Chapter 208

Around midnight, the family starts to fade.

“Actually,” Rafe murmurs at my side, looking around the room as mom and dad herd a sleepy Mark off to his bedroom, Juniper following close behind, and Roger and Cora bid their farewells to their oldest son, who is staying overnight here so that he can go to school with the rest of us in the morning. “This might…be the perfect time…”

“What?” I ask, frowning up at my older brother, Jackson slumping slightly on my other side, I think already half asleep. I laugh a little as Jacks rests his weight against me, because if he thinks I’m going to be able to hold his weight then he is sincerely overestimating my strength.

“Hey, Jacks,” Rafe says, giving Jackson a nudge on the shoulder as Jesse kisses his mom and gives his dad a big hug before the pair march out with their ducklings in tow. “Do you think I could…steal Ariel for a bit? Just for a few minutes?”

Jackson growls a little, low in his throat, his arm slipping around my waist as he lifts his head to glare at my brother.

I burst out laughing at this, giving him a smack on his chest. “Jackson!”

“My mate,” Jackson murmurs, sleepy and half drunk. “You…can’t borrow her. She’s mine.”

“My sister first,” Rafe laughs, I think as tickled as I am to see the ever-controlled Jackson in this state. Rafe raises an eyebrow to me as Jesse comes to stand with us. “Do you think he can get to his rooms by himself, Ari?”

“Yes, he’s very capable,” I say, grinning up at Jackson, who nods at me with assurance.

“Ohhh, are we doing secret cousin stuff?” Jesse asks, grinning around at the three of us and figuring out what’s happening lightning-fast, as he always does.

“Just for a minute,” Rafe says as I stand on my tiptoes and whisper to Jackson that I’ll meet him in his room shortly, and not to open the present that’s waiting there. Jacks gives me a swift kiss on the cheek and murmurs his assurances that he won’t, waving his goodnights over his shoulder as he heads out the door.

“What’s going on?” I ask, turning to Rafe, just as eager as Jesse now. Because this – a secret meeting of the three of us on Midwinter? It’s entirely unprecedented.

“Come on,” Rafe says, grinning at both of us, I think a little abashed. “Lets…go to the roof.”

“What?” Jesse gasps, delighted at the secrecy and the mystery. I squeak a little with joy, instantly agreeing, and then the three of us quickly head out of the now-quiet living room and up the stairs, back to the little roof garden, which is still kind of a mess from the day’s activities.

Rafe shoots us a grin and heads for the little fridge in the tiny outdoor kitchen. “Don’t get excited,” he sighs. “I didn’t plan anything big.” He bends over, grabbing a bottle of champagne out of the back and beginning to unwrap the foil that covers the cork as he stands straight.

I watch in fascination as Jesse gets glasses, likewise baffled and pleased. “What’s this all about, Rafe?” Jesse asks, placing three glasses on the counter before he leans against it.

Rafe doesn’t answer, instead popping the cork with a satisfyingly loud sound and then beginning to pour three glasses. “Now don’t freak out,” Rafe says, smirking a little. “But I’m going to get…sentimental.”

Immediately, I freak out.

“Rafe!” I gasp, clasping my hands beneath my chin, my eyes already welling with tears. “What – why are you getting sentimental!? What’s happening!?”

“Oh my god, Ariel,” Rafe laughs, grinning, tilting his head back like he can’t believe it, or should have expected this, or both. Jesse laughs too and just wraps a warm arm around my shoulder as Rafe sighs, tilts his head back up and begins to hand us each a glass of champagne.

I give a little squeak of anxiety low in my throat, looking at my brother and my cousin with wide eyes as Rafe sighs and raises his glass. Jesse and I instantly raise ours, clinking them together, willing to play along even if we have no idea what’s happening. That’s always been our vibe, after all – the three of us, always in it together, no questions asked.

“Seriously, Rafe,” Jesse says, a little smile on his lips as he sips his champagne. “You’ve always been the stoic one, out of the three of us. If you keep mixing up our roles we won’t know what to do next.”

“You just keep cracking jokes, Jess,” Rafe says, smirking at our cousin and slipping his free hand into his pocket. “Keep us steady.”

Jesse nods once, agreeing to it, and I make the squeaking noise again, needing to know what’s going on.

Rafe laughs and squares his shoulders, nodding to me and getting started. “Look, it’s not a big deal, I just…I wanted to take a minute with the two of you alone. Because…because you two mean a lot to me.”

My little wolf howls in my heart, bursting with pride and love for my brother and my cousin. But I do my very, very best to keep quiet, even as tears start to well on my lower lashes, threatening to fall.

“I just…” Rafe sighs, hanging his head for a second and collecting his thoughts. “It’s always been the three of us, hasn’t it? Growing up…I know I was first, but I can’t even remember a time when I didn’t have the two of you by my side, when you weren’t my best friends. And Ariel, I’m so glad you didn’t marry that asshole and came to school with us instead.” He flashes me a big smile now, and Jesse follows suit, tightening his arm around me as he does.

And I can’t help it – it’s all too much. The tears start to spill down my cheeks.

Rafe grins at me, pushing forward, because he knows he only has so much time before I burst into sobs. “It wouldn’t have been the same without you, Clark,” Rafe says with a smirk. “And I think…I think it was meant to be – you there, with us, like you’ve always been. We were always meant to be together. But…we’re growing up now. Aren’t we?”

Rafe’s smile falls a bit, and my mouth trembles into a frown. Even Jesse looks serious all of a sudden, which is a feat unto itself.

“And things are…changing,” Rafe says, looking between us, heaving a sigh. “We’re going to…grow up, and meet our mates – if we have them –“ he glances at Jesse here, whose mate-status hasn’t been confirmed, “and…follow our own paths. We won’t be together every day – not forever.”

I sniff, my free hand pressing again to my chest as more tears slip down my face. Because Rafe’s right, and it’s breaking my heart to think of it.

“None of that’s bad, though,” Jesse says, and my head spins when I hear his voice is tight. Because, god, if Jesse cries I’m going to completely lose it.

“I know,” Rafe says quickly, nodding his agreement. “I just…” he raises his glass again, toasting us. “I wanted to take a moment, while we have it, to say…what an honor it’s been spending my life with you two at my side. You’re my best friends and…I love you. We’re really lucky.”

Rafe hangs his head and quickly brushes his hands across his cheeks and I give a little cry, pitching forward and wrapping my arms around him. I spill my champagne but – who cares –

“Ari,” Rafe laughs, wrapping his arms around me in return. “We don’t need to get maudlin about it.”

“Yes, we do!” I moan, overwhelmed and miserable. And then I turn back to Jesse, desperate to have him close, and open up my arm. He laughs and joins our hug, all of us wrapping our arms around each other, and even Jesse’s eyes are wet now.

“Look, why don’t we make a pact?” Jesse says, quiet and eager. “No matter what happens in our lives – no matter how they change, and how many mates or children come and try to disrupt –“

I laugh at this, shaking my head, wondering that he can even think that far ahead with war on the horizon. But I don’t bring it up – because I don’t need to. I know we’re all thinking it.

“Let’s always meet, on Midwinter night, at midnight,” Jesse continues, smiling at us, “always find space to have a secret toast. Just like this, just the three of us, like we’re doing right now.”

“That’s a great idea, Jess,” Rafe says, smiling softly at him. And then he drops his arms from around us and raises his glass in the center of our circle. “Midwinter at midnight, just us three. Every year.”

“It’s a deal,” I sniff, raising my glass too. Jesse is last, clinking his glass against ours.

And then we all drink deep and take a moment to laugh together under the light of the midwinter moon, warmed by the idea that every year – no matter what – we’ll return to do the same.