What Has Become Of Me?

The laughter finally dies down. My cheeks are surely bright red. I would’ve escaped if Seb hadn’t sat on my lap, forcing me to remain in my chair.

“Thanks for that Seb” I grumble after five minutes of being laughed at.

“Any time” Seb grins before ruffling up my hair.

“So you must be the youngest of the pack, Sebastian” Caleb speaks up.

“Geeze, I thought you’d remember me from not too long ago” Seb responds dramatically.

“I’m terrible with names” Caleb explains.

I look at them confused. When was this elusive time when we all met?

“What’s up Annie?” Seb asks turning to look at me.

“When did you meet?” I ask.

“Well we ordered the same coffee, and lent up to grab the same cup” Seb gushes.

I just roll my eyes as everyone laughs.

“It was the night we came to save you” Carlos explains, “not that you needed saving by the time we got there.”

Dan clears his throat in an obvious warning for Carlos to not talk about it.

“Wait, you guys were there?” I ask.

“Sure were, couldn’t let Dan the man fight without us” Jai grins.

Hours fly past as I grow more at ease in the conversation. Seb was sad to leave but said he must. It wasn’t until my parents arrived home that Dan’s pack finally said goodbye.

“Lovely to meet you,” Seth says taking my hand and places a kiss on the back of it, “sweet dreams.”

I roll my eyes and pull my hand back.

“Shove off Romeo” Jai and Kai chorus as they push Seth to the side away from me.

“Night guys” I say hesitantly.

Once they are gone I go upstairs and fall asleep before my head can even hit the pillow.

“Wake up sleepy head!” a voice calls through my door.

I grumble and bury my head back into the pillows as I hear the door open.

“Yo Dan!” a familiar man’s voice yells from my doorway, “it’s past ten, can we attack your sister now?”

I bolt upright in bed. Kai and Jai are standing in my doorway. I stare at the curly haired twins and they stare right back.

“What time did you say it is?” I ask still barely awake.

“We’ve got water balloons down here if you want!” I hear my brother call up to them obviously not knowing I am awake and have heard him.

“Ten past ten” Jai, or Kai, replies.

“Damn it!” I yell jumping out of bed and rushing around the room to get ready.

Footsteps can be heard heading up the stairs as I find an outfit to wear. I shove both Kai and Jai out of my room then slam the door shut in their face. As quickly as I can, I strip down and start throwing on the red t-shirt and jeans I’ve chosen to wear for the day.

Just as I slip off my underwear I hear Seth’s voice outside my room.

“What have you guys done n-” he suddenly cuts off as he’s opened my door.

“Out!” I yell thankfully facing away from the door.

“Sorry!” he yells back and slams the door shut.

For the rest of the time it takes me to change, I grumble over the stupidity of wolves and their inability to let people get naked in peace.

I rush to the bathroom to brush my hair and my teeth. Seth appears at the bathroom door looking sheepish.

“Ahh sorry about that Anika” Seth says rubbing the back of his neck.

I roll my eyes and clear my mouth of tooth paste before replying.

“Just knock first next time” I tell him before drying my chin with a towel.

“Nice ass though” he grins then hurries back to where the guys are down stairs.

I run into my room grabbing my phone and keys to the house before rushing down the stairs. It’s now twenty three minutes past ten. I wonder if Wyatt would have really waited nearly an hour and a half for me.

I find Dan and his pack watching TV in the lounge room. They each pull their eyes from ‘Wheel of Fortune’ to look at me.

“Is anybody willing to give me a lift?” I ask.

Immediately everyone except my brother is standing up. Carlos is waving his hand in the air like a third grader but the rest rush at me.

“Ah, thanks” I say.

“Come on, come on” Caleb tries to hurry me as he pushes me lightly towards the door.

I scowl and slap his hand away.

The door is thrown open and Jai and Kai argue with Caleb as Seth is wrestling with Carlos over who can hold their hand highest in the air.

“May I offer you a lift, young lass?” Ryder asks with a hint of a Scottish accent.

“I got to her first!” Caleb argues.

“But my hand is highest!” Seth counters from where he is standing on Carlos’s back.

Carlos suddenly rolls tipping Seth to the floor. Chaos breaks out and time is ticking.

“You’re all forgetting one very important thing” Jai finally speaks up over the arguments, causing everyone’s eyes to travel to him.

“That she wants to spend her time with me?” Seth asks trying to move close beside me but Ryder catches the collar of his shirt and drags him to an arm’s length away from me.

“That one very important point is…” Jai is buying time as he walks towards me and hooks an arm around my waist.

“I have the car keys” at the same moment as he rushes out the end to his statement, he picks me up and runs out the door.

The others take a second delay before scrambling after us. Jai opens the door to a fairly new blue Ford before sliding over the bonnet to the driver’s side. I hop in the car not wanting to waste another moment from the time the boy’s wasted fighting. Jai pulls away from the curb at the same time as all the guy’s are standing on the lawn scowling.

Jai chuckles as the boys can be seen in the rear view mirror going inside, admitting defeat.

“So where are we headed?” Jai asks.

“Ryan’s café” I respond.

“Any particular reason? Why, Anika, was this your plan all along? To drag me off to a café and seduce me?”

I roll my eyes, “Just step on it, I’m late.”

It’s twenty five minutes to eleven by the time Jai pulls to a stop outside the café.

“Thanks for the ride” I say slipping out.

“Where’s my fare?” Jai asks indignantly.

I don’t bother answering; instead I shut the door and hurry into the café. A quick scan of the room lets me know Wyatt hasn’t waited. Only a middle aged woman sipping coffee, bus boy and young, red hair waitress are occupying the café.

“Damn” I curse under my breath.

I turn on my heel to leave but I run into someone making me skitter back a few steps apologising.

“Damn right you should be sorry” Wyatt says smiling down at me from where he stands at least two heads taller than me, “left me waiting for hours.”

“You waited?” I ask blinking stupidly.

“Not like I have much else to do in this town” he shrugs, “Plus if I’m going to be stood up, at least it’s from someone I know is out of my league anyway.”

His crooked grin appears and mischief never seems to leave his eyes for long.

“Would paying for the coffee make up for my terrible manners?” I ask with a light tone.

He scratches his chin as if pondering the thought.

“That cup of coffee will have to come with a bagel too” he finally decides and leads me over to a round table with two chairs placed around it against the window.

“So what took you so long?” he asks leaning back in his chair.

“Woke up late. My sleeping patterns have been all over the place” I explain.

“Fair enough, you’re not even a month in” he responds, “which reminds me, do you have a pack to join before the full moon?”

I nod but my reply is cut off as the waitress walks over.

“What can I get you?” she asks smiling.

“Two coffees, some raisin toast and a bagel” I respond.

“Is that a flat white, espresso or cappuccino?”

“Flat white.” I reply then look at Wyatt.

“Espresso.”

She nods, jotting it down before leaving.

“You smell different,” Wyatt comments, “there are so many scents over you.”

“Yeah, I met another pack.” I reply.

“That can’t be good. When do the two packs battle for you?”

“They don’t. They’re reasonable enough to let me choose rather than treat me like an object.”

The door to the café opens and I pay it no mind until a chair is being dragged up to our table. I shoot a startled glance to find Brian sitting beside me.

“Who’s this clown?” Brian asks jerking his thumb at Wyatt.

“What are you doing?” I ask with a frown.

“Joining you for brunch, what does it look like?”

“You having stalked me and finding me with another man, then getting jealous and deciding to intervene” I reply.

We glare at each other for a long moment.

“Are you going to introduce us or not?” Brian finally huffs.

“Brian this is Wyatt, Wyatt this is dickhead” I introduce then smile at Brian.

“No need for childish name calling.”

“Who’s child and why is his game falling?” Jett asks pulling up another chair to sit on my other side between me and the window.

“Fantastic, who else is coming?” I mutter as Wyatt just laughs.

“Dan said he and the others would be around as soon as they found out who stole your panties and Nathan’s parking the car with our lot” Chase says sitting behind me.

“It’s a god damn party” I grumble.

“Who’s the bum?” Jett asks.

“He’s Wyatt and he’s no bum” I say.

“Ooh defensive. Do you have a crush Anika?” Chase teases from behind me.

“Anika has a crush?” Seth suddenly pipes up as he enters the café with Kai and Ryder, “how could you cheat on me like this?”

Jai enters and brings over another table as well as a chair so he and his other pack members can sit at their own table right beside ours making Brian shift closer to me.

By the time everyone has entered, we have six tables crowed around us and have filled at least half of the small café. The waitress comes over and is shocked to find the crowd of men all focused on Wyatt and I.

“This is ridiculous” I say as the waitress hands our order to Carlos who is at the very end of the row of tables so it can gradually make it’s way over to where I am cornered with Wyatt.

“It’ll probably be cold by the time we get it” Wyatt jokes but from the set of his shoulders and the way he keeps touching the band that keeps him hidden I can tell just how scared he is that either of the packs will sniff him out for what he is.

“Relax, it’ll be fine” I say not entirely referring to his comment about our coffees.

He gives me a lopsided smile as our coffees are placed in front of us.

“Are you going to eat both slices of that raisin toast?” Jett asks eyeing off the second piece hungrily.

“She won’t, but I will” Chase says.

“She is present, thank you very much.” I say.

“So who’s the bum?” Kai asks looking at the very unshaven, smelly Wyatt.

“He isn’t a bum and his name is Wyatt.”

“Why else would he be eating a bagel?” Seth asks.

“Hey, I eat bagels” Jai pipes up.

“Well this is awkward” Seth says.

“Oh my God!” Seb exclaims jumping to his feet earning everyone’s attention, including the waitress and middle aged customer, “there’s a fair happening this afternoon just an hour away! With fire works! And fair floss! And balloons! And candies!”

Nathan grabs his shirt pulling him back into his chair.

“Shut up, you’re embarrassing yourself” Nathan says.

“So? I can’t help how excited I am that we are all going to the fair tonight!”

“If I agree to it, will you shut up and leave Wyatt and I to finish our coffees in peace?” I ask.

“Of course! I love you Annie!” Seb yells leaning across Brian to kiss my cheek before Brian shoves him back into his chair.

“Everybody to Nathan’s house before two o’clock!” Seb announces before rushing out the door to God knows where.

Stunned silence settles over the room.

“Was he serious?” Ryder finally asks.

Jett nods, “Unfortunately yes, and I can tell you that it won’t be worth skipping out on the fair. He can be a Hell raiser when he wants to.”

“You really must invest more into your parenting” I scold, “Now everyone out and put the tables and chairs back to how you found them. I’ll see you at two.”

“Why did he invite everyone to my house?” Nathan asks irritated only slightly.

Everyone says their good byes and all the furniture is returned to normal before Wyatt and I are left in peace, for now.