Chapter 20 – Mate Drama
Ariel
“Oh my god!” I gasp, running to the door where a collection of my favorite people are all standing. Markie, and then Benny with Elias! And Pippa, holding baby Bianca in her arms! Oh my god, how did the baby get so big it’s only been days –
Elias grins at me, already laughing as I skitter to a stop, my head snapping between Ben and Mark, completely torn about who to hurl myself at first –
Mark bursts out laughing and plants a hand between Ben’s shoulder blades, giving him a little shove forward. “I’ll catch you in a minute, Ari,” he calls, moving after Seraphina, who is apparently his charge today.
Benny takes full advantage, laughing and stepping towards me, wrapping me up in a big bear hug. I hold my friend close, working very hard not to cry and feeling quite pathetic about it. I mean, I could basically count the hourssince I’ve seen him.
But, in my defense…I’m a big softie.
God, how did anyone at the Academy ever buy that I was a boy?
“Benny!” I whisper. “I missed you!”
He gives me a squeeze and then releases me, grinning at me and gesturing down at his clothes. “Well, you’re not going to be missing me for long.”
I take a second to register that he’s all in Cadet black before I gasp, tightening my hands around his forearms where they’ve landed, desperately pleased. “You’re coming back!?”
He grins and nods. “However you’re going back, that’s how I’m going too. As long as there’s room for me, of course.”
“I mean, you may have to sit on Midnight’s lap,” I say, giving a casual shrug. He grins and I turn to Pippa and Elias, standing close together, as they usually are.
I tilt my head, taking in the picture of this little happy family. But then my heart sinks as I realize that Ben is part of this happy family in a strange and complicated way. But if he’s coming back to the Academy, then…
“Are you guys coming too!?” The question bursts eagerly from my lips.
Pippa is the first to laugh, shaking her head, glancing down at the baby. “No, Ari, we’re staying here. Elias is in the middle of a lot of productive talks with the new set of Atalaxian ambassadors that Gabriel sent. It’s not a good time for us to head south, as charming as the Academy sounds.”
My mouth twists, thinking that charming goes a bit far.
“And I, unfortunately, do not have the status yet to participate in those talks,” Ben says, sighing dramatically and moving back to Elias’s side. Elias grins, lifting a hand that he places at the base of Benny’s neck, his thumb moving lovingly over the skin there.
“Dominic’s rules,” Elias murmurs, holding Ben’s gaze quite deeply. “Not mine.”
Ben smiles softly and then clears his throat, forcing himself to look back at me. Pippa shifts slightly, looking down at the baby, clearly avoiding looking at the boys. My wolf whines softly as I look between them all, trying again to figure out their complicated dynamic, not fully able to parse it but knowing that…something’s off.
“And how is our angel?” I ask, moving towards Pippa, wanting her to feel my support. I slip an arm around my friend’s slim shoulders as I peer down at the baby.
Pippa subtly perks up, I think pleased to have something else to focus on. “She’s amazing, of course,” Pippa says with a happy sigh. “She’s so cute, and she’s such a good little girl. And I swear to god she gets bigger every day.”
I gasp, meeting Pip’s eyes. “I was thinking that! When I came in!”
“See! I told you!” She whips her head to look up at her Alpha, who laughs and shakes his head at her.
“I never said she didn’t grow –“
“Oh, you thought I was crazy,” Pippa says, laughing and looking back at me and then the baby. She strokes a hand lovingly over Bianca’s perfect little head. “And I think she’s getting more hair.”
“Soon we can braid it,” I whisper, making her laugh.
“Do you think your twins will have dark hair, like Bianca?” Pippa asks, lifting her eyes to meet mine. “Like your father’s line and your siblings? Or bright and golden like yours? Or,” she tilts her head, looking over to where Jackson is lounging on a couch with Mids and Daphne, digging into a huge plate of food, which is not a surprise to anyone. “Or brown, like their father?”
I tilt my head to the side because…
Wow.
I have…never even considered that possibility. I mean, of course the twins are going to have…hair. But I never thought about the fact that their hair could have a distinct coloring that could reflect their genetic heritage. And their hair might be different colors – will I have two little blondes? Or…a mix?
God, what color hair do I want them to have?
I glance over at my parents, the source of my genetics, wondering. But they’re busy huddled up with Roger, going over some paperwork, mom sending anxious glances towards the door to the medical suite.
Pippa looks back at me curiously, confused at my bafflement because apparently pregnant women are supposed to already have answers to these questions about their future daughters’ hair ready to go. My heart sinks as I again feel like a crap mom. Elias and Benny likewise go quiet, looking at me, clearly trying to figure out what’s going on in my head.
Luckily, Mark saves me, jogging over with a wave, calling my name. I grin, glancing behind him to see that Marigold and Seraphina have been settled on the floor at Jackson’s feet, each likewise distracted with a plate of food.
I don’t miss Pippa’s sigh as she turns slightly away when my brother approaches. I frown at her turned shoulder before opening my arms to my brother, giving him a big hug that he probably needs.
“Hey, Ari, glad you’re back,” Mark murmurs, holding me close. “But…” he frowns and looks around. “What’s…happening here?”
“Oh,” I say, perking up a little – because this I have an answer to. “Well, Tony found out that his mom is the Goddess of Life and that his body isn’t like dead dead, just temporarily lifeless, so,” I shrug. “We dug him up and now we’re seeing if we can just…pop his ghost back inside. Also, Juniper is back and she’s the Queen of the Underworld now.”
Slowly, my brother’s mouth falls open. My friends’ mouths follow suit.
Everyone is dead silent for a long moment, just…staring at me.
“Who’s Tony?” Pippa whispers, horrified.
I grimace, realizing that…maybe they need a bit more backstory.
Mark whips his head to the right, clearly terribly worried for Juniper all of a sudden and very much wanting to see her. I move to his side, letting my little brother take priority in this moment.
“Jacks?” I call, twisting my hands together and looking over at him, standing on my tiptoes to see if I can get his attention. He looks over and raises his chin, urging me to ask for whatever I need. I gesture towards Benny and our Atalaxian friends. “Can you like…fill them in?”
“Sure!” Jackson calls, waving them over.
Pippa gives me an anxious look but I press a kiss to her cheek and give Elias a too-quick hug, promising to spend more time with them very shortly.
Then I wrap my arm around Mark’s, peering up at his too-tall form, wondering again when he got as tall as dad and Rafe. That should be impossible – he’s my baby brother.
“So,” Mark says, glancing again at the door to the medical suite Cora set up, “I knew June was in the underworld but…Tony? Is that the guy whose funeral I went to? When June got kidnapped?”
“Um, yeah,” I say, nodding to him and tugging at his arm, urging him forward.
He sighs, shaking his head as we start for the next room. “Why is everything so complicated? And so steeped in drama?”
I frown up at him, thinking that’s not very much like the Mark I know. I mean, Mark has never quite sought the drama as much as someone like Jesse – or me, if I’m being frank. But as I study my brother’s face I realize that he looks drawn, exhausted. Far too stressed out for his nineteen years.
I pull myself closer to him, frowning, slowing my pace and forcing him to stop and turn to me before we get to the door. “Are you okay, Mark?”
He sighs and allows himself to stop for a moment, dropping his head, looking down at his shoes and taking a deep breath. Then he raises his eyes to mine. “I’m all right, Ariel.”
A whine sounds softly in my throat as I raise a hand, cupping his cheek. I know that he’s lying, but I don’t want to push him too hard. “Is it…” I flick my eyes back to the large group on the couch, which is all chatting happily, except – honestly – Pippa, who cuddles Bianca away in a corner, smiling at her child but clearly setting herself a little apart from the group.
“Please don’t ask, Ari,” Mark says with a sigh. “I’m just…not ready to go there yet. Besides, I don’t have any answers. At all.”
I step closer to my brother, dropping my hand from his cheek and wrapping my arm around his waist instead. “You know you can talk to me, right?”
“I know,” he says, forcing a smile to his mouth as he nods to me.
“And mom’s taking care of you? Giving you a good fuss?”
“Ultra-fuss,” he says, his smile becoming more genuine now. “Honestly, Ari, please don’t worry. I’m just…figuring it out in my own time. It’s not always easy, you know?”
I think back, considering that he’s right. Not everyone’s mating is instantly easy or full of love. I’m suddenly struck with gratitude that even though my own mating story was filled with drama I came to adore Luca almost instantly and Jackson quite quickly.
You know. After he stopped trying to kill me. But after that, it all went very fast.
And Gabriel…well. He was a trial but he was possessed by Darkness. I passively turn my mind to the mark on my wrist, wondering what he’s up to. Hoping he’s all right.
But I keep my eyes on Mark, who is so clearly having a much harder time with his mate drama than I did.
“She’ll come around,” I whisper.
He sighs. “Or maybe she won’t.” He shrugs. “Please? Can we just…go see June?”
I grin at my brother, nodding, and we walk quickly towards the medical suite.