So Close
1678 Words
Eli paced back and forth in front of the SUV as he waited for his Uncle’s plane to land.
“Calm down son, he’ll be landing in ten minutes.”
“How can you be so calm, father, when your firstborn son is about to be massacred? He’s going to rip my head off.”
Maxon chuckled at his son’s dramatics.
“Your uncle is not going to touch a hair on your head. Why do you think I am here?”
Eli’s head whipped towards him.
“You were going to send me on my own?”
“Of course not. I was going to send your Uncles Nate and Noah, but then they would just have stepped back and watched your Uncle Wes give you a hard time. They would have seen him as having fun with you.”
“Yeah, having fun with me as he ripped my head off of my shoulders. I was supposed to keep all men away from them.”
“And you did. It’s not your fault we got a new family in the last two weeks. You’ve been busy with your own studies and training. And Andrew knows better. But he also felt bad for the twins. He remembers what it was like not to have anyone to date. None of the females wanted to get close to him after hearing that his fated mate rejected him. They thought he was cursed, until they found out that she rejected him because he was just a warrior, and she wanted an Alpha. Now he has all the females falling all over him. He just wanted to give Dawn an experience. It was all innocent.”
“Do you think Wes will care about it being innocent? All he’ll care about is his girls almost going out on dates. And did you hear they almost ran away? He'd demand where I was. How am I going to tell him that I was about to go on my own date?”
“Eli, you deserve your own life too. You are not at your uncle’s beck and call. You’ve done well over the last four years watching out for the twins. He’ll be grateful. Besides, how will he find out about the almost dates?”
“Because I have to tell him. The guilt will eat at me.”
“You’re a good pup, Eli,” Maxon said, chuckling.
They watched as the plane taxied towards them. Maxon couldn’t help the smile that came to his face. He missed his baby brother. He hadn’t seen him since the day he left. Wes was as tall as he was when he left and just slightly more muscular. He was eager to see how much bigger he was. He was always a big kid.
The doors opened when the plane stopped, the stairs were let down. Maxon’s eyes widened at the veritable beast that started to walk down the steps. His baby brother was massive. He was at least three or four inches taller than him and his muscles were so bulky that his brother couldn’t even walk with his arms at his sides. They were bowed out, because his biceps were so big. The black tank he had on couldn’t hide his huge chest and his thighs, in his blue jeans, were as huge as tree trunks.
“I’m so dead,” Eli squeaked.
“Holy Goddess Brother, did you leave any food for those Canadians? Or do you eat your weight in food every day?”
“I was a growing boy, they had a buffet table just for me,” Wes joked.
Maxon was taken back by the deep baritone voice that came out of his baby brother.
“Eli, my nephew. How are you?” Wes asked, as he grabbed his nephew by the shoulders and gave him a bear hug, slapping his back.
“I’m good, uncle,” he croaked out as he winced.
“You look good. Very strong and tall. You’ll make an excellent warrior and king when it is your time.”
“Thank you,” Eli said, puffing out his chest.
“How are my girls?”
Eli deflated. He looked at his uncle warily.
Wes’s eyes narrowed.
“Eli?”
“Your mates are fine, Uncle Wes. They’ve just been restless lately.”
“Well, they must be excited I am coming home,” Wes said, with a smile.
Maxon chuckled, “We didn’t tell them.”
“Why?”
“We wanted it to be a surprise. We are holding a ball to welcome you home. They think it’s a ball for Eli’s 18th birthday. But that’s next week.”
“Then why does he look so green? What’s wrong, Eli?”
“The girls have been feeling a little depressed. Since their 18th birthday, no male wolf has shown any interest in them. They wanted to know what it was like to go on a date, so they found two willing males to take them out,” Maxon said, but before he could finish he was cut off by the roar that came out of Wes. His eyes widened as Wes grew in size, his wolf coming to the surface. One eye turned ice blue, the other stayed hazel. Maxon couldn’t believe Wes could dual form like that. Normally, when a wolf comes forward, the human part is pushed back. To have control of both your human side and wolf's side is extremely rare. Wes was a phenomenon.
“Don’t worry, Eli took care of it, he put both males on patrol all night. One of the males is brand new. He had yet to be informed of the situation, the other was just trying to do the girls a solid to give them an experience. He had no romantic intentions. They’ve been disheartened by your absence and lack of communication. Koda caught them running away a week ago. Before you go off the rails, they think because they haven’t heard from you, that you found your mate. They thought you forgot about them. They also didn’t want to be here when you brought your mate home.”
“Why hasn’t anyone told them that I am their mate?”
“Because Aunt Lillyn and Uncle Koda, not to mention mom and dad, want to give them the experience of finding their mate. That’s why we aren’t going back to the palace until it’s time for the ball. We are going to the Royal Cottage where dad, Uncle Koda, Nate and Noah are waiting for us. Along with our tuxes.”
Wes sighed, his wolf retreated, and his body went back to normal. He really wanted to see his girls.
“I was on one last mission. There weren't a lot of opportunities for me to write to them. I was going to write to them on the day I was told I was coming home. But then when I was told, I just wanted to get packed and leave. I hope they won’t be too mad at me.”
“I’m sure they won’t even remember to be mad once they smell you. Come on, the ball starts in three hours.
It took an hour just to get to the Royal Cottage. Con wanted to break out of the car, shift and find his mates. They were so close.
I need you to calm down, Con.
I want my mates.
I do too. But we have to wait a couple more hours. We’ve waited four years, a couple of hours is nothing.
Wes our mates are just at the palace. I can see the palace roof from here, it would take no time to get there. Let me out!
Con! Please.
Fine, but you owe me. I want to mate tonight.
It will be their first time. They deserve to have it be special. I was thinking of doing it one on one, first.
You will hurt the one you don’t choose first. I will not have that.
No, I will let them choose. You’ll see it will be fine.
Wes felt Con move way back in his mind. He sighed. Con was a strong wolf. It has been really hard lately to keep him in check. He’s just as excited as I am about seeing our mates. Soon, mates, I will have you in my arms again, he thought.
They pulled up to the Royal Cottage. The door opened just as Wes stepped out of the SUV. His father stepped out of the cottage. He strode straight over to Wes and engulfed him in a hug. Wes was taken aback at the sight of his father. His father had always been a massive figure to him, but now Wes towered over him, and he was twice as bulky as his father.
“Look at you, wow. You’re a juggernaut.”
Wes laughed. That was his nickname in Alpha training.
“Yes, father.”
“Oh, ho. Listen to that voice, brother,” Nate said, jabbing his elbow into Noah’s side.
“There’s a lot of base there. It’s pleasing to the ear. I am sure your mates will love it when you growl in their ears.”
Wes growled at his brother.
“DO NOT DISRESPECT MY MATES!”
“Wow, he can dual shift,” Magnus said. Noah and Nate whistled.
“Calm yourself, Brother, I meant no harm. I was just joking,” Noah said.
“Someone’s sensitive,” Nate commented.
“He just needs to finally be with his mates. How would you all like to know who your mates were your whole life and then not be able to let them know? Then to be away from them for four years. You would all be on edge too,” Magnus commented. His brothers looked a little sheepish.
“Welcome home, son. Come, let’s go get ready. Your mother will want to see you before the ball starts.”
Wes sighed. So close, they were so close.
- Writer
