"Why is a human passed out on the sofa?" Coach Kenet asks as she walks into the kitchen.
"He's just sleeping," I say. "And he's my brother."
"I'm aware of that," she says. "But we're about to share some extremely, confidential information. In short, he needs to go."
"It's fine," I say. "He's asleep."
"He could wake up at any second."
"He won't wake up," I say. I'm sure of it. Michael's "naps" last for hours. He's not going anywhere.
She shakes her head. "No. No leaks. There's always the possibility—" She suddenly stops talking. She turns to Onai with a raised eyebrow. "Really?"
He nods. "He won't wake up." He looks like he's recalling a bad memory. I can imagine it now. Michael falling asleep in the middle of their programming class and leaving him to do all the work.
Coach Kenet sighs. "Well fine then. Whatever. Let's just get this meeting started." She puts her hands on her hips. "The first order of business is—"
"Ahem," Carson says.
She raises an eyebrow. "What? What now?"
He points at himself then gestures towards his brothers.
She still looks confused.
"We're, um, kind of supposed to lead the meeting," Axel says.
She waves both of them off, not paying them any mind. "Like I was saying, we're gathered here today to discuss the pressing issues currently threatening to destroy our pack."
I already feel so overwhelmed. Everything is life, death, life, death with her. There isn't any in between, so I can't determine the actual severity of what she's saying. I just feel scared to death, and she could be talking about recycling for all I know.
She stomps closer to the large table we're all gathered around. "The people before you are the only ones we can trust from here on out. No exceptions."
"Except Ms. Baynes," Ethel says quietly.
Coach Kenet opens her mouth to say something against him, but then she pauses. She rubs her chin. "Yeah I guess you're right." She turns to the rest of us. "Her nephew's got a cold, so she won't be able to attend today. But other than that, this pack is full of liars and cheaters and snakes and—"
"Don't forget Nurse Janice," Aiden adds.
"Oh yeah," Coach Kenet nods. "She's dealing with the school evacuations right now. But other than that, trust no one." She points to all of us with a wary eye. "Watch your back. You never know if the person you trust is really in cahoots with the enemy. As far as we're concerned, we're in the middle of a warzone."
I stare at her wide-eyed. "What?"
She nods. "That's right."
My mouth falls open. What is she talking about? Last time I checked, we were playing Switzerland. What the hell happened over night?
"Stop it," Onai says to her. He looks at me. "Don't listen to her. We're not actually at war."
"Yet," she suddenly appears, glaring over his shoulder. "But how long will that last, Onai? I don't think you actually know, unless you've suddenly been endowed with some oracle abilities you should tell us all about. Who's to say you won't be strapping up for the front lines tomorrow?"
He raises an eyebrow. "Um, my division?"
She makes a move to grab him. He flinches back, staring at her like she's crazy. Ethel buries his face in his hands. He looks mortified, but I don't know why.
"Anymore smart comments?" she asks Onai with narrowed eyes.
He shakes his head, still backing away from her.
"I didn't think so." She straightens her sleeveless vest forcefully. "Now like I was saying, we even had some of our own member turn against us today. That's all the proof I need. You can't have traitors if you're not in the middle of a war."
"That's not what happened," Brittany says.
But when she gets a lethal look from Coach Kenet, she shuts up.
Coach Kenet glares at her while saying the next part. "How is that not what happened, Brittany? When we had some valuable assets on the field today. Good men, or so I thought, and yet they were rendered incapable of doing what it took to ensure the safety of their own pack when the going got tough. When it really mattered. When push. Came. To shove." She shakes her head in disgust. "Disobedience can no longer be tolerated, and yet it's all I see these days. You two aren't training them hard enough." She looks between Carson and Brittany.
"They're running them into the dirt. How much harder could it..." Ethel starts, but when Coach Kenet looks at him, he quiets down faster than anyone else.
I expect Carson to take the offensive too, plead his case, defend himself, but he just squares his shoulders and crosses his arms. "We'll do better." That's all he says.
I hesitate before asking, Coach Kenet, "What did the pack members do in the first place?"
"I was hoping you'd ask that," she suddenly appears beside me.
I nearly jump ten feet in the air, knocking into Aiden.
He offers no help whatsoever as she stares into my eyes with a hard look. "When the enemy was knocking on our doorstep, some of our soldiers were prepared to hand you over without a second thought. If that's not failing as a luna, I don't know what is."
My heart stops. What?
"How are you gonna turn that on her?" Axel asks.
"Not only that," Krys shakes her head. "That's also a gross misrepresentation of what actually happened."
Coach Kenet turns to the much shorter girl with nothing less than irritation written all over her face. "I'm sorry. Were the people at our borders not Bloodmoon and Dawn pack members?"
"Not all of them," Krys says.
Coach Kenet nods. "But most of them were, right?"
"They didn't want to be anymore. They were trying to defect," Krys' voice raises.
I'm honestly surprised. She looks... angry. When is Krys ever angry?
Coach Kenet just shakes her head. "They weren't trying to defect. They were trying to get us to give our luna to them, hand delivered with a little bow on the top saying, 'Come again and disrespect us some more whenever you feel like it.' I mean seriously, the audacity," she scoffs. "They even had an assassin demanding it all. like it was some kind of political movement."
"It was an old lady," Krys cries out.
Coach Kenet scoffs. "And was it not an old man that tried to kill her not too long ago? Since when do the elderly get a free pass?"
"I'm just saying, you can't assume things so easily," Krys' voice falls to just a whisper. "Especially about people you don't... I mean, we don't even know." There's a sadness in her eyes I don't quite understand.
Coach Kenet nods, sympathetically. "Oh, I understand... I understand you're feeling some sympathy for your old, traitorous pack," she spits out.
What? I turn to Krys, slowly. What did Coach just say? Krys stares at her wide-eyed.
Brittany slams her hands down on the table, glaring daggers at the older woman. "You know not to bring that up, Kenet. There are rules, and you know them as well as I do."
"The only rule I abide by is ensuring everybody's safety." She glares back at Brittany.
"So you think that gives you the right to exert powers you no longer have?"
"Ugh. Don't remind me," Coach Kenet groans. Her eyes wander over Ethel for a second. His eyes fall. She keeps going. "The only' powers' I need though, now, are the powers of truth, justice, and I'm the one who cooks your dinner so you better watch your mouth young lady." She snaps her head towards Brittany.
Brittany gasps. "First my mate and now my—" Brittany pales. She clears her throat before trying again. "I meant, first my imprint and now my dinner? You're out of control."
In the midst of this, my eyes connect with Krys'. I look away, but it's too late.
"It was a long time ago," she says to me while Coach Kenet and Brittany continue to argue. "I imprinted on Bri. That's why I got to switch packs."
I nod. I don't know what else to say. I'm suddenly reminded of the very first thing she ever said to me, all those weeks ago in the locker room.
"I understand how hard it can be to not have anywhere you belong to for a while."
I didn't know this was what she meant.
Her face falls. "I'm not Bloodmoon anymore though. This is my pack, and you're my luna. I'd never put you in danger."
I wave her off, smiling gently. "I wasn't thinking anything like that. You don't have to explain yourself to me. I trust you."
That seems to put her at ease, just a bit.
Of course, it's another lie.
You seriously mean to tell me she was Bloodmoon once upon a time? Part of the pack that's currently trying to rape and/or murder me, and she's around me all the time? I could be dead by now. Wtf?
Thank god I'm not a part of mindlink, because my thoughts are some kind of crazy right now. Don't get me wrong, I trust her, but... Come on. That's just too convenient. I should've known this years ago. Not just right now over some kitchen table at a haphazard meeting with my brother's snoring distracting us all.
Sometimes you just can't help seeing people in a different light, after you learn certain things about them. Sometimes you just can't unthink things. Once you know, you know... you know? I trust her, but...
Krys looks at everyone in the room, especially the alphas. "I'd never hurt Mia. I just want to put that out there—"
"You don't need to explain yourself to anyone." Brittany crosses her arms, narrowing her eyes. If looks could kill, we'd all be dead—starting with Coach Kenet. So this is what a wolf looks like when their imprint's been threatened? It's kind of scary. She's looking at us all like we're public enemy number one, daring us to say something.
Krys, on the other hand, waves her off. "Coach Kenet's right, Bri. Now's not the time for pride."
"It's not pride," Aiden says to her. "It's common sense. If you wanted Mia gone, she'd be dead already. You've had ample opportunities to either kidnap her, kill her, or even both. We're just wasting time with this conversation."
The room falls silent. Krys stares at him wide eyed.
We all look at each other. What did he just say? Was that his attempt at defending her?
Ethel clears his throat. "In other words," he says... delicately. "Krys has already shown her loyalty by keeping Mia safe time and time again." He smiles.
We all nod, liking that explanation a lot more than Aiden's.
"Is that not what I just said?" Aiden asks.
Silence.
Aiden furrows his brow, looking at Ethel. "I just said that right?"
Ethel nods quickly, but his eyes tell a different story.
"The point is," Carson cuts in. "Krys is just as Silvermoon as the rest of us, and that shouldn't be questioned anymore. Period." His body language is clear—end of discussion.
"Exactly," Axel says looking at everyone in the room. "We've already established that everyone here is someone we trust. There's no sense in dividing ourselves now. We need to work together."
"Thanks. I just said that," Carson mutters under his breath.
Axel looks at him. Carson looks right back, and I can tell they're saying a lot of things in their head that might not be appropriate to say out loud. Oh here we go.
Before the awkward can set in around us, Aiden cuts in. "If anyone has any lingering problems with anyone else around here, besides them." He points towards his brothers. "Now's the time to speak up so we can be done with it. If not, keep it to yourself from here on out." He gives us his usual cold expression.
Coach Kenet shrugs. "Whatever," she says uninterestedly. "But I hope you know that when I served at your father's side, I saw a lot..."
Things are starting to piece together in my mind. Was she their father's beta? That would make a lot of sense.
"... Enough to know that if anyone's gonna betray us, it'll be her." She looks straight at me this time. "Don't say I didn't warn you."
"Well thankfully that time has long passed," Brittany says under her breath. I think I even hear her say old lady.
Coach Kenet doesn't look amused. She ignores Brittany though and turns to Krys. "For the record, though..."
Krys seems to brace herself.
"I meant no offense, Krys." Coach Kenet's usual glower is replaced with a, less hostile expression.
Krys raises an eyebrow. "Oh really?" She laughs, humorlessly, which is so uncharacteristic of her.
"Really," Coach Kenet says. "I do trust you. That's why I'm expecting to be betray." She crosses her arms and looks away. "If it makes you feel better, I think it'll kind of hurt when I'm proven right. It'll break a little piece of my heart right here." She taps her chest before turning to the brothers. "Well that's all I had to say. Is the meeting over?"
They deadpan. They look at her the way kids do when their mom is driving them crazy.
"You completely derailed from the agenda," Carson says. "Of course we're not done."
"Well I've kind of got somewhere to be." She looks down at her wrist. "How long is this gonna take?"
Carson's eyes bulge out their sockets. Even though he was just fighting with Axel, it's Axel who he turns to for some kind of emotional support. "She's trying to drive me crazy, man."
Axel pats his shoulder firmly.
"Alright," Aiden sighs. "Let's just wrap this up. I can't take you people anymore."
My mouth falls open, but when groans of agreement fill the room, I have nothing left to say. So much for the only people we can trust.
"I think it would be best for me to recap the situation so that we're all on the same page," Aiden says, mainly to me. "Today, a number of potentially dangerous Bloodmoon and Dawn pack members approached our borders seeking refuge from the war, the war that we are currently not a part of. Does everyone agree with that statement?"
He looks around the room.
Everyone nods, except Coach Kenet who mildly shrugs. "I suppose that works for now," she mutters poshly.
Aiden shakes his head and keeps going. "They could've been assassins, but they just as easily could've been innocent civilians. We collectively chose to send them away, regardless, to ensure the safety of our pack."
I can't help scoffing under my breath. Collective?
"Is there something you'd like to add, Mia?" He looks down at me.
I shake my head. "No." I look up at him. "I guess I'm just not understanding some things."
"Such as?"
"Well." I look at Coach Kenet. "She said that some people weren't willing to do what was necessary to protect the pack. I'm assuming they didn't want to turn the refugees away?" I ask.
He thinks for a second before nodding.
"Well then, how was that a collective decision if only you three made it?" I don't mean to be rude, but I didn't know about any of this. Not that I should have a say in anything. What do I know? But Brittany, Krys, and Onai alone seem to have had some discrepancies with the plan. Clearly something's not adding up.
Aiden glares at me. "Why are you trying to argue with me?"
I cock my head back. "I'm not. I'm just trying to understand what's going on."
"Well it sounds like you're getting upset," he says. "Instead of listening to me."
"Because it sounds bad," I say. I try to keep my voice from raising. "It sounds like you guys just turned away a bunch of innocent women and children and threw some people out of our pack for no reason. Forgive me if I have my reservations about the plan." I stare at him incredulously.
"Of course we didn't kick people out," Axel says.
I raise an eyebrow. "Really?"
He nods.
"Oh." Now I kind of feel bad for what I said. "Well what did you do to them?" I ask.
He doesn't say anything.
"Axel?"
No response.
I look around the room. My heart drops. "You killed them?" I scream.
"Of course not," Axel screams back, more surprised than angry.
I hold my heart. "Well don't scare me like that. What did you do?" I look at him. "Just tell me now, please. I can't take anymore surprises."
He looks at his brothers and Onai before responding. "We just... detained them."
My mouth falls open. "That's even worse!"
"How do you figure that?" Cason asks.
I look straight into his eyes. "If they turned against you that's one thing, but if they just couldn't do it, they just couldn't do it. You're punishing them for having a conscience." Am I in the freaking twilight zone right now?
"No we're not," Aiden says. "We're just making sure that their conscience is from a good place, and not trying to kill you or the rest of the pack." He looks away from me. "But you're right. Next time we'll just throw open the borders. Better everyone die in here together."
I roll my eyes. "That's not what I said," I say. Is he seriously doing this right now?
"No, don't worry about it." He crosses his arms. "It's not like I consider things."
Wow, he really is. I rub my forehead, sighing. "Okay, look Aiden. I'm sorry I didn't listen to your full plan first before jumping to conclusions."
He still doesn't say anything. How can one person be so petty?
I try again. "Of course you wouldn't send innocent children away or lock people up for no reason. I should've assumed that to being with."
The room gets really quiet, even more than it was before. The entire atmosphere changes, and a lot of faces go blank.
"What?" I ask.
Nobody says anything. Everyone avoids eye contact with me. Other than another loud snore from Michael, the room's silent.
I look back at Aiden. "Am I missing something?"
He opens his mouth, but when he looks into my eyes, his words fall silent.
"Well?" I ask.
He looks away. "Nothing."
Nothing? Everyone looks at him, shocked.
I stare at him too, even though I don't know why. What's the problem? "Is there something... you're not saying?" I ask. I feel ridiculous for asking it though. Aiden is always honest... right?
"Of course not." [A/N: Haha, dramatic and verbal irony all in one xD] He looks at me, and I immediately believe him because... Well, because it's Aiden. "There's just something else we need to talk about," he says.
I nod. "Okay, what?"
"The Dusk and Moonlight Pack."
"Are they enemies?" I ask.
"No," Axel smiles. "They're good allies."
Well that's a relief. For once, I'll get to know a pack that doesn't want me dead. But if they don't want me dead... I raise an eyebrow. "Well why do they want to meet me?"
"Since we're considering getting more involved in the war, whether or not we join it, allowing them to meet you would be a good sign of trust," Carson says, not really looking at me.
That makes sense. "So I just have to meet them?"
Aiden nods.
"No speeches?" I ask.
Axel smiles. "No speeches."
I smile back. "Good, because honestly... I can't. No one wants to see that disaster."
For the first time in a while, the mood in the room lightens. A few people even chuckle.
"The only other people you might have to meet, besides the alphas," Brittany says. "Are their betas, luna, and lunai respectively."
"Lunai?" I ask.
"Male luna," Ethel says. "The alpha of the Moonlight Pack is a girl."
"Really?" I say. "I've never heard of that before."
Krys smiles. "Me either. It's so cool, right?"
I nod.
That is, I nod, until I see Brittany glowering in the corner. "Being a beta is pretty cool too, you know," she mutters.
Krys deadpans, scratching the back of her head. "Of course, of course. Beta is even better, especially of this pack."
It's too late. Brittany continues to sulk.
"Well is that all we had to talk about?" Coach Kenet asks, about to leave the room. Aiden is hot on her trails. Wow, he really is sick of us.
"Actually," Ethel says, albeit reluctantly. He gives Aiden a look.
Aiden nods, walking back towards the table. He's about to say something, but for some reason that pisses Coach Kenet off. "If your beta has something to say, then he should speak up himself." She glares daggers at poor Ethel.
Ethel flinches. "Right..." He turns to me slowly, collecting his words. "Er, okay, it's just... You're not gonna like it no matter how I say it, so I'll just." He waves in front of him.
I don't like where this is going.
"It's Suzie," he says.
He was right. I don't like the fact that he just mentioned she who must not be named, especially at a time like this when Carson and I aren't on the best of terms. "What about her?" I ask as calmly as possible. Which isn't that calm at all.
Brittany nudges my shoulder. "Hey cranky pants. Just hear him out."
She's one to talk. I give her a sassy look. I want to say absolutely not, but I just opt for giving her a look that says it all for me.
She gives me one back.
Ugh. Why is she doing this to me? I don't care for that girl. Brittany should know that by now. I can't even help my distaste at this point.
"Hear him out," she says again. "There was a point you didn't like me either, remember?"
"Who's to say that changed?" I ask.
"Hey." She shoves me playfully, but that's not how the brothers take it. All three of their heads snap in her direction.
She pales, putting her hands up in defense. "Okay, like I was saying." She looks at me, this time keeping her hands to herself—even though that didn't hurt at all. "Suzie's good people, even if you don't believe it."
"Well, I don't." I sigh and look at Ethel. Might as well get this over with. "Okay. What is it?"
He puts on a very serious face, but it doesn't quite work. He just doesn't have the look for it. But then again, I guess he does. He's extremely tall, fit, and really attractive—from an objective point of view of course. The brothers are the only ones I'm interested in, but all the alphas and betas are attractive.
Ethel though, he has green eyes that kind of just stare straight through you. I know the first time I saw him, he intimidated me. But now... I don't know. I know he can be serious, but he's just more easy going to me. Like Axel. So when he tries to look tough on purpose, it kind of flops. "As the heir to the position of key strategist," he starts. "It's very important that Suzie prepares on a daily basis for the ins and outs of handling the pack. It's the most important position after alpha and beta so—"
One of Michael's snores quite literally tears through the house.
"Jesus Christ. I can't take it anymore." Onai walks out of the kitchen.
I follow quickly, afraid of what he might do to my poor brother. "One second," I say to Ethel over my shoulder.
I know Michael's noisy, but Onai can't kill him for it. I nearly hop over the couch to shield him with my body before it's too late. When I walk into the living room, though, the scene is anything but what I expected. With the angriest, most annoyed expression ever, Onai ever so delicately lifts Michael's head up from the couch cushion. He slowly, carefully maneuvers a pillow under Michael's big ol' head (because how dare he call my head big when he has that gigantic watermelon resting on top of his neck), and immediately the snoring stops.
Onai nods curtly, seemingly satisfied with his handiwork. I'm just glad he didn't attack him. I turn to go back to the meeting, but Onai doesn't move away just yet. Not right away at least. He watches Michael for just a second, just a moment. Somehow it's enough, with that look in his eyes, for me to stop guessing about what he's feeling and to finally know.
I decide right then and there that I'm gonna make this happen, because I knew Onai and I had a greater connection. The imprint energy has destined us to be be sibling-in-laws! And Michael better not mess this up for me.
Onai seems to come back to reality, and his eyes connect with mine. He looks away a little too quickly, walking back around the couch.
I couldn't even stop smiling if I tried.
"The snoring was just bothering me," he says. "He's so loud."
"Mhm." I start walking back towards the kitchen.
What are you mhm-ing for?" he glares at me. "I had to make sure he didn't start snoring again, or walking all the way over there would've been pointless."
"I'm not arguing with you, Onai." I spare him a glance, feeling a little too smug. "Whatever you say."
He continues to glare at me, but then Michael's teeth start chattering. Onai curses under his breath and walks back into the living room. "Why is he so noisy?" he mutters to himself.
I don't wait up for him. It takes everything in me not to laugh.
"Sorry about that," I say once I'm back in the kitchen.
Whatever conversation the group was having in my absence quiets down.
I look over at Ethel. "What were you saying?"
"Suzie," he reminds me. "She needs to resume her previous position for the wellbeing of the pack."
I nod. "I get that, but what does that have to do with me? I didn't make her quit."
"I know," he says hesitantly. "But she's kind of really upset with you and Carson right now, so maybe... an apology would be—"
I cock my head back. "A what?"
He pales, putting his hands up in defense. "Just for the parts you're actually sorry for."
"Well maybe I'm not sorry about any of it," I stare at him, wide-eyed. This has to be the craziest thing anyone has ever asked of me.
He nods. "I understand... but, maybe you could... just pretend to be just a little sorry? Not just you, Carson too." He looks at Carson.
That officially marks the end of my patience.
"Or just talk," he says quickly. "She feels just as upset about the whole thing as I'm sure you do. She doesn't feel trusted by anyone."
I put my hands on my hips, glaring at him. Suddenly those green eyes look as menacing as the first day I met him. "Listen, Ethel."
Everybody's eyes widen. Ethel stares at me a lot like that time when I walked in on him in the bathroom, like a deer caught in the headlights.
I don't care. I glare at him. "If Suzie wants to talk about the things she did and offer a real apology to me, I'm all ears. But until then..." I give him a look. I hope he gets the message. And so help me god, if I find out Carson's giving Suzie private apologies I'll just rip someone's head off. Starting with Ethel and ending with her. And Carson's too. Everyone. Everyone can get their heads ripped off. He just made me so mad.
His face falls. He sighs and looks at me in a way I've never seen before. And suddenly the guy who I never really thought I could take seriously proves me wrong. "I get that you're upset," he says. "If the roles were reversed, I probably would be too. Maybe I wouldn't even consider any of this, but that doesn't change the fact that you're the luna of this pack, and one of your pack members is suffering."
He buries his hands in his pockets, but he doesn't once break eye contact. "She lost her best friend, Juliet, after that court case, and everyone's been treating her really bad ever since, because not only does the luna hate her." He shifts his gaze from me to the brothers. "But the alphas have been giving her the cold shoulder as well to keep you happy. I'm not asking you to like her. I'm not even asking you to give her an apology if you can't stomach that, because we all know you're not the one at fault here. I'm just saying, she's my cousin." He looks back at me. "And she's really depressed right now, and I'm worried about her, so..." He shrugs. "Please, I guess? You know I only ask you for things when it's serious."
Math equations start flowing around the brothers' heads. "You only what?" Carson and Axel give him sketch-alert looks, but it's Aiden who actually says something of substance. "I'm sorry," he starts. "But when have you had time to ever ask her for anything?"
Ethel's look turns from serious to horrified.
I step in for him, saying what I know is best for this situation—because I always know what's best to say to calm the brothers down. "That's confidential information," I say.
---
A/N (3/4/18) - Whoa. That was a lot of information, but it'll be a good foundation for what's to come. We'll be back to more romance in the next chapter though lol for anyone who felt it was lacking. Aiden shippers be prepared for Chapters 35 + 36! Carson shippers be prepared for 37! ... Sorry Axel lovers xD But you guys just had a big chapter so forgive me. Chapter 38 might be a good place for you. There'll still be stuff for all brothers though mixed in between
I know we're once again stuck in a specific location—the Alpha house this time—but I feel like there's so much opportunity here that I don't want to rush through it. But when Michael wakes up, we're gone. So hopefully he can stay asleep for a while xD
IMPORTANT CHANGES - Every week will have two updates like usual, don't worry, but I can't guarantee that the first update will always be on Thursday from now on :( I'm sorry to disappoint you guys :((( Believe me, it's not on purpose. If I could, I'd give you all updates every single day, but that's just not possible
OTHER IMPORTANT STUFF - Do you guys want a personality quiz to see who your TATM love interest / imprint would be?
PEP TALK - Thanks for reading! I hope everything's going well for you guys. Have a great week if you can. If it's a crappy one, try to have a crappy week in style. Crash and burn with your pinkies up, y'all. We're starting March classily *puts on cool shades, sips tea*