Do you know a good, trustworthy book publishing company?
Her wolves leaped down the stairs two at a time ahead of her. After last night, she was having second thoughts about things. She had woken early because her mind simply wouldn't rest, both from learning the existence of werewolves and witnessing Reeve at her lowest. She waited until she heard other people moving about and then she got up.
She didn't even make it down the stairs when she suddenly jumped at the sound of a door slamming somewhere down the hallway. It was followed by a shout of surprise and then pounding footsteps made her turn around to find Cassius barreling towards her.
His face was molded in a devious grin and his green eyes sparkled with life. When he drew close enough, he skidded to a stop, grabbing her shoulders. He seemed to be in a hurry but the joyful look on his face confused her.
"Listen, if anyone asks.." Cassius rushed, checking over his shoulder, "I was out running patrols all night with Ace, okay?"
She barely nodded before Cassius took off down the stairs. He was laughing the entire way and she just stood there confused. A door slammed again and her head snapped in the direction of Emmett storming down the hall towards her. From far away, he seemed perfectly fine, but when he got closer she noticed something a little weird with his hair. It was a fiery red and it stuck up in every direction, which she didn't remember it doing.
Emmett's eyes were literally on fire, "Where did he go?" He fumed.
She couldn't even form words, she just pointed in the direction Cassius had gone.
Emmett flew down the stairs, there was another door slammed, and she had just glanced over her shoulder to catch movement in the lawn from the window she stood by. She fully turned to the window and watched Cassius run as fast as he could towards the woods with an angry Emmett in pursuit. She found herself laughing as they disappeared through the tree line.
She shrugged it off after, knowing she would find out what happened later, and she continued on her way to the kitchen. Everyone was already awake and waiting for the pack cook's to make the final blueberry pancakes for everyone. Some of them glanced up at her entrance but then returned to sipping their coffee, talking or reading the newspaper. She took a seat.
Leroy raised an eyebrow at her, "So what happened?"
She knew instantly what he was referring to and shrugged, "I have no idea. Emmett is chasing Cassius, they went in the woods."
Someone chuckled and Leroy shook his head, "Cassius will never stop pulling pranks."
"Its in his blood," Darren commented.
"You have his DNA proof?" Leroy chuckled.
"Yep," Darren smirked, taking a sip of his coffee, "All molecular cells are completely made up of idiot and prankster, its practically his genetic code."
Leroy grinned, golden eyes bright, and continued reading his newspaper. Bethany returned a few moments later with plates stacked full of pancakes, bacon, and scrambled eggs.
"Breakfast is ready!" Beth declared and the kitchen turned into a frenzy.
She waited until most of the crowd cleared and then she grabbed her own plate full of food. She spoke with Darren quite a bit through out breakfast and when everyone started to disperse, she went off to find her wolves. She knew that someone must have fed them but they had a habit of wandering off, too.
She had been expecting to find them in the living room but she found them in the main foyer, waiting to go outside. She opened the door and the crisp, cool fall air greeted them. Soon, she thought, it will be winter. She loved the winter season. Briefly, her thoughts wandered to the little town she had once called home. She wondered how Esther was making out with Topped Off. She wondered how Esther's son was making out. Then, she wondered if Esther missed her, if the older lady missed her father. If her fathers body was buried and where. She let out a small sigh, it felt like a lifetime ago, though in reality it had only been about two months.
Her wolves sensed her darkening thoughts and bumped against her. They nudged her and nipped gently, causing her to laugh. Soon, she found herself tussling with her wolves in the yard. It felt like an eternity since she had played with them, which in all reality she hadn't since the day she realized Reeve was the wolf of her nightmare. The thought still seemed bitter but for some reason there was understanding lingering in her mind.
Arch yipped and arched his back, jumping about as if he was better off a rabbit, and Thane kept plowing into her legs like a bulldozer. He knocked her down a couple times and Lake was immediately licking at her face with Skeet, but every now and again Lake had to take a lap around the yard to contain his endless energy and Ever would chase him. The two of them were a perfect bi-polar match and Ever would still get agitated when he couldn't catch Lake.
She noticed Cross was keeping his distance again and she gave a growl of her own as she managed to get near Cross while he was distracted and jumped on him. Cross made a sound of surprise and she quickly grabbed ahold of his body, laughing as he tried to shake her loose. She always wondered why he hated being touched but figured it was because he was the oldest one. Cross growled, the sound vibrating through her, and he tried nipping her fingers loose.
She couldn't stop laughing, "Not this time, you Grinch, I've got you!"
The other wolves made noises of excitement and swarmed around her, their tails wagging, but her focus was on Cross. He tilted his head so that he could glare at her and she simply used her weight to pull him off balance. They tumbled to the ground and Cross wriggled in her grip. Suddenly, a golden wolf joined the mass of excited wolves. She beamed up at Leroy, admiring his wolf form once again, but that smile fell when Leroy gave her a devious look and then gently nipped at her fingers laced across Cross' chest.
"No, you traitor!" She wailed, laughing as her fingers loosened, "You're supposed to help me, not Cross!" Leroy finally got her fingers loose and Cross instantly leaped from her grip. She groaned, flopping back on the grass. Leroy appeared above her, eyes amused, "Gee thanks." She grumbled, "I had him in the first time in forever."
Leroy swiped his tongue across her face and she squealed, "Oh no, not you, too!" Leroy wagged his tail once and then her wolves returned at the sound of her voice, taking it that she wanted to play again, and then she had six wolves mauling her while Cross sulked off under a tree. When she was thoroughly coated in saliva and completely defeated whilst laughing, Leroy started to tussle with her wolves.
It was entertaining to watch and she propped herself up on her elbow as she watched them. From her take on pack rank and rules, Leroy basically qualified as an Alpha King. And here he was, playing with her wolves as if it was just another ordinary thing. She actually enjoyed that Leroy treated her no different than family and as did everyone else. Though Leroy was in high power, he seemed unfazed in being normal, and it made him so different than others. A true King.
She heard someone walking up behind her and she turned her head to see Cassius grinning down at her.
"Whatcha doing, Kiwi?" Cassius questioned.
"I'm dead," She sighed dramatically.
"Nice, can I resurrect you?"
"Nah, I'm good." She grinned, "Its pretty comfortable down here."
Cassius sat down beside her, "I'll join you then."
"Where is Emmett?" She asked.
Cassius didn't even blink, "I dunno."
She shoved his leg, "What did you do to him?"
"I replaced Emmett's hair gel with melted candle wax while he was sleeping and then I knew he'd try to take a show to get it out so I added red hair dye to his shampoo." Cassius shrugged nonchalantly, stating the facts as if it was the most normal thing in the world. Leroy had paused to listen but then he rolled his golden eyes.
"He's going to kill you." She chuckled.
Cassius glanced down at her, "He already tried, besides I rank above him."
"Have you ever thought about someone retaliating against you with the pranks you pull on them?" She asked.
"Nope because I'm the only one with pranks up my sleeve." Cassius stated, then paused, "Well, besides Reeve. She's a prankster, too, just wait till she comes around. We'll have a ball."
"Oh yeah?" She snickered.
"Absolutely," Cassius chuckled, "Everyone is going to have to sleep with both eyes open if all three of us gang up."
She grinned, "I'm in."
✙ ✙ ✙ ✙ ✙ ✙ ✙
Triple update, woo!
And Cassius is back at it with his pranks. I just love him.
p.s. lots of cross references are happening ;)
Leave a comment!
(Not edited)