For the Trees
1562 Words
SABRINA POV:
Valerie hugged me. She almost squeezed the wind out of me, and when I pulled away, she kept hold of my hands.
"You-you are going to be such an amazing help around here. I'm going to enjoy having a daughter figure around."
"A w-what?"
David stepped in.
"What my wife means is that she's going to enjoy more female presence in the house.. Right, honey?"
Valerie nodded.
"I'm not the best with my emotions. You make my boys happy.. "
"In more ways than one," Xander mumbled, receiving an elbow jab in the ribs by Sebastian.
I finally looked at him. He seemed normal, normal looking –his eyes still green, but his smile told me I was in for more than what I'd gotten in the closet
"It's very nice to meet you both, but I'm not sure what your sons could possibly say about me. We haven't been the best of friends..."
David shook his head.
"We are so sorry, Sabrina, " He glanced at his son's who straightened up in front of him, "They should have been perfect gentlemen. You should never have gone through any of that nonsense."
I was taken aback by his words. He almost seemed ashamed of his son's behavior.
"Please,forgive us–forgive them," Valerie's eyes pleaded.
"I'm,well, I have...I guess... they did take me in.."
"Oh, excellent!" A sigh of relief came from both of them as they ushered me into the kitchen, continuing to chat it up with me.
I glanced back over my shoulder at the Quads who were watching my every move.
AUTHOR'S--THIRD PERSON POV:
"You're a prick, Xander," Hudson said as they watched their mate from the foyer, "In a linen closet? Please don't tell me it was her first kiss."
Xander didn't respond. He didn't even look at his brother.
"I hate your face right now, little brother," Q frowned, "Her first kiss shouldn't have been in a f*****g closet."
"What? Did you want me to f*****g send her flowers first? I needed to taste her!"
Xander argued, turning to face Quinn.
"We all want to taste her, Xander," Sebastian said, "But we know the rules."
"So does he!" Hudson moved closer to Xander, "We protect her, we keep her safe, she accepts us, we tell her, we show her and then it happens. It happens this way for everyone! "
Xander stepped up to his little brother, "She's not like the others and we all know it. Her healing and powers are already coming out. What happens when she uses it and it scares the s**t out of her?"
Sebastian sighed, "We could call a meeting but it's risky."
"We'll talk to Dad," Hudson said.
"If you guys don't do something," Xander said, "I will."
SABRINA POV
"That's a lovely dress, Sabrina," Valerie said as we settled at the table for breakfast. I noticed I sure as hell wasn't Miss Sabrina when it came to the elder Calhoun's.
"Thank you," I watched as the Quads joined us, Quinn on one side of me, Sebastian on the other. Hudson and Xander sat across from us, "How was Bermuda?*
David nodded, sipping his juice.
"Hot, but it was a good time. We had a bit of food poisoning the night we talked to you."
I recalled them looking haggard.
"Yes, I was worried about you."
Valerie smiled.
"You are so sweet."
"Yeah, she is," Xander said, gazing at me from across the table, "She's very sweet. Aren't ya, Cupcake?"
I swallowed hard, my palms getting clammy. I heard Q say something to him about being nice and I noticed David practically pop a vein in his forehead when he realized Xander might have been speaking about me inappropriately.
I just decided to go with it.
"I try to be," I smiled, "Don't I, Xander? Am I sweet enough for you?"
My leg wouldn't stop bouncing. It was due to my anxiety, which was thundering straight through the roof.
I felt Sebastian's hand slip over my knee and onto my thigh, pressing his fingers gently into my bouncing leg. I could feel his eyes on me, eyes that begged for me to look at him so I did.
I hadn't realized that I had my hand on top of his.
"Don't let him get to you, Cupcake... " Seb whispered to me, "It's OK."
What he did next was not totally unexpected. I heard a low rumble in his chest again and he gripped my thigh even harder, running his hand a little further up my leg. I only guided him and I don't know why. I was almost in tears and it wasn't because I felt violated or something awful like that, but I felt a connection—something so personal and beautiful, just like I had with Xander in the closet. His kiss made me feel something other than my libido aching for attention—it was eternal bliss.
"Sebastian..." I didn't realize how close I was to his ear now--practically crooning into the crook of his neck and whispering his name while the others watched—not the elder Calhoun's, who were speaking with Clive and Cheryl.
"Sabrina...my gods..." His lips were so close to my ear and I was awash with nothing but warmth and safety.
"Really, brother?" Xander scoffed, breaking Seb and I from our moment.
Seb let go of me as I turned to my plate of food, blushing.
What the hell was happening to me?
"Well, as much as we'd love to hang out with you all today," Valerie began, "We are so very tired from traveling, but Clive and Cheryl have planned a grand feast for us tonight."
"What are your plans for today, boys?" David asked, shoveling some eggs into his mouth.
"We're taking Sabrina to the forest," Xander replied, downing yet another cup of coffee.
The others stared at him like he'd spoken in tongues.
"Why?" Valerie asked, breathing in deeply.
"Why not?"
"Well, it's a nice little stroll, but the forest is dense..."
"We won't lose her, Mom," Xander not once took his eyes off of mine, "I promise."
After breakfast, the guys escorted me out. I decided to put on my sneakers, but I didn't change out of my dress. It was long and flowing so I was not hot—unless I was talking about how the Quads were making me feel.
It took me no time to realize I stayed in the middle of the boys quite a bit—almost like I was supposed to. I also noticed that they weren't talking much to each other and Xander was placed in the back and not near me. I was between Hudson and Q as we walked along the paths.
I kept thinking about Xander and his kiss. I swear this man could read my mind.
"You doing OK, Sabrina?" He asked right after I thought about what else would have happened in that closet if we hadn't been interrupted.
"Yes, I am fine," Right after I say it, I trip up on my own feet.
Falling face first into the ground, I waited momentarily for a hand to reach out to me, but nothing came.
"Guys?" I was now on my knees, scanning the forest, but the Quads weren't there.
"Not again.." I trembled, whirling around to see nothing but dense forest.
"Xander! Q! Hudson! Sebastian!" I yelled into nothingness. My voice echoed back to me.
I turned around and headed back the way we came. I was done. They were playing me for their cruel little games. I was going to break the contract. I was going to,-
"OOF!" I ran into Sebastian.
"Where are you going, darlin,'?"
"W-what? I.." I looked around at the concerned faces of the others, "You weren't here....I was..I was alone.."
"We've been here the whole time, Cupcake," Xander said, shrugging, "You fell, Quinn helped you up and then you started walking back like something spooked you."
I was not going crazy.
Was I?
AUTHOR'S—THIRD PERSON POV:
"Damn, I didn't think that was going to happen so soon," Hudson said as they watched Sabrina lean up against a nearby tree to catch her bearings.
"I told you guys she's ready," Xander nodded, "She's more than ready."
Sebastian sighed, "I don't know.."
"f**k you, Seb, trying to catch a feel underneath the table, but angry with me because I tasted her first." Xander chuckled, "f*****g hypocrite."
Sabrina rejoined them, having composed herself.
"I think that I'm just tired. This is all so much for me right now and I'm sorry," She said.
"Still think my eyes can change colors?" Xander asked her, moving in.
"You did say you were a werewolf," She winked.
"We'll take you the tree houses Dad built for us," Quinn said, "You're gonna love this."
Sabrina beamed, "That sounds exciting! Let's go."
SABRINA POV:
They trailed along for a few more minutes, I was still in the middle with a little conversation going on between the Quads.
"Sabrina..."
A woman was calling to me.
"Sabrina..."
I stopped and looked around. The Quads were still there, but now they were checking out some shrubbery along the path.
"Sabrina...Come to me, Sabrina...You'll be ready soon."
"Ready for what?"
"To finally see who you truly are."
That's all I recalled before my world went dark.
- Writer
