He instantly pulls me on his lap. His face goes into my neck as he inhales my scent. “I missed you,” he mumbles against my neck. Amara makes kissing faces at us, and I roll my eyes at her. Bianca tosses a napkin at her, making her stop.
“So, well, this is awkward,” Amara states. I see Ryland glare at her for stating the obvious. Amara stands up. “Well, I will start, then, shall I? Some of you may know me as Amara, my favorite color is yellow, and I am a Gemini, and I have a coffee addiction.” Her father yanks her down, and I can’t help but giggle at her strange attempt to start a conversation.
Thaddeus snickers at his sister while Imogen just shakes her head.
“Well, how about I start dinner?” Imogen suggests, and everyone except me screams no, making me look around, confused. They all burst out laughing. Imogen looks pissed off, her face flushes red in anger. “My cooking isn’t that bad!” she snaps at everyone.
“You would think after a hundred years she would have learned how to cook; the woman can’t even make toast properly,” Tobias says, looking at me.
I try not to laugh as Imogen folds her arms across her chest. “Fine, then you cook,” Imogen snarls at him.
“I vote for pizza,” says Amara. Bianca nods her head. “I will go with Amara; you want to come, Evelyn?”
I’m about to agree when Thaddeus tells her no, tugging me against him. She sighs, hops up, and Amara follows her out. Tobias gets up to grab a beer from the fridge. He offers one to Thaddeus and tosses it once Thaddeus nods.
“Can werewolves even get drunk?” I ask, curious.
Imogen nods. “Yes, I can. So can Amara and Thaddeus. Them not so much, they just like the taste. It takes a lot for them,” she states. Tobias tosses one to Ryland, but Orion shakes his head when offered one.
Imogen grabs a bottle of wine from the cupboard pouring two glasses and handing me one. Tobias eyes her, but she shrugs, handing me a glass, and Thaddeus takes it from me.
“Leave her be she can’t get in any trouble with all of us here, Thaddeus,” Imogen scolds, and he reluctantly hands it back to me. I sniff it and take a sip. I scrounge my face up, it tastes dry and sour.
Imogen chuckles at the reaction. “It won’t taste like anything after a few more glasses,” she says. “Come on, let’s go watch a movie and let the boys chat. ” She pulls me from Thaddeus.
“Mom?” Thaddeus says, grabbing my hand.
“You need to speak to your fathers, Thaddeus. We are only going out in the living room,” she says, and he lets go.
I follow Imogen as she grabs the bottle of wine off the counter. Walking into the living room, I sit beside her on the couch. “Do you like horror movies?” she asks.
“As long as they aren’t ghost movies.”
“Excellent, let’s watch paranormal activity,” she says and flicks the TV on. She scrolls through the movies until she finds one and puts it on.
“I hate ghost movies,” I tell her, and she grins.
“More reason to watch them. No point watching horror if it doesn’t scare you,” she says.
She looks to the kitchen door. I raise an eyebrow as she grabs my wine glass and fills it to the brim, making me have to take a sip, so it doesn’t spill out. Only she places her hand underneath mine when I do. I shake my head and have to drink the entire glass. She chuckles lightly.
“Are you trying to get me drunk?” I ask, chuckling.
She fills my glass again and laughs. “You’re young and should be able to enjoy yourself. Besides, best get it in you before the fun police come out,” she says with a wink.
My face feels like it is getting hot, and I have a feeling my cheeks are bright red. We sit huddled on the couch, and half an hour later, Amara walks in with pizza. Bianca takes a couple of boxes out to the boys, before Amara opens three on the coffee table. Reaching over, I grab a slice and almost moan at the taste. Bianca chuckles at my reaction until she spots the bottle of wine. Amara walks out and comes back in with another bottle, but it isn’t red but a pink color. She refills everyone’s glasses, and we watch the movie.
About halfway through, I feel drunk and can barely move when Orion comes out, leaning over the back of the couch. I start laughing when his face comes so close, but he just smiles.
“How much has she had to drink?” he asks, eyeing them. They all smile, and I can tell Amara is drunk as she sways on her feet, trying to stand.
She reveals five bottles of wine beside the fireplace and makes me giggle. I didn’t even realize we drank that much. Bianca looks normal, or maybe that’s because of my beer goggles.
“Ladies, she is human; you should know better,” he says, eyeing me.
“Leave her be; she is fine,” Imogen scolds him.
Orion walks out the front door when I call out to him. “Where are you going?”
“For a smoke.”
I hold my arms out to him, wanting to go too. He shakes his head but turns around and comes over. He lifts me over the back of the couch and stands me on my feet. My head spins, and I feel the sudden urge to throw up, but I hold it back.
Orion growls, and Thaddeus walks out with Tobias. I stumble forward when I try to take a step and go into a fit of giggles when I try to right myself. Orion grabs my arms, holding me steady.
“Yeah, maybe we gave her too much,” Amara says, swaying on her feet, or maybe I am swaying.
“You think?” Thaddeus says, walking over.
“She seems fine. You’re fine, aren’t you, dear?” Imogen asks.
“Peachy,” I tell her, and she chuckles.
Tobias shakes his head as he grabs all the bottles and walks out. Thaddeus walks me outside with Orion and sits on the step, pulling me on his lap. Orion lights his smoke, but I pinch it from him.
I lean back against Thaddeus heavily, his arms snake around my waist. “Did you sort things out with your fathers?” I ask, my words slurring slightly.
“Yeah. They may forgive, but I don’t know if I can,” he says.
Ryland sits beside him, and I place my feet across his lap as I lay across all their legs on my back, looking up at the sky. My head is in Orion’s lap.
“What do you mean?” I ask Thaddeus, and he rubs his hand underneath my shirt and across my belly.
“Because I hurt my mother worse than my father,” he tells me, and I look at him, wondering what he means. Thaddeus looks away.
When I look up at Orion, he answers. “Thaddeus didn’t just burn his father; he made his mother infertile when he hit her with lightning. That’s why he and his fathers haven’t spoken,” Orion says, brushing my hair from my face.
I nod in understanding and look at Thaddeus, which is a bad idea as I topple off their laps. Thaddeus is quick to grab me before I roll down the stairs. “What are we going to do with you?” he says, shaking his head at my drunken state.
“I feel great; a little woozy, but great.”
“I bet you do; your face is so red,” he says, kissing my nose and pulling me against him. I place my head on his shoulder, close my eyes and yawn. Thaddeus gets up and starts walking toward Amara’s place.
“Where are we going?” I ask, clinging to him.
“Amara is sleeping inside; we are taking her room,” Thaddeus says, and I nod. Thaddeus places me on the bed, and I feel heavy.