The Order

by Jaimi Wilson

  It doesn't sound like a good way to live, constantly in fear, worried that any affection shown to one would hurt the other.

  I shake my head, ready to tell him no when he holds a finger to my lips, stopping me from speaking.

  "I can see it in your eyes, Jazzy, you're overthinking it. Just hear me out. The vampires are already extinct, and us wolves are dying out. In fifty years, our population will be in the tens, not hundreds. What if this is a sign from the earth? What if by us trying to make you choose between the two of us, we're disrupting the balance? Liam and I have both agreed that as long as you're open to it, we'd be willing to give the three of us a try. If for any reason you want to back out, then we'd gladly let you choose one of us with no hard feelings."

  When he finishes speaking, my heart is racing. "So, this is basically a trial run?"

  My nerves racket up at his slow nod, and I find myself leaning forward. I lick my lips, and his eyes follow the movement, heating up with uncontrolled desire. "Okay."

  "Okay? Does that mean you want to see where it takes us?"

  I place my lips against his, kissing him delicately before pulling away. "Yes, I want to have a try, but before I commit, I would like to talk to Liam and make sure this is definitely what he wants."

  “It’s definitely what I want."

  I freeze at the sound of Liam's voice and turn in my chair to see him hovering in the doorway. How long has he been standing there, and why didn't I hear him?

  He takes two steps into the room before dropping to his knees beside me, forcing me to look down into his violet eyes as he speaks. "This isn't going to be an easy road but, after watching you in that coma, Benji and I both realized neither of us wanted to lose you as a mate."

  I reach out and cradle his cheek in my hand, loving the feel of soft stubble as it grazes my palm. "Okay, but I'm not promising anything, though. This is only an acceptance to try, do you understand? This is not permanent unless we get to the binding ceremony, if we even get that far, but I'd be a fool if I didn't even try."

  Benji gets to his feet and offers me a small smile. "I'll leave you two to talk. I'll be back later.” He presses a gentle kiss to my cheek before walking out of the dining room, looking back to give a wink before he disappears from sight.

  Liam is still crouched down beside me, and I start to feel awkward. Maybe now is the time for some answers about what kind of ‘friendship’ he has with Neira. If it’s some kind of friends with benefits situation, there’s no way in hell I’ll be his mate. I don’t share well, which is why what he suggested is so daunting.

  “Ok, so I know you think you both want me as your mate but I need to know where you stand with Neira? I know it shouldn’t bother me but I need to know what’s going on? I mean, she’s staying at your place and I saw you guys hold hands. I’m trying my best not to overreact here but Neira seemed pretty possessive.”

  He laughs loudly into the room and I fight not to be offended but he’s making it really easy for me to want to punch him in the face right now.

  “Oh Jasmine,” he smirks, finally getting control of his laughter. “Neira is a friend, that’s all. I’ve never had any feelings for her and even if I had once, none of that would matter now that I have you in my life. You are everything to me.”

  I open my mouth once, then close it not sure what to say. “Oh, then I’m glad we got that sorted.”

  He chuckles and gets to his feet, holding out a hand to me. "Come on, we'll go in the kitchen. I'll cook you some food while we talk, and then you can get some rest."

  I let him lead me into the kitchen. I watch as he pulls out a stool at the island. He waits for me to sit down before going about making me food, and I watch fascinated; he owns the kitchen.

  This is a man who knows how to cook and is confident and seems truly happy in the role.

  "Where did you learn how to cook?" I ask, watching as he slices chicken breasts with slow precision before adding it to a pot on the gas stovetop. He then places the cutting board on the side of the sink, washes his hands and pulls out a new clean board to slice onions and garlic, before adding those to the pot, too.

  I would have expected a wolf to just cut everything on one board, regardless of the possible health risks. After all, if they can eat raw flesh from a freshly killed animal, then they don't really have to worry about salmonella or E. coli, do they?

  He walks to the fridge and gathers cream, a block of parmesan cheese, and a bottle of white wine.

  Once everything is placed neatly by the stovetop, he goes to the cupboard and pulls out a wine glass, filling it halfway before handing it to me with a grin. I take it and have a sip. I smile, wondering how he knew I was a fan of a good Moscato? Maybe he just guessed, but I don't really believe that.

  "My mother taught me," he says as he starts frying up the food. "She believed that a man should know how to cook for his mate. I think she was a little biased, though, since my father could burn even the simplest of meals."

  I watch as he adds some wine to the pot, taking a swig from the bottle with a cheeky grin before setting it back down. He pulls a grater from the drawer beside his leg and sets it out so it’s ready to use.

  "She used to run a cooking class in the pack, her cooking was just that good. It was her passion. If she wasn't cooking or baking, she wasn't happy. Ironically, that was how we also could tell when she was pissed. If she refused to cook dinner or hadn't baked during the day, we knew she wanted to kill someone.” He chuckles with obvious fondness.

  The way he talks about his mother, with a mixture of sadness and happiness, makes me feel the need to ask. "Is she still..." I trail off, realizing how horrible that sounds. “Is she still alive?” God, that's so horrible! Why did I ask that?

  He smiles sadly. "It's okay, Jasmine. My mother passed ten years ago. My parents had gone hunting for moose, but they got distracted when they stumbled upon a black bear and her cubs. We don't know exactly what happened; all we know is they came back to the pack on the verge of death. My mother died only moments after I arrived on the scene. My father lasted a day before his injuries finally overwhelmed him. I like to think they both went to the earth at the same time because they couldn't bear to be parted."

  I wipe the tears that have fallen during his story. The amount of love and heartbreak in his voice makes me feel for him and makes me resent my relationship with my mother so much more. Obviously, his parents loved each other very much, but loved him even more.

  When I gain control of my emotions a little better, I ask. "Do you have any siblings?"

  He laughs loudly, the sound making me smile as I feel the mood lift. "I don't have any siblings per se. In my mind, the pack is my family. Each cub that is born, I treat as one of my own. The pack females, I treat as I would a sister. The males are like my brothers. You get the gist." He winks at me, and I feel my heart melting a little.

  It's obvious he cares about his pack, which is what an Alpha should do. I sit here sipping my wine, watching him work, and wondering how this relationship thing is going to work. Are we a threesome? Would they be dating each other as well as me?

  My breath catches at the image that forms in my mind. Liam dominating Benji, while I lie in bed touching myself as I watch them both.

  I shiver and try to clear my mind. I do not need to be thinking of such a vivid image when I'm supposed to be focused on food.

  Liam switches off the stove and serves me a bowl filled with pasta before piling on some of the chicken sauce he's just finished making. He then serves up his own bowl, and places a dish of grated parmesan cheese between our two bowls as he sits beside me. "Dig in."

  I do as he says, moaning as the rich creamy taste hits my tongue. After I swallow my first mouthful, I take a sip of wine, turning to watch as Liam takes his own bite. "You're a very talented cook," I praise, grabbing another bite.

  His cheeks flush, and I hide a smirk, continuing to eat until my bowl is empty. I lean back with a satisfied sigh and take another sip of
wine. Liam finishes his pasta shortly after I do, and takes my bowl to the sink, rinsing them both out before stacking them neatly next to the chopping boards.

  He grabs the bottle of wine, coming back to the counter and refilling my now empty glass. "So, I told you about my parents, any chance you want to return the favour?" He grins, turning in his seat a little.

  "Alright." I sigh, knowing I owe him a little insight. He did reveal a piece of himself to me, even though he didn't have to. "Do you mind if we go out to the lounge, though?" These stools are not exactly comfortable for long periods of time, especially if I'm going to give him my life story.

  "Of course we can. Would you like me to grab another bottle of wine? I have a feeling this story may be better with it."

  I give a chuckle. "Yes, we may need two bottles, though." While I may have laughed, it’s the god honest truth. My life isn't filled with fond memories like Liam's. I'm not sure about Benji's past, but mine most definitely isn’t filled with fun, loving stories.

  Thirteen

  Jasmine

  Liam grabbed a second bottle of wine and met me on the couch, refilling my glass before sitting beside me. I cradle it, unsure where to begin.

  "Has Benji told you anything about me?" I ask, needing to understand where to start. I imagine he might have told Liam some things while I was out, if he hadn’t already before that. If they discussed the possibility of both dating me, then who knows what all they may have talked about?

  His face is serious as he answers me. "He mentioned your past wasn't exactly happy and that he wanted to rip your mother’s head off, so I came to the conclusion she isn’t a very nice woman. He also told me about the time he spent with you and how much he hated leaving you."

  I chuckle before taking a swig of wine, now knowing exactly where to start. "He's right to want to rip my mother’s head off. You probably already know this, but when a witch is born, they aren't as treasured as wolves. The only reason I'm alive today is because the members of the Order back then felt my power. They suspected I would be born a level three or two, so they forbade her from aborting me."

  I gulp down the rest of my glass and hold it out for a refill before I continue. "I grew up with a mother who despised my existence. She has no idea who my father is, so she couldn't exactly dump me on his doorstep. So I was stuck in her care, unless she palmed me off to other witches so she could go off and sleep with any man who would have her.

  "Which was how I met Benji. He came to our place intending to have sex with my mother." I pause as Liam shudders, revulsion in his eyes. I smirk. "Don't worry, he told me nothing happened between them once he realized I was his mate. In fact, he told my mother just who I was to him right before he left for good."

  I think back to that time and my mother’s words when she found me crying over him. She sat down on my bed, patting me on the back as if she actually cared. She said Benji had left us because he didn't care for us and had just been using my mother for sex. Considering how close Benji and I got, I had been devastated to hear this and it only made me cry even harder. It felt like the feelings I had developed had been all for nothing. The whole time he had just faked it. That's why being here and seeing him again feels like a dream. I had thought he was gone from my life forever.

  As I'm lost in my memories, thinking about the past, I realize the feelings I had back then are still there. I may have buried them deep, but I still love him.

  I pull myself from my thoughts to continue my story. "After I got here, Benji filled me in on my mother's devious acts and I realized she’d lied to me about everything. When he had left, he’d asked my mother to explain everything to me, which she didn't. Not only that, she didn't tell me that the entire time he was with us, she had been charging him to see me, like I was some kind of horse he could buy or a goddamn prostitute!" I'll never forgive her for that. If I had known then what I do now, I would have left her much earlier. And who knows, maybe I would have run off and become Benji's mate years ago.

  "Motherfucker! She charged him to spend time with you, his mate? No offense, Jasmine, but your mother sounds like a fucking nutcase!"

  I snort wine out of my nose, laughing so hard it takes a moment to regain control of myself. Liam chuckles and walks into the kitchen, coming back out with a few napkins so I can clean myself up. "You're right, though, nutcase seems too tame for my mother. She is... psychotic."

  He shakes his head, meeting my eyes with sad violet ones. "I'm sorry you had to go through that, but I take it you still did well for yourself. After all, you're here and seem to be pretty sane." He winks, making me feel a little proud that it’s not obvious how being raised by her affected me.

  While it may not be easily visible on the outside, I do have major trust issues, and I'm quick to anger. A ball of rage sits inside me at all times, just waiting to be unleashed.

  "I was vindictive enough that I chose to stay with her until the day of my nineteenth birthday. Every day, I made her life a living hell because of the way she treated me. I learned magic without her help, preferring to teach myself or ask the coven members I visited with. When I turned nineteen, I packed up my stuff and moved out. She didn't even know what was coming. She petitioned the Order to make me stay, saying I was unable to live out in the world by myself because my magic was too volatile, when the reality was she was just worried about losing out of her monthly paycheck for taking care of me. Thankfully, the Order denied her because I'd done all my testing and all of them came back clear, saying my magic was stable."

  I smile, thinking back to that day. I'd never been more proud of myself. She had absolutely no idea I had already done my tests and I knew she hoped that would keep me under her thumb a little longer, but I was a free woman. "It was absolutely priceless to see the look on her face. She came home to my room empty and the last of my boxes on the front step. She couldn't comprehend that I had saved enough money to actually buy my own place."

  "At nineteen you had enough cash to buy a place?" he asks, impressed.

  I grin in response. "Yep! My mother thought I was so weak, that she didn't even consider that I'd learned to sell my magic like she did. I offered my services to humans and other witches alike, whether it was to cast spells, make potions, or just see into the future. One of my clients actually became a very good friend, and as it turned out, an invaluable asset, seeing as she was a realtor. She took me house hunting until I found the perfect place and helped me negotiate a good deal.

  My thoughts drift back to that day. Harry took me to six houses before she got a call about what I would soon call my paradise. We went and checked it out, and I just knew it was mine.

  "Wait, you told humans about our existence? Do you have a death wish?"

  I sigh at the judgement in his voice. Most supernaturals don’t approve of us using our magic to help the humans. Since the issues with the vampires, we've all been careful, but I didn't see the harm in it if it wasn’t hurting anybody. The Soldiers were more than okay with it when I called and asked permission to begin working. Their only stipulation was to keep the magic hidden from anyone who wasn’t already aware witches were still alive.

  See, after our existence was revealed due to the vampires’ stupidity, we had no choice but to bury all knowledge of our species after the clean-up, at the insistence of the Soldiers. While they still have records of us, most of the rest of humankind is oblivious to the continued existence of witches and wolves.

  "I'm not stupid, Liam, and you'd better remember that before speaking to me like some errant child. I never performed magic in front of my clients. I was basically nothing more than a glorified fortune teller to most. The majority of the things I did were simple, like assisting a couple to be more honest with each other, or small helpful healing potions for people who had health issues. In the case of incurable diseases, all I did was offer a potion that eased the pain."

  He nods as I speak, digesting the information as I tell him and looking contrite. I hate when people judge someone b
efore they have all the facts, yet I know I am guilty of doing the same thing in many cases. Chalk it all up to my trust issues.

  "The things I did would never upset the earth. I respect the balance too much to let anything happen that could throw the world into chaos. Besides, the Soldiers had okayed my work, saying as long as I respected the balance and kept most of the humans who came to me oblivious of my true nature, then they saw no harm in it. The humans only wanted what they couldn't have–happiness, money, and love. I gave them what they wanted in the way of potions that simulated happiness. Those who wanted love, I gave them a potion to help build their confidence. And for those who wanted money, I gave them a potion for luck. Something that was only guaranteed to work that month. It would only continue to bring them luck if they remained selfless. If they became too self-absorbed, the magic would stop working. Just a little catch I like to include in most of my spells and potions," I say, smiling lazily.

  I look down at my empty glass with a frown. I snap my fingers, watching as the glass refills and the bottle on the table goes from half full to almost empty. That will never get old. Some days having magic is absolutely amazing.

  Liam chuckles and refills his own glass the normal way, draining the last of the bottle. "Handy little trick to have," he smirks as he leans back with his own glass, sipping it slowly. I watch as he pulls the glass away, leaving his lips moistened. I feel the sudden urge to lean forward and lick the wine from his lips.

  My face goes pink from the vivid image in my mind, and I pinch myself subtly, trying to regain a little control.

  I nod with a small smile, my face feeling flushed. I look down at my almost empty glass and frown. How fast did I drink that? Maybe I should stop. I've never been too good with wine. Two glasses and it either knocks me on my ass, or I let loose in a way no one needs to see.