Chapter 451

Rafe snarls half-heartedly at Jess, not opening his eyes, as I burst out laughing.

“Is that…did that work?” Jackson asks, looking between Jesse and Rafe curiously. “He’d take off his shirt and…what would happen?”

“He’d take off his shirt and the panties would drop,” Jesse says, dropping his hand demonstratively. Jackson’s mouth falls open as mom and I burst out laughing and Rafe groans, embarrassed. Jesse grins, still tired but I think a little happier here with all of us. He gives Jackson a wink. “You should try it sometime, Jacks. See how many of the nations’ citizenry fall for you when they get a sight of you bare-chested.”

I snarl at my cousin, even as I continue to laugh a little bit. Then I glare at my mate, daring him to try it. He smirks at me and shrugs and I laugh, bumping my shoulder into him.

“Where did you sleep, Jess?” Rafe asks, sighing as he sits up and moves closer to my mom, making room for Jesse on my tiny little girl bed. I grin as Jesse comes and joins us, very pleased to have everyone close and happy again. My wolf gives one anxious turn, thinking of Juniper, but I run a hand over her fur, reminding myself that there’s nothing I can do but trust my little sister to keep herself safe and strong.

“What do you mean, where did he sleep?” mom asks, sitting up a little straighter, her coffee cup pressed between her hands. “He didn’t sleep in your room?”

“No, he went on some weird adventure,” Rafe murmurs, flicking a hand dismissively at the profligate duke. “I thought maybe it was a dream but he wasn’t there when I woke up.”

“I stole a helicopter and went to the Academy,” Jesse sighs, laying himself out along the edge of the bed and covering his face with his hands. “To see Daphne.”

We all go very still and very quiet.

“Please don’t tell Midnight,” Jesse says, his words slightly muffled against his palms. “It’s…not a secret but…maybe if she didn’t know it would be better. She does…not like the idea of me seeing Daphne, especially not alone. But I couldn’t not see her, especially after mom told me she was there and I was an idiot and just left the Academy a few days ago without popping downstairs to say hi.”

“How’d it…go?” Rafe asks, quiet and awkward.

“Horribly,” Jesse sighs, letting his hands slide away, his face turning to the side, his expression miserable. My heart aches for him very suddenly and he shifts his eyes to mine. “She’s not doing well, Ari. Could you…would you reach out to her? I’m worried about her but…she kind of asked me to leave her alone.”

“Of course,” I say, nodding seriously to my cousin, guilt running through me when I realize that I should have done this before.

“What is like…happening there, Jess?” Rafe asks, rubbing his head a little. “Do you still have feelings for her?”

“Of course I do,” Jesse says, turning to Rafe with a frown.

A little anxiety stirs in me as I look between my brother and my cousin, remembering that the last time they were together at the Academy they fought like dogs on the subject of Daphne. Obviously they’re friends again but…has that issue resolved itself?

“My feelings for Daphne were never shallow, Rafe,” Jesse says, sitting up a little to glare at my brother. “I was in love with her. I’m still in love with her.”

“But how is that even possible?” Rafe asks, leaning forward, more curious than anxious.

Mom just sits quietly sipping her coffee, looking between the pair of them, clearly worried but willing to let them sort it out.

“What are you talking about,” Jesse replies, snapping a little. “You know how great she is, Rafe, I don’t know why you think that I’d –“

“No, you’re misunderstanding me, Jess, I’m sorry,” Rafe says, holding out a hand to him and closing his eyes, clearly still suffering from his hangover and trying to put his thoughts together.

Jesse slowly closes his mouth, letting Rafe have the time to think.

“I mean…” Rafe continues, “that the moment I saw Maryam, all thoughts of any other girl went right out of my head. I actually feel really guilty about it – I was so mad at you about Daphne and now…I mean, now it feels like I picked a fight over nothing.”

Jesse snarls at the implication that Daphne might be nothing.

Rafe narrows his eyes. “You know that’s not what I mean, Jesse. I’m talking about me, about my feelings. It’s no reflection on Daphne – she’s fantastic.”

Jesse settles a little, frowning. “Your feelings for other girls…just got wiped away?”

“Yours didn’t?” Rafe asks, his face screwing up with confusion. “When you met Mids?”

Jesse turns to the rest of us. “What happened with you all? Did you stop having feelings for other people?”

“I had unique circumstances,” I say, raising my hand a little.

“No other girls to speak of,” Jackson says with a tiny shrug.

Mom just sighs, sipping at her coffee. “And I didn’t know I had a wolf and a mate until after your dad and I were pregnant and pretty heavily involved. So, I also don’t know. You should probably ask dad about it, he’d know. Or Roger.”

“About what?” another voice says at the door, and my face bursts into a grin when I realize that it’s my Mark.

“Markie!” I call, thrilled, patting the bed beside me.

Mark starts to smile at me but then looks around the room, guilt washing it away. “Rafe, I’m really sorry –“

“We’re good, Mark,” Rafe murmurs, nodding to our brother and jerking his chin to the spot on the bed next to me. “Don’t kill yourself over it. I know you didn’t do anything just to be cruel.”

Mark sighs but nods and then comes over to sit with me. “But seriously, what were you talking about when I came in?”

“About whether or not you stop having feelings for previous crushes when you meet your mate,” Jesse says as I lean close to Mark when he sits, wrapping him in a one-armed hug.

To my surprise, Mark goes a bit stiff beneath my arm. I frown up at him, wondering what could be off.

“Um,” Mark says, looking awkwardly down at the blanket. “Do they?”

“I’m inclined to think that they do,” Mom says quietly. “It makes sense, right? You’ve met what is supposed to be the one person who checks all of your boxes. How could someone else live up?”

“Well, Daphne lives up,” Jesse murmurs, a little angry and defensive, likewise looking down at the bed covers. “I didn’t stop having feelings for her. Not at all.”

“And Midnight?” mom asks, gentle, the softness in her voice clearly indicating that he doesn’t have to answer if he doesn’t want to.

“Mids is amazing too,” Jesse sighs, his head hanging. “I…don’t know what’s going on.”

Mom hums consideringly and nods. “Maybe we need Cora to give the Goddess another call. Though she’s a bit pissed at us lately – the Goddess. Cora…had some wine and called her up a few times just to give her a damn piece of her mind about allowing so many of her grandkids to be kidnapped by our enemies. They…are not on the very best of mother/daughter terms at the moment.”

I laugh at this, thinking that only my auntie Cora would have the balls to argue with a goddess like that. But hey, it’s her mother, and now that two of the three kidnapped kids are back perhaps they can reach more even ground.

“Oh, my little chickens,” mom sighs, looking around at us with a mix of joy and pity on her faces. Rafe leans against her, closing his eyes. “I’m so glad to have you all back together and here in my little coop, where I can take care of you.”

“I’m not sure that a palace fully qualifies as a coop, auntie,” Jesse murmurs, laying back down on the bed, giving into his exhaustion.

“And we still need our June back,” Mark sighs. “And Maryam, too.”

Everyone goes still. Rafe’s eyes flash open.

“What?” Rafe snarls, low and threatening.

Mark’s eyes flash wide. “Wait, what?”

“Mark, I’m going to murder you,” Rafe growls, leaning forward towards our little brother. “Did you just imply, ever so casually, that Maryam is gone?”

“You don’t know!?” Mark nearly shouts, likewise leaning forward towards our brother.

“Mark!” Rafe shouts, clenching a fist between them. “Right now! Everything you know, right fucking now!”

“I – I saw her!” Mark sputters out, casting a hand towards the windows. “In the park! I went running last night –“ he sends a guilty look towards our mom, who scowls at him, “- and she was out there –“

“Why the fuck didn’t you bring her home!?” Rafe shouts.

“I didn’t know I was supposed to!” Mark shouts back, going pale. “I thought – I don’t know! She had a backpack! I figured she was going somewhere! She was…walking with a purpose!”

Rafe just roars in frustration at our brother before hurling himself off the bed and striding out the door. We all watch him go, open-mouthed.

“Oh my god,” Mark groans, ducking his face into his hands, his shoulders twitching with what must be frustration and shame.

“Should we…help him?” Jackson asks, starting to get up.

“No no,” mom says quietly, reaching out a hand to place on his arm, stopping him. “This feels…like Rafe’s business now. He’s perfectly capable of handling this.”

“See?” I say, snuggling against Jacks. “You complain about how troublesome I am, but at least I never ran away from you.”

“There’s still time,” he murmurs, wrapping an arm around me and pulling me close, pressing a kiss to my head.

Mark sighs and lays down, resting his head in my lap. “Pet me,” he begs, and I comply. “Am I ever going to do anything right?”

“Of course you are, baby,” I coo, stroking his hair. “You’re just…taking your time.”

“Is this a bad time to invite everyone to lunch in the yurt?” Jesse murmurs, pulling my blankets up over him with a yawn. “I want a nap first but…then we should go check on Mids.”

“We’ll come,” I say casually, easily, even though my heart wonders after Rafe, who is probably dashing all over the city now looking for his mate, worried for her.

“Chaos,” mom sighs, resting back against my headboard and taking a peaceful sip of her coffee. “Good ole Sinclair chaos. I missed this.”

I grin at her, shaking my head a bit. But she just grins back, wrinkling her nose.