#Chapter 223 – Brothers

Evelyn sits in a comfortable, slightly musty old armchair pulled close to the fire with one arm wrapped around Alvin. With her other hand, she idly breaks one of those delicious muffins into pieces, occasionally raising a chunk to her mouth to chew.

Alvin naps peacefully against her chest and Evelyn stares into the fire, thinking about Victor, about their life together, about what she wants. She knows, deep down, the answer to the question.

She dreams, passively, of her stomach swelling with something besides food. Imagines the tense expression on Victor’s face as he waits the agonizing two minutes for a pregnancy test to develop – something they’d do together, this time. Of the way a baby feels inside of you, the little flutter of first movement. The wonderful secret of something coming to life.

She smiles, a little, idly, and allows herself, in the safety of this little cottage – where she feels warm, and fed, and lovely – to hope.

But suddenly, a sound breaks the stillness of the air, in which previously there had only been the crackle of flame.

A yip – out in the woods –

A familiar noise – one she’d felt echoing in her soul all day. Alvin stirs against her, having heard it too.

“Mama,” he gasps, coming quickly back to consciousness. “Mama – did you hear it?”

“Yes, baby,” I say, tense in the chair, looking towards the windows. “I –“

A howl splits the silence, confirming for both of us – a feral, joyful thing that sings out, quite clearly, despite the lack of words –

I found you!

Alvin gives a little whoop of excitement as he leaps off of Evelyn’s lap and heads for the door, his mother chasing at his heels. He yanks hard on the door’s handle, pulling it open and stumbling out onto the porch where –

Two wolves sit in the grass in front of the cottage, their tongues hanging heavy from their mouths, joy and pleasure and accomplishment in their eyes. Evelyn laughs to see them, taking in the sight of Victor’s powerful wolf form, which she hasn’t seen before. Slowly, she walks down the steps to meet him in the grass as Alvin runs to his brother.

Victor’s wolf is larger than she thought he’d be – gigantic, really. He’s tall enough to press his face flush against her chest as she reaches out to bury her fingers in the warm fur of his neck.

“Hello, you,” she murmurs, scratching his fur, marveling at the softness of it. “We’ve missed you.”

He gives a wolfish little huff of a laugh and leans into the pressure of her hands, cherishing the feel of her.

There’s a little whine at her feet and then Evelyn feels a sudden scratching against her legs. She laughs as she turns to the pup there, jealously begging for her attention. “And you!” she says, falling to her knees and taking her son’s little wolf face in her hands, rubbing his silky ears between her fingers. “What a handsome wolf you make – you be careful, or you’ll make your father jealous, he’s not nearly as good looking as you –“

nudging her shoulder. Evelyn laughs harder, the sound ringing cheerfully out amongst the

kneeling next to her,

it, then. She bursts

says softly, laughing a little, gathering her close to his chest as he pulling her into his lap and sits on the ground. “What’s wrong? I thought you’d

“I’m sorry – I’m just so sorry about everything that happened yesterday – and I missed you – and my

a little, reaching for Ian and pulling him into her lap. Victor, still laughing a little, completely happy, reaches for Alvin,

Victor replies.

had to follow your stinky scents to

objects, giggling at the same time.

kid,” Victor interrupts, grimacing a little. “You are – but frankly, I think we all are, after so long in the

happy to have them all close. She tilts her head up, pressing a kiss to the line of Victor’s jaw, and then she turns to press another kiss to the

everything he learned about himself out in the woods today. No doubts

at his parents kissing for a moment and then

he murmurs, catching

Alvin says, glancing at his parents, a little alarmed.

fervently, Ian climbs up from his mother’s lap and gives Alvin’s shoulder a little shove. Alvin laughs and then turn away from his brother, running out into the woods a little way away from the cabin. Ian follows him eagerly – not so

his run as he looks over his shoulder. “But

their direction as well. “I think you have to, when you’re grown

Alvin murmurs, stopping and crossing

to his brother and crossing his arms as well. Their twinness

“The cabin has so many

it, suddenly

can have some, if you want.

grinning wolfishly. “We did running. All day.

asks quietly. “Sometime soon? How to

nods eagerly. “Yeah,” he says, moving closer to his brother so that they stand shoulder to shoulder. “I think you’ll be

him. Then, very

his face

is instant, throwing his arms around his brother and holding him close. “I love

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