chapter 216

Evelyn POV

One week Later

We had stayed in our little bubble, none of us leaving home for anything, instead Imogen

would pop over and drop things off. None of us wanted to leave the safety of home. The rumours

of the Dark king had been circulating. Hysteria spread like wildfire of his return because of the

damage he caused. None would listen to the fact, it was a war he never started. Thaddeus has

struggled since being home, the darkness was addictive and he fought the push and pull

relationship he had with it.

One minute he was fine the next on the verge of exploding yet we managed to bring him back

from the darkest depths of the depression it caused him. Imgoen offered to take it away from him,

but learning from past mistakes it always finds its way back, he just needed to learn to control it and

Mara was his grounding place, he would continue to fight the compulsion of it, learn to tame it

again for her, for our family. It was a part of him everyone just needed to accept that, if he could live

with it so could we. He shouldn't have to deny who he is and the darkness is a part of him, without

it he wouldn't be Thaddeus and despite what it does to him I will still love him, I love him and that

means loving the darkest parts of him too.

Pouring the boiled water in my mug, I quickly stir it. Trying to get a cup in before the coffee

police comes down on me. The smell of coffee had become my new favourite smell. Caffeine, get in

me. Bringing the cup to my lips I was about to take a sip when the cup was suddenly gone from my

hands. I huff annoyed, turning to glare at Orion who sips my coffee.

“You already had one this morning, I heard the clink of you stirring it so don't deny it Evie” He

says and I pull another mug down about to make another but Orion takes the coffee jar from the

bench placing it on the top of the cupboard away from my reach. Ryland comes into the kitchen,

reaches up and grabs it, passing it to me giving me a wink. He kisses my cheek before plucking my

mug from Orion's hands and sitting at the table next to Mara who was eating her cornflakes. Orion

growls at him before trying to reach for the coffee jar in my hands but I pull it away from him

making myself another coffee that was rudely stolen from me.

“Evie no, you have already had one today” Orion says trying to reach for the jar.

“Leave her be Orion, the baby is a tribrid for god sake, if wolfsbane didn’t harm it, coffee sure

as hell won't” Thaddeus says coming into the kitchen. I stick my tongue out at him, turning away

from him and making my coffee.

“We don't know that” Orion says, eyeing my nonexistent baby bump, any day now I was waiting

to wake and find a growing belly since tribrid babies were not like a normal pregnancy and matured

quicker.

“We do know that?” Thaddeus says pointing to Mara who loves telling us about being a big

sister to the baby that still isn't born yet.

“Fine, but last one” He says, taking the jar from me. I grab my mug and drink my coffee while

leaning on the bench and watching Mara as she plays with her breakfast instead of eating it.

For the rest of the day we sat on the floor in the living room, drawing with her and making a

mess with her water paints while watching frozen on repeat. I couldn't wait for her to find a new

favourite movie. I could recite the words backwards. I have watched it that much this week.

“How about we watch Moana baby, this one is getting a little old” Orion tells her leaning over

to the coffee table for the remote. Mara glares at his hand. He puts his hand up in surrender before

pressing play once again on the movie. Orion goes back to his drawing pad and despite him hating

the movie I chuckle when I hear him singing along to the songs with Mara. Sitting up, my back was

killing me from laying on my side for so long.

Ryland was outside mowing the lawns with Thaddeus and cleaning out the shed to kill the

boredom of being housebound. I hear the mower cut off looking toward the window before hearing

it start up again. I sigh, they had been outside all day.

Getting up, I move to the couch where Orion is. He moves, opening his arms for me and I lay

down on him draping my leg over his waist before he props his drawing pad on leg and continues

drawing.

“I thought you hated the movie, " I tell him.

“I do but Mara wants to colour in that stupid snowman” He says continuing to draw before he

tears out the page handing it to Mara who happily snatches it off him to colour it in.

“What's this?” I ask, trying to see the drawing under the blank sheet on top.

“Nothing you need to see” He says, closing his book and rolling on his side to face me.

“It was porn wasn't it, that's why you don't want to show me” I chuckle, his lips tugging at the

edges.

“Maybe” He says. His hand trailing down my side and back up softly.

“So have you thought of any names yet?” He asks, his hand going to my stomach. I shake my

head.

“I figured I would let you three choose” I tell him and he nods, kissing my forehead and pulling

me on top of him.

“I ordered some things online that should arrive tomorrow if you want to help me put it

together” I tell him and he pulls back looking down at me.

“What sort of things?” He asks.

“A crib you know baby stuff, thought it would give us something to do” I tell him.

“Baby sleep in my room?” Mara asks, looking over at us.

“No in the nursery” Orion tells her.

“No my room” Mara pouts.

“Babies cry Mara he will wake you up” Orion tells her and she shrugs not caring.

“Baby has to sleep in our room for awhile anyway" I tell her.

“I thought you wanted to do up the nursery for him?” Orion asks.

“I do but if Mara wants him in her room she can, but he stays in our room so I can breastfeed

him. I ordered a bassinet for our room” I tell him.

“You are going to try to breastfeed this one?” He asks.

“Yeah try” I tell him knowing how terrible I was at it with Mara before giving up and giving her

formula.

“I can help you,” He says.

“Are you planning on producing milk?” I chuckle.

“No but if you want to try, I will try to help, I would like you to breastfeed” He says and I nod.

“Try” I tell him, knowing I will probably give up like the first time, I know better than to get my

ambitions mixed up with my capabilities. And breastfeeding was terrible the first time and I felt

deflated when I realised I couldn't do it for long and Orion was disappointed I stopped with Mara.

“Yes, try or we use formula” He says with a shrug.

Amara POV

Two months later

“I hope your father is in a good mood today” Emery tells me as we stop at the grocery store. I

had finally moved out of home, Dad and Emery clashed constantly and I could see it was taking a

toll on him. My father needs to realise I am not a child, that he needed to realise Emery is my mate

and he wasn't going anywhere.

“He will be fine, he was nice last time” I tell him as I walk down the aisle looking for the

marinade mum wanted for dinner tonight. Mum had been inviting us over every few nights for

dinner, I think she is going through that empty nest syndrome, and doesn't know what to do with

herself when she isn't fussing over me and my brother. Damn I feel sorry for Evie, mum was already

annoying her, constantly over there fussing over Mara, I could already see Orion becoming annoyed

with her being the over the top grandmother.

Orion likes to run by a schedule, likes his routines and mum had been interfering majorly by

randomly showing up unannounced. Evelyn didn't mind but Orion that was a different story when it

interfered with Mara's routine. And once their son is born it will get a whole lot worse.

“Is this it?” Emery says holding up a red sauce jar. I look at it and nod.

“Maybe we should cancel?” Emery suggests.

“No, want to see mum, besides dad says anything I will say something” I tell him.

“You shouldn't have to, he should just shut his mouth” Emery snaps at me and I roll my eyes, I

was always stuck in the middle between them. My other father loved Emery but my other father was

too hot headed and didn't like the notion of his baby leaving home. He thinks Emery is trying to

take me from him. Walking toward the registers, I am hit full force in the legs, looking down I see a

little boy with his hands on my white jeans. He giggles taking off leaving his handprints on my jeans

before rushing off down the aisle, I look down at my ruined white jeans.

“Please tell me that is chocolate and not poop” I say to Emery looking at the deep brown

handprints on my favourite jeans.Emery wipes his finger on the handprint and licks his finger.

“Yep chocolate,” He confirms.

“You licked it? What if it was poop?” I tell him. He shrugs.

“Had worse things in my mouth” He says, making me look at him.

“I don't even want to know what is worse than shit” I tell him. I hear the giggling boy coming

back up this time behind me, turning around just in time for him to giggle and dart behind me

hiding from someone. A woman in her early twenties comes chasing him down, she looks quite

flustered when her scent hits me, Emery growls and I smack his chest.

“Mason back here” She shrieks before gasping when she sees my pants, her hands going to her

mouth in horror as her kid hid behind me.

“1am so sorry, he is usually quite good, my sister warned me not to give him sugar, I should

have listened, her son is quite the little monster when he has sugar rush” She rambles, digging

through her bag and pulling a wet wipe out. She jerks the boy to her side.

“Look what you did” She tells him and he ducks his head. “I am so sorry, are they expensive?”

She says trying to wipe the chocolate handprints off my thighs. I was too stunned to speak, Emery

also in a shocked state as we stared at her. She flicks her blonde hair over her shoulder as she stares

up at me apologetically, trying to scrub the chocolate marks off. I was frozen when the boy

suddenly darted off.

“Mason!” She exclaimed before rushing off after him. I give the boy one thing: he was quick. I

watch our mate dart after him. “Mate” Emery mutters under his breath.

“And it's a woman" I tell him excitedly before looking up at him and he nods, looking quite

perplexed. We both stood in shock, I found another mate.

“Wait where did she go?” I ask him, looking around for her. Emery and I walk up every aisle

looking for her before realising she must have left. Now how were we going to find her?

“Did you see a blonde woman and a little boy come past here?” I asked the cashier. He shakes

his head, scanning our item. I pay looking around trying to figure out where she went but come up

empty.

“How is it we lost her?” I tell Emery as we go to the car.

“I was in too much shock to pay attention” Emery admits and he was right. I was also in shock.

“She is human though” Emery says and I nod at his words.

“So was Evie, she came around eventually ,but now we need to find her again” I tell him with a

huff, what if she was only passing through the city. Neither of us marked her to track her down, the

thought saddened me, what if we never find her again.

“Stop stressing we will find her” Emery says pulling me to his side and draping his arm across

my shoulders.00