Summer played by Sofia Carson
-----------------------------------------------------------
||Taylor's P.O.V||
"Some scouts spotted a group of rogues headed in your direction," Kaden said, his face up on the plasma.
"How many?" Evan asked.
I watched all of this sitting upside down on the couch, dying of boredom.
Sarah was staying at the Shadow Pack and everyone else was busy, so Evan said I could come with him as long as I wasn't too distracting.
"About a handful, mostly young people and kids." Kaden replied. "Taylor, you look like a confused ape." He remarked.
"Piss off, Kaden." I replied.
Evan hung up with Kaden and walked over to me, grabbing my legs and forcefully- but gently- sitting me right side up.
"Get dressed," He said, and I looked down at my sweats and hoodie.
"But I am dressed-" Evan deadpanned me. "Ohhh, okay."
I put on an off the shoulder white short sleeve shirt and light blue ripped jeans, putting on some white nikes.
"Where are we going?" I asked Evan as he tugged me into his car. "Aren't we supposed to have guards?" I asked as we drove out of the pack.
"For just this once- this one time-" He added sternly. "I am enough of a guard."
"But where are we going?"
"You'll see."
-------------------------------
"It's so beautiful," I gushed, walking down the docks towards the tall, white yacht.
"It's ours," Evan said. He was wearing a white button up and white jeans, and the shirt was unbuttoned halfway.
"Really?" I asked excitedly, and he nodded.
"Yes."
I hurried onto the yacht and looked around.
"Who's driving it?" I asked.
"I am." Evan said, and I turned to look at him with wide eyes. "And I'll teach you, if you want to learn."
"Hell yes!" I said excitedly, running towards him and jumping on him, wrapping my legs around his waist.
He held me as I kissed him, and he kissed me back.
"Glad you like it," he said with a laugh, carrying me down the deck.
He set me down and got behind the wheel. I stared at him, realizing how wrong I'd been about him.
Evan turned around and noticed that I looked a little heartbroken.
"What's wrong?" He asked. I shrugged, looking away from him and wrapping my arms around myself.
"I thought- I thought this would end in a disaster." I admitted. He cocked his head to the side, eyes questioning.
"I thought you would hurt me." I said, and his eyes filled with realization. "I thought you were this cold person who was only speaking to me because my brother had just died. I thought the bond wasn't gonna be enough- I thought I wouldn't be enough."
"Taylor-"
"I was so wrong." I whispered. "I was so wrong to judge you for who you are. I shouldn't have, and I'm so sorry. I'm sorry I argue with you, and I'm sorry I'm such a pain in the ass-"
"Taylor, just stop." Evan cut me off, taking my face in his hands, his eyes serious.
I closed my mouth and stared at him, tears welling up in my eyes.
"I didn't know how to be gentle. I didn't know how to show you that I cared." Evan said. "I didn't know if I could be the man you needed me to be. I hate it when you argue with me, but you almost always have a point. And you are a pain in my ass, but it's a pain I've grown to appreciate, especially after I almost lost you. I was - I still am a monster," he said to me. "But you've accepted me for who I am, and I accepted that I wouldn't be able to boss you around like I do my pack members."
"You're not a monster." I said, my voice breaking. "And you never were."
"Taylor-"
"Oh just shut up, Evan," I cut off his arguement. "You're not. And you may have been the villain in a lot of people's stories, but you aren't in mine."
He picked me up and set me on the table, and I wrapped my legs around his waist, meeting his emotional kiss.
"Don't ever leave me, okay?" He whispered, and I nodded.
"Okay."
------------------------------
"This place is crazy," Summer noted, looking around the training room.
"Yeah, it's nice, isn't it?" I asked.
"Are you sure I'll be welcome here?" The dark haired girl turned to me, her wide brown eyes questioning.
She looked so much like me. The moment Jess and Hudson walked inside with her, I knew I liked her. It was a gut feeling, and so far she hadn't changed my mind.
"Hey guys, dinner's ready." Evan came down the stairs.
"You mean the frozen pizzas James probably burned?" I asked.
"Willow managed to save them."
"Oh thank the Goddess for Willow." I sakd, laughing.
-------------------------
"What's college like? Do you go to parties?" I asked Summer.
We sat out on the balcony, trying to get to know each other. Summer shrugged.
"I used to. Not since Calico."
"Oh, you were- I'm so sorry." I said.
"It was nothing compared to what happened to you guys." Summer shook her head.
"That's what a therapist would call deflection," I teased, and Summer smiled bitterly.
"I just think that it makes me feel better, you know? I know it sounds bad, but it pushes me to be stronger, if you guys can be then I should too." Summer said.
"People react to that kind of trauma differently." I shrugged. "Some of us make it... others don't."
Summer yawned widely, and I stood up.
"You should probably head to bed."
"I can show you," Phoebe stuck her head out the door. "I got your room ready."
I nodded to Phoebe and she sent me a soft smile back.
Summer followed Phoebe inside, and I watched through the glass wall as Oliver, Jess and Willow walked towards the door.
"Hey, Taylor." Oliver wrapped me up in his arms, and I relaxed.
"How are you?" Jess asked. I shrugged.
"I haven't completely let go, yet." I said. "But I think I'm ready."
We sat down, Willow next to me, her arms around me.
"You know, it's okay to want to hold on." Willow told me. I nodded.
"I wouldn't have made it if I didn't have Evan." I admitted. I felt tears well up in my eyes. "But I still miss my brother."
Oliver placed his hand on my knee and Willow leaned her head on my shoukder, while Jess hugged me from my other side.
"It's okay to miss him." Jess whispered.
"I miss him too," Oliver said.
"Me too."
"I do too."
"I just wish he was here to see this," I said, looking around. "To see us back together again."
"He does see it." Oliver said to me.
"He's causing trouble up there, we all know it." Jess laughed through tears.
"Thank you guys." I said. "For being here."
"Always." Willow said softly. "We're family."
"Family forever," Oliver agreed.
After about thirty minutes Oliver and Willow went inside, and Jess stayed out with me for a little while longer.
"Thank you, Jess. For not taking away my pain." I said softly.
"I knew you would regret it." Jess said, taking my hand in hers. "Do you love him, Taylor? Do you love Evan?"
I paused, thinking about that question. "I don't know what love feels like." I said, looking at her. "Not romantically."
"You'll know, Taylor. And I have a feeling you're close."
"What about you? Do you love Hudson?" I asked.
Jess sighed. "If we could stop arguing, maybe I could figure that out."
"Arguing about what?"
"We're just so different, yet the the exact same." Jess said.
"Compatible and combustible," I noted. Jess laughed.
"Big words from a tiny girl."
"I am not tiny!" I said in outrage, and she just laughed.
"Whatever you say."
She got up and went inside, passing an exhausted Ariel.
Ariel came outside and flopped down next to me, curling up in my lap.
"Why are you crying?" She asked, sniffling.
"Thomas."
"Oh. That sucks. I'm sorry."
"Yeah."
"Wanna talk about it?"
"No."
"Why are you crying?"
"Tristan."
"Oh. That sucks. I'm sorry."
"Yep."
"Wanna talk about it?"
"Nope."
"We're a pair, aren't we?" I asked, and she laughed.
"Yeah, we are."
---------------------------
"Babe?" Evan came out onto the balcony. I was alone now, and still crying.
"Once the dam breaks, there's no stopping the flood," I joked, and he smiled softly, walking over to me and offering me his hand.
I took it and he pulled me to my feet, leading me inside.
"Do you wanna talk about it?"
His question made me laugh, thinking about my moment with Ariel.
"No, I'm good, really."
"Okay."
-----------------------
"Kaden says you two are getting along great," Rebecca teased, taking a sip of her coffee.
"He's a pain in my ass," I replied, and she laughed. "He teases me in his typical 'I'm the cold Ice Alpha' way." I used a deep voice when I imitated Kaden, and Rebecca almost choked on her coffee.
"Kaden says he doesn't sound like that," Evan said from his spot next to Oliver.
"I thought you were calling Orion!" I accused. Evan shrugged.
"I did. Now I'm talking to Kaden."
I threw my hands up in the air and huffed.
Rebecca rolled her eyes at the two of us.
"You guys are hopeless."
-----------------------
"You guys are crazy," Sarah said, laughing.
"It was so cool!" Jack said excitedly, his eyes gleaming with energy.
"Can you do it again?" Daisy asked, her eyes on Jess excitedly.
"Okay, one last time." Jess said sternly, not losing her smile. She focused on her fork and held her hand up, twirling her fingers slightly. Red wisps drifted from her fingers to her fork and the fork lifted up off the table, the room silent as the kids watched in awe.
Jess made the fork turn and stab a piece of her sausage. She opened her mouth as the fork lifted up and bit the sausage off the fork.
"She's playing with her food," James broke the silence by teasing Jess, rolling his eyes.
Jess flicked her wrist and the fork flew across the table, stopping inches from James' face with the pointy end facing him.
"Both of you behave." Willow and Hudson said in unison, and it looked like it wasn't the first time they were in that position.
"You're trouble," James said, shaking his head.
"The best kind," Jess smiled cheekily.
I heard the distant sounds of a car engine and tensed, pausing mid-bite. Isabella caught onto my change of mood and got up, heading towards the window.
"It's Sarge," She announced, turning back to the table.
"That's our cue." Oliver said, standing and clearing his throat.
"Aww," Daisy and Jack whined, looking crestfallen.
"We'll be back soon, I'm sure." Rebecca told them. Phoebe hugged both of them and kissed the tops of their heads.
The sound of the front door opening greeting my strained ears and I heard Sarge's heavy footfalls coming down the hall.
"Well hello hello," he greeted, and I stood up to give him a hug. Isabella, Sarah and Ivy jumped him and he laughed, the sound resonating in his chest.
"Sarge!" Daisy and Jack jumped out of their seats and ran to the giant, and he lifted them up and spun them around, laughing.
"Ready to head back home?" Sarge asked them, and they shrugged.
"I guess." Jack muttered.
"You guess?" Sarge echoed with a fake gasp. "Yes or no?"
"Yes!" Daisy said with a little jump. Sarge laughed.
"That's the answer I wanna hear! Come on, let's go!" He ushered them out the door, Rebecca and Oliver close behind.
"That was weird," Hudson commented, looking confused.
"Sarge hasn't always been tough. He's really good with kids." Sarah said, smiling wistfully down at the table.
"Sarah's right," Isabella agreed, and Ivy and Ariel nodded.
"Sarge was a great caretaker." Ivy and Ariel shared a grin.
"The lives he had you live must have done a number on your minds," Evan said curiously, eyeing us.
"The orphanage was what broke us." I said. "That was what drove some of us insane. We learned to… compartmentalize in order to survive."
"If we "went rabid" we'd be killed immediately." Jess agreed.
"There's no use for a soldier who can't follow orders." Phoebe looked down at her plate, her face sickened.
"Living with Sarge wasn't heaven, sure." Ariel shrugged.
"But that orphanage was worse than hell itself." Willow said. "Lives on the run was better. This? Even with the war, this is paradise." James took her hand in his, all of the mates looking either angry or somber.
"Amen to that sister," Isabella said with a heavy sigh.