Roomies
1230 Words
Alsie POV-
“If I remember right, you like pancakes.”
Andrew laughed. “You’re right, I do.”
I puttered around my kitchen and made a nice breakfast of pancakes, fresh fruit, eggs, bacon and hashbrowns. I brewed a pot of coffee, made our plates, and brought them over to my dining table. Andrew followed, grabbing the silverware, butter, syrup, cream and sugar.
We sat and ate quietly. It was peaceful, and I enjoyed it. It was the first time I had anybody over for a meal, or any kind of company for that matter. I enjoyed it. It was relaxing.
After we ate, we cleared the table and did the dishes together. We filled the voids with small talk and memories from when we were younger. Having him in my home, spending time with him, talking to him, was easy. It felt natural. It wasn’t forced, there were no awkward silences. If the conversation concluded, and we didn’t speak for a few minutes, neither of us tried to force the next topic.
After we cleared the dining table, cleaned the kitchen and finished the dishes, Andrew approached the couch, turned, sat down, and gently tapped the cushion beside him. I went over and sat with him. I reached out to the coffee table and grabbed the remote control. I handed it to him and nestled into his side. He picked a movie for us to watch, a rom-com of some kind. I didn’t care. I was just enjoying spending time with him.
After a while, I pushed back from him, looked up at his beautiful eyes and asked, “Where are your brothers?”
He removed his arm from over my shoulders, sat up forward and groaned, followed by a sigh. “I’m sure they’re at the packhouse with my father. I don’t really know because I have been blocking them out.”
“Is that why you’ve been in no hurry to leave?” I asked, a bit saddened. I wanted his answer to be no, but I knew something was going on. He wouldn’t just shut out Si and Ev to be cooped up here with me.
“Yes and no. I needed to get away from the packhouse and clear my mind last night. It was information overload in the meeting my dad called. I was going to go for a run, but I didn’t quite trust myself. I walked around the pack lands for hours and I ended up sitting on the bench that overlooks your front door. I don’t know when I started walking in your direction. I just did. You came home and invited me in. Once here, I thought I’d stay for a quick minute, but you looked so tired and sad. I decided I’d stay a while longer. I fell asleep next to you and this morning when we woke up, I didn’t want to leave.”
I smiled at him. I was happy he decided to stay.
“OK, I’m glad you stayed. Now can you lean back, I was comfortable.”
He did as I wanted him to. I found my spot on his side, under his armpit, he placed his arm back around my shoulders, and we continued to watch the movie.
After the movie, we watched some local programming. I ordered pizza to be delivered. I didn’t want the day to end. I knew that it was ridiculous. I had an open case involving a pack member, and the triplets had something else going on that they were keeping under wraps.
“Ugh, I don’t want to go back to the packhouse. Last night was the best night’s sleep I’ve gotten in a long time. Today was nice and easy. No secrets, no crazy information, no pack member murder, no second guessing everything, no Luna conversation. I felt like a grown-up wolf. Just sleeping in, hanging out, watching movies, enjoying some downtime with great company. I know I have to get right back into the s**t soon. I’m just enjoying spending some time with you.”
“So…don’t go back. Stay here. I must do my job regarding the murder of Brook. I already promised you I wouldn’t bring you, your brothers or the pack, into the investigation unless absolutely needed. Technically, we’re mates, so no Luna conversations to be had. The secrets and crazy information I can’t do anything about, because I don’t know what you’re talking about. Alpha Kordell and your brothers can get on board, or not. That’s their choice.”
“Oh, Little Hybrid, I wish it were that easy. You’re not just my mate; you’re my brother’s mate too. I’m sure us spending this time together unmarked and unmated is probably against some rule or tradition. If I were to stay here, you know, it would only be a matter of time before Si and Ev would end up here too. This place is too small for all of us. ”
“It is that easy. If your brothers and my other mates need a reprieve as much as you do, then all three of you should be here.”
“How do you figure? I’m supposed to go to the packhouse, pack a bag and be like peace-out. I’m going to live with Alsie, even though you told me not to see her until we all had a meeting away from the pack on neutral ground. It’s your other mates that I need the reprieve from.”
I wanted him to stay. I didn’t want him to leave, not now, not ever.
“What’s going on Andrew? In 24 years, you’ve never needed to get away from your brothers. Just the opposite, if things got rough, you three sought each other out. No lies, no Alpha double-talk. Tell me what is going on.”
“OK. I don’t double-talk. I may be a little bit of a shut mouth when I need to speak, but I never double-talk. That is something my father does, and I hate it. All three of us have vowed that when we become full-fledged Alphas, that bullshit stops. The way my father communicates is no way of communicating with those who trust you. It’s patronizing and frustrating. I want to tell you everything, but I don’t know everything. I left the meeting last night… in the middle of the meeting.”
“Why?”
“It was overwhelming.”
“It was about me, and in turn about us.”
“Yes, Little Hybrid, it was. It felt wrong to be having the conversation without you. It was a lot to process. I ended up on emotional overload. I left. I don’t have answers, only questions. I am looking forward to this meeting with the others.”
Andrew stopped talking abruptly, turned his head and looked down the hall to my front door. A few seconds later, there was a knock on the door.
I hopped up. “I’ll get it, it’s the pizza we ordered.” I started to head towards the door, and I noticed Andrew was right behind me.
“I can answer the door and pay for our pizzas.”
“I know. I also know those pizzas are paid for.”
I opened the door and there stood Osiris and Evander holding a lot of pizza and three overnight bags.
- Writer
