Hated Ties That Bind

Chapter Four

‘So you are finally going to bring home my sister in law?’ Gabriella teased as she pulled Ethan’s top over his head, and replaced it with a clean one as Nathaniel sat in the chair in her bedroom across from her.  ‘There you go young man’ she added with a smile as she placed a kiss on her son’s curly hair, ‘please try to keep yourself clean for at least half an hour this time.’

Ethan giggled as he climbed off the bed, skipping over to the door and pulling it open before running down the corridor, his little feet hammering on the stairs as he raced back to his father.

‘He’s such a great kid Gabs’ Nathaniel said softly, his eyes still on the open door that the toddler had just exited.

Gabriella smiled, ‘yeah he is’ she agreed happily, patting her stomach she added, ‘this one on the other hand, I think she is going to be a handful’ she laughed.

‘Just like you then’ Nathaniel grinned as Gabriella picked up a pillow and threw it at him.

‘Why does everybody keep saying that’ she pouted in annoyance.

‘I don’t know sis, maybe because you were always a stubborn little trouble maker as a child?’ Nathaniel replied with smile before his face dropped again and he let out a sigh.

‘Hey, none of that’ Gabriella said as she stood up and walked over to the armchair, perching on the arm, and putting her arms around her brother who leaned against her.  ‘You are going to find her Nate, and you are going to have this’ she added waving her hand around the room and at herself. ‘You are going to have pups and Ethan will be running around with Nate Junior causing havoc while this one will be tormenting them both with your daughter and we’ll both be laughing as the boys come running to us to complain that the girls are being a pain.’

Nathaniel laughed as he looked up at his sister, ‘I really hope you are right Gabs, I’d really like my kids to grow up with your kids, to be as close as we are with each other and with Henry’ he replied.

‘And I really want to be cool Aunt Gab who feeds them chocolate before dinner and keeps them up all night at a sleepover, just like Grandpa and Uncle Justin used to do with Mum, Uncle Marcus, Jason and Halle’ she said with a small nudge.

Nathaniel groaned, ‘I think I’m changing my mind, maybe I don’t want our kids to grow up together’ he mumbled as Gabriella shoved him with a laugh.

‘I will be the coolest Aunt that there ever was, do not deny my nieces and nephews my awesomeness because you are devoid of any fun’ she retorted.

The warrior rolled his eyes, ‘first let me find my mate OK? And then we can talk about their cool Aunt Gabby with the truck load of chocolate.’

Standing up, Nathaniel held out his hands to help his sister to her feet, ‘come on coolest aunt, let’s go get some lunch, everyone will be waiting for us.’

Letting her brother help her, Gabriella threaded her arm through his as they made their way down the corridor toward the stairs.

Entering the dining room, the pair grabbed plates and piled them with food before heading to the main table where Rowan was already cutting up Ethan’s food for him, the toddler already smeared in food making his mother sigh dramatically.

‘I swear I just changed that child’ she grumbled under her breath as Nathaniel chuckled, pulling out her chair next to her mate before sitting down on her other side.

Opposite them, Landen was sat beside Sierra who was already devouring her plate of food ravenously.  Looking up at the future Alpha, the she wolf’s cheeks flushed as she mumbled, ‘shut up, I’m eating for two.’

Nathaniel laughed loudly as Landen put his arms around his mate and glared warningly at his best friend. ‘Yes you are baby, you eat whatever you want’ he cooed softly to her.

Isabella and Riley entered the room, greeting their pack members as they walked up to collect food.  Making their way over to the table, the Alpha and Luna sat down as everyone bowed to them in respect before carrying on with their meals.

‘So when are you boys leaving?’ Isabella asked conversationally as she took a bite of her food.

‘We were thinking tomorrow morning after breakfast’ Landen replied conversationally, ‘get a good meal in before we get the one of the guards to drop us in the nearest town.’

Nathaniel nodded in agreement as he ate his food, ‘yeah, we figured we would be better on foot, not miss any chances from being in a car’ he added as he looked over at his dad with a smile, ‘you can always back out dad, no embarrassment, you aren’t as young as you used to be.’

Riley growled warningly, ‘this old man can still kick your ass kid’ he replied, ‘and I can hold my own just fine, I won’t need your scrawny ass to protect me.’

‘Plus Rowan is going with you all’ Gabriella butted in nonchalantly drawing all eyes to her.

‘Excuse me?’ Nathaniel asked, as Landen choked back his laughter and both Rowan and Riley stared at the she wolf as if she had lost her mind.

‘Rowan’ Gabriella repeated slowly, pointing at the warrior, ‘will be going with you.’

‘Not on your life’ Riley growled furiously.

‘Yeah, I don’t think I need to go with them, never want to be where I’m not wanted’ Rowan agrees with a pointed look at his father in law.

‘Don’t even start you two, Rowan is going and that is final! And you both WILL play nicely’ she added dangerously.

‘But baby girl!’ both men responded simultaneously before glowering at each other.

Gabriella rolled her eyes, ‘Goddess, if you two would stop acting Ethan’s age you’d see that you are so similar it’s laughable’ she muttered as the two men pouted.

‘You are going’ she added to Rowan, ‘he is going’ she then repeated as she glared at her father.

‘Babe!’ Riley started, looking toward his mate for help.

Isabella shook her head, ‘I think that is an excellent idea, Rowan is by far our best warrior and as he’s family he can’t be classed as a babysitter.  Gets my vote, Rowan, you are going with them to find Nathaniel’s mate.’

Both men sigh in defeat, ‘fine’ Riley said annoyed, ‘just stay the hell away from me’ he added toward the warrior.

‘Trust me, I have no desire to be any closer to you than necessary’ Rowan snapped back.

‘Grampy, Daddy’ came Ethan’s voice, ‘you are not being very nice to each other, Grammy is gonna make you sit in time out if you not careful.’

The rest of the table sniggered as the two men turned to the little boy, ‘Grampy and daddy are just playing mate’ said Rowan with a forced smile.

‘You need to be friends daddy, or mummy will be sad and that will make my new sister sad’ Ethan continued sternly.

‘Absolutely buddy’ Rowan agreed, ‘Grampy and I wont play silly games any more just in case we make mummy and the baby sad, you are such a good brother to think of that.’

Nodding happily, ‘You and Grampy can practice being nice on you’re a’venture with uncle Nate so you be all ready for when my sister is born’ Ethan replied before he went back to his food, oblivious to the smirks from the adults around him as they watched the defeated pair resign themselves to being together for the next few weeks.

‘Well now that is settled, lets finish our lunch so that you can all get packed up and some sleep before you set off tomorrow’ Isabella said happily.

Rowan and Riley both scowled at their plates but refrained from answering as they finished their meals in silence.

Standing up, Rowan grabbed his son’s plate, balancing it on top of his own before lifting the toddler out of his seat and holding him to his side as he picked up the crockery to take it to the clear up area.  ‘I’m going to take Ethan for a bath and put him down for a nap’ he said to Gabriella who nodded as she tipped her head up for her mate to kiss her gently.

‘I’ll be up after I have finished to help you pack’ she replied softly as she smiled up at him.  Looking around the table he nodded to each of them, a scowl gracing his lips as he saw Riley glowering at him.

‘See you in a minute baby’ Rowan replied before stalking out of the room, his son chattering happily in his arms.