Mia
I could barely sleep all through the night. I tossed around the bed but there was not any position that was comfortable for me.
The next day, I was awake before the sun. I dressed as fast as I could. It was the day I was meant to go back to the company house with my brothers but I wasn’t going to leave without seeing my mum. Albert had told me that she would be coming home today and I was waiting for her.
I hoped that she would come early so I could leave. I itched to find out the truth about this as much as I could. I dialed Sasha’s number again but it was unreachable.
I frowned as I removed the phone from my ear. She had obviously gotten bored with ignoring my calls and had turned her phone off.
A knock sounded on my door and I moved to it, wondering who it was. I didn’t think anyone else was awake at this time but who was I trying to fool?
I didn’t think I was the only one who found it hard to sleep. I thought of the triplets who had a ruined day and felt sorry for them. I gasped as I remembered that Sasha had picked their gifts.
I hoped Albert was right that she wasn’t powerful. I would hate that she had put a spell on the gifts and the guys got ruined because of what I had given them. I really hoped for everyone’s sake that they were safe from the effects of dark magic.
The triplets with their werewolves’ abilities and dark hearts under the influence of dark magic was a disaster waiting to happen.
I shuddered at the image in my head and was rubbing my hands against my arms to ward off the chill I felt as I moved to the door.
I sighed as I saw John by the door. He looked worse than I did. He had a rougher night than I did, there was no doubt about that.
He hadn’t bothered with the stubble on his cheeks and yet, that didn’t make him less attractive. Life wasn’t fair to the humans at all.
Snap out of it. I chided myself. That wasn’t what I was supposed to be thinking of. He wasn’t really attractive, it was just the werewolf gene in him that was enhancing everything.
“Good morning.” I greeted him though I wondered what was good about the morning.
“Good morning.” He nodded. “Let’s eat. We are all waiting for you at the table.”
I arched my eyebrows at him, my surprise evident on my face. This early? The question I wanted to ask must have been on my face because he nodded.
“Dad thinks the earlier we get done with breakfast, the earlier we can go to find the answers we need.”
“What of my mum?” I asked. I wasn’t sure I wanted to leave the house without seeing her, knowing that I was going to work and would be busy for an entire week before I could make it back home.
John nodded. “You will see her before we leave. Dad said she is on her way.”
That breakfast was the most silent one we had ever had in that house. Everyone was busy with their thoughts and it seemed like we had all run of things to say even though we normally use to share jokes, laughter and tease one another. He was really the dark wizard as he was named. He had smeared darkness on everything.
I couldn’t think of one thing to say to break the silence and I knew that was how the others felt. There was no joke to be shared and we didn’t want to talk about the events of the previous day.
What a fine mess.
Just as John had said, mum came home as we were about to leave. I dumped my bag on the floor and ran to her, folding her in an embrace. She chuckled as she wrapped her arms around me, patting me gently on the back.
“Oh my dear.” She laughed. “You didn’t have to be so dramatic. I missed you too.”
I snuggled into her and breathed in her scent, feeling the comfort I needed rush into me as I held on to her.
“Now, let me go inside and relax. I had a long flight and I was worried about you all.”
“Okay, mum.” I said, releasing her.
“Will you be here when I wake up? I need to take a rest.”
“No, mum. I have to go now. I will see you next weekend.”
“Okay. Take care of yourself, my love.”
“Happy birthday once again to you, boys. Are you going somewhere?” She asked, noting that they were dressed.
“We want to drive Mia to work.”
Mum smiled at their affection for me. “Do that. You can have the gifts I got for you when you come back.”
“Thanks.” The triplets smiled at mum.
She nodded and walked into the embrace of her husband. “It’s so good to see you again.” She kissed him.
He chuckled, kissing her back. “I left just yesterday.”
“Were you able to solve the emergency you came for?” She asked.
“Yes.” Albert replied, looking at me.
I knew he was telling me to remember my promise to him to not tell mum about their world and I nodded, telling him that I got him.
We bade our parents goodbye and left the house. The ride to my workplace was better than the breakfast. It wasn’t as silent as breakfast was because Jack said his thoughts were driving him crazy and turned on the radio.
That was the only sound in the car and I was grateful for it. Sitting in the passenger seat in the front, I was all too aware of the way Quinn’s hands were tense on the wheels, the scowl on his face and the slight ticking of his jaw. He was busy in his thoughts and watching him was adding to the distress in my heart.
If Quinn, the cold and untouchable one was as tense as this, I felt like I didn’t really understand the gravity of what was at stake. I was grateful when Jack played the music. It gave me the distraction I needed.
Quinn parked in front of the house and we all filed out of the car without a word to one another.
I stopped midway when I heard my name. The boys turned and I could hear Quinn let out a growl. It was Sammy and I sighed, wishing there was a way I could tell him to go back. I didn’t have time for him today. The boys were already worked up and I didn’t know what they could do to him if he tried to be too friendly with them.
With the look on Quinn’s face, I knew that there was going to be trouble soon if I didn’t avoid it. He was acting possessive again. I remembered his words that I was attracted to him.
It was too late. I waved to Sammy to go back that I would talk to him later but he didn’t understand my gesture. He moved forward, moving at a faster pace.
Sammy sighed as he got to where I was and pulled me into an embrace. At his act, all the boys growled and Sammy moved back, staring at them in surprise.
“Your brothers?” He asked, his usual smile on his face.
I frowned, wondering if he never got angry.
“Yes.” I nodded, without bothering to introduce them. We were in a hurry and I was thinking of a way to excuse myself from Sammy without offending him. I didn’t need to find him a reason for us to keep talking.
“They seem quite protective of you.”
“Yes, they are.” I nodded. “I’m sorry to cut this short but I have to go now. I want to give my brothers something in my room.”
I was already rushing on when he called after me. “Did Sasha tell you that she would be leaving?”
We all stopped and turned to look at him.
“What did you say?”
Sammy gulped, his eyes widening at the harsh tone of Quinn’s voice. I knew he was more surprised that he had spoken to him.
“She didn’t tell me anything but I saw her last night packing all of her loads.”
“Last night?” I whispered in surprise. She had come when we left then. I hissed to myself. We could have found her if we had been a bit patient.
Maybe waited a little bit more than we had done last night.
Sammy nodded, stroking his chin. “She seemed to be in a hurry and it was so late when she came to pack. She packed everything and I don’t think she intends to come back. That wasn’t some holiday she was going on as she seemed like someone who was going for good. I wouldn’t have seen her if I hadn’t stayed outside for some air till midnight. Since you are her friend, I thought you would know of her troubles.”
“She didn’t tell you?” I asked him.
He shook his head. “She wouldn’t tell me anything even though I asked. She left without a word to me.”
I scowled. Sasha had known we were coming back. There was no doubt about her identity again in my heart. She was the dark wizard’s accomplice. I guessed I had been internally preparing about this as I didn’t feel the shock I thought I was going to feel when I had the confirmation I needed.
We left Sammy and dashed to the bedroom I had shared with Sasha. Even though we had heard that she had moved and packed everything that belonged to her, we still wanted to search the room in hopes that we would find something that she had forgotten to take with her that would lead us to where she was.