gold that told me that he was fighting his wolf.
"He didn't say," Nikki chimed in happily. I knew it was salt in Mikko's wounded pride, and so did she.
Mikko slowly looked over to Nikki. Every move he made was deliberate. I'd even believe that the momentary glow in his eyes when he looked at Nikki was deliberate. "I wasn't asking you." His temper seeped into his words, but he quickly gained control over his emotions before he looked at me again, waiting for my answer.
"He didn't say." My cloned answer didn't do anything to ease the tension I saw in him.
"When is he coming?"
I knew what time it was, but I took the opportunity to look away from Mikko and look at my phone. "In fifteen," I replied. I really needed to start wearing my watch again. I used to always have it on when I was working.
When I looked back up at him, he just stared. It was unnerving, but eventually he snapped out of it and started blinking regularly again. "This is what you want then?"
I nodded once. There was a part of me that felt guilty for going on a date with JJ, especially after I had rejected Mikko's offer not even four nights ago.
But I pushed those feelings aside when I remembered everything that he had put me through. I had given Mikko plenty of chances. He wasn't getting anymore.
"This is what I want." And it was. I wanted the chance to be happy, and I was going to go for it.
Mikko nodded once then left without another word.
I waited a few minutes before shutting the door. I didn't want him to come back and rip my door of its hinges...which was likely.
I quickly changed into a nice dress that did wonders for my figure.
Once I was ready to go, I went out to play with my babies. Mikko was on the ground with Cass, making her walk around. She still wasn't a strong walker, but she was getting better.
When I heard JJ's rental pull up, I kissed each of the triplets and tried to get out the door before Mikko could embarrass me. But I didn't have that kind of luck.
As soon as I was in JJ's car, Mikko came out of the house. He looked mean and intimidating, and was directing it all at JJ. We both knew JJ had two options: run away from Mikko, or listen to whatever threats Mikko had for him.
JJ got out of the car, reluctantly, and walked over. Being the beta of his pack meant that he couldn't back down to a threat so easily. Pushing down on the accelerator would've been easier, but Mikko would've called him a coward. Cowards don't make it long at beta.
They didn't even speak for a minute before JJ was coming back to the car. He smiled reassuringly at me when he got back in.
"What was that?" I asked as he started to drive.
"Just giving me the threats your father did once upon a time." He threw me a boy-like grin over his shoulder before looking back at the road.
I groaned and turned my head away to look at the trees fly by. "He did not."
"He did." JJ sounded amused, so I wasn't completely mortified. "Though, your father didn't have to threaten me with taking care of you and your child's well being."
I was completely annoyed with Mikko. "Like I can't take care of myself?"
"Apparently not, Prego." JJ shook his head. "I'm taking you off territory. If we come back and anything's wrong with you, I'm dead."
"That's a charming way to start a date," I said sarcastically as I turned my head to face him. "I'm sorry. It shouldn't be so hard to take me on a date."
JJ glanced at me for a couple seconds before returning his attention back to the road. "You're worth the trouble, Em. Don't let anyone make you think otherwise."
My heart fluttered at the thought. Maybe I did have a chance to have a normal relationship, even if Mikko was lurking in the background. That was his own fault and not my problem anymore.
JJ held his hand out for me to take. I gladly took it with a smile. It was really nice.
During the drive, we caught up on each other's lives. I told him about what happened with Eddy and the disaster with Mikko.
He told me about his change and the difficulties he had gaining control over his wolf. It took him almost five years to completely control the beast. He had a very patient alpha to have dealt with it for so long. I know my father's alpha never would have put up with it for so long. It was a good thing that he had to move away for the change. Then he told me about everything it took him to gain the beta position in his pack.
He was the youngest to take the position and very proud that he had accomplished it. During the challenge, the previous beta died. JJ had killed him for the power, which didn't settle well in my gut. It was just the werewolf mentality, something I would never understand until I became one... if I became one.
The restaurant was a cute little thing. It looked like it had been originally built to be a house. When we walked in, it had been obviously renovated and suited to work as a restaurant. It was a small, family owned restaurant. It was super busy, the kind of place that you needed a reservation for.
The outside had all the appeal of a small cottage, rose garden included. There were a few couples enjoying the view while waiting for their seats.
I wished I had been here sooner, but I didn't get off pack lands very often. We were seated quickly, especially once the hostess noticed my condition. As annoying as it was to be looked at as though I had a disability, it did have its perks.
"How did you find this place?" I asked in awe as I we settled in to our seats.
"I asked around. Finn's...family" I couldn't believe that I almost slipped in a very public restaurant "is very friendly, once you get past the top three." All the pack needed was the neighborhoods surrounding them to get suspicious about the massive amount of men and wolves in their community.
It was a good thing the pack was very active in teaching wildlife survival-ness and instilling a good amount of precaution in the young children in their schools and popular fundraisers.
"Finn and Mikko are very uptight, but Philip is a sweetheart."
JJ laughed loudly. "Maybe to you. You're practically Philip's sister. Family is different to the Madill's. To outsiders, he'll tell you a joke and rip out your throat for the punch line."
It didn't sit well with me that someone could think that of Philip. He really was a sweetheart. He's only ever been mean to those who had threatened his family.
"Philip's not heartless," I defended.
JJ nodded in agreement. "Of the three, he is the personable one. But he's no angel. There isn't anyone like us who can survive without the ability to handle violence."
"You still need to maintain humanity." I couldn't believe that I had to defend Philip's honor to another werewolf. "You can have both."
His smile was tight and controlled as he nodded. It felt as if he was holding back. "That's where the balance becomes difficult, Em."
I smiled and dropped the subject. If we continued, the date would be ruined. I needed this to be a good experience. This had to be something good I could hold onto.
"At least the pack has been kind to you," I tried. He was making it a little difficult to make conversation with. Well, pleasant conversation. I could jump into an argument like nobody's business.
"And to you." He tilted his brew at me.
I nodded and looked down at my silverware. "I wish the situation could have been different when I met them."
JJ reached across the table and patted my hand, urging me to look i[p at him. "Things work out how they're meant to. If you hadn't met Mikko, you wouldn't have your kids, you wouldn't have been here, and we wouldn't have been able to reconnect."
I smiled as I looked up at him. "At least the change hasn't taken away your ability to see the silver lining."
He smirked. "I wouldn't say that."
The waitress came over and took our orders. We finally fell into a nice conversation as the dinner progressed. I was stuffed like a holiday pig by the time JJ stopped ordering food. I knew that he probably wasn't even close to being full. Werewolves were able to eat a lot because of the high demands their bodies required.
I nearly fell asleep in the car by the time JJ dropped me off at the house. We were much later than I thought we would be. By the time we left the restaurant, it was dark and almost nine o'clock. Which was, embarrassingly, my usually bedtime. Having so many kids was downright draining.
With all the speed of a supernatural, he was out of his side of the car and opening my door before I realized what he was doing.
He smiled and held his hand out for me to take. "I'm glad you could come with me. It would have been really embarrassing to have to go to that restaurant alone."
I let him help me out of the car. "Well, thank you for the date."
He pulled me close and gave me a soft kiss on the cheek. "Now go to bed, you look exhausted."
I knew that Mikko was likely to jump out of a window and ready to strangle JJ if he had kissed me on the lips.
I had him one last thankful hug and went into the house. The house was quiet when I walked in. It was well past the triplet's bedtime, so I was relieved I wouldn't have to worry about getting them to bed.
I was very surprised that Mikko hadn't pounced on me when I came through the door. I managed to get into my room and wash my face before I spotted Mikko.
He was leaning against the doorframe, watching me.
"What?" I asked tiredly. It had been a long day and I was more than ready to go to sleep.
"How did it go?" He was uncharacteristically calm, which made me put my guard up. Philip had warned me that Mikko was most dangerous when he looked calm and collected. I wouldn't forget that.
"Not that it's any of your business," I patted my face with a towel, "but it went great."
He nodded once, but didn't move from the door frame. "Does that mean you will be seeing him again?"
All I could do was shrug. "I think it would be nice, but I don't know if that's in the cards."
I could see his jaw working as he chewed on my answer. He didn't like it, but he wasn't pissed with it.
"Did you tell him about what I've offered you?"
I shook my head immediately. "No way. He would be off way too fast if he knew you wanted to be mated to me." I chuckled to myself at that thought. No one would want to come close at all if they knew Mikko had made me the offer.
Finn would definitely be breathing down my neck about the whole thing if he knew. Finn had wanted nothing more than Mikko and I to be mated since they first found out that I was pregnant. Now with the triplets and the new baby on the way, I knew that Finn was scheming to get what he wanted. Was it selfish to want your children to be happy?
Thinking of my children, I couldn't imagine that wanting them to be happy would be selfish. But was their happiness worth possibly costing someone else theirs?
I shook my head to myself and sighed. "Can you move? I want to sleep."
Mikko nodded and moved out of my way, just enough so that I'd have to touch him and so that he could get close enough to touch the baby bump.
"I don't trust him," Mikko said gently as he held onto my stomach.
I shrugged. "That's too bad Mikko, because I do."
He bent down low enough to kiss the baby bump once before leaving me alone in my room. I had a good time with JJ tonight, but did that make me selfish? Did the effort to find my own happiness make me selfish? Was it costing Mikko his?
I ran my fingers through my hair before lying down and running my fingers over the baby bump.
I didn't think it made me selfish, but I felt unsure about the answer.
I closed my eyes and started to drift off... then I heard Cass and knew it was going to be a long night with Mikko.