Ethel slumps against the stairs. "I just don't get why Bri and Krys get to guard Shen while she uses the bathroom."
"It's not for her safety. It's for yours." Aiden looks at him. "You're vulnerable right now."
"I'm what?" Ethel holds his chest, sweating.
Aiden nods. "Everything she says will sound like a good idea to you, even if it's commiting treason." Aiden snaps his gaze to me. "You'd know a lot about that, wouldn't you, Mia?"
I cock my head back. Here he goes, making excuses again for why he can't resist me.
"But upstairs is so far away." Ethel frowns. "What if something happens? What if she—"
"—manages to make it five minutes without you?" Onai asks.
All the guys chuckle.
Ethel looks away, blushing. "Whatever."
"Just get over here." Aiden stares at the map on the coffee table. He circles the nursing home and the Farmer's Market at the same time Ethel sits down. That makes four people on the couch across from me—Onai, Axel, Aiden, and Ethel.
I'm in between Michael and Carson on the other couch, and Suzie's on the other side of Michael.
"So here it is," Aiden says. "We're harboring a wanted child." He looks from Axel to Carson. "Our borders are compromised." He looks from Carson to me. "And they keep threatening your life." He looks from me to Suzie. "What do you suggest, Advisor?"
"Put the kid in a cellar," Suzie says.
"A cellar?" I ask incedulously.
She nods. "Rapunzel that kid. Her pack—no—packs can tap into her head at any time, so she can't be out in the open, observing our business."
"We can't lock her away," Axel says.
"Okay, kill her as a declaration of war then. Send her over the border to die."
"How can you say that?" Ethel can't even look at her.
She shrugs. "I'm being realistic."
"You're being—" I grit my teeth and swallow the rest of what I want to say.
Michael decides to speak up at that moment. "It would benefit Fei in the long-run."
Everyone looks at him.
He stands up and puts his hand on the map, analyzing the mark-ups carefully. "Answer this. When it comes to mindlink, can you guys tell exactly where a person is?"
"It depends," Onai says.
"On...?"
Suzie examines the place he's looking. "Does the person know where they are? Can we tell where the place is ourselves? Things like that."
"So it's not like gps?" Michael asks.
Onai shakes his head.
"I thought so." Michael points at a few places on the map. "That's why I'm willing to bet these people don't know where Fei is, just based off the location she's seen. So if we put her somewhere concealed, like Suzie said..."
Suzie gives everyone a smug look.
I finally get what they mean. "It would eliminate the problem for now."
"Don't all start clapping at once." Suzie flips her hair over her shoulder. "I know, I know. How am I such a genius? How do I come up with these things on the spot?"
"That's all assuming Shen can keep hiding Fei's scent," Aiden points out.
Suzie bats her eyes. "Hm?"
"And," I cross my arms. "lf they already know where she is..."
Axel catches on and gives a wary look. "... And they find out that we've been harboring her regardless..."
Carson says what we're all afraid to. "They'll think we're using Fei as a spy, and they'll start a war they can blame on us."
The mood shifts even further when Suzie says her second suggestion of how to fix our problems. "Join the war."
My body freezes. Carson stiffens up. He keeps a poker face, just like his brothers, but I can feel the tension in his body, and he seems to unconsciously push into me, like he's willing me closer. I don't notice at first, but I'm pressing against him too. I give Michael a worried glance, but he's staring at the map. The cogs are turning in his head. He's thinking, I just don't know what yet.
Suzie's eyes shift from Onai. To Axel. To Aiden. To Ethel. To Carson. To me. To Michael. She even takes a moment to stare into the distance, and I take that to mean herself. "What are we waiting for?" she asks carefully. "Another tragedy? Someone to manage to kill the luna this time?" She points at the Farmer's Market. The nursing home. The sidewalk. And apparently all the other places that people have attempted my life.
I'm touching the map, too, before I realize it.
My fingers trace the circles Aiden left, but my mind remembers them too well. Bri defending my life. Onai nearly losing his. My mom in the Farmer's Market with me, defenseless. I'm so used to fearing for my life these days that it's not something that goes away when I get home, or when I'm with my family, or even when I'm with the brothers. I'm just afraid, because if I'm not about to die, who is?
Carson takes my hand into his own. He tugs me back against the couch, holding me closer. "You're okay."
"Is she?" Michael asks.
Nobody answers.
After a painfully long silence, Suzie says, "We have to face facts. The only reason Mia's alive right now is because they haven't been trying to kill her. But we don't know how long that'll last."
"So we attack first?" Axel doesn't sound okay with the plan at all. Nobody does, but Suzie nods.
"Our allies need us right now. It's the perfect excuse to break the peace treaty without pointing fingers," Suzie says.
"So, hypothetically speaking, should we tell those packs?" Ethel asks.
"Of course not," Carson says. "We can't lose the element of surprise."
Aiden sneers. "And what about our allies' trust?"
"What are you talking about—"
"We signed a five-way treaty swearing we wouldn't get involved. When all of this is over, do you think anyone will believe our word again?"
Carson furrows his brow. "Bloodmoon and Dawn have all but pissed on us at this point. I think they'll understand," he mutters. "It was only a matter of time."
"Which is to say you've always wanted this to happen," Aiden says more than asks.
"Yes," Carson growls, low, calm, feral.
Aiden scoffs. "You really think war will make anything better?"
"Maybe not at first." Carson scoots closer to the edge of his seat, letting go of me gently in the process. "But eventually."
"When is eventually? Who's going to die before eventually?" Aiden asks.
"We can't live with our tails between our legs because we're afraid of dying. Dying's better than living like this."
Wait, what?
Carson gets up, looking into everyone's eyes. "I'm an alpha, and I'm not leading a scared pack anymore. If they want a fight." He nods towards Aiden. "They'll get one."
Aiden rubs his forehead. Axel darts his eyes between his brothers. When Carson doesn't sit down, I start to panic.
"Where are you going?" Axel suddenly asks, even though no one's moved.
But then Carson says, "I'm just heading out."
I grab his arm before he can start walking. "You're going to fight the packs alone?"
"What? No." He chuckles, looking at me like I'm the crazy one. "I don't have a death wish."
"Then where are you going?" I ask.
He kneels down, taking my hands into his own. Michael watches us from the corner of his eyes, but I try to ignore his mood killing stare (Michael: >.>). All I see are Carson's burning gold eyes, watching back.
"Don't worry," he says. "I'm just going to reinforce the borders." He rests his forehead on mine, rubbing circles into my palms.
"Why don't you just tell them through mindlink?" Axel asks.
Carson's tone sends a chill down my spine. "Because they're going to do it right."
"There he goes." Aiden scribbles on the sheet. "Power trip."
"You called it," Axel and Ethel say in unison.
Whatever it is, it's working. And Carson... Can someone turn the AC on? Can I get a fan in here? I wrap my arms around his shoulders. He rests his head on mine again, breathing in my scent.
Michael clears his throat for the tenth time. "Ahem... Ahem."
I smack his hand away when he tries to poke my cheek, but all too soon, Carson lets go.
When he stands up, Axel says, "Don't go alone, at least."
"Dante's standing guard outside. Bri's watching Shen." Carson shrugs. "I think I'll have to do this one alone."
"Well, be safe, at least," Aiden says, begrudgingly.
"Yeah, yeah." Just as Carson rounds the corner, I get up, following him. I get a few questioning looks, but I ignore them.
"Carson." His amber eyes find my gaze over his shoulder. "Yeah?" He's already at the door. I probably only caught up to him because he let me.
It's one of those moments where you know something needs to be said, but you don't know what to say. I purse my lips and hold his face between my hands, looking into his eyes. There's so much I want to say...
I miss you already.
Don't get hurt.
Don't be too harsh with the border guards.
I'm sorry I accidentally let my mom see me cheating on you with your brother.
... That last one will have to wait.
"Be safe," I finally say, pecking him on the lips. "I..." Is it too soon? ".... I love you."
He double takes. "Say it again."
###
"Wow, they're really not taking any chances." Krys looks outside the window for the tenth time. Guards line the house.
"I guess not," I say, but I feel like the brothers are taking the biggest chance of all. They're all not here.
Carson's reinforcing the border. Aiden's updating the people at Town Hall. Axel's preparing the general population for a state of emergency. I sigh, messing with my hands.
Krys, Bri, and Suzie look at each other. Then at me. Shen just looks wary, playing with Fei and the new toys Ethel got her (by means of a guard).
Bri speaks first. "Mia—"
"What's wrong with you?" Michael asks.
Krys smacks his arm.
"What?" He rubs his shoulder. "You said—"
"Del-i-cate-ly," Suzie whispers sharply through her teeth.
"How much more delicate can I be?" He looks to the male betas for support.
They nod. "It was alright," Onai says.
Ethel shrugs. "The what could've been softer, but overall, it was okay."
"You think?" Michael tests a few what's. "What's wrong?" He sinks into the couch. "Wh-at's wrong." He rubs his chin.
"Get out of here," Bri growls.
Michael cocks his head back. "Wha-t? Me?"
"All of you." Suzie points to each one of the boys. "We need girl talk. Now."
Girl talk. Horror crosses Onai and Michael's faces. Ethel on the other hand seems disappointed. "But I feel like I give the best advice."
"Au contraire," Suzie starts, but Onai cuts her off.
"We're not going anywhere until the brothers return." He gives her a hard look. "So whatever you're planning is just going to have to wait."
###
The bean bags, pillows, and covers are splayed out across the living room floor. The boys have been evicted to the kitchen (which is like 2 feet away).
"Are you guys sure we have time to talk about my love life?" I ask. "We're kind of in a state of emergency now, aren't we?"
"This is a love emergency," Suzie says.
Onai mutters under his breath.
"Stay in your room." She gestures towards the barrier of the arched entryway.
He glances at Ethel. Ethel glances at Michael. "They're acting like we can't hear them from here."
"These aren't the ideal conditions," Suzie declares. "But if you speak a word of what you hear today, I'll—"
"What Suzie means is," Bri cuts in, "respect the barrier."
I doubt that's what Suzie meant as I stare wide-eyed at the pillow she's holding. That thing should be a licensed weapon, I swear.
"And you," Bri says to me. "We've got nothing better to do right now. So gossip away."
That's a good point. I may never get the chance to talk to them like this again, depending on how crazy things get. I sit up straighter. "Alright. Here it is..." My eyes shift around the group of girls. Suzie. Krys. Bri. Shen who's at a distance, listening to Fei. The toddler's telling a story through the teddy bears.
###
First we talk about how worried I am for the brothers' safety. Then we talk about my family being in the dark about all of this.
"I think you should just tell your parents," Suzie says.
Bri scoffs.
Shen's eyes fly open. She shakes her head, giving me every indication that Suzie just suggested my doom.
Suzie nods regardless, tying her hair back to apply her grapefruit face mask.
"What should she say?" Krys asks. "Here's Carson, but there's two more where that came from?"
"Isn't it obvious?" Suzie leans back on her hands. "She should tell them that the brothers are her true loves, of course."
Michael bursts out laughing.
"Stay. In. The. Kitchen." Suzie claps after every word.
He tries to mutter an apology, but fails. "It's just, if Mia tells our parents the truth..."
I imagine Mom signing me up for counseling. Dad digging four graves.
"... we won't have to worry about the other packs. She'll already be dead."
"He has a point," I mutter.
Krys gets up and sits down cross-legged in front of me. She grabs my hands and holds on tight. "If you live your whole life telling a lie, you're never going to be happy."
"But the brothers and I know the truth," I say. "They know I'm just telling my family what they need to hear."
"You'd be surprised how much sneaking around makes you feel like you're guilty of something, even if you're not."
Bri gives her a reassuring look.
Onai glances at Michael.
"Just invite all three of them to the family dinner," Michael sighs. "See what happens."
I try not to decide anything for now. I just give Krys a hug for all the support. Bri immediately joins in, eyeing me over Krys' shoulders. 'I'm watching you,' she mouths.
"Hey." Suzie inserts herself into the hug. "I was the first to suggest confessing, remember?"
"Can you survive without being in the spotlight?" Bri asks.
Before Suzie can attack her (again), we feel another pair of arms wrap around us.
We all stare at the intruder.
Ethel smiles, gently. "Group hug?"
We beat him with pillows. He fake-succumbs to his injuries. "No, no. I surrender." He dramatically lowers himself to the covers. K.O.
We high-five each other.
Suddenly, Fei runs across the covers, tiny legs and all, bangs flying with the motion. She leans over Ethel's head, staring at his closed eyes. She smacks him straight across the face.
We all jump.
His eyes fly open. He braces himself for another hit. She smiles, jumping up and down in a clumsy, uncoordinated, toddler way. "'Kay." She points at him. "You 'kay."
He looks horrified, but when Fei seems distressed by it, he forces a smile. "Yes, I'm... okay." He sits up on his forearms, proving his okay-ness to the little girl. "Thank you."
"Look, Mommy. Look." Fei points wildly at Ethel, almost poking him in the eye a few times.
It all makes sense why she's so concerned. Shen seems...
"I'm okay," Ethel says quietly. "It was just a game."
"I know. Fei overreacts." Shen calls the girl back to her.
Fei runs across the covers again, hair flopping like puppy ears.
"Well damn, if that isn't depressing," Suzie says.
Everyone looks at her.
"What?"
I sigh, shaking my head. "Shen." I turn to her. "Why don't you come do masks with us?"
"I'm fine here," she says.
"Well, I'm in a mood now, so..." Suzie fishes a mask out of the pile. "Come do this bubble one. Ethel can stay if you do." She hands Ethel a cucumber mask.
Bri and Krys nod. "Mikey, Oni, you're also invited."
"Oh now we're invited?" Michael almost falls out of his seat from the weight of his sarcasm.
Suzie rolls her eyes. "Just get over here." She fights a smile.
He fights a smirk. "Showing up to a party as the last invite?" he scoffs. "I think not."
"Don't flatter yourself. You weren't even plus one."
"Damn." Onai sips his drink at the kitchen table.
###
Things lighten up when we talk about relationships in general.
Who's the best kisser?
Who gives the best hugs?
What was it like when you first met them?
For most of the questions, I just throw them back. "What was it like meeting your imprint?" I look at Shen, lifting Fei up and down repeatedly to keep the toddler entertained.
She falters when she fully hears my question. "Huh?"
Everyone leans closer.
She looks at Ethel, then looks away. "I..." She gulps. "I plead the fifth."
Everyone laughs. She hides her face behind Fei, lifting the toddler again. "What about you guys?" she asks Bri and Krys. "You're imprints, right?"
They nod, smiling.
"And...?" She looks at Suzie.
The room freezes.
I freeze. Ethel frowns. Shen turns to me for some kind of indication as to what just happened, but I don't know what to say.
Suzie laughs it off, sitting back against the pillows. "Not yet, not yet." She says it casually, like it doesn't matter. But suddenly, she's very interested in one of threads on the pillow. She picks at it mercilessly.
Shen nods. "Well, soon then. It's still really early."
"Yeah," Suzie says.
I'm not worried about how sad she seems, because she doesn't seem sad at all. She seems fine now, and that worries me. I'll ask her about it later.
As for now, a new set of questions occur.
###
"I just don't see how you guys do it," Krys says, lying on the covers.
"Can you not?" Michael raises his voice. "There are children in the room."
I glance at Fei. "She didn't mean like that."
Krys looks away.
My jaw drops. "Seriously?"
"I'm just wondering." She turns fully to me. "I mean, werewolves mate for life, right? What if the first person you mate with turns into like... a super mate above the other two?"
"That's not possible," I say, but then wonder.
Bri shakes her head. "All three of them are her imprints. Equally."
Krys nods. "But what if?"
"Well," Suzie says. "That's only if she did it with them one at a time—"
"That's enough girl talk for one day." Onai looks disgusted. Like an absolutely horrified older brother.
Ethel's eyes are the size of dinner plates, and they match Shen's.
###
"Do you know your power, though?" Suzie asks.
The others clap. "Exactly. Tell her, Z."
I raise an eyebrow.
Suzie gestures for me get up and follow her. "Come. It's time for you to learn what you've been missing out on as luna."
"No leaving the room," Onai calls out.
Suzie rolls her eyes. "We won't leave the cave." [A/N: Incredibles ref]
A few of the others get up too, following us to the back door. Suzie cracks it open. Through the gap, I can see dozens of guards. Their backs are turned to us, but it's clear they notice the disturbance.
"Well," Suzie says.
I raise an eyebrow. "Well...?"
"Demand something," she barks at me. "Demand it right now."
"What?" My eyes widen.
"Hey, you." She points at one of them. "Come here a sec."
The poor guy walks towards us, bowing. "Luna."
"So you do know who she is?" Suzie winds her neck.
He raises an eyebrow.
"Can't you see your luna's dying of thirst?" Suzie flails her arms around.
The guy looks like he just crapped a brick. "What?" He looks at me. "You need water?"
"I'm fine—" I start.
"More like she needs an iced coffee and a mocha frappe." Michael leans over my shoulder. "Some cookies, too."
"Don't forget the donut," Suzie says.
Omg.
"Well, if we're on the topic," Bri starts. "Coffee. Black."
"Americano," Krys says.
Ethel places his order too, asking Shen what she wants.
"I don't know," she says.
"Can I surprise you?" he asks.
She shrugs, smiling. "Sure."
"Hey. Onai." Michael looks back at the beta we left on the couch.
"Yeah?"
"You want me to surprise you?" Michael asks.
"Shut up."
I try not to laugh.
Michael shakes his head. "Well, what do you want then?"
I expect Onai to discourage their behavior, not to casually say, "I think I'm in a tea mood."
"We can do tea." Michael looks at Suzie. "Right?"
She looks at him incredulously. "Of course we can do tea. We can do the whole tea factory. We've got the goods!" She shakes me.
I smack my forehead. "I'm so sorry," I tell the guard as everyone bombards him with specifications.
Make sure you bring some sugar packets.
I hope you don't plan on coming back with a tall. I need a venti, minimum.
How much espresso? I don't plan on sleeping tonight. I'm sure you understand.
"It's fine, luna." He smiles at me before leaving. "As long as you're alright. I don't want Carson to kill me."
"Oh wait. The money," I say.
Suzie gasps, almost falling backwards. "You don't have to pay. What is this? The stone ages?"
"What are you talking about?" I ask. She ordered like ten things. She better pay.
"Lunas don't pay," she growls. "Hey, you. Give your luna some money—"
"Stop bullying people," I yell at her.
"Bullying?" She holds her chest. "It is their honor."
Mia: >_>
"Honestly. If you don't start acting like you're royalty, what will I look like?"
This girl.
###
Knock Knock Knock
"It's here," everyone cheers.
I walk to the back door with the crowd, all of us hungry people ready for our orders — even though I'm still cringing. Those drink orders turned into full meals quickly. When we open the back door, it's not our victim, though. It's Dante.
"Abusing your powers so soon, Luna?" He leans against the door frame.
"We've been caught!" Krys screams.
My blood runs cold. I give Suzie a pointed look.
She sways her shoulders casually, leaning against the opposite side of the doorway. "What's it to you, guard?"
"Of course you're behind this." He half scoffs, half chuckles. "You're like the little devil power up in story mode."
"What?" She cocks her head back.
Michael's eyes light up. "Morph?"
Dante stands up straighter. "Knight or Everdark?"
"Don't even play that game with me." Michael clasps his hand. "You know I'm a knight."
They recite some mantra I wish I never had the "privilege" of hearing. Onai's suddenly interested in being over here.
Suzie clears her throat. "Ehem. Who's abusing their power now, Dante?"
"You're right." He looks into the distance. "My post awaits."
"Remember the code, brother," Michael says.
Before Dante can leave, the guard from before shows up with our stuff.
"Is that a donut?" Dante asks.
Suzie narrows her eyes. "You wouldn't dare."
He smirks.
She stands to her full height.
"Thanks, Luna." He snatches it and strides away.
I'm about to call after him to give it back, since that was the one thing Suzie really wanted, but she stops me.
"It's fine," she says.
I raise an eyebrow.
She clears her throat, then rushes back into the house. "It's whatever."
I don't think it's whatever, though. Especially as we eat and Suzie keeps mentioning him.
"That boy needs to get fired." She sips her drink.
"Mhm," I say.
She taps her fingers against the mug. "Honestly. They just let anyone on the defense force these days."
"Mhm," Bri hums as Shen looks on questioningly.
Suzie nods towards me. "You should talk to your boyfriend about that."
Michael makes heart signs behind Suzie's head and points at the door.
I nod.
Suzie nods too. "I'm glad we're on the same page."
---
A/N (8/25/18) - Did you enjoy seeing all the ships in this chapter? Did Fei's reaction break your heart? What would you like to see next? ( The family dinners are coming very soon for both Michonai and MiaxTheBrothers <3 )
Thank you so much for reading!! And commenting! And just existing because you guys are awesome. Seriously, you guys seem like such genuine people and you deserve all the happiness in the world. Have a great week!