231

Kevin’s POV
My heart almost stopped when I heard the boys quiz Ella like that. I didn’t mean to tell her that she was on her own but at that moment, my brain went into an embarrassing shutdown and I couldn’t think of anything I could say to help her at that point.
I wondered how the boys had quickly figured us out. Those boys were just like their parents with his intelligent they were and I was amazed at everything they did. I couldn’t help getting surprised everyday with what they did. In fact, they were beginning to scare me.
“Let’s go to the living room. I’m sure you would have questions when we are done talking and I doubt I want to do everything standing on my feet.” Ella said.
The boys looked at her without budging an inch, clearly thinking that she was trying to fool them. They probably thought she would shut the kitchen door on them once they were outside to avoid answering their questions.
When did they get so skeptical? I wondered who thought them and smiled as I remembered that they had begun their trainings. I should definitely give their tutor a raise when we get back to the pack. He had taught them well. As a warrior, they were meant to observe and suspect everything and everyone till the truth was brought to light.
“You can just summarize it here, mum. We won’t take too much of your time.” Nick suggested, clearly showing his distrust of what his mother was trying to do.
Ella chuckled. “Do you think I was trying to chase you out of the kitchen?”
Nick shook his head. “No, mum, but you don’t look like you are comfortable with having this conversation with us.”
A diplomatic response. I was proud of them all for being good students. I would have twirled them one by one in the air in excitement if the situation wasn’t serious and I was the recipient of their cynicism.
Ella chuckled. “My feet are killing me and I can’t do this standing. That was why I said we should move to the living room.”
The boys looked like they would believe her but still didn’t move.
“Okay. I will go first out of the kitchen with your dad and then you can come after us. You should close the kitchen door after you get out, Nathan. Is that okay?”
That seemed to do the trick. The boys looked relieved and filed out after us. Liam was seated in the living room and seemed surprised to see us walking out with the boys behind us. He arched his eyebrows, wondering what was going on. I shrugged slightly as I mouthed to him that he would find out later.
Ella and I sat down on the love couch while the boys took the sofa opposite us. Liam still looked curious from the armchair he was seated on and I shook my head slightly at him, telling him that he had no reason to be worried that he would find out what the problem was soon.
“Are you ready to talk now, mum?” Neo asked, staring at Ella.
I winced at the tone in his voice. It sounded like we were being interrogated. “What is with the rush, little man?”
“I’m not little, dad.” Neo sulked.
Ella chuckled and I turned to her. She shook her head as she grinned at me. “They don’t want to be called little kids anymore.”
“But they are my little boys.”
“We have grown up, dad.” Nathan insisted.
I sighed and gave up, raising my hands up in a show of surrender. I wasn’t about to argue that they would forever be my little guys.
Neo looked at the two of us and narrowed his eyes at us. “Are you both trying to stall and not say anything to us? Very soon, mummy will say the rice will get cold that she has to get back to the kitchen without saying anything. If you are trying to play the game of avoiding our questions, don’t try it, mum. We won’t give up until you answer the question.”
I sighed. There was truly no way of avoiding this. It was time to spill our guts.
“Why are we here, mum?” Nathan asked again. “This isn’t a normal adventure, is it?”
“If you wanted us to have adventure, we could have had it in our world. We didn’t have to have an adventure in another world where we have to do so much to fit in.”
“Oh!” Liam said as he understood what was going on.
I looked at him and nodded, making a signal to him with my eyes for him to keep quiet. This was all going to be for Ella to handle. I didn’t want all of us staying something and giving out more than we were expected to say. He nodded, making me realize that he understood what I was trying to say.
“Well, mum?” Neo asked.
Ella smiled and shook her head at how impatient the boys were. “Yes, you are right. We are here because of Melody and her mother.” She confessed.
Liam’s eyes widened. “They asked her that?”
I nodded. “They did. Aren’t they smart kids? As the general of the army of the pack, don’t you feel proud of them? Wouldn’t they make fine soldiers?”
Liam nodded. “They would.” He smiled. “How did they figure it out though?”
“Beats me too.” I shrugged.
Neo sighed and scowled as he turned to glare at me and Liam. “You are distracting us, dad, Uncle Liam.”
“Carry on.” I replied, waving at him to turn to Ella.
He did but not after narrowing his eyes at the two of us, warning us to keep quiet. I almost chuckled at the expression on his face and couldn’t believe that he was only six with how serious he looked. I wondered how stronger and determined he would be and look when he got older and have a more pronounced identity in the pack. It was likely that he was going to be as strong as his father or more than that.
I made a zipping motion over my lips and looked at Liam as he made the same over his. Neo nodded at us and then focused on his mother, the unfortunate victim to be on the hot seat at the moment.
Ella looked at our interaction with amusement and sobered up when she realized that they had their attention back on her.
“Let me get this over with so I can get back to the kitchen.” She said.
“We knew it.” Nathan sighed. “Mummy wouldn’t tell us anything and use the kitchen as an excuse to run away.”
Ella chuckled. “I’m still here, aren’t I? I haven’t run away. It’s you who won’t let me say anything if you keep interrupting me.” She cautioned them.
“Okay. We promise not to distract you again.” Neo said and made a zipping motion over his mouth. He turned to look at his brother and they did the same.
Ella relaxed back into her seat and swallowed. She began and I tuned in to her, eager to hear what she had to say as well.
“I found out something about your dad. He made a deal years ago before you were born because of me and I didn’t like it when I found out so I had to go to the woman who he made the deal with so I could break it off.”
“Is that the woman we went to see that day? The one with the strange house?” Nathan asked.
“Yes.” Ella nodded.
“Didn’t you hear anything of what mummy discussed with her?” I asked, curious.
They shook their heads.
“Not at all. Her house was strange and we were looking around to check out the items she had. Before we were done, she and mum were also done with their conversation.” Neo said.
I heaved out a sigh of relief. I wasn’t aware I had held my breath until he spoke up. I didn’t think I liked the idea of my sons knowing I was going to die younger than my ancestors if I failed this mission an appealing one.
“Dad, you need to see the things we saw. We even saw the dried head of a cow or was it a deer?” Nathan said, jumping in his seat in excitement.
Neo smiled at his brother. “I think it was a deer. It looked…” He suddenly seemed to realize that they had gone off topic and cleared his throat. He looked at me like it was my fault for making them talk that way and then turned his attention back to his mother. “Back to you, mum.” He sounded like the host of a quiz show when he said it that way.
“She gave me a condition for breaking off the deal your dad made with her and that was to come here and save Melody. If Melody can live after her upcoming sixth birthday, your dad’s deal with her will be off and we will be free to go back to our world.” Ella said and flexed her fingers. “That’s why we are here. That is why you see us interacting with Melody and Gabby and always at their houses. That was why I couldn’t register in school on time and kept going to different schools because I was trying to find out the school Melody attends. Do you get it now, boys? We need to save Melody to save your dad. We are doing this for your dad and that is why we have to be around Melody and ensure she is safe always.”
“Can I go now?” Ella asked once she was done talking.
“Is Melody dying? Is she sick?” Nathan asked.
I frowned, wondering if these kids were mine. I couldn’t believe they were only concerned about Melody after everything their mother had just said. I chuckled at my thoughts, finding them amusing when I had just concluded few minutes ago that they were my sons. Of course, they were my sons. Whose children would they be if they weren’t mine?
I sighed, thinking of their questions in another approach. They were definitely worried about Melody more because they felt she was human and a kid. They knew as an adult werewolf, I could take care of myself and it wasn’t because they didn’t love me. Surprisingly, that thought made me feel better.
I couldn’t believe I was acting petty because they were more concerned about Melody than me and wondered how I was going to react when they get mated. It was then that I realized Ella hadn’t told them that Melody was their mate and that was why we were also here, though we would have loved to stay back.
I wondered if she was going to eventually tell them.
Ella shook her head. “No, she isn’t sick and neither is she dying but she might die if we don’t protect her. There are some people who want to kill her and we have to make sure they don’t succeed.”
“Who would want to kill Melody?” Nathan gasped.
Neo sulked. “Definitely someone who doesn’t know her. If they do, they won’t want to harm her.”
Nick snorted. “An evil person doesn’t need a reason to hurt, he just needs a person so we have to be the one to protect ourselves. Have you forgotten our lessons so soon?” He turned to Ella. “We will protect Melody with you.”
“We will.” His brothers pledged, repeating his words.
“I know you will. You are good boys.” Ella nodded. “Can I go back to the kitchen now? I’m sure everyone is hungry by now.”
The boys nodded and I was relieved they were finally appeased. “You can go, mum.” They said all at once.
Nick’s stomach grumbled at that moment as if to confirm his mother’s words that everyone was hungry. We all looked at him and chuckled while he blushed.
Ella eased out a breath and got up from the seat. She didn’t eventually tell the kids of the possible mating bond between them and Melody. She glanced back at the living room before entering the kitchen and her eyes met with mine.
I wondered if my thoughts were boldly projected on my face as she shook her head and gave me a wink before entering the kitchen. I nodded at her. Some things were best kept from children.
I wondered what would happen if the boys finally found out and realized that we had known a long time ago but kept it hidden from them.
I shuddered, refusing to think of that. I was going to worry about that when the time came.