“Are you really going to go through the trials today?”
Prince Xander asks. “They are really brutal.”
“Yep. I’m too young to join, but the more experience the better for when I am able to fully participate.”
“T don’t know if I’m going to be able to watch that.”
He looks like he might be sick. He barely knows me, why would he be this emotional about it?
“Now, son, don’t go giving anything away. No advantages to our young friend here. We can’t be showing any favoritism.” Alpha Reggie winks at me
and I smile, but start to feel an unease set in.
I have to force food down after that little interaction.
Who knows how long the trials will be and if we will get food or water during it, but lam not hungry at all.
That’s new. I’m actually nervous for something. I don’t know how to feel about that. At 9, I stand up from my chair and I look at everyone.
“Okay, I have held off as long as possible, I need to go or I am going to go crazy. Delta Kyle can deal with me being 30 minutes early.” Everyone
smiles at me and I turn towards the door before they can laugh at me. I am already nervous, I can’t handle the playful teasing this morning. I just nee
to get there and get my head in the zone. Just when I think they are all going to let me have my space, I’m scooped up and thrown over a shoulder.
The thick honey scent tells me it’s Oliver.
“You didn’t think we were going to let you head to the trials alone, did you? You are about to do something massive without us. We are going to go
with you as far as we can.”
“Can I at least be cavemaned in an upright position?”
I giggle at him.
“Fine, you can climb on my back, but you are staying with me. The twins got you all night.” Was that jealousy?
Without putting me on the ground, I scramble to his back. My legs are too short to lock around his waist, so he locks his hands together under my but
for me to sit on. 1 wrap my arms around his neck and rest my chin on his shoulder.
“Are you jealous?” I tilt my face to his to see his reaction.
Nothing on his face changes, but he turns just enough to look me in the eye. “Maybe.” He keeps walking forward. We are clearly not taking the truck.
take a moment to notice where everyone else is. They are all loosely walking, but seem to be giving Oliver and I space.
“Look, I don’t know what is going on, but we are all drawn to you for some reason. We all feel it. I just know that I like being near you, I like having
physical contact with you, but I also know it isn’t something romantic or s*xual. It’s hard to explain. It is definitely more intense than brotherly affection
but I don’t think it’s the same as the way Cam and Kota feel. You keep me calm, keep my head on straight. When we thought you left this morning, I
thought I was going to have a panic attack, then we found you and the first thought in my head was,
“I wish they found you with me.” I don’t know what to do with that, but I just wanted you to know, we all need you. You have your reasons for wanting
to leave and I hope someday you’ll trust us enough to tell us the whole truth, but the idea of you leaving is making us all a little crazy, so you are
going to have to deal with us being clingy and possessive.”
I Then he just turns his head forward and keeps walking. Holy sh*t! First, that is the most words at one time he has ever said to me, but it is also the
most truth I have gotten from any of them. At least it explains their weird behavior recently and why they went all Alpha male last night.
I do the only thing I can think of in the moment and hug his neck tighter burying my nose in the crook between his shoulder and neck taking in his
honey scent, calming my nerves as we get closer to the training grounds they are holding the trials at for the next two days.
“Thank you for explaining.” I whisper into his neck and goosebumps ripple down his arms, but he has no other reaction than that.
