Seeing her so happy and joyous last night makes my chest ache because it forces me to realize the part I played in holding her back from becoming this version of herself. Acknowledgingit is fucked up but taking ownership of it is the only way I'm ever going to have a chance of getting past it.
Or at least hoping that she might.
I've held back as much as I can, letting her see that hating her isn’t the idea or the plan, but fuck, after feeling her for myself early in the week and letting everybody know exactly who she belongs to, I’ve been filled with a fire that’s never burned inside me like this before.
Now I need to figure out what I plan to do about all this, how I might get myself out of this mess and take my brother and friends with me.
The truth would set us all free, the reasoning behind our rejection to begin with, but that can’t happen. I know it would only make it worse.
Approaching the hedged entryway into the Land Protectors’ building, I sigh in relief as I step inside, prowling up the stairs two at a time, until I arrive at my dorm room.
The hallway is clear, offering me a free path as I shift back into my human form, completely naked, and open my door.
The second I step inside, screams and hysteria vibrate through the room, making the click of the lock inaudible as disbelief cuts through the air.
“Ew, Sax! What are you doing? That's disgusting. Oh my God, somebody put some clothes on that thing. What on earth?”
“Give this man some kind of shield protection disguise. Whatever it is, just get the hell away from me.”
I gape at my sisters sprawled across my bed, hiding their faces behind their hands as they bellow at the top of their lungs, rolling around like lunatics while my mother cackles from her spot by the window, eyes covered by her hand.
My shock quickly morphs into amusement.
“Why the hell are you in here, anyway?” I grumble, scrubbing a hand along my jaw, and Aster screeches.
“Never mind that. Get dressed, and then we'll tell you,” she insists, and I hear my mother chuckle as I head toward the bathroom.
“Mother, why aren’t you more disgusted?” Cami snaps, making our mother laugh louder.
“I wiped his baby butt,” she states, and the twins fake gag.
"Gross,” Cami grumbles, and my mom plants her hands on her hips.
“I wipedyourbaby butt too,” she insists, making them cringe even more.
“Stop it!” Aster cries out, and as I close the bathroom door behind me, I can't rid the smile from my face.
I wasn’t expecting to come back to them, but it’s nice getting to bask in their unique version of insanity.
Showering in record time, I towel off before finding a clean stack of shorts and a t-shirt already waiting for me on the vanity. Definitely my mom, preempting all of this.
The second time I re-enter my bedroom, I dart straight to my mother, who still remains standing by the window, and wrap her in a warm embrace, which she returns just as tightly.
“So, what are you guys doing here?” I ask, spying my sisters still hiding their faces behind their hands.
“Is that thing covered now?” Aster mutters, and I snicker.
“If you weren't hiding out in my room, it wouldn't have been out for you to see. I'm a shifter, Aster. What were you expecting?” I grumble, and Cami fake gags again. “You guys can leave any time, you know.” My pointed look goes unnoticed as they wave me off.
“We were here to check on you,” Aster declares, and I cock a brow at her.
“Check on me, or check that I didn't fuck it up last night with Ivy?” I clarify.
“Both,” my sisters say in unison, making my mother hum in agreement as they finally reveal their faces from behind their hands with wide grins, then shrug in sync too.
“So, go on, tell us all about it,” my mother insists, joining the girls in being little busy bodies.
“It was a nice night. We didn't overstep.”
