“Lock the door!” Eziah chokes out, but before anyone even could, Rose comes in, and Eziah yells, jumping up off the floor. He jumps on the other side of the bed and hides behind Jonah.
“Rose!” Casen warns, leaning on my door frame with his arms folded across his chest.
He glares at Rose, but she just rolls her eyes at him and huffs. My face heats at everyone walking in while I squirm on Jonah’s lap, trying to get off him, but he holds me in place, burying his face in my neck. I am feeling so self-conscious and embarrassed about the situation. Being alone with Jonah’s affections is one thing, but with an audience, I feel ashamed, especially since everyone knows that I have a mate.
“I will drag you back home, Rose,” Casen warns her, and she growls, casting him a dirty look.
“Fine,” Rose huffs. She turns to look at Eziah and her eyes narrow at him. “I’m sorry you fight like a girl and squeal like a bitch,” Rose tells Eziah. Her hair is every color of the rainbow, and she runs her fingers through it before she focuses on her black fingernails.
Casen facepalms himself. “Goddess, give me strength,” Casen mutters, and Rose pokes her tongue out at Eziah.
“Happy?” she asks Casen, and he glares at her, but she pushes past him; he growls, following after her.
“She needs a Lobotomy,” Eziah mutters, taking a deep breath before exhaling slowly. “Sorry, cuz, glad she is your sister, and not mine,” he says, tapping Jonah on the shoulder before he climbs off my bed and sticks his head out the door to make sure she is gone. He quickly darts off.
“If Rose gives you any trouble, call me, and I will come to get her,” Jonah says, making me look at him.
“You’re not staying?” I ask him, and he shakes his head. I try to hide my disappointment.
“No, I have to get back to the pack. We are doing the Alpha challenge on Sunday when we get back from the city after Rose’s party. Dad wants me to train with him tonight; your mom said she would take Rose to the city and talk with her,” he explains.
“Talk with Rose? What for?” I ask curiously.
“Her and mom have been clashing over something shocking. Dad asked me to take her into the city for a few weeks after her birthday to give mom a break. Casen disagrees, but he always does when it comes to actually punishing her for her behavior.” Jonah rolls his eyes. I know he loves his little sister, but sometimes even he acts like she is a plague.
“Casen didn’t seem too happy with her,” I admit as I recall the look on his face when he stepped inside.
“Yeah, he thinks we should just tell her, let him handle her,” Jonah shakes his head.
“Tell her what?”
He tenses. “Shit, I forgot you don’t know. Forget I said anything, and don’t say anything to Rose,” he whispers.
“Tell her what?” I ask, and he sighs.
“Just forget I said anything. I need to leave, but call me if she becomes too much. Casen is staying, and he can usually wrangle her under control,” Jonah winks at me and almost distracts me with that blinding smile of his. I swear, my heart skips a beat.
“She will be fine; she is always good with me,” I tell him, yet I am also debating whether or not to tell him about her plans. Jonah kisses my cheek, lets me go, and I hop up.
“I gotta go, but I will see you at her party. Oh, I was wondering, are you planning to come to the Alpha Challenge?” he asks, visibly nervous.
I nod my head. “Of course, but are you sure you want to challenge your father?”
“No, but it is expected, and I have been training for it since I was a kid.” He shrugs, and I follow him out.
It is later in the evening, and Rose has already passed out asleep while watching a movie. Casen picks her up and puts her in my bed. Yawning, I head to bed early too. The sun had really gotten to me. Rose and I spent all day at the river. It was stinking hot, and we spent all day talking and floating around, Casen watching from the shadows wherever we went.
I am glad though because her falling asleep means we will be staying in, and I don’t really feel like sneaking off with Rose to get up to whatever she had planned. Casen has just left to head to the guest bedroom, and I am slipping my pajamas on when she suddenly sits upright.
“He’s gone?” she asks, and I jump, not expecting her to suddenly sit up.
“Yep,” I yawn, pulling my pajama bottoms up.
“What are you doing?” she whispers to me.
“Ah, going to bed. It is nearly eight o’clock, and I am beat,” I mutter, struggling to keep myself awake for any longer.
“Good, he falls asleep quickly. Give him twenty minutes, and he will be out quickly. Let’s get dressed.” I blink at her. She can’t be serious. “Come on, Mara,” Rose whines, pouting at me.
“Rose, it will be nearly ten o’clock by the time we get there,” I protest, sighing. I just want to snuggle down into my bed.
“Good, that’s when the parties start to get good,” she says, pushing her pajama pants down her legs.
“You can’t be serious.” I stare at her in disbelief. Why, just why can’t this wild child settle for a little, at least once?
“Come on, please, before they put me in lockdown again. I never get to leave the pack,” she pleads with me while her eyes are set on her mobile phone. Rose sends someone a text message.
“Yeah, because you got picked up by the police last time,” I remind her.
“That was last year, and I am sick of being locked away. Mom’s paranoia is suffocating. No one will kidnap me, and I can defend myself, please, Mara. I will never ask again. I just need to get out of here without being smothered for once.” She keeps pleading.
I smile at her sadly. Rose sure does know how to push my buttons and say the right things.