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My thoughts turned to Phineas and Philip. I’d messed up with them more times than I could ever count. Despite that though, they still seemed to love me. I knew I was overbearing and overly protective with them, but when you spent over two decades constantly running from some deranged shifter who wanted to steal your brothers because he wanted them to replace your dead mother, it was difficult not to be overprotective.
I rubbed my temples and then my forehead before I sat back in my chair and took another look around the room. This used to be me. Twenty-five years ago, I’d had this. I was an up-and-coming professor at my university, and I was happy. I was dating casually, and I was happy. I shook my head. I wasn’t now. This was…an existence. I actually loved teaching, but this wasn’t what I wanted. Not anymore.
That didn’t change the fact that I still had an office hour to get through before I could leave for the day. Not that I expected anyone to show up. Certainly not in person. Online was possible but not likely. No, my students seemed to be emailers who sent frantic messages at two in the morning, right before an assignment was due.
I pulled out my laptop, and after opening the message board, as well as my email program, I waited. And waited. I sat there for the next fifty-three minutes without a single message or email. I wasn’t surprised by this even a little.
I knew that the barrage of messages would start next Wednesday, several days after our final in-person class and after the final paper was due. I already had the reply typed out and saved. It was going to be the same to every one of them. Therewas absolutely nothing I could do. I had to have time to get the papers graded and their scores inputted into the system for the college. No paper meant a zero for that assignment, and since this final paper was a big portion of their grade, it could have a significant impact on their academic standing.
Since my office hour was finished, I packed up and left. There was truly no reason to stay, and I was more than ready to be home. I locked the office door behind me, and once I left the building and stepped out into the sunlight, my tiger chuffed in my mind. It had been too long since I’d let him out to have a good run. Perhaps this weekend would be the perfect opportunity to go up to Treasure Ridge and let him out for a bit.
I had stayed in the house down from the council for a bit, but eventually, I left when the omegas who had been staying with me no longer felt as if they needed me there for protection. It wasn’t a sad day for me when I moved out. Not really. I had only been there in that house because the council had provided it for me and my brothers. They both lived with their mates now, and since I no longer worked for the council, I felt uncomfortable continuing to live there.
Now, I had my own little place on the outskirts of Timber Valley, and although it wasn’t much larger than some of the tiny apartments I’d lived in with the twins, it was home. I stopped beside my SUV and shook my head. It wasn’t home. Knox’s place was home for him and Philip. Ramsey and Phineas had a home in mated enforcer housing. I had a house I rented from Alpha Forest for a tiny fee, but I wouldn’t call it home.
I needed a vacation. Maybe that’s what would fix me. I shook my head again as I slid into the SUV. I knew that there was probably no fixing me. Not that anything was wrong. I just…had to figure out what to do with myself now that the only purpose I’d had for so long was no longer needed. My entire life had beenabout the twins and making sure they were taken care of and protected. I no longer needed to do that, so now what?
Teaching obviously wasn’t what I thought it would be. That could be in part the college, but also that life had changed since I’d taught last. I had changed.
I had just started the SUV when my phone vibrated where I’d placed it in the center console. When I picked it up, I smiled at the name. Knox. I liked my brother’s vampire mate. He was completely smitten with Philip and adored my brother and their twins. I might have been a bit standoffish in the beginning, but that was only because it was difficult to come to terms with someone else protecting my brother. But I couldn’t have picked a better mate for Philip. I read the message and smiled.
Knox: Come to supper! I know you’re not doing anything because you never do. Don’t try to say you are busy. It’s been almost a month since you’ve seen us, and I won’t take no for an answer. Steaks and all the things on the grill. Supper is at 6:00. See you then.
I chuckled, but it suddenly turned to sadness. Had it really been that long since I’d seen them? Why had I not realized that? It wasn’t as if I was too busy. I sighed at myself before I started typing.
Me: I’ll be there. Sorry it’s been so long. I guess I hadn’t realized. I’ll be over around 6:00.
I hit the green Up arrow and watched as the message was sent. Then I went and looked at my last message with Phineas. I’d at least talked to him two weeks ago, but it looked like it had been even longer since I’d been up to see him and Ramsey and little Hazel. What was wrong with me? Why had I pulled away from my brothers so much? Sure, I didn’t want to interfere, but I was probably taking things a bit too far in the opposite direction.
Me: Hey Phineas. Sorry it’s been so long. Do you want to get together this weekend sometime? I’m sorry I’ve not reached outin a while. I have no excuse except I don’t want to overstep. Just let me know either way. Love and miss you and Hazel.
I couldn’t help it. I didn’t exactly love Ramsey. He wasn’t a bad mate to my brother, but I didn’t love him. I liked him, and I knew my brother would always be safe with Ramsey around. But nope, there was certainly no love between either of us. I chuckled. I put the phone back in my center console before I pulled my seat belt on and then started the SUV. It was getting warm in here, and it was past time I went home.
My phone vibrated as I pulled out of the parking space. A quick touch of the screen told me it was Phineas replying to me. I was incredibly spoiled because the SUV would read the message to me. When I touched my brother’s name, the robotic voice sounded in the speakers.
“Sure! I know you are busy with your classes, but we’re going to be at Knox and Philip’s tonight. Are you not coming?”
Well, that would cover seeing both brothers and my nieces and nephew this weekend. I couldn’t help but smile as I pulled out of the parking lot and onto the street. I had to work on making it up to them. I would start by taking my brothers their favorite desserts. With the council’s bakery not an option, I needed to make a quick stop at the bakery here in Timber Valley before I headed to Knox and Philip’s. I changed direction at the next stoplight. I had things to do, and my tiger chuffed, seeming happy at the prospect of seeing my family.
Chapter 2
Beau
“Mmm. You’re going to be amazing at this,” Evan said as he shoved another cupcake in his mouth. I didn’t know how he was able to get the entire thing, and the frosting, in his mouth without getting the blue topping everywhere, but he managed somehow.
“Thanks,” I told him. I grabbed the towel and wrapped it around my left hand before I undid it and then repeated the gesture. I was trying to calm myself, but it wasn’t working. Evan seemed to catch on though, and when he reached out and placed his hand on top of mine, I finally relaxed.
“You don’t have to do this, you know. The council will eventually find someone else to run the bakery. I only suggested that you do it because you love to bake and are so good at it. Even if you use magic to create some things, I don’t think the council will care.”
I shook my head. “You know I can bake everything from scratch.”
“Yes, but you don’t have to. You have the ability to make everything with magic. Did you use magic for anything in these cupcakes?”
I sighed. He knew I did. “Yes, and you know it. I did measure and add all of the ingredients, but I used magic to mix and measure out all of the batter. It was just easier.”
Evan shook his head at me. “Don’t be upset about using magic. We have it, we should use it. Why not? The warlocks use their magic on assignments. It’s why we were asked to join the council: because they needed more that had magic.”
“Has the assignment thing been fixed? Do they know what you’re going to be doing? And are you getting along okay with your teammates now?”
