Chapter 44 : Love Me, Love Me Not
*Lucas*
“... and you brought it here," George said, staring at the pink orb nestled in red silk in the middle of the coffee table between the four of us.
“We brought it here," I replied with a wince.
“They brought it here!" Robbie boomed, sounding as excited as a kid in a toy store.
“We're sorry about that," Brady added.
“Don't be," George and Robbie said together, though probably for different reasons.
“And apparently there's another one somewhere that we're supposed to find," I sighed.
“Never a dull moment," Brady added.
“Maybe Alison won't miss me for a few weeks," Robbie said whimsically.
George shook his head sharply. “She'll miss you. And you have duties here."
“Aww, but this is life and death, world-saving stuff!" Robbie protested.
“No," George said firmly, then added with a respectful cough, “Alpha."
Robbie sulked, staring at the orb.
“Oliver is taking us to the Winter Forest. Hopefully, my mother will be able to shed more light on the situation," I said. “It'll be pretty boring, Alpha, I'm sure."
“Liar," Robbie grunted, but he gave up on his thirst for adventure.
I wrapped the orb up just the same so he didn't have to keep sulking at it. “In any case, we haven't quite decided what needs to be done with it. I mean, aside from some cryptic orders from the Goddess, we really don't know… what the best course of action is."
“You mean you don't know. Sasha's perfectly happy to keep working with the thing to see if she can't figure it out herself," Brady said.
I grimaced. “Yes, well, I'm still not sure it shouldn't be thrown in the sea."
“Sounds like that wouldn't help, from what the High Priestess said," George observed.
“Yeah. Kind of why I haven't chucked it out with the tide," I said.
“And, why didn't you take it to the White Queen again?" Robbie asked.
My shoulders slumped. “That was probably a bad move on my part. I was just afraid of someone in her court finding out and trying to steal the orb or use it. But since we know more about it now...."
“The fact that it was awakened by a dream dancer, for instance," Brady said.
“Yes. Maybe that means only a dream dancer can use it? I touched the thing while it was active and it blasted me into the wall. Literally," I recalled.
the Light Realm trying to find out more about the thing,
“Yes, that's
is. I came up with
thy name is
married to my daughter
before we could try to smoothe over
have seen your faces,"
George agreed.
didn't know it was a
on the shoulder, nearly bowling me right out
staring at the thing. I'm glad we talked, though. You're right, Alpha,
dinner. Though she and Joy are getting all wrapped up in this birthday thing. I swear, it's going to
myself. I
worry, son. She's your mate. A blind man could see
said quietly. “Thank you. I'll see you
and I scooted out before Robbie
Brady suggested, and I gave in with
by the beach, shoes off, letting the waves
stayed silent, though I sensed there was something he wanted to
a wreck over this mate thing
sighed and plopped myself down right in the sand. “I'd like her to be my
next to me. “You love her to bits and
the impression my hand was making in
to bits
so, yes,"
snorted. “She loves you to bits and pieces, trust me. If she's going to let you do THAT, she has to
head snapped up. “How
Sasha wanted some advice before you did it," Brady said
face was flaming red. “I don't know if I should be more embarrassed that
that, too. Nothing to be embarrassed about," Brady grinned.
“Enough said," I agreed.
the sand with his fingers, which he swept away with his palm,
her," I replied
comes into her wolf, and
leaned back on my elbows and stared up at the sky. “Then I'll have a new best day
you mark her?" Brady
plenty of time–quiet time–to think it through. And
“Wine. Roses," Brady said.
like that, yeah,"
a romantic,
him. “I suppose you wooed Phoebe with
get awkward. “... no, not an
“Wine. Roses?" I teased.
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fJfgqZ3XUu+qmg3Lm6rXE1fxalSIJNy29Er+U0n2qWb7MX31J1hiW1M/7vLZ9pVwPX8Ho8VWn0Q12flsIad4YN/NsPg8cc6S+bzEEnu+EFkD2DzqHO5o68VTKiKVeJPYkftK/amBeC+8VKQXsx20kzWj3onYjLuJ1M4ef2zAEQiAVejO4YKQiGk3pRt3DX4R72CrPpxN54t4DTQ4yrUnpeRU+l0DaNOfGyZ3W5LYq8qKTUb/1sUcyQvHEc+0YTX1Q038+6SJWbCm2W3cdnt3LdPaDZombINJ8JA9A5sKb/0tCcE33Dy1Oaw/LZebLO2y1d5p+Mx8TNaskfZik1YZ4a43LVwMiMH1fN+CdGtfAEypDPLzjXt9yvucP285LODvFIuzp/o7m0mSnCvD6d16AtNWOB9D+noBij9//IqpPUzvSqcJ9cAjNBedWw0jrc0U7DTNyQFFcuQX0PaK+m2L4iVpRebmN11cspPuF0mWl9BDJR/0qWdEts2yRbmCAplsaRQd5TWxpWHCkxVWeEqZvYf9O8ZrDFqxYjPle4+8jhOcyCix+KuJbVKmM44NcrfSMfNx29OvSFvRPSgSyYaxaWt4bV9mZvwG
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