Mia
When I was young, mum told me that I had to drink milk and eggs even though I didn’t like it then. I had asked her why I had to and she had explained that I needed to if I wanted to grow as a healthy child.
It hadn’t been easy eating eggs and drinking milk then because I loved to eat rice. I would eat rice everyday in a week without minding but mum had minded. She had felt I wasn’t doing what was right and had been on my case till I had believed in what she had said.
Doing what she said was right for me instead of what I would have loved to do was a hard decision but I did it and was really glad that I did. I did turn out well and as I grew up and learned how to read, I realized that I couldn’t have survived on rice alone.
I thought of what Albert told me on phone that my life had become messed up because I had been marked and I was not going to be able to settle with the other men because of it. I knew he was right and had no reason to lie to me – heck, he was the last person who wanted me to be with his sons – but I didn’t want to do as he said.
This was a battle between what I knew and how I felt and I wondered if it was going to be like the incident when I was young. Should I follow what I have to do instead of how I felt? Would I be glad if I did what everyone said I should do?
By everyone, I meant Albert and the boys. The rest of the world was probably going to think that I was crazy.
It had been two months that I had left home and never been back but the side effects hadn’t worn out. I had thought that they would if I didn’t see Quinn, that I would get over him and move on but I had only lied to myself.
I still thought of Quinn like I was going to die and knowing that I couldn’t have him without his brothers was doing shit to my brain. I had started thinking of them as well. I had to avoid them. I couldn’t deal with how raw I felt anytime I thought of them. My emotions were a mess and I didn’t want to fall into another mistake and make a new mess of things. My life was already complicated as it was.
I wondered if they were still watching me and was curious to know who it was.
Was it Quinn? Was that why I had difficulties getting over him? Because he was near and my heart could feel the pull of his desire for me? If it was the one, I saluted his courage to stay away from me because I was barely holding myself from running home and jumping at him.
Oh! This was crazy.
I knew that it couldn’t be Jack. He didn’t have the patience to stay far away me. He would have rushed to my side if he was around, pestering me and reminding me that he was a package with his brother.
I rolled my eyes and sighed. That annoying man. I wondered what he thought he was doing by trying to force and manipulate me into loving him. He was so used to having women throw themselves at him without inhibition that he didn’t know how to win over a woman who didn’t.
Could it be John on patrol? He was calm and was also capable of staying near me without moving close. John was confused. Jack and Albert had told me that the brothers were a complete deal but he didn’t act like it was that. He didn’t act like he wanted me and I wondered if he was going to opt out of their silly tradition.
That would be better. Being mated to two brothers was better than being mated to three. I snorted and rolled my eyes. What was I doing?
I stretched as I got up from bed and wondered what I was going to do with the weekend. I decided to make a special breakfast for myself. I hadn’t cooked in a while and I was looking forward to giving myself a treat.
I suddenly felt dizzy as I stood up and fell back into the bed. What was wrong with me? I was shocked because I wasn’t sick. I gasped as I felt my hand against my neck and found it blazing hot. I let out a groan, infuriated with my mortality.
There goes my special breakfast. I sighed.
I groaned and shifted in bed when my phone rang, wondering who it was. I hoped that it was a friend so I could ask the person to get me food and medication.
“Hello,” I moaned into the phone, feeling tired.
How could my body suddenly change?
“Mia! Are you fine?” I heard Albert’s voice over the phone, sounding worried.
“No.”
He sighed. “I called because I suspected that.”
How had he known that? I thought he was a werewolf and not a seer.
“You have to come home.”
“No.” I refused.
“Mia, listen to me. You have to come home, for your sake. You are not having a normal sickness. This is also one of the side effects of being marked.”
“How did you know I am sick? You said you knew I would be.”
“Because Quinn is lying down sick at the moment.”
“I thought werewolves don’t get sick.”
“Yes, but bonded wolves do if they are far away from their mates. The two of you are experiencing the effect of distance. You have to be near to each other to get healed. There is no other cure for it.”
I sighed as I let his words sink. I knew that wasn’t the right response to what he had said but I was glad that he called before I had gone to buy medications. I would have been annoyed at the waste of money.
I knew that was a petty thought but I couldn’t help it.
“I will send a car to you. Get yourself ready.” Albert said and ended the call.
I sighed as I dropped the call. To think that I didn’t want to go home and yet, would have no choice but to be there.
My life was truly out of my hands.
Albert hadn’t lied. I felt better the moment I got near the house. My symptoms had begun to fade as the car got closer to the house. Albert was outside, waiting for me and told me to go to my bedroom to rest.
I hoped that Quinn was fine too but couldn’t bring myself to ask that.
Someone knocked on the door few minutes after I got inside the bedroom.
“Come in,” I said, wondering who could be that polite.
I assumed that it was Albert. The boys had a knack for barging into my room. Quinn was sick and John didn’t come to my room like the rest of them. Jack wouldn’t have been polite either.
I gasped, my eyes wondering in surprise as I saw that it was Jack. What had come over him? I never in a million years would have expected him to knock before entering my room.
He walked in, carrying a tray with a cup of tea. The tea was hot and smelled nice. I licked my lips unconsciously, reminding myself that I hadn’t eaten and shouldn’t let my pride stop me from taking the tea.
He smiled at my reaction and set the tray on a stool before me. “I thought you would need this.”
“Thank you.” I said and took a sip of the tea.
I moaned at how good it tasted and cautioned myself when I saw how his eyes darkened and strayed to my lips. I didn’t have to be bothered though as the expression was gone as quickly as it came. I realized that he was trying hard to restrain himself and that melted my heart towards him.
“Thank you.” I said to him again, in an attempt to break the ice when the two of us only sat without a word.
He nodded. “You are welcome back home.” He said and left.
I looked at his retreating figure in surprise. Jack had been in my room and hadn’t made any attempt to kiss me? That was strange and refreshing. He had changed and I liked that.
All through that weekend till I had to go back to work, Jack was a different person. He brought my food in and also some snacks. He acted so caring all through the day, watching out and attending to all my needs that I wondered if someone else had possessed him.
My restraint was melting off and I knew I was in trouble. A forceful and aggressive Jack, I could push away but I didn’t know what to do with a caring one.