CHAPTER 9 - POWERS - AZANA'S POV
1612 Words
I felt exposed and a bit ashamed after my outburst, remaining silent as the boys surrounded me, with Toby tenderly wiping my tears away.
"There, don’t cry any longer," He said with a gentle smile. "You’re not alone anymore. We’ll make sure he never hurts you again."
I pulled away and stood up, a knot of discomfort tightening in my chest at his words. I wasn’t sure why I felt so offended by his statement. Perhaps it was the embarrassment settling in from my outburst. While I recognized his intention to comfort me, I couldn’t allow myself to succumb to these ridiculous feelings. "I wasn't alone. I had Emmet," I replied firmly.
"Well, you don’t need Emmet anymore," Christian interjected sharply, frustration seeping into his tone as he spat out Emmet’s name with envy. "He shouldn't even be here. You have us."
"I don’t need any of you!" I shouted back, "I don’t want any of you!"
"That’s a damn lie, and you know it!" Christian argued, his voice rising. "We were having fun earlier. You just opened up to us now.
We’re your mates. Emmet is just some random guy. You belong with us. Why are you resisting this? We’re Alphas, we’re wealthy, we’re powerful. You’ll be a Queen because of us. You’ll never lack for anything. Why aren’t we good enough?!"
"Kit, enough," Zaiden interrupted forcefully. "Don’t push her!"
"Whatever," Christian sneered, glaring at me. "If she wants Emmet and not us, then she can have him, I don't care," He said coldly, before turning on his heel and storming out of the room, slamming the door behind him as he went.
''Don't listen to him'' Zaiden said quickly ''He's just hot-headed and jealous. He didn't mean it. He doesn't want you to be with Emmet, none of us do. I know we just met but none of us want to lose you. Please Zan, you said you'd give us a chance''
''I am'' I crossed my arms.
''If that were true you wouldn't say you didn't need or want us,'' Toby pointed out ''We're not asking you to accept us. We just want a chance to win your heart. And Emmet can stay here if you need him, but can you at least try to come to us and not him?''
I stared at him, I didn't like seeing him so hurt. I growled internally. I hated this stupid bond, I couldn't think clearly around them.
''Okay'' I said reasonably, hoping they'd stop talking about it.
''Great,'' Toby was his happy self again. ''Come on, let's go and...''
''No'' I shook my head and looked at the balcony again. The storm was in full swing now ''I'd like to stay here''
''No, come on'' Toby cautiously took my hand in both of his ''We won't leave the home, but let's go hang out with the family, we can play board games.''
''You're banned from board games'' Zaiden told him quickly, his face amused, but Toby laughed.
''I'll behave''
''You cheat''
''I do not,'' He tugged my hand ''Don't listen to him, he's a liar. Let's go.''
I hesitated but exhaled ''Okay, fine,''
''Yes, you can be on my team.'' He smiled and kissed my hand, before pulling me along.
''You can't just decide that,'' Zaiden complained as he followed us. ''It's up to Zan. Who do you want? A cheater who loses anyway. Or me, who's never lost a game.''
''I don't care,'' I answered. ''I haven't played a game since I was 10, it doesn't bother me.''
I noticed Toby looking upset, but he recovered quickly again. ''Well, you're playing today,'' He announced as we returned to the living room. Where a maid was replacing the vase and the damaged one was fixed.
''Nice of you finally come back,'' Emmet complained from the ground where he was sitting with the triplets little sister Mae, who was brushing his hair and putting parts of it up in tiny pigtails. He then gestured for me to read his mind ''Get this kid off me.''
I smiled ''Don't you look good'' I responded, and he glared at me.
''Mae we're playing games'' Toby announced ''Pick one of the board games''
''Ahh!'' She squealed and dropped the brush and ran over to the cabinet ''We're playing Clue.''
Toby and Zaiden groaned but started throwing cushions down on the ground by the coffee table.
''What's Clue?'' Emmet asked as I sat beside him and helped him take out the hair ties from his hair, though this got me an angry glare from Zaiden.
After explaining the game to us, we started playing. Mae was a sweet kid. Full of jokes and seemed to get along the best with Toby, who was stuffing his face with food most of the day.
''How old are you Mae?'' I asked curiously.
''10'' She said proudly, and I froze nervously for a second. Even Emmet glanced at me.
''Do you want to see a trick?'' I asked as Zaiden picked out another game.
''Yes'' She said eagerly.
''Okay, come here'' I ordered gently and she quickly came over to sit by me.
I held up my hand and created a tiny ball of light.
''Wow'' She mouthed excitedly ''How do you do that?''
''Magic'' I told her ''Emmet can do it too'' I pointed and he showed her ''Here. Try to hold it''
Mae held up her hands and I prayed to the Goddess that this wouldn't work. If she could hold it. She had powers, and Emory would try to take her. Fortunately, when I placed the light in her hands it faded and I exhaled in relief.
''Oh no. It died'' Mae pouted.
I looked at Emmet in relief ''That's okay'' I smiled and touched the tiny necklace she had around her neck and the small opal light up brightly ''That will last for a week''
''That's so cool!'' She celebrated and held it up ''Look Toby''
''I see,'' He smiled at his little sister.
''Don't start the next game. I'm showing mommy''
Mae shot up and ran out of the room as Zaiden sat down with some cards.
''Why did you do that?'' He asked, perplexed.
''She was upset about the light, so I thought...''
''No,'' He cut me off. ''Why did you try to get her to hold the light, what was that about?''
''I didn't think you'd catch that'' I admitted ''I was testing her. To see if she had powers. I was worried that Emory might try to take her''
''Test me'' Toby said, and extended his hand eagerly.
I rolled my eyes and placed a small ball of light in his palm, and it shocked me that it didn't evaporate. I turned to Zaiden and pulled up his hand, and placed a ball of light in his hand too, and once again, it remained.
''You have powers,'' I gasped. I thought back to our childhood.
Powers made their appearance when you were 10 years old, but the triplets were already 13 at the time of my abduction, so I would have definitely noticed any powers they might have had.
''I've never had powers,'' Toby told me ''I mean, we can combine during a shift.''
''Combine?'' I questioned.
''The three of us can shift into one massive Lycan,'' Zaiden told me, as my eyes widened. I'd never heard anything like that ''Scared the hell out of us when we first did it, and it took our healers three days to teach us to undo it.''
''It's great now though'' Toby told us ''Our minds shift together, and we all control the body''
''That's amazing'' Emmet leaned back, and looked at me for a second ''Does Emory know you have this ability?''
''No clue,'' Toby shrugged as Mae came running back holding her necklace.
She sat down beside me and smiled.
''Let's just play a new board game'' Zaiden changed the subject.
We were playing cards when everything changed, and my few days of peace died away.
A siren sounded through the speakers in the living room and everyone froze for a moment ''ATTENTION'' A male voice spoke over the siren ''ALL PACK MEMBERS RETURN TO YOUR HOMES, OR THE NEAREST BUNKER!''
Toby and Zaiden stood up.
''HUDSON! DAISEY!'' Zaiden called out and my maid and another man with a shaved head and a long scar down his arm came running in ''Take Zan and Mae to the bunker,''
''Yes, sir.'' Hudson bowed his head, and walked over to me.
''I don't want to go to the bunker!'' I said quickly, shaking my head in fear.
''You have to'' Zaiden told me ''Please, it's not safe here.''
''What's that siren for?'' Emmet asked as he grabbed my arm, and I noticed he was shaking slightly. ''Why can't we just wait it out here?''
''There's another pack's army at our border,'' Zaiden told me.
''Emory,'' I looked at Emmet.
''We don't know that,'' Toby shocked me when he touched my cheek ''Just go to the bunker, and we will deal with it.''
''Boys hurry up,'' The Queen came running in. She quickly hugged and kissed her daughter before looked at Christian and Harper, who'd followed her into the living room. Had they been together? Or was it a coincidence? ''Harper, stay with Mae.''
''Yes, your grace,'' She said quickly, and took Mae's hand.
Toby hugged me, before Zaiden did.
''It'll be alright, just go to the bunker and we'll come back for you soon.'' He smiled and kissed my cheek before leaving with Toby.
Christian looked at me, and then down at my hand that was holding Emmet's, and he frowned before leaving.
- Writer
