by Candra Kylar
“But I couldn’t tag the leader”, Amaris said flatly.
I lifted my head, “That was a reckless thing to do! Voldini could have connected that to us and killed Dimples as punishment! I told your new guardian spirit to hold off on an escape plan! Didn’t you listen?”
“He isn’t my guardian spirit and of course I wouldn’t listen to him. He needs my help, not the other way around”, my sister brushed off her dress and stood up with ease, “your friend there packs quite a punch with magic. I’ve never felt anything like it. A shame she’s a permanent resident at the circus now.”
“Don’t you have a lair to get back to now that you helped sabotage the evening?”, I asked.
My mother was shocked, “Abbie, she only did it -”
“Because I felt like it”, Amaris interjected, “and I’m happily leaving. This town is small and stifling enough. Once Ian finishes his work, I’ll send him back to you. You can even have that mouthy teenage vampire if you want. I’m better off alone.”
She left in that same graceful gait that she always did. My sister and I would never see eye to eye on everything. We had spent too long apart, raised with different ideals, my own mind erased from her existence. I had to blame my father for the bitterness that ensued. We both had our mother, the one that anchored us to each other, but I knew we couldn’t be close. Not when she took actions in a selfish way and didn’t care who got hurt in the process. Even Lydia in all of her confusion would be left in a lurch. She’d have to come back to Lysander’s court and try the old ways again. Her new group of miscreants was thankfully disbanded and they didn’t start the fire. Focus on what you can change, Abbie, and not something that makes you feel powerless. Try and push away your failure by succeeding at something else. It was the only way that I could cope with that loss.
“I’m glad that you came back alive”, Ethan said to Braeden, “I was afraid that I wouldn’t see you again.”
“Or that we wanted to now that you hate us being together”, Liam mumbled.
Braeden stood up and pulled Ethan into a hug, “Just shut up and hug me, kid. We’ll hash out the other stuff later.”
Liam stayed put, “We should get your cars now that they’re parked in Stubin Station. You’ll need a ride out there to retrieve them.”
Frankie made her way over to my mother, “I broke up with my internet boyfriend. You were right, Holly, he just wanted to swindle me. Everything is a mess now. I lost Dimples, I lost true love, and I was afraid I would lose you.”
“I’m a lot stronger than I look”, my mother said reassuringly, “and there are some things that I need to set straight. Abbie, we need to talk about your sister.”
“Not now, Holly”, Elizar said defensively.
“I get that you’re in love with my daughter, Mr. Andros, but you’ll kindly stay out of it. You know just as well as I do why Amaris started that fight. I’m proud of her for it, even though I couldn’t condone the way she went about it”, my mother said.
“Why would you be proud of her for running in and attacking investors? She could have gotten you both killed”, I admonished her, “you’re lucky that Voldini didn’t double back to do some damage. He was in survival mode and taken off guard.”
“Amaris went out for the investors when she found out that your father put gold in once he heard that you were one of the caged performers. She was furious and wanted to punish them for delivering his payment”, my mother revealed.
I was too stunned to reply. Amaris had started that fight because she was furious about our father exploiting me. She had done it for me but still shrugged it off as an impulse. She wouldn’t even acknowledge the truth when it would free her of any blame. There were layers to my sister that I couldn’t understand but, with this new information revealed, I realized that I should make a better attempt to start. Amaris was fighting for me. She was pushing back against our father who she had never confronted alone. I felt terrible for judging her so quickly and making her leave. I needed to apologize to her, to talk to her. This couldn’t be the way that we went on in the future.
“Let’s get back to my place and let you soak in a hot bath for a while. I’ll order in something good and you can be pampered until you’re ready to go back to work”, Elizar offered.
“I can’t leave Tippler alone in my apartment. He needs to be fed properly”, I said.
My mother sighed loudly, “That mongrel thing is living with Frankie and I right now. He eats whatever he wants and tells the most inappropriate stories. You just focus on you for tonight. This has been a lot to take in for everyone.”
Braeden slapped Liam’s back, “I don’t hate you being mated to Ethan, by the way.”
Ethan jumped in, “I don’t want to talk about it now. Let’s go home and just settle down. Dimples isn’t here and the circus isn’t popping up on the radar. I have an alert on my phone to notify me when it’s mentioned on the web.”
“So we have no plan at all”, Frankie said.
“This can’t be the end”, I told her, “and Voldini isn’t immune. I need time. Just a little time to figure everything out.”
Elizar brought his lips to my temple, “Don’t put that on yourself.”
“I don’t have a choice. There’s an angle here. We just wait for the circus to pop up again and then come up with a better plan.”
I wanted to sound confident but my reasoning was weak. There was no reason to believe that the circus would be up and running after the fiasco of tonight’s performance. We were lucky to be alive and Dimples herself ported us away. It was her manner of washing the past out of her present. The Bog Queen chose to live in a swamp, in a cage, and perform because she saw no other hope in the world. I would focus on who set fire to Elizar’s club and, when the time was right, I would face Voldini. I may not be able to free Dimples but I could at least settle things with him. Judging by the fury of Amaris and the building anger of Braeden, I may have to stand in line.
Fourteen
My return to the Stedwell house promised another confrontation. The last time I was there, Gina cooked a delicious dinner for the pack and an engagement announcement had the alpha reeling with poor word choices. Braeden had explained his reasons for objection to me though he still remained ominous to Ethan. I could see why a youthful wedding could halt a lot of future plans for career aspirations and life goals. They were only eighteen and finishing high school, after all. Liam had put a lot of pressure on himself to provide for Ethan as if he were already the man of the house. All the while, Braeden was trying to make their life easier but had messed it up along the way. Tonight’s dinner could hopefully settle that matter.
Cyril was in a rocking chair by the door on the phone with Frankie. The two had become close since her bookstore had a string of break-ins that ended in a vampire feud. She had come to rely on him for all of those handy things that needed fixing around the place. For a time, I had assumed that the two would start dating. They were always talking and skirting around the issue. Then I remembered what Braeden told me about bonding to a mate and how it was a lifetime deal. Cyril could never love anyone again the way he had loved his wife Lorna. It must have been difficult for a werewolf to spend the rest of their life in mourning. Frankie’s friendship at least brought him some semblance of happiness.
Ethan was on his laptop inside and Liam was cuddled up next to him. With his tone and ability to shift into a four legged fighting force, it was endearing to see him sprawled out against Ethan so tenderly. Love had the ability to change so much. I had hoped that my own love for my best friend, one of unconditional understanding, would have healed the wound in Dimples’ heart. She must not have felt that strongly about our friendship. It was the only way I could process her brushing off me that final time. She had taken an action to keep me safe but wouldn’t let any of my words permeate the barrier blocking her heart. I headed for the kitchen to offer my help to Gina.
Liam’s mother had spent most of her adult life taking care of her child
ren without complaint. Working two jobs, Gina was a werewolf that was a strong force in the territory. Rumor had it that one day she would be allowed on the Elder’s circle to make decisions that would effect the community. For now, all I could see was a mother doing her best. Every time Braeden tried to help her with bills, she would refuse him. She had this pride that was instilled so perfectly in Liam. He had a strong work ethic and a capacity for love gifted by the grace of his own mother. She was also a fantastic cook. She allowed me to fix the salad while her eyes never left the oven.
“Braeden told me how he felt last night about the engagement between my son and Ethan”, Gina said while simmering a pan sauce, “and it made sense. I didn’t think it would but his heart is in the right place. He’s looking out for them both.”
“So you think that they’re rushing things?”
“I’ll support whatever my son wants to do. He hasn’t had it easy and Ethan has calmed him down significantly since they became bonded. But there’s still the mother in me that knows getting married so young will bring them a lot more issues that will deflect from their education”, Gina explained with whisk in hand.
I handed her the big bowl of salad, “Braeden cares about them. He sees himself not only as an alpha but a big brother. You know how he provided the money for Liam to buy into the auto shop. He’s paying for Ethan’s veterinary health program. He just has a way of saying the wrong things and looking like a dick.”
Gina laughed, “I still count our blessings being part of the Stedwell pack. We have a genuine sense of family here and I know the wounds from this will heal. Liam talks a big talk but he hurts as much as Ethan over it.”
Cyril made his way into the kitchen, “You ladies gabbing about my grandson? Can’t blame you. He’s stirred quite the pot lately.”
Gina put a tray of sliced pot roast into his hands, “Bring this out to the dining room. After dinner, your grandson has a lot to explain to the kids. Until then, I intend to feed every single one of you.”
“Yes mam”, Cyril bowed, “you sure are feisty in the kitchen.”
Gina shot him a warning glare and I couldn’t help but laugh at the sight. There was so much love here, something that Dimples could have if only she would choose to leave the circus behind. Rynna could see it for herself and see what she was missing by being on the run. I had enough magic and the community had enough wolves to protect her from any prying scientists. She could live in relative peace and figure out her own path moving forward. Even Max could learn to find balance between his two identities and find himself part of a new family. So much love in a small community. I felt that I belonged here, choosing a new family to build with the fragments of my old ones. My mother and sister could even find themselves welcome here.
During dinner, Ethan told us about his research into Elementals who once guarded the planet. They were winged beings when they made themselves visible to humans. Majestic in some ways and terrifying in others. Each one had exceptional control over a certain element that could overthrow the Elder Fae if they so desired. When the war came, magic pushed against natural order and many lives were lost. Some scholars said that the Elementals sacrificed their existence to save humans from the toil of war. The Elder Fae knew that they couldn’t win in the long run so they accepted the sacrifice as a white flag. The rule of one replaced another and the Elder Fae came to abuse their new position. The rest was history. It was sobering to hear.
“Rynna distracted me with a story about what Dimples appeared as in her past form and it comes close to the physical description of the Elementals. Ethan was able to track down the Elder Fae symbols and terms to refer to them”, Braeden went on, “and we could verify it if only Rynna were here to recognize the symbols as the same ones she had seen in her vision.”
“She could confirm that Dimples is actually, what, a god of the planet with elemental control?”, I asked blankly.
“Not a god per say”, Ethan corrected me, “more like an angelic protector of sorts. The Elementals actually didn’t create the planet. No one knows who did. What they were responsible for was keeping the balance and protecting life here.”
“Dimples could always master wind and air with no problem. Those abilities magnified in the past year”, I recalled.
“So it seems like that mystery is close to being solved”, Cyril said.
“Little good that it does us”, I said bitterly.
Liam draped an arm over Ethan and brought up, “You said you wanted to ice that Voldini douche? If Dimples doesn’t have a circus, she’ll have to come back home to her family.”
“Or she’ll find another way to punish herself”, I said.
Braeden held a beer bottle to his lips, “Not if we show her the truth. Once Rynna confirms the symbols she saw in the past connected to Dimples were the same ones we found identifying the Elementals, the tables will turn. Dimples will learn that she isn’t a monster and help me dismember Voldini.”
Gina dished meat onto everyone’s plate, “Violence never solves anything.”
“He tried to force me into hurting Abbie for his entertainment and enslaved Dimples with some painted up lie. He has it coming”, Braeden explained.
Cyril picked at his food, “If only there were a better way.”
I wished with everything that I had that there was. Forcing Dimples into coming back to us in Crestwood would just make her resent us in the end. I didn’t want to hold her captive like Voldini had. She would have to choose us and whatever that future brought her. The problem was, there was never enough time, never the right words, to convince her. I had failed my best friend. What are you most afraid of, Abbie? That I would never see Dimples again. We had come a long way from when she sent me to the future to get her an advance copy of Meredith Marble. She had come to trust me and stood by me during my most dangerous fights. Her love spilled over to Braeden and Ethan, even Liam with his hot temper. She also instilled a healthy fear in Cecilia that kept her troublemaking in cheque.
When dinner ended, both Gina and I gave Braeden a look that told him he couldn’t avoid the discussion any further. He took long swigs of beer and then rolled his shoulders as if he were readying himself for a tough fight. Considering how protective Liam was of his mate, it was always a possibility. We all went into the living room and sat around the mismatched furniture that made it up. Over the fireplace, the wedding picture of Cyril and Lorna looked down on us. If she were here, if we had made amends, then I wonder which side she would take. She never saw a single flaw in her grandson and gave her life for him in the end. Flaws though he had, Braeden had a heart of gold. He had no choice but to wear it on his sleeve now.
“I need to first apologize for my outburst when you first announced your engagement”, Braeden said, “and explain exactly why I had any objection.”
“There aren’t many gay werewolves around and I’m sure it just wrecks your tough reputation to know you condone a bonded mateship involving one”, Ethan replied with pain in his voice.
Braeden leaned forward to rest his arms on his knees, “There is no world or worthless reputation where I’d ever be ashamed of you or who you love. If any wolf wants to say something, then I’ll take them down. You’re my family, Ethan. I made that choice when I took you in after your father died.”
Ethan wiped at his eyes, “I thought you were angry because of how it would look for the pack if the first wedding was between Liam and I.”
“Fuck no. I’m proud that Liam is working hard to save up for a house on the territory and that you’re studying to become a veterinarian while in high school. No one could ever make me prouder and I take my job as your guardian seriously. That’s why I was so angry to hear you wanted to rush a marriage and push college away when you graduate”, Braeden said.
Liam snorted, “I don’t have much of a future outside of being a mechanic.”
“More bullshit”, Braeden countered, “I’ll help you as much as Ethan. I’m not mated, I don’t have kids, and I’d only blo
w my extra gold on more motorcycles. I’d rather do good by the both of you and know that there’s some point to it all.”
“Why can’t we get married and still do those things?”, Ethan asked in exasperation.
“Because marriage brings a bunch of responsibilities, will complicate any financial aid you two could get for school, and adds more complications than you need at 18. You’re both bonded and that’s for life. When you’re done figuring out where you want to work, what you want to do, where you want to live, then I’ll decorate the wedding myself. Or pay someone to do that shit because it’s not my thing”, Braeden attested.
Liam thought it over, “Makes sense, actually. Guess we were kind of half-assing the whole marriage thing. I want Ethan to be mine but I guess he already is.”
Ethan kissed his cheek, “Always.”
“I also made another decision last night. I know Gina’s place is cramped and you’re working a lot, Liam. So I figure you can stay with Ethan here until you both find a nice place”, Braeden announced, “and that’s final. No more arguments. I’m the alpha for fuck’s sake. The only embarrassing harm you could do to my reputation is by refusing my decision.”
Liam raised his chin, “So long as you let me pay for some of the groceries and extras.”
“You have a real alpha in you and that’s why you’re such a pain in the ass”, Braeden stretched out, “fine. Just go be happy and young while I have another beer. I don’t feel like doing this family roundtable stuff after every dinner. Ruins a good buzz.”
Ethan ran over to hug Braeden tightly, “Can I call you Uncle Braeden?”
“That’s creepy and I’m not your uncle. Braeden will do”, the alpha said gruffly, “because brothers call each other by their first name. I think it fits with us. Now scram. I have a headache and another beer is the cure.”
