Page 69 of Prayers for the Prickly

Even I had to reply, “And me,” because I’d certainly fueled his thoughts as well.

“I believe that we all owe Mrs. Zabrowski an apology in that regard, I’m afraid,” Aunty Eunice admitted, “and we will be sure to give her a proper one.

“It changes nothing,” Ever declared. “I’m done, yesterday was the final day for Chocolate Delights. It wasn’t even worth turning on the lights. I signed on to take that job at Galley 11 and I intend to start on Monday like I promised. I won’t allow my reputation in the industry to be damaged any further.”

“But, once everyone knows the truth, they’ll know you didn’t do anything wrong,” Iris said. “Your chocolate was perfect until I tampered with it.”

“And none of that matters because of the way I handled it,” Ever said coldly. “I made accusations I should not have made and refused to accept that the ants being in the chocolate could have possibly happened in my shop. Only it did and I have to own that, too. Clearly, I am not a responsible enough business owner if I cannot even choose the right family members to allow to work for me!”

She flinched and let out a tiny eep when he raised his voice again, the rolling rage in my alpha brother’s voice a reminder to everyone that he was one of the few true alphas in the room. He rarely wielded his voice that way, knowing the way that tone could affect omegas, even family members who’d grown up with him and knew he was safe. I watched my brother fight to regain control before he snarled and stormed off to the chocolate shop, slamming the glass door hard enough that it was a wonder that it didn’t crack.

“I, I should probably go speak to him,” I said as I stood a lot more carefully than I had the last time and went to go after him.

No one stopped me, not even our other siblings, who knew how close Ever and I were and always looked to whichever of us wasn’t fretting over something to calm the other.

“Ever, it’s just me,” I called before I entered the kitchen, in case he was in one of those rare moods when he decided to throw something. Never anything metal and never at anyone, but those little floppy silicone molds of his had gone flying more than once.

“August, you can’t talk me out of it, it’s a done deal.”

“I know,” I said as I waddled to the nearest stool and awkwardly planted myself on it.

“Would have gotten something a lot more comfortable for your visits, if I’d stayed open,” Ever said, coming to stand behind me so I at least had a backrest to lean against while we chatted.

With five little ones beginning to squirm inside of me, I already looked like I was six months along. Fortunately, six months was all I had to carry them, but that still meant two and a half very long ones in front of me.

“This is perfectly fine,” I said as he ruffled my hair.

“I can’t wait to meet them,” Ever said. “I’ll be back the first day off after you have them.”

“I’m glad you’ll be here for the handfasting.”

“Where else would I be?”

“I just, I never pictured us not seeing each other every day,” I explained. “Then you were gone for that week and that was hard but I still got to see you every day through video chat. Then you were back, and it was so awesome to see you here every day again and get to hang out on breaks and nibble all the little samples you made for me. But now you’re leaving again, and we’ll be back to having a screen between us and that sucks. I wanted you to come watch movies in the nest with me after Sunday dinner, once the nesting area is finished. Gregor wants to start hosting when I’m no longer up to leaving the house. Which I’m afraid is going to be sooner rather than later. As it is, I think I am ready to dial back my days here to two or three a week. Gracie is amazing and can more than handle the day to day refilling of the case.”

“You got lucky, but then, she’s always been as career driven as we are,” Ever said, squeezing me gently. “I’m so glad she decided to pursue candy and not chocolate so she can be there for you.”

“See, and here I was wishing the opposite, that she’d pursued chocolate, so you wouldn’t have had to resort to hiring iris.”

“I don’t even want to think about her right now,” Ever groaned. “I already had so much to do before your handfasting to get this place cleaned out, as well as my room. Now I have to make right with Mrs. Zabrowski and Olly’s mom, too. I just want this shitshow to end.”

“Are you going to tell Olly that you’re leaving?” I asked, afraid of what the answer would be, and that me and Gregor would have to be the ones to break it to him.

“No, staying away from him is the best thing I can do for both of us,” Ever snarled, the fury in his voice back again. “He’s not ready to come out from under her skirts and stand up to her and I can’t be the one risking everything, not even for the wolverine meant to be my mate. When he grows up a little more, we’ll see what happens. Fate might have just gotten it wrong this time.”

“Fate never gets it wrong,” I said, pressing my head against his arm.

“Then why the hell is she doing this to me?!”

Sighing, I hugged it to my chest and felt him press his cheek against the back of my head. We used to sleep that way all the time, cuddled together and cocooned in blankets beside our siblings. He was always a little bigger, my first big spoon, and the one I’d shared a million whispered secrets and dreams in the night with. Seeing our little ones grow up together had been one of them, now there was no telling if that would happen or if it would be another one of those childhood dreams we were forced to let go of.

“I wish I knew, Ever,” I whispered, stroking the back of his hand. “I really wish I knew.”

Chapter 27

Gregor

“I’ve got a surprise for you.”

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