Chapter 2 – Volunteers
Rafe
I take a deep breath, my eyes focused on my father at the front of the room as he debriefs the collected Academy Cadets, asking for volunteers to head to the North to begin our assault on the Community – a cult that’s been harming our citizens for decades.
“We need two groups,” dad says, looking around at us. “The larger one will be dedicated to aiding reconnaissance teams as they collect information on the Community. The smaller will be guard duty – protecting aid workers and civilians as they provide their own unique assistance. We’ll make our selection from the volunteers, though you should balance any eagerness to aid with the impact it may have on your education.”
Dad begins to answer some questions as my cousin elbows me in the side. “No doubts about which crew you’ll be volunteering for, hmm?”
I turn my head just slightly to glare at him. “Shut up, Jesse.”
“Nah,” Jesse says with a happy sigh, grinning at me. “Everyone has way more fun when I talk.”
Next to him, my little sister sighs, leaning against her mate Jackson and looking at me with the big doe eyes that always break my heart. The little girl standing at her feet likewise looks up at Ariel and squeaks, raising her arms in a request to be picked up. Ariel smiles as she obliges, lifting Marigold up and settling her on her hip. I grin at the sight, thinking that Ariel has taken to mom life…so easily in so short a time.
“Don’t you start with me too,” I say, shaking my head at my sister.
“But it’s not fair,” Ariel says, a little bit of a whine in her voice as Marigold rests her head against Ariel’s arm. “I want to help!”
“You are helping,” I say, smirking and flicking my eyes down to her stomach. “You’re growing the next generation of magical Sinclairs –“
“Oh whatever,” she sighs, looking back towards our dad as the questions start to run low. “I want to shoot something. Why train as a sniper if no one will let you snipe?”
Jackson laughs and wraps an arm around both her and Marigold, pulling them warm against him. A little smile takes Ariel’s lips and I smile too, pleased to see her so safe and happy.
I turn my attention back to my father, though, as he begins to call for volunteers to make themselves known.
Jesse’s eyes are on me as I fail to raise my hand for the reconnaissance mission. Then a wide, wicked grin crosses his lips when I do raise my hand for the guard project. I sigh, pretending I don’t see it, even though we both know that I do.
“Pay up!” Jesse says, laughing and turning to Jacks. “I told you he’d leap at any chance to protect her –“
“No way,” Jackson says, laughing and shaking his head at Jesse, ignoring the beseeching hand. “I didn’t take that bet – it was a sure loser. I’m new to this world but I’m not dumb.”
I roll my eyes, choosing not to engage.
“I think it’s sweet,” Ariel says. “Rafe’s helping! He wants to protect. And it’s not like you two wouldn’t do precisely the same thing in his situation.”
“I’m just helping my country,” I grumble. “Doing what I can to take down the Community.”
“So, this sudden concern for the safety of the nursing volunteers,” Jesse says, his voice quizzical and thrilled, “is just…patriotism?”
I nod, solid and steady, lying my ass off and doing my damn best to pretend I’m not.
My family all nod too, pretending that they believe me, even though all of their wide smiles betray their actual thoughts. Marigold laughs, sensing the mood and studying me, realizing that something is up even if she doesn’t know what.
I turn to her, reaching across Jesse to poke a finger at her cute little girl belly. “Don’t you laugh at me, little niece,” I growl, pretend threatening. “I’m very serious and important.”
Marigold laughs harder, swatting at my hand.
Luckily, dad saves us from any more torture as the meeting breaks up, walking over to us and looking very serious with his hands in his pockets. I smile, though, knowing that he’s very fond of us, even if his face doesn’t show it right now. Dad’s a master of that – keeping all of his emotions tucked away beneath a completely straight face.
“Children,” he says, his low voice rumbling in his chest as he steps close. “Grandchild,” he says, smiling a little and leaning down to look Marigold in her eyes. She squeals a little with happiness, reaching for him. Dad breaks then, laughing and taking the little girl from Ariel, holding her up high in his arms.
Ariel and Jackson beam at the pair of them, I think quite pleased.
“Looks like she’s finally coming around to you,” Jesse says with a happy sigh. “After that disastrous start.”
“Oh, she just likes to be up high,” dad says, grinning at Marigold, who pats his face with her palms. He gives her a kiss on the cheek and then turns to us. “So, we’re decided? Rafe on guard duty, the rest of you staying here?”
I nod and dad has the grace to simply nod back, even if a little smile turns up the corner of his mouth.
“I mean, I’ll go,” Ariel says, stepping towards dad, a hand pressed to her chest. “Just let me go get my gun –“
Dad laughs, reaching his free hand out to stroke over her hair as she steps close. “As helpful as you’d be, trouble,” he says, smiling down at his favorite, “you know the terms of our agreement for your continued enrollment at Alpha Academy.”
“Yeah yeah,” she says, heaving a dramatic sigh and tossing her rose-gold hair back over the shoulder of her black Cadet uniform. “All bookwork and no combat training or experience while pregnant.” She heaves a huffy sigh but then glances down at her stomach and smooths a happy hand over it, clearly not as displeased about the situation as she’s pretending to be.
“Jackson?” Dad asks, his eyes moving to his son-in-law next.
“I’ve got my hands full here,” Jackson says, glancing fondly first at Ariel and then at Marigold, balanced up on the King’s arm. “But I’ll happily coordinate from the Academy. Whatever I can do to help – you know you can count on it.”
“Good man,” dad says, giving Jackson a steady nod. “We’ll be sending you schematics and information almost nightly, seeking your input. It will be invaluable to us.”
“I’ll be looking for them,” Jackson says, evenly holding dad’s gaze. Admiration hums in my heart for my new brother, because I know none of this can be easy on him. He grew up in the Community, after all, and while I know he holds no true fondness for the place he’s still got loved ones there.
Inwardly I determine to do all I can to help, to ensure that this goes well and we help as many people as we can even as we take down this insane cult.
“Yeah, same,” Jesse says, giving an almost-bored yawn as he glances at the door, clearly ready to move on with the rest of his day.
“Are you sure, Jesse?” Dad asks, quirking an eyebrow. “I know you’re determined to have everyone believe that you’re useless, but I’m not unaware of your skills. We could use you on the front.”
“I know, I’m incredibly useful and desired wherever I go,” Jesse says on a sigh, stretching his arms languidly over his head.
Ariel laughs outright and I just crack a smile, thinking that I’ll miss my cousin’s humor in the upcoming months.
“But,” Jesse says, dropping his arms and nodding seriously to dad. “I don’t feel it’s right to let my pet gremlin have free reign just yet.” He nods to the door where I suddenly see a very small dark-haired young woman standing, her hands on her hips, looking pissed. “Left to her own devices she might decide to enact a coup and take over the school.”
“A terrifying prospect,” dad murmurs, likewise glancing over at Midnight, who huffs and stalks away – apparently sick of waiting for us all to wrap up this meeting that she was not allowed to come to.
“Yeah, I’m going to sit and keep an eye on that,” Jesse says, nodding sagely.
“And this decision has nothing to do with a desire to keep an eye on a certain seamstress?” Dad asks, his question a low murmur. I lift my eyebrows, a little surprised to see my dad engage in the gossip that I know my mom keeps him well apprised of every night.
Jesse blinks at dad, completely innocent, folding his hands neatly behind his back. “There are seamstresses here?” He looks around, feigning surprise, acting like he’ll see one he hadn’t previously noticed standing in the corner. “Who knew? Certainly not me.”
Dad lets out his booming laugh and claps Jesse on the shoulder, entertained by him as he’s always been. As we all are. “All right, kid. But we’ll count on you too – I’ll expect your insight alongside Jackson’s.”
Jesse turns back to his uncle, giving him a swift but formal salute. “Count on it, sir.”
Dad smiles around at all of us and then hands Marigold back to Jackson, beginning his round of goodbyes. “Rafe,” he says, glancing over his shoulder as he gathers Ariel into his arms for a hug. “I’ll expect you in about five minutes.”
“Yes, sir,” I say, nodding to him even as I reach for Jesse, wanting a hug before I go. “I’ll be right there.”
Dad walks away and I take a few sad minutes with my favorite people in the world, saying goodbye. I’ll be gone for months with very little contact and I’ll miss them all very, very much.
“Go get your girl, meatball,” Ariel whispers, her arms tight around my waist, her cheek pressed to my chest.
I sigh, holding her tight even as I shake my head. “That’s not what it’s about, Ariel.”
“Oh, whatever,” she says with a sigh, letting me go and stepping back to smile up at my face. “You keep telling yourself whatever it is you need to. But if you don’t bring me home a sister-in-law by Midwinter, there will be hell to pay.”
I roll my eyes even as my wolf tilts his head back in my soul, letting out a long, slow, hopeful howl.
But I turn away from him, knowing it’s impossible.
Maryam hates me, after all. And quite frankly, I’m not very fond of her right now either.
But no matter how much she loathes me, I know on a very deep and primal level that…I’ve got to be near her. To protect her. No matter what.