CHAPTER 231: _ THE WAY HOME

Morgan slides his sunglasses down his nose — even though he wasn’t wearing any before — and scans the growing crowd like he’s selecting his audience. A group of three women stops dead on the sidewalk. All are in their early twenties. All staring at the brothers like they’ve materialized out of a romance novel.

Morgan gives them a slow wink.

"Hey," he says loud enough for half the street to hear. "She’s my mate."

OH, NO.

The effect of that sole declaration is instant. The women gasp so loudly that a pigeon flaps away in protest. Someone across the street drops their iced coffee. A car horn honks as the driver realizes who they’re looking at.

"Mate?!"

"That girl?!"

"He’s carrying her?!"

"Wait... which one is Morgan?"

"The hot one— no, the other hot one— actually they’re all— whatever, take pictures!"

Phones rise like a wave.

Grayson’s mouth falls open. "Morgan. Dude. What is wrong with you?"

Amias is about to scold the most reckless Bellamy when Vark cuts him off. "Let him have his fun. At least, someone actually knows how to appreciate the beautiful things in his life."

Without a doubt, the last jab was for him. Amias knows. Vark won’t stop taunting his decision to forgo his bond with Heidi, would he?

He sighs before shooting Morgan a lethal stare. "Stop. Talking."

"Why?" Morgan shrugs. "They’re enjoying the show. I’m enjoying the show. Heidi’s enjoying— actually no, she looks like she might faint."

Heidi burrows closer into Grayson. She doesn’t like the attention either. He can’t blame her. It’s hard dealing with paparazzi when you’ve just undergone a very traumatic experience like an attempt on your life and you unintentionally hurt the perpetrator so badly, they are currently battling for their life.

To many in the pack, hurting another or taking a life is not a big deal, but for a newbie like Heidi, it must definitely be traumatic. First times are the worst.

It gets better, Amias concludes.

Darien hushes Morgan. "Cut it out. Now."

Morgan spreads his arms, affronted. "I’m just building hype. You’re welcome."

Two more girls start filming. A man jogs across the street to get closer. Someone warns them they’re too close to the Alpha’s kids — which only encourages them more.

Amias clenches his teeth. His wolf claws at him. He hates the attention too. The staring. The whole circus. But does he feel ashamed of being associated with a Moon Blessed? No.

Weirdly, he doesn’t feel any. It’s not as bad as he thinks, actually.

Not even when she’s in danger. Not when she looks so small and shaken. Not when every part of him is screaming to get her somewhere safe. He just wants to go home. Wants silence. Wants to disappear from the world.

Vark hisses, "You want her."

He grinds back, "I can’t want her."

Vark laughs again.

Darien pulls out his phone with a furious swipe. "I’m calling the chauffeur."

"Thank the ancestors," Grayson mutters. "Please tell him to bring the tinted car."

"If he brings anything else," Morgan adds dramatically, "I will start barking."

Darien’s eyes go round. "No one cares."

The chauffeur answers immediately. Darien walks a few steps away, muttering tight instructions. The crowd thickens. Some people pretend to be on their phones while blatantly filming. Someone whispers:

"Is she the Moon Blessed? The devil who destroyed Sierra?"

"But I saw the post from a blog earlier about her being their mate."

"All four of them?"

"Wait — is Grayson carrying her? Is Morgan flirting? Is Amias... why does Amias look like an assassin?"

Morgan cups his hands around his mouth. "She’s my mate!" he repeats cheerfully.

Grayson lunges to elbow him, almost dropping Heidi in the process.

"For the love of— stop claiming her before she files an actual complaint against you."

Morgan laughs, delighted with himself.

Darien returns. "The car is two minutes away. Everyone stay still. Don’t cause more..."

Morgan waves at a group of high school girls. "Hi besties."

Darien pounces toward him.

.

.

The black SUV screeches into the curb like the chauffeur broke at least three minor traffic laws to get there. The tinted windows gleam. The doors unlock with a solid click.

"Everyone move," Darien orders.

Amias and Grayson flank Heidi from both sides as they make their way down the steps. People keep filming. Whispering. Gasps follow them like sparks.

A woman shouts, "Congrats on the mate bond!"

Morgan blows her a kiss. Darien drags him by the back of the collar and shoves him into the car. They pile in quickly. Grayson is still holding Heidi. Amias slides in next, then Morgan, then Darien slams the door shut behind him.

The tinted glass muffles the chaos outside. It’s suddenly quiet. Almost too quiet. Heidi lets out a shaky breath that sounds like it’s been trapped inside her for hours.

The SUV pulls away. The drive is long enough for tension to bloom like a bruise in the air.

Darien pinches the bridge of his nose, sinking into the leather seat. "Alright," he begins. "We need to talk about what happens when we get home."

Morgan cracks his knuckles. "We celebrate? Because we just pulled off something insane?"

"No." Darien looks at him like he wants to hurl him out of the moving vehicle. "We prepare for our mothers."

Grayson scoffs. "Our mother won’t explode. She doesn’t care about status crap. She literally went feral on the Council when they insulted her power last year."

"That was not feral," Morgan argues. "That was passionate. Artistic."

"It was unhinged," Darien corrects. "She threw a chair."

Amias can’t help the small, tight breath that escapes him. They really did win the mother lottery with one of them. He shifts, glancing at Heidi. She’s still awake but quiet, tucked into Grayson’s side.

Grayson leans his head back. "Anyway. Our mom’s not the problem. Yours are. Specifically Darien’s."

Morgan points at Amias. "And yours."

Grayson nods grimly. "Which means you two need to figure out how to break the news."

Amias frowns. "What news?"

Morgan gestures broadly. "The ’hey, we’re bringing home the Moon Blessed girl who is low class, whom the Council thinks is dangerous but also maybe the key to a prophecy that might ruin us all’ news."

"Right." Darien rubs a hand over his jaw. "That."

Morgan snaps his fingers. "Also the ’hey, Heidi is literally fated to all four of us’ thing."

Grayson sits up straight. "Speaking of that..."

He turns to Amias. And for one horrifying second, Amias knows something stupid is about to come out of Grayson’s mouth.

"Actually," Grayson says casually, "Amias doesn’t have a problem. He’s Lira’s fiancé now. He won’t claim Heidi. So really, Darien’s the only one who needs to worry."

Argh, why THAT...

The car stops breathing. Heidi’s head lifts off Grayson’s shoulder slowly as she processes Grayson’s words. She doesn’t need another emotional blow right now, Amias’s fists balls.

Grayson is such an idiot.

Her mouth parts as she stutters. "You’re... m-marrying Li... Lira?"