Chapter 38 I See the Light
Liam's POV
“Man, have you noticed how the girls have been kicking us out since we got back home?” Aaron says.
“Well, cause you are such a pain.” Jean said.
“You do know that you were supposed to stay back there right?” Jake says.
“Yeah, let’s supposed I know that, but no thanks.” She glanced at Cole then away. “Anyway, I’ll be with Mama Ellena, she’d need me to help her out in the clinic.”
“You sure you’re up for that?” Siam asked, “You can get some rest for a while-“
“No thanks,” she grinned, “I like feeling needed for a change.”
“Want me to drop you off?” Aaron asked.
I’m not really sure what it was, but I’m pretty sure that sound came from Cole.
“Uhm, no, I’m good.” She said, “I’ll go with one of the guys.”
“Ok, but we’ll see you at lunch ok?” Eric says as he ruffled her hair.
She stifled a laugh and slapped his hand away, “Yeah, yeah, big brother.”
Eric chuckled and nodded as we watch her run out of the front door.
“You ok there Cole?” Eric asked.
“Yeah.” He snapped and walked pass us.
I rolled my eyes and shook my head as we followed him toward the kitchen.
“Someone’s grumpy.” I said.
“Yeah,” Jake says, “I was going to ask you what’s wrong.”
“What?” I asked, bewildered.
“Well, the way you handled Serenity could have been more subtle, but hey?” Aaron raised his hands up, “It worked, who am I to argue?”
“What are you saying?” I asked, “I handled it like how I always did.”
“No, you left Serenity with no choice.” Jake said, “You practically told her that you’d be putting her under surveillance until she just decides to commit suicide to get away from you, but even then she’ll fail cause you’d be stuck around her waist to stop her.”
“What?” I chuckled, then I turned to Siam.
“The boys have a point, bro.” he said. “What’s wrong?”
I looked away, “Nothing.”
“You’re lying.” Jake pointed out.
“And how sure are you of that?” I asked.
We reached the kitchen and he stood across me from the counter and crossed his arms, looking smug, “Cause when we ask you what’s wrong, your answer is nothing I can’t handle.”
“You are three words short brother.” Aaron says, standing beside his cousin, “Now, again, what’s wrong?”
I shrugged, “Nothing.” I said. “There’s nothing to handle if there’s nothing wrong.”
“Liam, c’mon, it will take more than that for you to be able to make us believe that nothing’s wrong.” Siam says.
“Back us up here Eric.” Aaron says.
Eric grinned as he pulled out a bottle of water from the fridge and tossed it toward Siam, “I wouldn’t do that seeing that he just got Serenity to listen to us and out of her room to eat.”
“Thank you.” I said as I caught the bottle he tossed my way.
“But as a concerned friend- brother if you would allow-“ he says, “I am as interested to know what bothering you, man.”
“Urgh, nothing is wrong, aren’t you boys listening?” I said.
“Really?” Siam smirked ad exchanged looks with the others.
“Really.”
“Nothing on top of your mind?” Eric says, sporting the same smirk as Siam.
“Nothing.” I repeated.
“No one in particular bothering you?” Jake added, smirking as well.
“No one.” I said, this time a little bit unsure.
“No ladies dancing around your mind?” Aaron teased and making face.
“What are you boys driving to?” I asked, crossing my own arms over my chest.
“Defensive stance, someone’s lying.” Jake pointed out.
“What?! You had your arms crossed!”
“Cause you doubted facts.” He said. “C’mon spit it out, it’s about time you tell one of us.”
“I’m actually quite surprise you haven’t pulled Serenity in a corner to talk about it with her.”
“Talk about what?” Cole sat beside me.
“Mating.” Eric smiled at him, “Mating with a female in distress.”
“What?” Cole sat up and turned to me.
“What?” I asked him again.
“you seriously don’t know?” Aaron asked.
“Know what?”
They all laughed and gave me an awed look, but for some reason, it was a tad bit offensive.
“And here I thought you would be the one who would know all about it.” Siam says.
“Know about mating, yeah.” I said.
“Well, it’s obviously different in actual.” Aaron says, “Man, I knew when SErneity said that you can be dense, I didn’t know she meant this much.”
“Seriously? Comparing me to the girl who would had men’s mercy on her knees and still thought she’s ugly.” I pointed out.
“Would you just shut up?” Jake says, “Admit it, you felt the pull toward Tasha didn’t you?”
“Tasha?” Cole and I said in unison.
“Yeah.” Eric says, “Told you Serenity found something and that’s the something.”
For some weird reason he gave Cole a mocking smile, which Cole glared back at him.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I said.
“Of course you don’t.” Aaron rolled his eyes.
“Shut up,” I snapped, “the girl’s a human.”
“And so is Jean’s mom and Cam’s.” Jake said.
“Look what happened.” Cole says.
All the boys turned to him, but he just shrugged it off.
“Look,” I stood up, “I don’t know why you boys are fooling around with this kind of a prank, but it isn’t nice.”
“Yeah, and its especially isn’t nice that your mate is being taken away from you by a mated wolf.” Aaron says glaring at Cole again.
“Stop it Aaron.” I said. “Listen, you know there are ways to know this.”
“Exactly,” Jake says, “that’s why you have got to try it.”
I rolled my eyes and walked toward the door that would lead to the wide back garden of the Johansen home.
“Whatever.”
Suddenly we heard someone running toward the kitchen and Jake cursing underneath his breath.
“What’s wrong?” Aaron asked.
“Serenity’s angry.” Eric answered taking another swig from his bottle and finishing off its content.
“I’m thinking she got a gist of what happened.” Siam says.
Then Cam burst into the kitchen and ran up to Eric.
“She’s furious.” She says. “I’m not saying anymore cause-“
“-and I swear to all the wolf spirit who can hear me that I will hang them upside down until their blood is leaking out of their ears!”
“Damn, she really is furious.”
“And without Jean here she’ll-“
“You! And you! Meet me outside right now.” Serenity points at me and Cole.
“Serenity, love, calm down.” Eric walks toward her.
“No.” she snapped, “I am not agreeing to exchanging or whatsoever plan you two couples have, or may everything that’s good save you I will turn you into mink coats.”
Eric glanced at me, she’s all yours.
I rolled my eyes and step up to Serenity. “Seriously sissy, I don’t know what you are ranting on about this time, but-“
“How could you do that Liam?” she asked. “I thought of all people, you would be the one who will treasure your mate.”
“And I will, once I do find her.” I said.
Her eyes widened in an instant, while I shrugged, “Please don’t tell me that you think Tasha is my mate.”
“Well, how do you think you found her?” she says.
“Instinct.” I said again, “I already had this conversation with Jean-“
“Jean!” Serenity turns to Cole, “I swear Cole, I swear, I don’t care how much I owe you, or if you are Anna’s long lost brother I will hurt you once you reject your mate-“
“I already did and I’m sticking to my decision.” Cole snaps, “Besides, Tasha and I will be leaving this place soon.”
“What?” we all said in unison.
“We’re leaving.” Cole says, “I’ve spoken with the others as well, we’ll be going back to the circus-“
“No.” Serenity, Anna and I said in unison.
“No?” Cole asks.
“Yes,” Serenity snapped, “No, you are not leaving.”
“And why is that?” Cole crossed his arms over his chest, as if daring us.
“Oh this I have to hear.” Aaron says and points at me, “Especially yours.”
Why do I disagree on the first place? I asked myself.
“Al, I just found you.” Anna said, “You can’t just go up and leave.”
“Anna, I’m not the same. I can’t stay in one place, nor will I stay here where I know I am not wanted.”
“You are very much wanted to be here, if you wouldn’t be so hard headed.” Serenity says. “They were using and abusing you at the circus-“
“He’s gone now, we’ll be our own boss-“
“As if Jim would agree to that.” Serenity says, “You are safer here and I will not let Dana, Ken and Kendra go back to that place, Tasha is in her right mind to decide for herself.”
Then they all turned to me, waiting. The boys all gave me their smug look again.
“Same as Serenity.” I said. “You were attacked multiple of times there. And with Yuri still out there, I don’t think it’s safe to go back.” I glanced at Tasha, “You are safer here.”
The boys exchanged look, “Nice save.” Aaron mouthed which earned him a look from me.
“No, I-“
“I’d like to stay.” Tasha says.
We all turned to her.
“What?” Cole asked.
“Cole, you’ve been away from your kind far too long, you need to be with them and well, I don’t really like to go back to the circus. I mean, we’ve always said that we’d be escaping that place sooner or later, well, we already did. There’s really no reason for us to go back.”
Hearing those words, a smile crept into my lips, which the boys quickly picked up.
“Well, that’s decided on.” Cam said. “I’ll be pulling out Dana, Ken and Kendra from grandmother’s house and let them formally stay here.”
“Thank you Cam.” Serentiy says.
“No.” Cole snapped. “Fine, we won’t go back to the circus, but I will not stay here.”
“Scared that the fates are too powerful for your own good?” Aaron teased.
“No.” he glared at me, “Like I said, I have made my decision and I will not change that.”
“No one is asking you to.” Jake says, “All that we’re saying is that, you’ll have to give in to what fate has for you and let others live their life in peace.”
“I will not have a mismatch of mates on my wedding day, Cole.” Serenity says.
“What does that suppose to mean?” I asked.
She turned to me and gave me a smile, one filled of sarcasm and- somehow- threat. “That you will be Tasha’s escort on my wedding day.”
I wanted to say no, thinking that it was just one of Serenity’s moments of being a brat. But somehow, I knew she wouldn’t change her mind.
And I didn’t want her to either.
