My sweet mate, coming to my defense.
I’m worried about her attacking him like this, with his fragile mental state nowadays. If he brings that darkness out around her and puts her in a dangerous situation, this will all go to shit.
She’s mine to love and protect and I won’t hesitate to do so, even if it means protecting her from one of her other mates.
Ash's eyes fly open and he sits up, smooth and quiet like a vampire rising from his coffin. He cocks his head at her. “Who put you in charge? I'll start taking orders from you when you actually get control of your powers and show your worth.”
Her mouth drops open before she purses her lips and her eyes narrow, glowing silver once more. She seethes at him. “I might not have full control of my powers but I have a lot more to handle than your one affinity, asshole. So, suck a dick and choke on it.”
Where the fuck are the rest of the guys when I need them? Jerking each other off?
My fears come true as Ash's eyes turn black and Lana gapes at him in shock at the change.
I grab Lana by the arm and pull her away as she seems frozen in shock. "Well, this has been a blast but I'm going to suggest we end this before you guys say anything else you might regret."
Gaia, please fucking help me.
"Oh no, we were just getting started, weren't we, Oslana?"
Oslana?
Lana's brows furrow together as the wheels turn in her head, trying to figure out what the hell is going on, much as myself.
"Oslana?” she scoffs and rolls her eyes. “Not the best nickname I've heard. Maybe you should leave that to Luke."
Deep laughter comes from Ash, not the kind of laughter I’ve ever heard from him before. It makes my skin crawl as the hairs on my arm stand on edge, stirring my magic within me.
"I will not entertain these childish antics any longer,” he says dismissively. “Leave the soup and sandwich if it ensures that you'll both leave me alone.”
I eye him from a moment before leaving the food on the coffee table in front of him, noting how his eyes have gone back to their natural color.
I don't know if I can keep this darkness a secret for much longer, I think as he lays back down in the same position. Get it together, Ash.
Heavy footsteps pound down the stairs as the rest of the guys finally join us. With Lana’s hand in mine, I guide her back to the kitchen, trying to figure out what to do. She seems to be in a state of shock, her face devoid of emotions.
In the kitchen, the twins have gone to grab their own plates of food, while Hale picks at the broken pieces of Lana’s plate and the crust of the sandwich that she never ate.
He quirks an eyebrow at us. "What happened?"
Lana comes out of her seemingly-comatose state long enough to answer. "Nothing. Don't worry about it."
Hale looks over at me, clearly wanting more than that, but I’m not opening that can of worms if Lana isn’t ready to talk about it. However, if Ash’s rage gets any worse, I would tell Lana about the night at the inn myself. If he can’t figure this shit out, she deserves to know. They all do.
"I think everyone is just tired and hungry,” I state in a gentle voice, hoping he drops it. “We should all eat and get some rest. Emotions are running high with the stress of everything going on right now."
Hale watches me for a moment before deciding that’s all he’s getting. Shrugging, he does as I hope and goes to throw out the rest of the mess before grabbing his own food.
Though Hale is the calm, collected decision maker of the group, I’m worried that he’ll become unhinged if he finds out one of our own treated Lana with such disrespect.
The quiet and collected ones are always the ones to be scared of.
Hale
What the fuck is going on around here?
It feels like I walked into a war zone with the plate smashed on the ground and the tension thick and heavy in the air. The twins filled me in on what happened with Ash and the spanking conversation while I was in the shower and now this?
I can’t help the doubt that filters in. Can we make this work? Will we ever all feel satisfied?
I shake my head. This is all still fresh but we’re fated to be her mates so there must be a way for us to coexist and find some normalcy in this situation. We’re meant for her, just as she is meant for us.
How long will it take for us to find our groove as a unit?
As I’m stewing over my thoughts while eating with the twins, Zedd begins washing the dishes, humming a soft tune.
I pause in my eating. "Zedd, I can wash those. You don't need to cook and clean."
He waves a soapy hand in the air. "I appreciate that but I find it soothing and I need a moment to collect my thoughts right now. Lana deserves this time upstairs to herself for a little bit."
He’s such a damn good man.
Grunting in acknowledgement, I glance over at the unusually-quiet twins as they eat in complete silence. I take a deep breath and blow it out before standing and crossing over to the where, Ash, the brooding asshole, is lounging.
Taking note of the empty bowl and plate on the coffee table, I cross to sit on the opposite side of the sectional from him. He shows no sign of caring that I’m here, continuing to lay as he is without so much as a twitch.
I’ve noticed his slow withdrawal from the group in the past two days. I had chalked it up to him dealing with all of the changes in his own way, well aware he isn’t the best at talking about his emotions. I thought maybe he just needed some space.
However, now, it seems to be affecting the rest of the group and I won’t allow that. We have way too much shit to deal with and not enough time. We can’t fall apart as a family right now.
"Hey, Ash," I start off lightly, hoping he would engage.
He gives me a two-fingered wave and nothing else.
Okay, let’s try again. Careful not to push him, I ask, "What's going on?"
His chest rises with his deep inhale and exhale before he speaks. "Oh, just the usual—not being wanted by Lana and arguing with her."
Rubbing my eyes, I struggle to find the words to handle this situation. I don’t want to make him feel like I’m attacking him but I need him to see that this can’t continue.
"Look man, it isn't that Lana doesn't want you. We're all learning control over our powers and I know that she would never hurt you on purpose. That burn was an accident." He scoffs and I breeze past it. "You've been different recently. Withdrawn from the group and territorial of Lana. What's going on? I know this dynamic isn't conventional but we all decided to share her even before we learned of our magic and this world."
Bitterness seeps into his words. "Well, maybe I don't want to share her anymore."
I can’t help the harsh bark of laughter that escapes me. "Well, I don't think that's up to you, bud. I think that's Lana's call. Oh, wait—no. Maybe it's fucking fate's call. We're all her mates. Accept it and chill out with the temper tantrums."
I push up from the sectional, done with his pissy behavior, but halt at his quiet words. "Watch yourself, Halston."
Halston?
"Is that a threat?" I ask incredulously.
"Take it as you will."