Leon

Chapter Five

"Carmella, this smells amazing," Phoebe purrs and struts towards the long dining table with her plate full of food. Well...full might be an overstatement. 

Carmella eyes her plate suspiciously. "Thank you, Pheb. Would you like some more rice and gravy?"

Marcus enters the kitchen; he's back already? It's only half past six. Phoebe spots him immediately, but little does he notice her. He nods to his aunt with a  knowing smile (looks like all the money is collected for her debts) and reaches Evaline. Kisses her. Not too slow, not too quick. I see my sisters cheeks bloom with a rosy color. 

Aspen enters not too shortly after with Robert and Jerak on his heels. Robert claps me on the back in greeting before hurrying over to Carmella for his feast. I glance over at bitchy goddess to find her fork angrily stabbed into one of her four carrot sticks. Her face, though, gives nothing away. But that grip on her fork sure does. 

She clears her throat which jerks Marcus' attention towards her. He doesn't nod. Doesn't smile. Gives her no acknowledgement. 

"No, thank you. My figure is so in shape lately, wolf and human." She makes an absolute point of looking Evaline up and down. Jerak chokes on his soda and Robert's jaw tightens. 

Oh, f**k no. 

I feel anger boil in my chest. My face grows hot. After all of today's events, I really don't have time for this brat stepping in and spreading her shitty attitude all over the house. Not at all. 

I step forward and place my hands on the table which is the only thing separating us. Now I am across from her. "In shape?" I question quite obnoxiously, just so everybody can hear. "If you consider bone-thin, flat as a board to be 'in-shape' well you've succeeded. But listen here, nobody likes a snob. I don't know what your problem is with my sister, but get the f**k over it." 

Phoebe is struck still, simply staring at me in disbelief. I can't help but chuckle at the sight. 

"Now, now kids. None of this at my table," Carmella places her hands on her hips and looks at us with scrutiny. "We are a pack now, like it or not. Unified under our Alpha. Respect needs to be payed." 

I nod, agreeing with her. "Yes, it does need to be payed." I lean in a little closer, I feel my eyes turn black. Burnt yellow. "To everyone. Including the Luna." 

I glance back towards the love birds. Marcus has his arms crossed, eyes resembling mine. Black, then yellow. His look could kill. I know if I wouldn't have stepped in, the Alpha side of Marcus would have taken over. 

He lets out a low growl and clenches his fists against his arms. Okay, so maybe the violent side of him would have been unleashed as well. This menacing part of him was a lesser version of what could come, believe it or not. 

Evaline was no longer in sight. She had been run off by the crazy b***h. The thought angered me even more. 

Evie had struggled with an eating disorder back in the States. That, coupled with her anxiety and PTSD, turned out to be a dangerous combination. It took a while for her to regain stability within herself. She had worked hard at it; Phoebe wasn't about to ruin it for her. 

I make a bee line out of the kitchen, picking up her scent as I navigated through the house. I needed to find my sister. 

Five months ago this would've been different. Evaline would have fought with Phoebe. Evaline would have fought with herself. And five months ago I wouldn't have given two f***s about this entire situation. Things have changed; I won't allow her and I to return to our darkest points. Our darkest selves. Those scared kids were gone. We shed them a long time ago, even if we didn't feel so much stronger. We were. 

Evie, lets talk. Just talk, I send to her through the pack bond.

Pause. Silence. I ascend the stairs, trailing after her. Her bedroom door was open, I peak inside. Not there. I turn towards the hallway again, at the end was a balcony. The sliding door was opened. There. 

I reach the end and step through the threshold. Evaline is to my right, sitting in one of the rocking chairs. She is staring at the sunset. It sits just past the endless rolling, green hills. God, this place was beautiful. 

The wind picks up, causing goosebumps to rise over my arms. I don't mind it though; its calming. Soothing. This place is so different from Marcus' mansion. We had lived in that cold wasteland for months. I never realized how much I disliked it. Until we moved here, that is. 

I think of Hanna. Thank God we moved here. 

Evaline looks at me, finally. Forces a smile. "We can talk. But not about food. I've eaten today. And I'll eat dinner later. But, not right now." 

Not with everything downstairs. 

I blow out a sigh and run a hand over my hair. Nod and claim the rocking chair next to hers. "Fair enough." 

She looks back towards the view. Laughs, suddenly. "God, what a shitty little beta." 

I chuckle with her. "Yeah, shes...something." 

My sister raises her eyebrows. "Something? She's Hurricane f*****g Katrina! But she down plays it. Keeps it low key." 

I snort. "Low key?"  There is nothing low key about that girl. "How?"

She shrugs and bites her lip. "Phoebe likes to present herself in a certain way. Like she's some sort of conundrum; she wants to catch your curiosity." Evaline shakes her head and looks away. "b***h likes to keep people snowed." 

I reach out and tug on a strand of her light hair. "Believe me, sis. No one here is snowed by Ginger-Snatch." 

Evaline looks at me, wide eyed, before bursting into fits of laughter. She leans over her chair and shakes her head between giggles. "Ginger snatch? Are you serious?" Clutches her stomach. 

"Damn, straight." I'm actually really proud of that one. Its one of my best. 

Evaline covers her face and leans back into the chair in defeat. Continues to laugh. Good, I'm glad to see her laugh. It's been...too long. This relieves me; I knew my responsibilities as a brother now. Keep my sister safe. Safe from others. And safe from herself. I used to think of that as a burden. I had almost lost her to the hands of my father. The memory of it sets my wolf on edge. Sickens me. I understood the importance of it all now, to keep her happy. 

The sliding door opens in the middle of our amused cackles. Marcus steps halfway onto the porch, looks over us. Looks over Evaline. I see his eyes change from concern to relief, happiness. He recognizes her flushed face and happy glow. He can't hold back his wolfish grin. 

Ew. That was my sister for shits sake. 

I slap my knees playfully and stand up, not wanting to ruin their moment. I knew it was my cue to leave. Wink at Evie. She rolls her eyes at me but can't hold back a smile as Marcus and I trade places. He nods towards me, thanking me. Respecting me. Before I can fully close the door, I spot the two of them. Marcus tucks her hair behind her ear, flicks her nose playfully. 

Hanna.

I want Hanna.