Chapter 11
Effie Harlow
Ihad not expected to be pulled from bed, blurry eyed and exhausted, by a very alert Aanya the next morning.
I didn’t usually sleep in on Saturdays, but I wouldn’t have minded doing exactly that today, especially because I had been wrapped up in Caedmon’s arms. He hadn’t been the only one in my room though.
When I woke up, I found Julian spread out on my floor with a blanket and pillow.
It made me realize that I not only wanted to broach the topic of sleeping with the others to feel the same type of closeness…
but also somehow managing a bigger bed. I wanted to be able to be with all my mates at night, and my wolf was in full agreement.
I knew the possibility of that was extremely unlikely, but maybe they could figure out a solution I hadn’t thought of yet.
“You could just get a place together,” Aanya pointed out as we walked next to one another down campus drive.
It was cold, and I couldn’t figure out for the life of me why we couldn’t have just had coffee in the dorm instead of all the way down on this end, but Aanya seemed insistent, so I didn’t argue.
“Do you live with your mates?” I asked curiously.
Aanya let out an amused sound. “They wish.”
“And you don’t?”
Her cheeks heated as she shrugged. “I want to—hell, I sort of already do—but I don’t know… I guess I just don’t want to live with them fully until I have more of a commitment.”
“What do you mean?”
“So I know it’s stupid and old-fashioned,” she huffed, “but my mom didn’t live with my dad until they were married, so I sort of want the same.”
Oh.
I smiled. “That’s not stupid, that’s sweet.”
Aanya offered me a soft smile. “Ruby thinks it’s a bit stupid, but she and I don’t see eye to eye on a lot of that stuff… Actually, that reminds me, she and I were having a bit of a debate before we arrived at your place the other day.”
I blinked, trying to ignore the nerves infiltrating my system. “What about?”
“About you being Ryder’s mate.”
I snapped my head up towards her. “What?”
She offered a bright smile and laughed a little bit. “It’s true then?”
I didn’t know how to answer, but she just bumped my shoulder.
“You look totally freaked, Effie. Don’t worry.
I sort of knew something was going on when he saw you in the library.
Ryder has literally never shown interest in anyone, at least around me, and he hasn’t been his normal grumpy self for the past few days.
Doesn’t take a genius to connect the dots. ”
I exhaled. “I don’t want this to be weird. I’ve never had friends like you and Ruby before, and he’s your brother, so I feel like you could be upset.” Especially because Ryder had mentioned how protective siblings could be of one another.
“Nah.” She shook her head as we approached the building that housed the coffee shop, passing the building that Ryder’s office was in as I tried to not stare.
He had been gone this morning when I’d woken up, and if I had to guess, he’d left sometime after the conversation yesterday.
The conversation I was still not going to think about yet.
That was an entirely different can of worms.
“As long as you don’t talk about getting down and dirty”—she winced—“I am totally good with it. He’s such a broody bastard, I’m glad he found someone so the opposite of him. Plus…” Her eyes lit up. “That means that one day we will really be sisters.”
I felt a smile crawl on my face before trying to stomp it out, remembering that Ryder didn’t want that. He didn’t want anything like that, but I didn’t have the heart to tell her that her brother was pushing away our connection, especially since she seemed to accept it so easily.
Aanya suddenly looked back and scowled. “Why is he following us?”
I knew she was talking about Tore and how he was casually strolling as if he had all the time in the world.
“Because he wants to make sure I stay safe,” I reasoned before letting out a big yawn.
I was currently wearing an oversized SFU sweater from Dakota, a massive jacket from Tore, Julian’s hat pulled down over my messy braid, and gloves that Caedmon had bought me, while stumbling alongside Aanya to keep up.
I was starting to realize that with all these late-night talks…
I didn’t think I was a morning person, especially being dragged out of bed like this.
For just a moment, anger surged through me remembering what Caedmon had told me about his life at home.
If I ever met the man responsible for inflicting so much pain and damage on my mate…
Well, I wasn’t positive what I would do, but for once I felt absolutely violent.
It was both overwhelming and somehow perfectly appropriate for the situation.
“If Jex or Kilburn ever pulled that crap I would kill them,” she murmured, looking frustrated. I tilted my head, wondering if I should feel the same… But it didn’t incite that feeling in me. Rather the opposite.
“I like it. It makes me feel safe after everything I’ve been through,” I said honestly. Aanya’s gaze snapped to mine as she nodded in understanding.
“I get it. Not everyone’s relationships are the same, I just get protective over Ruby, and now you.
Before the twins, there was another guy, and that situation didn’t end well at all.
” She shivered and seemed to shake it off.
“I don’t mean to sound like I’m criticizing, I just want to make sure that you like that.
All the following you, being overly protective and possessive… ”
“I love it,” I whispered, a small smile on my face.
Aanya nodded as we reached the door of the building. “Good. That’s all that matters.”
I believed that. I completely believed that was how she viewed things, and I found that I loved her open communication policy. I wasn’t nearly as blunt as she was, but I wanted to be a bit more bold with my words and opinions. It was a quality I admired.
As we stepped inside, I realized how calm and quiet it was without classes going on.
I turned to look back and found Tore looking around, before grabbing a seat in the back of the coffee shop that sat in the center of the building.
Outside of the barista and us, there was no one besides…
Ruby? A noise of delight and relief came from my throat, noticing that she looked perfectly happy as Aanya led the way towards the table.
I immediately sat down as Ruby offered both of us a sleepy smile.
“Morning.” Ruby slid two coffees our way as I tilted my head, looking her over.
She looked different, but it was subtle.
Her hair was straightened and silky, the dark circles under her eyes completely gone, and there was a glow under her skin that didn’t seem natural but still had a pretty effect.
I didn’t know how to feel about what had occurred last time I saw her, and seeing how happy, well rested, and relaxed she seemed now… I was more confused than ever.
“Ruby, where have you been?” Aanya snapped, the hurt and concern obvious in her voice. Ruby met her gaze, deflating slightly, as a heavy look crossed her expression. I had a feeling the answer wasn’t one we were going to like.
“I don’t know how to explain,” Ruby admitted.
“Bluntly, and now,” Aanya growled.
“I was in the shadowlands.”
Shadowlands?
“What?” Aanya demanded, looking shocked.
“What are the shadowlands?” I asked.
“It’s said to be a different realm, like Hell itself, where the dark god now lives along with his mutations,” Aanya explained, and for once I was somewhat aware of what she was talking about and thankful for it. “Ruby is claiming that’s where she’s been.”
“It is where I’ve been.” Ruby took a sip of her coffee.
“So who the hell was tall, dark, and dangerous?” Aanya snapped.
“That would be his son.”
“The dark god’s son?” I asked incredulously.
“Yes,” Ruby murmured. “It’s really hard to explain, but I am fine. I promise you that I am perfectly fine. Better than fine—”
“And what about your mates?” Aanya asked, and a darkness filled Ruby’s gaze.
“They aren’t my mates. They can’t be my mates,” she whispered, pain suffusing her expression.
“Why?” Aanya asked. “Because of some half-wit demigod?”
Ruby actually cracked a smile. “Partly, yes. He’s a possessive bastard, but mostly because… If I accept a mate bond, they get hurt. Really hurt. I can’t do that to them.”
“I don’t think they are going to give you a choice in it,” Aanya pointed out.
“Why did you just leave like that?”
My question had her looking over. “I didn’t want to bring them into it. There is no way to explain my situation without them getting involved. Plus, he’s also sort of—”
“Controlling?” Aanya interjected. “That is not okay.”
“Don’t tell me what is and isn’t okay,” Ruby hissed. “Reaper saved me when no one else could. I don’t expect you to get our relationship, but I do expect you to respect it.”
Aanya threw her hands up. “Fine, Ruby. Fucking fine.”
I blinked, staring between the two of them and hating that they were fighting.
Aanya stood up and strode away towards the front of the building, practically furious.
I almost stood up to follow her, but then two men appeared seemingly out of nowhere.
My eyes widened because they were easily as large as Tore and absolutely identical.
Ruby scoffed. “And she is bashing me for being with someone possessive. Jex and Kil are some of the worst.”
I frowned. “Aanya said they weren’t like that?”
Ruby shook her head as the doors closed, the three of them disappearing.
“Aanya believes what she wants to, and they become what she needs, at least to her. They act relaxed and chill, but I know for a fact that they not only track her but almost always follow her whenever she leaves the house. They are just trying to not scare her off.”
“That would scare her?”
The idea of my mates tracking me did not scare me at all… Very much the opposite, actually.