Chapter 3

Two weeks later, after and extremely irritating ride home from classes with my brothers, I decided to go for a run before I eat dinner. I just wanted to get away from them for a while. Alex and Zach are bugging the shit out of me about finishing my degrees online. Zach kept saying, “But we’re supposed to be together! We were born that way.” Alex kept asking, “Why would you want to abandon us? You know we can’t get through our classes without your help.” I shook my head, “Micah can help you with your homework. And you wouldn’t need my help if you would pay attention in class and take notes instead of paying attention to your arm candy.” Alex gasped, “But It’s college. I’m supposed to sleep around and play.” I sighed, “It’s not my responsibility to make sure you behave yourself and pay attention.” When we got home, I put my bag in my room and told grandpa, “I’m going for a run to my usual spot. I need to run off some steam.” Grandpa nodded, “I understand sweetie. Be careful. The rogue situation is getting worse.” I nodded, “Okay. I’ll listen to my wolf.”

I walked to the tree line and told Singarti, “It’s all on you, girl. I’m trusting you.” Singarti replied, “I gotcha girl. I’m not going to put us in jeopardy.” We shifted quickly and took off running our usual route to the waterfall. My favorite place to think and calm down. I really needed it this time. I was ready to strangle by brothers. Micah understood and encouraged me to do this. He knows I need to be able to take care of our mother. Alex and Zach are more self-centered. They always came to me to help with their homework, and I always helped them. I guess I needed to stop babying them and make them figure it out for themselves. They needed to prepare for me not being near them to ask for help. I was so lost in thought, that Singarti had made it to the waterfall without me knowing, “Thank you, Singarti. I was so lost in thought; I wasn’t even paying attention to our surroundings.” Singarti sighed, “We have company, but they’re friendly.”

I looked behind me and saw my Grandpa Damien’s wolf. He sat beside me and nudged the side of my face. I nudged him back and he mind linked, “How are you holding up, kiddo?” I sighed, “I’m okay, grandpa. I was ready to strangle my brothers. I needed to get away from them for a little bit.” He asked, “Did they do something to you?” I replied, “No. I’m just starting to think I’ve been babying my brothers. Zach and Alex want me to keep going to classes on campus.” Grandpa laughed, “I think you’re right. Those boys depend on you too much.” I shook my head, “Alex spends his time in class flirting with human girls while Zach spends his time thinking up his newest prank. Then, when it’s time to do homework, they come to me asking me to explain it. It makes me crazy.” He laughed, “Sweetie, they’re just boys.” I whined, “But grandpa, they really aren’t boys. They’re grown-ass men who act like boys.” He laughed even more, “I know. They’re at that in-between boys and men stage. If they had their mates, they wouldn’t be acting like this.” I asked, “Grandpa, what will I do if mom dies before she gets a kidney?” Grandpa’s head whipped toward me, “Sweetie, please don’t think like that. Your mom is so strong and your dad dotes on her like she is his life.” I nod my wolf head, “I know. It was embarrassing when I was little. But now, it’s a life goal.” Grandpa laughs, “That’s the way your grandma described her parents’ relationship to me when we first found each other.” I laughed, “It must run in the family then.” Grandpa smiled, “Are you feeling any better?” I smiled, “I am. Thank you, grandpa.” He smiled, “I’m glad you feel better. Let’s head back and eat some of your grandma’s chicken and dumplings. She made an Oreo Cookie cake.” I looked down as my stomach started rumbling loudly. Grandpa laughed, “Let’s go, sweetie.”

Grandpa and I ran and played until we were met with six rogues when we got halfway home. I heard grandpa mind linking the warriors for help and we just stood there, waiting for the rogues to make a move… but they never did. They were all captured by the warriors to be put in the dungeons. I linked grandpa, “That’s what happened when I was coming back that one time that I had to call Alex and Zach. It’s really weird.” Grandpa linked, “That is weird. I don’t like it. Sweetie, I know you like to take your runs alone, but I really need you to start taking some warriors with you until we find out what is going on.” I sighed, “Ugh! I understand. I will do that. Thanks for not telling me that I can’t go on my runs at all.”

When we got back to the house, I stopped at my spot at the tree line and shifted back and got dressed. I walked into the house and grandma was sitting at the table, waiting for grandpa and me. I went to the bathroom to wash my hands and Alex stood at the bathroom door looking sullen, “Sis…” I cut him off with my hand in his face, “Just leave me alone.” I walked past him and I heard Zach, “Damn. We really pissed her off this time.” Micah walked up behind both of them and smacked the backs of their heads, “Stop thinking about what she can do for you and start thinking about what she’s going through. Jeez, it’s no wonder you two can’t get a girl to stick around you past the first hour.” I chuckled as I shook my head, and sat at the table with grandma and grandpa, “I’m assuming the walking garbage disposals ate their fill already?” Grandma laughed, “I made them stop at a certain point to make sure you two got to eat. You know how your brothers are.” I laughed, “I do. Especially with chicken and dumplings.” Grandma laughed, “It was hard keeping them from eating all of the cake too.” I laughed, “That cake is the bomb, grandma. I just can’t eat too much of it at once. It’s super rich.” She nodded, “My face breaks out just looking at it.” I laughed at her, “I think mine does too.” Grandpa laughed, “It’s definitely the kind of cake that you need a glass of milk with.” I nodded in agreement as I ate my chicken and dumplings while looking forward to the cake. As soon as I was done, I cut a small slice of the most amazing cake ever and moaned as I ate the first bite. Oreo Cookie Cake is any chocolate lover’s dream. Two layers of devil’s food chocolate cake with a thick mixture of cream cheese, powdered sugar, whipped topping, and crushed Oreo cookies between them, and a heavy drizzle of chocolate ganache. It is my favorite, but I can’t eat much of it.

After I finished my cake and milk I got up and put my dishes in the kitchen. I kissed grandma on the cheek, “Thank you for the dinner and cake. They were both amazing as always.” Then I hugged grandpa and kissed him on the cheek, “Thank you for the talk, grandpa. You’re the best.” I then walked to my room and called mom. She answered on the first ring, “Hey, baby girl. How’s everything going?” I replied, “The boys called you. Didn’t they?” She answered, “Yeah.” I sighed, “Of course they would call you when my run interferes with them eating as much food as they want to.” Mom laughed, “Sweetie, they are worried about you. That’s all.” I answered, “I was pissed at them. I needed to get away from them before I broke both of their necks.” She laughed, “I understand that. Believe me.” I sighed, “It doesn’t matter now. Grandpa caught up with me at the waterfall and we talked. I just realized that I need to stop babying those boys. They need to start paying attention in classes and stop bugging me to explain the shit the same day of they were supposed to have learned it.” Mom asked, “What are they doing?” I laughed, “They didn’t tell you!” She laughed, “Apparently not.” I sighed, “They bugged the crap out of me all the way home from school today because they want me to keep going to college on campus. The only reason they want me to stay on campus is because Alex won’t pay attention to the teacher in class. He would rather pay attention to his human arm candy of the day and Alex would rather think of his next practical joke. Then they come to me to explain the same exact thing the instructor taught them the same damn day!” Mom sighed, “I can see why you were pissed off. I don’t blame you.”

We ended the call after talking about the other events of the day. I couldn’t help but notice that my mother seems weaker than usual. My heart broke a little.